Blazing Sons

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Blazing Sons.

Personality:

Pre - Heresy Luna Wolves crossed with Black Templars.

Aesthetics are of Saxon/Anglo Saxon/Norse influence.

++Broad strokes, a man is born, he lives, he dies. Beginning, middle and end.++

Chapter is founded

-Sent to the Galactic north.

-Searches high and low for a homeworld they can connect with.

-Persue pirates to recently rediscovered GC world.

Chapter finds it's Homeworld.

-Blazing Sons find the world (Firaxis) in the midst of a temultous war with Chaos.

-Inhabitants adhere to an offshoot of the Imperial Cult.

-Blazing Sons make planetfall and do battle with pirate slavers and nurgle incursion.

-Eventually Blazing Sons cleanse the world with fire and sword.

-Explanation of the Order of the Sun, who link the Chapter to the homeworlds people.

Chapters current status.

-On self-proclaimed crusade to rid the northern expanse of all renegades and traitors.

-Explanation of how homeworld Order of the Sun has influenced the Blazing Sons and vice-versa.

-Explanation of Combat Doctrine.

-Explanation of Organization.

Detailing.

-Combat Doctrine:

The Blazing Sons fight in a form inherited from their homeworlds protracted intercine wars and especially the traumatic conflict with the forces of Nurgle. The Blazing Sons favour Flamers out of both a spiritual connection with flame and fire for both purity and it's effectiveness against the plague of unbelief. General battle terms are inherited from the people of Firaxis directly. The Sons prefer close range firefights before closing to finish the enemy with their blades.

Heavily dislike static warfare and long-range slugging matches.

-Organization:

The Blazing Sons continuous and perhaps never ending crusade in the northern expanse stretches their resources and supply lines to breaking point. As such any and all recruits that survive the induction process are sent directly to their battle companies, being drawn up into power-armoured assault squads, to gain their first blood against the enemies of Mankind. Only when they have proved themselves in the fires of war are they elevated to full brotherhood. Each company is a full-fledged battle-company, no reserve companies exist. Each company holds more marines than are the norm, though these are made up of 'young bloods' who have not yet proved themselves in a major campaign the fact remains that they contain a number more power-armoured units than most chapters.

(Note, more power armoured units does not necissarily mean more men overall, so don't get the wrong idea and start harping on about chapter size :huh: )

-The Order of the Sun:

The Order of the Sun is the planetary cult that has, as per the Blazing Sons instructions remained the populations major religion. Grown from the ground up during a particularly vicious cycle of wars that culminated in the corrupt nurgle followers from the far reaches of the continent returning and causing havoc until the coming of the Sons. The Order was built out of the final scraps of the Imperial Cult, a single shred of a hard-woven banner from the twilight of the Heresy. "The Emperor is as the Sun in the sky..."

The Order is in the same vein as the Knights Templar or Knights Hospitaller, they were a religious order of warriors, though somewhat more like the Warrior Priests of Sigmar from Warhammer Fantasy in feel and aesthetics.

In my mind I imagine the Blazing Sons standing on a battlefield in their scuffed, dirty, dented and scarred (never clean) bronze power armour, notched swords and round shields either in hand, or slung on their backs, bolters in hand. They are rough, course, unrefined Astartes in the same way he Pre-heresy Luna Wolves were rough and ready. These are the kind of men who don't tell you they are coming, they don't insult, warn or intimidate you, they just flat out hit you.

They have the same passion for a cause and a similar, determined mentality to the Black Templars but with less of the ostentatious pomp and pretention. They know what they want and rarely give up once they have set their sights on something. They don't travel in massive crusade fleets, they don't announce their intent to the universe and so vocally object to their enemies existence. The only reason anyone else knows about the Sons self-set Crusade is because of other organizations and chapters being caught in either it's path or in it's wake.

Rather rough first-rewrite-draft-thing.

[Ferrus Manus]

Well it looks like a good start, GHY ...

The Blazing Sons favour Flamers out of both a spiritual connection with flame and fire for both purity

 

Surely this could be extended to include all heat based weaponry and potentially Plasma weaponry, as it is described as having the power of a caged sun?

