Bear/Slavic themed Space Marines! HELP.

[Jeremiah2911]

Okay, so I really want to create a generally close-combat based Space Marine force that is heavily bear and Russian/Slavic themed. I thought that through some means (such as originally deriving their geneseed from the BA) they have a similar degenerative bloodlust condition, that essentially reduces them to an enraged predator (like an angered bear) and I thought the BA codex could help model this pretty well??

 

Problem is, from their I've hit a brick wall. I can't decide how they would've gotten such geneseed, why it is just a bloodlust and not visions of Sanguinius etc., when/why they were founded, and the like. I've just completely floundered, and I was hoping i could get some good ideas off of here to spur a new train of thought in ccreating my IA. ORRRR I could have them be from a certain chapter, and crash land on a death world during a warp storm, inhabited by huge, feral, pack-oriented bears, and also occupied by orks or something, with fairly primitive human life, and they have to survie until the warp storm clears, and once they're reconnected the imperium, they are awarded .chapter-status. Perhaps some virus (non-harmful) exists in the DNA of the planets humans, and gives them fangs and a sort of ferocity and brutishness no thers have (different, but similar to the Canis Helix situation). Anyways, at this point I'm all soft ideas, you see? Not really sure about much

 

One thing, as for colors, I'm pretty sure I want to go with some dark, brooding colors. Something I thought would look cool would be mostly black, with a crimson-red or red-accented helmet, and red hands. Army theme, lots of CC oriented stuff. Lightning claws and fists when possible, using somewhat bear-ish things. If I did the above death-wrld idea, and used the SW dex, I could convert some bear-riders for counts-as Thunderwolf-Cav. The like.

 

Name: Not even sure. Russian for Bear is "Medved". Rather uninspiring. Black Bears, no. Blood Bears, no. Everything sounds too biological or just ridiculous.

 

So I've ot my general idea: Brutish marines, who perhaps shun outward expressions of any emotion other than rage, and in the heat of battle or just before it, many become just bezerkers with an insatiable desire to maul things (and they're good at it) so naturally, I would want a good number of termies to keep up the bear-theme.

 

Anyways, ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms? All is welcome and much appreciated! Help out a new brother in arms.

 

P.S. This is the first chapter I've ever started to create myself... Yeah, I'm a newb.

 

VIVE IMPERATOR.

[G3rman]

I wouldn't really suggest having them be from the BA, since its been confirmed that all successors share the same visions as well as the genetic flaws.

 

My suggestion would be to do either a Lost Company with Space Wolves where the company was forced onto a wild planet with feral tribes and bears etc etc OR just explain their viciousness and unique look from the tribes local to their planet and say that the record has been lost with whoever supplied your geneseed.

 

I'm not sure about the name, bears just aren't a common theme in 40k.

 

Bears of *insert planet/system name here* or something to that extent. Bear Claws, Blood Claws..

[Jeremiah2911]

Yeah, thanks for the help! I like the lost company idea. Maybe a native virus, like I said, somehow interacts with the canis helix, thus continuing through their genic processes.

 

As for names, Bear Claws (at least here in Texas) are pastries. And Blood Claws has obvious flaws... Ursa Warriors? Brothers of the Claw? Ursa Brotherhood? Nothing just seems to ring well for me.

[G3rman]

Warriors of the Claw, Brotherhood of the Claw sound on the right track. Could be a unique chapter cult/belief system from tribes of your home planet etc.

[Heru]

Honestly I think the White Scars or Raven Guard geneseeds would be more likely for what you want than a mutated Space Wolf geneseed. The White Scars geneseed breeds aggressiveness, which could be more pronounced depending on the people of their homeworld. On the other hand there is the Raven Guard geneseed which is so badly damaged basically anything could cause it to mutate.

 

When I was first considering a "Count-As" Space Wolves Chapter, I originally went with the Raven Guard geneseed, because I thought they might bring the 13th Company into the Codex along with the Wulfen. I used the Raven Guard's Weregeld history to bring in a count-as for the Wulfen. It didn't happen and I went instead with a different count-as Space Wolves with the White Scars geneseed (see Onyx Warlords in my blog).

[Jeremiah2911]

Hm, interesting. I definitely see where you're coming from, but I have just never been a fan of The White Scars or Raven Guard (besides the Raptors, hence my stranded-on-a-death-world-during-a-warp-storm background idea :P) What misgivings do you have about portraying a mutated Space-Wolf geneseed?

