The Guardians of Raivath

[Wolfs16]

Greetings, honored members of the Liber Astartes. I am quite new to both this forum and the Space Marines, so please bear with me as I ramble. :woot:

 

If you cannot tell by my avatar, my first love in 40K are the Tau. But instead of simply building models, I wanted to create a rich background for my cadre and the results can be seen here. The one thing about my cadre is that they actually undertake unauthorized mercenary activity which they keep hid from the eyes of the Empire. Their story if one of the ends justifying the means (or so they think). I am posting this simply to show my dedication to keeping things believable in the 40K universe, but also my desire for the unconventional.

 

With that said, I find myself having a lot of trouble starting my Space Marine background. Main reason? DATES. There is so much history compared to the short time span of the Tau that it makes my head hurt! So the biggest thing I will need assistance with is fitting the Chapters into the appropriate place in the 40K timeline. But enough talk, let's get down to business. Underneath my ideas, I will post questions in red.

 

Theme:

My biggest influence for my Marines are the real life Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire. If you read the Wikipedia article there, you’ll see that the Janissaries were really ahead of their time. Originally comprised of conscripted Christian boys, the Janissaries were the first regular army to wear uniforms, they were paid regular salaries, used mainly firearms and can be seen as a precursor to modern militaries. They were highly educated, well equipped and organized and eventually gained much power and influence till all the power eventually got to their heads and they were basically eliminated in the Auspicious Incident. (The wiki article is a great read!) So how do I transfer this to a 40K setting?

 

Why were they created?

The Guardians of Raivath were created in order to protect the Raivath Sector; a collection of five systems that are located just north-east of the Tau Empire, just past Brimlock.

 

Would the sector I described be too large for Marines to patrol?

 

When were they formed?

I would like them to have been formed sometime before the Age of Apostasy, so likely the 20th Founding. My reason for choosing this time period is that I would like them to have this relatively young Chapter face a sudden crisis of faith. With the outbreak of the Apostasy, they begin to develop a dislike for the religious branch of the Imperium. While this does not mean that they do anything chaotic, they simply develop an even stronger dislike for the Ecclesiarchy. More on that later.

 

For a chapter located on the Eastern Fringe, would the events of the Apostasy even affect them? I would be willing to change the location if so.

 

Homeworld:

Basic overview of the Raivath Sector:

 

“These worlds, discovered during the closing years of the Great Crusade, were rich with mineral wealth, making them very valuable to Eastern colonies. Upon removing the former dictatorial leadership, the Imperium established its own government which ruled effectively till the Horus Heresy’s outbreak. During the ensuing chaos, many colonies were cut off from the Imperium at large and the Raivath Sector was one such location.

 

During this time, the Raivath Sector saw much infighting, as different groups sought to use the anarchy of the Heresy to their advantage. Eventually, Imperial rule won out and when the Raivath Sector was finally re-contacted around M34, a stable empire, eager to rejoin the Imperial fold, was found. With resources in the area being stretched thin, the High Lords of Terra assigned the newly founded Guardians of Raivath to protect the area and continue the steady supply of material to efforts on the Eastern Fringe.”

How well does the mesh with the timeline of the Imperium? Would having the history of the Raivath sector date back to the Great Crusade/Horus Heresy be too much?

 

The planets in the sector are rich in mineral wealth, but are almost all desert worlds. So although classified as civilized worlds (several million people per world), survival is still difficult and produces some hearty folks.

 

I want there to be only a few fully habitable worlds in the sector. Perhaps five different planetary systems in the sector, with each containing at least one planet that can support life. Does this seem reasonable?

 

I would like for their original recruits to have been taken from the families of the elite PDF of the Raivath Prime, the capital world of the sector. The PDF would be made up of slave-soldiers who have defended the sector for generations. Basic genetic engineering has been applied to produce some truly exceptional men.

Raivathan Culture and its Affect on the Chapter:

Based largely off of the Ottoman Empire, the people of the Raivath Sector have a strong Arabic/Turkish society. Philosophy is a dominant force in the life of the people and has led them to have a hunger for knowledge and understanding. The Raivathan people are innovative and curious; born explorers. Yet the harsh life on a desert world leads them to be pragmatic. Culturally, humility, hospitality and loyalty are valued traits and observance of etiquette (at least their definition of it) is required.

