Lamenters

[Void Dragon]

For years I have been a fan of the Lamenters, they caught my interest ever since I read about them in the first Codex Tyranids and remembered they were on a penitent crusade for the Badab War. I was excited when they got a bit more fluff and rules in the Chapter Approved Cursed Founding rules years’ back which stated there were barely 3 companies of Lamenters left. Then they got official mention as a BA successor in the new and cool Blood Angel Codex.

 

Recently I was stoked at the background they got in Imperial Armour 9, and I am looking to slowly build up a force. All my armies are based on fluff first; pretty much the old actors maxim “what’s my motivation?”

 

They have character being BA successors and added flavor of being of the Cursed Founding making them tragic heroes down on their luck- but I thought what is the heart of the chapter which keeps it going. So here is my take on the Lamenters:

 

Where I started from is in the new fluff in IA 9 it states:

 

“…their Sanguinary Priesthood (which takes the role of the Chapter’s Apothecarion) holds a particularly prominent role and is known by them as the Calix. It is often observed that the Calix has the greatest part in holding the chapter together through its many trials and misfortunes, and tends not only the to the physical health of the Chapters battle brothers but also the spiritual stigmata they bear. The Calix priesthood is elected from the most stable and strong willed of the Lamenters brethren, and they are looked on with reverent pride by the warriors of the chapter.”

 

So what has always seen the chapter through the worst of times has been this respected and trusted group. Now were it gets interesting is in the Blood Angels codex it says in response to the awakening Red Thirst in their ranks they have claimed they have found a cure for their flawed geneseed- although it says “if anything the Chapter has undergone marked degeneration since their discovery, rising severe doubts as to the effectiveness of the ‘cure’”. Now it would have been the Calix who discovered and implemented the ‘cure’.

 

What is really cool I looked up what Calix meant and found two meanings: “communion cup” which taps into the Chalice relics that Sanguinary Priest’s use (as the root word for Chalice is Calix). It also means “very handsome” which to me taps into the Angelic visage of their Primarch.

 

So in my army Sanguinary Priests hold pride of place, which also help me represent the Flaw. I was influenced by the old Cursed Founding rules which had Cursed Knights and Abominations. Cursed Knights were described:

 

“These individuals are Space Marines who appear to have escaped their chapter’s curse. They are strong, tall and proud in form and yet this veneer of perfection hides a curse often more extreme than that affecting their Brethren”.

 

Indeed under the passage detailing BA successors when they thought they had eliminated the Flaw “it had merely degenerated into new and worrying forms…” so the chapter would be suffering from the BA geneseed, the Cursed Founding experiments and “the cure” meaning some in the chapter would fit the Cursed Knights profile.

 

For Abominations they are described as suffering the worst extremes of the chapters curse, driven beyond the point of insanity and fielded together as squads. So this is very much like the Death Company.

 

I do not want to use Death Company in my list but will point out they have the triple F factor: Furious Charge, Feel No Pain and Fearless, which represents the Flaw. So for my troops I wanted them to be ‘Cursed Knights’ with the Sanguinary Priests giving them FNP and FC. To get fearless I wanted them to get the ‘Red Thirst’ role so my HQ choice is Astorath the Grim as himself so there is a 50/50 chance of getting fearless and FC. For a single squad that does not get it Astorath can join them to give them fearless. This way with the triple F factor it represents experiencing the Flaw.

 

My army represents a strike force composed of Cursed Knights, in the chapter affliction is as much a factor as experience.

 

As the Lamenters struggle with numbers those who become Death Company and then are affected with the Black Rage are not put down but lobotomized, given psychic suggestion/mind wiped, given neuro-implants, caged in a Land Raider with the doors opening when they reach enemy lines etc to represent Abominations (although they keep outsiders from this formation). Also apart of it are those created with mutated implants. This formation is lead by the Chapters chaplains who have been relegated to the ‘Keepers of the Dammed’, with the Calix being the supreme spiritual leaders.

 

In Imperial Armour 9 it states “Certainly the Chapter does retain a few cherished examples of Sanguinary relics such as Glaives Encarmine and the Angelus pattern weapons treasured by its captains…”

 

Notice it says treasured by its captains. In my imagining of the situation the chapters Sanguinary Guard was always small and has been wiped out with its wargear now being used by the chapters officers. In a chapter that is so small and suffering from extreme affliction very few would make it to such an elite status. My members of the Calix are created from Sanguinary Guard models with medic parts added, in the fluff the Calix armour and helmets/masks are modeled on Sanguinary Guard armour. As an alternative I am toying with there is one left.

