IA Newbie Questions: Storm Brothers

[geektom]

Hey all, I am not completely new here, but still learning so much about the 40k Universe, so I hope you will forgive me some newbie questions on creating my IA

 

I know there are some great templates out there, but I am stuck on some of the most basic things to get started. My chapter is a White Scars successor for rules purposes, so that takes care of that, but how do I determine things like:

 

> how old should my chapter be? Do I just throw a dart at the timeline between M31 and M40?

> planet names- is it ok to just make them up? How critical is it to get the "address" right when talking about xenos battles the chapter participated in? Or placing them into established battles/campaigns?

>enemies and allies- is it ok to establish things like, they have an excellent relationship with the White Scars, but are cautious when fighting along side Blood Angels (just an example)?

 

The creative side is not an issue for me- it is trying to fit it into current canon that is making me batty.

 

Any help is really appreciated, thanks!

[JeffTibbetts]

Hey all, I am not completely new here, but still learning so much about the 40k Universe, so I hope you will forgive me some newbie questions on creating my IA

 

I know there are some great templates out there, but I am stuck on some of the most basic things to get started. My chapter is a White Scars successor for rules purposes, so that takes care of that, but how do I determine things like:

 

> how old should my chapter be? Do I just throw a dart at the timeline between M31 and M40?

> planet names- is it ok to just make them up? How critical is it to get the "address" right when talking about xenos battles the chapter participated in? Or placing them into established battles/campaigns?

>enemies and allies- is it ok to establish things like, they have an excellent relationship with the White Scars, but are cautious when fighting along side Blood Angels (just an example)?

 

The creative side is not an issue for me- it is trying to fit it into current canon that is making me batty.

 

Any help is really appreciated, thanks!

 

You can really choose just about any founding or age, yeah. It can make a difference depending on how divergent/independant you want them to be from their primogenitor chapter, of course. The oldest founding chapters really have had a very long and illustrious history. Think of how different Crimson Fists and Black Templars are to each other and the Imperial Fists, for example. Also, keep in mind that some of the culture of the parent chapter will come through training cadres as much as genetics. Chapter culture is always something of a choice. 

 

For planets and major battles, you also have pretty free reign to make things up. Your home world, if you have one, can really impact your chapter in interesting ways and lots of folks put as much thought into that as anything else. Are they in the East? Maybe they fight Tau often. Close to the Maelstrom? Chaos and traitor legions, etc. Of course, you can't rule out anything anywhere, so there could be reasons for fighting Tyranids anywhere, really. That's part of the fun. 

 

If you're going to place them within an official framework, just use a little common sense and care. Someone will point out of you place them in the Siege of Vraks, if all the participating armies are spoken for. Other official campaigns have some leeway, like Armageddon did. You may want to think about WHY you want to put them there, if you're considering it. Does it help tell your story? At any rate, if they'll be in a major campaign the White Scars took part in, you could perhaps piggyback off that. Imperial records may not always record smaller splinter groups if they're attached to a large primary force. 

 

Allies and rivals? Have at it. Part of the fun of your IA is thinking about these relationships. How do they get on with the AdMech, established chapters, Imperial Guard (or even particular regiments. My Eagle Eyes have worked with the Death Korps of Krieg a number of times). I'd say a rivalry with the BA is totally fine. You can usually work it into one of your previous battles or campaigns in some way. Perhaps their tactical assessment differed from your chapter's in some way, and one or the other party felt the war could have gone differently if their strategy had been adopted. Something like that, yeah? 

 

Basically, it's your chapter, the galaxy's a big place, and with the right justification a lot of things can happen. You don't strike me as the type to make a ridiculous 'Mary-Sue' or 'Special Snowflake' (too good to be true) concept, so just have fun with it. The best advice I got was to really ask myself WHY I was including such-and-such detail. Did it really drive the story forward? Some action might be good just to keep it moving, but endless trivia can bog it down. Keep it fun to read, and descriptive. We should really get a sense of what this army would be like on the battle-field, and what makes them unique. Sometimes the extra detail can be held back or hinted at if it helps you conceptualize them. 

 

Hope this helps. Anyway, once you have a draft up you'll receive plenty of C&C. Especially if you add pictures. We like pictures. :D 

[Tiberius Cato]

I'll try and answer what I can for you, brother. I'm no expert on the subject but I can atleast try and help you

 

Regarding timeline: pick a founding tha will allow you to get into key campaigns that could be relevent for your chapter. Or you can go for a earlier founding simply to cram as much of your chapter's glorious history into their existence as possible. They could possibly be of the latest founding, and strive to prove their worth and possibly throw off the shackles of their primogenitor to distinguish how they operate differently.

 

Regarding planet names: you can make up names for just about anything, ranging from a moon to a full fledged sector of one of the segmentums, the possibilities are limitless. And while you can place them in strategic locations to fight particular enemies, they can be anywhere really, the enemies of man are prevalent around the entirety of the galaxy after all.