 

The Guardians of Raivath mirror these traits, producing “Warrior Scholars” who value knowledge greatly. Philosophical discussions are encouraged by the Chapters Librarians and many Marines engage in research and study during their “down-time.” The Guardians also maintain the humble Raivathan view of loyalty to the Emperor. They view themselves as servants of the Emperor and questing for personal glory is shunned.

 

Geneseed:

Ideally, I would like them to be made from the Raven Guard geneseed, as they prefer infiltration tactics. Also, the Raven Guard always struck me as a practical Chapter who have a strong hatred for injustice, something which the Guardians would emulate.

 

Should they be made from the Raven Guard geneseed directly or from one of their succesors? Originally, I wanted them to be made from the Raptor geneseed, but that Chapter (due to their secular nature) seems to be getting a lot of attention these days, so I am open to other options. Thoughts?

 

Knowing the flaws of the RG geneseed, the Guardians would also exhibit a further mutation in the Melanchromic organ which, in addition to the pale skin and black hair, produce strange tattoo like markings all over the body of the Marine. The markings would resemble popular tribal tattoos and would be symmetrical on the marines body. First appearing when the Marine is a Scout, the markings would develop and eventually stop after the complete integration of the Black Carapace; each Marine would have a different pattern.

 

Now, before I continue to Combat Doctrine, Organization and Beliefs, I would like to discuss two vital concepts I had in mind for the Chapter. Now before you read this, I want to emphasize that this is copied directly from my original background write-up, so I am more than willing to make adjustments. It is just a summation of my ideas.

 

The Great Reform:

After eliminating an Ork threat, Raivathan ships located the wreckage of an old Imperial vessel being used by the Orks. After years of research and study to discover its secrets, the ships data banks were finally opened and the information was revealed. The ship, known as the Noble Traveler, was originally used by Imperial Rememberancers to record the accomplishments of the Expeditionary Fleet it was attached to during the Great Crusade. The information, which revealed much about the Imperial Truth and the Emperors goal of a united (and secular) human empire, did much to change the Chapters view of the Imperium. After calling together each of the Company Captains, the Chapter Master explained their findings and ordered that the Guardians change many of their customs and beliefs to better reflect the Emperors vision. This change came relatively easy to the Chapter, as they were already more secular in nature. As such, symbols of faith: purity seals, prayer scrolls and other archaic imagery were removed.

 

But faced with the very real existence of warp entities and chaos “gods,” a discrepancy or contradiction would appear to exist in the old Imperial Truth. But the Chapters Chief Librarian taught that such things are a matter of advanced science, not yet fully understood by man. In his words, “The Emperor knew that mankind was not yet ready to embrace the understanding of these beings. So in his wisdom he hid them from us till we would prove ready. Sadly, that day did not come in time. So when we must acknowledge the existence of these beings, or psychic power and other phenomena, do not attribute them to the archaic beliefs of the past. They are simply a science that we have yet to learn, but will one day conquer.”

 

With this vision in mind, the Guardians of Raivath continue their secular view, zealously searching for any lost human sciences or technology so as to understand how to combat humanities foes. This belief has spread also to the Raivathan fleet that follows the Chapter, something which, if the Inquisition would ever catch wind of, would bring swift punishment. Ironically enough, the once lauded Imperial Truth is now viewed as one of the greatest heresies.

 

My reason for this reform is that I really enjoyed the Pre-Heresy Imperium and its secular outlook. Since I like to perceive my Chapter as “future soldiers” rather than “space knights,” having them carry on this mindset appeals to me.

Why I think this can work:

Seeing as my Marines are Scholar/Philosophers, adopting unconventional beliefs seems likely. And since they value loyalty to the Emperor, they may rationalize that they need to revert to the “old ways” to better stay true to the Emperors vision.

 

So what do you guys think? How can I take this idea, which I would like to maintain, and make it work in the 40K universe?

 

The Isolation:

For unknown reasons, massive warp storms began to surround the Raivath Sector in (insert date), cutting the area off from all contact with the Imperium. With no way in or out, the Sector had an eerie peace that lasted for (insert lengthy period of time). During this time the Guardians grew to full Chapter strength, eventually adding many new recruits to their Scout companies.

