The Horsemen

[Marshal Rohr]

All right everyone, here it is. The chance to pay me back for every time I have criticized a piece of your work, fiction, or background knowledge. Today is the day that I begin going crazy, otherwise known as begin creating my Chapters. Yes, Chapters. Multiple. More than one. Impossible, no? Well, impossible is my middle name.

 

MISSION:

BLUF:

First, why I am going to create THREE Chapters and how they interact.

Second, I am going to give you a basic outline and themes of the THREE Chapters I intend to make.

Third, how I intend to go about collecting the THREE respective Chapters and how they will be modeled.

 

FIRST:

I have always wanted to create a Chapter worthy of submission in the Librarium, and represented on the tabletop alongside my beloved Black Templars. But one Chapter would not let me flesh out the themes and ideas I have had bouncing around in my head for so many years, and now that I have the opportunity, ability, and desire to do them, I figure why not.

 

The Chapters will be part of an early founding, all having been founded simultaneously, with a specific goal that they are all beholden to, but not singularly pursuing, if that is the proper English way to say questing and killing other stuff on the side. I have no real clear idea on what this goal should be, but it will need to be substantial, given that these Chapters, alongside my Templars, are forming the basis for the Astartes contingent of a massive Sector-spanning Crusade easily the size of the Sabbat Crusade. The Astartes in the Crusade are the physical manifestations of Angels in the material realm, here to serve the Emperor, given the Astartes overall commander is a Blood Angels successor who will be represented by a character with wings (mechanical/psychic/antigrav)

 

SECOND:

The First Chapter:

-New theme to be determined

 

 

 

The Second Chapter:

-Ultramarine Descendants

-Feral Chapter, with Codex Organization ( :mellow: )

-Berzerkers, unfeeling murderers with a penchant for flame

-From a temperate world of barbarians

-Viking/Barbarian/Gothic without the Wolf Fetish

-Must go on a walkabout equivalent as a major test

-Walkabout is significant in teaching the warrior ferocity

-People of the homeworld fear the Marines

-Independent- 'We stand alone together' kind of thing

 

 

 

The Third Chapter:

-Mandalorian

-Self Reliance

-Morally relative

-Stubborn

-Do not actively pursue the Fallen

-View Fallen as a stain of dishonor

-BUT highly individual nature views it as a personal dishonor on the Fallen and not a reflection on the Chapter or Primarch

-Immovable

-Dark Angels Descendants

 

 

Italics indicate main theme

 

THIRD:

First:

Codex Space Marines

To be determined

 

Second:

Drop Pod Infantry Force focusing on Grey Hunters and Terminators

 

Third:

As C:DA (If C:DA become shooty): Gunline

[Marshal Rohr]

After some reflection, reading, and research I have decided that the Angel Chapter will instead be taken out and transformed into something different, yet still important to the overall Crusade, which is NOT the point of this thread. This thread is the creation of the three main characters of the Crusade.

 

I have yet to decide upon a theme or even form the most basic foundation of the Chapter, so it will be the last done, with my focus now shifting to the other two.

[Marshal Rohr]

All of this is relative to this specific Crusade, and the symbolism I am going for

 

The Chapters are the Four Horsemen:

Black Templars- The Pale Horse, Death

The Templars are already well known for what they do, so just know which one of the horsemen they are.

 

New Chapter- The Red Horse, War

The vanguard of this massive Crusade. They were the ones to first arrive and begin prosecuting it. The enemy fears thisl chapter because of its aggressiveness and speed. They are the spearhead force of the Crusade, using their rapid deployment methods to dominate the enemy conventional military forces in a short amount of time before withdrawing.

 

DA Successors- The Black Horse, Famine

The Desolators. The DA successors will focus on ruining infrastructure and economy of an enemy world. They often target industrial centers and agriculture. A starving enemy is no enemy at all.

 

 

Berzerker Chapter- The White Horse, Evil

The Bezerker Chapter specialize in causing fear and strife in opposing armies. Whole villages/cities/towns of noncombatants are found burned and slaughtered in their wake. It causes dissension and misdirection that weakens the overall cohesiveness of the enemy.

[Ecritter]

Angels question. What is the base cause of this belief? I mean every SM goes through the same process and few if any believe themselves transformed into angels.