 

My army will include a Librarian Dread, not just because they are cool but to represent the depleted aspect of the Chapter, that they have few Librarians left and most are in dreads.

 

One story line idea I was toying with, and could create rules for friendly games is that during the epic struggle with Hive Fleet Kraken that the Sanguinor appeared and help save the chapter, with him giving one of the chapter his blessing. This member of the chapter is a beacon of light a heroic figure that inspires and gives them hope; who suffer physically the curse but not spiritually. He could be the last Sanguinary Guard I was toying with, the master of the Calix or just an outstanding sergeant who is a strike leader. I figured the chapter could be on a sacred mission given by the blessed on with the “Farseeing Eye” (like brother Corbulo). This could add to the chapters tragic nature- while the other BA chapters are fighting at Baal they curse the Lamenters for not answering their brothers call, not knowing they are serving a greater purpose.

 

 

So that’s it from me for now, it anyone does Lamenters and are keen on coordinating ideas, bouncing them off one another etc please let me know.

[Mr Yellow]

Oooh, another Lamenter.

Since I've already had this conversaion with myself I will just post what I put in my WIP thread:

 

Ok, so the Lamenters. I will try not to make this a full IA with battlecries, mottos and all the rest. In no particular order it will be general background and some reasonable assumptions that have led me to where I am.

 

Origins:

These are not as dark as the fluff monster would like to admit. There was an article in WD260 covering the cursed foundings. It was a report by an Inquisitor called Apollyon to Inquisitor Belial. Apollyon was leading a mechanicus expedition to a planet called Incunabla. It documents their discovery of a hidden lab where experiments were discovered that appeared to be Astartes grown in cloning vats. An autopsy revealed these to be superior to Astartes in many ways with all sorts of organs that are not usually found there.

An excerpt from the base commander when the lab was in use describes the creation of the new chapters and problems that arose. There is the mention of ‘two subjects going beserk and killing thirty others’, a clear reference to the Lamenters and black rage.

This entire project was run by an Inquisitor called Crescere who kept all information of the developments of the geneseed quiet, what he called project Homo Sapiens Novus.

So development of the geneseed was kept quiet but the founding was not. Given that the Blood Angels know of the Lamenters existence (if you read the Blood Angels Raphen Omnibus it is mentioned in there) it would be fair to assume that the Blood Angels donated the command cadre around which the new chapter is created. So master, chaplains, librarians, apothercaries etc. and all the other guys needed to build and train and equip a chapter. As such the Lamenters know all about the Blood Angels and their traditions.

Anyways, the team disappeared and there was no sign of anything when Grey Knights went to investigate. There was a big suggestion that it was Fabius Bile.

 

Organisation:

The chapter is described as being codex. Therefore it has 10 companies that we all know and love and no odd surprises alla dark angels.

All the Blood Angel weapons are available to them, like Baal preds. If you read Hammer and Bolter you will know they do have furioso pattern dreads.

Assuming the whole command cadre thing was correct then the chapter will have Sanguinary Guard and the Sanguinary Priesthood (called the Calix). So colour scheme will be codex except for the blood angel specific units where you follow their colour scheme. However I would like to think that some traditions were pinched so Honour Guard and Commanders get extra bling in the form of gold armour. That and I don’t want to re-paint my company commander.

 

Pre-Badab.

Not too much info on this, apparently they went crusading, disappeared, reappeared, did some more crusading and fought in the Serpentine Straights Was with the Astral Claws. They also got involved with the Corinth Crusade and fought in a Black Crusade getting mauled heavily. They rebuilt before being sent to the Maelstrom. For more stuff read IA9.

 

Badab War:

Nuff said on that really.

 

Post Badab i.e. Kraken

So the Lamenters were on their penitent crusade when the got nommed by the nids. Apparently there are 300 left. Given that only 300 ‘survived’ Badab after they disagreed with the Minotaurs. There were a few others elsewhere but give that at least 200 died a Malvolion (read old nid codex) and another 100 at Devlan (can’t remember where I read that) then the Lamenters came out the war not too badly. Anyways, they are STILL on their crusade, so if you were doing a force set in the now then I would not expect to see any scouts.

