Exterminatus Legion

[infornography]

So ever since the first time I played Dawn of War I have referred to my custom chatper as the "Exterminatus Legion"  Didn't really have any fluff in mind at the time, just thought it sounded cool and went with the black and red color scheme I was rolling with.

 

When I started playing 40K proper I kept the name and mostly the color scheme.  This is the fluff I came up with to go with it.

 

 

The Exterminatus Legion is not a normal chapter.  They are a Space Marine force that is comprised of members of various chapters who, while not directly suspected of heresy, are at the very least not entirely trusted.  It started when one chapter was forced to declare an exterminatus on their own homeworld due to a particularly invasive and powerful demon cult that had taken firm root.  Over half the population was believed to either secretly or even openly support this cult.  The decision to eliminate their own world was not an easy one but it was the only real choice they had.  This act immediately brought the concerns of other chapters and the Ordo Malleus.

 

The chapter lost it's name, standing, and world or be branded renegades.  They were moved to a new planet where they would be under the watchful eye of the Inquisition.  Once a marine of the Exterminatus legion was thoroughly exonerated through exemplary duty and devotion to the Emperor and Imperium he would be allowed to gain rank beyond Veteran. 

Since the founding of this "chapter" other chapters have sent marines that they had suspicions or concerns about but did not simply wish to throw away as a space marine is a valuable asset.  In return for taking in and vetting their men for them, these other chapters would donate their captains, librarians, leaders, and tech marines to help guide this chapter in combat since they are artificially withheld from promotion at a normal rate.  This allows them to learn a wider diversity of tactics and skills than they would otherwise have had access to in a more insular chapter.  The donated leaders usually keep their chapter colors and raiments but can, if they choose, paint their armor in the Exterminatus black and red.  Marines that have been exonerated can either take rank or return to their original chapter.

 

The most common reason marines are given to the Exterminatus Legion is that the birth planet of the marine in question had to be subjected to exterminatus or left the Imperium in some way, either by going rogue or joining the Tau. 

[infornography]

I invite criticism and suggestions to improve the fluff.  I admit I do not know the 40K lore as well as I do the rules and if I made any assumptions in this that are flatly contradicted by existing fluff I welcome suggestions on how to fix it.

 

Thank you.

[KroSha]

I'm probably not the best person to comment, having been out of the loop for a long time. Some (or knowing GW, probably most) of what I know has probably been ret-conned beyond recognition.

 

But my first reaction is that there is no way that other Chapters would send Brothers to, what amounts to, a penal Legion. It's a stain on the Chapter's honour that they can't look after their own.

 

A single Brother who is not behaving in the proper way would be counselled by the Chaplains, given drug and hypnotherapy or in extreme cases mind-wiped and used for organ and geneseed harvest.

 

The only way I can think of different Chapters joining together on a permanent basis would be if they were reduced to a remnant strength that is not viable to function as an independent unit. But I dare say this has been addressed somewhere and I just am not aware of it.

[Quixus]

It started when one chapter was forced to declare an exterminatus on their own homeworld due to a particularly invasive and powerful demon cult that had taken firm root.  Over half the population was believed to either secretly or even openly support this cult.  The decision to eliminate their own world was not an easy one but it was the only real choice they had.  This act immediately brought the concerns of other chapters and the Ordo Malleus.

that is obviously stolen from Gabriel Angelos's background. You might think of a new reason for such a "chapter". Also I think deviant/heretical Chapters are within the purview of the Ordo Hereticus. Malleus concerns itself primarily with daemons.

 

I agree with KroSha that chapters would not send members away. Punishment is done in house.

 

If you want to create an all star faction you would probably be better served by creating several Deathwatch killteams plus associated heavier gear.

 

The only other band of outcasts I can think of are the Knights Errant. But that is a Heresy thing. We don't know yet what became of them.

 

While there are examples that marines are punished by some form of exile (Uriel Ventris) or an established dumping ground for marines that don't quite fit (Wolfblade), none of these are intended to be joined by memebers of other chapters.

