IA: Imperial Angels

[Brother Cyrrus]

I come to this hobby from WHFB originally, then most recently from DoW and a general interest in the lore, collecting, and painting of figures. I've tried to read up on lore from a variety of places, but most of my recent information comes either from the Lexicanum or the Horus Heresy novels. I'm still waiting to get the most recent SM Codex, since I believe the most recent I have access to is the 4th edition (with all the traits for customizing a chapter of your own?) Anyway, with that in mind, here's my still relatively unformed idea that I've been kicking around off and on for a year.

The Imperial Angels are a 21st founding Chapter from the illustrious Imperial Fists. The intention of their founding was to take the Imperial Fist's devotion to the Imperium of Man and combine it with a strong basis in the God-Emperor's vision of a united galaxy and send them out towards the practically unexplored fringe. Being so far removed from the center of the Empire for prolonged periods would require absolute dedication to the Emperor to avoid heresy, especially for a newly formed Chapter. Aided in their instruction by their progenitor Chapter, the Imperial Angels held strongly to the Codex Astartes traditions and the more esoteric traditions such as the pain glove and the martial traditions of swordplay. They participated in many battles alongside their brother Chapters, taking some aspect of their doctrine or another to heart as seemed fitting. Finally, deemed a fully functional Chapter, they were given their first mission deep into the Ultima Segmentum with only the guidance of an Epistolary, Reclusiarch, and Captain of the Imperial Fists.

As the Imperial Angels approached their destination they were briefed on the situation. A compliant system had recently become the target of a Dark Eldar pirate fleet and the Imperial Garrison was hard pressed to defend themselves. It was the duty of the space marine force to defend the system, eliminate the Dark Eldar threat, and then begin restoring the faith of the beleaguered defenders. Once the system was restored to order it was to become the home base for the newly forged Chapter.

After translating from warp the fleet began hunting for the elusive Dark Eldar ships as the Angels took drop ships planetside and began their own search and destroy mission. Both the fleet and the marines were soon engaged in rapid assaults, ambushes, and hit-and-run tactics. Two days after the Imperial Angels reached the system a small Eldar strike-force from Craftworld Alaitoc appeared in system, negotiating a cease-fire with the space marine fleet in light of hunting their common enemy. While the two sides were willing to fight the enemy at the same time, they were still quite wary of each other and the obvious firepower each could bring to bear. Teams of rangers deployed near Imperial Angel squads and used a shared vox frequency to coordinate attacks with the Eldar sniping commanders from a distance as the Angels took the fight face to face with power weapons and plasma.

As the mission was drawing to a close the unthinkable happened. As the Age of Apostasy began to take a more serious toll on the Empire at home, warp storms raged across the cosmos. To the Imperial Angels and Alaitoc Rangers it was to herald a campaign longer than anticipated. As the Dark Eldar were flushed from hiding and destroyed with a vengeance the Astropaths warned of a sharp rise in warp storms locally, culminating in a storm so large that no ship would be able to safely leave the system. Finally ending the campaign against the Dark Eldar the Imperial Angels began fortifying their new homeworld. Grudgingly they allowed the Eldar fleet to remain in system, deeming that even a Xenos was not deserving of the fate that awaited those lost in the Warp.

As time wore on the Chaplains worked to renew the systems faith in the Emperor. Of note, to the surprise of the Imperial Fists chaperone's, the Angel's began exhibiting an increase in psychic ability. Very few increased to the point of training as Librarians, but it was worrying to the Fists. The Chapter Master of the Imperial Angels vowed to follow in his Primarch's footsteps and secluded himself in his chambers to meditate in the pain glove. After three days he emerged and called for a council with all the company masters and the Imperial Fists that accompanied the Chapter. He had been given a vision from the Emperor, that the Angels were being spared from a great conflict that would have seen them destroyed. He said that their duty was to build their strength and continue the Crusade into the Ultima Segmentum. They were to accept into the Empire any who would serve Him, for division amongst the races of the stars could only further the scheme of Chaos. The reclamation and defence of Humanity was their mission, beyond executing wars against xenos. The Epistolary was inclined to believe the vision as the Chapter Master had entered seclusion as normal as any Astartes could be and returned to them brimming with psychic potential. Together with the Reclusiarch, the Epistolary began a regimen of training amongst the most gifted Marines to combined devotion to the Emperor with the usual psychic battery of tests.

The warp storms surrounding their home system kept the Imperial Angels penned in to create themselves and develop their own doctrines. They are incredibly devout to the God-Emperor and view the Primarchs, his gene-sons, as demi-gods in their own rights. In turn the Astartes, gene-sons to the Primarchs, are truly Angels of the Emperor and the most direct extensions of His light that many in the Empire are ever likely to see. They revere Rogal Dorn above the other Primarchs as much because he is their father as because he was granted the position of the left hand of the Emperor, brought home to Holy Terra to shield the Emperor from his fallen sons. It is their belief that in turn he also became the next right hand of the Emperor as well, guiding his sons in the hunt for Chaos, especially the Black Templars.

