IA: The Black Cell

[McNinja]

[The Black Cell Space Marines Chapter]

 

[Origins]

The Black Cell was created in the tenth founding shortly before the Age of Apostasy, but they were not originally the Black Cell. Once, they were known as the Forge Knights, and they were created to guard the south-eastern sectors of the Segmentum Tempestus from all forms of raiders, xenos and human alike.

 

The change came during the Age of Apostasy. The Frateris Templar began to bring world after world under the thumb of the Ecclesiarchy, and many of those worlds belonged to the Forge Knights. They were not pleased that the Templars were burning planets for what seemed like no reason at all, and several skirmishes occurred, with the Forge Knights seeking to secure their hold on the sector of Hexon and the Frateris Templars declaring the planets the property of the Ecclesiarchy. The Forge Knights viewed these attacks at raids, and the insane demands of Vandire helped nothing. The Templars burned recruiting worlds, forge worlds, and even attempted to kidnap millions from the Agri-world of Ursis Han. The wrath of the Forge Knights burned with the intensity of a million betrayals, and drove the Frateris Templars from Ursis Han and the rest of the sector. But before either could call for reinforcements, warp storm erupted throughout the Segmentum, cutting huge swathes through the many sectors and trapping Astartes and Templar alike. Many on both sides who attempted warp travel were never seen again, significantly reducing the effective fighting power of all. 

 

For a century, the fragmented Templars and Forge Knights fought. The Templars followed their last known order; bring the Segmentum under control, and the Space Marines fought tooth and nail against them. Eventually, the Templars gave out and were annihilated by the Astartes, but while the Templars were vanquished, their influence was not. Many worlds fell to their madness, and the Forge Knights grew to hate the Ecclesiarchy for such outrageous zealotry and destruction. The Forge Knights recorded every instance of Templar interference for posterity, and created a massive library to contain this information, among other things. 

 

As the storms raged on and the few Forge Knights that remained attempted to regrow they chapter, they quickly realized that out of the entire sector they were stuck in, there were barely any planets that could provide decent recruits, and many of those planets were being attacked by xenos raiders or pirates who took advantage of the new isolation to strike in the weakest areas. The Forge Knights quickly established a fortress on Thraxis, a garden world renowned for its natural beauty. Due to the severity and increasing number of attacks, they realized that the rate at which they were replenishing their ranks would not suffice. PDF and Imperial Guard regiments were being massacred, and so the Astartes began training the remaining humans in the only way they knew how; life-or-death Astartes training. Veteran storm troopers were recruited by the Forge Knights to train initiates. New recruits were sent into meat-grinder missions against pirates, establishing themselves in pirate bands before feeding information to the Forge Knights so that they could attack in the best time and place or performing full-on assassination missions inside of cramped star forts. As the sector slowly came under the Forge Knights control once again, the warp storms subsided, and efforts were made to contact the rest of the chapter and the rest of the imperium. 

 

The heresy of Vandire was made clear to the Forge Knights, but the chapter remained distrustful. The Forge Knights were reduced to three companies and had only just filled a fourth company as the storms subsided. To them, they were no longer a chapter, and the traitor Vandire and his insanity had left a black stain on their entire history. Now, they call themselves the Black Cell, a name chosen to denote their blackened history and their confinement during the Age of Apostasy. They do not trust any member of the Ecclesiarchy at all, and other agents of the various High Lords are treated with great suspect. They retain the storm troopers they trained during the Apostasy, and now, those storm troopers are an inextricable part of the Black Cell, used as infiltrators, saboteurs, and assassins of the highest caliber, even after the Black Cell returned to full strength. They remain ever-vigilant against such despicable men as Vandire and those who follow orders blindly are not to be trusted, for they are the tools of men and nothing more. 

 

[Timeline]

~500.M35 – Forge Knights created

~200.M36 – Age of Apostasy. Warp Storms seal of or destroy much of the Forge Knight fleet, leaving only a few companies to combat the Frateris Templar and various raiders, human or xenos in the Hexon Sector.

~300.M36 – Age of Apostasy ends, Sebastion Thor instated as Ecclesiarch, Warp Storms subside. As contact is reestablished, the Forge Knights have lost much and gained little. They have a newfound distrust of all members of the Imperial Cult. They begin to refer to themselves as the Black Cell in memorial to their fallen brothers and their mistrust of the Ecclesiarchy.

350.M36 – The Library project beings, and storm troopers and marines alike are sent across the galaxy in Divisions to learn all they can about everything, sending storm troopers out into various pirate bands or creating pirate bands in order to deceive various Imperial bodies.

390.M36 – The Hexon sector is fully secured and the Black Cell is at full strength. The Divisions are created to facilitate rapid responses to situations across the Imperium. 

450.M37 – Black Cell Storm Troopers infiltrate a long-lost Adeptus Mechanicum outpost, discovering several prototype weapons untouched for millennia. Many of them are dysfunctional, but several plasma weapons are able to be activated.

300.M38 – A storm trooper is implanted into the pirate band of Skyr’s Hand. 

303.M38 – The storm trooper assassinates the leader of Skyr’s Hand. In the ensuring chaos, the Black Cell moves in, sweeping through the pirates and taking control of their star fort with little resistance. After ten hours, the Black Cell has control of not only the heavily armed fort, but nearly a dozen other ships, which are assimilated into the Black Cell fleet. 

334.M38 – The Black Cell detects a Dark Eldar realspace raid about to occur on the planet Noctis Ultra. As the raid begins, over 200 Storm Talons and Land Speeders descend onto the battlefield. The Black Cell manages to turn the Dark Eldar back, but not before the raiders capture several thousand innocents.

400.M38 – An Ork Waaagh! appears in the Hexon sector, led by Warboss ‘eadcrusha. As the Orks make their way through the system, each battle against the Black Cell costs them a something of great importance; first, a Gargant was blown up from the inside, next, two squads on Nobs disappeared during an ambush. The third battle resulted in sniper team Mico assassinating ‘eadcrusha after sixteen days in Ork-controlled territory. After that, the Orks fell swiftly to the might of the Black Cell.

989.M39 – A team of Scouts led by Master-At-Arms Arakor Skyros Grav-dropped into a Chaos cultist-held Hive city on the world of Herax in an attempt to rescue the Planetary Governor before he could be sacrificed. The cultist leader is dispatched easily, but the Governor is nowhere to be found. After a week of killing cultists and searching every room in the city, they descend into the underhive and find a nothing but corpses lining the streets. The governor’s clothes are found among the dead, but his body is not. Arakor and his team are about to return to their ship when they are set upon from all sides by bloodletters. The fighting is fierce, and they are forced to retreat to higher ground. Grenades do little to slow the advance of the daemons, and three scouts are brutally mutilated and torn apart by the bloodletters. Arakor and his team make it to the top of the hive city and are teleported away just before the battle Barge Xerxes annihilates the city.

997.M41 – The Black Cell is tested to their limits against the Tyranid swarm Hydra. First contact is abrupt and costly for the Black Cell, as they lose an entire system in a week. Their usual tactics of infiltration and subterfuge obviously have no effect on the Tyranids, and so the Black Cell begins to put their mind toward more weapons. Land Raiders are stripped and fitted with Vulcan Mega Bolters, Storm Talons are fitted with Plasma Lances, and Sniper teams are given newly-developed and powerful Titan-pattern anti-material rifles. As the beasts begin to develop immunities towards these weapons, the Black Cell unleashes their own weapon: air-born microbots that resemble flies more than anything else. When inhaled, they clump together and explode. The Black Cell floods the atmosphere of several unpopulated world with them. The advance of the Hyrda is halted within a month.    

 

[Homeworld/System]

The world of Thraxis was selected out of necessity during the Apostasy, being the only decent world that was not under attack in the Hexon sector, and its entire population is now support staff of the chapter, manning weapons, forming the PDF, or becoming chapter serfs. The planet was fortified against constant attacks, and as such is heavily armed against ship-based attacks, possessing an inordinate number of void shields, armor, missiles, and defense lasers. The Fortress-Monastery, Nero, is even equipped with Nova cannons and Lance batteries. 

