Index Astartes: Cobalt Scars

[Cobalt Scars]

EDIT: v0.1.1b Posted - 09/07/2012

THE COBALT SCARS

CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE THE COBALT SCARS

FOUNDING: .................. 21_ST [M.36]

CHAPTER WORLD: ............. N/A / CRUSADING CHAPTER

FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ N/A / FLAGSHIP BATTLE-BARGE MAGNA QUAERERE

GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... BLOOD ANGELS

KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE

"Fight for our fallen!"

THE GENE-SEED

Created during the so called 'cursed' founding, the chapter gene-seed was tampered with as an effort to curtail the effect of the Black Rage. Instead, the alterations caused instability in the Catalespian node. In psykers, this manifests itself as increase capability in Divination, Cobalt Scars Psykers often seeing visions during times of rest.

In other Marines this has not seen any overtly damaging properties, but could contribute to increased cases of marines succumbing to the Black Rage during times of extreme sleep deprivation.

CHAPTER LEADERSHIP

Chapter is lead by the Chapter Master, but they retain an advisory group known as the Cobalt Triumvirate.

Cobalt Triumvirate consists of Chapter Master, Chief Librarian and Sanguinary Reclusiarch.

While the Chapter Master retains the power to override the Triumvirate, this does not often happen, as both the Librarium and Sanguinary Reclusiam are viewed very highly, if not revered by the chapter.

More often than not, a large mobilization of the chapter’s forces will begin with reports of a vision from the ranks of the Librarium. It is also not unheard of for the Reclusiarch and Chief Librarian to simultaneously call for a deployment, a vision from a librarian having coincided with a written prophecy in the chapter’s sacred texts.

THE SANGUINE RECLUSIAM

The Cobalt Scars Reclusiam and Sanguinary Sect are one and the same, becoming the Sanguine Reclusiam. Sanguinary Priests are both chaplain and apothecary. Titles bestowed upon members of the Sanguine Reclusiam are;

Sanguine Priest - Title bestowed upon those who carry the blood chalice into the field and act as field apothecaries and chaplains, keeping rank with their battle brothers.

Sanguinary Chaplain - The closest the chapter keeps to a ‘classical’ chaplain. These chaplains wield a Crozius and are often on battlefields where the Death Company have been deployed.

Sanguinary Reclusiarch - The highest of the Sanguine Reclusiam, essentially a Chaplain with a higher rank, the Reclusiarch holds a seat on the Cobalt Triumvirate.

Not only do the priests and Chaplains of the Sanguine Reclusiam serve to control the effects of the Red Thirst and Black Rage within their brothers, but they are also the order within the chapter responsible for holding the most revered relics and texts.

THE CHAPTER CULT

Established in the 21st founding, the infant chapter was highly aware of the happenings of the Age of Apostasy. Cadmus Thaum once a Captain of the Blood Angels chapter had always personally venerated the original Ideals of The Emperor and Primarch Sanguinius. Indeed, under his direction, the Chapter Cult of the Cobalt Scars became dedicated strongly to the ideals of the Imperial Truth.

Thaum and by association, his chapter, rejected utterly claims of the Emperor’s divinity, their counter-claim stating that the very notion stands against everything the Emperor stood against. This ideal was most strongly reinforced by the Age of Apostasy.

While not participating directly in the wars between the Ecclesiarchy and the Administratum, the chapter was doing its utmost to hold the Imperium against external threats. The greedy forces of Vandire had indeed weakened the Imperium and many worlds were plagued by roving traitor warbands or ork forces and it was these that the chapter fought.

Thaum felt helpless at his inability to act in defense of his Emperor during this time, based upon his young chapters limited numbers and took a vow to eventually see the Imperial Religion extinguished.

When Sebastian Thor became Ecclesiarch and limitations were installed upon the Ecclesiarchy, it helped to calm Thaum. While the Chapter Master still saw the Ecclesiarchy as an affront to the Emperor, he was sharp of mind enough to know that he should bide his time, knowing that to topple the Ecclesiarchy now would not only cripple or destroy his chapter, but throw his beloved Imperium into further chaos. For the sake of the Emperor, Thaum took another vow, to wait until the time was right.

