DG's WIP Chapter: The Impalers

[darth_giles]

Home World

Dulkis III was a feral desert death world, which was more than suited for producing the sort of humans who make fine Adeptus Astartes recruits. Its lack of industry, however, would prove its downfall when infiltrated by the more technologically advanced Hrud. The planetary government of Dulkis IV saw no point in trying to arm or militarize its savage neighbors, and merely waited until the infestation had become completely intolerable before requesting aid.

 

Dulkis IV served as a temporary homeworld while the chapter's fortress- monastery was carved. The factories and manufactora built to serve the Impalers have long been turned over to the Adeptus Mechanicus and now manufacture Chimeras and Leman Russ tanks for the Imperial Guard. While these tanks are rarely as well- crafted as those made on a proper Forge World, they serve admirably compared to those often cobbled together on civilized worlds. Unfortunately for the Impalers, Dulkis IV fails to produce suitable recruits for the Adeptus Astartes, and the Impalers must recruit elsewhere.

 

The Impalers now operate from their massive fortress- monastery, which is the size of a small moon and orbits Dulkis IV. It has only been seen to move twice, when it was taken to Mars in M.40 for repairs to its warp engines which could not be completed anywhere else. The fortress- monastery includes all of their current manufactora, as well as anything else which could reasonably be expected of such an installation.

 

They recruit from several feral and death worlds, but have thus far preferred recruits from the night world of Colantua, which orbits a red giant star. Colantuan recruits take to the Impaler geneseed better than most others, and are already used to fighting to survive against the horrors of that cold, dark world.

 

Organization

While the Crow Brothers followed the Codex Astartes quite strictly, the Impalers' organization was massively overhauled under Ralle's tenure. The first through third battle companies are composed of two veteran squads trained in the use of terminator armor, six squads which are trained to serve as either tactical or assault squads, and two devastator squads. The fourth through sixth companies are composed similarly, with one or two veteran squads, multiple tactical squads also trained in the use of bikes, and devastator squads also trained in the use of attack bikes. The embedding of veterans within the battle companies was done to facilitate the training of new battle- brothers during the early days of the chapter's rebuilding, however it became tradition as the centuries passed.

 

Currently, the chapter has no full- strength companies beyond the sixth. The seventh through ninth companies are not yet combat- ready as of this writing in 750 M.41, and their composition is as- yet unknown.

 

The Impalers are also lacking the numbers of dreadnoughts commonly found in other chapters. They currently have three. One is a Librarian, rated as a Lexicanum, and another is assigned to the First Company. Both prefer to use Furioso weaponry. The third dreadnought is mounted in a Contemptor chassis, and assigned to the scout company as part of the training cadre. The Impalers' having even one Contemptor is unusual considering the Crow Brothers' lack of such dreadnoughts, but they have an additional five unoccupied Contemptor sarcophagi. All of these Contemptors are in pristine condition and have attracted the attention of the Adeptus Mechanicus several times, with various tech-adepts studying the ancient machines in the hope of rediscovering the secrets of their manufacture- after all, Contemptors rarely stay unoccupied long enough for study.

 

Ralle's initial retinue was designated the Black Guard after the apostates were purged; it was re- armed and trained in the use of armor further upgraded beyond the usual Mk.IIIc suit, gauntlet- mounted bolters, and massive power weapons. The Black Guard was increased to three squads in M.40 under the leadership of Lord Joshua, and again to four under the current leadership of Lord Perobas.

 

The Impalers generally follow Codex marking schemes using white designations, although they overlay squad numbers over the designation and usually ignore company distinctions unless absolutely necessary.

[darth_giles]

Combat Doctrine

The Impalers' preferred weapon, and perhaps their preferred drink as well, is fear. While their reputation alone is enough to strike fear into the hearts of a would- be foe, the Impalers have developed methodologies which increase that to a fever pitch. Common practices involve flooding comms channels with screams and vid- clips of torture, leaving impaled victims out where they will be found, shelling medical facilities and food stores, and the occasional use of poison gas.

 

When forced to actually fight, the Impalers use chainspears, power lances, and similar spear- like weapons in close combat, and prefer the use of flamers above all other weapons. Similarly, many of their Predator tanks are equipped with flamestorm cannon turrets and heavy flamer sponsons. Their training with jump packs and bikes allows them a degree of mobility not commonly found in a Codex Space Marine chapter, which they frequently use to their advantage.