 

As time passed the Guardians also developed an extremely strong bond with the Raivathan people, providing the Chapter the opportunity to teach the people about the Old Imperium and the Emperors original vision of the Imperial Truth. This led them to also reject the standard Imperial Cult and adopt the customs and practices of the Guardians; feeling that by doing so they would truly be pleasing the Emperor.

 

But (insert lengthy period of time) of isolation, the warp storm broke and soon after the Sector was attacked by a massive Tyranid Hive Fleet. Having never faced the threat of the Tyranid before, the Guardians took heavy losses in the initial battles. Along the path of the Tyranid advance, the Guardians struggled to evacuate civilians, creating a large civilian fleet that they directed to the furthest part of the sector, assigning many of the Chapter Scouts to defend them. Eventually the Tyranid pushed the Guardians back to Raivath Prime where they made their stand.

 

In the end, the Guardians were forced to evacuate Raivath Prime and bombard it from space to ensure the destruction of the Tyranid. After the war with the Tyranid was complete, the losses sustained by the Chapter left them with many elite veterans (those strong or fortunate enough to survive the Tyranid onslaught) and a large amount of Scouts who had been protecting the civilians.

 

The Guardians now exist as strictly a fleet based Chapter, but are accompanied by a fleet of Raivathan survivors. These people are not simply refugees, but have formed their own space bound society who spends much of their time assisting the Guardians as they search for a new home.

 

However, their beliefs differ greatly from the Imperium at large and have made it difficult for them to integrate easily back into Imperial society.

 

My reason for this is that I would like my Chapter to remain on the fringes of Imperial society; isolationists who feel they can no longer “fit in” with the Imperium in general. I also wanted them to have suffered massive losses and change their organizational structure to the stark contrast of elite veterans and new scouts.

 

In regard to the “civilian fleet,” the Janissaries were accompanied in battle by the Cebeci, the name of a logistic branch of the Ottoman army which was responsible to production, storage, maintenance and transfer of the weapons, vehicles and other required war materials and equipments to the frontlines. I wanted to find a way to incorporate this into my Chapters structure since I really liked the idea.

 

Now obviously, I am having trouble determining when to make this event occur and for how long it should happen. I want to allow the Chapter to change their practices without the Inquisition noticing. Maybe that would really not be a big deal since Marines kind of isolate themselves as is. I also liked the thought of the Chapter being devastated by the Tyranid as they are my favorite 40K villain.

 

Again, BASIC concepts. So what do you guys honestly think about the validity of these ideas? I know that this may ruffle some feathers, so instead of outright rejecting these ideas if there major issues, help me see how I can make these work.

 

Now, this first post is getting quite lengthy, so I will only add two more things

Combat Doctrine:

Because of their limited resources, the Guardians of Raivath take a swift, stealthy approach to war. Lightning strikes against key enemy targets, sabotage, hit and run maneuvers; all these tactics can throw a once powerful foe off balance and put him in place for the killing blow. Large vehicle such as Predators or Landraiders are in short supply. Instead, the Chapter makes extensive use of Drop Pods and teleportation to deliver their forces into battle, usually guided by Scouts who have infiltrated the area long before the arrival of the Chapters main battle elements.

 

Pretty simple stuff that I think fits well with their theme. Any issues or questions?

 

Chapter Symbol & Color Scheme:

 

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk35/Wolfs16/2.png

This symbol was created by a friend of mine on ATT. The shield like symbol is there to represent the Guardian aspect, while the crescent moon is there to represent the Ottoman influences. The gear like symbol at the top is there to represent the technological bent of the Chapter (something which I will go into later on).

 

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk35/Wolfs16/spacemarine.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk35/Wolfs16/scout.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk35/Wolfs16/tsmbetaphp.jpg

 

And here we have the basic Chapter color scheme! I didn’t draw any tattoo symbols on the scout’s face since I suck at drawing. :)

 

 

So there ya have it. Please feel free to rip apart any ideas so that I can make it fit better into the Space Marine background. Thanks for reading!

[NightrawenII]

Hello and welcome in the Liber.

If you don't know, we have tow usefull guides to help the new DIYers, the Guide of DIYing and Octaguide 2.0.

 

The Guardians of Raivath were created in order to protect the Raivath Sector; a collection of five systems that are located just north-east of the Tau Empire, just past Brimlock.

 

Would the sector I described be too large for Marines to patrol?

