Tzimisce169 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hi there fellow forumites, I thought of the idea of this chapter well over 10 years ago but never really developed it due to lack of time and a love of space wolves. Hope you like it. All C&C welcome as usual. Chapter name: Midnight Manticores Geneseed: Imperial Fists Creation: 4th Founding Background: Created as part of the 4th founding but unlike alot of the new chapters of that time this chapter was formed with 1 very specific order. To fight chaos with fear and paranoia. Several decades after the Horus heresy the administratum of Terra were still getting bombarded with reports of actrocities commited by members of the Astartes. The only plausable explanation was that the traitors were continuing their raids for slaves and resources. After colating as much data as they could from various battlefields and the occasional survivor the High lords of Terra agreed on the creation of a chapter that could and would unleash the emperor's wrath in full and have the traitor legions at each others throats as a consequence. So it was that the Manticores were created with all the knowledge of the rivalries and hatreds of the Chaos legions. In a cunning move the High lords purposefully used the geneseed of the Imperial Fists knowing that they had a long standing rivalry with the Iron Warriors. To aid them in their task a rather controversial colour scheme was chosen. The Manticores were given the same livery as the Night Lords (minus the winged skull) and counter terrorism force was born. It is said that when the first chapter master received orders to attack an invading traitor force of Iron Warriors a huge smile split his face as he addressed his newly formed force. "Manticores. Do you want to get your claws wet?" The Manticores launched into the Iron warriors with all the ferocity of a chapter keen the gather it's first mote of honour and clad in the mimicked armour of marines that Peturabo's son thought of as potential allies. The Iron warriors were totally unprepared for the counter attack and swept aside within a few hours, partly due to the fact that the Manticores used almost 80% of their chapter strength and, at heart, they were still Imperial fists and relished the experience of smashing such a hated and loathed foe to the ground. The chapter master, however, had one more ace-card up his armour. He made sure that a handful of traitors made it off the planet bearing a message for their leaders. "Konrad sends his regards." The next time the Iron warriors launched an assault it was against a warband of marines in dark blue and lightning armour with a winged skull on the shoulder pad. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
soddinnutter Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Sounds good, man. But they would have to change their colour scheme for every mission. Also they would almost certainly have a representative of the Ordo Millitum (not necessarily an actual Inquisitor) present at all times to make sure that being too close to the Ruined Ones has not started to contaminate their purity. And they will have to abandon much of the Codex Astartes and favor the fighting styles of the Heretics. And whilst on some of the more lengthy campaigns they will have to watch out for their brother Chapters as much as their favored enemy. And, given how Traitor Astartes generally don't have access to the very best of Mars exports, they will have to have lots of old power armour. MkV and MkVI and various bastardised suits made from the ruins of older suits. Older patterns of Bolter and any vehicles also. The Vehicles you can get away with having an old style outer shell on the beating heart of a more modern one so long as the Fallen Ones don't look too close. To really get the disguise to work it may have to be defaced with the Eight Pointed star and a plea for the machine spirit to forgive. Given their nature they would have to be very, very insular and secretive. Even by the standards of other marine chapters because even one spy and BAM! The Black Legion knows what your doing, has blabbed to the Word Bearers who have preached it to everyone and everything with sentience within ~9,000 light years of the Eye of Terror and suddenly EVERY SINGLE LEGION has decided they hate your chapter just a little bit more than they hate each other and you are up to your eyeballs in Chaos. So fleet based is the way to go. It's a little easier to hide a ship/fleet/armada/convoy than it is a planet. How do they view the rest of humanity? It goes without saying that they will be at odds with the Adepta Sororitas and Ecclesiarchy but how do they get along with the Inquisition? Do they use psykers and disguise them as Sorcerers? Do they have Chaplains? And what is their Religion like given how they know their are gods and that they are all :cusss? Do the other Chapters even know they exist and what do they think of them? They could be one of those chapters the Authorities/Inquisition both hate and love. Like the Gray Knights, Space Wolves, Black Templars and Exorcists. They break a lot of rules but they are so very useful, so they are tolerated until the day when they cease to be useful. A day that will never come, should they remain loyal. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2612748 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzimisce169 Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thanks for the feedback sodinnutter. I don't want to seem big-headed but I have thought of all of the points that you've raised. The only snag I can find is that there is no record of when the 4th founding was. I chose the 4th founding cos that would explain the older patterns of power armour and weapons. All the rest will be explained as I carry on with the rest of the article Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2612804 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapter Master Ignis Domus Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Background: Created as part of the 4th founding but unlike alot of the new chapters of that time this chapter was formed with 1 very specific order. To fight chaos with fear and paranoia. Hmmm...fighting fear through fear interesting. If you can get it to work, then go for it. Otherwise, consider revising this. So it was that the Manticores were created with all the knowledge of the rivalries and hatreds of the Chaos legions. How would the Imperium know these rivalries. The Manticores launched into the Iron warriors with all the ferocity of a chapter keen the gather it's first mote of honour and clad in the mimicked armour of marines that Peturabo's son thought of as potential allies. The Iron warriors were totally unprepared for the counter attack and swept aside within a few hours, partly due to the fact that the Manticores used almost 80% of their chapter strength and, at heart, they were still Imperial fists and relished the experience of smashing such a hated and loathed foe to the ground. As Soddinnutter said, they would have to change their armor colors quite often. Sounds like an excellent idea. