The Blackwatch- Bare bones ideas so far.

[Gree]

For a second chapter, after my Eagle Claws I was thinking of the Blackwatch while playign Prototype. The theme is a Fist-sucessor chapter.

 

-They guard a region of space in the galatic south of the Maelstorm.

 

-They fight often with the orks and eldar.

 

-they specialize in stopping infections. Several of the sub-sectors worlds under thier protection have been attacked by a Cabal of Nurgle sorcerers who have raised plague zombies. They speiclize in clearly an area of orks sproes as well. More recently theey have been containg Genestealer infections abd battling several splinter fleets from Leviathan.

 

Color scheme will be tan armor with a dark grey-brown shoulder pads and a green helmet.

[Tyrannicide]

There's really nothing that 'jumps out' when reading these ideas. What would you like to focus on, what sort of central theme would you like to apply to these guys?

[ChaplainMathreyn]

Rargle-flargle, that was a name I had on my "Big List O Names" for my Chapter, too! Of course, it has an '-ers' at the end, but still Bah!

 

they specialize in stopping infections. Several of the sub-sectors worlds under thier protection have been attacked by a Cabal of Nurgle sorcerers who have raised plague zombies.

 

While not "stopping" plagues, I've always liked the idea of Marines resistant to Nurgle's machinations... They come from a Jungle-world where virus and diseases have made the locals highly resistant or very knowledgeable in medicines, etc.

 

But other than that... It's pretty "ho-hum".

[Gree]

There's really nothing that 'jumps out' when reading these ideas. What would you like to focus on, what sort of central theme would you like to apply to these guys?

 

Like the stopping of cults and plauges. They are a chapter that is totally dedicated to the idea of defending the worlds they are charged with defending. They contain infections and cults. but your every plagues but the most dangerous cults and uprisings and xenos excursions. I like the idea of them being at the edge of the Imperium.

 

they specialize in stopping infections. Several of the sub-sectors worlds under thier protection have been attacked by a Cabal of Nurgle sorcerers who have raised plague zombies.

 

While not "stopping" plagues, I've always liked the idea of Marines resistant to Nurgle's machinations... They come from a Jungle-world where virus and diseases have made the locals highly resistant or very knowledgeable in medicines, etc.

 

But other than that... It's pretty "ho-hum".

 

 

No, they are a fleet-based chapter who recruits form the worlds they defend. ''Recruits not vassels''

[Donkey Kong]

If you want then to fight infection you should say they fight Chaos, as well as Orks.

 

The Chapter would have close ties to the Inquisition, and possibly care very little for the humans on the infected worlds.

"The death of one world is better than the death of a sector" mentality.

 

If you're going with a more Prototype (God I love that game) theme, perhaps have some of the marines be mutated.

 

Also, if you want to give them a drive, give them a homeworld, have a Nurgle cult infect the homeworld, and have the bombard the homeworld, and then become a fleet based Chapter.

 

Finally, if you want to kill infection, have fire, lots and lots of fire. "Burn it all and then burn the ashes."

 

I wonder if I see stern and straight forward Imperial Fist successors doing this though. An interesting twist would be Salamander successors. If you link that with the idea that they don't care what they have to do to stop infections, it'd be a nice little "parody" I guess. With successors from the most humanitarian Chapter have 'humanitarian' ideals, but go to extremes to get it done.

 

I'm just rambling now, but I hope it helped.

[hummus]

will they all speak in a scottish accent?

check out wiki if you dont get the reference

[Bad Monkey]

rather than just having them specialise in fighting nurgle infections, why not make stopping the infections an obsession for them. give them more apocathories them the average astrates, could be an interesting slant

 

Just a sugesstion.

 

Anyhoo,

 

Cheers

 

Bad Monkey

[#13]

I agree with most of what KingHongKong said.

If you want then to fight infection you should say they fight Chaos, as well as Orks.

Personally I'd change Orks into genestealers. And leave it at that, maybe even leave it at just chaos. I think if you keep it narrow, your background becomes more believable.