[Marshal Rohr]

They are brainwashed. Totally mind wiped. Im trying to tie it into an experiment with the Black Rage.

[Ace Debonair]

All right everyone, here it is. The chance to pay me back for every time I have criticized a piece of your work, fiction, or background knowledge. Today is the day that I begin going crazy, otherwise known as begin creating my Chapters. Yes, Chapters. Multiple. More than one. Impossible, no? Well, impossible is my middle name.

 

We have the same middle name, I see. ;)

 

I tried this myself about half a year back, but with four chapters. The Steel Dragons, the Twilight Talons, the Infinity Knights and the Red Lords. It didn't go... quite... as well as hoped.

 

To get to the nitty-gritty of it, I had the same amount of time that I'd have working on and developing one IA, but had four times as much work to do. Keeping on top of all of the chapters at once is not something easily done.

 

I'm not intending to put you off, The Emperor knows. I'll be more than happy to help you get them up to scratch once they hit the boards. but, I'm just giving you the heads-up - this is not going to be as easy as it might first appear.

 

That said, I look forward to seeing these chapters develop, they sound quite interesting!

Good luck! ;)

[Marshal Rohr]

Its an idea I've had forever. I dont want them to be the fantastic four, but I think by building them together they will have a more cohesive feel. They are three highly independent chapters with very little in common besides their mandate. Which I have yet to decide upon. Basically, I am build armies around the big 4 codexes, and I need help getting it to work correctly. The Templars are good, they have their own angle and no one wants to read about that. Right now I want to get the basic beliefs knocked out so everyone understands where each chapter is coming from.

 

Right now the Angel Chapter is so detached from reality things like Codex adherence are nonexistent for them. I want them to be a unique fighting force within the Imperium that is so unusual they can hardly even be classified as Astartes.

 

Edit:

As an example: If you were to ask a brother marine from the Angel chapter to describe himself or ask him exactly what he is he would say he is an angel. Not an Angel of Death, but if angels were real and classifiable as a species or something, that is what he would believe he is.

 

Double Edit:

Of course, they are not really angels at all but Space Marines. Maybe I should call them crazy marines.

[Leonaides]

But why would the first ones (who would have still been marines and thought of themselves as marines) want to do this to the future ones - a big part of wha tthe BA are is tied up in remembering that they are not above normal humans. In addition, the inherent risks of creating a marine with no free will include inability to adapt to changing battlfield conditions that their orders havent allowed for through to the posibility of taint arriving in a senior marine who could then lead a large number of them into heresy without any questioning... Quite simply, having marines thinking like that is a waste - they may as well be gun-servitors.

 

And no, you cant have just the chaplians not thinking that they are angels as they would have been through the same indoctirnation process.

[Marshal Rohr]

But why would the first ones (who would have still been marines and thought of themselves as marines) want to do this to the future ones - a big part of wha tthe BA are is tied up in remembering that they are not above normal humans.

 

The first ones might have experienced something that made them do this. I dont know, and I like the mystery. I dont want to answer all the questions, I want some of it to be weird and unawserable.

 

In addition, the inherent risks of creating a marine with no free will include inability to adapt to changing battlfield conditions that their orders havent allowed for

 

Not necessarily, lack of free will doesnt mean lack of tactical expertise or lack of imagination. The brother 'think' they lack free will. As human beings, they still possess it, they just dont know it.

 

through to the posibility of taint arriving in a senior marine who could then lead a large number of them into heresy without any questioning... Quite simply, having marines thinking like that is a waste - they may as well be gun-servitors.

 

Really, really well trained and powerful gun servitors. With massive amounts of tactical and strategic knowledge. And a fleet. All marines are basically servitors anyway.

 

And no, you cant have just the chaplians not thinking that they are angels as they would have been through the same indoctirnation process.

 

Where did I put that? I need to take it out if its actually in there.

 

 

 

I pumped out some more themes for those interested in post #3.

[Octavulg]

There are people out there today who believe they don't possess free will. It was one of the big beliefs behind the Reformation. Predestination and all that.

[Marshal Rohr]

Hmm, predestination isn't bad, but Im think more along the lines of the old myth of angels not being able to make a choice when given an order. Then Lucifer went and made a choice and everyone was all like OMG. ;)

[Walter Payton]

I am going to refrain from commenting until the things are up, how's the planning going?