 

However, Nero is not the only fortress on Thraxis, or even the only one in the system. There are over a dozen smaller bunkers and fortresses, all armed to the teeth. The moon, Thraxis beta, is equipped with powerful comm relays, signal jammers, and additional defenses. Just beyond Thraxis Beta lies Arksus, a Ramilies-class Star Fort that was once the headquarters of a pirate lord. After the pirate lord was killed by the Black Cell in M38, the Black Cell took the Star Fort and repurposed it for their use. Now, it is an additional layer of defense against any invasion and provides additional training grounds for both Space Marines and Storm troopers.

 

There are captured vessels like Arksus all over the sector, and many of those rogue vessels make up much of the Black Cell’s fleet, aiding greatly in infiltration missions where looking the part is key.

 

[Combat Doctrine]

The combat doctrine of the Black Cell is made up of four tenets:

 

+Ignorance is death+ No mission since the reformation of the Forge Knights into the Black Cell has been approved without significant reconnaissance beforehand, and although this may seem slow to other chapters, this method has been crucial in ensuring that each marine comes back alive. 

 

+Unseen and unheard+ Before their near-destruction, the Forge Knights specialized in infiltration and stealth. Afterwards, however, they began looking over everything they did wrong. Their skills of infiltration and stealth have increased tenfold, to the point that those most adept will don Terminator Armor and heavy weapons and see who can get the closest to the enemy before being caught.  

 

+Utterly precise+ The Black Cell prides itself on precision, utilizing sniper rifles for precision kills at range, Grav-chutes for precision HALO insertions, and Power knives or Plasma Cutters for precise up close. Older plasma weapons have been dismantled in order to create new prototype Plasma lance weapons that are more stable and less likely to kill the user. They almost never field tanks, except for open conflicts, and when they do those tanks are fielded with some of the best weaponry the Astartes can get their hands on; against a splinter of Hive Fleet Leviathan, they would regularly field Land Raiders equipped with Vulcan Mega-Bolters as distractions while sniper teams moved around the flanks and disposed of higher Synapse creatures.

 

+Adapt and Overcome+ Much like other stealth specialists, the Black Cell prides itself on being as fluid as possible, with the entire chapter being split into Divisions, bodies larger than comapnies and independent from each other, and then again each company is independent from each other. This enables the Black Cell to not only react rapidly to new situations, but also to allocate resources in an efficient manner. After the Apostasy, they became wholly self-reliant, unwilling to rely on others unless the situation directly requires such cooperation.

 

Sometimes, however, there are places the Space marines cannot infiltrate, and they definitely do not blend in with normal human populations. When this occurs, they rely on two resources: Scouts and Storm Troopers. The Black Cell maintains far more Scouts than usual just for this purpose, and in addition each Division (composed of 250 marines) also travels with a company of Storm Troopers. These Storm Troopers perform operations well outside of their standard missions; Storm Troopers have been known to infiltrate pirate bands or renegade worlds in order to obtain information for the Black Cell. Scouts are not initiates into the Black Cell, but rather fully trained battle brothers who are tasked with infiltration/ambush/assassination missions. Initiates are tasked with the same missions the Storm troopers are, although over the course of their training their size becomes a limiting factor for their infiltration missions. 

 

The Black Cell much prefers long-range combat, but will engage in hand-to-hand if the situation requires such or they notice a weak point in an enemy’s force. They maintain large squadrons of Land Speeders and Storm Talons, opting to use Land Speeder Storms or Grav-chutes instead of Drop Pods. The Black Cell will also send Storm troopers into the local populations (if human) in order to either sway rebels to the side of the Imperium or to gain information on the enemy. 

 

[Organization]

While organized into Companies as per the Codex Astartes, those Companies are not part of the same whole. The Black Cell is then organized into four Divisions, each containing 250 Astartes and 50-100 Storm Troopers. Each Division is independent from the others, enabling the Black Cell to rapidly respond to threats without devoting too much of their fleet to the conflict. The Divisions patrol different regions of imperial space, with one division staying in their home sector. This division is known as Division Alpha, and is responsible for training all initiates. 

 

Black Cell squads only operate in combat squads of five in order to maintain smaller footprints and reduce the likelihood of detection.

 

Each Division is entirely autonomous and operates with complete independence from the rest of the Black Cell. Every five years, the Divisions will rotate members, swapping those stationed in the Fortress Monastery and Star Fort for those who have been on more missions than they can count. 

 

[beliefs]

The Forge Knights worship no man, no matter how powerful. Their primarch, Corax, is no more than a master-general to them, but they seek to honor his name in battle. Originally, they viewed human with the same sort of disdain that most Space marines do, but after being forced to live with them and interact with them every day for nearly a century, they became more humanitarian, although mainly to their own people. 

 

[Gene-seed]

The Forge Knights were supposedly created from the Raptors, which may serve to explain why the Black Cell possesses such remarkable marksmanship and preference for long-range combat. 

 

[Chapter Motto]

"Ignorance is Death"

 

 

USING A BLACK CELL ARMY IN WARHAMMER 40,000

++++++++++++++++++ Black Cell USR ++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------------------------------------
-[And They Shall Know no Fear]
-[Counter-Attack]
-[scout]
-[Move Through Cover]
-[A Cut Above]: The Black Cell is trained from the start in a manner more akin to Imperial Assassin training that Space Marine training. Each marine is also responsible for the maintenance of all of their weapons and armor. To represent their above standard training and craftsmanship, as well as their intimate knowledge of every fighting force in the galaxy, all Black Cell models gain Preferred Enemy (Everything!).
-[stealth Insertion]: As it is impossible to stealthily land a Drop Pod or Jump Pack unit, the Black Cell have become very adept at using Grav-Chutes. Because they use them so often, any units equipped with Grav-Chutes that Deep Strike only scatter D6" instead of the normal 2D6".
------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++++ Chapter-Specific Equipment ++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------------------------------------

[Plasma Lance Weaponry]: Though not quite as powerful as standard plasma weapons, this series of redesigned weaponry is designed for precision strikes against light vehicles and heavy infantry, replacing the unwieldy and oftentimes uncontrollable plasma weapons in use by the rest of the Imperium. They use the following profile:
[Plasma Charger] -- R:10" S:6 AP:2 Type: Pistol
[Plasma Carbine] -- R:20" S:6 AP:2 Type: Rapid Fire
[Plasma Lance] ----- R:30" S:6 AP:2 Type: Salvo 2/3
Each replaces the standard plasma weapons in a squads options. Replace all instances of Plasma Pistol, Plasmagun, and Plasma Cannon with the Plasma Charger, Plasma Carbine, and Plasma Lance respectively.

[stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifle]: Combining the best of both Boltguns and Sniper Rifles, the recently developed Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifles are a huge step in the advancement of personnel removal devices. This weapon uses the following profile:
R:36" S:4 AP:5 Type: Salvo 1/2, Sniper

[Power Knife]: Developed for extreme close quarters combat, the Power Knife is more or less a power sword, but smaller. The smaller size allows for quicker movements and those who wield them, especially with pistols, are a deadly foe to face. They use the following profile: R:- S:User AP:4 Type: Melee, +1 Initiative

[Recon Armor]: Due to their unique disposition as a rather stealthy Chapter, a few enterprising techmarines developed Recon Armor, also known as sneaky power armor. Using techniques found from Raven Guard techmarines, the armor is completely silent, allowing to giant space marines to move unheard. Recon Armor also comes standard with Cameleoline, which increases their stealth capabilities even further. Models with Recon Armor gain the Shrouded special rule in addition to the standard 3+ armor save.

