Index Astartes: The Decimators of Thule

[AOXES]

The Decimators of Thule

 

"The Thule Decimation of 728.M40 is one of the most noteworthy examples of the use of Terminator Armour. Six entire companies of [redacted] (an elite Chapter that is unusual in having all of its Marines trained and adapted for Exo-armour) were equipped with Terminator Armour, including suits that had been requisitioned from five other Chapters. The assault was mounted with such haste that there was no time for repainting the suits. The [redacted] were forced to attack in the colours of six different Chapters and, apparently faced by six Chapters of Marines, the defenders surrendered within three hours. One in ten on the planetoid city were subsequently executed for their part in the rebellion"

 

- First entry in Tome WD109, the most sacred data-tome of the Decimators of Thule

 

[Note: This is an actual excerpt from WD109. I did not change anything, except to redact the actual chapter name. Being such old fluff, this will, I admit, create fundamental fluff conflicts which might frustrate attempts at reconciliation, or expansion in this direction. But I'm doing so anyway because old school soldiery and an excuse to paint a white version of Deathwatch, but with Terminators. ;)]

 

 

Origins

 

The Decimators of Thule are a chapter that came into existence shortly after the Thule Decimation. They are rumoured to have been raised from Thule itself, with the geneseed from one of the chapters whose suits were used in the Decimation.

 

Bequeathed with a data-tome labeled only as Tome WD109, empty except for the laconic words describing the Thule Decimation, and charged to fill the tome with records of the penitence of the world of Thule, the newly founded chapter sallied forth to fulfil their duty. To this day, the Decimators have stayed true to their charge, and remain a fleet-based crusading chapter.

 

Many of the senior members of the chapter have questioned the value or meaning of the excerpt and their original charge, some interpreting it as a call to decimate the foes of the Imperium as penitence for sins long past, others revere it as a prophecy to once again see the deployment of so many suits. Most, however, believe it is something between those very lines.

 

As with a typical Space Marine Chapter, to achieve the former is perhaps not such an insurmountable task, for it is inherent in the very training and equipment of an Astartes chapter to do so. To accomplish the latter, however, may very well prove to be their undoing.

 

Seeking to reclaim some semblance of what some among the chapter claim to be their destiny; to deploy as their progenitors did in the Thule Decimation, the Decimators use every means at their disposal in order to secure more of the precious armour, no matter the cost.

 

From the forges up, the chapter maintains and rebuilds as much as it is able to, the suits of armour they possess and revere, so much so that the resource allocations for their other specialised equipment are adequate at the best of times, to somewhat lacking in protracted campaigns. This situation, exacerbated by the relative complexity and cost of maintaining a large complement of Terminator armour, results in the chapter frequently running a bare minimum of vehicles and war materiel, with the majority of their equipment either being downgraded to minimum specs, or kept in the most basic and reliable configurations available. It is testament to the resourcefulness of their battle brothers that the chapter is able to function with the minimum of equipment.

 

As a result, the large bulk of the chapter's already limited vehicle fleet comprises mainly Rhinos, Land Speeders and Bikes; any vehicle that requires the minimum of ammunition and maintenance, and is able to be easily modified to carry either their Scout or Power Armoured brethren. Additionally, it must be noted that the chapter maintains a larger number of Scouts than normal, perhaps due to the perennial lack of heavier equipment, or perhaps to be able to better support their Terminator squads. However, this is more than made up for by the fact that almost every company is able to deploy at least some of its number in Terminator Armour.

 

The Decimators have chosen to work closely with the Adeptus Mechanicus, on the pretext of protecting the sectors and interests around the Forge Worlds still known to be able to produce Terminator Armour. The higher command of the chapter acknowledge that this is done in the hopes of having their requisitions requests for the armour or replacement parts being looked upon with more favour, but whether these measures are successful or not remains to be seen. Still, the expertise gained from such deployments has at the very least enabled the chapter's Techmarines to better maintain their current complement of suits.