This outlook on the universe and strong opposition to the Ecclesiarchy is a strongly guarded secret. The chapter recognises the growing power of the Ecclesiarchy and knows that should they be declared ‘Excommunicate Traitoris’ that their plans may be undone. Many have noticed that the Cobalt Scars avoid Shrine worlds and other such installations of the Imperial religion as well as outrightly refusing to fight alongside the Sisters of Battle or Ordo Hereticus, but have noticed no other particular divergence, the Cobalt Scars appearing outwardly as staunch defenders of the Imperium.

COBALT SCARS AND THE MECHANICUS

The following of the ideals of the Imperial Truth gives the Cobalt Scars a strong secondary drive, a need to quest for knowledge. Naturally, the crusading nature of the Cobalt Scars takes them to many worlds and the chapter has been known to dispatch small splinters of its fleet to scout for artifacts be those relics and symbols of lost chapters or script, or pieces of lost technology.

This philosophy and unending search allow the chapter to mesh well with the chapter, extending so far as the chapter negotiating a mutually beneficial agreement with the Adeptus Mechanicus, with an entire Forge ship, the Iron Avatar, and its escort having attached to the Cobalt Fleet, providing its manufacturing services for security and great autonomy in the universe.

Naturally, this gives the cobalt scars access to greater amounts of unique equipment, in particular, the Iron Avatar has been known to replace Land Speeders and similar equipment lost in battle.

Almost always, a single Mechanicus escort accompanies any attack group that leaves the fleet proper, its crew ever on the watch for recoverable technology.

THE COBALT FLEET

The Cobalt Scars make their home on the great flotilla known as The Cobalt Fleet. Alongside the Forge ship Iron Avatar, two battle-barges make up the central bulk of the fleet.

The first is the flagship, the Magna Quaerere. The Magna seldom ever goes directly into war, its interior holding the grand Reclusiam and Libraries of the chapter. It serves as a rendezvous point for the other ships and more often than not holds position in deep interstellar space along with the Iron Avatar and their combined escorts.

The second barge is the Sanguine Chorus, often deployed where greater forces are required than can be provided by strike cruisers alone.

The second largest grouping are the cruisers. The Cobalt Fleet maintains seven of its own strike cruisers, with the Iron Avatar escorted by two Mechanicus light cruisers. The mechanicus cruisers and two strike cruisers remain with the Magna Quaerere at all times. While interstellar space is reasonably safe, it would never be prudent to abandon the chapter’s greatest repository of knowledge and relics.

Two also accompany the Sanguine Chorus, acting as its escort and support.

The remaining three Strike cruisers take with them a small group of escorts and act as the most rapid strike forces of the chapter. While being smaller than the Sanguine Chorus battlegroup, they are no less capable of deploying a sizable Astartes force to any one battlefield.

COMBAT DOCTRINE

The Cobalt scars almost entirely forgo the classic structure, where tactical marines make up the bulk of their forces. Instead, they make heavy use of assault troops equipped with weapons befitting their rapid strike nature.

The Scars loathe to get into any sort of protracted shooting match with a foe and will use attack and fade tactics, synchronising with whirlwind artillery and land speeder squadrons to assault a first flank, only to fall back and unexpectedly assault from another.

Forces are almost exclusively deployed from orbit by thunderhawk gunships and transporters, or drop pods. The only main divergence from this method is when stormravens are used to deploy troops directly into cramped conditions where thunderhawks perhaps cannot provide an accurate enough drop from the skies.

The rapid strike forces of the chapter are also backed up by dedicated devastator groups and dreadnoughts, for when the situation calls for more static deployments, with the prior almost always being mounted in razorback transports.

In short, quick deployment and battlefield flexibility are the prime tenets of Cobalt Scars battlefield doctrine.

