The Liber Cluster

[Conn Eremon]

Would an Emperor-fearing alien just purge itself? Ooh, or would it purge its own kind? We've been going about the tau all wrong.

 

Don't worry about coming to us about hitting blocks. They're always frustrating, and hopefully we can help.

 

And if you have stuff going on IRL that is turning the EWC into more of a burden than a welcome distraction, feel free to hit pause or ask for help.

 

Edit: And also don't worry about writing it as a defeat. There needs to be a balance to make it believable after all.

[helterskelter]

Defeats are all good, I killed off (with the help of olis) half the Doomsayers in pretty much one sitting.

I know they had a hand in upsetting a fair few chapters with their less than triumphant return too, but it's not always the good that helps define something.

If it helps, go full dark, have a kindred group torture the living snot out of a doomsayer in vengeful wrath for their transgression.

Have a captain try to apologise for their errors only to be met with some more violence in a later battle.

Go nuts!

[Wade Garrett]

The "horrific defeat" is more me not being in the mood for a tale of glorious triumphs against all odds.

 

A story told through after action accounts of the Inquisition, Ravagers, Angels, Guard, and Imperial Navy all pointing fingers at one another is much more simpatico to the mood I find myself in. ;)

 

As far as an Emperor fearing alien...I think it would be something like the Beastmen regiments the IG used to have or the old fluff about the Black Templar astropaths, "The Emperor hates me for my horrible being a mutant/witchness but by horrible suffering and dying in battle against his enemies I can maybe get into one of the not so good parts of the God Emperor's Heaven. If I suffer a lot and have a really epic death taking a lot of the Emperor's enemies with me."

 

Except replace being a mutant or witch with being an alien.

[Conn Eremon]

The "horrific defeat" is more me not being in the mood for a tale of glorious triumphs against all odds.

 

A story told through after action accounts of the Inquisition, Ravagers, Angels, Guard, and Imperial Navy all pointing fingers at one another is much more simpatico to the mood I find myself in. ;)

Honestly, if that's where the story is taking you, go with it. Who cares if it's a mood-driven tale, if it's a good one?

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Whatever cures writers block is a boon, whether it's a glass of scotch or the embracing and channeling of a foul mood. Writers are conduits for emotion and the human condition, to that end embracing everything you see, hear and feel is exactly what you should be doing.

 

Writing based of logic alone is worthless and joyless to read.

[Teetengee]

To be honest, I was terribly unhappy with how well the angels and ravagers fought together. Check out their earlier viewpoints of each other. They should mix about as well as oil and water.

Let them burn!

[Olis]

The Helfen Ambush

The following operation on the refinery-world of Helfen by the Aetheric Swords and the All Seers, is a testimony to the danger of the Sereiki Lions and their cohorts even in the closing phases of the Eighteen Worlds Crusade.

Force dispositions:

• Aetheric Swords - 52 Astartes + mission assets
• All Seers - 28 Astartes + mission assets
• Imperial Guard - 5 Regiments (Krinelander Shock Troops - 4^th, 18^th, 19^th, 26^th and 30^th)
• Knight support - Freeblade Knight Hammer of Eternity
• Estimated mission time: Four days

Planetary Assault

With barely any orbital or void forces defending Helfen, the assault on the identified ground forces began unopposed. First into the fray were the All Seers, striking outlying dig sites and lightly defended Lion outposts, quickly followed by Aetheric Sword drop pods landing at the star port of the capital - Punctatis.

This lightning strike to secure a clear landing for following forces, although nominally successful, failed to take the vast facility without damage to the hard pan. Of what Coyote and Hyena companies held the star port, many delayed the astartes with their lives while sappers and demolitions teams sabotaged what they could, fouling the immediate objective for the Imperial forces.

Undeterred, three regiments of Krinelanders made planetfall thirty kilometres outside of Punctatis, forging through the swamplands and the mire to reach the capital, accompanied by the Freeblade Hammer of Eternity. A further regiment secured the landing zone (the 30th) and another was distributed throughout the world to hold the most important gains made in the first hours of the battle for Helfen.

While the Krinelanders and the Knight moved to support the Aetheric Swords, the All Seers used their small numbers to their advantage - using the handful of craft that transported them from orbit, they too struck for the only large settlement on the planet.

Enemy forces, the garrisoned Coyote mechanised brigade and genhanced Hyena death squads, initially blunted both the Krinelanders and the Swords. Using the urban environment it was all too easy to hold against the Guardsmen but holding off astartes required more inventive thinking. Or, to be more accurate, more destructive thinking. Vast hab buildings and monolithic manufactoria leading from the star port to the centre of the city were brought down using artillery and cannon fire - since the sappers had been lost at the star port - obstructing the Swords and forcing them to circumvent the ruins.

