Nova Hawks

[Brother Tyler]

Okay, my original work on this chapter was in my blog, sadly lost. I also posted some teasers subsequent to July 13, also lost when our database suffered some foul Dark Mechanicus corruption.

What I'm working on is the basic background of the chapter. Certain things are set in stone:

• Chapter adheres to the Codex Astartes
• Chapter is a replacement for a lost chapter (more on that in a bit)

My focus right now is the basic genesis of the chapter.

The key is that the chapter was created from the survivors of an older chapter that, due to some perfidy, was lost. The chapter's name includes the word "vengeance" as part of this - the new chapter swore to avenge the older chapter from which they were descended. Whether or not that older chapter had the "hawk" element in the name/chapter badge or the same/similar colors is in question. I'm of a mind that the orange was probably part of the older livery, but that the black flames were a new innovation.

So my current concept is that the older chapter was one of the Judged. While most of the chapter fell to Chaos, a core group survived and, along with the Vorpal Swords, enacted their vengeance on Saint Basillius. Afterward, though the group was deemed pure, there were not enough to sustain the original chapter. Moreover, the original fortress monastery and homeworld were probably destroyed by Basillius' minions. So with 30 chapter lost in the folly of the Abyssal Crusade, a new founding was ordered to replace the losses. The survivors formed the core of a new chapter.

Of the Judged chapters, the Vengeance Chapter leaps out, but that may be too convenient of a device. So I may use some other chapter whose name suggests a hawk emblem. Of the judged, the following stand out as candidates:

• Chorus of Eltain (name doesn't really support a hawk emblem, but doesn't counter one, either)
• Illustrians (another neutral badge implication)
• Invictors (I love this name)
• Justicars (another good name, though also neutral on badge implications)
• Knights Excelsior
• Lectors of Ixis
• Sanctors of Terra (another name I like)
• Sentinels
• Sigilites (meh, but possible)
• Viridian Consuls (the various "consuls" chapters often use similar hawk head badges, though the inclusion of the color viridian in the name argues against either orange or dark grey as one of the primary colors of the old chapter)

Realistically, the name of the old chapter probably doesn't matter for my purposes. The only instance in which it might matter is if GW, Forge World, Fantasy Flight Games, etc. provide lore for the chapter whose name I use. If such official lore doesn't work for my DIY, I can very easily change to one of the other Judged chapters as my original chapter.

If I was going to use one of those listed above, I favor the Invictors, Sanctors of Terra, Justicars, and Knights Excelsior.

The new (Vengeance Hawks) chapter, then, has sworn vengeance on multiple fronts. First is Saint Basillius (taken care of in the lore) and the forces loyal to him - Codex: Chaos Space Marines mentions how Saint Basillius had "'puritas divisions' [that] included several Chapters of Space Marines, each of which was extremely fierce in their vigilance" under his influence. If one or more of these allied chapters was responsible for putting the original chapter's world to the sword, the new chapter would also direct oaths of vengeance upon this chapter. This would set the stage for later conflicts. Most importantly, the new chapter would also swear oaths of vengeance upon those battle-brothers that succumbed to Chaos on the ill-fated crusade. This would set the stage for operations against the resulting traitor chapter/warband(s).

Alternately, I might use some other lost chapter, possibly even creating my own from whole cloth and not drawing upon any official lore. In this case, the vengeance that the chapter is enacting would be directed at those that were either responsible for the loss of the old chapter (if some external forces) or the traitors from the old chapter (if it was a simple fall to Chaos). My fear here is that the result would look like a common device and would be a homegrown parallel of the Unforgiven (and I have no intention for this chapter to be among the Unforgiven).

For now, I'm focused solely on this aspect of the chapter - the old chapter from which it descends and the circumstances around that chapter's loss. Feedback is appreciated as this element is, I think, the one where I'm likely to get the most flak from Liberites if I make the "wrong" decision.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Brother Tyler
Changed the Chapter name to "Nova Hawks" (topic title and tags updated)

[Lord Marshal Ragnrok]

interesting chapter. i really like how you did the flames - it really nicely as both a pattern and color selection. ill be watching this chapter.

 

also, is it safe to assume at this point that most of what is missing across the site is lost for good?

[Lysimachus]

Viridian Consuls could reference the colour of the older Chapter's badge rather than their armour (a la Red Scorpions) if you wanted? That being said, Invictors is indeed a very cool name.