 

The Chapter would have close ties to the Inquisition, and possibly care very little for the humans on the infected worlds.

"The death of one world is better than the death of a sector" mentality.

 

Also, if you want to give them a drive, give them a homeworld, have a Nurgle cult infect the homeworld, and have the bombard the homeworld, and then become a fleet based Chapter.

 

Finally, if you want to kill infection, have fire, lots and lots of fire. "Burn it all and then burn the ashes."

 

This sounds like a great start. Maybe you can mirror your chapter against the Purge's background. I wouldn't try and go with an apothecary theme where they'd find a miracle cure against those (Nurgle)infections. It goes against most GW background and would be a bit lame. I'm not saying you should skip the apothecaries, just don't let them be the cure. The cure should be lot's and lot's of promethium.

 

If I might suggest something, I'd try to work in purity of geneseed in there. That might steer you towards ultramarine geneseed, but if you come up with a cool background it won't really matter.

[Gree]

If I might suggest something, I'd try to work in purity of geneseed in there. That might steer you towards ultramarine geneseed, but if you come up with a cool background it won't really matter.

 

I already have that with the Eagle Claws.

[Lone Scout]

Aye lad they shoudst speak with r heavy accent with spittle sprayin everywheres.

Though if they do perhaps blackwatch tartan colours would be more suitable. (its a cool regiment with even cooler background).

I'd go with flamers to purge and purify your foes with and perhaps use the sallies special character as a counnts as for your leader?

Stay away from the inquisition...they're a bunch of corrupt madmen!

[Gree]

Aye lad they shoudst speak with r heavy accent with spittle sprayin everywheres.

Though if they do perhaps blackwatch tartan colours would be more suitable. (its a cool regiment with even cooler background).

I'd go with flamers to purge and purify your foes with and perhaps use the sallies special character as a counnts as for your leader?

Stay away from the inquisition...they're a bunch of corrupt madmen!

 

Actually I was more basing them off of the Blackwatch from prototype.

[The Black Watch]

Perhaps I am too late. I've been designing my own chapter for about 3 months and only just joined B&C. Was going to start posting my own IA. My chapter is called the Black Watch. They are nothing to do with real-life Scottish Regiment, I just liked the name.

This is my Chapter Symbol:

and my colour scheme for the 2nd and 3rd companies.

[Gree]

Perhaps I am too late. I've been designing my own chapter for about 3 months and only just joined B&C. Was going to start posting my own IA. My chapter is called the Black Watch. They are nothing to do with real-life Scottish Regiment, I just liked the name.

This is my Chapter Symbol:

and my colour scheme for the 2nd and 3rd companies.

Wow, I'm sorry about the coincedence, what are your ideas on it?

[The Black Watch]

Well, like I said, they're not related to anything real-world. I just thought the name was cool and I've been writing a back story. I've also started creating some characters:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=173553

 

Don't worry about the coincidence! If two of us thought of it, it can't be half bad...

 

Are there any rules/guidelines on two people creating the same DIY chapter? :huh:

[bjorn irongaze]

hows about the chapters gene seed is corrupted by a plauuge and there purging the plauge tpo show there loyalty

[Gree]

Well, like I said, they're not related to anything real-world. I just thought the name was cool and I've been writing a back story. I've also started creating some characters:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=173553

 

Don't worry about the coincidence! If two of us thought of it, it can't be half bad...

 

Are there any rules/guidelines on two people creating the same DIY chapter? ;)

 

No there is not, but nothing is stopping us.

 

To be honest I was planning on creating a Fist-sucessor with tan/brown armor and green shoulder pads. I was essentially going to repaint Kantor and Lysander as allies for my main chapter. They where going to be a fleet-based chapter recruitng from an entire sector. With emphais on coperation with the other parts of the Imperium and doing whatever was needed to save the greater part of humanity.

 

The image I was going for was grim, stern marines that did not enjoy what they had to do but did it for the greater good. Like the marines who go in and isolate an entire city because it is infested with genestealers or plague zombies and go in and purge everyone, reglardless of who they are, because they cannot risk the infection escaping at all.