[RagingGriffon]

My favorite part is the organization. I love the idea of sending newbs right to the front line. You either cut it or you don't. I can imagine their armor is even more busted up because the newbs get salvaged armor from other newbs who didn't make it. I look forward to reading this, GHY. I am going to be away for the weekend. You think you'll have more by Monday? :)

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Surely this could be extended to include all heat based weaponry and potentially Plasma weaponry, as it is described as having the power of a caged sun?

 

Perhaps, but the Flamer is the most iconically linked to the sun, though this could definetly extend to Meltas, or perhaps more to meltas than flamers.

 

In the original draft of the Blazing Sons the people of the homeworld rediscovered an ancient recipe for what we know as Greek Fire and used it to hold out against the nurgle invasion until the Blazing Sons decided to intervene, linking them rather ham-handedly with the prometheum flamer that the marines use.

 

I am going to be away for the weekend. You think you'll have more by Monday? :)

 

I work the heaviest over the weekend so like as not unless I draw up some more in the next day and night, probably not unfortunately. This is though a concerted effort to actually get a bit more done on the Blazing Sons, at the very least, than I have before. Slowly moving towards completion is better than not moving at all, after all.

[Codex Grey]

Nice. A solid foundation for further development. I think you have here the essence of what the Sons are all about. If i remember correctly, one of your previous drafts suffered a bit of lengthyness, and the way the article was written it read more as a story throughout. I don't know if that is still the case, but seeing the bare bones here, I think it's more than possible to create a more traditional IA from this, with a greater focus and fewer superfluous words.

 

Looking forward to any progress.

[Ace Debonair]

Chapters current status.

-On self-proclaimed crusade to rid the northern expanse of all renegades and traitors.

 

You'll be crusading for a long time if the Rift Lords have anything to do with it. :)

I like the idea of them imposing that crusade on themselves, it's a nice touch. Stands out a bit from the usual 'inquisitorial demand' that generates crusades.

 

-Organization:

 

The Blazing Sons continuous and perhaps never ending crusade in the northern expanse stretches their resources and supply lines to breaking point. As such any and all recruits that survive the induction process are sent directly to their battle companies, being drawn up into power-armoured assault squads, to gain their first blood against the enemies of Mankind. Only when they have proved themselves in the fires of war are they elevated to full brotherhood. Each company is a full-fledged battle-company, no reserve companies exist. Each company holds more marines than are the norm, though these are made up of 'young bloods' who have not yet proved themselves in a major campaign the fact remains that they contain a number more power-armoured units than most chapters.

 

(Note, more power armoured units does not necissarily mean more men overall, so don't get the wrong idea and start harping on about chapter size :P )

That last bit is solely in there to shut me up, isn't it? :P

Nevertheless, I'm liking the sound of this chapter so far.

In my mind I imagine the Blazing Sons standing on a battlefield in their scuffed, dirty, dented and scarred (never clean) bronze power armour, notched swords and round shields either in hand, or slung on their backs, bolters in hand. They are rough, course, unrefined Astartes in the same way he Pre-heresy Luna Wolves were rough and ready. These are the kind of men who don't tell you they are coming, they don't insult, warn or intimidate you, they just flat out hit you.

 

They have the same passion for a cause and a similar, determined mentality to the Black Templars but with less of the ostentatious pomp and pretention. They know what they want and rarely give up once they have set their sights on something. They don't travel in massive crusade fleets, they don't announce their intent to the universe and so vocally object to their enemies existence. The only reason anyone else knows about the Sons self-set Crusade is because of other organizations and chapters being caught in either it's path or in it's wake.

 

Very nice. If they don't travel in crusade fleets, how do they travel?

And don't worry - none of this information will find it's way into the hands of any devious sorcerors that I may happen to know. ;)

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I can imagine their armor is even more busted up because the newbs get salvaged armor from other newbs who didn't make it

 

I really like this actually. Good idea my friend!

 

You'll be crusading for a long time if the Rift Lords have anything to do with it.

 

Very true, though passionate and determined as character traits definetly err more on the 'un' side of reasonable than otherwise. While it may be an admirable goal, they might just be biting off more than they can reasonably chew without a few thousand years of progress.

 

I like the idea of them imposing that crusade on themselves, it's a nice touch. Stands out a bit from the usual 'inquisitorial demand' that generates crusades.