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2612839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzimisce169 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 Ok, well I'm trying to write a story/background for these guys based around my own personal experiences. 1: A really good mate and long time gaming buddy of mine has an Iron warriors army. 2: I really enjoy painting the dark blue and lightning design. 3: Despite the fact that they are a non codex chapter, I can still use C:SM to make up a force. I'll post more info as soon as I have it typed up and post some pics ass soon as I have the time to paint the models Thanks guys Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2613270 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzimisce169 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Organization and customs For the most part the Chapter follows that standards of the codex astartes how ever due to their un-orthodox fighting styles there are a number of significant differences: 1. There isn’t a full company of veterans. Instead the companies are organised as follows: 20 Company Veterans. 20 Devastators 20 Assault marines 40 Tactical marines. 2. The chapter maintains 5 battle companies instead of 4. The reserve companies and scout companies are as per the codex. 3. Due to the fact that renegade marines do not seem to employ scouts, the chapters scout company is forbidden from engaging in open warfare but instead are trained in secret locations against well armed criminals of the imperium. The Scout Company are clad in black armour to show that they are in the process of serving the Emperor. 4. Due to the constant combat against Chaos marines the chapter has a higher that usual number of Chaplains to maintain the marine’s spiritual purity. The fleet is also accompanied by a contingent of Inquisitors from the Ordo Malleus and the Ordo Hereticus. This serves 2 purposes. Firstly any renegades captured can be interrogated and secondly their constant presence reminds the marines that they are being watched for signs of taint and heresy. 5. Due to the erratic nature of the enemy the chapter is fleet based to allow for greater mobility. 6. When the chapter has to fight alongside brother marines the chapter adopts a colour scheme of dark blue with standard codex markings so as not to be confused with the enemy. However the company veterans wear armour the colour of bone in honour of the 3rd Chapter master and his bodyguard that sacrificed themselves so that about 200 battle brothers could evacuate a planet that was growing unstable. 7. After each mission each suit of armour is ritually shot-blasted clean, blessed and anointed with sacred oils to remove and tainted blood or ichor that may have worked its way into the cracks of the suit. Prior to each mission the armour is re-sprayed in the colour scheme most hated by the enemy. The machine spirits with each set of armour don’t actually mind this as they are treated like royalty after each mission. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2615872 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapter Master Ignis Domus Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Watch it, this puts you into gray territory. The Legions were divided into independent chapters for a reason. Too many marines in a chapter is an easy path to doom. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2619614 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzimisce169 Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 The chapter has the standard amount of marines. Companies 1-5 are battle companies rather that 2-5 as per a standard chapter. The veterans that wound be in the 1st company in a standard chapter are instead spread though out the organisation Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2652658 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapter Master Ignis Domus Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hooray for supreme lack of common sense! Oops. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2653191 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzimisce169 Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 <_< what's that supposed to mean? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2654004 Share on other sites More sharing options...
soddinnutter Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Ignore him. I can see no breach of common sense anymore than is considered normal for the 40k universe. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2654410 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Renatus Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 First, let me start by saying I really like this idea. Sort of an "Alpha Legion for the good guys" approach. They could be very much like the Red Hunters chapter...not necessarily owned and operated by the Inquisition, but working with them so closely that you couldn't tell either way. The Red Hunters actually have the Inquisition symbol as part of their chapter symbol. Linky "Manticores. Do you want to get your claws wet?" This makes it sound like they are going for a swim, lol. Maybe something like, "Manticores! Time to bloody our claws." Or "Manticores! Today we draw first blood!" Also, I think it would be cool to see a Loyalist force with renegade color schemes. Sort of like the American Delta Force...each sub-unit has a specialty. The 2nd Company focuses on the Black Legion, 3rd the Iron Warriors, 4th the Word Bearers, etc. Maybe one reserve company that looks almost like a battle company in that it has a few squads of Tactical, Assault, and Devestator marines. Don't waste your scouts fighting gangers. I love the all black armor idea, use them as "covert operatives" before your men hit the ground. They wear all black armor and unadorned weapons. They have no markings that ID them as a manticore on them or their bodies. If they are captured...they're dead. No effort made to rescue them. And then the 1st Company could stay in the Manticores colors for the final assault. Imagine the giant " :( you!" that would cause as the traitors supposed allies open fire on them and then out of nowhere teleport in 40-60 heavily armed and armored avatars of Manticore stompy-wrath-deathness. Yes, I like this very much. You, Sir, should consider yourself watched. P.S. - Well done on the name. I've never seen it used and it's a really solid and sadly forgotten critter of death and destruction. I will say, I think the "Midnight" part is superfluous. They are terrifying enough as just the Manticores. My $.02. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2654483 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapter Master Ignis Domus Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 :D what's that supposed to mean? My complete mistake in forgetting to take out the first company as a veteran company. I feel very, very stupid. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219093-ia-midnight-manticores/#findComment-2654787 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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