 

In answer to your questions:

The head comes from the Masters of the Chapter box set, should the head off the scout company captain.

 

Again , thanks for all the comments. Do let me know what your thoughts on the fluff are, are there any whopping boo boos and can you add more to it.

Cheers

 

I know I haven't directly adressed any of your thoughts, and my ideas have developed since I wrote this. Originally I was going for post Kraken army and had all sorts of story for that (which explains why I did veteran units first) but I have swung towards Badab era which is why I am doing a full company as opposed to around 60 ish guys I was going for at the start. The overall theme was and still is short range close quarters combat basically boarding action.

 

With the post kraken side I was going to say that the Sanguinary Guard were basically done, I have a dread that will be the last guy, but then I converted some sang termis, the idea being that the cool armour is gone/destroyed/nicked by the minotaurs at Optera.

 

P.S. I also liked Lamenters becuase there was only 300 of them, I've always wanted to collect and entire chapter and this way it's easier and cheaper.

[Void Dragon]

I also thought it would be a good angle for the Sanguinary Guard got wiped out during the Badab War and that the Minatours took their armour etc as they took a number of their vessels meaning their large fleet, which was probably the pride of the chapter, was turned into a small one which actually fits with there were only 311 Lamenters that surrendered to the Minatours (although there was about a company that was with the Tyrant and the story of the escaping of the Tyrant a Lamenter attacked the loyalists, so it is unknown if any of these were reunited to the Chapter).

 

I am unsure whether Malakim Phoros is still master of the chapter, sure there is the IA rules for him, although he was suffering badly from the Flaw at Badab, so if he is around today is unclear. If he is he is a dark character indeed near breaking point of sanity.

 

Of course my army is done post-Kraken, indeed I believe in the timeline they have finished their penitent crusade and they can recruit again. So I think the 3 companies are built up after the end of the crusade so there is a lot of new blood, indeed I believe they would be seeking to take in large amounts of recruits.

 

So at least 2/3’s of the chapter is new blood and their leaders are veterans of the worst chapters in the Lamenters history, the Badab War which must have crushing for the survivors and then as they could not recruit new members the same marines were the ones to fight Hive Fleet Kraken which they must have seen as Divine Punishment. These veterans must be some of the hardest Astartes out.

 

As I said in my version the the Sanguinor appeared and helped save the chapter giving it a ray of hope. Is it too hard out or cheesy if the Legion of the Dammed also appeared in the epic struggle?

 

In my vision the struggle against Kraken was epic, a chapter who believed itself doomed facing off against a living tidal wave of monsters, saved by divine intervention. I know the Sanguinor is meant to be the BA one man version but I thought it added to the epicness of the chapters struggle (as the Legion only appears at pivotal moments), it shows the Lamenters have a purpose or mission and not forsaken by the Emperor and it’s a good Cursed Founding tie in as it is speculated the Fire Hawks are the Legion of the Dammed (which would be interesting the as the two chapters fought each other during the Badab War).

 

So the chapter emerges from hell, more cursed and afflicted than ever but still loyal to the Emperor and still with noble, if wounded, hearts.

[Mr Yellow]

The number of surviving Lamenters post Badab is a real pain in the butski, mainly because there is a lot of conflicting story line. IA9 says 311 and some other guys who were with Huron at the end. I think these guys stayed with Huron and have gone rogue. So if we believe there were only 311, that suggests that only 11 guys were lost in Kraken as it is widely stated that 300 survived Kraken itself.

 

There is a major flaw with the 300 as there is a short story about Malvolion (have a PDF of this somewhere if you want it, just PM me email address), some back water planet that the Lamenters apparently tried to protect. The story describes three dozen drop pods landing. That's the entire chapter strength in one drop if we believe IA9. The whole lot were wiped out.

 

This brings us back to the the number of Badab survivors but also the 1000 per chapter rule. There are tons of threads that state that it is impossible for 1000 marines to provide the 10 companies, fleet crews, thunderhawk crews, tank crews, the apothecarion, librarium etc. as well as the elite formations like honour guard that seem to be separated from the main hierachy. Also, the 870ish marines at the start of Badab, I think this does not include scouts (and I'd like to think that more than 100 were on the books at the time). Basically more than the 870 entered the war and more than 311 survived. I would say at least 500-600 survived and then the scouts would become promoted to full brother status to replace losses in battle companies). This number allows for what is believed to be horrific losses described in Kraken especially considering that they aren't allowed to recruit during penitent crusade.