 

Since the marien sunderstand that inevitbly they will kill innocents, I was planning to use the Pain glove as a a device as a tradition for the leaders of the chapter to experiance the pain of the loyal civillians they had to kill along with the infected.

[The Black Watch]

Well I've got my own idea's and fluff for my chapter. I'm not really interested in doing a collaboration since I've already painted 500points in my colour scheme! I'm sure there's room for two chapters called the Black Watch. Maybe an error in the great bureaucracy of the Imperium caused two chapters with the same name to be formed? The galaxy is a big place after all.

 

Its entirely up to you what to do with your chapter, it seems highly improbable to me that this will cause a problem.

[Gree]

Well I've got my own idea's and fluff for my chapter. I'm not really interested in doing a collaboration since I've already painted 500points in my colour scheme! I'm sure there's room for two chapters called the Black Watch. Maybe an error in the great bureaucracy of the Imperium caused two chapters with the same name to be formed? The galaxy is a big place after all.

 

Its entirely up to you what to do with your chapter, it seems highly improbable to me that this will cause a problem.

 

I could just change it to something like the Darkwatch or the Hellwatch.

[hummus]

Well I've got my own idea's and fluff for my chapter. I'm not really interested in doing a collaboration since I've already painted 500points in my colour scheme! I'm sure there's room for two chapters called the Black Watch. Maybe an error in the great bureaucracy of the Imperium caused two chapters with the same name to be formed? The galaxy is a big place after all.

 

Its entirely up to you what to do with your chapter, it seems highly improbable to me that this will cause a problem.

That would be awesome "hang on guys we wanted the tan black watch not the black coloured black watch." black watch marine heads slowly back to the thunderhawk with head bowed in disapointment.....

[The Black Watch]

I could just change it to something like the Darkwatch or the Hellwatch.

 

Sure. I liked Nightwatch but thats taken obv. You could have Daywatch, Overwatch, Greywatch, etc, etc.

 

 

That would be awesome "hang on guys we wanted the tan black watch not the black coloured black watch." black watch marine heads slowly back to the thunderhawk with head bowed in disapointment.....

 

Ha ha. Yeah maybe the Imperium tried to rectify their mistake by closing down one of the chapters' but they refused, instead going a crusade to prove their worth...

[Ferrata]

Rules on two DIY chapters sharing the same name: None ;)

 

As for this Blackwatch, I have just finished playing through Prototype so I know what you are aiming for. The first thing you need to remember is that the Blackwatch were fundamentally the bad guys (whilst the infected were just as evil in their actions, you could argue most of them didn't really have a choice in the matter). The Blackwatch were the armed protection unit of a company which did evil things, they knew about it and so forth. I don't think this needs to be directly transferred across into this chapter (i.e. an Inquisitor using the chapter to cover up his mistakes) but a less-than-noble chapter should coming from this. Not one that is in evil deep in their hearts, but uncaring for human life. If there is a human standing next to an ork, there are no worries about throwing a grenade etc. Now, a second key thing is the redline (or was it bloodline, I can't remember), in which the Blackwatch marks a line and says nothing must pass it. This can be carried across a chapter to great effect, a symbolisitic method of their doctrine. The chapter makes a line and nothing will pass them, or they all die. Finally, unquestionable following of orders. Whilst some chapters might encourage free thinking on their squad commanders parts, this chapter does not. You do as your told, you do it quickly and you don't ask questions.

[Gree]

Rules on two DIY chapters sharing the same name: None :D

 

As for this Blackwatch, I have just finished playing through Prototype so I know what you are aiming for. The first thing you need to remember is that the Blackwatch were fundamentally the bad guys (whilst the infected were just as evil in their actions, you could argue most of them didn't really have a choice in the matter). The Blackwatch were the armed protection unit of a company which did evil things, they knew about it and so forth. I don't think this needs to be directly transferred across into this chapter (i.e. an Inquisitor using the chapter to cover up his mistakes) but a less-than-noble chapter should coming from this. Not one that is in evil deep in their hearts, but uncaring for human life. If there is a human standing next to an ork, there are no worries about throwing a grenade etc. Now, a second key thing is the redline (or was it bloodline, I can't remember), in which the Blackwatch marks a line and says nothing must pass it. This can be carried across a chapter to great effect, a symbolisitic method of their doctrine. The chapter makes a line and nothing will pass them, or they all die. Finally, unquestionable following of orders. Whilst some chapters might encourage free thinking on their squad commanders parts, this chapter does not. You do as your told, you do it quickly and you don't ask questions.