 

Lastly, their choice of independent operations frequently include space hulk clearance or relic hunting missions, chasing down even the slightest rumour that they may contain armour schematics or parts, and Renegade Space Marine hunting operations, in particular those that are known to deploy suits of their own. The latter of these missions are frequently undertaken in utmost secrecy to escape the eyes of Imperial authorities, who may view the possiblity that the Decimators salvage renegade equipment for their own use as technoheresy in the highest regard.

 

Regardless, the chapter officially declares that they destroy any renegade equipment they find, and take all efforts to return any Imperial equipment so recovered. Still, the Chapter has engendered a slight distrust among their contemporaries, as they report somewhat higher losses of Terminator armor when operating alongside the Decimators.

 

 

Organisation

 

The Chapter maintains six oversized companies, each company corresponding to a chapter whose suits had been used in the Thule Decimation. Every company maintains their own suits of Terminator armour, and the exact number varies from several suits up to several squads, according to combat losses and requisitions at the time. Though the names and colours of the original six chapters have been lost in time, every company maintains separate colour schemes on their pauldrons as an homage to the chapters whose suits were deployed on Thule. The colours of the pauldrons, now, however, are chosen by each new Company Captain when they take command of their company.

 

In addition to colours, every company is equipped with their own transport and specialist assets to be able to operate independently without support from other companies if need be. As such, a significant amount of freedom is given to the captains to show the individuality of their respective companies, down to their tactics, organisation and equipment. This is also in part due to the frequent need to operate without the support of specialised equipment in the field for protracted periods of time. Hence, resourcefulness to make do with whatever is available is valued among the chapter as much as any combat skill.

 

 

Combat Doctrine

 

The chapter prefers leveraging on the Terminator suits at its disposal, in a vainglory attempt at recapturing some of the glory of the original Thule Decimation. Hence, they prefer rapid assaults with teleport attacks, engaging in ship-boarding actions and close quarters fighting in densely packed areas wherever possible; missions that enable them to employ Terminators most effectively. The rest of the chapter otherwise deploys in a relatively Codex manner, but is largely restricted to Rhinos and light vehicles to complement the slower-moving Terminators.

 

 

Beliefs

 

The majority of the chapter view the six chapters whose suits had been used in the Thule Decimation as both the liberators and saviours of Thule, their homeworld. Without knowledge as to which chapter's geneseed they were created from, or even their exact identities, the Chapter reveres them all equally as their progenitors. To an external observer, the Decimators arguably revere the charge they were given more so than the Codex Astartes. This is reflected in their deliberate choice of chapter organisation, which reflects the original six chapters referred to in the Thule Decimation.

 

It appears that at its inception, the chapter was created for the purpose of seeking out the Emperor's enemies as penitence for the rebellion of the world of Thule. However, the interpretation of their original charge has changed over the millennium. A vocal minority of the senior commanders within the chapter have taken to the belief that according to their founding text, they are to acquire as many suits of the armour as possible in preparation for an unknown event or prophecy, and have chosen to do so despite the obvious detriment to their long term survival.

 

 

Geneseed

 

Records indicate that the source of the Decimators' geneseed comes from one of the chapters that participated in the Thule Decimation. However, the records are incomplete, whether through accident or design, and they neither list the original chapters names, nor which chapter had contributed its geneseed to the creation of the Decimators.

 

 

Colour Scheme

 

The chapter maintains a practical and simplistic white colour scheme, akin to one that is easy to paint over a salvaged or patched together suit of armour quickly in the field. Though they are not officially known to encourage such practices, it can be easy to see why this can be assumed by their erstwhile allies. A single pauldron is maintained in the colour that corresponds to each company.

 

 

EDIT: I toned it down from 11, I think. And added a beliefs section. The Thule Decimation is staying though.

 

Sections removed/changed: Chapter fleet assets, Inquisition links. Actual founding date. Expanded on Beliefs section. Added Geneseed section.

[exetus]

OK, everyone likes to make their own chapters special in their own ways, but you do know how precious TDA is, right?  Former legions are barely able to outfit their entire first companies with it and you've got six companies worth... and they are from M41... so BRAND NEW!!!  Inquisition ties or not, that just seems extremely unfeasible.