[Marshal Rohr]

Preliminary draft for the Berserker Chapter

 

Origins

Founded in the ancient past of the Imperium, the XXXXXX have fought with a ferocity unmatched by all but the most zealous and bloodthirsty of the Adeptus Astartes. Formed from the Reclaimers Chapter, the XXXXXX first Chapter Master Cedrus was a driven man, cold and calculating. In the Reclaimers he commanded the Scout Compay for a time, molding the scouts of those generations into some of the finest the Chapter had ever seen. When the call came for volunteers to help train a new Chapter, Captain Cedrus was one of the first to request the assignment. Early in its history the chapter came across the verdant world of Alesia, a temperate planet covered in deep forests populated by fierce tribes of warriors. Upon his initial landing on the planet Cedrus went out alone to observe the natural state of the planet, judging to determine if this could be the chapters new homeworld. After making contact with the elders of the largest settlement, and barely escaping with his life, Cedrus travelled through the wood and witnessed one of the many wolf packs of Alesia kill one of the massive bears that inhabited the deepest forests. Cedrus was inspired by the fluid grace and nature cooperation the wolves possessed, claiming that as their faith was as strong as iron so too would the wolves of Alesia be a symbol of the skill and ability they would strive to possess. Thus, the XXXXXX settled Alesia.

 

Homeworld

Alesia sits on the border of the Astronomican and wild space. Alesia is an emerald paradise, its deep and cool forests stretch across the three main continents giving the planet a serene appearance from orbiting vessels. Here the people known as the Galatians dwelled in large permanent settlements in the forests. These peoples had achieved roughly an Iron Age level of progress, and there were large tribal armies who frequently warred for land and resources. The inhabitants of the forests were hardy folk. The Alesians were natural woodsmen, capable of tracking any prey, swimming great lengths, and all were expert mountaineers. These qualities led them to be choice recruitment material. The relationship between any Space Marine Chapter and its homeworld is symbiotic, with the Chapter adopting the practices, traditions, and culture of its new planet. The Chapter in turn may bring technology or advancement to the civilizations of the world if desired, but few Chapters have been as altered by the culture of their homeworld as the XXXXXX. When Cedrus first brought the XXXXXX to Alesia he was impressed by the hardy nature of the people and the natural beauty of the world, but he never intended for such a drastic change to take hold over his chapter. Within a few millennia of arrival the warrior cults of the Galatians had taken a total hold over the chapter.

 

Recruitment

Every year the tribes would send their youths to the northern continent for the 'Divine Trials', in which the Alesian youths would be selected for recruitment into the Chapter. The Great Test was a combination of tests of strength, courage, endurance, speed, and intellect. The applicants would first have to swim across a large channel that separated the fortress monastery from the continent proper. Once here they would hike across the mountains for many days and nights, those attempting to go alone would swiftly fall prey to the massive beasts that inhabited the deepest forests and those who made it across the mountains would find no rest as they crossed the valleys filled with all manner of tests devised by the chaplains and veteran brothers, who all the while stalked the applicants from the distance. The test that claimed the most was reaching the monastery, for the applicants were made to scale an almost sheer cliff face. The applicants who worked together would again be the ones who succeeded. Once the great monastery was reached the applicants would be given a time of rest before beginning formal training in marksmanship, drill and ceremonies, and tactics as well as starting the hormone and gene therapy regimen that would increase the likelihood of a successful implantation. The final test before becoming an initiate into the Chapter is test known as 'the Blooding', in which the aspirants, organized into small groups, must strip naked and with nothing more than a battle axe, enter the wilds for a period of no less than seven weeks. These groups must learn to rely on one another and survive together. At the end of the seven weeks they must each have slain one of the large Alesian Bears. The aspirants must bring back a vial of the bears blood, as well as his pelt as a badge of honor. The Blood is ingested in the final ritual of Aspiracy, know as the Ascension, in which the Aspirant becomes a full fledged Battle-Brother. The XXXXXX, unusually among other chapters and despite their vicious predilictions, attempt to prepare their applicants for success. One of Cedrus' core philosophies when forming the Chapter was a strong foundation would make a stronger Astartes. While unorthodox, the practice is necessary, as the Chapter is rarely at full strength, or completely resupplied.