[Aegnor]

Cool name. Think the purgatory chapter for untrusted marines idea has some serious drawbacks. Apart from anything else, this being 40k, some of the suspected heretics ARE going to turn out to be traitors. This would likely happen at a rate that would affect their ability to fight effectively as a chapter. And as others have pointed out, most chapters would handle such issues in house - with extreme prejudice. Most SM chaplains aren't the "give a possible traitor the benefit of the doubt or second chance" types of guy. The Inquisition is even less likely to be prepared to let possible rogue marines prove their innocence.

[infornography]

Yeah, my first idea was as an elite team that would prepare and deliver exterminatus solutions but it became clear that not only was that a bit of "look at my special powerful ruthless chapter of awesome!" but also was entirely unnecessary. 

 

So does anyone have a suggestion to salvage the name and more importantly the paint scheme (leaders from various other chapters, rank and file in black and red)?

[Quixus]

Personally I'd think that would look weird. One squad of black and red marines lead by a Yellow sergeant, another lead by a blue one, and a Green HQ. But if you want to keep that idea you could even if you scrap the all star idea. Just say that the rank and file must wear red and black, but leaders are free to choose their heraldry. They should still be require though to wear a certain chapter symbol.

 

Calling your army a chapter would probably not work, but in major conflicts where more than one Space Marine chapter was involved there has always been interaction between them. Sometimes they even incorporate some unifying heraldry into their normal paint scheme.

 

If this engagement is scheduled to take longer than normal, the involved marines might even go further and make a cohesive paint scheme and only minor differing heraldry to show the chapters they came from (similar to the Deathwach).

 

So you could invent a long term engagement (I would not use an established one) that several chapters are interested in and thus send marines to participate. Over time the involved marines become closer to their brothers in arms than their genetic brothers.

[KroSha]

Personally I'd think that would look weird. One squad of black and red marines lead by a Yellow sergeant, another lead by a blue one, and a Green HQ.

 

Calling your army a chapter would probably not work, but in major conflicts where more than one Space Marine chapter was involved there has always been interaction between them. Sometimes they even incorporate some unifying heraldry into their normal paint scheme.

 

If this engagement is scheduled to take longer than normal, the involved marines might even go further and make a cohesive paint scheme and only minor differing heraldry to show the chapters they came from (similar to the Deathwach).

 

So you could invent a long term engagement (I would not use an established one) that several chapters are interested in and thus send marines to participate. Over time the involved marines become closer to their brothers in arms than their genetic brothers.

 

Back in the grand old days of 2nd Ed, there was the concept of a Crusade Army. The High Lords would declare a Crusade against something and the Adminstratum would be tasked with prosecuting it. Chapter Masters would be notified and would consider it a point of honour to send a contingent to assist the fighting, if possible. This might be a single squad or several companies, serving alongside the IG, SoB and Navy. All the units in the Crusade would adopt an Army Badge to identify them for the duration of the Crusade. 

 

I once did a Crusade army for a tournament. I had 5 different Tactical squads, Crimson Fist Terminators and a Storm Lords Landspeeder, all with the same decal applied to a leg. Here's 4 of them.

[Ecritter]

That's cool info, thanks KroSha.

[Gripharius]

 

Back in the grand old days of 2nd Ed, there was the concept of a Crusade Army. The High Lords would declare a Crusade against something and the Adminstratum would be tasked with prosecuting it. Chapter Masters would be notified and would consider it a point of honour to send a contingent to assist the fighting, if possible. This might be a single squad or several companies, serving alongside the IG, SoB and Navy. All the units in the Crusade would adopt an Army Badge to identify them for the duration of the Crusade.

Well, that might be one avenue towards the Exterminatus Legion.

 

Say a cadre of relatively influential Inquisitors gets into a pissing match with a young, relatively unknown Chapter of Astartes that are even more independent than most loyalist Chapters.  The Inquisitors have the Chapter declared renegade because of some dispute.  With the backing of the High Lords, the Inquisitors declare the CHapter's Homeworld exterminatus. They send elements of the Inquisition and the Imperial Navy to do the deed. 

 

But someone in the Inquisition or the Administratum is smart enough to realize that this could seriously ruffle some Astates feathers, particularly the progenitors of the "renegade" Chapter .  So, the High Lords declare this as a Crusade, and enlarge it to include not only exterminatus of the homeworld but the destruction of the minor fortresses of the Chapter on its recruiting worlds, resupply outposts established by the Chapter, etc.