[Camo Shrouds]: Very similar to the Camo Cloaks used by scouts in other chapters, Camo Shrouds use the same technology, but to a greater degree, as they are designed to be worn over Recon Armor. When worn in such a manner, they make the wearer nearly invisible at long range. If a unit is equipped with both Recon Armor and Camo Shrouds, any enemy unit attempting to shoot at them must do so as if Night Fighting rules were in play. If Night Fighting rules are in play, Camo Shrouds reduce the range on any weapon being fired at them by 6". If a unit has Camo Shrouds but not Recon Armor, they gain the stealth rule.

[Armored Ceramite]: This upgrade reinforces the ceramite plating found on most vehicles, reducing the effectiveness of heat-based weaponry. Melta weapons only roll a single D6 when rolling to penetrate vehicles with this upgrade.

[Plasma Cutter]: Like the Lascutters of old, the Plasma Cutters of the Black Cell are built for slicing through the thick hull of a space ship during a recovery or sabatoge mission. Plasma Cutters are melee weapons that use the following profile: R: - S: 9 AP: 1 Type: Melee, Unwieldy, Two-Handed, Armorbane, Cumbersome - A model wielding a Plasma Cutter may only make one attack at WS2 during the Fight sub-phase.

[Grav-Chute]: Used for insertions from low orbit, Grav-Chutes have been a mainstay of imperial armies for millennia. Utilizing suspensor fields and small thruster jets to ensure a smooth landing, the Black Cell uses these almost as often as the famed Elysian Drop Troops do. Their compact size allows dropped troops to operate unmolested, and the adjustments the Black Cell has made to make them almost completely silent makes for a perfect alternative to jump packs or Drop Pods. Grav-Chutes grant those equipped with them the Deep Strike special rule.

[Titan-Pattern Sniper Rifle]: This devastating weapon was created not as an anti-personnel weapon, but as an anti-material weapon, and uses gravitic impellers to launch projectiles at a fraction of the speed of light. This is a shooting weapon with the following profile:
R: 48" S:8 AP:2 Type: Heavy 1, Pinning, Lance

[Vehicle Camo Shrouds and Cameleoline Coating]: Much like the Camo Shrouds issued to infantry, vehicle camo shrouds greatly blur the vehicles outline and reduce their heat signature, making them all but invisible to the naked eye. When a vehicle is also slathered in the same Cameleoline that Recon Armor is covered with, even the largest tank can be hard to spot at range. If a vehicle is equipped with both Cameleoline Coating and Camo Shrouds, any enemy unit attempting to shoot at them must do so as if Night Fighting rules were in play. If Night Fighting rules are in play, Camo Shrouds reduce the range on any weapon being fired at them by 6". If a unit has only Cameleoline Coating or Camo Shrouds, they gain the Stealth rule, and if the vehicle moves at all Stealth no longer applies. If a vehicle with both upgrades moves at Combat Speed, it has stealth. If it moves at Cruising Speed, all bonuses are lost.

------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++++ Characters ++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------------------------------------
[Pyralis Agis, Chapter Master of the Black Cell]....................190
................WS...BS...S...T...W...I...A...Ld...Sv
Pyralis.......5......6.....4...4....3...5...3..10…3+
[unit Type]: Infantry
[Composition]: 1 (Unique)
[Wargear]: Recon Armor, Camo Shroud, Power Knife, Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifle
[special Rules]: Independent Character, Infiltrate, Forge Knight, Target Aquired - Pyralis may select a single unit or model before the first turn. For the duration of the game, Pyralis, and any unit he is a part of, count their weapons as twin-linked when firing at that unit.

May swap Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifle for a Titan-Pattern Sniper Rifle for +10 points

As Chapter master, Pyralis may take an Honor Guard squad. This squad replaces their Artificer Armor with Recon Armor and a Camo Shroud and their Boltgun and Bolt Pistol with Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifles.
------------------------------------------------
[Arakor Skoros, Master at Arms of the Black Cell]....................180
................WS...BS...S...T...W...I...A...Ld...Sv
Arakor.......7.....4.....4...4....3...6...4...10...3+
[Composition]: 1 (Unique)
[Wargear]: Recon Armor, two Power Knives (Initiative bonus included in profile)
[special Rules]: Infiltrate, Scout, Forge Knight,
-Master-at-Arms - Arakor adds the Shred and Rending special rules to his close combat attacks.
-Surprise! - Arakor is a master at infiltrating, to the point of being in enemy squads without them knowing. Of course, his stealth doesn't last long, as he has a fondness of yelling when he attacks, if only to throw the enemy off balance as he kills them all. If Arakor is does not start the game attached to a unit, he may deploy in the enemy deployment zone as part of an enemy unit as long as it is not in a transport and does not have an Independent Character attached to it. When the game starts, Arakor makes a surprise attack against that unit, attacking just as he would in the Assault phase and counts as having charged the enemy unit he is attacking.

As the Master-of-Arms, Arakor may take a single unit of Honor Guard. The Honor Guard replace their Artificer Armor with Recon Armor and trade their Boltgun for a Power Knife.
------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++++ Army Adjustments ++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------------------------------------
All models, except vehicles, must increase their point cost by 5 points. The Black Cell USR applies to all models, except for vehicles and allies.

Due to the Chapters purpose, Terminator squads and Dreadnoughts of all kinds may not be taken. No squad may contain more than five models unless an Independent Character is attached; in addition, Tactical Squads may take Heavy Weapons and special weapons in units of five rather than ten.

All Hunter-Killer Missiles, Missile Launchers and Typhoon Missile Launchers may fire Flakk missiles as listed in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.

Forge Knight armies may not purchase Fortifications.

All vehicles (except Flyers) may take:
+ Vehicle Cameleoline Coating --- +20 points
+ Vehicle Camo Shrouds ----------- +20 points

++++++++++++++++++ Psychic Powers ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

See Codex: Space Marines and the Space Marines FAQ for psychic powers.

++++++++++++++++++ Allies ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Black Cell follows the allies chart for Space Marines as listed in the Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook.

++++++++++++++++++ HQ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

All Black Cell Captains, Librarians, and Chaplains may replace their bolt pistol and/or chainsword with the following, in addition to the options listed in Codex: Space Marines:
+ Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifle ------------------- +10 points
+ Power Knife -------------------------------------- +10 points
+ Replace Power Armor with Recon Armor --- +10 points
+ Take a Camo Shroud -------------------------- +10 points
+ Take a Grav-Chute ----------------------------- +5 points

A Master of the Forge may, in addition to the options listed in Codex: Space Marines:
+ Replace servo-harness and Boltgun with Plasma Lance --- +25 points
+ Replace Boltgun with Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifle ------------- +10 points
+ Replace Artificer Armor with Recon Armor ----------------------- +10 points
+ Take a Camo Shroud -------------------------------------------------- +10 points
+ Take a Grav-Chute ------------------------------------------------------ +5 points

++++++++++++++++++ Troops ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Tactical Marines]: See Codex: Space Marines

The entire squad may:
+ replace their Power Armor with Recon Armor ----------------------------------------- +5 points per model
+ replace their Boltguns and Bolt Pistols with Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifles --- +5 points per model
+ take Camo Shrouds -------------------------------------------------------------------------- +8 points per model
+ take Grav- Chutes ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- +50 points per squad

Any Tactical Squad may take a single Dedicated Transport form the Dedicated Transports section below.
---------------------------
[scouts]: See Codex: Space Marines
Add the following to the list of heavy weapons a squad may take:
Plasma Lance --- + 15 points

The entire squad may:
+ replace their Carapace with Recon Armor --------------------------------------------- +7 points per model
+ replace their Boltguns and Bolt Pistols with Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifles --- +5 points per model
+ take Camo Shrouds -------------------------------------------------------------------------- +5 points per model

Any Scout Squad may take a single Dedicated Transport form the Dedicated Transports section below.
---------------------------
Both Tactical squad and Scout squad sergeants may replace their Boltguns with one of the following, in addition to their respective options listed in Codex: Space Marines:
+ Power Knife --- +10 points
+ Signum --------- +8 points

++++++++++++++++++ Dedicated Transports ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Rhinos]: may take:
+ Armored Ceramite ------------ +10 points
+ Plasma Carbine --------------- +10 points

[Razorbacks]: replace the options listed in Codex: Space Marines with the following:
May take one of the following turret weapons:
+ Autocannon ------------------------------- +20 points
+ Multi-Melta --------------------------------- +20 points
+ Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer ----------- +25 points
+ Twin-Linked Assault Cannon -------- +35 points
+ Twin-Linked Plasma Lance ---------- +35 points
+ Flamestorm Cannon ------------------- +35 points
+ Twin-linked Lascannon ---------------- +35 points
+ Conversion Beamer -------------------- +40 points
+ Icarus Lascannon ----------------------- +55 points
+ Inferno Cannon* ------------------------- +65 points
*If an Inferno Cannon is taken, the Razorback reduces its transport capacity to 0 models.