[Conn Eremon]

I can't think of anything that would prevent you from going that route with your Chapter's creation. In fact, I like it better than the way I had conceived, though that isn't saying much since I didn't like my own way very much.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

I think a betrayal by another chapter which was falling to Chaos would make a good demise for the original.  I thought I saw a definite chapter badge for the Invictors somewhere and I don't think it was hawk-like at all.  I am without my resources on fluff lore so I cannot confirm.  I do however like the name Invictors for your origin Chapter.

 

Madwolf

[Aqui]

Okay, my original work on this chapter was in my blog, sadly lost. I also posted some teasers subsequent to July 13, also lost when our database suffered some foul Dark Mechanicus corruption.

What I'm working on is the basic background of the chapter. Certain things are set in stone:

• Chapter adheres to the Codex Astartes
• Chapter is a replacement for a lost chapter (more on that in a bit)

My focus right now is the basic genesis of the chapter.

The key is that the chapter was created from the survivors of an older chapter that, due to some perfidy, was lost. The chapter's name includes the word "vengeance" as part of this - the new chapter swore to avenge the older chapter from which they were descended. Whether or not that older chapter had the "hawk" element in the name/chapter badge or the same/similar colors is in question. I'm of a mind that the orange was probably part of the older livery, but that the black flames were a new innovation.

So my current concept is that the older chapter was one of the Judged. While most of the chapter fell to Chaos, a core group survived and, along with the Vorpal Swords, enacted their vengeance on Saint Basillius. Afterward, though the group was deemed pure, there were not enough to sustain the original chapter. Moreover, the original fortress monastery and homeworld were probably destroyed by Basillius' minions. So with 30 chapter lost in the folly of the Abyssal Crusade, a new founding was ordered to replace the losses. The survivors formed the core of a new chapter.

Of the Judged chapters, the Vengeance Chapter leaps out, but that may be too convenient of a device. So I may use some other chapter whose name suggests a hawk emblem. Of the judged, the following stand out as candidates:

• Chorus of Eltain (name doesn't really support a hawk emblem, but doesn't counter one, either)
• Illustrians (another neutral badge implication)
• Invictors (I love this name)
• Justicars (another good name, though also neutral on badge implications)
• Knights Excelsior
• Lectors of Ixis
• Sanctors of Terra (another name I like)
• Sentinels
• Sigilites (meh, but possible)
• Viridian Consuls (the various "consuls" chapters often use similar hawk head badges, though the inclusion of the color viridian in the name argues against either orange or dark grey as one of the primary colors of the old chapter)

Realistically, the name of the old chapter probably doesn't matter for my purposes. The only instance in which it might matter is if GW, Forge World, Fantasy Flight Games, etc. provide lore for the chapter whose name I use. If such official lore doesn't work for my DIY, I can very easily change to one of the other Judged chapters as my original chapter.

If I was going to use one of those listed above, I favor the Invictors, Sanctors of Terra, Justicars, and Knights Excelsior.

The new (Vengeance Hawks) chapter, then, has sworn vengeance on multiple fronts. First is Saint Basillius (taken care of in the lore) and the forces loyal to him - Codex: Chaos Space Marines mentions how Saint Basillius had "'puritas divisions' [that] included several Chapters of Space Marines, each of which was extremely fierce in their vigilance" under his influence. If one or more of these allied chapters was responsible for putting the original chapter's world to the sword, the new chapter would also direct oaths of vengeance upon this chapter. This would set the stage for later conflicts. Most importantly, the new chapter would also swear oaths of vengeance upon those battle-brothers that succumbed to Chaos on the ill-fated crusade. This would set the stage for operations against the resulting traitor chapter/warband(s).

Alternately, I might use some other lost chapter, possibly even creating my own from whole cloth and not drawing upon any official lore. In this case, the vengeance that the chapter is enacting would be directed at those that were either responsible for the loss of the old chapter (if some external forces) or the traitors from the old chapter (if it was a simple fall to Chaos). My fear here is that the result would look like a common device and would be a homegrown parallel of the Unforgiven (and I have no intention for this chapter to be among the Unforgiven).

For now, I'm focused solely on this aspect of the chapter - the old chapter from which it descends and the circumstances around that chapter's loss. Feedback is appreciated as this element is, I think, the one where I'm likely to get the most flak from Liberites if I make the "wrong" decision.