- No, but the name is not... too creative to say the least.

 

I would like them to have been formed sometime before the Age of Apostasy, so likely the 20th Founding. My reason for choosing this time period is that I would like them to have this relatively young Chapter face a sudden crisis of faith. With the outbreak of the Apostasy, they begin to develop a dislike for the religious branch of the Imperium. While this does not mean that they do anything chaotic, they simply develop an even stronger dislike for the Ecclesiarchy. More on that later.

 

For a chapter located on the Eastern Fringe, would the events of the Apostasy even affect them? I would be willing to change the location if so.

- 20th Founding was in M35, that's half of Imperium's history. You are not very young. ;)

- The Adeptus Astartes are subjects of their own cults and traditions.

- The Age of Apostasy was result of Ministorum's politics rather than teachings.

- Dislike of Ecclesiarchy is more or less common for the Brotherhood. The truce was made between the Ministorum and SMs, which could be summarized as "Live and let live.".

 

How well does the mesh with the timeline of the Imperium? Would having the history of the Raivath sector date back to the Great Crusade/Horus Heresy be too much?

- No, problems.

 

The planets in the sector are rich in mineral wealth, but are almost all desert worlds. So although classified as civilized worlds (several million people per world), survival is still difficult and produces some hearty folks.

- This uniformity is unbelievable. The sector is huge and the conditions are likely to differ wildly.

 

I want there to be only a few fully habitable worlds in the sector. Perhaps five different planetary systems in the sector, with each containing at least one planet that can support life. Does this seem reasonable?

- Five systems is too few. The sub-sector will be better...

 

Based largely off of the Ottoman Empire, the people of the Raivath Sector have a strong Arabic/Turkish society. Philosophy is a dominant force in the life of the people and has led them to have a hunger for knowledge and understanding. The Raivathan people are innovative and curious; born explorers. Yet the harsh life on a desert world leads them to be pragmatic. Culturally, humility, hospitality and loyalty are valued traits and observance of etiquette (at least their definition of it) is required.

- Again, the uniformity of the sector is unbelievable. To be honest, you should change this to sub-sector or single planet. After all, what matters is the the culture of Chapter's homeworld, the culture and conditions of the sector are largely irrelevant.

- Another thing, I'm not going to say that this way of thinking doesn't fit the universe (= "Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war." and all the jazz.), but it doesn't fit the current state of imperial policy. Also, "Curiosity killed the cat" is the prevalent theme and universal truth of the W40k. Be wary.

 

The markings would resemble popular tribal tattoos...

- Convenient, don't you think?

 

My reason for this reform is that I really enjoyed the Pre-Heresy Imperium and its secular outlook. Since I like to perceive my Chapter as “future soldiers” rather than “space knights,” having them carry on this mindset appeals to me.

 

Why I think this can work:

Seeing as my Marines are Scholar/Philosophers, adopting unconventional beliefs seems likely. And since they value loyalty to the Emperor, they may rationalize that they need to revert to the “old ways” to better stay true to the Emperors vision.

 

So what do you guys think? How can I take this idea, which I would like to maintain, and make it work in the 40K universe?

- Well, the problem with pre-heresy mindset is, "That was then, this is now." I do understand your intention(s), but this concept goes against the whole theme of the current Imperium. The current stream of thoughts is decadency, nihilism, ignorance and desperation. The "understanding&reason" theme of the Chapter is like fist into eye.

There is certainly way how to fit the warrior-scholars into universe, but please don't make them so bright and vibrant. It is... disturbing.

 

For unknown reasons, massive warp storms began to surround the Raivath Sector in (insert date), cutting the area off from all contact with the Imperium. With no way in or out, the Sector had an eerie peace that lasted for (insert lengthy period of time). During this time the Guardians grew to full Chapter strength, eventually adding many new recruits to their Scout companies.

- Warpstorm ex Machina is one of the clichés of DIY.

 

In regard to the “civilian fleet,” the Janissaries were accompanied in battle by the Cebeci, the name of a logistic branch of the Ottoman army which was responsible to production, storage, maintenance and transfer of the weapons, vehicles and other required war materials and equipments to the frontlines. I wanted to find a way to incorporate this into my Chapters structure since I really liked the idea.

- Chapters already have such branch, the Chapter Serfs. These are bondsmen in the service of Chapter.