[Drop Pods]: may replace their Storm Bolter with:
+ Smoke Launchers --- free

[Land Speeder Storm]: See Codex: Space Marines


++++++++++++++++++ Elites ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Reconnaissance Team].....................220 points
....................................WS...BS..S...T...W...I....A....Ld...Sv
Recon Marine.............4......5....4...4....1...4...2......9....3+
Recon Sergeant.........4.....5.....4...4....1...4...2......9....3+

[unit Type]: Infantry, Sergeant is Infantry (Character)
[Composition]: 4 Recon Marines, 1 Recon Sergeant

[Wargear]
Recon Armour, Stalker-Pattern Sniper Rifle, Combat Knife, Camo Shroud, Power Knife (Sergeant only)

Special Rules
Forge Knight, Infiltrate

Options:
+ may take Grav-Chutes --- +50 points per squad

Any Reconnaissance Team may take a single Dedicated Transport form the Dedicated Transports section above.
--------------------------------------------
[sniper Team].......................................200 points
....................................WS...BS..S...T...W...I....A....Ld...Sv
Recon Sniper.............4......5....4...4....1...4...2......9....3+
Recon Spotter............4......5....4...4....1...4...2......9....3+

[unit Type]: Infantry, Sergeant is Infantry (Character)
[Composition]: 1 Recon Sniper, 1 Recon Spotter

Wargear
Recon Armour, Titan-Pattern Sniper Rifle (Sniper only), Combat Knife, Camo Shroud, Multi-Spectral Scope (Spotter only)
-[Multi-Spectral Scope]: This scope is able to see in every spectrum, enabling target identification in all conditions. While the Spotter is alive, the unit has the Night Vision special rule and any enemy cover save is reduced by 1 (5+ to 6+, 6+ to negated, etc).

Special Rules
Forge Knight, Infiltrate, Sniper Team - While both the Sniper and and Spotter are alive, the Sniper has a BS of 8 and all shots are Precision Shots.
--------------------------------------------
[sternguard veteran squad]: See Codex: Space Marines
+Each Sternguard may replace their Power Armor with Recon Armor --- +5 points
+Each Sternguard may take Camo Shrouds ------------------------------------ +5 points
+ The squad may take Grav-Chutes ----------------------------------------------- +50 points

Any Sternguard squad may take a single Dedicated Transport from the Dedicated Transports section above.

[Techmarine]: In addition to the options listed in Codex: Space Marines, a techmarine may:
+ Replace servo-arm and Boltgun with Plasma Lance --- +25 points
+ Replace Boltgun with Plasma Carbine --------------------- +10 points


++++++++++++++++++ Fast Attack ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Assault Squad]:
3 in 5 Assault Marines, and the sergeant, may replace their Bolt Pistol with one of the following (in addition to the options found in Codex: Space Marines):
+ Power Knife --- +10 points
++ The entire squad may replace their Jump Packs with Grav-Chutes for free

[Vanguard Veteran Squad]:
Any model, including the sergeant, may replace their Bolt Pistol and/or Chainsword with the following (in addition to the options found in Codex: Space Marines):
+ Power Knife --------- +10 points
+ Plasma Charger --- +10 points
++ The entire squad may replace their Jump Packs with Grav-Chutes for free

[Land Speeder Squadron]: add the following to the weapon options listed in Codex: Space Marines:
+ May replace Heavy Bolter with Plasma Lance for + 25 points
+ After being upgraded to a Land Speeder Tornado, may take a Plasma Lance for +30 points

[bike Squad]: See Codex: Space Marines

[Attack Bike Squadron]: In addition to the options found in Codex: Space Marines, any Attack Bike may upgrade its Heavy Bolter to:
+ Plasma Lance --- +30 points

[scout Bike Squad]: See Codex: Space Marines

[stormraven Gunship].................. 150 points
The Stormraven Gunship is one of the most widely used gunships in the Imperial army, discounting Imperial Guard Vendettas or Valkyries. In the hands of the Black Cell, it becomes an asset unlike any other; by stripping some of its armor away, the Stormraven can handle heavier weapons without much strain on its engines.
....BS.....FA.....SA.....RA... HP
.....4.......12.....11......11.....3

[unit Type]: Flyer
[Composition]: 1 Stormraven Gunship
[Wargear]: Smoke Launchers, Searchlight
[special Rules]: Power of the Machine Spirit, Strafing Run, Air Drop - Any unit being transported that is also equipped with Grav-Chutes may choose any point the Stormraven has moved over and disembark onto that point, following the normal rules for Deep Striking, but only scatter D6".

[Transport Capacity]: 6 Infantry

[Options]:
May take one of the following turret weapons:
+ Twin-linked Heavy Bolter ----------------------- +15 points
+ Twin-linked Multi-Melta ------------------------- +20 points
+ Twin-Linked Assault Cannon ----------------- +30 points
+ Twin-Linked Typhoon Missile Launcher --- +30 points
+ Twin-Linked Plasma Lance ------------------- +30 points
+ Twin-linked Lascannon ------------------------- +35 points

May take one of the following sponson options:
+ Two twin-linked Multi-Meltas ------------ +20 points
+ Two Hurricane Bolters -------------------- +20 points
+ Two twin-linked Heavy Bolters ---------- +25 points
+ Two twin-linked Autocannons ----------- +30 points
+ Two twin-linked Lascannons ------------ +35 points
+ Two Typhoon Missile Launchers ------- +35 points
+ Two twin-linked Plasma Lances -------- +45 points
+ Two twin-linked Assault Cannons ------ +50 points

[stormtalon Gunship]: See June 2012 White Dwarf
+ May replace its Heavy Bolters with two Plasma Lances --------------------------------- +30 points
+ May replace its twin-linked Assault Cannon with a twin-linked Plasma Lance --- +25 points

++++++++++++++++++ Heavy Support ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Devastators]: see Codex: Space Marines
+ Each Devastator may take Terminator Armor for +10 points
++ If Terminiator armor is taken, up to four heavy weapon options may be taken at the point cost listed in the Terminator entry in Codex: Space Marines. Weapons from both the Devastator and Terminator entry may be taken in the same unit.
++ The entire squad may take Grav-Chutes --- +50 points

[Thunderfire Cannon]: see Codex: Space Marines

[Land Raider Anvil].................. 175 points
Due to their stealthy nature, the Black Cell rarely makes use of Land Raiders as Assault vehicles, especially considering they have no front line assault units, instead utilizing their heavy weapons during open conflict. By stripping their Land Raiders, they create highly modular vehicles that can be outfitted before each battle for whatever role the Black Cell needs it to fill.
....BS.....FA.....SA.....RA... HP
.....4.......14.....14......14.....4

[unit Type]: Vehicle (Tank)
[Composition]: 1 Land Raider Anvil
[Wargear]: Smoke Launchers, Searchlight
[special Rules]: Power of the Machine Spirit

[Options]:
May take one of the following turret weapons:
+ Twin-linked Heavy Bolter --------------- +15 points
+ Twin-linked Multi-Melta ------------------ +20 points
+ Twin-Linked Assault Cannon --------- +30 points
+ Typhoon Missile Launcher ------------ +30 points
+ Twin-Linked Plasma Lance ----------- +30 points
+ Thunderfire Cannon --------------------- +35 points
+ Twin-linked Lascannon ---------------- +35 points
+ Inferno Cannon --------------------------- +40 points
+ Demolisher Cannon -------------------- +40 points
+ Conversion Beamer -------------------- +45 points
+ Macro-cannon ---------------------------- + 45 points
+ Quad-gun ---------------------------------- +50 points
+ Icarus Lascannon ----------------------- +50 points
+ Vulcan Mega-Bolter* -------------------- +65 points
*If a Vulcan Mega-Bolter is taken, no sponson options may be taken. Furthermore, the Vulcan Mega Bolter may not be fired if the Land Raider has moved more than 6" in the preceding movement phase, regardless of any other rule may otherwise allow the Land Raider to fire weapons, such as Power of the Machine Spirit.