I've been looking forward to this since I saw your army list topic from a while ago

Your ideas seem realistic, and I like a fair few of the names in the list. The potential I see for this Chapter is in the last but one paragraph. Whilst I can understand your reluctance to try it for fear of similarities to the DA/Fallen, it could work, and work quite well.

In any case, I'm subscribed to this one

[Donkey Kong]

I think it depends a little on how much you want "already done" for you. If you go with one of the Chapters that GW has corrupted, you've already got an archenemy i.e. The Invictors and the The Unhallowed.

 

I'd rather have a chapter with unknown fates, and the Chorus sounds best to me.

 

Alternatively, I'd go with the Viridian Consuls, even if their colors probably don't allow you to run with the idea of starting with orange, and taking on the black. Even if they do start as green, something like "burning the colors" to the orange could be a pretty cool shift.

 

Most of the other neutral names just strike me as boring.

 

Either way, the concept is sound.

[Messor]

Mostly agreed with the above, with the exception that it sounds as though you're forming a wholly loyalist Chapter, and there's one thing conflicting with that: These oaths of vengeance. Against chaos, and turned Chapters, okay. But what if one of these Chapters under the Saint's command did not turn. Will they go to the trouble of proving themselves loyal only to turn around and attack a loyalist Chapter? There are a lot of way to approach that, and this is just the most simple connect-the-dots type. Any of them could work very well, but my first thought was that it'd be weird to go through all that and swear vengeance on loyalists.

[Brother Tyler]

... there's one thing conflicting with that: These oaths of vengeance. Against chaos, and turned Chapters, okay. But what if one of these Chapters under the Saint's command did not turn. Will they go to the trouble of proving themselves loyal only to turn around and attack a loyalist Chapter? There are a lot of way to approach that, and this is just the most simple connect-the-dots type. Any of them could work very well, but my first thought was that it'd be weird to go through all that and swear vengeance on loyalists.

That is actually a key aspect of what I'm working on. Also, it presents the possibility of creating that other Chapter and exploring its nature and history.

After all, there are other official examples of inter-Chapter conflict. The Sons of Medusa are pariahs amongst the Successors of Ferrus Manus; the Carcharadons Astra relish the prospect of testing themselves against other Chapters (and are reviled by multiple Successors of Roboute Guilliman as a result of their past actions); etc. This would merely be another instance.

[Veteran Sergeant]

Thought I posted in this before. Guess not. I really like that scheme.

I like the idea of the survivors being rewarded by being allowed to form a new chapter. Falls in line with the original idea behind the Missing Legions where they were expunged as a reward, not as a punishment, by removing any evidence of their crimes. Your Marines, instead, would be rewarded by being allowed to continuetheir service to the Imperium without the stain of affiliation with a fallen chapter.

 

Well, at least if I understand your fluff correctly.

[Messor]

That is actually a key aspect of what I'm working on. Also, it presents the possibility of creating that other Chapter and exploring its nature and history.

 

After all, there are other official examples of inter-Chapter conflict. The Sons of Medusa are pariahs amongst the Successors of Ferrus Manus; the Carcharadons Astra relish the prospect of testing themselves against other Chapters (and are reviled by multiple Successors of Roboute Guilliman as a result of their past actions); etc. This would merely be another instance.

Looking forward to how it develops, then!

[Brother Tyler]

I had an interesting idea today. The idea essentially stemmed from the realization that my plan to incorporate the 'puritas divisions' Chapter into my story requires me to develop some level of detail about the Chapter. It might be nothing more than a name, or it might be more. My initial idea was to simply describe the actions of the Chapter, but then I switched gears and considered an alternative.

 

Instead of the Vengeance Hawks being a Chapter re-created from the survivors of one of the Judged, perhaps the Vengeance Hawks were one of the Chapters that made up Saint Basillius's 'puritas divisions.'

 

I've basically turned them into the "bad guys" in the story.

 

So the concept is that the Vengeance Hawks Chapter is threatened by the combined survivors of the Judged. The Vengeance Hawks are remorseful for their actions, though they maintain that they were duped. An Inquisitor or third party Chapter brokers a peace. Instead of the two sides facing off in deadly battle, they will have a duel of champions. If the champion of the Vengeance Hawks wins, the Chapter's proclamations of innocence will be accepted and no more will come of the event. If the champion of the Judged wins, the Vengeance Hawks will forfeit their homeworld to the Chapter whose world they destroyed and they will embark on a penitent crusade.