 

I always thought, earlier in my 40k career, that more chapters did this than not, and more often. However as of late it's a bit of character that has consistently been lost or filed away in favour of other things, or easier, blander methods of achieving the same thing with less explanation. Ie, the inquisition.

 

That last bit is solely in there to shut me up, isn't it? ^_^

 

JUST because you commented on it BEFORE I posted this topic has NOTHING to do with it. :P ;)

 

Very nice. If they don't travel in crusade fleets, how do they travel?

 

Well it's less about having a 'grand crusade' as the Black Templars do, shuffling across the galaxy like a ruddy pox, it's more about them going forth and achieving their own goals for their own reasons without drawing anyone else into it. It's their objective, their reason for being there and they don't feel the need to aggrandize their own cause needlessly. As such they operate more like a normal chapter. Albeit, a normal chapter with a massive task in front of them and without the same support that a BT Crusade would have.

 

 

And don't worry - none of this information will find it's way into the hands of any devious sorcerors that I may happen to know. ;)

 

Now where have I heard that before! :P

 

Break out the Warp-Away©!

 

Edit

 

Addition.

 

It's a tiny addition but I was thinking recently on brands and branding, inspired partly by the Dwarven underclass in the Fantasy RPG Dragon Age who are referred to as 'brands' and are actually branded permanently at birth to mark them out as one of the underclasses. While there would be no comperable underclass in the Blazing Sons I was considering having 'blooded' recruits being branded by their company commanders or new squad leaders as an initiation proper into the chapter, perhaps even with the same aesthetic as the aformentioned dwarfs.

 

I would like to have a somewhat derogative term for new recruits but 'cleanskin' was the best I could come up with in light of the brands and I don't like it. Just as a little touch.

 

Also on the geneseed front, my most unresolved issue so far, I am almost certain that Dorn's Imperial Fist seed should be used given their personality traits. However they were originally Salamanders successors, but I've always had a bit of trouble with the whole 'unknown successors' deal. The only other geneseed I could think to use honestly would be Ultramarines. The crux of the matter is this. I don't want to use IF seed when every man and his dog uses it, not purely through uniqueness but that it's starting to get a bit silly in it's commonality. I don't really like the Ultramarines on the whole for many reasons but I can see myself using their seed, but the personality doesn't fit.

 

While I don't think Geneseed should dictate chapter character and fighting style, I do think that the alterations to physiology and introduction of new genes will affect individual character traits. Nature vs Nurture is a balanced issue in my mind.

[RagingGriffon]

White Scar geneseed, then? You brand/tattoo, you are kind of a migrant Chapter, you dislike slug-fests and long range warfare. I see a perfect fit, tbh.

 

*edit*

 

You mentioned, "cleanskins." I agree, that does not sound good. I am going to brainstorm here:

 

- Slicks

- Blanks

- Yewlings (incidently, it is a type of branch and the 5th definition for it is: sorrow, death, or resurrection. I think that works because the newbs inherit the armor)

 

Just throwing some things out there.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I like the sound of Yewlings for it's old-ey-ness, but it's a bit long. Out of the three I like Blanks the best, like the recruit is a blank slate yet to be written on in terms of their use to the chapter. That their past and who they were is forgotten and all they are now are Blazing Sons. I can even begin to form the speech of a recruiting officer from the Order of the Sun addressing the new recruits before they are shipped out.

 

It also brings in a 'we take everyone' aspect to their recruitment. The sons of criminals, warriors, priests and politicians equally are brought on board and transformed into the Sons. Brings a bit of extra depth to the name Blazing Sons too.

 

White Scar geneseed, then? You brand/tattoo, you are kind of a migrant Chapter, you dislike slug-fests and long range warfare. I see a perfect fit, tbh.

 

Well my Corsairs Serpentis are WS successors already and I don't want to keep using the same geneseed over and over. They also aren't Fast Attack specialists, more in the same vein as the Salamanders CQB style of warfare. Up close and personal but not necissarily running rings around you, more like getting in your face and beating the living daylights out of you, which is why I prefer the Fists for this one.

 

 

Also, on reflection I think Ferrus was right on the use of Plasma weapons. I think it would also distance the Cult of the Sun from the Promethean Cult of the Salamanders, to which it was once linked. Spiritual connections are what you make them so a leaning to Meltas from Plasma weapons, rather than from simple 'fire is good' centrist attitude would work better. It's not something that will make or break the chapter, but it's a nice touch.