May take one of the following sponson options:
+ Two twin-linked Heavy Flamers --------- +15 points
+ Two twin-linked multi-meltas ------------ +20 points
+ Two Hurricane Bolters --------------------- +20 points
+ Two twin-linked Heavy Bolters ----------- +25 points
+ Two twin-linked Autocannons ----------- +30 points
+ Two twin-linked Lascannons ------------ +35 points
+ Two Typhoon Missile Launchers ------- +35 points
+ Two Flamestorm Cannons --------------- +35 points
+ Two twin-linked Plasma Lances -------- +45 points
+ Two twin-linked Assault Cannons ------ +50 points

May take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:
+ Storm Bolter --------------------------------- +5 points
+ Multi-melta ----------------------------------- +10 points
+ Plasma Carbine --------------------------- +10 points
+ Heavy Flamer ------------------------------- +10 points
+ Heavy Bolter -------------------------------- +10 points

May take any of the following:
+ Dozer Blade ---------------------- +5 points
+ Siege Shield --------------------- +10 points
+ Hunter-Killer missile ---------- +10 points
+ Extra Armor ----------------------- +15 points
+ Armored Ceramite ------------- +20 points
-
[Whirlwind]: See Codex: Space Marines
-
[Vindicator]: See Codex Space marines
-
[Predator Forgehammer]................................... 45 points
Like the Land Raider Anvil, the Predator Forgehammer pattern is a highly modular vehicle. While not able to accept quite as many heavy weapons as the Land Raider Anvil, the Forgehammer is still fully capable of becoming a very deadly threat on the battlefield.
....BS.....FA.....SA.....RA...HP
.....4.......13.....11......11....3
[unit Type]: Vehicle (Tank)
[Composition]: 1 Predator Forgehammer
Wargear]: Smoke Launchers, Searchlight
[special Rules]: None

[Options]:
May take one of the following turret weapons:
+ Twin-linked Heavy Bolter -------------- +15 points
+ Autocannon ------------------------------- +15 points
+ Twin-linked Multi-Melta ----------------- +20 points
+ Twin-Linked Assault Cannon -------- +30 points
+ Twin-Linked Plasma Lance ---------- +30 points
+ Flamestorm Cannon ------------------- +30 points
+ Twin-linked Lascannon ---------------- +35 points
+ Icarus Lascannon ----------------------- +40 points
+ Inferno Cannon --------------------------- +40 points
+ Conversion Beamer -------------------- +40 points

May take one of the following sponson options:
+ Two Heavy Flamers -------- +20 points
+ Two Multi-Meltas ------------ +25 points
+ Two Heavy Bolters ---------- +25 points
+ Two Autocannons ----------- +30 points
+ Two Plasma Lances ------- +35 points
+ Two Assault Cannons ----- +35 points
+ two Lascannons ------------ +40 points

May take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:
+ Storm Bolter ----------------------------- +5 points
+ Plasma Carbine ----------------------- +10 points

May take any of the following:
+ Hunter-Killer missile --- +10 points
+ Extra Armor --------------- +15 points
+ Armored Ceramite ------ +20 points

[Chronotonic]

so they are assassin trained astartes...

 

I can see how that could be a problem for their enemies...as a highly trained assassin from one of the temples could go toe to toe with an an astartes or two...an astartes trained assassin is like putting Batman in Power Amour and saying "Hey see those guys over there...they are bad guys"

[Messor]

I'll be happy to get back to you with some legit C&C later, but for now, you left out the 'n' in Infiltrator in your tags.

[Octavulg]

Created during the Tenth Founding, they were not created to be a Chapter that followed the Codex Astartes, rather, they were created for the express purpose of performing missions deemed too risky for Space Marines to undertake, yet not within the boundaries of . Instead, the Black Cell was formed as a sort of middle ground: a chapter of Space Marines, trained by the Officio Assassinorum, would constantly patrol the galaxy in order to seek out and perform only the most dangerous and covert operations.

Why? Ordinary Chapters, Storm Troopers, Inquisitors and Assassins would seem to successfully cover this.

Black Cell combat doctrine relies entirely on infiltration, information, stealth, and subterfuge. As one of the most clandestine organizations in the Imperium, they operate in 5 man units, favoring silenced and Cameleoline-coated Power Armor and specially developed sniper rifles over the standard Bolter and power armor. Power Weapons are generally unfavorable for being large and unwieldy in close quarters combat, with the Black Cell choosing Power Knives (essentially displacement field-encased knives a bit smaller than combat knives) instead.

But...Space Marines aren't really that good at infiltrating. They're eight feet tall and wear power armor. They're kind of...y'know. Obtrusive. And they can't blend into local populations.

 

And, frankly, they're a lot better at smashing stuff. Having them sneak around is arguably a waste of their talents.

While organized into Companies as per the Codex Astartes, those Companies are not part of the same whole. Created with 1500 marines, the 15 Companies are broken into three Divisions, Alpha, Sigma, and Omega. Alpha and Sigma are fleet based, each maintaining a fleet of several Strike Cruisers, a single Battle Barge to act as a mobile HQ, and dozens of other rapid-strike vessels and support vessels, while Omega is split in half again; 250 marines remain on the planet and a Star Fort at all times while 250 patrol the sector. Both Alpha and Sigma Division are entirely self-sufficient and both operate with complete independence. Every century, the Divisions will rotate members, swapping those stationed in the Fortress Monastery and Star Fort for those who have been on more missions than they can count.

Why do they get extra marines? And wouldn't skills get rather rusty after a century? Surely it'd make more sense to rotate every year or so.

The Black Cell is rather humanitarian, a trait the Officio Assassinorum attempted to remove during training. Despite rarely coming into contact with normal humans, the Black Cell is perfectly willing to save human lives, even at the cost of their own. This became an issue during several conflicts the Black Cell was involved in, but the issues were resolved quickly.

This really doesn't seem to mesh with being Space Marine assassins. At all.

 

* * *

 

Everyone wants their chapter to be special. But there's a difference between special and "unique, special, and better than everyone else". You're veering more into the latter than the former. Additionally, you're having them fill a niche that would seem to already BE filled. There's not much unique character, but there are a lot of unique gimmicks. It's not a good balance, IMO. A chapter with a unique view on the universe is a lot more interesting than a chapter that the High Lords gave a special mission to - anyone can say their chapter is special and unique, but it's a lot harder to actually make them so while still having them be a normal(ish) chapter.

 

Why do you want them to be so special? And what do you want out of them? And, perhaps most importantly, what are they actually like?

[Firepower]

As Oct pointed out, their nature as you've written it in terms of duties and disposition don't really make much of any sense.  And as the basic premise, the difference between Assassins and Space Marines in terms of creation is huge.  It takes an exceptional individual to make a Space Marine, but they are relatively mass produced compared to the outright astronomical demands of Assassin training and physical perfection.  The two just wouldn't blend well.

