IA: Flesh Eaters

[Midnightmare]

EDIT - Er, okay, since the upgrade I haven't checked on it, this is now all over the place - I will endeavor to sort it out. Soon......maybe!

T

hey vilify us for our methods, yet
nobody questions the results. We are the chosen Scions of Sanguinius, tempered
weapon of the Emperor Himself. Our enemies quake with fear even before we
strike first blood. They will soon know it is a fear well founded! Let them
fear the Angelss of Death, let them fear what is left of their short future;
let them pray for death. Brothers, we will answer those
prayers..

Commander Isiah, Chapter Master of the Flesh
Eaters, Grand Voivod

One of the most feared Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the
Flesh Eaters Chapter have an unsavoury reputation that their aid is embraced by
allied commanders and planetary governors in only the direst of circumstances.
Indeed, those who have witnessed the Flesh Eaters in action report the Chapter
display cruelty and savagery on an unparalleled level, with complete disregard
for human life and collateral damage resulting in reports of possible
excommunication. However, all attempts to investigate the Chapter so far have
failed, and the Flesh Eaters do not give away their secrets readily. Indeed, of
all the rumours, of all the half heard whispers, there is but one word that is
a constant; the word Vampire..

Origins and
Appearance

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh190/MidnightRunner81/spacemarine4-1.jpg

The
Flesh Eaters are born of the 3rd Founding on the first day of M32, tracing
lineage to their Blood Angels parent genestock, as such they are one of the
older Space Marine Chapters. They were assigned to the eastern border of
Segmantum Solar to enact the Emperors fury against the rise of xeno races
encroaching on Imperial territory and uprisings on Imperial sectors. The
Chapter itself has really forged its early reputation however by fighting the Traitor
Legions in the area, a reputation that has not waned over their history. They
have always been one of the Imperiums shock troops even amongst their brother
marines, no doubt a legacy of the Blood Angels Legion. They have close ties to
their parent Chapter, and have carried on the tradition of wearing the all-red
of the Blood Angels, albeit with white trim in way of the black. The Flesh
Eaters symbol is a stylised monstrous fanged maw which does little to detract
from their notoriety. It has been noted that they have used other markings
though certain campaigns, particularly through the infamously brutal and well
celebrated Desmodus Campaign. A variation on the Chapter Symbol is often used
with this pattern, consiting of open jaws with a singular blood drop between
them. For both schemes, the Company and Squad markings are those laid down by
the Blood angels, although only the Helms of veterans differ from the standard
Codex Red. These are Gold in colour.

Homeworld

The Flesh Eaters took the planet of Karpathia for their
homeworld at their founding at the beginning of M32, ruling in the name of the
Emperor of mankind ever since. The people of the planet are a feral and
superstitious people, yet they are hard working and of a strong tribal warrior
caste providing excellent candidates for the Adeptus Astartes, adapting well to
the hard line rule of the Flesh Eaters. These pale complexioned, dark haired
natives seem to breed well but their population never seems to grow by much, an
anomaly yet to be investigated perhaps due to Karpathias status as an Astartes
World, or more likely, it has not even noticed by the squires of the Imperium
as the Imperial Tythes are payed in good time and all seems well. However, the
process of turning young Karpathians into towering Space Marines is a slow and
painful one, and the Chapter has few scouts to show for this, suggesting in
failed attempts to create new Astartes. Or perhaps there is a darker reason as
to why Karpathias population does not seem to grow; without the co-operation of
the Chapter none could tell.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh190/MidnightRunner81/spacemarine5-2.jpg

Certain
feral warrior customs have continued within the ranks of the Flesh Eaters
through the generations, with two of the worst including ritual impaling,
sometimes of thousands during particularly successful campaigns. This not only
proclaims the martial power of the Flesh Eaters but also puts the fear of the
Emperor in would be adversaries. The
second is the beheading and claiming of skulls of particularly worthy foes -
some of the Flesh Eaters most decorated champions are covered in skull
trophies, and take great martial pride in seeking out and beheading enemy
champions. Again, the fear in opponents this induces is something which the
Flesh Eaters thrive on, and is part of their inherited make up.