Here is version 0.1.1b, the first revision of the 'beta' background for The Cobalt Scars. Some sections are currently missing, including more 'modern' information about people in leadership positions and more recent battles. I'd like to get some feedback on the now smaller and more streamlined background before proceeding to flesh it out more. Cheers again!

[Dosjetka]

Hello there :)

 

I have read through the first couple of sections and i must admit I do quite enjoy your IA. However, a few things have popped up and I think they need to be addressed:

 

1) I know I haven't read the end of the IA, so that's were it might be explained, but why have you chosen the Blood Angels as their parent Chapter? I would see them more as Raven Guard successors, or maybe even White Scars successors (mostly due to the name and the highly mobile hit-and-run tactics).

 

2) While it is well-written, the IA is quite a hefty chunk of text and I'm wondering whether you could maybe cut back a bit on certain areas. If you ever do so, you can always write up a story to go alongside your IA to better portray your Chapter and show more detail to the reader.

 

3) Blue armour, yet they are Blood Angels successors? Uncommon to say the least (though I do like the colour scheme).

 

4) You have said that you have tried not to get too involved in the big events of the 40k universe, but your involvement in the Badab War and the 3rd War of Armageddon (where they still seem to fulfill a pretty centre-stage position, taking out leaders and such). I'd suggest that you maybe drop their involvement on the Badab War, or maybe have them come to Badab after the events, to patrol the area against any remaining threats (and have Thaum killed by something/someone else) and to reduce the role of the Scars in the Armageddon war to fleet operations against the remaining Ork Space Hulks?

 

5) All of the above is only my opinion so feel free to integrate or ignore anything you want.

 

I'll be reading up the rest of the IA and checking for replies during the next few days :)

 

Cheers,

 

Ludovic

 

EDIT: Oh, and that Chapter symbol is very cool -_-

[Cobalt Scars]

Hello there :)

 

I have read through the first couple of sections and i must admit I do quite enjoy your IA. However, a few things have popped up and I think they need to be addressed:

 

1) I know I haven't read the end of the IA, so that's were it might be explained, but why have you chosen the Blood Angels as their parent Chapter? I would see them more as Raven Guard successors, or maybe even White Scars successors (mostly due to the name and the highly mobile hit-and-run tactics).

 

2) While it is well-written, the IA is quite a hefty chunk of text and I'm wondering whether you could maybe cut back a bit on certain areas. If you ever do so, you can always write up a story to go alongside your IA to better portray your Chapter and show more detail to the reader.

 

3) Blue armour, yet they are Blood Angels successors? Uncommon to say the least (though I do like the colour scheme).

 

4) You have said that you have tried not to get too involved in the big events of the 40k universe, but your involvement in the Badab War and the 3rd War of Armageddon (where they still seem to fulfill a pretty centre-stage position, taking out leaders and such). I'd suggest that you maybe drop their involvement on the Badab War, or maybe have them come to Badab after the events, to patrol the area against any remaining threats (and have Thaum killed by something/someone else) and to reduce the role of the Scars in the Armageddon war to fleet operations against the remaining Ork Space Hulks?

 

5) All of the above is only my opinion so feel free to integrate or ignore anything you want.

 

I'll be reading up the rest of the IA and checking for replies during the next few days :)

 

Cheers,

 

Ludovic

 

EDIT: Oh, and that Chapter symbol is very cool -_-

 

Hi, thanks for posting, I'll reply to each of your questions to the best of my ability.

 

1] Really, the choice of Blood Angels as the parent chapter really came down to an out of character decision on my codex of choice. As I decided I wanted to use the Blood Angels on the tabletop but still have my own chapter. I do also enjoy the Blood Angels background and their genetic flaw the Red Thirst and Black Rage. Another particular reason for my selecting the Blood Angels is that I don't personally feel it's 'right' to use the codex of a chapter and not link the army to them in some way. :)

 

2] I do tend to get carried away in things and I may try and cut down on the amount of text, making this article into a summary, then linking into background story in other topics.