 

The Chapter Master of the Vengeance Hawks serves as his Chapter's champion, largely because he assumes responsibility for the actions of the Chapter. The captain of the first company of the Chapter whose world the Vengeance Hawks destroyed is senior surviving member of his Chapter and acts as the champion of the Judged.

 

The Vengeance Hawks lose the duel.

 

One hundred years later, the Vengeance Hawks emerge from their penitent crusade. Having forfeited their homeworld, they become a fleet-based Chapter and shift their operations to the other side of the galaxy (largely in order to avoid conflict with the Chapter that replaced them, who still harbor a grudge). While they continue to be fleet-based, they are eventually granted the rights to recruit from one or two worlds. As a mark of their shame, they retain the penitent markings they assumed while on their penitent crusade, though they revert to using their original badge. (The assumption here is that as a mark of shame they obscured their original badge).

 

Another key issue is that the Chapter was once loyal to the Cult Imperialis. The events of the Judged and Saint Basillius' deception force the Chapter into some self-contemplation and they eventually determine that, while they still believe in the precepts of the Emperor's divinity (contrary to most Chapters, I know), they will no longer serve the Eclessiarchy willingly. They are not enemies of the Eclessiarchy, but they maintain a respectful distance from the Cult Imperialis and all its servants, including the Adepta Sororitas.

 

It's still a work in progress...

[Nakuth]

^I like that. It's a nice variation from what would normally be used in such circumstances, and provides a more unique narrative to your chapter. As a suggestion, perhaps the chapter (if you go with one) that negotiated the 'peace' between the Vengeance Hawks & the Judged would be a common ally, or one of the First Founding chapters? This second idea could work even more if, for example, both chapters can trace their lineage to the same primarch.

[Brother Tyler]

At this point I think that an inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus will be the peace broker, though he may be backed up by a chapter or two. In that case, only one will be from the 2nd founding, whether named for one of the Legions or not, with the other (if there is a second) being from a later founding. And I may also draw some Adepta Sororitas in, giving the force a more objective constituency.

 

If I go with one of the primary 2nd founding Chapters, it will likely be the Imperial Fists. This is in part due to the fact that the VIIth Legion is my favorite, but also due to the fact that they seem like a likely candidate from the lore - the chapter participated in the Second Siege of Terra and also has relatively good relationships with many of the broader military organizations of the Imperium. The Vengeance Hawks, however, do not carry the gene-seed of Rogal Dorn, but instead that of Roboute Guilliman. So a second chapter (if I go with one) will be descended from the XIIIth Legion.

 

The story of the Vengeance Hawks is becoming that of a return to the tenets of the Codex Astartes from an earlier divergence that stemmed from the Chapter's alignment with the Eclessiarchy. So now I'm exploring what it looked like as part of the puritas divisions.

[Brother Tyler]

Original Chapter Approved scheme and livery, taken from pict-capture M36

[Heru]

... there's one thing conflicting with that: These oaths of vengeance. Against chaos, and turned Chapters, okay. But what if one of these Chapters under the Saint's command did not turn. Will they go to the trouble of proving themselves loyal only to turn around and attack a loyalist Chapter? There are a lot of way to approach that, and this is just the most simple connect-the-dots type. Any of them could work very well, but my first thought was that it'd be weird to go through all that and swear vengeance on loyalists.

That is actually a key aspect of what I'm working on. Also, it presents the possibility of creating that other Chapter and exploring its nature and history.

After all, there are other official examples of inter-Chapter conflict. The Sons of Medusa are pariahs amongst the Successors of Ferrus Manus; the Carcharadons Astra relish the prospect of testing themselves against other Chapters (and are reviled by multiple Successors of Roboute Guilliman as a result of their past actions); etc. This would merely be another instance.

I think you mean the Minotaurs, not the Carcharodons. Edited September 3, 2013 by Heru Talon

[Brother Tyler]

You are correct.
 