[AOXES]

Eh. No. I never said they had 6 companies worth. I said they are attempting to, and may very well fail in the long run.

 

Edit: Ah, I see that it may very well be a badly written sentence. Corrected as such. Thanks exetus! Do let me know if you spot any other discrepancies or badly worded sentences.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

I like the concept as stated so far.  I would like to see a beliefs section.  I feel it would be interesting to hear about the cult that the tome and pursuit of TDA would foster.  I personnally believe that the belief section is the most important section in an IA as it tells the reader the most about your chapter and who they are. 

[Brother Scythe]

The Decimators of Thule

"The Thule Decimation of 728.M40 is one of the most noteworthy examples of the use of Terminator Armour. Six entire companies of [redacted] (an elite Chapter that is unusual in having all of its Marines trained and adapted for Exo-armour) were equipped with Terminator Armour, including suits that had been requisitioned from five other Chapters. The assault was mounted with such haste that there was no time for repainting the suits. The [redacted] were forced to attack in the colours of six different Chapters and, apparently faced by six Chapters of Marines, the defenders surrendered within three hours. One in ten on the planetoid city were subsequently executed for their part in the rebellion."

- Excerpt from the Record of Decimation, the most sacred data-tome of the Decimators of Thule

 

So they somehow convinced 6 chapters to give up their VERY rare armour. Nope. First off not all chapters even have a hundred suits of such armour, and those that do are very old. As such they would need to go to dozens of chapters to get 500+ suits of Terminator Armour, a feat that well isn't going to happen. Second a Space Marines armour is his identity. Terminator Armour above all others are ancient suits with histories that are longer and more noble than the Astarte wearing it. No chapter would give a single suit away except to maybe its gene-father chapter and even then it would be difficult for them to do.

Next if this battle was so easy that the damn enemy surrendered because Space Marines came they quit? Why was this such an important and epic battle that they needed all this armour? Surely deploying 600 Battle Brothers would cower this enemy the same. I mean it is obvious they were not up for a fight.
 

History

The Decimators of Thule were a chapter raised on 728.M41, exactly a millennia after the event known as the Thule Decimation. Bequeathed with a data-tome, empty except for the laconic words describing the Thule Decimation, and instructed only to fill the tome with records of their glory, the newly founded chapter sallied forth to fulfil this task. This tome came to be known as the Record of Decimation.

 

Really? Are you sure? Which founding? Chapters are generally always formed at a founding. You're only a decade off the 26th founding so say that. Exact dates look bad. The Imperium does not have exact records so either would they.

Interesting premise for the chapter. But why were they formed? Each and every chapter is created for an exact purpose so what is these guys?

Many of the senior members of the chapter have questioned the value or meaning of the excerpt and their original instructions, some interpreting it as a call to decimate the foes of the Imperium, others revering it as a prophecy to seek out and reclaim those very suits to deploy against those very same foes. Most believe it is something between those very lines.

 

Reclaim them? I would assume after this magical battle each and every suit was returned. So after a 1000 years I can find those suits. They are in whatever armoury they came from or on the body of an Astartes. Mystery solved. These suits predate the existence of chapters in some cases there is no way they got lost.

As with every Space Marine Chapter in existence, to do the former is not an insurmountable task, for it is inherent in the very training and equipment of an Astartes chapter to do so. To accomplish the latter, however, may very well prove to be.

 

Killing is easy yup. And it really isn't. I already did it. Took me like 8 seconds. Granted finding which chapters those were may be a little hard, but even if you do so what? The chapter is gonna look at these children and go "yeah you can go now thanks"

Seeking to reclaim some semblance of what some among their chapter claim to be their lost legacy; that of deploying 600 suits of Terminator Armour, the Decimators use every means at their disposal in order to secure more of the precious armour, no matter the cost.

 

I hope as I read further these guys pop out from behind a rock when a marine is at his Monastery and having his armour undone yell "AH HA" and grab the armour running away while the naked marine shakes his fist at them saying "Darn those Decimators and their damn dog too!" or that they kill other marines and take the armour...