 

3] I'm not really a fan of the colour red, so I chose something I prefer. In the minds of the chapter, however, they are not THE Blood Angels and use what might be considered an opposite colour out of respect for their Progenitor legion.

 

4] I tried to pick some notable events that weren't too, how should I put it, overly central to the universe as a whole. Armageddon 3 was chosen simply because of the size of the conflict. I had hoped to portray the Cobalt Scars as being present not en-masse, but making use of their lesser numbers and strike tactics to still pull their weight. All the same, it wasn't intended to say that the Scars had killed real leaders, perhaps I should say Sub-commanders, perhaps a few unnamed Meks or Nobz that were each responsible for a few squads of Boyz here and there.

As for the Badab War, I chose it as it was a prominent enough event to really measure on the galactic stage that Aperio could make a name for himself, while writing them to operate right on the fringe of the conflict so that they were never truly involved in the real Badab War. Border skirmishes if you will.

 

5] I appreciate any feedback, because I really want to give the Cobalt Scars a good and solid background.

[Octavulg]

Those scars are white, not cobalt.

 

The Cobalt Scars appeared in the galaxy as part of the 22nd founding, in response to the Age of Apostasy.

 

Actually, just today I worked out that the 22nd Founding happened halfway through M37. -_- That's a bit late to be a response to the AoA.

 

The Original Chapter Master of The Cobalt Scars was Chief Librarian Cadmus Thaum. Thaum was originally an Codicier Librarian of the Blood Angels, serving throughout the age of Apostasy. Surviving to see the end of the bloodshed and attaining the rank of Epistolary, Thaum was selected to become Chapter Master of the Cobalt Scars in the Twenty-second founding.

 

Eh? In the totality of 40K fluff, there are two occasions I can think of with Librarian Chapter Masters: the Blood Ravens and the Soul Drinkers. And one of those is a badly-written traitor chapter.

 

This is a remarkable divergence, that carries with it serious risks. It shouldn't just be glossed over in passing.

 

This is, of course, a guarded secret. The Chapter recognises the zealotry of the Ecclesiarchy and the fact that the chapter's beliefs oppose the tenets of the Imperial Creed. Because of this, the Scars will generally avoid battlefields where the forces of the Ecclesiarchy and the Inquisition are present and will only approach an Ecclesiarchy-governed world in the direst of circumstances.

 

Most chapters' beliefs oppose the teachings of the Imperial Creed.

 

Accepting the post, Thaum took a personal vow never to allow such a conflict to ravage the Imperium again and left the Blood Angels, taking with him many servitor-scribed copies of the chapter’s ancient texts.

 

Eh? Why did you do a long digression about their beliefs in the middle of a narrative of events? Especially without a smooth transition between the two?

 

Thaum also went on to request a flotilla, now known as The Cobalt Fleet, determining that his chapter could better perform if they were more mobile in the universe.

 

Every chapter would get a fleet. Otherwise they can't get to their home world.

 

The Magna Quaerere acts as the core of their Chapter, much of the ship devoted to its vast Libraries. It serves as a staging platform for the smaller vessels of the flotilla, only entering battle in the most terrible of times. Generally, it operates as a rendezvous point for the strike lances to return to.

 

Isn't that leaving it vulnerable?

 

STRIKE LANCE DOCTRINE

 

Most of this doesn't really vary that much from how Space Marines usually do things, and thus is probably not a good idea to spend hundreds of words on. Explain the unique aspects of your chapter, not the similarities.

 

The chapter features no standard tactical marines, instead relying on assault marines to fill the bulk of their forces.

 

...I know swords are cool and all, but shooting things does have a role to play in warfare.

 

The details of the equipment your chapter uses also aren't very interesting to people who aren't you. Explain the basic principles behind why they use what they do, and people will work out what they do and don't use without needing to be told.

