The Jungle Stalkers

[karthor]

Space Marine Chapter: Jungle Stalkers

 

Origins:

During the twenty-sixth founding, the high lords of terra ordered the creation of a new space marine chapter in order to combat the numerous rise in Ork invasions near the Calixis sector. The Chapter was to be made using the gene stocks of the Primarch Corax. Captain Castiel of Raptor legion’s third company was chosen to lead the new recruits, and began to immediately to train them in the arts of stealth and death that the Raptor Legion is known to excel at. As well as being a veteran of countless decades of warfare, Captain Castiel was famed for his scholarly pursuits and studied the multiple aspects of imperial culture. In order to better acquaint himself with the sector the new found chapter would defending, he spent a year among the populations of the various planets to determine which would have the best potential recruits. Castiel eventually decided that the native people of Tygress V would be the best recruiting and training ground for the new chapter, and spent several months on the surface unarmed and without support to learn how to adapt to the terrain.

During 969.M41 however, all contact with Castiel’s home chapter was lost, for the Raptor Legion was stranded on the death world of Jemadal of seven years. When the Raptors emerged, their time spent on the death world had transformed the chapter into masters of jungle warfare. Already well versed in the arts of stealth and with the new chapter already adapting to warfare on their jungle-filled homeworld, Castiel decide to pass these new skills to his chapter. On Tygress V, he went to work instructing the new chapter in the dense forests with aid of some of the veteran marines who had fought on Jemadal, and more recently on Armageddon.

Disaster erupted however, when a full-fledged ork Waaaggh invaded the sector. While the newly named Jungle Stalkers were at full strength, they were still seriously out-numbered and support from the rest of the Imperium was days away. The chapter divided itself among the various planets of the sector and performed rearguard actions and hit and run ambushes on the ork forces, while population was evacuated and the hives were defended to the last man by Planetary Defense Forces. Chapter Master Casteil seemed to be everywhere at once, launching surgical raids against the ork leaders wherever they appeared.

Finally, during the final battle against orks who were laying siege to the main hive city of Tarsis on Tygress V, the warboss leading the Waagh appeared. Casteil and his honor guard immediately deployed to challenge the warboss, and deployed via thunderhawk to the middle of the waaaaggghh. Although they fought valiantly against the beast, the sheer amount of number wore down on him and his honor guard, until on he remained, bleeding from his many wounds called down an orbital bombardment strike at full power on his position, completely vaporizing himself and the warboss and creating a massive crater in the process. In the process of destroying the warboss, the blast from the orbital bombardment filled the surrounding cave systems and jungle area with lava, plunging hundreds of the surrounding orks to a fiery death.

Without their leader, the quickly descended into confusion and infighting. When reinforcements from the rest of the Imperium arrived, the remaining orks were killed quickly. While the Jungle Stalkers were victorious, the war had cost them dearly. They had lost two and a half companies and their beloved chapter master.

 

Homeworld:

 

The homeworld of the Jungle Stalkers is Tygress V, located in Calixis sector of the Obscurus segmentum. Tygress V is classified by the Imperium as a feral world, and is covered in dense, rapid growing vegetation ranging from temperate forests to thick and dangerous Jungles. The only sign of civilization on the planet is a moderately sized hive city, which acts as the starport that provides the supplies the chapter needs. After the battle for their homeworld, the chapter erected a small shrine on the spot where their chapter master gave his life in defense of their world.

The population of Tygress V consists of groups of Nomadic tribesmen who roam the jungles and forests. The natives are a primitive people who have yet to develop even the most basic forms of the advanced technology that the imperium uses on a daily basis. However, generations of living in the dense jungles have given the natives the skills to survive. The natives have learned to move through the jungles with stealth and ease, and have an impressive sense of direction. The tribes also have many warriors and hunters who fight off the planet’s predators and the occasional feral ork that is left over from the invasion. The Jungle Stalkers recruit from these people and see them as better suited for the harsh warfare of the imperium than the residents of the other planets in the Calixis sector.

The harsh terrain on the planet and the deadly monsters that lurk there provide excellent training grounds for the chapter’s new recruits. Within the deep jungles the scouts learn to lurk and move through the shadows with ease. Here, they also gain valuable combat experience eliminating the feral ork tribes that still remain left over from the great battles of Tygress.