From the forges up, the chapter maintains and rebuilds as much as it is able to, the many suits of armour they possess and revere, so much so that the resource allocations for their other specialised equipment are barely adequate at the best of times, to downright lacking in protracted campaigns. This situation, exacerbated by the relative complexity and cost of maintaining such a large complement of Terminator armour, results in the chapter frequently running a bare minimum of vehicles and war materiel, with the majority of their equipment either being downgraded to minimum specs, or kept in the most basic and reliable configurations available.

 

Well I assume that they have about 20. Total. New chapter, no glorious history or alliances. Wow such a large complement? Do they have *gasp* 30? so basically this chapter is doomed to a horrid death. 970 Astartes can't have the resources needed to do what marines do while the other 30 are kings of the castle. 

As a result, the large bulk of the chapter's already limited vehicle fleet comprises mainly Rhinos, Land Speeders and Bikes; any vehicle that requires the minimum of ammunition and maintenance, and is able to be easily shared among their Scout and Power Armoured brethren. Additionally, it must be noted that most of the chapter is equipped with just their personal weapons and a suit of carapace armour, with the bulk of the power armour being reserved for those of squad sergeant rank and above. However, this is more than made up for by the fact that every veteran in the company is almost always able to be equipped with a suit of Terminator armour.

 

So almost all Veterans means 90 Sergeants, and 100 Veterans so you magically have 150+ suits of this rare material. I bet the Ultramarines are blue with sadness.. and the Dark Angels green with envy... and the Blood Angels red with anger... and the Imperial Fists uh yellow with jaundice? Also they don't even have Power Armour? Seriously... and if every sergeant and veteran has Terminator armour can't they give out their like 150+ suits to marines so they I dunno are useful?

The Decimators frequently work closely with the Adeptus Mechanicus, on the pretext of protecting the sectors and interests around the Forge Worlds still known to be able to produce Terminator Armour, in the hopes of having their requisitions requests for the armour or replacement parts being looked upon with more favour.

 

Of course they do.

Additionally, the chapter also takes on many dangerous missions for Ordo Malleus Inquisitors, especially those Inquisitors that have reputations for requisitioning the best weapons and armour, Terminator suits included, for those they favour.

 

Explain to me why the Inquisition or Mechanicum care at all about some 300 year old rookies when they have 10,000 year old chapters of legend sending them forces. Sounds like a lot of hand waving to me.

Lastly, their choice of independent operations frequently include space hulk clearance or relic hunting missions, especially those that are rumoured to contain armour schematics or parts, and Renegade Space Marine hunting operations, in particular those that are known to deploy suits of their own. The latter of these missions are frequently undertaken in utmost secrecy to escape the wrath of Imperial authorities, who may view the possiblity of salvage of renegade equipment as technoheresy in the highest regard.

 

Burn the heretics! So they work closely with the Inquisition... but steal cursed, corrupted, daemon possessed armour. Makes perfect sense.

 

Nevertheless, even the most suspicious of authorities that postulate the truth behind the choice of the chapter's operations, cannot deny the utility of the systematic elimination of the command structure of renegade Chaos warbands and clearance of potentially dangerous space hulks.

 

Inquisitor 1 - "Yeah sure Bill they are frothing mademen possessed by evil suits of armour... but they are just so effective! and cute to boot"

Inquisitor Bill - "Still heretics..."

Inquisitor 1 - "Maybe but they are just so good at doing what marines do, lets give them some leeway!"

 

Organisation

The Chapter comprises six oversized companies that corresponds to each chapter that participated in the Thule Decimation. Each company maintains their own suits of Terminator armour, and the exact number varies according to combat losses and requisitions. Though their names and even colour schemes have been lost in time, they maintain separate colour schemes on their pauldrons as an homage to each of the six chapters, the colours of which depend on the Captain in command at the time.

 

Only 1 chapter fought in the Thule Decimation remember? Granted they had six sets of different colour armour (for some reason) but surely they know it was 1 chapter. Wait there were 6 colours present... but the Captain chooses what colour to wear... doesn't that uh defeat the purpose? And why are they different in Organization? What makes them so special they are allowed to break the holiest of tomes?