 

 

I also had the idea of having the Sons come into conflict with the Imperial Cult somewhere along the line, perhaps even coming to blows with some of their more vocal and/or capable representatives like the Sisters of Battle, though I'm not sure what it adds to the IA, if anything, so I think I'm just going to let it lie.

 

 

On an organizational front I think the Sons would benefit thematically to having a Wolf Guard/Templar Household structure within the various companies but haven't really thought about a proper name for them, which is really all they need since the structure is already present. I don't want to be as ham-handed as to call them Huscarls or Housecarls as the elite of the old Saxon armies were called. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions before I spend my next two precious days off from work dredging through Wikipedia articles for inspiration.

[Codex Grey]

I also had the idea of having the Sons come into conflict with the Imperial Cult somewhere along the line, perhaps even coming to blows with some of their more vocal and/or capable representatives like the Sisters of Battle, though I'm not sure what it adds to the IA, if anything, so I think I'm just going to let it lie.

This is something I've been wondering if I should include the IA for the Heralds. But in a different.

It may not be necessary to make a huge deal about it, but including a small notion in their beliefs sections about this more than usual disdain of the Imperial Cult might enhance certain aspects of the Sons' character.

Just remember that the SW already are most famous for their attitude against the Ecclesiarchy.

 

You mention that there are no reserve companies. But what about scout company? Or is it 10 full Battle Companies; no veterans (except for those within each company), no scouts, just marines?

What do they do where other Chapters would use scouts?

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

You mention that there are no reserve companies. But what about scout company? Or is it 10 full Battle Companies; no veterans (except for those within each company), no scouts, just marines?

 

10 full companies, no reserve companies and no scout company. Recruits are taken, inducted and trained on the homeworld before being shipped to the various companies. No dedicated support companies of any kind.

 

What do they do where other Chapters would use scouts?

 

This is something I hadn't addressed yet to be quite honest. Now that I think of it I would attribute it to the way the Space Wolves do it, where veterans with the talent for infiltration do the more subtle work and really I think it works best and most logically that way compared to the 'codex' method. To rely on your most inexperienced men to conduct the most sensitive tasks has always seemed a little backward, even if you do take into account typical marine mentality.

 

It may not be necessary to make a huge deal about it, but including a small notion in their beliefs sections about this more than usual disdain of the Imperial Cult might enhance certain aspects of the Sons' character.

Just remember that the SW already are most famous for their attitude against the Ecclesiarchy.

 

That's what I wanted to hear, that it's not superfluous but equally it's not something to focus on too hard. I don't really want to take such a hard-line against the Imperial Cult as the SW are notorious for doing, but perhaps turn it on it's head a bit. The Imperial Creed is for the masses, to keep them loyal out of fear.

 

Perhaps, since the Cult of the Sun was in the first draft (and still is to my mind) very much a 'socialist' religion, born from the lowest ranks of the armies sent to fight in a particularly dark period of Firaxis' history to rationalize and support those who were fighting and dying every day, who were the masses at that time on that particular world.

 

Maybe the adherants of the Sun Cult and the Blazing Sons view the Imperial Creed as being both too self aggrandizing and too focussed on the suffering of the people to carry the faith forward and, being the Blazing Sons and very much Astartes, they don't pull their punches and call it as they see it.

[Codex Grey]

What do they do where other Chapters would use scouts?

 

 

This is something I hadn't addressed yet to be quite honest. Now that I think of it I would attribute it to the way the Space Wolves do it, where veterans with the talent for infiltration do the more subtle work and really I think it works best and most logically that way compared to the 'codex' method. To rely on your most inexperienced men to conduct the most sensitive tasks has always seemed a little backward, even if you do take into account typical marine mentality.

I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I feel the Sons already share a similar attitude and organizational quirks as the SW. And now with the ill-will towards the Imperial Church, going the same route with the scouts as the SW makes the Sons become dangerously close to outright copying them, or byting their ztyle, if you will.

 

And regarding scout training, it might not be the logical way for any normal human military force, but this is Astartes we're talking about. Eight foot tall super soldier encased in hulking power armor, each Chapter an elite surgical strike force tasked with taking down the biggest and baddest. Being a scout isn't easy, but it's a trial by fire designed to prove the worth of would-be marines, and compared to what a full battle brother must go through I think it's a slow start. And the scouts aren't just inexperienced men, as they are usually lead by THEE most experienced men the Chapter has to offer.

