Shadow Wardens WIP

[Conn Eremon]

I think it might be prudent not to write yourself in a corner by saying that there is a squad type that you have none of. It is my opinion that you would be best served not to think of how the theme would restrict you from things that are not only common among the Chapters, but common sense to have for any Chapter, but to think of ways that these elements could fit in with your theme. Because, no matter what, you are starting off with them. Before your Chapter becomes the way it is now, it had Devastator squads. It stands to reason that the Chapter would incorporate these growing beliefs with a mind to retain everything they already have, and would continue to have, rather than decide to excise something integral.

 

For instance, if you want a "stealth hunter" type of Chapter, then I would look into examples of hunters and loud, large weapons. For instance, African safari types. Jeeps hauling :cuss with hunters whooping and firing, as their prey gets startled and runs off, but never fast enough. There is a big difference between tribal, ritualized hunting and big game sports hunting, but that shouldn't stop you from looking into them for some inspiration. A pack of Rhinos, blasting praise to the Emperor at high volume while charging headlong at the enemy with guns blazing is as much inspired by the hunter image as the lone Marine quietly, silently tracking his prey's spoor.

 

Other examples include high-calibre guns, like the elephant gun, or theming Devastator Squads off of hunter traps. Nothing like a squad of heavy bolters, lascannons and missile launchers springing an ambush on an unexpected foe, led to the killzone by a squad of Tacticals, who quickly set up to pick off any who might escape the slaughter.

 

Edit: Ooops, meant to put in the cuss word emoticon and instead just put in the cuss word.

[Tiberius Cato]

I've edited the original post to add a beliefs section and to change information in the origins and organisation sections.

 

That is a brilliant idea brother Cormac! I think though that I would prefer to stick with heavy flamers, multi-meltas, and lascannons however. I will have to incorporate the idea of a squad storming across the battlefield in a rhino chasing their enemies whilst firing rounds into the air and at the target and hollering praises to the emperor.

[Aegnor]

The Wild Hunt. I love it. Also, big loud guns could actually be used to drive the enemy into an ambush by the Stalker Squads.

[Teetengee]

The Wild Hunt. I love it. Also, big loud guns could actually be used to drive the enemy into an ambush by the Stalker Squads.

This I would love to see. :)

[Tiberius Cato]

I was thinking of having a bunch of land speeders bein used to corral enemies into an ambush.

[Tiberius Cato]

After pondering certain aspects of my chapter, I have reached a few conclusions.

1. It is absolutely horrid to completely omit devastators and heavy weaponry. As such, they will see reinclusion into my chapter.

2.In light of the return of devastators, that presents me with the dilemma of how to disperse my stalker squads amidst the companies.

3. I don't neccessarily need to fall in line completely with the Codex Astartes. For example, I could simply rename tactical squads to stalker squads and tweak their methods of operations accordingly. Or even half the tactical squads become stalker squads, to break up the cookie cutter-ness that is the Codex Astartes and add some uniqueness to my chapter(but not too much, not that special of a snowflake).

4. As with all things, hunting has many variations. It's not always stalking prey and making as little noise as possible. It can include baiting, for instance, leading enemy forces to believe an objective is abandoned and then emerging from the shadows when they arrive. Or there is the method in which you charge the enemy, most likely in a vehicle that will do some damage, forcing the enemy to find another position which will be where troops are waiting to ambush; quite hammer and anvil like.

As before, I am extremely thankful to you all, brothers. And I eagerly await any suggestions you may have, and criticism of my many possible fallacies.

[Conn Eremon]

Hm, id this were my thing, I would make Stalkers and Tacticals synonymous. By virtue of the Reserve Company progression, Marines skilled enough as Tacticals tend to be the more overall skilled. The fact that they are also the most dominant shows how hard it is for Marines to not succeed at everything, and how much use a Chapter can have for them.

 

What I would do is make Stalker squads a temporary formation. When the need arises, certain Tactical squads will have their tactics and equipment shifted to the purpose of Stalkering. Upon completion, the squad(s) shift right back into Tactical mode. With skill and practice, this shifting back and forth can happen multiple times over a single campaign, seamlessly each time.