 

I would suggest addressing what you would want to be the core nugget of the Chapter, and working out from there, with a lot of thought put towards subtlety.

 

If Stealth, it would probably be a good idea to look at Raven Guard and Raptors and the like for inspiration.  Space Marine stealth and Assassin stealth are two way, waaaay different concepts.  Some Astartes may be sneaky, but relative to (most) Assassins they are more like charging rhinos covered in pots and pans.  Marines are shock troopers at heart, and Stealth only helps in so far as getting to the most vulnerable point in an enemy army before going postal.

 

Subterfuge could be an interesting one, but it's hard to build a theme around.  Again, they are not sneaky folk, barring Scouts.  So relative subterfuge would be like the Alpha Legion or Night Lords.  I think the terror tactics approach would work better (stopping short of Night Lord sadism).  Potentially by jamming transmissions, filling enemy networks with junk information and misleading orders, that sort of thing.  Remember though, they are Marines- as soon as the enemy seemed to be in disarray they would in all likelihood make their attack and kill everything in sight.

 

I like Information-gathering themes, and tried a similar one myself a while back.  Fair warning, it didn't go over too well. Marines with a doctrine of spying on other Marines out of some itching paranoia could be very interesting, depending on how you play out their personalities and apply their efforts after they gather info.  Marines spying obsessively on just about anything else would be wasted effort.

 

Just some general suggestions.  No matter what you choose, I would suggest toning back the cool-factors considerably.  Being the most skilled with the best toys does nothing for making an interesting character.  Just look at Batman- the only interesting things about him are his villains! :D

[Messor]

*Stares long and hard at Firepower before loosening his grip on the melta trigger*

...Anyway, these brothers make many [mostly] valid points. If you aim to have a Chapter that really blends well with the accepted/canon 40kverse, some sacrifices will be necessary. The thing that really stuck out gratingly to me was the Intel gathering. As has been said, it doesn't add much character to the Chapter just to say "They're the best intel gathering force in the galaxy." If an organization is claimed to be secret, there's nothing to be gained be unraveling the mystery of it. It really kind of cheapens both sides. As Firepower mentioned, since the requirements of an Assassin far and away exceed those of for Space Marine, I think you'd be much better off having significantly smaller Chapter size, perhaps half the normal size or less. If these are to be your main table top force, it'll only make them easier to collect IMO. Portion down the three companies, and you have something looks really covert, instead of a 'covert army'.

 

Again, if assassination is key thing that you want to preserve, consider changing/magnifying the role of Scouts in the Black Cell, perhaps to a key part of the forces command structure. While other your other marines as described might be able to pull off an infiltration in a warzone, Scouts are probably the only one who could do it any other time. Since they're already equipped with combat knives anyway, easy leap to power knives.

 

What in particular inspired the Black Cell, or more specifically, what makes you want them to be humanitarian? Like Octavulg said, in doesn't mesh very well. Spies and assassins have to be cold, and calculating, and completely dedicated to their missions. Writing it off as "Sometimes things get hairy, but they fix it," is not convincing or characterful. If they're humanitarian, then they are a secret organization that lives at constant risk of exposure(if they haven't been exposed to some degree already). What makes more sense, if significantly more brutal, is that every operation would be preceded or followed by small scale population cleansing to eliminate any chance of detection. An honest stealth killer's policy should be "If it see me, it does not live."

 

The above, like I said in the beginning, applies if you want a Chapter with the themes you seem to be conveying to mesh into the known 40k galaxy. If not, then they're just suggestions, and there were some really interesting ideas in there. Much respect for the user name, by the way. Big fan of the [ninja] Dr.

[blackoption]

Here is a random thought:

 

Perhaps Black Cell survived an Alpha Legion infiltration of the Chapter. Perhaps "Black Cell" is the second name of this chapter as they recovered from the treachery inflicted upon them.

 

However, such a secretive chapter is likely to have many enemies. Honestly, I see the inquisition (particularly ordo hereticus) and a few other chapters that would be suspicious, if not outright hostile, to your chapter's behavior. Remember that the imperium is HUGE on conformity to tradition and an established norm of behavior. The Black Cell is acting rather radical to many factions (particularly if they are copying the tactics of a known enemy).

 

Just my 2 cents.

[McNinja]

Wow, i defintely didnt expect to get so much feedback so quickly! I do like the Alpha Legion idea. Also, I didnt mean to imply that every marine was trained as an assasin. All i meant was that each marine received better training than nirmal space marines, much like how the US army Delta Force receives better training than, say, the green berets. Thats more or less how i want my chapter to be, if space marines are the green berets, my chapter is delta force, operating in more dangerous environments with fewer squad members than normal.

[blackoption]

I would avoid that train of thought personally. The Astartes are the Elite of the Elite. They are the Delta force of the Imperium. To try and say your chapter is even more trained is perhaps a little mary sue-ish

 

However, There is no reason why your chapter cannot be specialized. Grey Knights are specialized anti-daemon warriors. Raven Guard are specialized stealth and guerrilla warriors. They are all still marines, but warfare provides many options. There is no reason you can't have a covert warfare chapter.

 

What makes a chapter have appeal is more the character than any statements of how elite they are. Astartes are the elite, any more statements reinforcing that are redundant and better left inferred. Character is where the appeal lies for the chapters out there. My own chapter, The Black Eagles are a combination of my two favorite chapters. I strongly relate to the professional romanesque style soldier that the Ultramarines are at their core, but I love the Raven Guard's aspect of stealth and lateral thinking.

 

In your case, I'd recommend establishing the character of your chapter. You said you wanted to model it on Delta Force. Think of the character of how you see (or how the media portrays) those soldiers. Are they very confident or cocky? Quick to act/bordering reckless or reserved and deliberate in their actions. Once the character is established, I find the rest becomes very easy to flush out.

 

So far, the character of your write up seems to be of assassin marines. Maybe this was your intent, maybe it is not. That is what the liber is for. We give you feedback. Ultimately it is your chapter, but as a group, we would like to give you pointers in making a chapter many more people would like, not just yourself.

 

Plenty of resources are available (Oct's guide being particularly useful) and you will almost never find a shortage of brothers offering their opinion on the smallest of details.

 

I look forward to what comes next for the Black Cell.

[Demus Ragnok]

From my understanding green berets (rangers) and delta undertake different missions. They do overlap sometimes but deltas mission is different hence different training.

 

Space Marines have a different mission from every other body with in the imperium. Space Marine chapters are each unique in personality and that is what makes a DIY chapter special, personality ,not mission. All space marine chapters have the same mission. Save the grey knights and they dont really count as space marines in my mind.

[Firepower]

I wouldn't say all space marines have the same mission, given their autonomous nature.

 

But yeah, the Delta Force analogy as you've laid it out is something to be avoided. The 'like marines, but better' bit is a big pitfall in general, unless you take great pains or come up with a very clever way to compensate. As an example, Death Company are monsters compared to normal marines, but the drawback of insanity and such works to balance it out.

 

The suggestion of character-first is a good bit of advice. Perhaps the chapter is obsessive with precision instead of brute force, and thusly utilizes small specialized squads rather than diverse, all purpose tactical squads. Maybe they've been forced to use small specialized squads because they've lost a lot of marines. Having obsessively high standards for recruitment (which would require a neat explanation in itself) would also result in a smaller, more elite/purpose built chapter.

 

Think of how they are as an Effect, and your job is to think of a Cause. The latter is much better for a good story than the former.

[Demus Ragnok]

I wouldn't say all space marines have the same mission, given their autonomous nature.

 

But yeah, the Delta Force analogy as you've laid it out is something to be avoided. The 'like marines, but better' bit is a big pitfall in general, unless you take great pains or come up with a very clever way to compensate. As an example, Death Company are monsters compared to normal marines, but the drawback of insanity and such works to balance it out.

