Iron Skulls Chapter

[The Harrowmaster]

Geneseed

Although they're geneseed and founding are not listed in Imperial records this chapter is a young chapter relative to other space marines. It is also assumed the Geneseed would be that of Guilliman.

 

Organisation and Structure

The chapter fight in tournaments wherever they go these are gladiatorial like events are varied as much as the marines imagination. Marines fight each other aswell as slaves and voluntarily combatants form world they invade or warriors fighting along side them. Although volunteers will normally be organised into smaller tournaments against themselves. Grand tournaments are fought on their home world very rarely. This is where company champions are decided and if a company champion dies in battle non shall replace him until a tournament is held on Bramus. This is also where the chapter recruits youngsters wishing to join the chapter fight in matches again each other until aspirants are chosen.

 

On the battlefield the chapter appears to be organised and performs like most codex chapter, preferring mounted infantry tactics but never too deviant to the codex.

 

In appearance however the chapter the chapter are somewhat unique. They have Power armour painted black with a "Iron Skull" symbol painted in boltgun metal.

The Irons skulls though are entitled to paint they're own helmets, in accordance with they're tournament armour. although frowned upon by other astartes this young upstart chapter has been defiant on this subject. The variety or designs and colours is immense, some choosing simple designs and some more unique.

 

Tactical, Devastator, and Assault - Right shoulder will be painted with squad markings normally a tactical/assault symbol matching the sergeants personal colours.

First Company - Once inducted into the first company and given veteran status marines receive the right to wear the perosnal heraldry on their right shoulder.

Champions - any tournament champion is entitled to wear his heraldry to battle.

 

 

Early History

The chapter spent a lot of its early days has a fleet chapter fight xenos on the eastern front and performed how one would expect any space marine chapter to do.

It wasn't until the Iron Skulls came across the Planet Bramus, that the chapter found its own identity and place in the Imperium.

 

The world was on the border of imperial reach. Bramus is world much like earth once was in terms of climate and landmass. Huge sprawling cities spread over continents eventually meet jungle or mountain regions which are largely in hospitable. The world is ruled over by an elite warrior class, often sending armies to fight the xenos littering the space around this system . All though the hierarchy and there loyal warriors of this world are devoted entirely to the emperor, these is a poor and broken underclass in the slums of the cities it was not uncommon for these slums to riot and rebel and violent clashes between the contrasting populaces.

 

During a campaign in the region the Bramus warriors were fighting along side the Iron skulls, the marine we're impressed by the skill and discipline the soldier had in the field, they're skill in city and up built environments was extremely profound.

However Bramus had sent such a huge amount of it armed forces to the campaign the rebellious underclass warriors saw a chance to gain a better foot hold and rose up. They managed to gain a lot more support as well as the fear that held other in place was now longer holding them down.

The Bramus soldier and they're command Immediately quitted the campaign to attempt to save there Home from anarchy enveloping her.

The Iron skulls had to continue the campaign on there own. whilst the bitter civil war raged on Bramus. The imperium sent Guard units to aid bramus in her desperate hours. However the imperium could spare very little. It was however enough to force the rebels into a stalemate.

 

The Iron Skulls eventually broke off they're campaign they had shattered world in there wake and did not stop to rebuild anywhere. They're entire chapter decended on Bramus. Using space marine dedicated transports they into the insurgent areas devastating the rebel strongholds the rebels were no match for space marines.

 

The world was again compliant. Chapter Master Cestus declared this would become the homeworld of the Iron Skull's.

 

The Tournament.

A year later a most rebuilding and restructuring was well under way. Cestus had over saw the building of a giant techno Colosseum in there heart of the Bramus capital. He organised the first grand tournament and was to be broadcast across the planet, any rebels who had been imprisoned where to recieve justice in the name of the Emperor and example was made of these insurgents. They were butchered in the tournament as part of sick games were champions from the Bramus Regiments were dipicted as heroes standing over the fallen rebels in there areana. The tournaments would shape the chapters future from this date.

[Andrew J]

I like your ideas of tournaments and gladiatorial combat as a theme. I really like the idea of heraldric helmets and shoulder pads. I think that would look really good on the tabletop.

 

I would recommend putting the Early History part first to give people an idea of how they came about before getting into the nitty gritty of the chapter. It makes it much easier to follow, then organization and structure and then finally geneseed.

 

I would also recommend going back and fixing some grammar and spelling errors as it was tough to read in parts. If english is not your first language I would be happy to help you do this.