 

The Impalers are noted for their use of overcharged engines in their Rhinos and derivatives. They guard the secrets of these engines almost as closely as the Blood Angels do their Lucifer- pattern engines. Engineseers have only obtained a few glimpses at the internals of a Razorback which had suffered massive battle- damage on Forthall, and brough back descriptions of a highly modified vacuum system.

 

Beliefs

One banner sums up the Impalers' religious ceremonies: the Banner of the Imperator Vorant. This banner depicts the Emperor seated at the head of a long table, being served a massive plate of human limbs and organs. There is an undeniable look of blissful joy on the Emperor's face. This banner is rarely paraded compared to the Impalers' other chapter banners. By this writing in 750 M.41, it has been seen less than two dozen times.

 

Chapter officers commonly wear robes made out of tanned human skin, which are pieced together using tiny monofilament. What significance there is to these robes is not entirely clear; some officers have hinted that the flaying of several victims is a common rite of passage amongst officer candidates, while others merely smile, and taste the air surrounding the one asking.

 

The Reclusium and Apothecarion of the Impalers are merged into one unit referred to as "the priesthood" by its battle- brothers. The involvement of the chaplains in the process of making a new recruit has been observed to help them develop stronger ties with the Imperial cult, and it also gives the Apothecaries a role as lay- ministers to the chapter when a chaplain might not be available.

 

Few representatives of the Ministorum, Inquisition, or Imperial Guard have been invited to dine at the Emperor's Banquet, but those who do all tell the same story. There is a solemn ritual dance in which the battle- brothers present chant and beat the massive ceramite- plated butts of their spears against the ground, while the chaplains and apothecaries consecrate the ritual victims, who are bound on iron frameworks. Once the consecration is finished, the chaplains decapitate the victims, and place their heads on poles, while their blood drains into massive vessels. The apothecaries then carve the victims' flesh and serve it and chalices of blood to the battle- brothers, then the chapter officers, then the highest- ranked officer and any dignitaries who have been invited. As many as two hundred victims may be slaughtered for such a repast.

 

Recent battles in M.41 have shown that individual squads are capable of performing an impromptu version of the Feast if a chaplain or apothecary is present. A few vid- logs have been recovered of these priests saying hasty prayers over their battle- brother's kill and then allowing them to draw combat knives and feed like a pack of starving hyenadons.

 

While the Impalers' rites have become debased, there is no evidence of the taint of the Runious Powers or Xenos. Their faith in the Emperor is pure, as is their belief that it really was a vision of Him that directed Ralle to purge the Crow Brothers and showed them the way back to the Imperium. Inquisitors have examined the Impalers from time to time, but they always prove themselves free of corruption.

 

Geneseed

The Impalers display the typical mutations which are the hallmark of the Raven Guard: ashen white skin and midnight- black eyes and additionally have a mutation of their neuroglottis. This manifests itself by forming a dozen or so pheromone- sensitive pits on each side of a Space Marine's tongue. These pits are incredibly sensitive to the pheromones generated by fear, allowing an Impaler to literally taste and savor his victim's terror. The Adeptus Mechanicus is watching this mutation, but has thus far taken no action upon it.

 

Battle Cry

The Impalers have no known battle- cry, preferring instead to pipe recorded screams of tortured victims through their helmet- voxes and vox- casters.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Pits on the tongue's sides is an EXTREME mutation, and largely unnecessary- just give them the Acute Senses USR, like the Space Wolves. As for spears, they're thrusting weapons, not slashing ones; I can picture power spears or chainhalberds, but NOT chainspears. Besides, bayonets are more useful than spears, because if the enemy's beyond its reach, you can use the gun the bayonet is attached to; better to use chainbayonets instead.

[Messor]

Pits on the tongue's sides is an EXTREME mutation, and largely unnecessary- just give them the Acute Senses USR, like the Space Wolves. As for spears, they're thrusting weapons, not slashing ones; I can picture power spears or chainhalberds, but NOT chainspears. Besides, bayonets are more useful than spears, because if the enemy's beyond its reach, you can use the gun the bayonet is attached to; better to use chainbayonets instead.

 

The Space Wolves don't just 'have' the Acute Senses USR, though, they have a fluff justification.

