Random DIY Idea

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Hey guys.

 

Tonight while I researched and worked out new plans and schemes for myself and my buddies plans for our online avatars on the Sci-Fi MMORPG, EvE-Online, I was caught by a sudden idea.

 

My favourite race at the moment is the Caldari (in depth study of Caldari society here).

 

(Please don't miss those links if you want to know just what the hell I'm on about. ;) )

 

I had the idea to make a chapter based on the somewhat unusual concept (for 40k) of their homeworlds structure was based around a ruling group of mega-corporations that constantly jostle for top-spot on the planet. The idea can be broken down into a more manageable form for 40k if you liken the mega-corporations to the nobility of other worlds, or the ruling nations of some others. The difference being the influence for this chapter being founded in a corporate atmoshphere and is much more subtle and, if you like, more insidious in nature than the less complex nature of relationships of the lesser-developed worlds.

 

I think the Caldari are a rather good subject population for Space Marines to recruit from. They are duty bound to the aid the State who are by proxy their fellow Caldari. The good of the many outweighs - heavily - the needs of the few, a concept that while not overlooked, is often skimmed over when relating to Space Marines.

 

Perhaps the world was on the brink of being invaded by the wider Imperium, only to be assaulted by foul xenos or traitors, the chapter in question being diverted from assaulting the world to saving it.

 

My only problems come from the entirely capitalistic drive behind the structure of a corporation in of itself. How would the corporations function inside a wider empire like the Imperium? What strictures would be placed on them by the fact of their world being chosen as an Astartes homeworld for one reason or other? How would the people of this world be as suitable recruits for the Astartes unless the corporations were in outright war with each other?

 

Well that's all I have really, for now. If anyone has any thoughts on whether this is a godawful idea and should be scrapped, or perhaps suggestions as to how to make it workable within 40k I'd be more than happy to hear them all.

 

-GHY

[Telveryon]

The biggest issue is the corporation themselves. The Imperium is feudal in nature, noble houses hold most of the economical power. What you could do is to have noble houses structured like corporation instead of actual corporations.

 

The difference being the influence for this chapter being founded in a corporate atmoshphere and is much more subtle and, if you like, more insidious in nature than the less complex nature of relationships of the lesser-developed worlds.

Heh! Dealings between noble houses are far more subtle and insidious then theri corporate equivalents.

[Ferrata]

Not to rain on your bonfire night, but this is already the custom on many Imperial worlds (or something similar occuring). The House system on Verghast being one example of corporate war intra-planet. It has much potential for a home world, and it can be set up to work well within the Imperium. By my read of the EVEWiki, it seems the state is made up of corporations and the martial traditions of the place keep them fighting fit. Just replce the Galens with the Imperium, make the people join a Guard Regiment (say the chapter waivers its right to allow their home world to not found a Regiment) and have the chapter recruit from the young schools which are common across the place (say even Boxing-esque schools). You could even have the chapter take children of a younger age to raise them to be better than normal instead of taking naturally better children.

[Tyrannicide]

I'll admit I hadn't even heard of EvE-Online before your post, but the Caldari do seem like a good bunch to base a Chapter's recruitment off of. They seem to possess high moral standards, and are more of a militaristic society. To be completely honest, from your lone concept, I don't see many differences from these people and the people of Macragge. Besides the 'corporations' I don't see anything unique about it. Macragge is one of the most prosperous worlds in the Imperium, a planet that most Imperial worlds strive to be like, but this Calderi-caricature seems to be too similar to the worlds of Ultramar. To me it just comes across as another hive-world in some sector of the galaxy.

 

I'm not trying to be harsh, but I just don't see any qualities that distinguish this from another world of the Imperium that flourishes and obeys the laws. While homeworlds should add something to a Chapter, some sort of flavor and quality, I believe you're focusing a little too heavily on the Chapter's planet - something I too have done much of in the past. I'd like to hear more about your Chapter, not their homeworld - for now. I think that you should initially work more on the Chapter and their beliefs in particular. Once finished, return to their homeworld and go to town on it. I know the Caldari have provided the basic inspiration for your new Chapter, but I'd like to hear any other concepts you have floating around also.