 

Space Wolves and White Scars would be the easiest chapters to derive a Slavic theme from, though. Vikings or Mongolians. Haha

 

Or as G3erman said, I could just make it a Dark Founding chapter, whose geneseed has no specific origins, perhaps a medley of many, but the marines all share some bear-like traits due to genetic mutations of their recruits on the homeworld (fangs, excessive hair, fiercely, almost irrationally protective of brothers, rather stoic and unemotional in nature (in anything but battle).

[whiteraven17708]

I love the idea of a bear themed army maybe go with a scars successor but i think a lost company might be better that and i hear the new puppy dex is pretty tough there was a DIY on here a long time ago called the Ursa Brothers with a brown/grey/red theme that i thought was cool that i almost stole myself if I can find it again Ill post up

[Jeremiah2911]

Thanks! Yeah right now it's kind of a toss-up between all-black, with red hands and helms, or a rich brown/black, brown/white. brown/red combo. Not sure. that link would be much appreciated.

[whiteraven17708]

attempt number 2

[Master Raimeous]

Space Bears!

 

I would think the easiest way to do it would be a mutation to some other gene-seed, just about any gene-seed would work because they all have some history of mutation.

[ShadowSong7007]

You could still use the BA codex for a non-BA successor. Just explain the rage or affliction they suffer as another way. The Mantis Warriors are from White Scars lineage and they have something similar to the Black Rage. In the fluff they suffer from a "battle-haze" that I assume in game terms would work the same way. This is from the Lexicanum Mantis Warriors page.

The Mantis Warriors have formed a specialized fighting unit within the Chapter, named the Praying Mantidae, a cadre of warriors tasked with tracking down the renegade Astral Claws. These elite units are given training in excess of that given to "normal" Marines. The Geneseed of the Mantis Warriors has a flaw - it does not function properly with the Preomnor implant. As such, when a Mantis Warrior sets himself into a certain frame of mind the Prenomor gland secretes a potent neuro-toxin that permanently changes the marine's physiology; the frame of mind in question is one of deepest penance and piety. This neuro-toxin alters the marine's sense of space and time, increasing his reaction rate to near precognitive states; it also increases his strength to a great extent.

To a human it would seem that the warrior is simply stepping aside before anything happens. Unfortunately this marvelous gift comes at a price - the change is irreversible and the marine's sight becomes tunneled to the point of not noticing anything that is not a target. The Mantis Warriors call this state of mind the "Battle-haze". Each Company has a unit of Battle Brothers who have given their all to the Emperor and in acts of such faith have entered the "Battle-haze". These units are called Mantis Religiosa. The Battle Brother who discovered this genetic flaw was called Maetrus, a Captain, who after organising the "Praying Mantidae" subsequently fell into the "Battle-haze" whilst battling a Company of Astral Claws.

[Olis]

If you're still looking for a name, how about the Brotherhood of Medved? :lol:

[Jeremiah2911]

ShadowSong, thanks for the insight. Definitely gives me something to work with for rationalizing their geneseed flaw.

 

Olisredan: Thanks, but for some reason, the word "Medved" just sound goofy to me in this context? Might just be me being dumb.

[NightrawenII]

So I've to my general idea: Brutish marines, who perhaps shun outward expressions of any emotion other than rage, and in the heat of battle or just before it, many become just bezerkers with an insatiable desire to maul things (and they're good at it) so naturally, I would want a good number of termies to keep up the bear-theme.

Oh, the irony:

(from the Wikipedia)

The name berserker arose from their reputed habit of wearing a kind of shirt or coat (Old Norse: serkr) made from the pelt of a bear (Old Norse: ber-) during battle.

The term comes from old Norwegian berserkr (plural berserkir), meaning bear shirt and suggests a robe. In earlier studies, the element ber- was often misinterpreted as berr-, meaning "bare", understood as indicating that the berserkers fought naked. This view has since been largely abandoned.

 

:(

 

 

I think, the gene-seed isn't a problem here. All lineages have at least one more or less savage successor.

 

Mortifactors for UM.

Executioners for IF.

Red Lords for RG. ;)

etc. etc.

 

Anyway, what about *something* Claws or *something* Talons?

 

 

Cheers, NightrawenII.

[Ace Debonair]

Red Lords for RG. :tu:

Oh, hey. I recognize those guys from somewhere. :lol:

 

On topic:

Names, hmm? How about...