The Chapter maintains its fortress monastery here on Tygress V. It lies in the depths of a naturally formed Caldera and the surrounding cave systems. The native tribes avoid this area because of superstitious beliefs that it is haunted by evil spirits that died during the war, and due to the fact that while the jungles and forests of Tygress V are usually filled with dangerous predators and feral orks, the land around the caldera is absent of them. This is because the chapter uses the area around their monastery as a training and hunting ground for new recruits, but the natives believe that it is due to evil spirits taking revenge. For the most part, the natives are unaware of the chapter's presence and to them the chapter only exists legends of the great war against the green beasts and the "Sky warriors". Instead of continually battling with the fast spreading jungle, they allow it to grow thick around their monastery, as it provides an excellent training ground for the initiates of the chapter.

 

Combat Doctrine:

 

The Jungle Stalkers wage war with the techniques and skill that they have developed from both from the Raptors Legion, and from the techniques learned from their battles against the orks on their homeworld. The chapter usually fights on jungle or forested planets, as well as the urban jungles of the sprawling hive cities of the Imperium. In these settings, the Jungle stalkers are masters of ambush and short-range firefights. The close quarter nature of their combat tactics, leads them to prefer assault weapons and special weapons over cumbersome heavy weapons.

When engaging in large scale conflicts, the chapter prefers to lead their prey into well prepared ambushes, and traps, where they are then methodically butchered by short range bolter fire and brutal close combat tactics. The dense terrain that they usually wage war in mean that the vehicles that the chapter are forced to use large dozer blades to maneuver, as well as making heavy use of drop pods, land speeders and jump pack in order to launch brutal counter attacks.

Unlike other space marine chapters, the Jungle Stalkers see no shame in giving up ground to the enemy. They see the glorious last stands of their more stubborn, or fanatical brethren as wasteful and arrogant. Often times a single squad will engage an enemy that out numbers them greatly, then lead them into a devastating ambush, or trigger some hidden explosives. When forced to hold a vital objective, the Jungle stalkers engage in a complex series of feints and counter attacks at the army’s flanks to bleed them dry before the face the forces defending the objective.

 

Organization:

 

The Jungle Stalkers adhere to the Codex, like most space marine chapters do. The relatively new chapter adapted the teachings of the codex, as well as the organization and roles of several of their companies, to better fit their fighting style and to embrace the teachings of their fallen chapter master. The chapter divided itself into several major battle groups, consisting of two to three companies, each tasked with various missions within the Calixis sector and the imperium as a whole. Each of these battle groups is led by a space marine of who has served the battle group the longest, and who holds the respect of the his fellow battle brothers. However all decisions that affect the chapter as a whole is made by the master of the chapter. One of these battle groups’ duty is to wage a constant war against the hated enemy of the Jungle Stalkers: The ork filth.

Within each battle group, individual squads are given a large amount of freedom in choosing weapon load out and squad markings. While all space marines of Jungle Stalkers bear the sacred symbol of the chapter, the spear and snake, it is not at all uncommon for squads to create their own squad markings of various kill markings or totemic animals. Being a chapter that relies heavily on stealth, they are forced to adapt their squads to be self-sufficient for possible months at a time. Each battle brother carries all the supplies he needs to accomplish the mission, as well as receiving some basic instruction on battlefield repair and emergency medicine.

Another thing that sets the Jungle Stalkers apart from codex chapters is their use of scouts and noviates of the chapter. Most chapters deploy their scouts in the battlefield, where they gain the experience necessary to earn the privilege of becoming a battle brother. However due to the devastating losses taken when defending their homeworld, the chapter was forced to promote their initiates directly into power armor, and then mix them into already existing squads of combat hardened brothers.

This practice has proven effective in recovering losses, and has been adopted as a permanent policy of the chapter. There is still one portion of the chapter that still uses and maintains scout armor however. Veterans of the chapter who are experts in stealth wear scout armor fulfill the the role acting behind enemy lines with missions of subterfuge, assassinations and taking out vital enemy installations. Like other space marine chapters, veterans have access to some of the best wargear the chapter can provide. Other veterans wear traditional power armor, or the rare and sacred terminator armor, and are often attached to various squads to pass along the wisdom that they have acquired over their many decades of service to the chapter.

 

Beliefs:

 

The chapter’s beliefs stem from the ancient customs of the native people of Tygress V. The native tribesmen believe that the emperor acts as a guiding spirit that is found in all things. Whenever a hunter of one the tribes kills one of the great beasts that stalk the jungles, he offers his praise and the kill to the Great Spirit, before using it to provide for his family and himself. These beliefs are carried over into the Jungle Stalkers, and are not only preached by the chapter’s chaplains, but are carried out in battlefield rituals. It is not uncommon for a battle brother or squad leader to offer the head of his kills to the Great Spirit, in the same way that a hunter would a great beast he has felled. Most of the veterans of the chapter are seen wearing the pelts of animals, or trophies from the enemies he has slain, much like the ancient hunters wearing the pelts of the beasts he slays.

