Mercenary Warband?

[Kraull the Rampager]

Is it possible that a chaos marine warband would start a monopoly on resources? I've never heard of a warband taking an area of space or the warp that could be valuable due to resources, an extra large population that could be turned into slaves, an artefact world, a production world such as a forge world etc etc. Would it be possible for a warband to take control of such an area and use it to increase the warlord's power?

 

In some ways, I could see a Chaos Lord (particularly an Iron Warrior Warsmith) using an ex-Imperial area of space as a kind of sanctuary for Chaos. Repairs for damages, safety from the Imperium, in return for potential services, or gene-seed stores, or any other kind of material.

 

In other ways...it seems that Chaos is too...well...chaos-y and random to kind of sit outside the warp for too long..Seems to me if an area of space was so valuable, or made to be such a threat, the Imperium would launch a Crusade to root out the chaos threat. Not only that, such material wealth doesn't seem too relevant to an essentially immortal warmongerer.

 

 

Opinions?

[Lord_Caerolion]

Well, it depends. Outside of a warp-storm? I can't see them holding on to it for too long. Inside though, it happens all the time, for example a warband taking control of a forge world, selling their services to other warbands in exchange for payment, or Hells Iris in the Maelstrom, a massive station controlled by the Red Corsairs, which sells their facilities to other warbands, shown in Blood Reaver.

 

It isn't so much that we're "too random" to exist outside the Warp, but rather that the Imperium does whatever it can to destroy the resources of Chaos groups, so if they find a station they can reach, they'll do whatever they can to deny it to the Great Enemy.

[ThisisJimmy]

I don't see why that wouldn't be possible. Realistically the warbands have to get their supplies from somewhere, and I don't feel its feasible for them to get it all from piracy. So there would have to be areas where a warlord could pick up supplies, 'buy' vehicles and make repairs. In my mind, the Dark Mechanicus could easily be creating their own forge worlds within the Eye and Maelstrom (e.g. Ghalmek of the Word Bearers), and warlords have to replenish their material supplies from somewhere.

[minigun762]

I think the basic idea makes fine sense. I imagine is fairly common for warbands to off themselves up as soldiers for hire in exchange for vital resources or favors so its not that much of a jump to have that same warband offer up a non-combat service instead.

 

Alpha Legion and intelligence/counter intelligence services or an Iron Warrior/Dark Mechanicus group for repair as you mentioned.

 

To help get around the problem that a static target is vulnerable to Imperial attack you could either have them operate from a hidden base, operate behind the scenes of a supposedly Imperial planet or even use a space hulk to travel around.

[Kol Saresk]

Well there is precedence for this after a fashion. In Blood Gorgons the Blood Gorgons(redundant I know) are said to have several planets that they visit for recruits and supplies. Only one is mentioned in particular but I forget its name. But, it is inhabited by several groups of nomads and one Imperial hive that is ruled by an isolationist Cult and keeps to itself. The planet is a valuable source of warpstone but due to harsh conditions at the only mine, the Mechanicus gave up on it. They visit that world to get recruits from the nomads and pick up warpstone when they need it while the Imperials protect the planet froBlood Gorgons not keeping regular tabs on the planet because they were nomads themselves.

[TheDarkApostle]

The Damned Company of Lord Caustos springs to mind.

 

TDA

[Kraull the Rampager]

How so TheDarkApostle?

[TheDarkApostle]

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Damned_...of_Lord_Caustos ;)

 

TDA

[Chengar Qordath]

It would make sense for there to be few hidden Chaos bases for resupplying raiders and the like, even outside of warpstorms. Sure, there's the risk of Imperisl detection if they have permenant bases outside the Warp, but the thing is, Space is big. Even if there aren't any uninhabited worlds to use, the Chaos raiders could set up in dark space between stars, or if they really need some breathing room they could set up above/below the galactic plane.

[Kraull the Rampager]

The chaos codex I'm sure mentions that there is Daemon worlds within the Imperium that serve as blights on Imperial Space...

 

I'm just thinking a little along those lines, that a chaos warband has conquered a segment of Imperial space, and built it up, to create a kind of sanctuary from both the Eye of Terror and the Imperium. To launch raids/crusades/essentially rest at. A bit like Hell's Iris. Except in realspace.

 

I personally think it'd be rather cool for a Chaos Lord to have several world under his control where he actually builds resources such as food, oxygen supplies, water, other minerals, to sell off to other warbands, and in return use their service, probably to raid Imperial space.

 

Only issue with it I see. Is if this warband ever really did some damage. The Imperium would wreck it's little sanctuary.

[Kol Saresk]

Well there was that Sergeant Constantine of the Sons of Gulliman who had an entire planet under his control and I remember something about other warbands visiting him. That was in the Codex too. And M'kar also tried to make one or two empires before he was killed. There is also that short story about the Night Lords and them using a planet for something. But I think it was just for recruits. And there was that rogue psyker, Teturact I think his name was, from the Soul Drinkers series who had an entire empire that the Imperium couldn't even touch.

 

So its a good idea and it can be done. Just have to make it. ;)