 

The suggestion of character-first is a good bit of advice. Perhaps the chapter is obsessive with precision instead of brute force, and thusly utilizes small specialized squads rather than diverse, all purpose tactical squads. Maybe they've been forced to use small specialized squads because they've lost a lot of marines. Having obsessively high standards for recruitment (which would require a neat explanation in itself) would also result in a smaller, more elite/purpose built chapter.

 

Think of how they are as an Effect, and your job is to think of a Cause. The latter is much better for a good story than the former.

 

Allow me to expand on the statement. Space Marines exist to do what mortal troops (no matter how well trained) cannot. Hence they all have the same purpose (mission). Their autonomy lends them character but doesnt change their reason for being space marines (mission). Most space marine commanders will use different tactics and strategies to accomplish said mission as per their individual chapter's character, but the goal is always the same. Space Marines=Get It Done When NoBody Else Can.

 

At least thats my opinion on the idea anyway.

[Firepower]

Not an entirely wrong there point Demus. It's just a matter of how specific you are with the word 'mission.'

 

Total non sequitur, the name Black Cell is pretty cool :)

[Octavulg]

Again, this seems to basically be "my guys are better than yours." Which isn't really a basis for an interesting chapter (or the sort of thing people find that interesting to read about). More to the point, Space Marines get four hours of sleep and fifteen minutes of free time per day. And those are often interrupted or compressed. Marines basically already train as hard as it is possible to train. There's not really room for your Marines to get better training than others.

 

I'd recommend reading up on the Raven Guard and Alpha Legion - they sound like they're kind of close to what you want, and would provide a good basis for you to work from in making your own chapter. They also show about how sneaky Space Marines get. And think a bit more about what you want - the "The Cause, not Effect" analogy is a good one.

[McNinja]

Ok brothers so i updated the Origin and Combat Doctrine to be more in line with not being too awesome. Does anyone else have any more suggestions?

[McNinja]

Also, I added in the rules I made for using this chapter. Beware, long spoiler is legitimately LONG.

[Firepower]

That isn't what Mary Sue means, actually.  Mary Sue is when an author introduces a two dimensional representation of his or her self.

 

I'll throw in my two cents in a bit.

[Firepower]

They were once known as the Forge Knights, a tenth-founding, technologically adept fleet-based chapter that specialized in stealth and infiltration tactics, or at least, they thought they did.

A touch melodramatic, but then 40k is like that sometimes.

During an infiltration and sabotage mission against an unknown Chaos Space Marine warband, their chapter master went missing. Two days later, he resurfaced, beaten and bloody. After a devastating interrogation that lasted for months, he resumed control of the chapter. However, it soon became evident that something was awry

Why would the Chapter Master be deployed in such a mission? More importantly, after his return and interrogation, he wouldn't be free of inspecting eyes. The fact that he would take control of the Chapter alone is a stretch of the imagination.

"No other chapter uses those protocols," they said, "and this one did not either until after his disappearance." Rumors began circulating that the Chapter Master had fallen to Chaos, and this called the attention of the Ordo Malleus.

You seem to be operating under the impression that the Inquisition is quite organized. It is not. If the Ordo Hereticus thought something was up, they would deal with it themselves, and without much trepidation.

 

After several hours of fighting, the Forge Knight and Inquisition fleets surrendered. The Chapter Master, and two Alpha Legion bodyguards, dragged the Inquisitor away and assumed control of the Inquisition fleet, leaving the technology and materials of the Forge Knights to the Night Lords.

The Night Lords are not the sort that would accept a surrender, and loyalist Astartes are extremely unlikely to offer it in the first place, especially so in the case of a battle against Traitor Marines.

Instead, they decided on something wholly unique: give them another chance. Not as the Forge Knights, for their reputation had been blackened beyond saving, but rather something more befitting of their new reputation. Records of the Forge Knights were sealed away or expunged, and their chapter heraldry destroyed.

The Inquisition is not known for its charity, pragmatism, or sympathy. If such a gross display of incompetence actually occurred in a Chapter, they would exterminate what was left in a heartbeat.

 

 

To be blunt, there's a lot wrong with this premise (which spoils the whole thing). Simply including the Night Lords and Alpha Legion in the narrative is insufficient for making a stealth ninja chapter of Space Marines. Pulling at threads is frankly too specific and focused for what is written here- the whole concept is flawed, and you should do some research into the nature of the Astartes, the Inquisition, and the traitor legions of the Alpha Legion and Night Lords before even beginning to edit.

 

It's blunt, painful, and bordering on rude, but the Liber is cruel in its scrutiny. If you want to offer up a new rule system for your army among your local gaming group, that's a none issue. But if you're going to present a fluff, you need to have a solid ground to work with.

[Octavulg]

During an infiltration and sabotage mission against an unknown Chaos Space Marine warband, their chapter master went missing. Two days later, he resurfaced, beaten and bloody. After a devastating interrogation that lasted for months, he resumed control of the chapter. However, it soon became evident that something was awry; the chapter master was almost always delving into the libraries and records of the Forge Knights, and any communication channels he opened were encrypted well beyond any normal Space Marine encryption protocols, and over time Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors became an almost regular sight aboard Forge Knight ships, always speaking to the Chapter Master, always questioning every marine they came across. "No other chapter uses those protocols," they said, "and this one did not either until after his disappearance." Rumors began circulating that the Chapter Master had fallen to Chaos, and this called the attention of the Ordo Malleus.

First, I'm pretty sure Space Marines don't generally infiltrate Chaos Space MArine warbands. Chaos is kind of corrupting.

 

Second, the Inquisition doesn't really have the ability to investigate Space Marine chapters like that. Space Marine chapters are highly independent and remarkably secretive. Fleet-based ones have an even easier time of it. If they don't want to be investigated, they won't be.

 

Third, sending the Chapter Master on an infiltration mission makes no sense. It'd be incredibly dangerous, and the possibility of a Chapter Master falling to Chaos would be an incredible risk to take for little or no reward. You know, like happened.

 

Fourth, why does the Chapter Master HAVE a for-his-eyes-only encryption? Who can he send messages to? Why would they not read his damn letters? For an infiltration chapter, these guys aren't nearly suspicious enough.

 

Fifth, your writing's not clear enough. I wasn't sure whose side the Inquisitors were supposed to be on for a while.

As an Ordo Malleus Inquisitor and his fleet arrived to intercept and remove the Chapter Master, he sent one final message. The Inquisitor boarded the Forge Knight ship, and as he did so, the fleets of both Alpha Legion and Night Lord warbands arrived from Warpspace and tore into the Forge Knights and Inquisition. Ship-to-ship combat turned into boarding actions and intense close-quarters firefights so brutal any marine caught outside of cover was ripped to shreds in an instant. After several hours of fighting, the Forge Knight and Inquisition fleets surrendered. The Chapter Master, and two Alpha Legion bodyguards, dragged the Inquisitor away and assumed control of the Inquisition fleet, leaving the technology and materials of the Forge Knights to the Night Lords.

This...isn't particularly surprising, which means the Space Marines really should have seen it coming. Honestly, I've seen Alpha Legion infiltration done so much more subtly so much more often this just feels hamfisted. The Alpha Legion play a long game, because the Imperium is sufficiently paranoid that something as unsubtle as what you're doing here wouldn't work.

 

Among other things, surely the Chapter Librarians should have noticed something if it only took two days to turn the Master. That's not exactly enough time to be subtle.

Several Inquisitors convened and decided against completely exterminating them; after all, it was not entirely their fault, for they were simply pawns in a greater game. A penitent crusade was out of the question, as the Night Lords took nearly everything the Forge Knights had. Instead, they decided on something wholly unique: give them another chance. Not as the Forge Knights, for their reputation had been blackened beyond saving, but rather something more befitting of their new reputation. Records of the Forge Knights were sealed away or expunged, and their chapter heraldry destroyed. Only the veteran Forge Knights know of their failure, and they alone are responsible for ensuring that their chapter is never made the fool again.