 

Combat Doctrine

 

Beliefs

The Chapter reveres the Emperor and his nine true Primarchs as the pinnacles of humanity. They hold the loyalist Primarchs all in equal measure of greatness, holding none as greater than any other. The Chapter believes that the Primarchs were the epitome of creation, the ultimate brotherhood, and Horus and his followers committed the gravest of sins by breaking the brotherhood for personal gain. It is from these core beliefs that the unbreakable loyalty to their brothers is intrinsically linked to the Chapter.

 

The Chapter holds that mortal humans are necessary to the survival of the Imperium, but ultimately expendable in the course of war. The warriors of the Chapter view those who will not fight for their lives in endangered as undeserving of living. When engaging rebels or cultists the Chapter is particularly merciless, for the hatred of oathbreakers knows no bounds, but a special hatred is reserved for those Astartes who break with the Imperium. They view these warriors as the darkest and most foul deviants, worthy of slow and painful deaths. Woe betide the Chaos Marine who is captured by the XXXXXX.

 

The cult of the Chapter is largely influenced by the warrior cults of the Galatians. These warriors before going into battle would work themselves into a blood lust that could barely be restrained. The Warriors of the XXXXXX have adopted these practices, and before battle the Chaplains whip the XXXXXX into a blood frenzy. No one is safe when they go to war, the XXXXXX will butcher they way through anyone regardless of sex, age, or loyalty. They are a weapon to be used with the utmost caution.

 

Organization

Chapter organization follows the dictates of Guilliman as laid down in the Codex Astartes, with slight deviations due to the Chapters lack of equipment. The Chapter has no Assault Squads, as the chapter lacks a sufficient supply of jump packs to outfit the appropriate number of squads. Instead two more tactical squads fill the gap in the Battle Companies, and the Eighth Company is instead made entirely of tactical squads. The XXXXXX have no true tenth company, as the designation of the tenth company is a non-combatant formation comprised of training cadre and aspirants who have yet to undertake the blooding. While most Chapters baptize their Initiates under fire in the Scout Squads, the XXXXXX maintain extensive training facilities upon the homeworld, where the aspirants are exposed to all of the foes they will face in the galaxy, under the watchful eye of the senior members of the Chapter. Within the Battle Companies the most battle-hardened veterans of each company are trusted with the heaviest of weapons, and form the Devastator Squads, where their deadly abilities reap a heavy toll on the enemy. The Tactical Squads of the Company are the backbone of any assault, forming the core of the fighting power of the Chapter. Another deviation from the Codex is the Veteran Company. The Chapter Master commands the 1st Company as his own personal fighting force, fulfilling the role of 1st Captain. The XXXXXX have no Sternguard or Vanguard formations, instead the 1st Company is composed of the most senior warriors of the Chapter, known as Huscarls. These venerable warriors are trained in the use of all manner of arms and the greatest are gifted with a one suit of Terminator Armor.

 

Geneseed

The Chapter takes its stock from the untainted and pure geneseed of Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarine Legion.

[Octavulg]

What's your core idea for each Chapter? What do you want to explore most?

[Marshal Rohr]

With the Angel Chapter I want mystery. Maybe they really are angels, maybe they arnt. Something happened to the Chapter that forced it to alter the way it operates. I want them to be the physical manifestation of angels in my part of the imperium. An unexplainable and unpredictable force. My gut instinct was to make them a Legion of the Damned like force, but I figured mysterious warp entities was too far fetched and broke too many rules. If I go back to the LotD type army, I dont think that is worthy of an IA and I will drop them and they will become a sidebar whenever I get around to fleshing out the Crusade.

 

With the Bezerker chapter I want them to be everything the Space Wolves should be, but arn't. I want the culture of their homeworld to have permeated throughout the chapters and changed it from the inside. They are all about causing fear and terror in their enemies, but not in the sadistic night lord way. They are about punishment and divisiveness. They strike quickly and destroy before withdrawing as fast as they appeared leaving no survivors to witness them.

 

With the Dark Angel Chapter I want them to be realists. Hardy space marines who have become worldly and jaded. They dont respond to the massive inner circle jerks :) and they fight how and when they want to. They dont actively seek out the fallen but when the find them they make them pay for breaking their oath. Self reliance and a general lack of respect for anyone who hasnt earned it.