 

Geneseed:

 

The Jungle Stalkers use the geneseed of Corax, primarch of the Raven Guard. Like their brethren who also share their father’s gene seed, the Jungle Stalkers are missing mucranoid and their betcher's gland. They also bear a striking physical resemblance of their primarch, having his pale skin and dark eyes.

 

Battle Cry:

 

Being a chapter whose combat tactics are based on stealth, the Jungle Stalkers usually keep silent when they bring death to the enemies of the Great Spirit. When they launch counter attacks or ambushes, however, they have been known to shout a primal yell.

[Ace Debonair]

Welcome to the Liber! :D

Don't take any of the following criticisms personally - it's all posted with the intent to help you improve your writing, and nothing more.

 

 

Disclaimer given; now let's see what we have here. ^_^

During 969.M41 however, all contact with Castiel’s home chapter was lost, for the Raptor Legion was stranded on the death world of Jemadal of seven years. When the Raptors emerged, their time spent on the death world had transformed the chapter into masters of jungle warfare. Castiel decide to pass these new found skills to his newly formed chapter. On Tygress V, he went to work instructing the new chapter in the dense forests with aid of some of the veteran marines who had fought on Jemadal, and more recently on Armageddon.

 

I'm not sure I follow Castiel's logic here.

If he didn't fight in the jungles himself with his Chapter, why would he focus his training regime on jungle fighting?

 

It might be a better plan to give Castiel a long history of excelling at jungle-combat scenarios.

 

Disaster erupted however, when a full-fledged ork Waaaggh invaded the sector.

 

The disaster itself is not as important as the effect it has on the Chapter. For instance, how did they bounce back after losing Castiel? Did they start recruiting from other worlds to replace the lost companies? Did it effect the mindset of your marines, who might begin to doubt in Castiel's methods?

 

The Chapter maintains its fortress monastery here on Tygress V. It lies in the depths of the Caldera that was created by Casteil’s noble sacrifice and the surrounding cave systems. Instead of continually battling with the fast spreading jungle, they allow it to grow thick around their monastery, as it provides an excellent training ground for the initiates of the chapter.

 

Killing Orks so they never turns up again involves fire to purge all the ork spores and stuff - pretty risky on a jungle world you intend to keep as a jungle. It might be better to have Castiel's last stand elsewhere, and just build the Monastery in a natural crater or something.

 

Apart from that, the homeworld section is quite good. ^_^

 

Combat Doctrine:

Quite liked the whole section. Seems rather solid, and very glad you haven't gone for the 'we only fight in jungles' route. :D

 

Organization:

 

The Jungle Stalkers do not adhere to the Codex, like most space marine chapters do. Instead, the relatively new chapter adapted their chapter organization to better fit their fighting style and to embrace the teachings of their fallen chapter master. The chapter divided itself into several major battle groups, each tasked with various missions within the Calixis sector and the imperium as a whole. Each of these battle groups is led by a space marine of who has served the battle group the longest, and who holds the respect of the his fellow battle brothers. However all decisions that affect the chapter as a whole is made by the master of the chapter. The chapter master also wields the authority to recall all battle groups if the situation is dire enough, and take control of the entire chapter. One of these battle groups’ duty is to wage a constant war against the hated enemy of the Jungle Stalkers: The ork filth.

 

You know, that sounds remarkably like the Codex formation anyway. :huh:

There's no indication of how big the companies battle groups are, and all your Captains group leaders still answer to the Chapter Master.

 

The really big, important question is: Why?

 

Why would your chapter throw away the blueprints for an effective fighting force that has consistently worked for almost ten thousand years? Codex organisation works fine for the Raven Guard, after all.

Space Marines are rather attached to tradition and history, possibly since they've spent a large portion of it kicking the snot out of the enemies of humanity.

 

Moreover, your Chapter has been given absolutely no reason to deviate from the codex. It's seemingly worked just fine up until they randomly decide to discard it.

You could quite easily keep the Jungle Stalkers as Codex - the deviation doesn't really change anything.

 

Within each battle group, individual squads are given a large amount of freedom in choosing weapon load out and squad markings. While all space marines of Jungle Stalkers bear the sacred symbol of the chapter, the spear and snake, it is not at all uncommon for squads to create their own squad markings of various kill markings or totemic animals. Being a chapter that relies heavily on stealth, they are forced to adapt their squads to be self-sufficient for possible months at a time. Each battle brother carries all the supplies he needs to accomplish the mission, as well as receiving some basic instruction on battlefield repair and emergency medicine.