 

CHAPTER COLOURS

 

Personally, I never see a need for these sections. We can see your colors in the attached painter image. The various color variations may be very important to you, but I'm not sure they're interesting enough to merit 300 words of description.

 

Oh, and I second Ludovic's comment on not getting involved in the Badab War.

 

* * *

 

After all that, I still don't understand much about your chapter. I know a lot about what they look like and what they hit things with, but I don't understand what makes them different from other chapters. Who are they? What is important to them? Why do they do what they do? What do you want them to be about? What do you want people to think when they read this?

[Cobalt Scars]

-Snip!-

 

Hi, thanks for posting. A lot of your questions about my writing of layout are answered by me telling you that this version of the Cobalt Scars IA was pretty-much stapled together from a plethora of ideas and brainstorming sessions that I documented myself. It's very much unfinished and very bloated, as you've seen.

 

Now, with regards to the Imperial Creed versus Imperial Truth, I really want to portray the Scars as being in very strong opposition to the Imperial Creed. It seems to me (though I may be wrong) that the Astartes and Ecclesiarchy have a live and let live policy towards each-other. The Scars, on the other hand tolerate the Ecclesiarchy only temporarily. They intend to eventually see an Imperium where the Ecclesiarchy does not exist. The only thing preventing them from going into outright war with them, is that they see the potential damage they could do to the Imperium by doing so, mainly because they recognise the fact that they are not strong enough in number to mount such an offensive and accomplish much.

 

As for the fleet, yes, I perhaps did not mean to say that the Battle barge would be left alone. It would retain an escort, though the bulk of the trike forces would be deployed across the galaxy, centred around Segmentum Obscura.

 

In reference to the 22nd founding/age of Apostasy, when researching I could only find information pointing to the 22nd founding happening in 500.M36 or M37. I think the point is that they didn't respond directly TO the Age of Apostasy, but the 22nd founding happened as a means to increase forces to ensure no repeats occur.

 

As for Librarians acting as chapter masters of the Cobalt Scars, I intend to tie that directly into their ongoing search for knowledge. Divination!

 

Also, it was my intent to describe that Thaum requested a much larger flotilla than that of a 'standard' new chapter, I think my problem is that I never really think 'big' enough. I usually end up underestimating numbers, in an effort to not sound as if I'm bloating the accomplishments of a chapter.

 

Lastly, I hear your comment on the Badab war. I probably bit off a bit more than I could chew trying to integrate with that. The damn 40k universe is a minefield of conflicts. I may well scrap both the Badab War and Armageddon segments, and write whole new background on a similar theme. The main reason for my involvement was to try and create an image of a chapter that would travel great distances to oppose traitors.

 

Once again, thanks for reading, I'm making notes as I receive replies and hopefully I can use everything to solidify the background of my chapter.

[Dosjetka]

Oh, and I second Ludovic's comment on not getting involved in the Badab War.

The illustrious Octavulg has seconded one of my comments? It must be my day! ^_^

 

Ludovic

[Octavulg]

Hi, thanks for posting. A lot of your questions about my writing of layout are answered by me telling you that this version of the Cobalt Scars IA was pretty-much stapled together from a plethora of ideas and brainstorming sessions that I documented myself. It's very much unfinished and very bloated, as you've seen.

 

It'll happen. A lot of newer authors tend to flesh out little fiddly details first.

 

I, of course, long ago became too lazy to do that. ^_^

 

Now, with regards to the Imperial Creed versus Imperial Truth, I really want to portray the Scars as being in very strong opposition to the Imperial Creed. It seems to me (though I may be wrong) that the Astartes and Ecclesiarchy have a live and let live policy towards each-other. The Scars, on the other hand tolerate the Ecclesiarchy only temporarily. They intend to eventually see an Imperium where the Ecclesiarchy does not exist. The only thing preventing them from going into outright war with them, is that they see the potential damage they could do to the Imperium by doing so, mainly because they recognise the fact that they are not strong enough in number to mount such an offensive and accomplish much.

 

Ah. That is different.