 

This idea is not godawful in the slightest, and is certainly a workable concept. I hope to hear more about your Chapter, and soon too! :D

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Not to rain on your bonfire night, but this is already the custom on many Imperial worlds (or something similar occuring). The House system on Verghast being one example of corporate war intra-planet. It has much potential for a home world and it can be set up to work well within the Imperium.

 

Yes it is similar, but not the same. So far as I am aware there is very little if any individual or group corporate organisation within the Imperium besides the Rogue Traders, given that everything is so tightly controlled by the various administrative bodies and the AdMech. I know it's very similar but to have something that jumps out and breaks the mould often, well, literally breaks the mould and becomes unworkable.

 

Heh! Dealings between noble houses are far more subtle and insidious then theri corporate equivalents.

 

Well, somewhat. Corporations deal with profit margins and efficiency, economic power. Noble houses deal in intrigue, blood feuds and a self-obsessed pecking order. Yes they can act in similar manners but the overall objectives can differ wildly. The place where they cross-over is political power as each requires political weight in it's own circumstances. I see the Nobles as being more egotistical in their dealings with each other. The Corporations however are faceless entities that even the elimination of individual positions won't stop (given a sturdy enough structure) as the wheels of profit margins and efficiency ratings grind ever onwards. Kind of like a microcosm the Imperium I geuss, but in a different manner.

 

 

I'm not trying to be harsh, but I just don't see any qualities that distinguish this from another world of the Imperium that flourishes and obeys the laws.

 

Ah well now, that's true. And don't worry about being harsh, I asked for it and I got it and it was much gentler than I had expected truth be told (your not getting soft, really). :(

 

The fact is that I wasn't thinking of some wildly divergent world with a single ecological environment and ecosystem across the entire thing and one certain culture that ran screaming from the page and out of your house into the street with a large axe (not that I'm looking at the Space Wolves here or anything). The idea was to create a believable but more subtly inspired homeworld from which a chapter could grow. I was thinking of including tidbits of the original Caldari's history in the homeworlds, and their history at large within the universe of EvE as fuel for their combat doctrine and perhaps their own history seperate of the homeworld too.

 

Where they would stand out is where I need to put the hard work if I want to persue this idea. While I don't want them to stand out too far as to make the idea more than a bit too much work to fit into 40k without a lot of revision and refinement, I want to find a way to maket them distance themselves from the others.

 

The Caldari focus of being on the bleeding edge of technology is reflected by the Astartes supreme level of equipment and vehicles provided to them by the AdMech and so is nothing terribly new here, and is nothing more I can include unless I want to seriously bend some DIY guidelines and tread on a fair number of toes.

 

The idea that I just thought of was that perhaps the organisation of the chapter itself is grown from the corporations of their homeworld. Each company is made up of a Captain (Director), each officer forming a council that advises the Chapter Master (CEO) but, interestingly, could have the power to veto any decision the Chapter Master makes if it sufficiently opposed, or perhaps to make it a more extreme occasion only if the veto is unanimous.

 

The chapter would be constantly seeking the best outcome for the Imperium through the most efficient distribution of their forces to whatever crisis is at hand. Maybe, maybe this mentality would allow them a little bit of wiggle room in the strictures of chapter size. For even though each company may be dispatched to whatever crisis that the chapter deems necessary to combat, perhaps they deem it inefficient to not have a force always at home, both to protect their system and to to respond to any emergencies that may arise nearby.

 

I'd also say that given the nature of combat in EvE, the chapter would have less use for Battlebarges (equivilant to say, a Mothership in Eve), instead focussing on the more efficient division of fleet assets by having a larger number of strike-cruisers and frigates. Everything comes down to the efficient distribution of assets and while this may sound like a no-brainer for any chapter, it takes considerable forethought to divvy out numbers objectively and dispassionately for whatever task is at hand.

 

That is how I see it thus far, but then this could just be a huge waste of time. Either way I enjoy the discussion, but it's good to be able to talk out the idea since it was gnawing away at the back of my mind ever since it occurred to me.