 

Pretty simple stuff that I think fits well with their theme. Any issues or questions?

- Ahem, your marines are warrior-scholars... How is this reflected in their combat doctrine?

 

Cheers, NightrawenII.

[Aegnor]

I like the idea of Ottoman-style warrior-scholars, and of secular marines who want to learn.

 

I'm not mad about the "isolated by the warp storms" plot device. It is one of the first things people reach for when confronted by the frankly unbelievable timeframes in 40K to shrink down the timeline to what feels more manageable.

 

I think you need to be careful in adopting a theme quite at odds with the norm for the Imperium.

 

They haven't been atrophied for 10000 years on a whim. The secrets of technology are held by a secretive, paranoid, religious loons who view any attempt at learning as heresy. Your guys are going to be struggling to avoid alienating the AdMech and unable to keep their gear running without them. It's not insolvable, but it is something to think about. Similarly, the Inquisition makes it their business to smash down anyone who tries to diverge from how they think the Imperium should be. They give the Marines some more breathing space than others, in some ways, but it's still a pretty tight set of constraints in many regards.

 

More significantly, Tau aside, the 40K-verse is not one where hope and optimism are rewarded. The philosophy you describe for your guys sounds a lot like the Thousand Sons, minus psychic powers. That approach to the universe didn't turn out so well for them, and could very well blow up in their face very easily.

 

These are suggestions for developing the basis you've done up, not saying "it's wrong" - first it's your chapter so do what you like, but second, there are some nice ideas here already.

 

Will keep reading with interest.

[Wolfs16]

Really sorry I didn't respond sooner; real life got in the way.

 

NightrawenII:

Thank you very much for your response. I have no problems having my ideas weighed on the scales, even if they are found wanting. :P I have decided to revise some of my ideas heavily and I hope you will give me some constructive feedback. ;)

 

Aegnor:

I’m glad you like the concept. The sheer scope of the Imperium and all the dates tends to make my head spin! Your input has helped me put things into perspective more and I hope I can better meld these ideas into something that truly fits the Space Marines.

 

The Name:

Okay, the name Guardians of Raivath may seem a little…trite? But I’m open to suggestions. I have essentially boiled down the character of my Chapter as this:

1.) Turkish/Arabic Nomenclature

2.) Recruit from a world of hardy nomads; pragmatic and reserved in nature.

3.) Warrior Scholars (Learned soldiers who extensively study the enemy before attacking.)

4.) A Chapter that focuses on infiltration, sabotage, hit and run tactics.

5.) A primarily fleet based Chapter, created to patrol and defend areas along the Eastern Fringe.

 

So what I would like is the name to reflect these qualities, but I am having real trouble coming up with something. I have decided to use the “Guardian’s of Raivath” as a title they later receive instead of being their name. I do like the word Guardians, though.

 

Any suggestions would be very welcome!

 

Founding:

Hmm, the Apostasy area seems a little too far back in Imperial history. So how about I move their creation to around M37 (22nd or 23rd founding). Any potential issues with that time?

 

Homeworld:

Extending the Guardians to the entire sub-sector is unnecessary, I agree. So let’s change it to Raivath being the Chapters homeworld and let’s scrap the whole idea of my creating this sub-sector. I think it would lead to me creating completely unnecessary complications in my background info. So my revision is similar to what I stated above:

The Guardians are now a fleet based Chapter who later went on to claim the planet Raivath, a civilized desert world located in the Segmentum Ultima, as their homeworld. The people themselves are hardy and pragmatic, due to the hostile climate of the planet, yet they maintain strong traditions which have heavily influenced the Chapter. Because of the limited resources and the harsh sandstorms, the Raivathan people are forced to lead a nomadic lifestyle, always searching for resources. Loyal to the Emperor, the determined population remains stoic in the face of all adversity.

 

How does this sound? I think this helps shrink down my background to a more manageable size.

The Chapters View of the Ecclesiarchy:

I did read the DIY guide on this subject and I think I am just now fully grasping it. So with that said, I think I will simply change the founding of my Chapter to later in Imperial history and leave out the idea of their dislike for the Ecclesiarchy.

 

“That was then, this is now."

There is certainly way how to fit the warrior-scholars into universe, but please don't make them so bright and vibrant. It is... disturbing.