 

As for the fleet, yes, I perhaps did not mean to say that the Battle barge would be left alone. It would retain an escort, though the bulk of the trike forces would be deployed across the galaxy, centred around Segmentum Obscura.

 

I figured. Though you could argue that interstellar space should be very safe. It's not exactly a busy place.

 

In reference to the 22nd founding/age of Apostasy, when researching I could only find information pointing to the 22nd founding happening in 500.M36 or M37. I think the point is that they didn't respond directly TO the Age of Apostasy, but the 22nd founding happened as a means to increase forces to ensure no repeats occur.

 

The short version is that we know when the 23rd and 21st foundings are, and we have a date for a founding between those two (the Dark Hunters in 550-odd M37).

 

The Age of Apostasy had more to do with the Imperial administration and the Ecclesiarchy than anything else. Which could, of course, explain some of your chapter's viewpoint on the matter. I'd actually recommend moving them to being 21st or 20th founding, specifically so they can live through the AoA and get that rabid atheism from firsthand experience.

 

If you go to 21st, don't forget to give them a Curse. They can be another "try to fix the BA geneseed" chapter.

 

As for Librarians acting as chapter masters of the Cobalt Scars, I intend to tie that directly into their ongoing search for knowledge. Divination!

 

I'd point you to the Silver Skulls, who don't do anything if the Librarians don't say it's OK. I still don't think they're lead by them. Librarianing is a difficult art, and a full-time job. Leading a chapter on top of that is a big commitment.

 

Liking, approving of, and embracing Librarians' be one thing. Having their first Chapter Master be one is very unlikely (it's not Codex, for one thing, and new chapters would seem likely to be very Codex).

 

Also, it was my intent to describe that Thaum requested a much larger flotilla than that of a 'standard' new chapter, I think my problem is that I never really think 'big' enough. I usually end up underestimating numbers, in an effort to not sound as if I'm bloating the accomplishments of a chapter.

 

Better that then the reverse. I wouldn't worry about it - a Space Marine fleet is still tough enough that he can build it up.

 

Lastly, I hear your comment on the Badab war. I probably bit off a bit more than I could chew trying to integrate with that. The damn 40k universe is a minefield of conflicts. I may well scrap both the Badab War and Armageddon segments, and write whole new background on a similar theme. The main reason for my involvement was to try and create an image of a chapter that would travel great distances to oppose traitors.

 

Stick them on the Eastern Fringe, then mention their efforts against various Black Crusades. And make up a war or two.

[Dosjetka]

Hi, thanks for posting, I'll reply to each of your questions to the best of my ability.

You're welcome and thank you ^_^

 

1] Really, the choice of Blood Angels as the parent chapter really came down to an out of character decision on my codex of choice. As I decided I wanted to use the Blood Angels on the tabletop but still have my own chapter. I do also enjoy the Blood Angels background and their genetic flaw the Red Thirst and Black Rage. Another particular reason for my selecting the Blood Angels is that I don't personally feel it's 'right' to use the codex of a chapter and not link the army to them in some way. ;)

Ah, I see. Well, if you want to do things that way, that's fine with me. I just think that another parent Chapter would go better for these chaps :)

 

2] I do tend to get carried away in things and I may try and cut down on the amount of text, making this article into a summary, then linking into background story in other topics.

Good idea.

 

3] I'm not really a fan of the colour red, so I chose something I prefer. In the minds of the chapter, however, they are not THE Blood Angels and use what might be considered an opposite colour out of respect for their Progenitor legion.

Hum. Maybe you could actually have a Blood Angel successor (preferably invented) dislike the Cobalt Scars because they chose to steer clear from the usual red that marks out Blood Angels and their kin, even if the Scars themselves see it as a mark of respect? Could make some interesting conflict.

