The Thunderbolts (A DIY Space Marine Chapter)

[dothac83]

The Thunderbolts (A DIY Space Marine Chapter)

 

http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltsHeraldry.gif

 

 

Founding Chapter: Imperial Fists

Founding: 23rd "Sentinel" Founding

Chapter Master: Janus Harrus

Homeworld: Sur Mirage

Fortress Monastery: Skyring

Colors: Orange with Blue Mid-Section and Gold Trim

Specialty: Close-Combat

Strength: 1000 Marines

Battle-Cry: Captain/Sergeant will start with "We are the Thunder!" the rest of the squad/company Marines answer "We are the Storm!"

 

History

 

The Founding

The Thunderbolts were founded during the early years of M38 as part of the 23rd “Sentinel” Founding. The Chapter was created as a successor to the Imperial Fists selecting a Marine Captain by the name of Givinus to become Chapter Master. The High Lords of Terra has selected the Feral World of Sur Mirage located in the Segmentum Tempestus, as the planet was a valuable source of mineral wealth for the Imperium. Following their primarch Rogal Dorn’s example of calling the potential marines “Recruits” instead of aspirants, Givinus along with his honor guard, began to establish the chapter.

After a couple centuries around 290.M38, the still fledgling Thunderbolts were put to the test as small clans of Orks had been attempting to invade their homeworld. The chapter had only grown to half it’s companies and began to push back in an effort to drive the Orks off their homeworld. After 29 weeks of fighting the Thunderbolts were successful and the Orks were wiped out. This was due in part to Givinus adapting to the use of Assault Marines to utilize the terrain of Sur Mirage to the chapter’s advantage, thereby adapting the combat doctrine of his chapter to specialize in close quarters combat. After a couple more centuries the chapter was at full strength near the end of 450.M38

 

Rise of the Thunderbolts

The Thunderbolts were put to the test once more during 850.M39 when a distress call was made by a mining outpost in the neighboring system of Peorius had come under attack by a Chaos raid. The Chapter Fleet responded and arrived 3 days after the arrival of the Chaos forces. They had discovered that squads from the Sisters of Battle had already engaged the cultists and traitor marines. Knowing they wouldn’t last long, they moved to back them up with the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th Companies while the Chapter Fleet engaged the Chaos Fleet, despite their fleet being outnumbered 3 ships to 1. The Companies suffered losses but reinforced the Sisters of Battle’s position and began to drive the cultists and traitors back. After an additional 17 days of battle, the Thunderbolts and the Sisters were able to drive the Chaos forces off of Peorius and back into the Warp Rifts they had emerged from, but not without losing almost a third of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th companies alone with a third of their fleet, but somehow none of the Battle Barges were destroyed. It would be well into M40 before the Thunderbolts regained what they had lost at The Battle of Peorius had cost the Chapter many Marine,  had gained the respect of the Sisters of Battle and the Ecclesiarchy.

 

Thunderbolts of the 41st Millenium

A new Chapter Master had arisen during mid-41st Millenium specifically around 592.M41 by the name of Janus Harrus. He had attained the position after a battle with Tyranid forces from Hive Fleet Leviathan. During this battle, he was Captain of the 1st Company that was slowly being surrounded by the swarm of Xenos while awaiting reinforcements. The previous chapter master along with his Honor Guard had been slain and with the rest of the forces slowly dwindling. Janus enraged with the loss of their leader, took up his fallen master’s Thunder Hammer and together with his own, rallied the 1st Company around him to hold their ground. This gained them their second wind and began to weather the onslaught back until reinforcements finally arrived though the chapter’s Thunderhawk Gunships.

 

In the aftermath of the battle the current captains of the Chapter’s 10 companies had to vote on who would be the new leader. It was unanimous that Janus would succeed as the new Chapter Master. He was given the Chapter Relics of The Indomitable Armor and the Twin Hammers of Sur Mirage to lead them in the battles to come.

 
Homeworld

Sur Mirage is a feral world that is comprised of vast mountain ranges and forests that grow around the bases of the mountains. The planet is home to several tribes of humans that live in the forests or on cliff-sides, carving their homes into the rock. The Fortress-Monestary of the Thunderbolts is called the “Skyring” a rather great marvel of the skills of the Adeptus Mechanicus, being ring-like construct that is built in geo-stationary orbit, completely circling around the planet and supported by 3 orbital elevator platforms along the planet’s equator. The base of each platform is a mining station that harvests Sur Mirage’s mineral wealth for the chapter. The wildlife of Sur Mirage has an apex predator that called the Couatls, massive avians that match the size of a Stormraven Gunship along with its ferocity and agility.

 

 

Combat Doctrine

The Thunderbolts adhere to the Codex Astartes with a minor change to reflect their close combat preference. The 1st Company exclusively consists of Veterans that utilize Jump Packs, including the Captain, Chaplain, Apothecary, and Command Squad. They do not utilize the use of Drop Pods but prefer to use Thunderhawk Gunships to perform deep insertion into the battlefield using their Jump Packs. Tactical and Devastator Squads will work to herd the enemies into kill-zones where Veteran and Assault Squads will surround and rip them apart at close-range with their melee weapons.

