Ghosts of Istvaan IA WIP

[Uberlord Gendo]

This is a chapter for use with my Legio Labyrinthii and Order of Noctis (kind of like deathwatch for Admech. Pulls from chapters like Raven Guard and is used to support explorator missions where unconventional tactics are useful.)

 

The Ghosts of Istvaan

 

Though the virus bombings on Istvaan III killed most of the loyalists, small pockets survived the bombing and subsequent hunt. Several squads of Sons of Horus, lead by Centurion ...., realizing the battle was lost, retreated to mountains and caves and this survived the atrocity. After rescue from the planet, they made their way to Holy Terra and, in union with other Loyalist Sons of Horus who had been off world or tied up on other engagements, were given the chance to earn their forgiveness with their blood. They fought with distinction throughout the Hersey and at the siege of the Imperial Palace.

With the Emperor in the Golden Throne and the heretics fleeing to the Eye of Terror, the surviving Luna Wolves were sent on a penitential crusade into the Eye. Eager to slay more of those who had betrayed them, the Luna Wolves consigned the name to the past and took up the mantle of The Ghosts of Istvaan.

 

For a time, the Imperium received reports of victory, but as time went on, these became fewer and farther between, until they stopped. The Bell of Lost Souls rang in their honor and, in time, they were forgotten.

Nearly ten thousand years later, during the Scouring of the Hyades by the chaos warbands of Urizen, the Pale King, the Ghosts of Istvaan reappeared.

Emerging from a warp storm, they broke the siege of Hastur Prime, providing cover for the Legio Labytinthii to deploy their god-machines and engaging in planetary strike actions along side Order of Noctis marines.

It was not until after the battle and subsequent rout of Chaos forces, that it was realized who they were. The Mechanicus put the Ghosts under close watch, but realizing that they had just gotten their hands on a small chapter fleet's worth of heresy era technology and tech marines trained in its use and manufacture, they were reluctant to see such a prize disappear into the hands of the Inquisition. Striking a deal, the Ghosts of Istvaan were allowed to continue on as a chapter, provided they worked closely with Legio Labyrinthii.

 

Chapter Beliefs

The Ghosts of Istvaan follow the crusade era Imperial Truth, and thus see the Emperor as a man to be revered and emulated. They wisely keep this to themselves.

 

Chapter Tactics

Though by their standards only in the warp for a few centuries, the Ghosts of Istvaan were forced to abandon many of the tactics used by the XVIth Legion in favor of stealthier tactics for asymmetric warfare. The chapter favors sudden application of overwhelming force. Massed drop pod insertion, armored spear heads, artillery bombardments, and massive charges are common tactics. Anything that allows them to strike fast, and strike hard, before fading away to strike again.

 

What do you all think?

[Lord Lee]

The chapter beliefs section is pretty much the standard for most "modern" chapters so the keep it to themselves part seems unneeded, otherwise not a bad start.

Also I thought Horus did a purge of the Sons of Horus to "remove" any loyalist elements at the start of the heresy

One question, how do they identify themselves to other chapters they meet?

because "The Ghosts of Istvaan" could raise a few questions.

Overall I like it as a start but might want more about the internal chapter structure and how it has changed over time to reflect their combat style and beliefs.

Lord Lee.

[TrashMan]

Mass charges strikes me as a Black Templar tactic, not something used by a chapter that is basicly stranded in the warp and can ill-afford any losses.

[War Angel]

As trash man stated.... The name "ghost" implys that they are stealthy

 

Just a thought, but I would personaly be more interested in this if, instead of coming back to the emperor and being known about, the survivors just "disipear" off the grid, thought to be lost to istvaan. Through whatever means they get a ship, and do what they can where they can, following the trators to the eye. This would again tie in with the "ghost" name. In more recent years they have emerged from the warp and found the empire has changed. They could declare themselfs a chapter that records where forgotten about and try to start anew...

 

Just a thought.

 

I also think it would be cool if it wasn't just the sons, but all surviving loyalists that could be grouped up.

[Uberlord Gendo]

Lord Lee,

They did, which was the atrocity on Istvaan III (Istvaan V being the drop site massacre.). Betrayal seems to leave open the possibility of survivors.

That's a good question. I'd initially imagined them sticking by the Explorator fleet for a while as they replenish. Eventually, I suppose they'll take a fairly generic name Sons of Vengeance or something.

I'm still working on all the rest, but in general it's run more like a legion than a chapter--they'd probably left before the codex was put out.

--though I do think that very religious chapters would bother them, but I could imagine that they'd have been familiar with Emperor worship, so less Richard Dawkins and more Bertrand Russel or even as far as Thomas Jefferson.

 

Trashman,

I was sort of thinking Charchadons / Night Lords / Raven Guard style charges. (Particularly Charchadons.) I figure Sons of Horus would be loathe to give up the whole chainsword to the face approach completely. I suppose I'm sort of thinking of them like a shootier version of the Charchadons with closer ties to Admech and try to preserve human life wherever possible.

 

War Angel,

That sounds like a neat idea. The major issue I see is supply.

I really like the idea about including loyalists from all of the chapters; would make a lot of sense if they were all sent together on a penitential crusade. Only problem is that of what they'd do with gene seed.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Oh, and I figure its obvious, but they're fleet based.

[War Angel]

The supply issue is fixed through looting the chaos slain

[Mogsam]

The chaos slain gene seed would be pretty dodgy. They'd end up growing extra arms and stuff. However there's no difference between farming themselves and the way the current chapters do it. All they would need is one talented apothecary to start them off again. Similarly with the behemoth that is the Imperium the red tape means that chances are no one would blink twice about a chapter with no records. As long as they don't do anything silly like shout about being descendants of Horus or write Istivan in their names...Somewhat less subtle then.