 

And if veterans with talents for infiltration are deployed as scouts, how are these talents discovered, when they have never performed the duties of a scout

previously in their carrier? With the Space Wolves, it's different, because IIRC, their scout are viewed as outcasts, freaks that independantly adhere to a way of fighting which is largely uncommon within the Space Wolves. But then again, these scouts take full use of the heightened senses of the SW.

 

Of course this doesn't stop some Chapters from throwing recruits right into the worst, like the Black Templars, Space Wolves and your Blazing Sons. But the BT's don't have scouts at all, only neophytes, and the SW as I mentioned are different.

Maybe the Sons don't have Scouts at all? I don't know if that would be a desirable way to steer your Chapter, though.

[Nine_Breaker]

Funny enough, a lot of what you're trying to do with your Blazing Sons mirrors what I've been working on with my WIP DIY the Alpha Dogs. Rough-and-ready and crusading being the biggest themes. However the most interesting thing is that our two chapters will almost undoubtedly end up looking very different from what I can tell. But let's move on.

 

As far as the scout dilemma goes, I think that making them all veterans is the wrong way to go. Scouts probably don't do much more than your "average" Guard Stormtroopers aren't capable of, and the Astartes scouts will be much better led, equipped, and probably trained. Remember that scout are only inexperienced by Astartes standards (are they still BS 4?). Or simply have no scouts at all. A lot better than wasting an entire handful of some of the most hardened and experienced marines in the galaxy.

 

On the same note, I do like the idea of putting the new guys straight into a suit of power armor as well. You're going to have to find your balance.

 

 

As for the Sun Cult, I like it. As long as this cult has some sort of link to the Emperor and keeps the chapter loyal, the Ecclesiarchy is going to find it hard to take any sort of action. At some point in the chapter's long history, insults may be thrown back and forth and perhaps a particularly aggravating priest gets put in his place. However, I'd keep it to a minimum. Going to battle with the Sisters for instance is just asking for a holy smacking.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

First off, thanks for the input Grey and Nine, much appreciated and has given me a fair bit to chew on while I've been recovering from a very hectic week at work.

 

Maybe the Sons don't have Scouts at all? I don't know if that would be a desirable way to steer your Chapter, though.

 

Well the thing is Astartes scouts don't actually do anything worthy of the term used to describe their ruleset. Infiltration involves being inconspicuous, being unseen and unnoticed in an enemy environment and for Astartes, even relatively unarmoured astartes they are still giants in human clothing.

 

Scouts really only 'scout' which involves ranging ahead of the main force and keeping their eyes peeled for ambushes, positions and movements. This can be achieved by any fast-movers really.

 

All that said, I do feel moved to have some form of scouts in the Sons due to the very convincing and logical arguments put to me in their favour but I'm not quite sure how to do it.

 

However the most interesting thing is that our two chapters will almost undoubtedly end up looking very different from what I can tell.

 

I've always found it intriguing how much two concepts can differ even when drawn from the same source. Personal interpretation of everything around us pretty much guarantees that 90% of life is in fact subjective, your truth versus mine. It's illustrated most strongly in the Liber where people can argue black and blue for their own views over what is essentially a finite, static subject. I love it.

 

As an aside you've sparked my interest in your IA.

 

As for the Sun Cult, I like it. As long as this cult has some sort of link to the Emperor and keeps the chapter loyal, the Ecclesiarchy is going to find it hard to take any sort of action. At some point in the chapter's long history, insults may be thrown back and forth and perhaps a particularly aggravating priest gets put in his place. However, I'd keep it to a minimum. Going to battle with the Sisters for instance is just asking for a holy smacking.

 

I'd love for an aggravating priest to be put in his place and the thought of the entire situation makes me smile. However you're right in perhaps not having the Sons actually come to blows, or at least not a proper knock-down drag-out fight, since truly that would cause a lot of problems.

[Lysimachus]

looking good GHY!

