An Iron Hands Successor Chapter

[BERZERKER!]

Hi all.

 

Please bear in mind when reading ahead that my ideas are in their infancy, and i have a long way to go before i finally have some solid background for my chapter.

 

I have a set of core themes for my army...

 

 

First off, i want to build a (loyal) renegade chapter. After a disagreement with the inquisition, over refusal to submit themselves to scrutiny after potential 'corruption' by xenos technology, the chapter fled to the fringes of known space. Without access to a forge, the chapter is limited in the technology it can deploy. This might be compensated for by a use of xenos tech.

 

To represent this, my army will have few suits of power armour, and little or no terminator armour. Only elite choices will be equipped with power armour, the veterans of the chapter. Troops choices will be scouts only; the tactical squads of the army wear scout armour. This will also mean a lack of vehicles (mostly because i dont like tanks). However, i will definitely be fielding a(t least one) dreadnought. I couldnt do a SM army without one.

 

 

I want my chapter to be an Iron Hands successor, and one which really takes the hatred of flesh to the extreme. This means an extensive use of bionics. At the same time, i want the chapter's elite to form a Dark Angels-esque 'inner circle', in the form of a machine cult. This is more to do with the feel of the chapter, but i hope to find a way to represent this in the look of my elites and HQ choices.

 

Model wise, this means lots and lots of bionic parts. I have an Iron Hands tactical squad ready to go, and will supplement with my own bionics conversions. I was thinking to use the DA veterans box with the robes, but have decided that the robes will conceal the bionics too much. Any ideas on how to add the 'inner circle/cult' theme to my veterans without overdoing the models?

 

To give the scouts their own feel (less like scouts, more like marines without PA) i'm going to sculpt hoods and skirts onto the models. The best visual example i can think of is from Assassin's Creed. I'm also considering converting a set of sniper rifles into long range gauss weapons, mostly for an excuse to use some of the cool green necron rods. This might also add to the 'use of xenos tech' idea.

 

 

My final core theme is to do with the core elite of the army.. the marines who come from before the exile. These are the power armoured units in the army. More machine than man, they are so bionically enhanced that they become extremely difficult to kill, and can be repaired to full functionality between battles. Their robotic nature makes them extremely tough, and proficient in combat, but not quick. I've had a 'slow but purposeful' theme stuck in my head since the beginning.

 

Rules wise, i want to represent this by using the Legion of the Damned rules for my squads of veterans. The invulnerable save can be explained by the bionic enhancement. The deep strike can perhaps be the use of alien teleportation technology. The 'slow but purposeful' rule is perfect for the idea of how i want the veterans to be. Veterans of hundreds of battles, and with a machine's cold logic, fearless makes sense too. Is this pushing the counts as rule too far? How many of you, as players, would accept this?

 

To fit with the slow moving theme, i have decided on a complete lack of fast attack. This also negates the assault marine potential of the army, which is fine for the feel i am going for.

 

 

To go with this lot, i have some other ideas for the fluff.

 

The chapter fled their original homeworld to escape the wrath of the inquisition, and possibly another Astartes chapter. My chapter was crippled due to the battle before they fled (hence the lack of tech and few veteran brothers), and were guided to a 'safe haven' by the alien technology, or perhaps a dark entity (maybe C'tan, but definitely not a daemon or Chaos god).

 

I know from what i have read that it's a big no-no to contradict GW fluff, but is it acceptable to use a already known chapter for this piece of my chapter's history? Possibly the Grey Knights, as they are very secretive and hence might not have mentioned this previously?

 

The chapter's homeworld is an ice planet, possibly home to some ancient xeno temple, and is extremely inhospitable.

 

What effect could this have on my chapter, being as they are already half machine and extremely tough? This also raises the question of where the chapter sources its recruits. I have no idea where to begin with this. I also want the planet to be unknown, but possibly not beyond the range of the astronomican and simly somewhere totally unexpected.

 

The chapter is definitely an Iron Hands successor, and trained initially by brothers from the Iron Hands chapter itself (hence passing along the hatred of flesh).

 

I have no solid ideas as to why the chapter might have been created. Is it viable for the chapter to be a (former) military arm of the Adeptus Mechanicus? I also need to think of a name. The Hammers of Mars was my initial idea, but i'm not sure i like it.. thoughts?

 

 

Thats pretty much what i have so far. I'm looking for a little inspiration to kick start an evolution into a real chapter, so let fly with the C&C.

 

Thanks for Reading B)

Andrew

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Alright, first, I recommend the Guide to DIYing and Octavulg's Octaguide 2.0. Second, don't try to make the army list fit your chapter. Just make the fluff for your chapter and ignore the army list.

[BERZERKER!]

I get that, but i could go a little crazy.. i want the army to be playable. The list fits the vision i have. I just wanted to get an idea if people thought i might be bending rules at all.

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

If your goal is more to make rules than make the IA, I would put this in the Homegrown Rules section.

[BERZERKER!]

Where is a good starting point to build a timeline from...? A source of significant dates etc. In terms of the 40K universe, not the chapter.

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Could you explain more? I don't quite understand.

[BERZERKER!]

The best source of 'universal' history, so i can find a point to insert the creaton of my chapter. Such as, dates of foundings and battles. The 40k Rulebook or the SM codex, or a good website?