[Telveryon]

With the Angel Chapter I want mystery. Maybe they really are angels, maybe they arnt. Something happened to the Chapter that forced it to alter the way it operates. I want them to be the physical manifestation of angels in my part of the imperium. An unexplainable and unpredictable force. My gut instinct was to make them a Legion of the Damned like force, but I figured mysterious warp entities was too far fetched and broke too many rules. If I go back to the LotD type army, I dont think that is worthy of an IA and I will drop them and they will become a sidebar whenever I get around to fleshing out the Crusade.

Actually, if done right, LotD type chapter can work pretty well. I can think of at least two chapters LotD like on these boards that work at least decently.

[Marshal Rohr]

So I read Telveryon IA, and it has inspired me to go with my first choice for the Angel Chapter, which still has no name. However this throws a large wrench in my Four Horseman theme :) .

 

The Angels have now become a LotD like force that appears to help the Crusade and disappears.

 

The new chapter has no set theme or basis other than to be the Red Horse (so the Chapter must be red, sorry Oct-y :( ), and focus on lightning warfare against conventional military targets.

 

 

Now to begin work on the other two. Oct-y, do you specifically see anything wrong with what I have now?

 

There is new information edited into my previous posts. So check there as well.

 

 

POST 13 HAS A ROUGH DRAFT

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

All right everyone, here it is. The chance to pay me back for every time I have criticized a piece of your work, fiction, or background knowledge. Today is the day that I begin going crazy, otherwise known as begin creating my Chapters. Yes, Chapters. Multiple. More than one. Impossible, no? Well, impossible is my middle name.

 

We have the same middle name, I see. :D

 

I tried this myself about half a year back, but with four chapters. The Steel Dragons, the Twilight Talons, the Infinity Knights and the Red Lords. It didn't go... quite... as well as hoped.

 

To get to the nitty-gritty of it, I had the same amount of time that I'd have working on and developing one IA, but had four times as much work to do. Keeping on top of all of the chapters at once is not something easily done.

 

I'm not intending to put you off, The Emperor knows. I'll be more than happy to help you get them up to scratch once they hit the boards. but, I'm just giving you the heads-up - this is not going to be as easy as it might first appear.

 

That said, I look forward to seeing these chapters develop, they sound quite interesting!

Good luck! :wacko:

I second what Ace says. After all, tried that myself. Had to re... organize? One at a time then, is how it goes now.

[Apothete]

I can't speak for Octavlug, but there's some elements that are pretty standard knowledge if one knows anything about the Astartes. Your belief sections could be arguably applied to any Codex Chapter, for one thing. I could see the rest of it going somewhere, though I'll be very disappointed if the battle axes don't become chainaxes in the true battle brothers.

[Ferrus Manus]

After making contact with the elders of the largest settlement, and barely escaping with his life,

A fully armoured Astartes barely escaped from a settlement of mere humans? Hmm, seems a bit too strong.

 

That's the only thing I found that bugged me. I'm looking forward to see you develop the Ultramarine successors, they seem the most interesting to me.

[Marshal Rohr]

He is supposed to be unarmed and armored. I was thinking along the lines of him going in attempting to make contact, being taken before the village elders, pissing hem off, and fighting his way out. He'd demolish them, of course, but I thought it made it dramatic. I might make it a sidebar.

 

The beliefs section will need to get bloodier then. These guys are not nice, but they are loyal.

 

Apothete, do you have some examples of stuff I need to differentiate?

 

 

This is the most basic, basic, basic outline of what I want. Right now it isnt very good, or different, but itll end up where it needs to be. Im gonna work on it some more today.

 

+++Edit+++

Origins

Founded in the ancient past of the Imperium, the XXXXXX have fought with a ferocity unmatched by all but the most zealous and bloodthirsty of the Adeptus Astartes. Taken from the Reclaimers Chapter, the XXXXXX first Chapter Master, Cedrus, was a privately driven man. He was determined to bring order and stability to the far reaches of the Imperium. This goal led him to the very fringes of the Imperium, where the XXXXXX would face rampant ork infestion, the predations of Eldar pirates, and worst of all, the ever corrupting influence of Chaos. For many years they brought death and fire to the enemies of man, until by the hand of the Emperor a miscalculation during retranslation brought them out of warp space above Alesia.