 

The Inquisitors seek Astartes elements from several of the Chapters in the areas "nearby" the renegade homeworld, and also formally request support from the renegade Chapter's progenitor Chapter, as well as the other Chapters spawned by the same progenitor Chapter.

 

So, you can develop a fairly sizable Astartes support element on this crusade, drawn from several different Chapters.  This would be the beginnings of your "Exterminatus Legion".

 

The problem then becomes... how do you keep them together as a Chapter after the original exterminatus crusade is finished? 

 

You could say that the exterminatus crusade Space Marines fought several battles against the renegade Chapter as the renegades tried to defend their homeworld, thereby established that the renegades were in fact traitors to the Imperium.  Maybe your exterminatus crusade Space Marines suffer some dishonor at the hands of the renegades, and they swear an oath to hunt down every last one of the renegades and destroy them.  That would keep them around for a while.

 

Then, perhaps as the Exterminatus Legion continues this ongoing sworn duty, the Inquisition uses them from time to time to support other exterminatus actions.

 

I don't know, even as I am writing it, it doesn't feel particularly plausible. 

 

There isn't much connectivity between exterminatus and Astartes.  There isn't much need to have Astartes hanging around on a ship while you fire a bunch of cyclonic torpedoes to exterminate a world.  The Inquisition is (generally) the ones handling exterminatus, not Astartes.

[Retributis]

Yeah, my first idea was as an elite team that would prepare and deliver exterminatus solutions but it became clear that not only was that a bit of "look at my special powerful ruthless chapter of awesome!" but also was entirely unnecessary. 

 

So does anyone have a suggestion to salvage the name and more importantly the paint scheme (leaders from various other chapters, rank and file in black and red)?

 

See, I quite like that idea - When I first saw the name I imagined a chapter that was created entirely for looking after the various exterminatus solutions and securing them as they are transported from manufactorum to fleets or whatever, and also to recover "broken arrow" weapons that have been stolen by the arch enemy.

[infornography]

Yeah, hence my dillemma.  I may have to give up the name, but I am rather fond of it.  Maybe some contrivance involving a crusade would work though.  Also I suppose I could do something where Exterminatus is used more for the symbology of it rather than a more literal involvement.  Perhaps a reputation for being cold and clinical like an exterminatus would be perpetrated.  Not given to sways of emotion one way or the other.  Willing to sacrifice lives but careful not to when it isn't needed.  And a tendancy to not stick around when they are done or fits of self congratulations. 

Perhaps even have some of the marines involved taking some literal sense in that they are the scalpel used to prevent the need for an exterminatus. 

 

Perhaps have something where they are spearheading an extended crusade that brings in support from other chapters. 

[infornography]

 

Yeah, my first idea was as an elite team that would prepare and deliver exterminatus solutions but it became clear that not only was that a bit of "look at my special powerful ruthless chapter of awesome!" but also was entirely unnecessary. 

 

So does anyone have a suggestion to salvage the name and more importantly the paint scheme (leaders from various other chapters, rank and file in black and red)?

 

See, I quite like that idea - When I first saw the name I imagined a chapter that was created entirely for looking after the various exterminatus solutions and securing them as they are transported from manufactorum to fleets or whatever, and also to recover "broken arrow" weapons that have been stolen by the arch enemy.

I do like the idea of broken arrow retrieval.  Though I doubt that the imperium would tap a specific space marine chapter for that duty as it would probably be best to use whatever assets were most immediately available and capable. 

[KroSha]

 

Perhaps even have some of the marines involved taking some literal sense in that they are the scalpel used to prevent the need for an exterminatus. 

 

That I like, even if it is kind of what the Astartes do already; they are the last resort before total destruction. But if a world was necessary, either strategically, morally or because of its resources, then they might be loathe to order a full Exterminatus strike.

 

WRT Exterminatus itself, given the vagaries of warp travel, whomever is the closest suitable asset would be used. The Inquisition is unlikely to request support from clear across the segmentum, never mind the Galaxy, if there's a closer Chapter. Any Chapter would have the Life-eater or cyclonic missiles necessary. In extremes, even an orbital bombardment would do it, eventually.

[Quixus]

I do like the idea of broken arrow retrieval.  Though I doubt that the imperium would tap a specific space marine chapter for that duty as it would probably be best to use whatever assets were most immediately available and capable.