[Tiberius Cato]

I think that is a really interesting concept. Originally I had stalkers be the progression from scout to power armour, as for me that was the next logical progression. But it makes a lot more sense for them to be tactical marines that are equipped to fulfill a special role. Thank you for the suggestion Brother Cormac! :)

[Resarys]

A thought for the Wardens, Brother. With the Hunt paramount to them, perhaps the simple name "The Lodge" for their fortress monastery? And the Reclusiam would be akin to a hunting room, with many trophies and heads mounted on the walls.

[Tiberius Cato]

That would be a great looking Reclusiam with how long my chapter has been around. I can imagine all the warboss skulls and Autarch helmets mounted on the walls, and a stuffed carnifex as a centerpiece of the room. :)

And also, "The Lodge" is a bit too simplistic for me. Maybe something along the lines of "Hall of the Wild Hunt", "Stalker's Rest", "Hunter's Hollow", and "Evergreen Glade" are a few names I can think of off the top of my head.

[shpace murenes]

 I like the sound of Hunters  hollow.

[Aegnor]

None of those sound very Elvish to me. Think at the moment it seems like your thinking is swinging a bit more towards the hunters theme rather than the Tolkien-esque Elf theme.

 

Either way is awesome, or doing both is also awesome, but it would be easy to move more towards one or the other without deliberately meaning to as well.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

If you want the Tolkien theme why not called their fortress-monastery 'Haven'? Yes it might be a single word and not sound greatly awesome but it gives off a sense of tranquility and "rightness" when you think of Tolkien Elves.

[Resarys]

Well it may cut a little close to the source material but.... Havendell?

 

Tallettaa is Finnish for "lodge", and much of Tolkien's elvish was drawn from Finnish. "Metsästäjä" is hunter, you could play with that. It would be very Tolkien-esque to craft your own word.

[Tiberius Cato]

What do you think of Vauya, Brothers? It is the Sindarin word for Haven.

[Conn Eremon]

I would avoid using any words or languages directly lifted off of Tolkien's work, and instead try for something more original that evokes a similar feeling to you.

[Tiberius Cato]

Well said,Brother. I will have to play around with some words and create something original.

[Tiberius Cato]

This is real quick, but it is something my friend suggested. He suggested a use spanish, which I speak as a native tongue, and change the words a bit to make it a bit more elvish. As cool as it would be i'm not sure how to go about doing that.

[Conn Eremon]

Based off of Google searches: Closest Spanish word for Haven is refugio, or refuge. Refuge in Sindarin is -hold. Nope, never mind it's archaic english (which I should have assumed), which makes it better (err, to me. If Spanish words are wanted, go for it). That fits pretty nicely with a rustic hunter theme, so perhaps we add -hold to the end of it.

 

Rather than choose something else from the theme to go with it, I'd connect it to the Chapter or its history instead.

 

So: Shadowhold/Darkhold/Ravenhold/Crowhold/etc.

 

Edit: I am suddenly struck by the irony that I am telling you to be more original, when my chosen DIY is Irish themed, lives on the world of Tara, is led by Cormac Airt, has a Fortress-Monastery that looks like nothing more than a big mound from above ground. And I regret nothing, because I want the theme to be obvious, whether or not that is seen as bad writing, and whether or not I don't follow that same logic for any of my other DIYs.

 

So if you do want Tolkien to be more obviously used as a theme, go for it.

[Resarys]

Houndhold? Rynhold for a more Sindarin feel.

 

Though, as Brother Cormac suggested, connecting it to the Chapter's history, you could also go with roost or nest. Darknest/Shadowroost/etc. Maybe not Shadowroost, though. "The Nest of Shadows"? That sounds suitably menacing, though not quite in line with the Chapter's character

[Conn Eremon]

I don't know, nest/roost, while avian and appropriate, doesn't really have the right connotations for a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, as my personal opinion.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Could always borrow from the Lords of the Vale!

[Olis]

How about... (cheesy gaming reference incoming)... Ravenholm?

[Tiberius Cato]

My gamerside should be shamed, I do not know that reference :l But it sounds pretty cool.

I also have no idea what Lords of the Vale is.

As for names, what do you all think of Wardenheim?

[Conn Eremon]

Ooh, my vote goes to replacing -hold with -holm, whichever prefix you add.

 

Took too long to post. -heim lends it a nordic theme, so its up to you if you want that. As for the reference . . . HL2?