 

Sidebar 1

The first Chapter Master of the XXXXXX, Cedrus, was known for his distant and reserved personality. Though he was thought of as cold by his peers, his methods were sound. In the Reclaimers he commanded the Scout Compay , molding the scouts of those generations into some of the finest the Chapter had ever seen. When the call came for volunteers to help train a new Chapter, Captain Cedrus was one of the first to request the assignment. Early in its history the chapter came across the verdant world of Alesia, a temperate planet covered in deep forests populated by fierce tribes of warriors. After prayer and reflection it was decided he would go out alone to observe the natural state of the planet, judging to determine if this could be the chapter's new homeworld. He landed a full days walk from the largest settlement, where he was brought before the village elders. Though fully aware that this man was a far more powerful and skilled warrior than any they possessed, the elders were not frightened. The bravery of the Galatians inspired him and he promised to return after he had seen more of their world. As Cedrus travelled through the forests of the Alesia Northlands he witnessed a wolf pack kill one of the massive bears that inhabited the deepest forests. Cedrus was inspired by the fluid grace and nature cooperation the wolves possessed. He believed that the event was a sign from the Emperor, that through brotherhood even the greatest foes may be defeated.

 

Thus, the XXXXXX settled Alesia.

 

Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrine of the XXXXXX is a direct reflection of their adaptation to the equipment shortages so far on the fringes of the Imperium. Like all Space Marine Chapters, speed is their greatest weapon. The ferocity of the warrior cults also plays a large part in the shaping of the XXXXXX combat doctrine, close combat is a vital part of their culture. The Chapter will engage the enemy at close range, where power armor becomes an even greater advantage, before charging their enemies and slaughtering them with chainswords, chainaxes, combat knives, or anything that may be within reach. Once the 'fury' has descended upon the warriors there can be no stopping until the battle is through and their enemies are spent.

 

Tales of the XXXXXX have spread throughout neighboring sectors, and of the fates of their enemies. Gruesome stories of bodies butchered and hung like cattle, Alesian runic sigils carved into the flesh of bodies, massive graves that stretch hundreds of yards, schools and hospitals burnt down with the occupants inside. Even in the Imperium, these stories are the stuff of nightmares, and cause some to question whether the XXXXXX.

 

As vicious as they may be on the battlefield, tactical and strategic planning are key to their continued survival and success as a chapter. Every effort is made to ensure that equipment is maintained and recovered, logistical support is tight and on time, and supporting elements work in smooth concert with one another to ensure victory. The chapter maintains very few vehicles, and has only three Land Raiders. This lack of war machines do not allow for the XXXXXX to use the armored warfare tactics of their fellow chapters, instead combat is entirely focused around air mobility, using Thunderhawks and Storm Ravens to redeploy and provide close air support for the forces on the ground.

 

Beliefs

The Chapter reveres the Emperor and his nine true Primarchs as the pinnacles of humanity. They hold the loyalist Primarchs all in equal measure of greatness, holding none as greater than any other. The Chapter believes that the Primarchs were the epitome of creation, the ultimate brotherhood, and Horus and his followers committed the gravest of sins by breaking the brotherhood for personal gain. It is from these core beliefs that the unbreakable loyalty to their brothers is intrinsically linked to the Chapter.

 

The cult of the Chapter is largely influenced by the warrior cults of the Galatians. These warriors before going into battle will work themselves into a blood lust that could barely be restrained. The Warriors of the XXXXXX have adopted these practices, and before battle the Chaplains whip the XXXXXX into a blood frenzy. No one is safe when they go to war, the XXXXXX will butcher all before them once the 'fury' is upon them. They are a weapon to be used with the utmost caution.

[Marshal Rohr]

A White Reaver

Homeworld

Alesia sits on the border of the Astronomican and wild space. Alesia is an emerald paradise, its deep and cool forests stretch across the three main continents giving the planet a serene appearance from orbiting vessels. Here the people known as the Galatians dwelled in large permanent settlements in the forests. These peoples had achieved roughly an Iron Age level of progress, and there were large tribal armies who frequently warred for land and resources. The inhabitants of the forests were hardy folk. The Alesians were natural woodsmen, capable of tracking any prey, swimming great lengths, and all were expert mountaineers. These qualities led them to be choice recruitment material. The relationship between any Space Marine Chapter and its homeworld is symbiotic, with the Chapter adopting the practices, traditions, and culture of its new planet. The Chapter in turn may bring technology or advancement to the civilizations of the world if desired, but few Chapters have been as altered by the culture of their homeworld as the White Reavers. When Cedrus first brought the chapter to Alesia he was impressed by the hardy nature of the people and the natural beauty of the world, but he never intended for such a drastic change to take hold over his chapter. Within a few millennia of arrival the warrior cults of the Galatians had taken a total hold over the chapter.