 

Good ideas, I'm not basing them off totally of the Blackwatch, I like the creed and the name, as well as the attitude. But I want to incorperate that aspect of responsibility into that chapter. My concept is the Founding chapter Master's motto is ''great power, great resposibility'' kind of like Spiderman. The Chapter master was a brilliant commander and skilled warrior, but he expressed views that the first duty of the marines was to the greater whole of humanity, and that the Chapter should concentrate on protecting worlds foremost. He was chosen to lead the new chapter (Voidwatch?) as a polite way of getting rid of him.

 

They are not exactly uncaring, but will do whatever is nessecary. In every action they will kill at least some innocent civillians by accident, the Chapter master belives that the Primarchs who fell during the Horus Heresy because they mis-used thier power, thus the chapter uses the Pain glove as a method of humility and to teach them the pain of those slain in order to preserve the Imperium and to understand why they are martyrs.

 

Now I am wondering if I want to draw the training cadre from the Imperial Fists or the Crimson Fists? I think both of them have their advantages, I am just wondering which DIY chapters use more for the training cadres.

[Gree]

The VOIDWATCH

 

ORGINS

 

The Voidwatch was founded in M34, as part of the 8th founding, they where created from the geneseed of Rogal Dorn, from the Imperial fist chapter, Captain Alvardo Rialgo, was slected to lead the new chapter.

 

Rialgo was something of a black sheep within the ranks of the Fists, he was concerned heavily with the fists duty to the Imperium and the defense or worlds, and that the chapter owned a greater responsibility to the Imperium as a greater whole. He opposed the constant crusading nature of most of his colleagues.

 

All marines hold these beliefs, but not to the degree that Rialgo held them. When it was time for a new chapter to be formed Rialgo was the natural choice to be quietly sent off to found the chapter.

 

The new chapter was named the Voidwatch, from the Emperor’s tarot and given it’s color schemes, Rialgo and a small group of Imperial Fist veterans formed the command and training cadre.

 

The Voidwatch was given two battle barges and a number of ships from the Fist’s large, mothballed fleet collection and sent off on their own to forge a destiny among the stars.

 

Rialgo was determined that the chapter would fulfill it’s obligation to humanity by defend the worlds and people of humanity foremost, not striking off deep recklessly.

 

To that end Rialgo went to the Sartos sector, one of the most distant and strife-ridden sectors in the galactic south. There Rialgo reported straight to the local Sector command and asked for the nearest warzone.

 

He found it in the world of Daerlo Primaris, a great hive world. The Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos informed him that a large Genestealer cult was hidden on the world, which was vital to the defense of the sector.

 

Rialgo landed with the five companies, and using information from the Inquisition, isolated the section of the Hive city where the Patriarch and the main center of the cult was located. See the marines the cult went into a full rebellion.

 

Although the marines easily defeated the waves of poorly-armed and badly trained hybrids, the Patriarch and his host of purestrains appeared soon, it seemed that the Inquisition had underestimated the size of the genestealer host.

 

The marines where forced to retreat to the governor’s palace, where the main armory for the world’s PDF and chief planetary communications where located. The Cult had tried to infiltrate it earlier, but had been foiled by the Ordo Xenos.

If the cult could gain control of the Governor’s palace, then Daerlo would surely fall in short order. Rialgo swore it would never happen. He then gave his famous motto, taking off his gauntlet and cutting it with his blade, then drawing a crimson line in the ground before it clotted.

 

‘’We are the last line of defense, he will hold the red line, we will sanctify it with the blood of our brothers, where he stand we kill, we are the last and only line, nothing is sacred’’.