This made me laugh out loud. I guess the Tau in me simply can’t help but feel optimistic!

 

Okay, so the Pre-Hersey mindset has come and gone; I can accept this. Aegnor mentioned that my Chapters outlook makes them sound like the Thousand Sons, minus the psychic powers. I actually like this description and this concept. Perhaps I can push this in a different direction.

 

What if, instead of pursuing psychic understanding, the Guardians pursued technological advancement? Perhaps during their many battles, resources have run low and sometimes forced them into using xeno tech? Eventually they began to adopt this more and more, viewing it as a means to an end. Obviously, this heresy would piss off the Admech if they ever found out, so they would need to keep this subdued; only using it in emergencies or perhaps only the upper echelon of command would use them.

 

You see, I would like my Chapter to have some kind of over-arching theme or goal; something beyond just protecting the Imperium. Also, I think I just love the idea of loyal rebels. :)

 

Geneseed:

The markings would resemble popular tribal tattoos...

- Convenient, don't you think?

Ha, well there was no real agenda behind this idea. I simply thought it would be cool. I personally hate tattoos (no offense guys!) and was just using this as a visual cue to describe my idea. Does this sound stupid?

Warpstorms and other Cliché’s:

Okay, so I know that the warpstorm stuff can be overused. But I wanted to have two specific events for the Chapter: something which would isolate them from the Imperium at large and something that would shatter their former strength. But upon further reflection, I think I will abandon the Warpstorm idea. It just doesn’t seem like it really has legs and does indeed sound a little lazy. So let’s just stick with a major disaster.

 

The Tyranid are my favorite 40K enemy and the first models I collected, so I would love to make them the primary enemy of my Chapter. What if, during Krakens first rampages into the galaxy, the Guardians were hit unexpectedly by a large swarm? They would quickly have recalled all available Companies to combat this threat and would eventually be pushed back to their homeworld of Raivath where they make a desperate last stand and are in the end victorious. This would lead to their numbers be drastically reduced and perhaps during the defense of their world, the Chapter was forced to openly use the exotic weaponry that they normally would have kept secret.

 

Maybe this knowledge could then be used to blackmail the Chapter, thus requiring them to be beholden to the whims of an Inquisitor or some other Imperial organization. Perhaps this Inquisitor of the Ordo Xeno was investigating the Chapter after hearing some reports of their use of xeno weapons and was suddenly trapped by invasion of the Tyranid.

 

I don’t know, just kicking around some ideas here, but I think this would allow me to have some fun storytelling, while still keeping them believable. What do you guys think?

 

Chapter Serfs:

Ya, I was familiar with the inclusion of Serfs. I think I wanted them to seem like a more prevalent part of the Chapters way of war, but seeing as I want my Marines to be infiltrators and guerillas, the heavy involvement of little old humans would seem incompatible. They can just maintain the homebase. :)

 

Warrior Scholars:

- Ahem, your marines are warrior-scholars... How is this reflected in their combat doctrine?

 

You are so right! I have missed the point entirely. :) Okay, let me take an excerpt of some of my original writings here, specifically on the character of the Averroës:

 

“The name and title given to the Chapters Chief Librarian, who acts as somewhat of a “spiritual” advisor to the Chapter. The origins of the name have become hazy, but it has been theorized that the original man to bear it was a great philosopher on old Terra. Among the Raivathan people, an Averroës is a wise advisor who is always consulted before the tribe travels to a new area, engages in battle or makes some vital decision. But instead of using the uncanny to divine the future or some other esoteric means, the Averroës carefully studies all available information and research material, consulting the tribes extensive records to determine what the best course of action would be. While the final decision always rests with the Aghasi (Tribal Chief), the words of the Averroës carry great import.

 

Among the Chapter, the Averroës fulfills a similar role, being responsible for the organization of information gleaned by the Chapters during their long journeys through space. Once every (insert time) years, the Chapter gathers together on Raivath to share their collective experiences and have it all recorded by the Averroës and his Librarians. This celebrated event also affords the Marines an opportunity for great discussion and debate; mental exercises largely encouraged within the Chapter.

 

Whenever possible, new recruits to the Chapter are called to stand in front of the Averroës while they are questioned. With his vast knowledge and wisdom, he carefully probes the mind of the initiate, always searching for any weakness which could be exploited by the enemy.