With both the Guard and the Swords temporarily delayed, not accounting for the Hammer of Eternity who had smashed through the Coyote line unsupported and continued onwards, the All Seers struck the centre of the Lion garrison without mercy. Gunships unleashed salvo upon salvo into the mechanised elements and clusters of defenders while the astartes themselves leapt into the fray from their moving craft. Here the backbone of the Lion defences was shattered, the lynchpin holding the garrison together massacred in a slaughter lasting into the night. Independent Hyena squads were hunted down and killed by the Swords, leaving very few defenders holed up in the city at all.

As far as the strategeos in orbit were concerned, the mission up to this point was a significant success with the Imperial forces taking a quarter of the projected time to defeat apparently minimal opposition. To them, the loss of several hundred men and a dozen astartes was worth the victory. However, the events on Helfen were not over. Not by a long shot.

The following morning, as the Imperials surveyed the damage and consolidated their forces, a crackling laughter echoed through every vox link and unit on the swamp world. The noise could not be shut off, nor could it be turned down. Any attempts to destroy vox links sent electrical shocks to the perpetrators. Amongst the Aetheric Swords, Master of the Forge Gryfus was struck by a scrap-code trojan whilst tending to the land raider Singing Steel. Turning to his fellow Swords, wisps of smoke issuing from his augmetics, he began to talk in another's voice.

"We are Twelveman. You are few. You will bleed for this world."

Soon after his halting, haunting, monotonous words Gryfus fell, his augmetics burned out and useless, leaving him a smouldering husk. As shocking as it was - Gryfus was a consummate veteran and a peerless techmarine - there were more pressing concerns as various buildings throughout the city disintegrated, vast Arc Towers rising from them into the murky morning sky.

+All Seer pict capture: Partially deployed Arc Tower in the industrial quarter of the capital+

Almost immediately, the Towers began their firing sequences. The first to die were men from the 18th Krinelanders, the entire regiment directly surrounding the city barracks as a Tower rose from the military compound. The vehicles of the regiment were primary targets for the Tower, preventing the men of the 18th escaping any faster than running. Very few of them, less than a platoon, survived the trap. Across the city their Krineland cohorts suffering no better, and all three regiments that had entered the city limits were scourged to the point where none existed as formations any more.

The Hammer of Eternity, sitting idle in the central square now the fighting had been done, was slow to build momentum. Although the heavy machine was completely capable in shrugging off the fire from the Arc Towers - that was with void shields. Without them, the Hammer suffered before it died. The Knight Acastus Porphyrion endured losing it's weapon arms and much of it's armour casing before the reactor went critical. Where a square once was, now existed a crater, any of the decorative bronze statues that lined the square's limits were burned to slag.

+Looking back from the rally point for Krineland survivors, pict capture by Trooper Waasjader +

The Aetheric Swords, no more fortunate than the poor guard, lost the Singing Steel first. The call to redeploy flashed through the Swords' vox-links and, despite more than several of their brothers succumbing to the Arc Towers, managed to effect an escape directly through connecting hab buildings, using the buildings themselves as cover. The fact the the Aetheric Swords accounted for several Towers during their egress was noted at the following conclave.

The All Seers, though fewer in number, lost fewer astartes thanks to their ability to quickly get out from the capital - a demi-squad and their Stormraven were plucked from the air, the stricken craft plunging into the city generatorium. Despite this loss, the rest of the All Seer contingent continued to climb out of range of the Towers, rising to orbit before docking with their ship.

While the trap was almost entirely successful, Arch-Heretek Twelveman still lost several of his Towers not long after their deployment. Operations continued for four more months as the remaining Krinelanders systematically demolished each Tower from a distance with artillery. The world of Helfen was Imperial once again. And so too were the natural promethium deposits.

Twelveman was never captured during this mission and it is suspected he was not even on-world at the time. After the initial battle and trap, both the Aetheric Swords and the All Seers retired from the operation, bloodied but unbroken. Several losses, especially to the Aetheric Swords, would hurt keenly for a while.

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Here we go. The (not very strategically vital) battle for Helfen. Comments and critique welcome.

[Ace Debonair]

Nice.

 

At first I was hoping for more interaction between the Chapters, but I think the Aetheric Swords and the All-Seers probably don't really know what to make of each other even when co-operating.

 

...Although I imagine both would be quite keen to hunt down this 'Twelveman', and avenge the damage suffered at Helfen, so maybe there's potential to work together in the future there.

[Conn Eremon]

The first half dozen paragraphs have some clunkier sentences than the rest of the piece. For example,

 

Vast hab buildings and monolithic manufactoria leading from the star port to the centre of the city were brought down using artillery and cannon fire - since the sappers had been lost at the star port - obstructing the Swords and forcing them to circumvent the ruins.

I feel like moving the sappers to the beginning of the sentence, like "With the sappers lost at the star port, …" would have been better.