Located in the far eastern Noctem Aeternam Sector of
Segmentum Solar, Karpathia is a small but mountainous planet covered in
treacherous peaks and deep, forest covered valleys. Due to its location of its
adjacent sister planet, most of the time Karpathia is bathed in darkness with
the only daylight time limited to short hours of twilight. Atop the highest
peak is the mighty obsidian fortress monestary of the Flesh Eaters, litrally
built into the mountain range. Inacsessable to the mortals below, a constant
eerie mist surrounds its lower reaches, and weapons systems etch its walls.
Sightless, forboding statues line its towers pushing thoughts of heresy from
the people of Karpathia. The Arch Angel, Primarch Sanguinius, stands cental
over all on the largest, darkest tower, the Tower of Voro,
his wings and arms outstretched as he looks towards the stars, watching over
his Scions who are away from their home. It is said that tortured screams can
be heard in the distance from the towers upper echelons, though nobody speaks
of such things nor of what happens in this most haunted, desolate place.

The Darkest Secret

There is but one secret of the Flesh Eaters that will
never be known to those outside the Chapter, a shame that will forever be
burned into their very souls. It knaws at each and every marine eclipsing even
the Red Thirst and the Black Rage; and that is the fate of the 5th company. It
weighs heavy on their hearts that they had to destroy their own brothers who
fell to the worship of a thirsting Bloody Lord of Skulls. No record of the
fateful events are recorded, the 5th Company completely expunged from all
scripture of the Flesh Eaters. Great loses to the rest of the Chapter during
that day are documented only as The Red Strife. Worse, if it can happen once,
what fate awaits the future of an already doomed Chapter?

The
Chapter Today

Their origins as an ancient Chapter mean they have a long
and glorious history tracing back to their early times, but as the centuries
have passed they have become more and more divorced from the Imperium of
Mankind. This is without doubt due to a secret curse, a curse placed upon the
Chapter even before its birth; the 10,000 year old curse suffered of all Scions
of Sanguinius; the dual death screams of the Red Thirst and the Black Rage. All
Successors of the Blood Angels suffer from the flaw in the geneseed, some more
than others. The Flesh Eaters are one of the more afflicted Chapters, and it
can only be the reason the Chapter has become what it is today, a Chapter to be
fatally undone by their own flesh..

The Red Thirst

The dark secret harboured all successors of the Blood Angels
Legion; the Red Thirst is an unnatural craving of blood. Most of these Chapters
manage to fight to control this craving with sheer strength of will. Some
successors, notably the Blood Drinkers, have used the craving for blood in
their rituals as a way of controlling the flaw, resulting near elimination of
the Black Rage. However the Flesh Eaters suffer the burden of the secret curse
more than most. This is down to the fact that their geneseed has suffered slow
mutation of the Omophagea Gland in addition to further flaws exhibited by there
Brother Chapters, resulting in the need more than just to defeat the enemy in
close combat for the blood craving; the Flesh Eaters actually have a dependency
on the blood and flesh of the living. If a battle brother does not feed their
craving, then he wastes away a shrivelled husk. Furthermore, this need for
flesh and blood has resulted in an almost constant state of red thirst when in
battle. Marines of the Flesh Eaters Chapter are more than blood thirsty
warriors suffering mere lapses in self control, many battle brothers border on
full blown psychotic. It also seems to have resulted almost unprecedented
occurrences of the Black Rage.

The Black Rage

The Blood Angels geneseed is unique in the way cells were
taken from Sanguinius' dead body to be used after his death at the hands of the
arch traitor, Horus, 10,000 years ago. Sanguinius was a powerful psyker and as
a result the geneseed is imprinted with memories of this final battle.
Sometimes on the eve of battle, something can trigger this memory and a battle
brother's mind is thrust back to this time of heresy. A feeling of rage
overcomes the Astartes' mind and to others he appears mad with fury, unable to
distinguish past from present. The Chapter Chaplains chant the Moripatris and
the afflicted is taken to form the Death Company with fellow stricken brothers.
This is the Black Rage. Members of the Death Company seek one thing: death in
battle fighting against the enemies of the Emperor.

The Sarcophagus

During rare occasions of rest,
Battle Brothers of the Flesh Eaters Chapter sleep in specially buit, ancient
sarcophagi, which have a constant supply of fresh blood. Tended to by Familiars
(Chapter Serf's) and Servitors, they await the next duty for the Emperor,
rebuilding their physical strength and tempering their mind. As the sands of
time have marched on, less time is spent in these devices, ergo more blood is
required to feed the Astartes inside.