 

As for spears, plenty of them are capable slashing weapons, and in the 'far future' there should be no shortage of options, chainspears included. More significantly, if the Chapter actually considers fear to be one of its weapons, than we should expect them to take steps outside logic. Often things that make no sense are the most frightening. I don't know if you mean your spear troops to be restricted to assault units, but if not, Bjorn makes an excellent point about ranged weapons. Spears with vast disposable numbers would be a terror force, but Space Marines don't have those. Unless you have some solid ranged support units, your spearsmen would be outclassed by any ranged force. At the same time, many a Blood Angel army has been composed mostly of assault units, who use pistols, on which a bayonet has no place. I have no suggestions for how, but I'd give your spearsmen an easily usable sidearm, which could be a tall order with spears. I've seen halberds with boltguns on them, but I don't know if a spear could pull it off.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Alternative: Put spear points on long weapons that can be used like spears, like sniper rifles, lascannons, autocannons (have them reverse-engineer Reaper autocannons, if you wish), etc.

 

Hey, it worked for the Adeptus Custodes and the Minotaurs (see here).

[darth_giles]

Thanks for the input, all. I'm going to have to be working on it, because my source for chainspears only provides right-handed ones. That's going to result in some of them having two CCWs and a pistol in a holster- I'm *so* glad I stockpiled all those holstered pistols right now. Either way it shouldn't affect them mechanically because pistols can be used as a second CCW.

 

I was imagining a fighting style involving a Hammer of Wrath- style charge with the squad firing its jump packs and lowering its spears with one hand lance-style, maybe firing their bolt pistols or swinging around with a chainsword in their their other hand once a victim has been speared. This isn't a pretty Angelic charge like the BA Codex; this is a fast-moving assault unit more like the Flying Monkey Raptors in Fire Warrior.

 

They do have Devastator Squads, Stormravensm and Predators for fire support. So while the Flying Monkey Squad is getting into position, you've got frag, krak, and bloodstrike missiles coming downrange along with assault cannon and other stuff.

 

One of the ideas I was thinking about developing was that when the 7th company was re-activated around 800M.41, it specialized in mechanized assault. Terminators coming out of Land Raiders, Rhino tactical/assault squads, Devastator squads in Razorbacks, and possibly a few supernumerary squads of crews for Predators, Flamestorm Preds, Whirlwinds, and Vindicators.

[darth_giles]

Bases. I've decided against going with the "road of damnation" style that I showed a while ago. The sculpey was too thick and it wasn't crumbling quite right. I decided on something a little different, using a texture press-on that makes it look like hexagonal (or in this case, ruined hexagonal) tile.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/darth_giles/Blood%20Angels/DSCF0179_zps1ccd4ac8.jpg

[fivepointedstar]

Alternative: Put spear points on long weapons that can be used like spears, like sniper rifles, lascannons, autocannons (have them reverse-engineer Reaper autocannons, if you wish), etc.

 

Hey, it worked for the Adeptus Custodes and the Minotaurs (see here).

As far as spear-like weapons that could slash there are plenty of Japanese pole arms that rely on the slash movement to do it's business. To name a few like the Naginata, Nagimaki, Yari, Nodochi, Odochi. These weapons were the huge great battle blades of Japan. Who's to say Space Marine's of the Impaler's created chain powered versions of said historical weapons.

[fivepointedstar]

Modeling wise you could order a bunch of the grey knight halberds. And cut the blades off, and glue on shorted chain sword blades. Or just get a few, and use them for your elite veterans.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Alternative: Put spear points on long weapons that can be used like spears, like sniper rifles, lascannons, autocannons (have them reverse-engineer Reaper autocannons, if you wish), etc.

 

Hey, it worked for the Adeptus Custodes and the Minotaurs (see here).

As far as spear-like weapons that could slash there are plenty of Japanese pole arms that rely on the slash movement to do it's business. To name a few like the Naginata, Nagimaki, Yari, Nodochi, Odochi. These weapons were the huge great battle blades of Japan. Who's to say Space Marine's of the Impaler's created chain powered versions of said historical weapons.

Yes, but darth_giles specifically used the term "chainspears," NOT "chainhalberds," "chainglaives," or "chainnaginata." Change the wording, and we're good.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Modeling wise you could order a bunch of the grey knight halberds. And cut the blades off, and glue on shorted chain sword blades. Or just get a few, and use them for your elite veterans.

Personally, I thought darth_giles could attach combat knives to the end of a chainaxe, forming a "halberd" that could be used as either power blade or chainaxe. This could be a signature weapon of the Impalers Honor Guard- the rest can attach bayonets to the end of lascannons, sniper rifles, autocannons, etc.