 

 

Equipment

The Thunderbolts have access to all available equipment for a Space Marine chapter. They however do not use Terminator Armor, having favored the use of Jump Packs, which are not compatible with the Tactical Dreadnought Armor. Gravguns and Plasma Cannons are the top choice for Specialist Weapons. When closing into melee where they excel they prefer Thunder Hammers and Power Fists, following the traditional melee weapons of choice from their progenitors. Assault Squads will still use Chainswords, having the belief that they must ‘earn’ their Thunder Hammers/Power Fists by promotion.

 

 

Recruitment

The Thunderbolts recruit their battle-brothers from the tribes of Sur Mirage. The ones that show potential must pass three tests: The Test of Strength, the Test of Skill, and the Test of Will.

 

The Test of Strength involves the recruits to engage in close combat. Only the strongest who overcome their opponents move on to the Test of Skill.

 

The Test of Skill is the most dangerous as they have to fashion a glider made from branches or bone and animal hide. They then take this glider to the top of a mountain and must glide down from the summit down to the base, while evading the Couatls that make their nests on the peaks of the mountains.

 

The third and final test is the Test of Will. Following Rogal Dorn’s example following the Horus Heresy, the recruit must meditate while wearing a pain glove for 10 minutes. If the recruit survives, then they are taken to the Skyring to become Space Marines of the chapter.

 

 

Beliefs

The chapter does somewhat hold onto the beliefs of their Primarch, Rogal Dorn. They revere the accomplishments of their fallen battle-brothers. They do not see the Emperor as a god, but as powerful immortal that even death will not stop him. This does strain their relationship with the Ecclesiarchy somewhat.

 

 

Geneseed

The Geneseed of the Thunderbolts is the same as their Progenitor legion the Imperial Fists, and this is of the Primarch Rogal Dorn. The Geneseed is stable, but does suffer from the same issue of the inability to use the betcher’s gland and the sus-an membrane. The chapter’s apothecaries do work diligently to make sure the Geneseed remains pure and free of mutation to the best of their abilities.

 

 

 

[dothac83]

Power Armors of The Thunderbolts

 

Tactical Squads

 

http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltTactical.gifhttp://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltTacticalSergeant.gif

Standard Tactical Marine and Sergeant

 

Assault Squads

 

http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltAssault-1.gifhttp://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltAssaultSergeant.gif

Standard Assault Marine and Sergeant

 

Devastator Squads

 

http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltDevastator.gifhttp://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltDevastatorSergeant.gif

Standard Devastator Marine and Sergeant

 

Veteran Squads

 

http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltVeteran.gifhttp://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/angelofphoenix1983/Space%20Marine%20Chapter%20Thunderbolts/ThunderboltVeteranSergeant.gif

Standard Veteran Marine and Sergeant

(Thunder Hammers haven't been coded into the B&C Painter)

[dothac83]

Trivia

• This Chapter was created as a tribute to the real-life men and women of the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force, stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona, United States. Their nickname is "The Thunderbolts".

[Corsair]

Nice write up and a really striking scheme - very cool tribute as well.

 

Also really like your background and that you've kept things relatively straightforward and simple with their culture and tactics. Especially the First Company; it's a cool difference to the norm, and doesn't come across as unlikely compared to many of the specialty Company ideas you hear about.

 

Look forward to seeing your painted models if that is the plan?

[Hrvat]

Nice article you've got there, but there is one thing that just doesn't sit well with me. The battlecry is such a mouthfull that at least to me doesn't roll well. For example if I was looking at your battlecry as a basis of what the marines might actually shout on the field of battle would be closer to something like this >

Spoken by the leader (captain/sargeant/whoever) - "We are THUNDER!!!"

Folloed by the marines - "We are STORM!!!"

[dothac83]

Nice article you've got there, but there is one thing that just doesn't sit well with me. The battlecry is such a mouthfull that at least to me doesn't roll well. For example if I was looking at your battlecry as a basis of what the marines might actually shout on the field of battle would be closer to something like this >

 

Spoken by the leader (captain/sargeant/whoever) - "We are THUNDER!!!"

Folloed by the marines - "We are STORM!!!"

 

Took that into consideration and made an update.

[dothac83]

Here is what I have as the planned for each Squad:

 

Tactical:

8x Marine with the standard Boltgun

1x Specialist with a Grav-gun

Sergeant with a Grav-Pistol and Power Fist

 

Assault:

9x Marines with a Bolt Pistol and Chainsword

Sergeant with a Grav-Pistol and Power Fist

 

Devastator (Still Debating the Layout):

1x Lascannon Marine

1x Missile Launcher Marine

2x Plasma Cannon Marine

1x Heavy Bolter Marine

Sergeant with a Grav-Pistol and Power Fist

 

Centurion Devastator Squad:

 

2x Marines with Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter and Missile Launcher

2x Marines with Twin-Linked Lascannon and Hurricane Bolter (Essentially a mini-Predator Annihilator)

Sergeant with Grav-cannon/Grav Amp and Missile Launcher

 

Veteran Squad (Vanguard):

8x Marines with Bolt Pistol and Thunder Hammer

1x Marine with Bolt Pistol and Power Axe

Sergeant with Grav-Pistol and Power Fist

[dothac83]

Nice write up and a really striking scheme - very cool tribute as well.

 

Also really like your background and that you've kept things relatively straightforward and simple with their culture and tactics. Especially the First Company; it's a cool difference to the norm, and doesn't come across as unlikely compared to many of the specialty Company ideas you hear about.

 

Look forward to seeing your painted models if that is the plan?

 

I am planning on painting them but I have to build them first. It may take a while since I am on a budget.