 

All in all though, it's a good handling of Helfen.

[Olis]

I had a feeling some clunkiness was in there. I'll review and edit the post today or tomorrow. :tu:

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

As an aside, with how far this project is going and the size of the area, does it warrant it's own Deathwatch contingent and Watch Fortress?
 

It just struck me as being a token way for people to involve other chapters through a limited means.

 

Not only that but a Deathwatch contingent would probably be used as a special strike force, allowing for an 'ace in the hole' type approach to certain situations the gathered Astartes aren't able to combat due to engagement issues with ongoing operations.

 

If it doesn't work that's fine, but I don't imagine this sector is any safer than the rest from Dark Eldar and Ork interference during the campaign. 

[Nomus Sardauk]

You might want to have a read-through of the notable planets list on the 1st page Ydalir, you can find everything you need there.

[Olis]

As an aside, with how far this project is going and the size of the area, does it warrant it's own Deathwatch contingent and Watch Fortress?

 

See:

 

Subsector Englica

The Englican section of the Liber Cluster suffers the worst from the predations of xenos, and has a strong Inquisitorial presence.

 

Mundus Novus – Large system housing the headquarters of the Ordo Xenos within the Subsector.

 

Acripa – Distant world within the Mundus Novus system, where a prominent Watch-Fortress of the Ordo Xenos chamber-militant, the Deathwatch, has been emplaced.

 

While the Deathwatch have already a presence in the Cluster, feel free to elaborate on what we have already. :)

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Hmm I apologise for my lack of visual ability there. I must have skimmed over it and just not read that particular bit properly.

 

In terms of expansion, I'd feel remiss just going hog wild on something and not checking with the overall scope of the project.

 

What events would you have them enter, where would you expect them to be fighting?

 

I really need to re-read the first post and go over what I had obviously skimmed.

[Nomus Sardauk]

If I recall correctly we had one or two little story snippets of Liber Deathwatch Killteams in action, also several of us contributed individual marines to a Killteam I assume someone was going to write about but never materialised.

[Olis]

Hmm I apologise for my lack of visual ability there. I must have skimmed over it and just not read that particular bit properly.

 

^_^

 

Ctrl+F is your friend. ;)

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I went back and did that last night after reading your replies! It is indeed your friend, Omnissiah be praised!

[Reyner]

The artwork for the Chapters is excellent guys I may have to investigate ;)  Sorry I haven't been as active recently down here but real life has been hectic for me (wedding on the horizon, work, other stuff) but it is good to see this thread moving again. 

[Olis]

Here's how things stand with less than two weeks to go to the ETL:
 

Helfen -  Aetheric Swords + All Seers   Olis (DONE... mostly)
Caecus - Blackjaw Kindred + Doomsayers   Teetengee
Naxa Secundus + Ogris - Black Judges + Conflagrators   Ace Debonair (DONE)
Unnamed planet - Eagles of Glory + Lords Inviolate   Reyner
Unnamed planet - Iron Ravagers + Angels Exultant   Wade Garrett
Thravis Prime Round 2 - Scarlet Sentinels + Heralds of Letum   Conn Eremon
Zavatista Round 2 (Optional) - Blades of the Lion + Black Falcons   SanguiniusReborn  (IN PROGRESS)

 
So, be honest, how are things going brothers? 


 

 

[Nomus Sardauk]

Mine is almost done, just need to properly wrap up the ending. I estimate I'll have it done either tomorrow or Saturday, this I swear.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Apologies for the double post but...

 

 

 

 

The Second Battle of Zavatista is done! Hurrah! Just in case anyone forgot what page it's on you can find it on Page 96. Let me know what you guys think. :)

[Teetengee]

I'll have it done by ETL or die trying. My math says I have 8 days.
I have most of it blocked out, and the beginning written, I just need to make sure I stick to the script and don't balloon out into a sprawling 10 page monstrosity.

[Sigismund229]

Could I contribute a Space marine chapter? My current idea is

 

​Blood Crows

​Founding Chapter: N/A, theories linking Raven Guard, Blood Angels and Ultramarines.

Founding: Thought to be 13^th

Known descendants: None.

Chapter Master: Syrmus

Homeworld: None known, presumed Crusading chapter.

Colours: Black and Burgundy.

Strength: N/A, thought to be c.1000

Organization: Codex compliant

Battle cry: ​"The Crows are upon you" or​ "We are the Emperor's Wrath"

 

 

The idea I had for these guys is that they function like the Carcharodons. Nobody knows much about them, they keep to themselves mostly and no one has seen one with his helmet off and they occasionally appear out of nowhere to liberate an Imperial world then vanish back to the fringes of the Imperium.