Each of these companies can operate independently and frequently do so for extended periods of time. As such, a large amount of freedom is given to each Captain pertaining to the organisation and tactics of their Company.

 

Sure.

The chapter fleet comprises a modest six Strike Cruisers, each uniquely modified to Vanguard Cruiser specifications, and serve as the dedicated home base for one of the companies of the chapter. Due to a perennial lack of resources, and the unique organisational requirements of the chapter, the Decimators boast no Battle Barges in their fleet.

 

Well a Strike Cruiser can carry a single company of marines... and your companies are oversized.... so do they take turns riding "shotgun" while the rest wait whereever they last were? And no fleet power. I think I will use these guys as a perfect source of free armour and geneseed for my Traitors!

Combat Doctrine

The chapter leverages the relatively large number of Terminator suits at its disposal, preferring teleport attacks en masse, or to engage in ship-boarding actions and close quarters fighting in densely packed areas wherever possible. Any long range fire and open field battle is usually supported by the chapter fleet and fleet assets, while conventionally armed and armoured marines maintain a cordon in which the Terminator squads may go about their mission without the risk of flanking attacks.
 

So they teleport the 150ish Terminators and the others are watching like "yeah my chapter is totally gonna win this fight... maybe someday I can have armour!" Ship Boarding actions? With what fleet? And again what fleet assests? They don't have any!

So literally 80+% of the chapter makes a wall so the rest can fight. 
 

Colour Scheme

The chapter maintains a practical and simplistic white-washed colour scheme, one that is easy to paint over a salvaged or patched together suit of armour quickly in the field. A single pauldron is maintained in the colour that corresponds to each company.

 

Okay... yeah do they actually steal damaged armour from other chapters?

 

Honestly this chapter is very horridly done. It lacks basic fluff principles and seems to cram as much stuff as it can without paying attention to itself. Think long and hard on a theme and start from scratch. Terminator Armour is not something a chapter will ever deploy in fully it is a pointless dream. Create an actual chapter and have it focus on the first company who could possibly be all deployed in such armour.

 

As always. Please note that this is all in my [narrow] view of the 40K universe. Don't take what I say as an attack, and feel free to disregard.

[AOXES]

So they somehow convinced 6 chapters to give up their VERY rare armour. Nope.

@Brother Scythe: The Thule Decimation is apparently "official fluff". I swear, it's taken exactly from WD 109. I just decided to reuse it to paint something.

[AOXES]

Meanwhile, it's an WIP; I'll have to rethink/rewrite several things. Need to perhaps tone down certain things. I was mainly going for a Relictors, and blinded by some weird prophecy thing.

 

BUT, addressing some of it: Yes, they do have the belief that they WANT 600 suits. And yes, it is doomed to fail. But they still try.

 

I hope as I read further these guys pop out from behind a rock when a marine is at his Monastery and having his armour undone yell "AH HA" and grab the armour running away while the naked marine shakes his fist at them saying "Darn those Decimators and their damn dog too!" or that they kill other marines and take the armour...

 

Exactly...I wanted to make some Relictors-Blood Ravens thing going, but in a borderline heretical, and doomed to failure manner. Aaand, I probably need to be clearer on exactly how many they do actually have. Still thinking about it.

 

Explain to me why the Inquisition or Mechanicum care at all about some 300 year old rookies when they have 10,000 year old chapters of legend sending them forces. Sounds like a lot of hand waving to me.

 

I'm actually not too sure about whether Inquisition does that. Maybe I'll remove it. Especially with the Relictors thing going.

 

Think long and hard on a theme and start from scratch. Terminator Armour is not something a chapter will ever deploy in fully it is a pointless dream. Create an actual chapter and have it focus on the first company who could possibly be all deployed in such armour..

 

Exactly. ;)

[AOXES]

Aand:
Well a Strike Cruiser can carry a single company of marines... and your companies are oversized.... so do they take turns riding "shotgun" while the rest wait whereever they last were? And no fleet power. I think I will use these guys as a perfect source of free armour and geneseed for my Traitors!