 

4] I tried to pick some notable events that weren't too, how should I put it, overly central to the universe as a whole. Armageddon 3 was chosen simply because of the size of the conflict. I had hoped to portray the Cobalt Scars as being present not en-masse, but making use of their lesser numbers and strike tactics to still pull their weight. All the same, it wasn't intended to say that the Scars had killed real leaders, perhaps I should say Sub-commanders, perhaps a few unnamed Meks or Nobz that were each responsible for a few squads of Boyz here and there.

As for the Badab War, I chose it as it was a prominent enough event to really measure on the galactic stage that Aperio could make a name for himself, while writing them to operate right on the fringe of the conflict so that they were never truly involved in the real Badab War. Border skirmishes if you will.

For the Armageddon War, that's not how it came across when I read the text, so you may want to re-write that part if your still keeping it. But I would suggest you go with the fleet involvement, especially since people who use the Armageddon War usually say their Chapter fought on the planet itself, not in orbit (which was equally, if not more important).

 

5] I appreciate any feedback, because I really want to give the Cobalt Scars a good and solid background.

And I appreciate that you appreciate the feedback :)

 

Cheers,

 

Ludovic

[Cobalt Scars]

-Snip again!-

 

Thanks for the quick reply there. I think my first effort to refine my IA will come in as I rewrite the involvement. I had been considering involvement with the Black Crusades and the chapter being present in the AoA before, but wasn't sure how long-standing a chapter I wanted it to be. I may go further back and (as you suggest) push them back to an earlier founding.

 

Indeed, I see the points for and against the positioning of a Librarian as Chapter Master, I may stick to keeping the Librarian Thaum as the first chapter master as I see it as a good way to introduce a strong drive to collect knowledge and further the core ideal of the Imperial Truth. Instead, perhaps I should shift the focus to the order of the Cobalt Scars Sanguinary priests, who act as the Chaplains and keepers of the most valued relics.

(I confess that the Librarian Ethaniel Aperio is shameless self-placement into my chapter. ;))

 

Referring to the fleet again, that was one of my thoughts on the matter of leaving the Flagship (relatively unguarded) as interstellar space is really, really, damned vast. ^_^

 

Now to directly ask a question, how big would you estimate a Flotilla should be for a relatively small but fleet based chapter?

 

EDIT:

Editing to add replies to Ludovic!

 

 

-Snippy!-

 

An alternate and opposing successor could potentially act as a good foil for the chapter and I thank you for that idea.

 

As for the Armageddon war involvement, it may be scrapped entirely, as I'm pretty bad at trying to navigating the pitfalls of weaving a chapter into prominent events.

[Dosjetka]

Now to directly ask a question, how big would you estimate a Flotilla should be for a relatively small but fleet based chapter?

I'd say about 1-2 Battle-Barges, 3-6 Strike Cruisers and a selection of escorts seems pretty good. Oh, and maybe a couple of Forge Ships would be good too, to keep the Chapter "on top" with equipment and repairs. You could also maybe include a non-Astartes ship that was taken as a war prize and converted into a Chapter Barque or a battleship to suit the Chapter's needs?

 

Ludovic

 

EDIT:

An alternate and opposing successor could potentially act as a good foil for the chapter and I thank you for that idea.

You're welcome, I'm glad you liked it.

 

As for the Armageddon war involvement, it may be scrapped entirely, as I'm pretty bad at trying to navigating the pitfalls of weaving a chapter into prominent events.

OK, well if you need any help with creating conflicts and such, just ask here or PM me (if you don't mind asking me for help).

[Octavulg]

What Ludovic said.

[voi shet magir]

Those scars are white, not cobalt.

This may be the most fundamental comment to the thread. You may feel vastly better after reversing the colors to a white field with cobalt scars. You have to understand how significant this issue is; normally I do not allow images to load from the internet because I find the practice extravagant and middle class.

 

Concerns about details like librarian masters, gene-seed, and other comparisons to general DIY practices I find irrelevant quibbles. Sanguinius' gene seed may be the best choice of all those available, and I do not think it is important to explain why the inaugural leadership was from a librarian.