 

The reason I say some people link them to the Raven Guard, Blood Angels and Ultramarines are:

Raven Guard: The fact that no Blood Crow has ever taken his helm off near a non Blood Crow leads some to suspect they have a genetic mutation they're trying to hide and the chapter with the most obvious mutation is the Raven Guard.

Blood Angels: Seem to have an enthusiasm for melee and they keep themselves away from the main body of Imperial forces like some of the other Blood Angels successors(Flesh Tearers) do, leading some to suspect they are trying to hide a susceptibility to the Black Rage and Red Thirst.

Ultramarines: On all occasions when they have deployed alongside other Imperial forces, the Blood Crows have adhered rigidly to the codex astartes, indicating they might in fact be descending from the Ultramarines.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Sorry Sig, unfortunately Chapters are the only thing we aren't accepting, anything else is free game though.

[Sigismund229]

So I can submit Imperial Guard regiments? Yay!

​Goshen "Mob" Regiments

The world from which the Goshen regiments hail, Goshen, is a manufactory world to the east of the Maelstrom zone that was colonized in M32. It has a population of 168 billion souls, almost all of whom work in the manufactories to produce lasguns and Leman Russ tanks, mostly of the executioner variant. The effects of 8000 years of such production are noticeable in two things. First and most obvious of them is that the sky is constantly choked with thick, black clouds of smoke that rises from the manufactory hives. As a result most of the denizens of Goshen are pale skinned with somewhat larger eyes than usual in order to take in more light. The second effect of industry on the planet is that any rain that falls is so acidic that if it lands on exposed skin it will have the same effect as if one were to put the same patch of skin in a fire. Because of this and the planets generally cold climate(with average temperature being -11) the inhabitants of Goshen wear their greatcoats and rebreathers all the time.
On Goshen everything is run by the forge guilds. These are organizations where there is the guild master, a member of the upper nobility of Goshen, the overseers, members of the lower nobility, and workers, the vast majority of the population. The guild master each own a certain number of manufactories and therefore a certain district of one of Goshen’s hives. The guild masters are responsible for procuring the resources with which to build their manufactories products, food for their workers and selling the lasguns and leman russ’s to neighbouring worlds. The overseers are tasked with overseeing the workers and ensuring that each labour gang achieves its' allotted work quota for the day. Those that don't, the overseers have the right to suspend their food rations and increase the amount of work they are assigned the next day. In order to ensure that their will is carried out each overseer carries a shotgun with which they shoot any questioning workers. Their are also armed servitors that patrol the workers lines and are under the control of the overseers.
The lowest rung of Goshen society are the workers themselves. These people are viewed as expendable by the higher ups in Goshen society. Most need to work 17 hours a day with one day off every two weeks(depending on the guild they work for, some don’t give their workers days off however, many do). If a worker drops from exhaustion, then it is commonplace for the overseer to instruct a servitor to shoot them and their bodies are then used as fuel for the furnaces, which melt the metal required to make the weapons produced on Goshen. This combined with the immense rates of depression and suicide(about 18-22% of the population commits suicide a year) keeps the population in line and life expectancy to about 27 Terran years. However, the population continues to grow as most denizens of Goshen have about 5 or 6 years.
As soon as a child is born into the Worker class, it is tattooed with it’s serial number and the mark of the guild it will later work for. As such, all members of the Worker class have a serial number and guild symbol tattooed at the base of their neck, making it easier to tally their death.
However, like any other world, Goshen must submit an annual tithe of men to fight in the Emperors armies. While on some worlds it’s an honour to serve in the Imperial Guard, Goshen satisfies its’ obligation to the Emperor by press ganging whole labour gangs into the Imperial Guard. Once enough of these men have been assembled, they are placed under the command of a colonel and captains recruited of the upper classes of Goshen and are shipped off to war. However, despite their service in the guard, the Guardsmen of the Goshen regiments are regarded by their commanding officers as a means to an end, to be used as one might use coin. They are thrown into repeated frontal assaults on the enemy, no matter the losses taken, as they are not even humans to their commanding officers. One Goshen colonel once said “To lose 200 million men in the defence of a world is acceptable. Goshen shall always have more lower hive dwellers. Their is only ever one of any given planet”. There are two direct consequences of this attitude. The first is that troopers in Goshen regiments are only given a lasgun, four power cells and a backpack when they are press ganged into the regiment. The rest of their uniform, the greatcoat, rebreather(often similar in appearance to the Savlar pattern), boots, trousers etc. is the troopers civilian clothing. This means that Goshen regiments have little in the way of a standard uniform leading to their sobriquet, “mob” regiments. The second is that Goshen regiments are noticeably larger than normal, around 50,000 men a regiment.
Despite their mob like appearance, Goshen troopers are not to be underestimated. Their grim outlook on life and the tough type of men their planet breeds them into means that most times Goshen regiments can be counted on to take heavy losses and keep an assault going or hold a position.