 

That brings me to my one pet peeve on Lamenters fluff. The lamenters are still on their penitent crusade and so can't recruit so no scouts at all. If you look at timeline, M41.912 they 100 year start crusade. M41.992 they go ten rounds with Kraken and disappear. They still have 20 years of penitence to go, which works with the whole doom and gloom bad luck with the Lamenters as they are in serious danger of being destroyed but can't recruit. Basically you have to wait until M42.12 to recruit, which doesn't work with a game that is set in the 41st millennium. I just don't seeing Lamenter fluff where people say they are recruiting as it would mean going against their punishment and as a chapter they are just too honourable to do that, it just wouldn't happen.

 

Don't think the sanguinor fits, he's a BA character and his story line is dubious enough as it is. Legion of that Damned don't really fit either (though I don't think, despite the fluff, that the Fire Hawks fit and instead it's another cursed chapter entirely)

 

On Malakim Phoros, can't say I really like him as a character. For a chapter master IA doesn't make him look very good. Obviously made it ambiguous as to whether he is dead or not so he can be used normally without stamping over the fluff.

 

I do like your idea of cursed knights, use them as death company counts as. Since the flaws have been cured, the whole sense of doom thing works. Just imagine it's a precognition thing like Sanguinius. They just know they are going to die and accept it, they don't try and avoid it.

 

We should probably try and put together a consolidated Index Astartes at some point.

[Void Dragon]

I agree we should do a consolidated Index Astartes at some point.

 

Although from the fluff only a fighting company of Lamenters survived Kraken, the number 300 would mean 2 new companies of recruits.

 

Of course the fluff is contradictory. I did read in a Death Watch book that the Mantis Warriors crusade was over, but I think the date of the Badab War might have been changed so you would be right, it still should be going. A way around this is there is no Greenwich Mean time in the Imperium so a hundred years might have passed for the Lamenters due to warp travel a while ago, hence they have done their time.

 

I am glad you like the cursed knight idea, although that’s for like Tact and Assault squads with the triple F rules to represent the Flaw. There can be the standard death company and the stage beyond that which are Abominations, which I thought up the name “The Lamented” for today.

 

An idea is that the chapter could have allied with an Ad Mech explorer fleet, so the chapter gets re-supplied and provides security.

 

A good thing to explore a bit is the “cure”. I have some fluff ideas although do not have time to get them down now.

 

We should try and find other Lamenters players and form a clan or something

[Mr Yellow]

Where did you read that there was only 100ish marines after Kraken? I had always taken it as three hundred left but that they have disappeared.

 

Death Watch, is that the RPG book? If so is it just set far enough into the future that they have finished their penitent crusade.

 

On the whole time dilation and warp time thing with the regular universe. I hadn't considered that but it makes sense and is a very plausable situation. Not only that but it fits with the whole bad luck side. What are the chances an Inquisitor wonders why there are so many yellow marines kicking butt in the eastern fringe when they are banned from recruiting, and doesn't look on it kindly.

 

With regards to recruiting, wasn't the chapter barque kept by Minotaurs after Optera and was going to be handed back after the penitent crusade? Given that it has gene sees on board (all of it?) could/would there be any recruitment?

 

I had seen cursed knights from the old chapter approved article, but I though that chunk of the rules represented those members of the chapter that had been affected by their chapter's curse, in the Lemon sense that means being really well 'lamenting' and emo-ish. Wasn't planning on going much further than that with abominations etc as the gene seed is meant to be otherwise stable.

 

I had dallied with the joining forces with another part of the imperial hierachy, however this doesn't really fit with the whole idea of Lamenters being distrustful of others, when they do it ends badly i.e. Badab.

 

I did have (what I thought) was a good shoe horn in with current fluff and imperium wide story that works. I did scribble a short story which I can post if you like; it's better than trying to give quick notes as it isn't that short. Basically it involved joining an inquisitor who goes/is declared traitoris excommunicate, it follows the whole nid killing death watch side of things but it is a pretty common story these days and that's why I shelved it.

 

With the cure for all things Sanguinius related, I thought the general priniciple was that they had cured it but for some reason the Lemon heads were just darned unlucky and they seem to somewhat doomy and gloomy about life and the rest. That was all achieved at the time of the founding. If you are talking about getting into that, I am scribbling a story that fits around that and some of the other chapters involved. Once I have bashed out the next chapter you may want to read it as it will involve creating some Lamenters fluff but it relies HEAVILY on making stuff up; which I haven't been to keen one before.

