DIY chapter

[ninjabat]

Hello all, I am starting a chapter, because I am tired of predetermined fluff for my armies. I am hoping that With some help from the B&C folks I can create a good chapter history, and some tweaks to the scheme. Keep in mind that I don\'t have much talent yet when it comes to creative writing.

So far I am debating between Knights of Blood, or Deathwalkers. I am hoping to have a medieval feel to the chapter (somehow). I think that they should be 20th founding, but I am not sure of the timeline (would that give them enough time to be used as Support for the Armageddon campaign?).

They are descended from Imperial fists gene seed, and use some of his tactics in the form of mechanized cavalry, supported by Raiders and vindicators. Their first company was severely depleted, when attempting to fight their way through a waaagh of Orks surrounding Gazkul. needless to say this failed, leaving only a small number of terminator suits available, granting it only to the leaders and a select few heroes of the chapter. conversely they have a large number of tanks, and specialized ammunition for the newer members of the first company, having rescued a forge world from Eldar intervention. They were given a homeworld nearby and are gifted with tribute of armor and weapons from the forge world in exchange for continued protection.

The Chapter would recruit from a planet with two enemy factions, with one using more close combat and headstrong rushes, and the other using cold tactics, and a preference for hit and run/ranged shots to whittle the enemy down before entering mid-close range fights. because of this, the recruits who are from the headstrong faction enter the Devestator companies after their term as a scout, to learn patience and the more reserved recruits enter assault companies after scout terms to learn how to be more aggressive. this way, when they enter a tactical squad, each faction respects the others, and understands both sides of combat.

the scheme for the chapter-

yellow is shining gold, and white is silver

How does it seem so far, and what can I improve/ add to make it better? also how do I post images? the bb code did not show them, haha.

[rolloverbeethoven]

Well I may not be too much help with the time-line question and suchlike, but I must say I love the idea of your marines being recruited from two opposing factions. It seems logical for recruits to be allocated general roles based on their parent cultures military ideals and shortcomings. It also gives your Chapter a great "hook" and easily imagined "behind the scenes" personality, something for your opponents or admirers to associate with your force. I mean we've all seen the movies where former enemies have to put aside their differences and work together for some greater cause. We can see these characters and respect their hard earned mutual trust and camaraderie, so bravo on that one. :)

 

So far as the name, personally I think those two options, though fine, don't really tie in with the themes of the chapter. Perhaps something involving "Brothers", "Paladins", "Champions" or "Brotherhood"?

 

Good start. :lol:

[Shadey]

Keep in mind that I don't have much talent yet when it comes to creative writing.

 

Best way to fix that is to practice. Aint no one here who's opinion is worth something that will look down on you for trying.

 

So far I am debating between Knights of Blood, or Deathwalkers. I am hoping to have a medieval feel to the chapter (somehow). I think that they should be 20th founding, but I am not sure of the timeline (would that give them enough time to be used as Support for the Armageddon campaign?).

 

Medieval is cool. It's been done before but there is still room for unique takes on the subject. Maybe you could put an emphasis on personal heraldry, duty and honour and other medieval staples. I'm sure if you read up a bit on the time period, more ideas will come to you.

 

20th founding will easily fit you into Armageddon. Even the 26th founding (the latest) predates the first war of Armageddon by more than 100 years. More info on the timlines here.

 

I like your take on the opposing combat philosphies.

 

By mechanized cavarly you talking about mechanical horses? That is pretty interesting and unique. I have this image, looking up at a marine sitting astride this massively muscled though obviously mechanical horse. Form fitting armour plate covering the workings, thicker plate again covering the vulnerable parts. Barding swaying softly in the wind. The marine with a tabard and powerlance. The horse would look kind of like the new bloodcrushers but without the oversized squared off shoulders.

 

Maybe the horses are made on the forgeworld through barely understood means using artifical muscle fibers and various specalized techniques. Have them hand crafted by master 'smiths' (and their apprentices). They are a work of art and take a long time to make. Check out how swords and armour were made in your chosen time period for more info.

 

Going on from rolloverbeethoven's suggestions, maybe something like Knights of the Brotherhood or Brotherhood of the Blood. It also evokes impressions of the secret societies/guilds that tie in with your medieval take.

[ninjabat]

Thank you for the help and responses,

Brotherhood of the blood sounds like a good title. I like the personal heraldry idea for them, and was indeed planning on using mechanical horse like creatures for counts as bikes. Research for this is going well, although I am a little lost on how to convert some of the medieval craftsmen ideas to the strange methods of 40k. I am thinking that the paint scheme will be mithril silver base, with red gore shoulder pads and tabards and such. Research is fun though, so figuring this out will be entertaining.

 

As far as making the mechanical horses, I was considering combining some of the juggernaut bits and warhammer horses to create a mechanical feel, or find some casting methods for creating said mechanical horses as well.