 

With this the Voidwatch stood , despite uncounted numbers of genestealers and mutated cultists, the Voidwatch stood, despite massive casualties, the Voidwatch stood.

 

At the end of the day, Rialgo slew the Patriarch personally, despite taking massive wounds he stayed awake during the entire battle, directing his battle brothers to annihilate the enemy.

 

With the main leadership and the best purestrains of the cult dead, it was easy to for the remaining loyalist forces to mobilize and sweep aside the remaining genestealers with the help of the Voidwatch.

 

After the battle the governor offered a grand parade and statues in the marines honor. Rialgo refused, stating that the only thing he desired from Daerlo was permission to recruit from the planet. Rialgo believed in Dorn’s motto of ‘’recruits, not vassals’’

 

From then the Voidwatch claimed the nearby world of Kasteren III, a desolate, moon where the marines could live in solitude, there they built there Fortress Monastery.

 

Form then on Rialgo led the chapter across the entire sector, defending worlds, purging infestations, and aiding the local population whenever they could. The battle on Daerlo taught Rialgo and his marines that the horrors of such a cult could no longer ever be allowed to flourish, nothing would be considered sacred in the purging of mankind’s hidden enemies.

 

Rialgo himself eventually died holding back an chaos warhost on Pastred’s World. His body was collected after the battle when the Voidwatch emerged victorious and his brothers ritually drew a red line where he stood and fought.

 

Form then on the Voidwatch has protected the Sartos sector, providing defense of worlds under xenos or heretic attack, and reclaiming fallen worlds, and if need be, administered Exterminatus to those that where lost forever to the Emperor.

 

With the coming of the Tyranids, and the revelation that the race was being the existence of the hated Genestealer cults, the Voidwatch has committed most of the chapter to anti-tyranid duties against the encroaching Leviathan splinter fleets. Representatives have been sent to chapter who specialize in anti-tyranid warfare to learn from them, such is the chapters hatred.

 

HOMEWORLD

The Voidwatch’s homeworld is the desolate moons of Kasteren III, a lonely, unpopulated world located close to Daerlo Prime. It circles a dying sun and it covered in almost perpetual twilight.

 

The Voidwatch’s Fortress Monastery is located on one of the two moons of Kasteren III and it little more than a naval and training base, indeed, the chapter spends most of it’s time aboard it’ extensive fleet, patrolling the Sartos sector.

 

Since Kasteren has no human population, the Voidwatch do not recruit from it, instead they recruit from worlds across the Sartos sector, most notably the hive-gangs of Daerlo Prime, the jungle deathworld of Tallamera, and the desert feral world of Yusos.

 

The chapter maintain a number of Fortress Chapels on these worlds, but these are small affairs whose sole purpose is to monitor the population for both recruits and signs of xenos or heretical taint.

[Gree]

Combat Doctrine

 

Although the Voidwatch are proficient in all forms of warfare described in the codex, they unsurprisingly excel at defensive actions and combat in siege and urban environments.

 

The Voidwatch is also specialized in fighting infestations and rebellions. However they do not engage any common riot, but the most threatening and sector-spanning cults and plagues.

 

When containing the rebellion the chapter typically closes off the area and sets up what is commonly called the ‘’red line’’, a place that the chapter will defend until death, regardless at any cost.

 

While the chapter excels at defense the most, they are also quite unshakable in their assault, often purging the final remnants of their enemies after a hard-fought defense. While the chapter’s strategy is fairly unimaginative, they make up for it in iron discipline and excellent overall planning and morale.

 

The chapter has also perfected the air of air-dropping turrets and field fortifications and buildings for a rapid construction of a defense line.

 

Amoung the enemies of the Voidwatch, two have stood out. One is the Genestealer cults that taint Imperial space, form the earliest days of Rialgo the chapter has fought these cults.

 

The other is the Conclave of Rebirth, a cult of Nurgle sorcerers who reside deep in the Maelstorm, they have targeted the Startos sector for unknown reasons. However regardless of the cause they proved to be a thorn in the side of the Imperium, raising entire worlds as mindless plague zombies.