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

There's a stickied thread in the Liber with a good timeline. Your other good bet is Lexicanum.com. GW and the codex don't have their timelines go back very far.

[Ace Debonair]

The best source of 'universal' history, so i can find a point to insert the creaton of my chapter. Such as, dates of foundings and battles. The 40k Rulebook or the SM codex, or a good website?

I believe the dates of the foundings aren't pinned down exactly.

 

Your best bet is to pick a number you like, although I'd personally avoid the 26th because it's hugely overused. ^_^

 

And the AdMech wouldn't get a space marine chapter as a 'military arm', because of the whole seperation of powers deal.

That and all the titan legions and so forth already count as military, I suspect. ;)

[NightrawenII]

mostly because i dont like tanks

:P

And I thought such people doesn't exists.

 

I'm also considering converting a set of sniper rifles into long range gauss weapons, mostly for an excuse to use some of the cool green necron rods. This might also add to the 'use of xenos tech' idea.

- Considering the Cog-boys think that Gauss-weapons are impossible to build. I can't see, how could your Chapter use Gauss-weapons.

 

 

The chapter fled their original homeworld to escape the wrath of the inquisition, and possibly another Astartes chapter. My chapter was crippled due to the battle before they fled (hence the lack of tech and few veteran brothers), and were guided to a 'safe haven' by the alien technology, or perhaps a dark entity (maybe C'tan, but definitely not a daemon or Chaos god).

 

I know from what i have read that it's a big no-no to contradict GW fluff, but is it acceptable to use a already known chapter for this piece of my chapter's history? Possibly the Grey Knights, as they are very secretive and hence might not have mentioned this previously?

- Could you explain how are the GKs relevant to this idea?

 

The chapter's homeworld is an ice planet, possibly home to some ancient xeno temple, and is extremely inhospitable.

 

What effect could this have on my chapter, being as they are already half machine and extremely tough? This also raises the question of where the chapter sources its recruits. I have no idea where to begin with this. I also want the planet to be unknown, but possibly not beyond the range of the astronomican and simly somewhere totally unexpected.

- The Imperium is forgetting planets on daily basis. So I don't see a problem with this. However it will cause problem, when someone remembers and send an investigation team. :huh:

 

I have no solid ideas as to why the chapter might have been created. Is it viable for the chapter to be a (former) military arm of the Adeptus Mechanicus? I also need to think of a name. The Hammers of Mars was my initial idea, but i'm not sure i like it.. thoughts?

- You don't need specific reason for creation of Chapter. Just general "battling foul xenos and renegades alike" is enough.

 

+++++++

I agree with Chapter Master Ignis Domus, the tabletop is largely irrelevant for the creation of your Chapter backstory.

[BERZERKER!]

If the chapter is being guided by a necron C'tan, this could explain the access to gauss technology (modified from what was found in the xenos temple maybe) and the Grey Knights. If the inquisition suspected that the chapter was under the influence of a deamonic entity, they would surely employ the GK to purge the creature. Is this too complicated, or silly?

[NightrawenII]

If the chapter is being guided by a necron C'tan, this could explain the access to gauss technology (modified from what was found in the xenos temple maybe) and the Grey Knights. If the inquisition suspected that the chapter was under the influence of a deamonic entity, they would surely employ the GK to purge the creature. Is this too complicated, or silly?

Yes and no.

C'tan is not daemonic entity, but it is vulnerable to the warp.

[The Shiny One]

I had quite similar ideas, when i posted my first draft in the Liber. No tanks, renegades but not chaos, already a army list in mind to represent the ideas and so forth. So i understand were your coming from.

 

But studying the fluff more and more the last weeks, it is really hard to justify such a force in the universe of 40k, and sooner or later the most logical will be to turn to chaos or the cursed founding, were you can experiment with mutation but still by loyal somehow.

 

For one of my chapters, i really want to use the necrons living metal necrodermis, but the think with necrons is that they are really hard to catch, and so the easier way would be some kind of chaos magic, which is pretty diverse and logical to turn to after being renegades anyway.

 

 

And i think there are only 4 c'tan in the universe, and the pariah seem to be the only humans they want to guide.

[BERZERKER!]

Maybe the C'tan idea is a little far fetched.. nothing is set in stone at this point. I'm not very fluff educated in terms of the whole 40k universe, so a lot of these ideas come from the little i know about other races.

 

However, i don't see any logic in turning to heresy. Bear in mind that the chapter is loyal, and did not choose to become renegade. The inquisition has disagreements with many chapters.. any of these could escalate into a full fledged war, given the right circumstances. I imagine any chapter would defend itself from an attack from the inquisition, without neccessarily becoming disenchanted with the emperor or his holy teachings.

[NightrawenII]

However, i don't see any logic in turning to heresy. Bear in mind that the chapter is loyal, and did not choose to become renegade. The inquisition has disagreements with many chapters.. any of these could escalate into a full fledged war, given the right circumstances. I imagine any chapter would defend itself from an attack from the inquisition, without neccessarily becoming disenchanted with the emperor or his holy teachings.

Because if you are declared Excomunicate Traitoris by Inquisitor, then you are Public Enemy #1 of the Imperium. And in this Galaxy being alone means you are :) up. The Chaos-gods offer some protection and power to defend yourself, so most Chapters after a while turn to the Chaos.