IA: Flame Lions

[bilbo7788]

[img; background-image:url(http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/hq2.gif); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: 8px 2px; padding: 12px 8px 12px 8px; border: 1px solid #DDD; margin-left: 0 auto; text-align: left; color: #fff; text-indent:50px; font-size:130%; width:50%;">http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1311142535/gallery_62467_6303_25676.png[/img]

Battle-brother of the 2nd Company

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/hq2.gif); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: 8px 2px; padding: 12px 8px 12px 8px; border: 1px solid #DDD; margin-left: 0 auto; text-align: left; color: #fff; text-indent:50px; font-size:130%; width:50%;">Origins:

The chapter was assigned 57 years after his birth to the world of Laconia IV, a small system in the north west of Maelstrom.

121 years after the chapter was assigned to the Ramilies Fortress Hegemon orbiting Laconia IV, the Waaagh of Lord Gnobla Grobourin invaded the system. Engaging all forces, the Flame Lions managed to exterminate the green waves after 10 years of bitter fighting. After the war, the chapter did not have more than half of its initial strength.

When the three inhabited planets of the system went into rebellion, just weeks after the victory over the orcs, it seemed the chapter was cursed. It soon became clear that the whole system was corrupt and had sold his soul to Chaos for several years.
The first challenge of the chapter was to purge itself of undercover renegades. After what turned quickly to be a massacre, there remained only 300 initiates. All scouts, 40 traitor space marines just inducted to initiate status and the majority of serfs were executed. The fighting cost the chapter 30 marines. Before making his last breath, the last traitor revealed a fleet of Word Bearers was expected shortly.

Under strength, with only his fleet intact, the Flame Lions were still faced with a full rebellion. A disaster never coming alone, the archivists of the chapter detected in the warp the arrival of a large fleet of Chaos that could only be the Word Bearers.
With no hope of victory, the Chapter master Leonidas took the most extreme decision: the planets of the system were all subjected to the Exterminatus and the fleet of the chapter, including the fortress Hegemon, retreated to the nearest imperial system through the warp.

While transferring into the empyrean, the Flame Lions were subjected to a storm and had to leave the warp in disaster. This new catastrophe cost a battle barge, a strike cruiser and several frigates. In its misfortune, the chapter was still favored by the Emperor. The Flame Lions found in real space the Elephantus, a legendary mass conveyor vessel lost by the Mechanicum on the eve of Horus Heresy. The mastodon, although merged with Explorator Inventor Mundi, was in relatively good condition. Its Warp drive was destroyed. Its conventional engines and life support system were grilled but the immense cargo, sufficient to supply several expeditionary fleet of the Great Crusade was intact. The supply fleet had 10,000 years ago suffered a huge warp storm which they were the only survivors. Outgoing warp in emergency, the two vessels had collided, but had avoided becoming a new space hulk.

Having located through the Astronomican, the chapter sent a delegation to the nearest Forgeworld to report their discovery. The Flame Lions began to mount guard over the wreckage during salvage operations in exchange for supplies.
In recognition, the Adeptus Mechanicus allowed them to keep all Astartes equipment contained in the cargo holds of the Elephantus (300 Mk III armors, 50 Terminator armors, Dreadnoughts, many vehicles and weaponry associated). At this priceless treasure, the Adeptus Mechanicus added a forge ship, carried out the necessary repairs on the vessels of the fleet of the Flame Lions and profoundly changed the Hegemon into a powerful mobile fortress worthy of a chapter on crusade.

During salvage operations, the chapter patiently rebuilt its workforce. 1 / 6 of the fleet were dispersed to conduct recruitment operations in the systems area. Half of the fleet formed a task force organized around one of the two remaining battle barges to carry out limited operations against the enemies of the Imperium. These fights were mainly intended to harden the new recruited brothers in battle. The rest of the fleet stood guard to the Hegemon.
Limited operations and need of fresh supplies compelled the Flame Lions to become experts in reclaiming and plundering enemy damaged war gear.

At the same time, the chapter began a vast reorganization to reflect the lessons of the past. Scouts were integrated into combat and reserve companies. Chaplains of each company would now be in charge of training and supervision of a limited number of scouts. Only a limited number of scouts would now be recruited at the same time to reduce the risk of infiltration of renegades in the chapter.
The tenth company became a force specialized in boarding actions and frontal furious assaults. Fully equipped with Mk III armors, its members use mainly melee and short range weapons. Its members are scattered in the fleet for more discretion and are only grouped in anticipation of space battles and planetary assaults.

500 years after its near destruction, the Flame Lions were again a chapter at full-strength. The salvage operations of the Adeptus Mechanicus completed, the chapter began a crusade against the enemies of the Imperium. The Flame Lions quickly became specialists of punishment and extermination operations against rebel systems and space marines chapters declared renegade. Still operating in full-strength, the brutal methods of the chapter allowed the Flame Lions to quickly establish themselves as a reference in the areas of ferocity and concentration of power.

Always in search of supremacy, the Flame Lions exploited the operations against the renegade forces to gradually increase their power.
As one of the few chapters to always respond enthusiastically to requests for extermination uttered by the Inquisition, the Flames Lions have so far avoided without too much problem investigations on their ferocity.
Adeptus Terra representatives often accompany the Flame Lions fleet to orient its movements and ensure that only legitimate "targets" face their "justice".

Homeworld:

Fleet-based after the dark events related to the destruction of their homeworld. In 41M, their fleet comprises their modified Ramilies star fortress Hegemon, 3 Battle Barges (one is a prize taken after their war against the renegade chapter of the Soul Eaters), 6 strike cruisers (one is a prize taken after their war against the renegade chapter of the Blood Butchers), an unknown number of escorts and various support ships ( forge ship...).

Beliefs:

Flame Lions revere the Emperor as the father of all space marines (but not as a god). Not knowing who their primarch is, they have no special bond with other chapters. They claim kinship with Dark Angels in order to remove suspicion, but they do not believe it …
They see themselves as bringers of imperial justice because it’s a good solution to get supplies, war gear and vessels without incurring the wrath of the Inquisition or the Adeptus Terra.

Organization:

They followed Codex Astartes organization and tactics at the time of their founding. Following their reorganization, the chapter includes a veteran company using Terminator armors, 4 combat companies, 4 reserve companies and the specialized tenth company.
The size of their fleet involves a large amount of specialized marines (techmarines, fleet commanders…) deployed on their vessels. The true number of space marines approach 1200. Scouts are incorporated in combat and reserve companies.

Combat doctrines:

Flame Lions are always fighting in full chapter-strength, without regard to the strength of their target. This custom and their constant anger explain why they have a reputation for extreme brutality.
They are recognized as expert of shock assault tactics because they always seek to hit the weakness of their enemy. They use as much as possible flamers, plasma and melta-weapons, especially against renegade guards and civilians.

Battlecry:

At the beginning of a fight, they cry "In fire and death". Quickly, they are just roaring their fury while killing their victims.

[гR.I.B.]

It's real 21-founding Dark Angels holiday!