 

The Flesh Tearers modified their single Battle Barge to carry their entire chapter, why not these guys? Further, is 6 Strike Cruisers too few?

 

Edit: Perhaps too few if operating independently.

[AOXES]

While we're on the subject. May I ask, what methods a chapter may go about acquiring more suits of Terminator armour, and what detriments they might have, if they focused too much on doing so? So that I *may* be able to write up something that makes more sense. Kinda like how too much spending on tanks by a nation might compromise the aircraft quality thereof.

 

And I've added a Beliefs section. It's been a while since I've written one of these. So forgive me for the coherency, or lack thereof.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

TDA is rare in the grimdark.  The materials needed to create them are hard to find and the knowledge of how to construct them is almost gone from the Imperium.  I think the Inquisition would have issue with a chapter recovering and using chaos equipment.  Also several organization might see the aquiring of large quantities of TDA as a sign of "Legion building".  I  would expect that your Chapter would salvage TDA from battlefields and the original owners might take issue with that.

 

These are the detriments I can think of off the top of my head.

[exetus]

The fact that there are a thousand chapters and all are authorized TDA means that it has to go around.  Sure you have some chapters that don't use it much (White Scars and Raven Guard are good example), but every suit is, essentially, even more sacred that your typical power armor.  There are some chapters that go about acquiring things and refuse to give them back to their original owners when they find them or take spoils, but that's largely the only way to really acquire more than your allotted share of the stuff.

 

 

The Flesh Tearers modified their single Battle Barge to carry their entire chapter, why not these guys? Further, is 6 Strike Cruisers too few?

 

The Flesh Tearers are also on the brink of oblivion with only approximately 400 Space Marines left... the conversion of the Victus to carry that number would be minimal.  Even if the conversion were done prior to their numbers being that low, since a battle barge can simultaneously deploy up to three companies, there probably isn't THAT much conversion that had to be done.

[AOXES]

Thanks!

 

Anyway, i don't really think that 40k motivations have to be that smart or logical, as long as they have an in universe hook. The market rate I find for this setting borders on misguided at the best of times, to doomed at its worst, but all are nevertheless backed by a fanatical mindset to push it forward until it breaks or fixes itself. I hope this piece of fluff captures that somewhat, and also brings in the Relictors/Blood Ravens feel to them. But i do also hope I've removed the offensively illogical parts of it, and clarified that which I've chosen to leave in, and the reasons I've done so.

 

And mainly, because I wanted to try a white version of the Deathwatch color scheme, and to try it out on the different eras of Terminators I have accumulated over the years, from Rogue Trader to Dark Vengeance. :)

[Dizzyeye01]

These guys just scream snowflake to me. Honestly having about 600 suits of TDA at one point? Not gonna happen without some serious "what the?" moments. If you're aiming to make a serious Chapter, you're gonna really need to reconsider a lot of things; this chapter just seems heavily focused on grabbing TDA armour and focused on one -single- event that they weren't even involved in if I'm reading it right.

[Quozzo]

Really? Are you sure? Which founding? Chapters are generally always formed at a founding. You're only a decade off the 26th founding so say that. Exact dates look bad. The Imperium does not have exact records so either would they.

100% agree

Interesting premise for the chapter. But why were they formed? Each and every chapter is created for an exact purpose so what is these guys?

100% disagree Foundings are declared for a reason but each individual chapter is not created for a purpose, yet each manages to find their own niche gap in the market. This is either because of their preference due to their lineage, environmental effects or because some great tragedy that the chapter befell.

[AOXES]

@Dizzyeye, Quozzo: You're right. I might perhaps have to flesh out the Beliefs of the chapter. What I wanted to capture, would be that their beliefs may have been warped somehow. For them, what started out as something to secure the "redemption" of the world of Thule, has slowly been replaced with an obsession for reliving the Thule Decimation. A little like the Relictors and Daemon Weapons. This is possible depends on how you read into the original text, but I'll have to have a think.

[Brother Scythe]

@Brother Scythe: The Thule Decimation is apparently "official fluff". I swear, it's taken exactly from WD 109. I just decided to reuse it to paint something.