Some of the Blood Angels successors apear to have been able
to minimise the Black Rage through various method albeit science or prayer. The
Flesh Eaters are not one of these Chapters, far from it. When they take to the
theatre of war, the Death Company contingent rarely numbers less than 30.
Scholars believe the reason for this to be down to the Chapters need for blood,
mutating the geneseed in ways that differ from the likes of the Blood Drinkers
Chapter, who seem to control the Black Rage by using blood in their many
rituals. Other scholars believe there to be a much darker reason, however
nothing has come of such suspicions, not lest for fear of a Flesh Eater
reprisal. Members of the Death Compnys armour is repainted black and covered
in red saltires representing Sanguinius final wounds, with the Brothers own
various honours and oaths of past moments affixed to them. Perhaps this is some
form of comfort to Battle Brothers of the Flesh Eaters, as they embrace their
visions of ancient times from the past sure in the knowledge as sure as
Sanguinius himself was sure that their time is nigh, and their deeds will be
but memories. A metal plate baring the lost Brothers name is fitted to his
right pauldron, this is then retrieved after the battle and placed on the wall
in the Chamber of Requiesce, remembering lost brothers even in duties end.

Sacrificial Feast of the Lost

Not all Death Company Brothers are destined to meet a
glorious death at the hands of the Emperors enemies. Those that dont may be put
in stasis until a suitable time until they can be unleashed and they find peace
at the side of The Great Angel. For some, the peace that is death at war does
not come. These Brothers are released from their mortal form during what has
become known as the Sacrificial Feast of the Lost, where they are consumed by
their very brethren. It is a solemn feast that takes place atop the Tower of Voro, and is quite unlike the crazed
victory feasts that take place after successful campaigns. This is meant not
only as a sign of respect, but also to help The Lost find an honourable peace
and to ensure that they live on in the Chapter forever. It is quite possible
that this ritual has caused such a high rate of Astartes to succumb to Black
Rage, although it is not something that the Chapter's Sanguinary Priests are
willing to investigate.

Organisation

The Flesh Eaters have four companies of Marines, each rarely
at full strength. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th are the battle companies, with the
veteran 1st company split between these three either as support squads or squad
leaders, never fighting together as a complete company. Initiate scouts are
inducted straight into the battle companies to complete there training, with no
official scout company existing in these dark times. The Chapter also maintains
a small Sanguinary Guard which acts as the Chapter Master's personal bodyguard,
while they have 15 suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armour.

Due to the limited numbers, the Flesh Eaters are constantly
in theatre of war with two of the three battle companies and supports, with the
remaining one garrisoning Karpathia on a rotor basis. They have a strong
armoury, together with many vehicles at there disposal, being in the
unfortunate position of not being able to man all of their vehicles. Not to let
mere mortals or lowly servitors man them, they sit prepped yet idle, the
machine spirits waiting to be called into service. The Chapter is lucky enough
to have ancient vehicles and weapons dating back to the dark times of the great
betrayal to call upon, as they received gifts from their primogenitor at the
3rd founding. In fact their flag ship, the Teeth of Damnation, was bestowed
upon them at their founding by the Blood Angels, fully restored by the Adeptus
Mechanicus to help the building of the new Chapter.

The Golance War

Already decimated by the
Black Rage and the events which saw the 5th Company Wiped out, the unfortunate
war on the Mechanicum Forge World of Golance, saw the Flesh Eaters reduced to
their lowest ebb losing 350 marines and officers resulting the doomed Chapter
that it is today.

Unable to purge the planet of a large force of treacherous
xeno Eldar scum, who had gained control of a secret hidden weapon, Chapter
Master Isiah requests reinforcements. 5 marines of the Mentor Legion arrive
shortly after, seemingly already on route. These marines changed the course of
the long protracted war and helped bring it to a swift end, with Isiah
personally taking the Farseer's head in single combat. No Eldar left the world
of Golance despite surrendering; something the Mentors disagreed with but kept
their counsel over. The aftermath of the war is the Flesh Eaters have suffered
a blow which they cannot hope to recover, attrition rate far higher than the
induction of new blood. With a heavy heart, Isiah wears the skull of the
Farseer to this day as a constant reminder of how low his Chapter has sunk, and
as a symbol of defiance to the Emperors' foes; foes who will feel what happens
when a great wounded animal is backed into a corner.