[Void Dragon]

For the marines that survived Kraken, it originates from the 1st Tyranid Codex and has been mentioned a few other places. The fluff goes that 2 chapters were reduced down to a company of marines each, the Lamenters was one of them. Of course this does not mean there was only 100 marines in the whole chapter as most specialists would stay with the fleet.

 

The Death Watch book I refered to was one called “Warrior Brood” which included the Mantis Warriors who had just finished their crusade. It seems while on a penitent crusade members of the chapter could not be Death Watch- although BL novels are more “low canon”.

 

Death Watch, is that the RPG book? If so is it just set far enough into the future that they have finished their penitent crusade.

 

There is no fluff stating that the chapter barque was captured/taken, I think it was mainly other ships including strike cruisers etc. Either way one chapter would not be allowed to keep or hold onto the geneseed of another chapter.

 

I had the thought perhaps the chapter could have recruited youths during the crusade and kept them in stasis so once they were allowed to officially recruit again they had a number youths proven and ready.

 

The Cursed Knights are the ones who seem fine but suffer greatly, so the Death Company rules of rage and not being able to score are at odds with this. The cursed founded BA geneseed is great for abominations as through the Red Thirst they get a proportion of their Primarchs strength (hence FC, FNP etc) and abominations are meant to be blood thirsty/enraged etc. Lamenters would be able to produce great abominations (especially as F Bile was meant to have a hand in the Cursed Founding).

 

I do see what you mean about allies, although if it’s a “dark deal” which indebts them to shady Imperials this could fit, especially if the =I= had anything to do with it.

 

 

I have more to say, but at the moment I need to go.

[Mr Yellow]

I haven't got/read the nid codex so I didn't know it was stated there that 1 company survived from the Lamenters. I think it's fair to say that the second chapter would be the Scythes of the Emperor as they were meant to look over the Lamenters and then they became friendly. As I recall their homeworld Sotha was destroyed and they retreated to make a last stand on another planet. Eventually a compnay from that escaped. I think it's fair to assume that there would be a fair number of guys including specialists with the fleet that didn't get their hands dirty.

 

BL low cannon, in some cases I would agree, the Rafen books were pretty poor and made up a lot of pretty far fetched stuff.

 

I agree with one chapter not being allowed to hold onto another chapter's gene seed, but I'm sure I read it somewhere that they Barque was kept to be give back to the Lamenters. It would make sense though, at the time their loyalty was suspect so why allow them such a powerful ship. That and if they are not allowed to recruit, they won't need the gene seed etc. Then again they would need the ability to build stuff so forges and all the rest on board. So arguments either way on this.

 

With regards to the fleet, what was captured and what survived. We should probably figure this out. Will check IA9 later on, but it gives a detailed description of the Lamenters fleet. I know of one Strike Cruiser that was destroyed (the Inflexible) and then one Battle Barge (Daughter of Storms). We can assume that some ships were with the other Lamenters that were with Huron at the end. Depending on whether we have these guys go rogue or not will dictate whether we keep or lose those ships (Probably a Strike Cruiser and three escort ships). Anyways, will post the rest of the fleet size pre-badab later on.

 

Youths in stasis could work, but do they have that sort of tech to keep that many guys on ice?

 

Bile wasn't directly involved in the Cursed Founding, search Red Elf and you will find the original article. He attacks the facility during the founding, I think it's fair to say that bile stole the Homo Sapiens Novus project from the imperium and didn't come up with it himself (this ties in with the Rafen novels for sure, don't know about other tie ins). In the same article there is a description of an abomination tearinf thirty other guys into bite sized chunks. But going off what you say, Cursed Knights are all Lamenters, Death Company ane just death company (because they didn't quite manage to remove the flaw) and then abominations are something more than death company, plenty of scope for conversion work with them (DC dreads/assault termies??)

 

My tie in with allies was not quite so dark at first. Basically the Lamenters work with Kryptmann to fight off Kraken and then Leviathan at Tarsis Ultra. Basically, they finaly trust him, and he is seen as a hero for protecting the imperium. Then gets made traitor with his galactic cordon, bad luck for Lamenters as they finally think they can rebuild their rep and status by helping inquisition and then their victory turns to cack in their hands.