 

In my mind I imagine the Blazing Sons standing on a battlefield in their scuffed, dirty, dented and scarred (never clean) bronze power armour, notched swords and round shields either in hand, or slung on their backs, bolters in hand. They are rough, course, unrefined Astartes in the same way he Pre-heresy Luna Wolves were rough and ready. These are the kind of men who don't tell you they are coming, they don't insult, warn or intimidate you, they just flat out hit you.

 

Out of curiosity, does this mean they keep their armour simple, with little detailing/artificering? It's funny, I'd always imagined them with quite ornate armour, modelling wise perhaps bits from the Sanguinary Guard or particularly the Knights of the Blazing Sun bits out of the Empire Knights box (for characters and maybe Sgts anyway)? I suppose those concepts aren't mutually exclusive, I could picture a Blazing Suns Captain with a beatiful suit of PA but chipped and dented because he's been on campaign for decades/centuries.... anyway, just wondering! :P

 

All that said, I do feel moved to have some form of scouts in the Sons due to the very convincing and logical arguments put to me in their favour but I'm not quite sure how to do it.

 

You could go for a more 'recon in force' feel. Each Company could use their Bike squads (full Astartes, not scouts) and Landspeeders to range ahead of their main forces?

Edit: Just re-read the sentence above the one quoted and realized you've already thought of this, so never mind ;)

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

looking good GHY!

 

Thanks! :P

 

Out of curiosity, does this mean they keep their armour simple, with little detailing/artificering? It's funny, I'd always imagined them with quite ornate armour

 

Well no they aren't mutually exclusive as you came to in the end. I can as you say after this that you can imagine a Sons captain in what was once probably a very ornate suit of armour but has since been battered by constant campaigning.

 

On the one hand I do agree that a certain amount of ornamentation and detailing would be present I don't equate the Saxon aesthetic influence to include the kind of moulded look present in the Blood Angels more artistic creations.

In the last edition the Blood Angels armour was more akin to the sinews and muscle beneath the skin rather than the newer, current editions Roman Centurion Breastplate-ish look that frankly turns me right off the Blood Angels, and I used to play BA once upon a time.

 

You could go for a more 'recon in force' feel. Each Company could use their Bike squads (full Astartes, not scouts) and Landspeeders to range ahead of their main forces?

 

Aye, more in the way that the scouts would go forth and only when they come up against something they can't breach/destroy on their own is the bulk of the strike force called in to demolish the opposition. This also keeps the fast attack units in the chapter to a minimum to support my original image of them.

[Nine_Breaker]

As an aside you've sparked my interest in your IA.

Just for that, I decided to sack up and post something up. Look for the Alpha Wolves in a thread near you.

[Wildfire]

I'm going to agree with what Codex Grey said, that the Blazing Sons are sounding extremely similar in organization to Space Wolves. I was going to say something about it before I even came to his post. That being said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. More of a personal preference, and if it doesn't bother you then it doesn't matter.

 

Re: scouts, why not just say any and all members of a company may be assigned scouting duties (and the lighter armor that comes with it) as required by the current mission? Simple enough, if you ask me.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Even from the outline at the beginning the Space Wolves influence, whether purposeful or imaginary, shone through.

 

I would say go with the option Wildfire presented as it fits the best, though if you base them off another Chapter I think the Templars goes well - in my mind at least.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I'm a little dissapointed the BT influence hasn't come through enough to balance out those I've drawn from the SW. Though to be fair it's hard to balance the SW out organizationally when they are the only real reference for this type of organizational style and to bring in more of the Templars would be incongruous with who the Sons are.

 

In any case it's something to work on.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

To draw some inspiration from the Black Templar side of things, I was thinking of including what I read of in the Heresy books. The Oaths of the Moment taken by the Luna Wolves. While this only seems to be the case with the Templars in modern 40k I am not sure if their inclusion would simply be cheesy or shoe-horning in something which doesn't fit.

 

On the scouts issue I think perhaps having a mix of the 'force recon' and Wildfire's idea:

 

Re: scouts, why not just say any and all members of a company may be assigned scouting duties (and the lighter armor that comes with it) as required by the current mission? Simple enough, if you ask me.

 

 

Apart from more visual inspiration I don't quite know where else to go with the Sons at the moment without making a start on the IA proper, which I am a little reluctant to do simply because once I start, I will need to keep going with it fairly consistently, which is something I often have a problem keeping up for various reasons. I also don't want to have yet another half-finished IA of mine sitting in the Liber and just the thought of failing (at least in my own mind) is driving me away from making a proper start to the project.