Combat Doctrine

Being Blood Angels successors, the Flesh Eaters excel as
close assault shock troops. Where they differ from the Blood Angels is that
they are quite Codex divergent. Over the course of the centuries, as the flaw
has taken hold, the Flesh Eaters are becoming more and more a dedicated assault
force. Every Flesh Eater has it in him to get to grips with his enemy as soon
as possible, leaving only the most stalwart and strong willed to hold tactical
positions in Tactical or Devastator Squads, with most marines equipped with
chainsword and bolt pistol. Many a tactical battle has resulted in a close
assault rout, with marines gripped by the thirst rending enemies apart with chainsword
and pistol, fist and teeth. Worse, sickening sights of dismemberment and even
impaling and crucifixions have done little to enhance the Flesh Eaters
unsavoury reputation. Indeed, enemies have been broken by just witnessing such
sights, and allies have refused to fight along side them. This brings us to the
biggest weapon in the Chapters arsenal: Fear.

The Flesh Eaters are a brutal Chapter, and their own
hierarchy know this. Fear is a tool used to great effect to enable goals to be
met. The Chapters ancient scrolls and sacred texts point to how they use it in
war, enemies overcome by fear become easy prey. Lightning fast raids using jump
troops break enemy lines, true Scions of Sanguinius controlling the sky,
covered in skulls and trophies. Lucifer pattern engined vehicles roaring up
before enemy troops can react, spitting death in all directions; Death Company
marines with monstrous roaring Dreadnoughts dropped by Stormraven gunships,
blood red saltires on obsidian armour. The Flesh Eaters are masters of
lightning fast warfare, truly terrifying to behold once unleashed.

The Future

They are undone, the hour glass empties and the Chapter
embraces its fate. All brothers of the Flesh Eaters know they are a part of a
dying Chapter who will soon be confined to the history books of the Imperium.
Every one of them however is honour bound to take the fight to Emperors
enemies, to destroy those who rebel, to massacre the xeno filth, and unleash
their Hell on those from the Great Betrayal; traitor and daemonkind alike. The
Flesh Eaters are dying, but many, many more will die before they do. Indeed,
theose that do may well be the lucky ones

B

rothers,
there is but one certainty in this life; death. It is not a curse when
the Great Angel infuses you with his power, his psyche, his final memories from
the time past. It is a blessing to be embraced for nought shall stand before
you, his Scions, his very life blood. Go forth and claim these traitor's
skulls. For The Emperor, For Sanguiness!!

Voivod Captain Valek of the 3rd Co. addressing the Death Company shortly before the
Alvatine Massacre

Battle Cry

For The Emperor, For Sanguinius

Viscus Voro

References

Please note my fluff is purely fanboy stuff, melded with
what little 'official' Flesh Eater fluff there is, as well as other
non-official sources. Hopefully it works together to create a good (bad!!)
vision of my own personal opinion of this most brutal of Chapters, as well as
providing some background material to my army. Hopefully I have not tread on
any toes in doing this. References:-

Codex:Angels of Death

Codex: Blood Angels (5th ed)

The Lexicanum

Wiki 40k

Of course,
Chaplain
Desmodus' simply excellent Flesh Eaters which need to be seen to be
believed, so if you haven't seen them or read his fluff, go look!!

With thanks to
Chaplain
Hiltraud, who has his own version outstanding version of the Flesh Eaters
both army and fluff; and DeathKnight2000
who has a deep affiliation with not only Blood Angels but also their more
vampiric side and was instrumental in helping me with my IA.

EDIT - Er, okay, since the upgrade I haven't checked on it, this is now all over the place - I will endeavor to sort it out. Soon......maybe!

Edited May 7, 2013 by Midnight Runner

[fivepointedstar]

Awesome. Now the Flesh Eaters have a proper IA. Shame on GW for not giving up any info one of Sanguinius' most illustrious sons bloody reputation. Thanks Midnight Runner for coming up with this awesome article.

[Midnightmare]

Cheers for the comment Dk2k! I have tried to make it pretty generalistic, leaving a lot to the imagination allowing anybody else to use it as a basis and expand on it further in their own way, while still giving a good 'feel' for this brutal Chapter. Has it worked? I would guess by the lack of replies it is either 100% good, or more likely a bit meh......Comments and critisism welcomed guys, good or bad ^_^