 

Additionally, Marines are regularly encouraged to do research in the Chapters libraries and familiarize themselves with the Chapters careful records, thus ensuring that they will be equipped to fight both in body and in mind.”

 

So I think this helps to establish their mindset a bit more. Essentially, a Marine from the Chapter would be as much of a bookworm as a Space Marine could be. :) Of course, this doesn’t mean that they avoid fighting, but they would likely take a more reserved view of expending resources. In the desert, you have to make sure that you don’t waste anything, since you may not be able to replenish it. Similarly, the Chapter travelling through the great desert of the galaxy, must make sure that each of their decisions are wise and would not needlessly waste resources, both in lives and material. They take a calm, detached view of warfare, being more willing to perform tactical retreats, where other more honor-bound Chapters may stand and fight.

 

So what do you guys think? From what I can see, I think I have really improved the background and brought it more in line with the 40K universe. Once I sharpen up a few of these ideas, I will post a proper Index Astartes. Thanks to everyone for their help!

[NightrawenII]

My thoughts?

Well, your Chapter is suspiciously similar to one of my former drafts of my Chapter. Thus, I don't have any issue with this.

 

The Name.

If you like this name, I'm cool with that and no problem at all.

 

But you could use the Turkish/Arabic symbology, if you want... What is *guardian* in these cultures?

[Ace Debonair]

Well, I have to admit I haven't read everything yet, but some details in the most recent post caught my eye.

 

EDIT: Not quite the most recent post - Nightrawen beat me to the punch, again. ;)

 

What if, instead of pursuing psychic understanding, the Guardians pursued technological advancement? Perhaps during their many battles, resources have run low and sometimes forced them into using xeno tech? Eventually they began to adopt this more and more, viewing it as a means to an end. Obviously, this heresy would piss off the Admech if they ever found out, so they would need to keep this subdued; only using it in emergencies or perhaps only the upper echelon of command would use them.

 

I'd shy away from this idea. It wouldn't just tick the AdMech off in a major way, any part of the Imperium that found out would pretty much condemn your Chapter and see you excommunicated.

 

A novel twist would be if the chapter wouldn't object to studying xeno tech (if only for a more complete know-thine-enemy approach), but knows it's not worth the risk in case an Inquisitor just happens to turn up on the front step with a search warrant.

 

A compromise could be the Chapter trying to scratch-build similar tech to the xenos in question, but I'd make sure to err strongly on the side of 'getting nowhere fast' rather than 'anti-gravity rhino bristling with Tau/Eldar weapons' to maintain believability.

 

You see, I would like my Chapter to have some kind of over-arching theme or goal; something beyond just protecting the Imperium. Also, I think I just love the idea of loyal rebels. ;)

 

Helping the Imperium develop would be a fun goal to work in, but awkward because of all the techno-scepticism in the Imperium.

Possibly instead, that could be considered a goal for after the Imperium is deemed safe.

 

The Tyranid are my favorite 40K enemy and the first models I collected, so I would love to make them the primary enemy of my Chapter. What if, during Krakens first rampages into the galaxy, the Guardians were hit unexpectedly by a large swarm? They would quickly have recalled all available Companies to combat this threat and would eventually be pushed back to their homeworld of Raivath where they make a desperate last stand and are in the end victorious. This would lead to their numbers be drastically reduced and perhaps during the defense of their world, the Chapter was forced to openly use the exotic weaponry that they normally would have kept secret.

 

Maybe this knowledge could then be used to blackmail the Chapter, thus requiring them to be beholden to the whims of an Inquisitor or some other Imperial organization. Perhaps this Inquisitor of the Ordo Xeno was investigating the Chapter after hearing some reports of their use of xeno weapons and was suddenly trapped by invasion of the Tyranid.

 

I don’t know, just kicking around some ideas here, but I think this would allow me to have some fun storytelling, while still keeping them believable. What do you guys think?

 

Again, I'd probably shy away from this one, or at least parts of it. Having the 'nids eat your homeworld would make a heck of a story, but the xeno tech thing is a very awkward angle to work in well.