 

 

Organization

 

The Voidwatch is organized into the standard ten companies of the codex. The chapter has very little variation on the codex other than the fact that the Chapter Master also holds the tile of First Captain and commands the First Company.

 

This eventually rose from a combination of factors, originally Rialgo did not have enough veterans to command all of the companies and he simply took on the role of First Company captain himself.

 

Later on, as a result of the companies of the Voidwatch being spread across the sector and normally becoming quite independent of each other, the 1st Company eventually became the Chapter Masters personal strike force.

 

While veteran squads are still detached and sent to other companies to bolster their fighting prowess, most of the company is grouped together and fights like a veteran-heavy Battle company

 

Beliefs

 

As usual with astartes chapters, the Emperor is revered as the father of humanity and Rogal Dorn as his greatest servant, it must be noted that the Voidwatch focuses more on these aspects than Dorn as a crusader and more as Dorn as the Emperor’s Praetorian.

 

Alvardo Rialgo is hailed as a chapter hero and revered as the greatest leader and warrior the chapter had. Before his death he produced the ‘’Epistles of Kasteren’’ a series of tomes part autobiography’ part military treatise, and part philosophy.

 

In these books Rialgo outlines his philosophy an ideals, the Voidwatch have followed these method almost religiously, it being second only to the Codex Astartes in overall military and doctrinal importance.

 

In it Rialgo stresses that the chapter must serve the greater part of humanity and that this is what the Emperor fought so hard to create. This meant that all of the cancers of rebellion and mutant cults had to be eradicated.

 

Although the Voidwatch must purge such things, when they form a cordon where no mutant, heretic or xenos may pass, it is inevitable that some innocents will die in the resulting purge.

 

Rialgo is adamant that these nameless, innocent dead, are to be remembered as heroes and martyrs, for by their deaths countless more lives are saved by their sacrifice, whether they are willing or not.

 

Rialgo is also determined that such actions should never bee taken lightly, as a matter of doctrine Rialgo impressed upon his chapter the need to review and contemplate the actions of each battle, and review their own mistakes, and to experience the pain of the martyr.

 

Rialgo claims that the Primarchs during the Horus Heresy fell precise because they did not respect their own power, or the power of others, and grew arrogant an unchecked, believing that they could do anything, even defy the Emperor. He says a marine must respect his own limitations and duties.

 

To this end he recommends the Pain Glove. Unlike most of his brethren in the Fists, Rialgo believed that the Pain glove should only be used sparingly, to help a marine reflect on his own self-being.

 

To this end the Pain glove is used only among the command elements of the Voidwatch, and only after a red line purge. As such it is seen as a mark of leadership and maturity to go through the Pain glove.

 

Another tradition is the ‘’red line’’. It is unknown exactly what Rialgo meant, one can only summarize it came from his dramatic gesture of painting the ground red with his own blood.

 

The chapter has followed this tradition when they need to defend an especially important position or fortress. A Chaplain usually takes out a vial of synth-grown blood, as cutting oneself for the astartes later proved to be to annoying and time-consuming with their Larraman cells, and using that draw a ceremonial red line in the ground.

 

Although the actual red line may be a few feet long, it symbolized the will of the Voidwatch to not move in the face of the xenos and the tainted.

 

 

Geneseed

 

The Chapter is of the geneseed of Rogal Dorn, as such they have lost the Sus-an and Belcher’’s gland, however in all other aspects their geneseed is completely pure.

 

BATTLE-CRY

This is uttered by the Chaplains before battle and echoed by the Brothers, it is less of a battlecry and more of a motto.

 

"WHEN WE HUNT WE KILL. NOONE IS SAFE, NOTHING IS SACRED. WE ARE VOIDWATCH, WE ARE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE. WE WILL BURN OUR OWN TO HOLD THE RED LINE, IT IS THE LAST LINE TO EVER HOLD."

 

The actual rallying cry in battles is ‘’Hold the Red Line!’’ or some other variation.