That's not really an Inquisitorial decision to make.

 

Furthermore, why did the Night Lords leave any Forge Knights alive? If anyone would cheerfully wipe out their fellow Space Marines no matter how long it took, it'd be the Night Lords. Especially if killing them got the Night Lords more stuff (which it would).

+Ignorance is death+ The main cause of the Alpha Legions infiltration was the lack of knowledge of Chaos and their capabilities. That is not to say that the Forge Knights were unprepared, just that they were fighting an enemy they had little information about, and as the Inquisition began to investigate the information the Forge Knights had access to became quite limited. Those who remember have vowed this will never happen again, and went to great lengths to establish the Library for just that purpose. No mission since the reformation of the Forge Knights into the Black Cell has been approved without significant reconnaissance beforehand, and although this may seem slow to other chapters, this method has been crucial in ensuring that each marine comes back alive.

...What? First, the Inquisition doesn't have the power to do that. Second, Marines have a fair bit of knowledge about Chaos. Certainly enough to know that people who disappear for a few days when fighting Chaos are not to be trusted.

+Unseen and unheard+ Before their infiltration and near-destruction, the Forge Knights specialized in infiltration and stealth. Afterwards, however, they began looking over everything they did wrong and the Alpha Legion did right. They also began studying with the Officio Assassinorum, although not to the degree that true assassins do. Their skills of infiltration and stealth have increased tenfold, to the point that those most adept will don Terminator Armor and heavy weapons and see who can get the closest to the enemy before being caught.

Why would the Assassins agree to teach them?

 

And, again, this isn't really the sort of stuff that Space Marines are good at. Even the Alpha Legion mostly use cultists and non-Space Marines for their spying activities - and they use those activities to facilitate dropping a couple of hundred Space Marines on an unprepared enemy's face.

+Utterly precise+ The Black Cell prides itself on precision, utilizing sniper rifles for precision kills at range, Grav-chutes for precision HALO insertions, and Power knives or Plasma Cutters for precise up close. Older plasma weapons have been dismantled in order to create newer Plasma lance weapons that are more stable and less liekly to kill the user. They almost never field tanks, except for open conflicts, and when they do those tanks are fielded with some of the best weaponry the Astartes can get their hands on; against a splinter of Hive Fleet Leviathan, they would regularly field Land Raiders equipped with Vulcan Mega-Bolters.

Making more stable plasma weapons is something the Ad Mech would love to know how to do - your guys figuring it out is unlikely at best. And having all this nice gear is both unlikely (it's got other places to be and Marines don't have access to such things due to the Codex). Plus, I thought you were an infiltration chapter. Why are your guys deploying Land Raiders against a Hive Fleet?

While organized into Companies as per the Codex Astartes, those Companies are not part of the same whole. Created with 1500 marines, (1000 standard marines, 3 Scout companies due to their increased usefulness in the Black Cell, and 2 additional "first" companies composed of Forge Knight veterans who oversee and train the scouts), the 15 Companies are broken into three Divisions, Alpha, Sigma, and Omega. Alpha and Sigma are fleet based, each maintaining a fleet of several Strike Cruisers, a single Battle Barge to act as a mobile HQ, and dozens of other rapid-strike vessels and support vessels, while Omega is split in half again; 250 marines remain on the planet and a Star Fort at all times while 250 patrol the sector. There are never more than 500 Black Cell marines in the same area at any given time. It is purely because of this that the Black Cell is allowed to operate without significant oversight or downsizing.

Why, precisely, do you need extra Space Marines? A Chapter can cleanse planets. You don't deploy more than a couple of dozen guys at a time. If anything, your chapter could be smaller than usual. I also don't think the division structure is really interesting enough to be explained in detail.

 

* * *

 

As-is, your story relies on your Marines being complete idiots, which is a bad idea on several levels. It also isn't exactly a good way to make the reader interested in their continued survival.

 

Frankly, I think your chapter has too much nice stuff and too little character. We know all kinds of things about all their extra marines and shiny gadgets, and yet we know virtually nothing about how they think or who they are. That's not a good thing. Chapters aren't interesting because of nice stuff. They're interesting because of unique things about who they are.

 

Furthermore, I don't think Space Marines are really good at what you want them to do here. They're not very sneaky, due to being massive and wearing power armor. They can't blend into a human population. And to top it off, most of the things sneakiness does can be done as well by a non-Space Marine, since sneakiness negates many of a Marine's advantages (such as strength and firepower). Trying to handwave these things away just feels arbitrary.

 

Have you considered just having part of your chapter be ridiculously sneaky stealth marines, while the rest function fairly normally? That might play to Marine's strengths better, and would also require fewer special rules (at the moment, I think you have more than you need).

 

Remember, being a little unique is interesting. Ripping up almost everything and replacing it isn't nearly as engaging to other people because suddenly they have to learn a whole bunch of new stuff in order to find out basic information.

 

In any case. I think you need to rethink the story, and I'd really, really recommend reading the Alpha Legion and Night Lord IAs and looking at how THEY do stealthy - it's not like this, and there's a reason for that.

[Demus Ragnok]

First I would like to apologise for my having forsaken the spirit and purpose of the Liber in a post I made. Reason abandoned me and I failed the fraters of this good board and for that I am truely sorry.

 

On topic. Sometimes less is more. A chapter is not defined by what goodies they have or by whom they are trained. A chapter is defined by the character of those who share in the brotherhood of the chapter.

 

Figure out the character of your marines. Tell their story then add awesome to taste.

 

And please, please don' t allow a chapter of ninjas access to a mega bolter equipped landraider... unless there is a really interesting story about how they stoll it from an AdMech research facility!

[McNinja]

I have revised the Origin greatly. I hope it is better. Demus, I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to, but as for the Land raiders with VMBs, those are only whipped out in large (like Armageddon large) battles, with the VMB taking up the entire Land Raider, which is why the rules for it limit the Land Raider significantly. I'm not sure if the VMB would be mounted side-by-side as usual or over-under, which would save a bit of space.

[Wulfebane]

Just wanted to pop in for a moment to make a brief comment.

 

The call for reinforcements went out, but not quick enough. As more Forge Knights arrived and made planetfall, they swiftly discovered that there were no other Forge Knights alive, and the Night Lords were ready and waiting for the Forge Knights. The Forge Knights pulled back and bombarded the planet from orbit, but it was a lost cause. The toll on the Forge Knights was astronomical; a Battle Barge, a Strike Cruiser, several million civilians, and three companies of Forge Knights were wiped out in hours. The worst, however, was yet to come.

Six "Forge Knights" in this paragraph alone.

 

Also, your depiction of Night Lords make them nigh-invincible, even against a fully prepped Grey Knights force that should have been capable and successful of sustained fighting if planetfall was decided.

[McNinja]

 

Just wanted to pop in for a moment to make a brief comment.

 

The call for reinforcements went out, but not quick enough. As more Forge Knights arrived and made planetfall, they swiftly discovered that there were no other Forge Knights alive, and the Night Lords were ready and waiting for the Forge Knights. The Forge Knights pulled back and bombarded the planet from orbit, but it was a lost cause. The toll on the Forge Knights was astronomical; a Battle Barge, a Strike Cruiser, several million civilians, and three companies of Forge Knights were wiped out in hours. The worst, however, was yet to come.

Six "Forge Knights" in this paragraph alone.

 

Also, your depiction of Night Lords make them nigh-invincible, even against a fully prepped Grey Knights force that should have been capable and successful of sustained fighting if planetfall was decided.

Fixed. 

[McNinja]

Well, I scrapped a lot of the original in favor of something I think is better. I hope you all think so as well. I will also be needing to change more of the actual rules to allow Storm Troopers (as written in C:IG) to be taken as troops, since the Black Cell relies on them rather heavily.