 

The ideology is interesting. I think they do not need anything to do with imperial truth, since they are not connected to it historically and it is a boring concept anyway. It may also have a double meaning, or at least a pun, and there is no reason to be tangled up with the idea that imperial truth was actually a lie, completely different to empirical truth which can hardly exist in a universe with warp storms and prophecy.

 

That is why Blood Angels are a perfect founding chapter. Sanguinius was all about salvation; he embodied all that was uplifting and hopeful about humanity and exsanguination transforms wretched Baalites into beautiful, immortal aesthetes. Plus, he can see the future in the most ideal possible scenario. A chapter founded around sublimation would be completely at odds with ecclesiarchal admonishments toward penance and oblation.

 

Now, you have to handle Badab, et al.

 

As for the Badab War, I chose it as it was a prominent enough event to really measure on the galactic stage that Aperio could make a name for himself, while writing them to operate right on the fringe of the conflict so that they were never truly involved in the real Badab War. Border skirmishes if you will.

 

Ok, here is the contradiction. He cannot make a name for himself by being on the fringes. He might have some promising moments that Asterion Moloc does not completely look down on, but he cannot get actual fame out of that, especially since Badab happened yesterday afternoon.

 

Here is what actually happened. Sometime in M39, forty-two regiments of guard, a demi-legio, a sector fleet including three grand cruisers, and two companies of Celebrants or Astral Stars or Perseverators invaded an eighty-system ork empire somewhere in Obscurus that included dozens of human vassal states. After war on multiple fronts against several 12-foot tall warlords and their armies, the Imperials are on brink of victory when the liberated vassal states steal one of the remaining grand cruisers and use it to blow up the marines' battle barge, because they had rather not accept the Lex Imperialis and the Creed after all. Naturally your friend Ethaniel is in place to salvage the situation, and the remainder of the other marine forces decide to put him in charge of winning the campaign.

 

 

 

Do you know that codex companies do not usually have librarians? They do not. The librarium has 20-35 guys that it sends around to the companies in advisory roles.

 

That is kind of soft-ball, wikipedia stuff. Here is a less thought: captaincies are in some ways crappy jobs. The institutional chapter, whether that is represented just by the Chapter Master, or also by the Master of Sanctity, the Honor Guard, or some other group of non-executive board members, has a large set of assets that include a fleet of ships and ten companies. Captains have a lot of power, only in the sense that the chapter masters hired them to manage some assets, and the companies they run existed before their captains and will continue to exist without those particular captains.

 

So, put those two ideas together. In some way, make it clear that a Cobalt Scars campaign is really a senior Librarian deciding to go somewhere, and then taking a few companies when he goes.

[Cobalt Scars]

+INDEX UPDATED+

 

I just updated the OP to v0.1.1b with plenty of reworking and trimming of the fat.

Constructive criticism welcome once more!

[Octavulg]

Much better. More personality, less finicky organization. The writing's not perfect yet, but the details seem fairly sound. I like it.

 

Though why the hell are they named the Cobalt Scars?

[Cobalt Scars]

Much better. More personality, less finicky organization. The writing's not perfect yet, but the details seem fairly sound. I like it.

 

Though why the hell are they named the Cobalt Scars?

 

Truthfully, because I want them to be called the Cobalt Scars. It's actually an Everquest reference, tied to my love of the colour blue. I don't have a way to tie that to my chapter yet, but if the worst comes to it and I can't think of a suitable way to tie them together, ill rewrite to place them on a planet that's really heavy on cobalt aluminate. Blue rock!

[Octavulg]

It's the scars bit that seems strange to me rather than the cobalt bit.

[Cobalt Scars]

It's the scars bit that seems strange to me rather than the cobalt bit.

 

Oh actually, I do have something for that. My initial idea was that they bear the metaphorical scars of betrayal by both the Ecclesiarchy and Horus. I may write rituals of scarification into part of the chapter cult to solidify that aspect of their belief. They'll see it as a burden or mark that they're honour-bound to bear. For the Emperor!

You might say they're a little bitter.