The Eldar forced to stay in system settled as well as they could, developing a stronger bond with the Angels as it became apparent that the warp storms were not going to abate any time in the near future. After one hundred years of living side-by-side they began trading and training, little things at first such as training Rangers alongside the 10th company, up to the exchange of minor technologies and innovations. While the Eldar refused to bow to the Emperor, in deference to the years of peaceful contact, the Angels allowed them to leave the system when after 500 years the warp storms finally abated. The Imperial Angels sent the 6th and 7th Company's back to Terra with the Imperial Fist chaperones to update Terra on their experience and return their tutors to their home Chapter. In the process they assisted in minor battles to repel the 5th Black Crusade. The remainder of the Chapter began exploring Ultima Segmentum to find more systems to bring to compliance.

This is as much as I've really figured out, though I had hoped to include an Inquisitor belonging to the Xeno Hybris philosophy to smooth over the gathering and use of Eldar technology. I forgot that as I started typing. My intention for modeling is to use the robed Dark Angels models, with Eldar sniper rifles for any Scouts or at least for their sergeant. Haven't really played WH40k on the table in a long time, so I'm not sure if I'd use Assault Marines, but if so I'd definitely want to take the wings from the Sanguinary Guard for them...or barring Assault Marines, possibly just use them on characters. Again, without playtesting anything, I'm interested in using Librarians for my HQ choices and possibly using an Eldar Singing Spear as the weapon. I'd treat it exclusively as a force weapon of course, but for the visual appeal it would be nice to use one I think. I think that about covers it, except for my indecision over a color scheme. Hope that this inspires some creative criticism that pushes me to finish fleshing this chapter out. And suggestions on colors would be nice as well. Thanks!

[Espada Azul]

Welcome to the Liber Astartes section. I am assuming that you understand what it means to post here, so I hope that you take criticism well. :lol:

 

Before one begins, I also hope you've perused the very helpful Liber Astartes DIY Guide. If not, do so; it helps avoid a lot of anger and heartbreak.

 

First off... 21st Founding. You do realize that's the Cursed Founding, right? While not all of the Chapters connected to that Founding have it as bad as the Lamenters, there's always something a mite off with those associated with it (re: Relictors, Minotaurs, Sons of Anteus, Fire Hawks, Flame Falcons). It's an interesting plot point though, but take care not confusing 'cursed' with 'AWESOME!'.

 

Secondly, while alliances with Eldar are not unknown, it's far more easier to believe in a Chapter working with Ulthwé forces than the ultra-conservative Alaitoc (there IS a reason why there are a lot of followers of the Path of the Wanderer in that Craftworld). Secondly I don't think it's within the m.o. of Eldar to ask for a ceasefire; they will more likely 'invite' themselves to a conflict, often at gunpoint. Nevermind the issue of co-existing with the Eldar... Your Chapter is supposedly descended from the Imperial Fists, the Emperor's Praetorians! They loathe xenos.

[Brother Cyrrus]

In regards to the 21st Founding I do remember it being the Cursed founding. My thoughts thus far on the "curse" was the 500 year "exile" due to the warp storms, and possibly the fact that developing a large number of psykers, no matter how minor they might be, might put them under some scrutiny for being similar to the Thousand Sons. Hadn't given too much thought to the Curse though and looking back now I realize that the other 21st Founding Chapters do tend to have more extreme runs of bad luck than "We got locked out of the house for 500 years." XD I'll have to work on either a bigger "curse" of some kind or choose a less portentious founding. Fortunately I can keep a similar time period if I want since there were at least two other founding in early M36 I believe.

 

My reasoning for Alaitoc was mostly from my admittedly slapdash investigation of galactic positioning etc. I had wanted them to be in a place far enough "out of the way" that I could be more or less sure of not treading on any established Chapters shoes for homeworlds, and in such a position that being locked away for a significant portion of time would put their system smack dab in the middle of some pre-existing conflict. Since I'd thought to have an Eldar influence on their upbringing if you will I noticed that the Alaitoc and Iyanden Craftworlds were the closest to that part of space. Hence Alaitoc. ::shrugs:: I guess on second thought, given the points you've made, perhaps in regards to the Eldar it would be more likely that they showed up, starting blowing holes in the Dark Eldar and just "assumed" that the mon'keigh wouldn't fight them considering it was a mutual enemy. Any attempt at contact may have been rebuffed or they pretend they "don't understand". In return perhaps once the Dark Eldar are finished off and the Imperial Angels find out they're trapped with these Eldar from (insert Craftworld here) they decide they may as well make it a training exercise for this brand spanking new Chapter and proceed to eliminate them for the Emperor. Gaining the Eldar technology is a matter of spoils of war at that point and they have 500 years to analyze the technology for their better use, viewing it in a similiar light to the Xanthites(?) and figuring they can now turn the weapons of war on their owners once a path is opened for them.

 

On a separate note, to show in the face of my blunders here, I DID do research enough to realize that it couldn't have been Tau if it's M36. I saw a quick thing about the Imperium finding them and then getting cut off with the warp storms. Fortunately I went back and re-read it to realize they found them in a primitive state and therefore weren't spaceworthy until they were "rediscovered" in recent times.

[Espada Azul]

Eldar influence (or rather, experience battling Eldar) could be explained in other ways though. The concept has merit, but coexistence is a stretch however you look at it, especially when you consider the perception of Imperial people in general about the Eldar as the flighty and capricious space elves.

 

As for the Cursed Founding... Yeah, it's hard to write a Chapter from that particular Founding right, as there's all sorts of things that could go wrong. If one takes particular care though, you could end up with something very interesting, yes indeed.