So just for you I went and dug up WD 109 and did some research and now we have new problems aha. The first is GW has bad fluff, and ignore it all the time. A 1989 release date doesn`t speak well of a solid time line to work with. Also this was done by the Grey Knights! A chapter that the Imperium doesn`t really admit exists, kills chapters and guardsmen without reason other than `heh daemons`and are all around not something revealed. Why would a bran new chapter actually be given information about this. This fact would lead them to investigate the marines and risk learning WAY to much about the Inquisition. New chapters are not exactly given access to the most classified info.

Meanwhile, it's an WIP; I'll have to rethink/rewrite several things. Need to perhaps tone down certain things. I was mainly going for a Relictors, and blinded by some weird prophecy thing.

BUT, addressing some of it: Yes, they do have the belief that they WANT 600 suits. And yes, it is doomed to fail. But they still try.

Okay, but taking one chapters niche and cramming another one isn`t really a good thing. My advice is find a way to make it fit. The idea of marines stealing other allied chapters armour and worse using chaos possessed armour is just bad writing IMO.

Exactly...I wanted to make some Relictors-Blood Ravens thing going, but in a borderline heretical, and doomed to failure manner. Aaand, I probably need to be clearer on exactly how many they do actually have. Still thinking about it.

Nothing borderline about it. If they are stealing these (from chapters with living brothers in good standing) it is heresy. If they are stealing and wearing chaos armour it is heresy. If they steal from forgeworlds, Inquisitors whatever else it is heresy. These guys are full blown renengades and deserve a good purging. Maybe The Decimators will receive a decimation (or likely a total purge as 10% isn`t nearly enough dead for the grimdark)

The Flesh Tearers modified their single Battle Barge to carry their entire chapter, why not these guys? Further, is 6 Strike Cruisers too few?

Edit: Perhaps too few if operating independently.

So a chapter that is regarded by some as heretics have done this... makes sense for your guys haha. But seriously you don`t mention this. If you don`t mention it then I have to take it at face value in which case the point stands. In addition it is to few especially for a chapter like this.

100% disagree Foundings are declared for a reason but each individual chapter is not created for a purpose, yet each manages to find their own niche gap in the market. This is either because of their preference due to their lineage, environmental effects or because some great tragedy that the chapter befell.

I would say almost every chapter I read about is given a starting task. While it is normally guard this area of space, or patrol this region, or make sure such and such doesn`t invade from this direction it is always a little something that gets them going. Granted I did say all which is probably untrue as I am sure a few outliers were given no orders or purpose, but for the most part the chapters created during a founding are done with a specific reason in mind. Now whether that is a valid reason.. or they choose to follow it is different.

[AOXES]

Thanks!

I understand your concerns, and have made some changes that I think may be more sensible, I guess.

1. Changed their timeline to be more ambiguous. Maybe M40ish would be a more appropriate date than "brand new".

2. Made it more ambiguous. They're not stealing, and outwardly advocate that they don't. (Edit: And they may very well be branded renegades in the future. Just not yet... They're pushing their luck, I understand, but the Imperium is a big place.)

3. Removed the "Fleet Assets" part until I go read up properly on my Battlefleet Gothic again.

4. Emphasised sufficiently (I hope), that their original task MAY have been to attain glory/penitence for the world and surrounding sector of Thule. This is quite plausible, I believe, as Chapters are founded specifically to defend sectors or the like. Then this task has somehow been misinterpreted (it might happen) into something more sinister. May perhaps still need to reword some other bits to be more in-line with this.

5. Aaand, I do understand that old fluff might just cause conflicts. I guess that's the way GW fluff works sometimes...

Mainly also, I'm trying out a concept chapter. Like there are chapters out there that emphasise armoured warfare, others scouts, still others assault squads etc. I'm just stabbing about to see if one that emphasises Terminator deployment and acquisition would work. I mean, there are plenty of chapters with access to many suits (DA, Salamanders...), but it's not exactly so that they choose to use them more often, or focus too much on them.