 

Hopefully I can get over myself and make a concerted effort to bring this IA forward within the next few days. I would really appreciate any suggestions and ideas anyone can bring to the table in the mean time though. Discussing the Sons and their constituent parts always encourages me to do more work on them.

 

+Edit+

 

Added a marine image done in the new painter and the chapter symbol to the original post. However, the chapter symbol seems to not be working so here is a link to it: Chapter Symbol Plaque.

[Donkey Kong]

Well, haven't we been a busy bee <_< ?

Looks like you're making progress Grey, now let's see what I can do:

 

Heavily dislike static warfare and long-range slugging matches.

 

I would imagine a lot of fast vehicles and jump packs with this in mind. I think the idea of making a play on the Empire knights with bikes would be interesting.

 

-Organization:

 

The Blazing Sons continuous and perhaps never ending crusade in the northern expanse stretches their resources and supply lines to breaking point.

 

I get recruits are sent to the front immediately to be, effectively, "baptized in blood". However, stretching the supply line seems foolish, even beyond the infallibility mentality of Astartes. I would imagine Blazing Sons setting up Fortresses like the Black Templars, perhaps even spreading The Order of the Sun?

[Nine_Breaker]

I would imagine Blazing Sons setting up Fortresses like the Black Templars, perhaps even spreading The Order of the Sun?

It's one thing for an Astartes chapter to practice a near heretical form of worship since they have that kind of independence, but I think spreading these beliefs would turn the strained relationship with the Ecclesiarchy into outright conflict. It's one thing to preach, quite another to practice.

[Heru]

+Edit+

 

Added a marine image done in the new painter and the chapter symbol to the original post. However, the chapter symbol seems to not be working so here is a link to it: Chapter Symbol Plaque.

It's not working because the [/img] tag is on a new line, rather than right behind the .gif bit.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Well, haven't we been a busy bee :D ?

 

Just a little KHK :P

 

I would imagine a lot of fast vehicles and jump packs with this in mind. I think the idea of making a play on the Empire knights with bikes would be interesting.

 

It'd be interesting perhaps to have 'mounted' command squads in the way that it allows them to quickly traverse the battlefield and get to crisis points where the commander is needed. It elevates them to 'nobility' as on Firaxis I'd think mounts would be rare given my original imaginating of the world.

 

This could of course be very far from the mark to what you were thinking of, what did you have in mind?

 

I get recruits are sent to the front immediately to be, effectively, "baptized in blood". However, stretching the supply line seems foolish, even beyond the infallibility mentality of Astartes. I would imagine Blazing Sons setting up Fortresses like the Black Templars, perhaps even spreading The Order of the Sun?

 

A couple of chapter keeps built in strategically important areas staffed by Order of the Sun 'serfs', maybe. I think spreading their own cult could be problematic. Maybe the entire problem is that the Order of the Sun is willing to teach anyone about it if they are interested, but they don't go out and try to convert the masses. It's more like a subtle undercutting of the Imperial Faith. Maybe not, it's a hard situation.

 

The reason I state the deal with supply lines is that I think that it's more their determination to continue their crusade that drives them ever forward but since their forges and recruiting facilities are statically placed on their Homeworld it's a long stretch from there to their campaign zones. Normally a chapter returns to the Homeworld once their mission or campaign is over to recouperate, restock and rearm. I imagined that the Sons do this even more rarely than other chapters, only returning when they suffer a terrible loss.

 

I don't know, perhaps I'm making them a little too belligerent.

 

It's one thing to preach, quite another to practice.

 

Indeed, this goes back to what was discussed earlier. Though I was thinking just now that perhaps an isolated case of an Imperial Cardinal or somesuch on a world the Sons set up a chapter keep on accused their serfs of attempting to spread their own creed and laid siege to the keep until a Sons company arrive, sparking a short but vicious conflict. Maybe the Sons eradicate the cardinal and anyone he shared his views with. No witnesses.

 

Just a random idea, could be terrible. :)

 

It's not working because the [/img] tag is on a new line, rather than right behind the .gif bit.

 

Thanks for spotting that Heru, I was befuddled to be sure!