 

It would be better if they just slid off and didn't tell the Emperor/Imperium who they are. Just repaint their armour and try to avoid anyone relevant for a few hundred years until everyone forgets them.

[War Angel]

Referring to taking armor and ammo

[Gripharius]

I agree that going to ground is probably the more feasible route, as the Imperium would likely shoot first and ask questions later. 

 

 

Just repaint their armour and try to avoid anyone relevant for a few hundred years until everyone forgets them.

I understand where you are coming from on this, but that would be a little like a few of the Fallen just hiding out for a few centuries and hoping the Dark Angels forgot about them.  Probably not going to be that easy.

 

 

[soddinnutter]

The problem with The Fallen is that they draw attention to themselves. They keep their old Legion colours, keep their names and travel around in small groups or on their own.

 

This last fact would, instinct says, make them less noticeable.Not so. Only Space Marines to wander around on their own are usually on some sort of pilgrimage or penance and either way they have their passports stamped and ident-papers.

 

Now if there were a fair few hundred Astartes suddenly popping up in an old style Barge, old armour and archaic weapons in the year 097M33 its more believable if they play their cards right. They just have to claim to have been a Ultramarine successor from the 2nd founding, Omnissiah alone knows there were enough of them, adhere to the codex (whilst people are looking at least), claim that their old and extremely worn equipment is proof of being out of circulation, the ships being all shot to hell and back the result of orks, chaos worshipers and weird grey things with big teeth and then get some false records written. Also repaint the heraldry.

 

Chances are when they limp into port they will be heralded as returning heroes, have their junk fixed, their injuries tended and their names added to the official records. Also if they act civil when in public they may even be regarded as one of the less :cussish chapters.

 

Sure they will still be regarded with fear, suspicion and out right hostility. But so are most chapters to some extent.

[Mogsam]

I agree that going to ground is probably the more feasible route, as the Imperium would likely shoot first and ask questions later. 

 

 

Just repaint their armour and try to avoid anyone relevant for a few hundred years until everyone forgets them.

I understand where you are coming from on this, but that would be a little like a few of the Fallen just hiding out for a few centuries and hoping the Dark Angels forgot about them.  Probably not going to be that easy.

 

The fallen aren't a great example because people are looking for them. No one looks for 'dead' people.

[Uberlord Gendo]

Hmmm. Issue is that if they lie low during the heresy it doesn't make much sense. They'd probably want to be on the front lines which means hooking up with imperial forces. They could try guerrilla tactics, but during the scouring they'd likely get mistaken for heretics. Depending when they go incommunicado, they'd also not nessicerily know about the Codex. Honestly, Charchadons make the most sense for the lying low route; so I suppose that's one route.

 

Else there is a case in fluff where a company of Emperor's Children that got lost in the warp preheresy popping up a few thousand years later and being allowed to form a chapter after much screening.

[Gripharius]

Actually, I think twice as maybe people would be looking for the Sons of Horus who weren't killed at Istvaan - both the Imperium and the traitors.

 

Unless you are saying that they somehow 'faked' their death at Istvaan and then hid out, which doesn't seem to be very Space Marine-ish to me.

 

I just believe that, considering the magnitude of the Horus Heresy and the Istvaan events, the Imperium more than likely devoted a considerably obnoxious amount of resources to figuring who was where and on what side when it all went down, at least as much as they possibly could.

[Uberlord Gendo]

Gripharius,

Exactly. And given the situation and the hints of what they did with loyalists--founding of the grey knights, etc, I think the imperium of the heresy would have welcomed any help they could get, particularly space marines with a personal grudge against the traitors.

As such, I think the most likely situation is one where the survivors join imperial forces during the heresy. Afterwards, I can see things getting less comfortable for the surviving loyalists, hence the idea of the penitential crusade, but that I see being motivated as much by a desire for revenge as by any prejudice on the part of the Imperium of that era.

 

The only exception to this might be loyalist Nightlords. I'd imagine they'd contact the imperium and then spend the rest of the war slaughtering exposed elements of the traitor legions, disrupting supply lines, destroying infrastructure. After the war, they'd probably have a vendetta against the Nightlords legion. Then again, I think the Charchadons are probably loyalist Nightlords, so I may be miss analyzing it.

 

But yeah, loyalists don't seem likely to have hid during the heresy.

[Uberlord Gendo]

Oh and Soddinnutter,

As time passes, I see that being the route many loyalist groups would take. Again, like the Charchadons.

[Gripharius]

 

Exactly. And given the situation and the hints of what they did with loyalists--founding of the grey knights, etc, I think the imperium of the heresy would have welcomed any help they could get, particularly space marines with a personal grudge against the traitors.

Even though you agreed with me, I'm going to disagree with you.

 

I think there would be a pretty pervasive atmosphere of distrust after word of what happened at Istvaan got around.  A handful of Sons of Horus showing up anywhere near Imperial forces (who knew about the Heresy) would be under a huge amount of suspicion, to say the least.  I think the few people that were hand-picked by Malcador and Garro were a very tiny exception to the overwhelming rule of distrust and persecution.

 

For the record, I do believe it is possible that loyalist survivors of the traitor legions escaped Istvaan, as well as the related purges by the traitors and sanction by the Imperium.  Obviously, Garro and some others did.  I just don't see it happening in enough numbers to form the foundation of an entire Chapter, regardless of whether they went on an Imperium-sanctioned penitent crusade or just took to the shadows and went guerilla assault-style on the heretics.

[Uberlord Gendo]

Hmmm, I suppose that gets into a plausibility discussion. What about groups seconded to other legions, etc?

Perhaps some Sons occupying a planet and in the process of turning it over to Guard for governance while Istvaan goes down? That kind of thing.