 

So I think this helps to establish their mindset a bit more. Essentially, a Marine from the Chapter would be as much of a bookworm as a Space Marine could be. :) Of course, this doesn’t mean that they avoid fighting, but they would likely take a more reserved view of expending resources. In the desert, you have to make sure that you don’t waste anything, since you may not be able to replenish it. Similarly, the Chapter travelling through the great desert of the galaxy, must make sure that each of their decisions are wise and would not needlessly waste resources, both in lives and material. They take a calm, detached view of warfare, being more willing to perform tactical retreats, where other more honor-bound Chapters may stand and fight.

 

I think I'd amend that last part to 'willing to perform tactical retreats to gain a strategic advantage' - implying they make even the ground gained by the enemy part of their overall battle-plan. ;)

[Wolfs16]

Well, your Chapter is suspiciously similar to one of my former drafts of my Chapter. Thus, I don't have any issue with this.

Really? Well great minds think alike then! I’d be really curious to read that draft of yours. Can you PM it to me?

 

The Name.

If you like this name, I'm cool with that and no problem at all.

But you could use the Turkish/Arabic symbology, if you want... What is *guardian* in these cultures?

Well, I think I have actually become a little dissatisfied with the name now. I want to find something that would sound a bit more…Space Mariney? I don’t know, I may just stick with it unless anyone has any good alternatives.

As for something that relates to the cultural theme of mine, I couldn’t find anything. Oh well, I guess it’s good for now. ;)

 

 

I'd shy away from this idea. It wouldn't just tick the AdMech off in a major way, any part of the Imperium that found out would pretty much condemn your Chapter and see you excommunicated.

 

A novel twist would be if the chapter wouldn't object to studying xeno tech (if only for a more complete know-thine-enemy approach), but knows it's not worth the risk in case an Inquisitor just happens to turn up on the front step with a search warrant.

 

A compromise could be the Chapter trying to scratch-build similar tech to the xenos in question, but I'd make sure to err strongly on the side of 'getting nowhere fast' rather than 'anti-gravity rhino bristling with Tau/Eldar weapons' to maintain believability.

 

Good call on keeping xeno tech use very low, but I think I did a bad job describing it. My intention was that the Chapter has a cache of alien weapons that they use when the situation calls for it. But perhaps I can take the angle you mentioned: that the Chapter will regularly recovers any newly encountered weapon to be studied. They don’t necessarily use it, but if they saw a particularly advantageous use, they wouldn’t be opposed… I mean, I can hint about it and simply say that nothing had been proven. A bit of a trope, I know, but I think it works!

 

 

I think I'd amend that last part to 'willing to perform tactical retreats to gain a strategic advantage' - implying they make even the ground gained by the enemy part of their overall battle-plan.

 

Ah yes, I wouldn’t want them to sound like they simply run away when the going gets tough. :P

 

Okay, unless anyone else has any other ideas, I will be writing up a proper IA article soon so I can get these guys in gear! Thanks again to everyone for commenting or simply reading!

[NightrawenII]

Well, your Chapter is suspiciously similar to one of my former drafts of my Chapter. Thus, I don't have any issue with this.

Really? Well great minds think alike then! I’d be really curious to read that draft of yours. Can you PM it to me?

Sorry, but no. It was deleted long time ago. :D

 

The concept was, and technically still is :) , Fremen from Frank Herbert's Dune and Tuareg.

[Aegnor]

I don't mind the idea that the horde xeno tech when they pry from the xenos cold dead fingers, with the aim of understanding it the better to crush their enemies. Then maybe during the Nid invasion in desperation they busted out some of the weapons they were studying. They could decide afterwards that it was a one-time thing that they'd never do again, and would never discuss with outsiders, but the seeds could be sewn for an enduring fascination and conviction that the salvation of the Imperium ultimately lies in mastering such technology.

[TheAmbit]

As for a name, if you like the word Guardians, you could Space Marine it by calling them <insert adjective> Guardians.

 

Iron Guardians

Dark Guardians

Space Guardians (no worse than Space Wolves!)

Shadow Guardians

 

Those may be all lame but you get the idea.

[Arkangilos]

Sounds like your chapter would be the first to turn and join the Tau :).

 

Personally, I think your chapter sounds good, but I agree with the others, these things would get you excommunicated so quick.

 

However, I am kind of curious of what space marines who joined the tau would be. So far, they only join Chaos or no one, so THAT would be unique I think...

 

So I say that sounds good, and if they do get excommunicated, you can field them with your Tau... yay... :P