Looking at the concept a bit more, I see a Chapter that has a heavy focus on genetic purity, similar to the Red Scorpions (though I don't intend to adopt their rules). In fact, I'm considering making them so fanatical about genetic purity that they don't allow psykers within their ranks and refuse to fight alongside mutants and abhumans (harkening back to the Dark Angels of 3rd edition). They'll still have psykers in their service, but their blessed gene-seed will never be implanted into anyone with psychic potential. So the roles of Space Marine librarians will be performed by a combination of astropaths (communications) and servitors/thralls (record keeping). They might even have sanctioned psykers for screening purposes (both recruits and when they combat daemons). Navigators, of course, will also be in service to the Vengeance Hawks. There will even be little idiosyncracies and rituals that battle-brothers will perform in preparation for and subsequent to interacting with psykers. This is anti-psyker stance is an interesting development because I am personally a big fan of librarians. So my army lists will be a bit different from what I normally use (I guess I'll be saving the librarians for my Fire Claws and Exorcists armies ).

[legoss]

I like that as a twist, working around no librarians, I'm trying to figure out a way to do the same things with my DIY. So I'll follow your ideas for inspiration and to hopefully avoid being a carbon copy. I'm liking where you've gone so far with story and background, so I'm hoping to see this one finished.

[Brother Tyler]

Revelation: The new Codex: Space Marines and Chapter Tactics rules mean that I can make my DIY act like the Black Templars. They'll still be largely Codex-compliant (unlike Sigismund's get), but will have the Chapter Tactics I envision and the Emperor's Champion. I don't have to take Crusader Squads, which aren't appropriate to my vision for the Vengeance Hawks, but will have some resistance to witchery (part of my current work for explaining how they survived their penitent crusade).

 

I'll definitely be sub-optimizing by not taking the Crusader Squads, but those just aren't appropriate to a Codex-compliant Chapter.

 

I'm sure there's some taint of heresy in all of this...

[Octavulg]

Good plan, though you do run into the possibility that RAW jerks won't let you do it. Of course, who cares if you can't play with RAW jerks?

 

I've actually thought the Black Templar rules might represent the Stone Hearts well. But Ultramarines rules will do, if it ever actually becomes necessary.

 

Also, you could take Crusaders without Neophytes. There's a few options that are close enough to Codex to be interesting, IMO (melee weapons instead of heavy weapons, LRCs as transports).

[Brother Tyler]

What RAW complication do you see?

[Lysimachus]

Not sure if Octy means that if you specify them as Imperial Fist Successors you should technically use their Chapter Tactics?

 

Having said that, the Black Templars are also technically IF Successors, so maybe it's not a problem anyway!

[Brother Tyler]

Actually, their gene-seed will be either unknown (lots of records got lost while on crusade - or maybe the shift towards the beliefs of the Ecclesiarchy saw a de-emphasis on their Primarch-based past) or it will be disputed (perhaps they claim to be descended Primarch X while the records would indicate that they bear the gene-markers of Primarch Y).

[Aqui]

Revelation: The new Codex: Space Marines and Chapter Tactics rules mean that I can make my DIY act like the Black Templars. They'll still be largely Codex-compliant (unlike Sigismund's get), but will have the Chapter Tactics I envision and the Emperor's Champion. I don't have to take Crusader Squads, which aren't appropriate to my vision for the Vengeance Hawks, but will have some resistance to witchery (part of my current work for explaining how they survived their penitent crusade).

 

I'll definitely be sub-optimizing by not taking the Crusader Squads, but those just aren't appropriate to a Codex-compliant Chapter.

 

I'm sure there's some taint of heresy in all of this...

Sounds like a good idea I must admit I know very little about how the Black Templars army works on the tabletop, but it seems like you have a winner

 

Edit: As far as I can see, the Codex states that any DIY armies that have no known successor can use the most appropriate Chapter to represent them on the battlefield, so no problem as far as I'm concerned. RAW players be damned, I play for fun (winning is just a bonus)

Edited September 10, 2013 by Aquilanus

[Lysimachus]

Actually, their gene-seed will be either unknown (lots of records got lost while on crusade - or maybe the shift towards the beliefs of the Ecclesiarchy saw a de-emphasis on their Primarch-based past) or it will be disputed (perhaps they claim to be descended Primarch X while the records would indicate that they bear the gene-markers of Primarch Y).

 

Ah... just gone back and re-read several posts, realized I totally misread post 14. Never mind then, I've no idea what Octa was worrying about!