Battle Barge Nautilus: DIY chapter

[Dakkar]

I have an idea for a chapter of space marines, who originated on a tough, unforgiving world of high seas and archipelagos.

 

The chief way of life was as sailors, harvesting the million-creature herds of gigantic, and often very dangerous, narcalon across oceans. This work bred men who were tough, weather-beaten and wily, relentless, dogmatic, reflective, but mercurially fast. They evolved quick wits and cunning, and quick reflexes, but they could also wait in their ships for days, biding their time. They were almost gifted with a sense of craftsmenship, constantly utilizing the smallest of available resources into needed tools and weapons. They knew how to chase, hunt, defend the herd, bring down a big cephlonaut. And the very toughest and most promising of these sailors were selected by the mysterious warriors, who lived in their isolated fortress beneath the waves, to be inducted into their ancient order of space marines.

 

I imagine something of a steam punk style to their armor, perhaps reminiscent of old deep sea divers. I would love to use clear bubble helms, but I cannot find a decent source. Perhaps, I will limit some of this to "port hole" styling to dreadnoughts, windows on tanks, etc. If not an undersea fortress, maybe one on a large, suitable volcanic isle.

 

It may seem impossible for humans to have developed naturally on this planet. Its origins may have come from a colony ship that was sent there and just had to adapt to the harsh, seafaring lifestyle. Piratical groups may also be common. Airships?

 

Any suggestions? Would something akin to this be possible in a grim, dark 40K future?

 

Motto: "Mobilis in Mobili"

[JaM_TW]

Nice theme. Apart from pirates, think 'deadliest catch' too. You have the hierarchy there, so it might be worth a look.

 

Steampunk marines are cool, I say go for it.

[Dakkar]

The pirate-motif was more for what some of the normal human fringe groups would be up to. Their actions are extremely frowned upon by the locals who are normally chosen to become space marines. Pirates are there just for a local human adversary.

 

Pirates wouldn't necessarily be of the typical stereotype. Perhaps they were once the colonial overlords and have been defeated by an uprising from the worker groups/seafaring sailors. Now, striking from island lairs, they are the ones using airships, stealing food and resources. Or do they control the metal tech on the world, harvesting energy sources? Or a mix of both?

 

Perhaps something that would be similar to answering the questions:

"What if Captain Nemo won against the governments of the world?"

"What would his New World Order look like?"

 

I'm still toying with a few permutations. I'm tempted, but not sure, to add elements of chaos. I.e., chaos-spawned c'thulhuesque cults or creatures swarming about on some islands or in deeper, darker waters.

[voi shet magir]

My suggestion is that you dump the homeworld, at first. You are writing about space marines. Captain Nemo (who is now a space marine) lost his home and his family. He may or may not have been a king, but now he has a secret volcano/moon base and blows up void whaling boats.

 

Now take is back to the planet. Nemo was an anti-colonial and professed pacifist. The recruits can fight the piratical colonialist remnants, but their main thing should be... hazardous pearl diving, or whatever. The Chapter takes those individuals who stand up to the pirates despite living in a non-militarist society, almost for the sake of preserving that society from the aggressive impulses of the aspirants. That is why they are captain nemo, they are preserving an aquatic idyll, so they actually try to suppress tensions, unlike chapters who encourage prison-riot conditions.

 

*there is no void whaling industry, but ok.

[StGene]

Maybe a heroic battle with a swarm of void leviathans?

[Dakkar]

To voi shet magir: The first part of that makes "Nemo" sound more like a renegade. I suppose that would be truer to the Verne theme, but for some reason I was hoping to keep this a loyalist chapter.

 

Hm, should I use the time honoured cliche of having the chapter's homeworld destroyed?

 

Maybe it was attacked by Tyranids while the bulk of the chapter was away, and although there were other chapter(s) who could have assisted, it was decided for "tactical reasons" to allow the swarm to raze that homeworld rather than draw the swarm to neighboring systems.

 

The chapter could either be renegade, or bordering on it. They obviously hate the Tyranids, but they may also harbor ill feelings towards the chapter(s) that could have intervened. The chapter is now a space born one without a homeworld.

 

* - no void whales were actually hurt in this index astartes :)

 

To StGene: Nice. The chapter may have returned too late to save the world, but managed to defeat the big gnarly tentacled swarm threatening it. Unfortunately, the Inquisition (?) has deemed the planet lost and any normal human survivors on it as lost to xenos taint... yadda yadda... acceptable losses, etc.

 

This initiates the chapter's renegade tendacies, taking down normal vessels from supply rich systems for needed supplies and equipment - Space Marines & the Emperor's Will comes first! They wouldn't ever directly go against the Emperor, but worlds they consider too greedy or selfish are fair game.

[voi shet magir]

"Oppressive Imperium" is tired, it doesn't really do anything for you.

 

Destroying the homeworld is probably a mistake took. He/they should have some kind of sympathetic client population somewhere.