The problem is how many Torpedoes does the Imperium lose? If it loses them like Russ tends to lose his spear, such a force would be conceivable, but if that happens rarely, I doubt that the warriors tasked with the retrieval of one set of torpedoes would stick together to wait for the next chance. Also if people steal the torpedoes all the time, why don't they use them. Wh40k is not a cold war scenario where the most devastating weapons are mostly a deterrent.

[Conn Eremon]

Maybe they don't stick together. Maybe its a force that is drawn up for a purpose and disbanded afterwards. And this process repeats itself as needed. The name could stay, as a uniform designator, and there can still be an illustrious history of the various incarnations. And whichever army you field could be most current incarnation.

 

Seems to me like that'd clear up most of the problems I've seen brought up without overly changing your basic idea.

[Octavulg]

Any organization that can't secure its instruments of Exterminatus probably ought not to have them in the first place.

 

EDIT:

 

What IS the color scheme, BTW? (the board's Space Marine painter can still be Googled, even if it's not linked to here, BTW)

[Aegnor]

There isn't much connectivity between exterminatus and Astartes. There isn't much need to have Astartes hanging around on a ship while you fire a bunch of cyclonic torpedoes to exterminate a world. The Inquisition is (generally) the ones handling exterminatus, not Astartes.

But generally it is (or always used to be) the Astartes who would actually carry out the Exterminatus, even if it was usually the =I= that ordered it, so there is a connection.

 

As an alternative, does the name have to signify a literal connection to commiting exterminatus? It could be a name chosen for symbolism - exterminatus is the weapon the Imperium reaches for when all else has failed or will be insufficient to the task. It is final, destroying everything and remorselessly scours the taint from wherever it is deployed. Maybe that's how your chapter sees itself and they chose the name to represent that and strike fear into their enemies?

[infornography]

Any organization that can't secure its instruments of Exterminatus probably ought not to have them in the first place.

EDIT:

What IS the color scheme, BTW? (the board's Space Marine painter can still be Googled, even if it's not linked to here, BTW)

Here is the color scheme

My sergeants are mostly the same as this, but my terminator librarian, is done up as a dark angel as well as my chaplain. Complete with iconography and such. My primary HQ is pretty much just straight up Vulkan with all his salamandary glory. I also have Pedro and Chronus. End result is pretty much all over the place with the iconography and color in my HQ slots.

[Octavulg]

Some day, I will figure out what it is that makes so many new players pick a scheme that's basically this in some variation. Some day.

 

Have you considered the Deathwatch? Or, as KroSha suggested, a Crusade army? The Exterminatus Legion could just be what the force is called, rather than a chapter name.

[infornography]

That does sound like my best option. 

 

After painting a few minis I did some searches on existing paint schemes and yeah... Black and Red is a VERY common theme.  I didn't see any that quite matched this one but several that were similar. 
 

I suspect it is popular because it looks pretty cool and is easy to put together aesthetically.  My second pick would have been a black and gold theme which is also very common.  I guess I am just naturally unoriginal. 

 

I will have to try to come up with a new backstory that fits with the crusade theme, but at least I have a new direction to take my investigation. 

 

Thanks.

[Octavulg]

It's the yellow/gold trim, as well. Just black and red would be one thing, but that actual scheme or something very similar crops up over and over. It's just...weird.

Though I may have to disagree with you on "looks pretty cool". I'm sure you'll soldier on somehow.

Anyway: regarding a new backstory, you'd just have the red and black guys be one chapter, then have the elements of other chapters be part of those chapters. They can even be concerned about some evil Chaos sorcerer having/attempting to acquire virus bombs, if you like.

[Aegnor]

Memories of Reservoir Dogs - "no you can't choose what colour you are. Otherwise we get six :cuss wanting to be Mr Black" (or red in this case). I agree that they're colours that appeal as easy to achieve and to make striking looking. And I like the gold bling/trim! :)

[Ecritter]

My Sons of Pyron started as Red/Black ... but after I changed them to Red/White, they looked even better. Just an idea. But if you change them to red/white ... well then they'll be pretty much exactly my Sons

[infornography]

One other thing I was doing with my paint job was I was consistently painting the backmost ribbon of each seal black.  Originally was supposed to signify the black mark on their history.