 

Bears of [HOMEWORLD NAME]

Claws of [HOMEWORLD NAME]

... OK, they'll be better with the homeworld name filled in, like 'Claws of Uvros' or 'Bears of Skaldur' or something.

 

Or how about Dark Claws?

Not very bear-y, but it could work.

 

*Grabs Liber Heraldry Dept. Hat*

And on the note of colour schemes...: :)

 

EDIT: Cleaning up un-needed old images, please leave the Liber as you wish to find it etc.

[Jeremiah2911]

Heck yes. That is almost exactly the scheme I'm thinking of. Except with a red helmet. So black, w/ red helmet, hands, kneepads, and shoulder insets. White heraldry, most like a bear paw on one shoulder, with the same symbol on one knee. Various bear regalia all over (easily convert-able from SW stuffs... pelts, teeth, etc.)

 

As for the name:

 

I like Brotherhood of the Claw,

 

Claws of *Insert Planet Name* Planet name is still unsure. Ursinal. (looks too much like urinal). Gotta think on that one.

 

Alright, alright, some ideas are starting to flesh out! This is good!

 

Oooh! Ursanus! Sounds cool when pronounced as "Er-saw-nuss". Might look too much like Uranus.

 

So general idea is a SW company, stranded on a death world for a reason yet to be solidified. World is inhabited by Gigantic bear-like creatures, extremely hostile towards the new intruder. The native humans live in an extremely primitive society. Everything in their culture is defined by the planet's bears. The wolves have to survive (need to determine an appropriate amount of time) all the while being exposed to the humans and the strange genetic deficiency they have. A virus that has become part of the humans' DNA, extremely powerful, is able to penetrate the Astartes immune system, and significantly affects the Canis Helix. It still retains the outward physical features, such as the fangs, and increases the proliferation of body-hair. Internally however, it changes the effects of the Wulfen entirely. It causes them to yes, descend into a rage during battle, unmatched by any other warrior, but they are able to control it moreso than the Space Wolves can with the untainted Canis Helix issues. So once it has happened once, they can will themselves back into the rage for a battle. However, so as to not present a cure for the Helix deficiencies, it severely shortens the lifespan of the marines once they have been affected. So every marine that was crash-landed is exposed to the mutation, but not every marine is affected by this debilitating part of it.

 

After they come back into contact with the IofM, the High Council of Terra grants them Chapter status, and goes through the process of developing a chapter from the company. For the company master (and subsequent chapter master) I'm thinking maybe Cyril? Or Vlad. Something that is distinctly Slavic, but could be Norse if it really needed to be.

 

So, does that sound like I'm on the right track? I don't know if what I've done concerning the SW geneseed is a no-no or not... so suggestions? My next step after hearing you guys' thoughts will be to actually start typing the full-fledged IA.

 

Long post is long.

[NightrawenII]

So, does that sound like I'm on the right track? I don't know if what I've done concerning the SW geneseed is a no-no or not... so suggestions? My next step after hearing you guys' thoughts will be to actually start typing the full-fledged IA.

*cough*

 

---

Don’t use Space Wolf gene-seed for your chapter

The Space Wolves had one successor chapter, the Wolf Brothers, and they were described as being ill-fated. The Space Wolf gene-seed is extremely unstable, and due to the Canis Helix, no other chapter seems to be able to survive with it. The supporting quote both states the fate of the Wolf Brothers and the reaction of the High Lords of Terra.

 

The Space Wolves were never a very large Legion and so were divided only once, creating the ill-fated Wolf Brothers Chapter. Perhaps the High Lords recognised the problems of genetic instability that would plague the genetic seed of Leman Russ, giving rise in later times to the terrible curse of Wulfen, and therefore decided against dividing and further spreading the Space Wolves' genetic base.

This isn't the end of the story though. To allow people to form the own Space Wolf forces, Games Workshop granted us the Lost Companies. Aurelius Rex has wrote a fantastic article on the matter of Lost Companies (found here).

 

Finally, if you just want to use the Space Wolf codex, it is much easier and more in-line with the background just to have your own feral chapter from a different genetic source.

 

---

Don’t have your chapter formed from a forgotten company

Any company or detachment of a chapter which is separated from the main chapter for what ever reason will not create their own chapter just because they paint their armour a different colour and change their name. A company of Ultramarines will always be Ultramarines, and would be simply reabsorbed as soon as they made contact with Macragge.