Recruitment

Every year the tribes would send their youths to the northern continent for the 'Divine Trials', in which the Alesian youths would be selected for recruitment into the Chapter. The Great Test was a combination of tests of strength, courage, endurance, speed, and intellect. The applicants would first have to swim across a large channel that separated the fortress monastery from the continent proper. Once here they would hike across the mountains for many days and nights, those attempting to go alone would swiftly fall prey to the massive beasts that inhabited the deepest forests and those who made it across the mountains would find no rest as they crossed the valleys filled with all manner of tests devised by the chaplains and veteran brothers, who all the while stalked the applicants from the distance. The test that claimed the most was reaching the monastery, for the applicants were made to scale an almost sheer cliff face. The applicants who worked together would again be the ones who succeeded. Once the great monastery was reached the applicants would be given a time of rest before beginning formal training in marksmanship, drill and ceremonies, and tactics as well as starting the hormone and gene therapy regimen that would increase the likelihood of a successful implantation. The final test before becoming an initiate into the Chapter is test known as 'the Blooding', in which the aspirants, organized into small groups, must strip naked and with nothing more than a battle axe, enter the wilds for a period of no less than seven weeks. These groups must learn to rely on one another and survive together. At the end of the seven weeks they must each have slain one of the large Alesian Bears. The aspirants must bring back a vial of the bears blood, as well as his pelt as a badge of honor. The Blood is ingested in the final ritual of Aspiracy, know as the Ascension, in which the Aspirant becomes a full fledged Battle-Brother. The White Reavers, unusually among other chapters and despite their vicious predilictions, attempt to prepare their applicants for success. One of Cedrus' core philosophies when forming the Chapter was a strong foundation would make a stronger Astartes. While unorthodox, the practice is necessary, as the Chapter is rarely at full strength, or completely resupplied.

Combat Doctrine

Cedrus and Alesia

The first Chapter Master of the White Reavers, Cedrus, was known for his distant and reserved personality. Though he was thought of as cold by his peers, his methods were sound. In the Reclaimers he commanded the Scout Compay , molding the scouts of those generations into some of the finest the Chapter had ever seen. When the call came for volunteers to help train a new Chapter, Captain Cedrus was one of the first to request the assignment. Early in its history the chapter came across the verdant world of Alesia, a temperate planet covered in deep forests populated by fierce tribes of warriors. After prayer and reflection it was decided he would go out alone to observe the natural state of the planet, judging to determine if this could be the chapter's new homeworld. He landed a full days walk from the largest settlement, where he was brought before the village elders. Though fully aware that this man was a far more powerful and skilled warrior than any they possessed, the elders were not frightened. The bravery of the Galatians inspired him and he promised to return after he had seen more of their world. As Cedrus travelled through the forests of the Alesia Northlands he witnessed a wolf pack kill one of the massive bears that inhabited the deepest forests. Cedrus was inspired by the fluid grace and nature cooperation the wolves possessed. He believed that the event was a sign from the Emperor, that through brotherhood even the greatest foes may be defeated.

Thus, the White Reavers settled Alesia.

The combat doctrine of the White Reavers is a direct reflection of their adaptation to the equipment shortages so far on the fringes of the Imperium. Like all Space Marine Chapters, speed is their greatest weapon. The ferocity of the warrior cults also plays a large part in the shaping of the chapter's combat doctrine, close combat is a vital part of their culture. The Chapter will engage the enemy at close range, where power armor becomes an even greater advantage, before charging their enemies and slaughtering them with chainswords, chainaxes, combat knives, or anything that may be within reach. Once the 'fury' has descended upon the warriors there can be no stopping until the battle is through and their enemies are spent.