[darth_giles]

Modeling wise you could order a bunch of the grey knight halberds. And cut the blades off, and glue on shorted chain sword blades. Or just get a few, and use them for your elite veterans.

Personally, I thought darth_giles could attach combat knives to the end of a chainaxe, forming a "halberd" that could be used as either power blade or chainaxe. This could be a signature weapon of the Impalers Honor Guard- the rest can attach bayonets to the end of lascannons, sniper rifles, autocannons, etc.

I'd considered Grey Knight stuff, but IIRC their stuff is all power weapons. With chainspears, you can tell at a glance which ones are regular CCWs and which ones are power lances. Anyone else remember "gold sword vs. silver sword" issues in early BT armies? I might go with the "use them for the elites" thing, though.

 

Although it does say "chain glaives," but there isn't all that much difference in the fighting style. They're all basically a chainsaw on a stick being held in front of a madman flying at you with a jump pack.

 

Personally, I thought darth_giles could attach combat knives to the end of a chainaxe, forming a "halberd" that could be used as either power blade or chainaxe. This could be a signature weapon of the Impalers Honor Guard- the rest can attach bayonets to the end of lascannons, sniper rifles, autocannons, etc.

I think I'll pass. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[Wulfebane]

One or two of the csm raptor chainswords would work for piercing-type chainspears.

 

http://www.spikeybits.com/media/1a/a20792b13a4d120277e3a8_l.JPG

[darth_giles]

Those new plastics are a good chunk of why I didn't just play Chaos like I usually have. When GW went to the Chaos Terminator range for the 3rd edition CSM plastic box, it looked pretty good. These new Raptors and the Dark Vengeance plastics just look right. Its like the're going from Chaos Space Marines to Chaos Space Marines.

 

It also takes a lot of the fun out of corrupting loyalist figures, and could break compatibility sometime way down the line.

[darth_giles]

One thing I've always liked about Space Marines is having lots of banner poles, even if my freehand ability isn't usually up to par. So one of the things I'm going to be looking for is a way to make an old-style character backpack. I could do up outlines in GIMP, print them on sticker paper, then paint by the numbers.

 

So while I doubt I'll be able to make banners for the assault squads- they don't seem to mix well and I'm already converting the hell out of my Sanguinary Guard jump packs so I can have Iron Halo and Apothecary jump packs (not sure what I'll do for my Librarians). That leaves me Terminators, Dev Squads, Bike Squads (mounted on the back of the sergeant's bike?) Dreadoughts. So what do the individual squad banners look like, just a giant arrow, chevron, or Crux?

 

Although I've considered impaling some skeletons and zombies on the sergeants' backpacks. That could be fun.

 

I'm also wondering about the Impalers' Sacred and Company Standards. Thus far, I've got two described: the Banner of the Emperor Vorant, and the Shas'o on a Stick. So what do the other banners look like? Hm...

 

The Shas'o on a Stick is going to be mounted on a dreadnnought. There's no way in hell any one Space Marine is going to be able to carry it. Too awkward and off-balance.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

So while I doubt I'll be able to make banners for the assault squads- they don't seem to mix well and I'm already converting the hell out of my Sanguinary Guard jump packs so I can have Iron Halo and Apothecary jump packs (not sure what I'll do for my Librarians). That leaves me Terminators, Dev Squads, Bike Squads (mounted on the back of the sergeant's bike?) Dreadoughts. So what do the individual squad banners look like, just a giant arrow, chevron, or Crux?

For Devastator Squads, a dragon's head gripping the spear (Chapter symbol) in its jaws. For Bike Squads, a flaming wheel superimposed over the Chapter symbol. For Terminator Squads, a gauntlet gripping the spear. Note the inclusion of the spear, so there's no mistaking which Chapter these Marines belong to.

Although I've considered impaling some skeletons and zombies on the sergeants' backpacks. That could be fun.

I'd limit it to the skull and backbone, to minimize how unwieldy the Marine officer would be.

The Shas'o on a Stick is going to be mounted on a dreadnnought. There's no way in hell any one Space Marine is going to be able to carry it. Too awkward and off-balance.

Maybe it can be mounted on Land Raiders, along with skeletons and zombies from your other idea?

[darth_giles]

Bjorn, I'll have to see about those. They're a little bit beyond my freehanding ability right now, although they do sound really impressive.