 

++++++++++

It's kind of lose-lose situation you have here, because they are even more mutated Space Wolves and therefore it is harder to justify why would HLoT sanctify a creation of such Chapter.

 

IMHO, you would be better either to hint at the gene-seed or use different gene-line. This will solve the problems rather than increase them. B)

 

 

Cheers, NightrawenII.

[Iron Lord]

Rites of Battle does allow you to create your own Wolves Successors. Maybe they were Cursed Founding (if they tried to mitigate the Flaw of the Blood Angels with the creation of the Lamenters from them, it doesn't seem all that improbable that they may have tried the same with the Wolves).

 

Or, the Wolf Brothers were the only 2nd Founding SW chapter to be recorded but they weren't the only one to exist (what with the changes to Legion size, and the change to the number of 2nd Founding chapters- about 400 rather than 50 or so).

 

In the current era it's not as implausible as it might have been in older editions.

[Jeremiah2911]

Alright, I've got an idea. A detachment of a shiny, brand new chapter (with a name totally unrelated to bears,l and an undetermined geneseed) does the whole crashy-landy-thingy plus the mutation/infection etc. When they are reconnected with the rest of the chapter, the chapter master weighs the choices an decides to willingly expose the entire chapter to the environment of the planet, thus causing many to do far sooner than they should, but greatly increasing the strenght and battle-prowess of each warrior at any one time.

 

For this reason, the chapter is under close watch by the Inquisition for any sign of heretical activity. The simple act of willful mutation (although unconfirmed as far as Adeptus Terra and the Inquisition are concerned) is enough to put them under such scrutiny, much like the black dragons. Were they not such a brutally effective fighting force, they might be investigated in more entirety. Their new brash and feral attitude towards battle doesn't quite bode well with all of the authorities. So from there, they adopt the planet as their homeworld, make it their exclusive recruiting world, and take on the culture of the native peoples (to an extent, obviously).

 

Does that sound a bit more plausible?

 

Thanks a lot for all the advice. I'm relatively new, so this is all good stuff to learn!

[Ace Debonair]

Ah. Dunno how I forgot to colour the helmet in red. Are these better?

Which one looks most like your chapter?

[Reyner]

I'd vote option 2.

[Jeremiah2911]

Agreed, option 2 looks pretty dang good. It'll look much better with all the bear heraldry. Thoughts on that rough beginning to my origins in my last reply?

[NightrawenII]

Rites of Battle does allow you to create your own Wolves Successors. Maybe they were Cursed Founding (if they tried to mitigate the Flaw of the Blood Angels with the creation of the Lamenters from them, it doesn't seem all that improbable that they may have tried the same with the Wolves).

 

Or, the Wolf Brothers were the only 2nd Founding SW chapter to be recorded but they weren't the only one to exist (what with the changes to Legion size, and the change to the number of 2nd Founding chapters- about 400 rather than 50 or so).

 

In the current era it's not as implausible as it might have been in older editions.

Battle of Fang disagrees. So, we are back at the beginning. :P

 

 

Alright, I've got an idea. A detachment of a shiny, brand new chapter (with a name totally unrelated to bears,l and an undetermined geneseed) does the whole crashy-landy-thingy plus the mutation/infection etc. When they are reconnected with the rest of the chapter, the chapter master weighs the choices an decides to willingly expose the entire chapter to the environment of the planet, thus causing many to do far sooner than they should, but greatly increasing the strenght and battle-prowess of each warrior at any one time.

 

For this reason, the chapter is under close watch by the Inquisition for any sign of heretical activity. The simple act of willful mutation (although unconfirmed as far as Adeptus Terra and the Inquisition are concerned) is enough to put them under such scrutiny, much like the black dragons. Were they not such a brutally effective fighting force, they might be investigated in more entirety. Their new brash and feral attitude towards battle doesn't quite bode well with all of the authorities. So from there, they adopt the planet as their homeworld, make it their exclusive recruiting world, and take on the culture of the native peoples (to an extent, obviously).

 

Does that sound a bit more plausible?

Plausible? Yes, but you are drifting towards Flesh Tearers turf.

[Jeremiah2911]

But wouldn't historical precedent with Inquisitorial oversight of the Flesh Tearers' issues just lend credibility to this idea?

[Master Raimeous]

While that story does work to an extent, why don't you just skip the crash landing part and have them just make the planet their homeworld and later realize that the environment has been mutating their gene-seed?