 

http://robotionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/horse.jpg

 

is what I am going for

[soddinnutter]

The whole mechanical horse thing is possibly the most awesome thing i have heard in years. I have never seen it on this site before so it may even be one of the last few completely origional ideas.

 

I like the first image better than the second. the second does not look very much like a horse and is too plasticy. The first image on the other had has polished chrome and brass with awesome glowing red eyes and would be much more intimidating and awe inspiring. would not, i imagine, be impossible to make for the mechanicus. they know how to make artificial limbs and are not above doing so for animals (Cybermastif for example). the body is not the problem. teh mind is. Cortex technology like what runs some of the more complex veichles of the space marines may be adaptable to this creature but would it be getting to close to the techno-blasphamy of AI? Probably not but it is worth considering.

 

Which medieval craftsmen are dificult translate to 40K?

 

At what level of technology is the Homeworld? if its high enough you could have Mechanicus Enclaves on the world and not have to outsource for equipment. a feudal society does not have to be a technological backwater. the Channel Islands are still running on a feudal gouvernment i believe.

 

could have a Necromunda style Hiveworld where every hive-district is owned by a Lord for instance.

[Wolfbiter]

Some interesting ideas here. The next step is to ask yourself "Why" for each of your neat ideas and develop backstory for them. For example, why mechanical horses? Perhaps their homeworld worships or reveres the horse to an extreme degree? Or possibly when the planet was settled, the Marines emulated the culture in order to better assimilate recruits? Or maybe the Chapter founder was fond of visiting the racetrack? (Just kidding on that one.) :)

 

But you get the picture...ask yourself 'why' for each detail you come up with, and it will help you flesh out your Chapter and give it life. Good luck!

[ninjabat]

Hello,

Thank you for all of the responses.

The wars on the planet [] which the Brotherhood (does conclave work better here) of blood recruit their members from are fought on horseback. The men who were recruited into the brotherhood/conclave had preferences for bikes to emulate these strategies. once they saved the forge world of a nearby sector they noticed the use of a mechanical horse-like thing to carry heavy loads for the planet. Noticing the marine's interest in this technology, the governer of the forge world had a few of them experimentally increased in size and load capacity, as well as armor and weapon carrying capabilities. In addition the world was responsible for the a number of the power lances used by the grey knights and and modified them for the use of the chapter. This gift was gratefully recieved by the chapter and was immediately put to use in the first through eighth companies. the 9th company, using mainly static weaponry did not use the horse, however the devestator squads have split, so that there are 5 men horse units protecting the stationary devestator squads, and have a larger mount so as to help carry the devestators in a tactical retreat, as well as battlefield positioning.

The scout company was given lighter horses to use in their wide expansive missions.

The lack of terminator squads thanks to the Waaagh of orks leads to a very mobile chapter, rather than the less rapid strategies of their parent legion. Despite these tactical differences, the brotherhood/conclave of blood excel at line-breaking and siege warfare.

 

Any ideas for the conclave/brotherhood issue would help.

 

Thank you for all of the positive responses, I was honestly not expecting such enthusiasm.

 

Thanks

-BK

[Kristoff]

One thought that may work, is from the War God series by David Weber and starts with Oath of Swords.

 

There are a race of near-giants that were warrior-bred, called Hradani. A specific tribe is called the Horse Stealers, called that because they chase down the horses a nearby human tribe's horses, ON FOOT. These guys are so big, that they can't ride any normal horse, and not all of the nearby tribes ride normal horses, but these huge beasts called Coursers, that are to horses as the hradani are to humans. Those people who gain a bond to these sentient beasts are called Windriders.

 

Crazy idea, but what if there are horse analogues big enough to carry both an Astartes and the armor to give it an 3+ Save?

 

As for the rules, these massive horses are big and fast enough to replicate bikes, so... You basically gain a more horse-oriented chapter than that of the Khan's!

 

Alternatively, you could use the ThunderWolf Cavalry of the Space Wolves, and use them as your elite troops who have gained the honor and trust of these massive steeds.

[ninjabat]

Hmm, I will have to check out that series, Thanks!

 

It may be easier to do that, maybe the lesser marines outside of first company have regular horses, but the mechanical ones are gifted to the first company only.

 

It may work, although I like the Idea of an army charging with robotic horses.

gamewise, I may magnetize them all onto warhammer horses while I attempt to figure out how to mechanize horses so I can have a decent sized and looking army.

 

I realized that the horse idea and the factions idea may not work as is, so to modify slightly they are similar to one side being crusading knights on horses, charging into the thick and then moving out for another unit to hammer them, and the other more akin to middle eastern horse archers, using a moving circle to stay mobile and fire bows. These tactics will naturally not necessarily convert into the imperium, but it does explain why they fight using their mechanical steeds.

 

finally what do you think is a better name,

Brotherhood of blood, Covenant of blood, or conclave of blood?

-basically the name represents how the members of the chapter hate each other to begin with, but slowly gain respect and trust for each other over decades of combat together.

 

Thank you

-bk