 

That's a novel idea, but again, you could do the same thing in companies rather than battle groups.

 

Secretly formed by the chapter master of the Jungle Stalkers, several groups of chapter veterans were sent throughout the galaxy, secretly acting behind enemy lines with missions of subterfuge, assassinations and taking out vital enemy instillations. This group acts as the eyes and ears of the chapter, keeping them informed of the various battles that rage throughout the imperium, and summoning the full force of the chapter when needed.

 

That's... an unusual choice.

Why the secrecy? How the heck does the rest of the Chapter not even know about them?

 

 

Overall, this is a very good start, although I'd change a few things.

Having this Chapter as a codex-adherent organisation, and maybe drop the super-secret-scouts in favour of highly veteran scouts (like the Space Wolves do, I think) would make it a lot more believable.

[Darkchild130]

Stealthy camouflaged ninja commando space marines are dear to my heart so will give this a read through when i get time.

 

Darkchild

[karthor]

@Darkchild: why thank you good sir

 

@Ace Debonair: First off thanks for your comments!

 

the dilemma that i have been grappling with this chapter origins is this: the latest founding is 26th founding where my chapter comes from, but the incidents that turn the raptor legion into the jungle fighters that they are doesn't happen until 969.M41. My original inspiration behind the Jungle Stalkers was to an attempt to recreate the cool jungle fighters of the raptor with some cool native feral flavor. but there is still that gap between the founding and the jungle incident where castiel (who doesn't have jungle fighting experiance) training new recruits until the rest of the raptor get their skills.

 

I have been toying with the idea of him taking a year to study the recruiting world of tygress V without armor or weapons just living in the jungle to better learn about the population that will eventually form his chapter.

 

You are right about the impact that the ork waaaagh did have on the chapter, ill flush out how the chapter deals with his loss. I do explain a little about how it affects recruitment cause they do go straight to power armor from recruit to rush their recovery. maybe ill add a morning period for castiel.

 

on the homeworld part, i could change it so that they build it in a natural caldera instead of castiels spot. maybe ill have them build a shrine there. :lol:

 

i think i will have the Stalker be codex, but each company has set tasks (like the one or two that is constantly fighting orks) the thing with the scouts is blatantly ripped off from wolves. i plan on playing them as wolves cause they fit the close combat role and and the two specials vs. the heavy. ill drop the secret, but keep the sneaky vets for the scouts :D

 

thanks for the advice ill make the changes soon

[NightrawenII]

I haven't read this article, since the Ace did his best. But I would like to point out that the Jemadal incident was 'probably' retconned into oblivion with the new Fabrica Astartes in the IA9.

[Darkchild130]

There is still one portion of the chapter that still uses and maintains scout armor however. Secretly formed by the chapter master of the Jungle Stalkers, several groups of chapter veterans were sent throughout the galaxy, secretly acting behind enemy lines with missions of subterfuge, assassinations and taking out vital enemy instillations. This group acts as the eyes and ears of the chapter, keeping them informed of the various battles that rage throughout the imperium, and summoning the full force of the chapter when needed.

The Silent Knives are allowed to operate completely autonomously and are given the chapter’s blessing to accomplish their mission, using whatever methods they see fit. So famed are the Silent Knives’ skills of stealth, that often times an enemy leader will die, or a vital supply route will be destroyed and the imperial force will emerge victorious without ever knowing they received the chapter’s aid.

 

On my initial skim through, I do not like this section.

The silent knives are secret (Why?)

So why does nobody else in the chapter question where the veterans have disappeared to, or where all this new intelligence is coming from?

And if they are secret, how can their skills of stealth be "famed" in any way?

 

To me it seems a pointless formation created to make the chapter seem badass and conduct tasks they are not suited to.

Scouts in other chapters conduct subterfuge, sabotage and recon missions already, your silent knives do it on other battlefields so their acts have no impact on Jungle Stalker operations.

Plus, as your chapter numbers are not allowed to increase beyond a thousand marines, this unit will actually be a detriment to your chapters fighting strength, creating holes in your organisation when they are away on secret business.

 

If you plan on sticking with this idea, you need to factor in logistics also.

How do the silent knives get to other planets across the galaxy, who takes them there in what transports and most importantly, how come nobody notices these resources disappearing from Chapter inventories?

 

To make it work, I would drop the "sent throughout the galaxy" part and the secret part, and keep the silent knives as a veteran formation within the chapter, then it would work well as they would just be uber scouts.

 

I like your overall concept, but the silent knives seem to me to be an attempt to create some badass elite unit within a unit, when I think you should stick to being content having a thousand of the baddest mofos in the galaxy already.

 

Darkchild