Tales of the White Reavers have spread throughout neighboring sectors, and of the fates of their enemies. Gruesome stories of bodies butchered and hung like cattle, Alesian runic sigils carved into the flesh of bodies, massive graves that stretch hundreds of yards, schools and hospitals burnt down with the occupants inside. Even in the Imperium, these stories are the stuff of nightmares, and cause some to question whether the White Reavers.

As vicious as they may be on the battlefield, tactical and strategic planning are key to their continued survival and success as a chapter. Every effort is made to ensure that equipment is maintained and recovered, logistical support is tight and on time, and supporting elements work in smooth concert with one another to ensure victory. The chapter maintains very few vehicles, and has only three Land Raiders. This lack of war machines do not allow for the White Reavers to use the armored warfare tactics of their fellow chapters, instead combat is entirely focused around air mobility, using Thunderhawks and Storm Ravens to redeploy and provide close air support for the forces on the ground.

Beliefs

The Chapter reveres the Emperor and his nine true Primarchs as the pinnacles of humanity. They hold the loyalist Primarchs all in equal measure of greatness, holding none as greater than any other. The Chapter believes that the Primarchs were the epitome of creation, the ultimate brotherhood, and Horus and his followers committed the gravest of sins by breaking the brotherhood for personal gain. It is from these core beliefs that the unbreakable loyalty to their brothers is intrinsically linked to the Chapter.

The cult of the Chapter is largely influenced by the warrior cults of the Galatians. These warriors before going into battle will work themselves into a blood lust that could barely be restrained. The Warriors of the White Reavers have adopted these practices, and before battle the Chaplains whip the White Reavers into a blood frenzy. No one is safe when they go to war, the White Reavers will butcher all before them once the 'fury' is upon them. They are a weapon to be used with the utmost caution.

Organization

Chapter organization follows the dictates of Guilliman as laid down in the Codex Astartes, with slight deviations due to the Chapters lack of equipment. The Chapter has no Assault Squads, as the chapter lacks a sufficient supply of jump packs to outfit the appropriate number of squads. Instead two more tactical squads fill the gap in the Battle Companies, and the Eighth Company is instead made entirely of tactical squads. The White Reavers have no true tenth company, as the designation of the tenth company is a non-combatant formation comprised of training cadre and aspirants who have yet to undertake the blooding. While most Chapters baptize their Initiates under fire in the Scout Squads, the chapter maintains extensive training facilities upon the homeworld, where the aspirants are exposed to all of the foes they will face in the galaxy, under the watchful eye of the senior members of the Chapter. Within the Battle Companies the most battle-hardened veterans of each company are trusted with the heaviest of weapons, and form the Devastator Squads, where their deadly abilities reap a heavy toll on the enemy. The Tactical Squads of the Company are the backbone of any assault, forming the core of the fighting power of the Chapter. Another deviation from the Codex is the Veteran Company. The Chapter Master commands the 1st Company as his own personal fighting force, fulfilling the role of 1st Captain. The White Reavers have no Sternguard or Vanguard formations, instead the 1st Company is composed of the most senior warriors of the Chapter, known as Huscarls. These venerable warriors go to war wielding whatever weapons they desire. The mightiest of these venerable warriors will be gifted with a suit of Terminator Armor.

Geneseed

The Chapter takes its stock from the untainted and pure geneseed of Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarine Legion.

[Marshal Rohr]

Does everyone think prophecy is too insubstantial a reason to have these Chapters work in concert?

[Ferrus Manus]

It could work, as long as each Chapter had good enough reasons for believing the prophecy.

[voi shet magir]

The home world is weak. Are the recruits hardy? I think it's very important for them to be hardy. Perhaps you should do a hardiness check, just to

 

So you only use the word twice. Still, you have not made it relevant that there are tribes, and that the tribes are salt of the earth, honest folks. It also makes the tribal bloodlust element very thin, especially because your own words may imply that the chapter are fierce, just like other chapters, and their recruits make them fierce, just like other chapters.

 

It is more interesting if brutality comes from induction, where they learn that their main priority in battle is their pack, and everyone that threatens that needs to be put in their place by force or intimidation. Maybe that can come from the home world as well as recruitment, but then go more into depth about cultures wiping each other out for... encroaching on their fisheries, or some provocation.

 

Of course, if you focus less on that stuff, you can focus more on what they are doing now, which it seems is the point of your op.