 

Regarding relationships: they can be superb allies of the White Scars and less trusting of the Blood Angels. Perhaps there's some bad blood between the two chapters. Maybe the Blood Angels wiped out a small detachment of Storm Brothers after succumbing to their genetic flaw, thus causing your chapter to look at them as warp tainted wretches.

 

Every aspect is pretty muc at your whim, as long as you have a means to justify it. Anyways, I hope that helps you with your IA brother and I look forward to reading it!

[Olis]

Well said, Jeff.

 

> how old should my chapter be? Do I just throw a dart at the timeline between M31 and M40?

 

Taking into account what has been said before there is not much I can add. However, there's a few pitfalls that I should point out. Firstly, it is generally considered a good idea to steer clear of the Second Founding (and it goes without saying why the First Founding is a no-go), usually because many of these Chapters have been named and elaborated upon.

 

Secondly, the Dark and Cursed Foundings (13th and 21st Foundings, respectively). These are popular Foundings amongst DIY Chapter makers, often seeking an easy way to inject character and background into their creation. While it may be true that these two Foundings easily lend themselves to 'unique' or 'characterful' Chapters, they should most definitely not be used as a crutch for want of input on the part of the writer. Many of these Chapters end up in limbo, unfinished because there is little depth to the DIY outside of what Founding it is.

 

Also bear in mind greater galactic events during the time of the Founding that you choose (or, alternatively, politely ask for help in researching this). These events can go some way in explaining the reason behind the Chapter coming to be or perhaps in what state the galaxy is in when they first venture out into it.  

 

Generally speaking, if you want a Chapter with some history behind it, I think M38 or earlier would be a good ballpark to bat around in.

 

> planet names- is it ok to just make them up? How critical is it to get the "address" right when talking about xenos battles the chapter participated in? Or placing them into established battles/campaigns?

 

Go nuts, basically. If you want to be super specific then accuracy will count (and help can be sought in that regard). If you simply want to bash out such-and-such a world in such-and-such sector then you will find that free rein is quite probably an understatement. Referencing 'official' places and campaigns can be a thorny subject, all depending on what places and what campaigns. 

 

>enemies and allies- is it ok to establish things like, they have an excellent relationship with the White Scars, but are cautious when fighting along side Blood Angels (just an example)?

 

It's okay, certainly, but it kinda falls into the realm of namedropping, when creating an IA article - essentially, the namedrop merely brings false validity to the Chapter by having them share 'airtime' with more well known individuals and Chapters. It's something that I advise you avoid but if you wish to involve a canon chapter in your work, then I can't stop you. It's your IA after all. 

 

The creative side is not an issue for me- it is trying to fit it into current canon that is making me batty.

 

Heh, welcome to the madhouse, brother. You may very well come to enjoy it here. ^_^

[Lysimachus]

Well, the first thing I'd recommend would be searching and reading the Octaguide, should cover a lot of your questions. I'd also agree with what the others have said, but to add a couple of thoughts:

 

age: Younger is easier in many ways, although if you're making their character particularly influenced by their homeworld then older can work better as it gives more time for that influence to naturally filter through into your Chapter's nature.

 

Worlds: Make up whatever you want. There are approx. 1 million Imperial worlds (and that number is constantly going up and down) but take it further. The Milky Way is estimated to have in the region of 200 billion+ stars with possibly an equal or greater number of planetary bodies. Seriously though, you don't need to have fought in every major campaign the Imperium has ever undertaken. Some writers think it makes their Chapter more 'special', really it just ruins the suspension of disbelief.

 

Allies/rivals: Similar point here. Chances are good that plenty of the big Chapters have never, ever crossed paths with your guys, although chances are obviously higher the older your Chapter is.

 

 

Anyway, hope this adds something useful. Your minis are beautifully painted (even with the unusual scheme!) so it's cool that their fluff is being fleshed out too.

[Olis]

Well, the first thing I'd recommend would be searching and reading the Octaguide, should cover a lot of your questions.

 

Good point, brother. As it just so happens, geektom, you can reach the Octaguide through a link in my sig. :D

[JeffTibbetts]

I'll toss my vote in for the Octaguide. It's. AMAZING.

[geektom]

Thanks, everyone! Yes, I have read through the Octaguide and it has been *very* helpful in framing and refining the purpose and structure of an IA.

 

This makes me feel a little less crazy, so, whew!

 

Other than the current rule book, what are other sources I can easily reference Imperial timeline? In particular the dates of the Foundings?

 

My understanding is that the gene seed used to found a new chapter would be decided by the High Lords and/or the Adeptus Ministorum (or would it be the Administratum?)- so the White Scars would have had very little to do with the actual founding of my chapter, correct? But they could be involved/influential as part of their development, correct?

 

Is there anything that says the home planet would then need to be in the same sector/area as Chogoris?

 

Thanks for your patience, everyone!

[Lysimachus]

There is a link to a timeline thread in the DIY Resources thread pinned at the top of the LIber forum. It does fill in a lot of the Foundings and makes educated guesses for the unknown ones.

 

Yup, the actual gene seed is selected from the tithed material sent to the AdMech, one 'ideal' set is chosen and replicated in laboratory conditions. The actual order to start a new Founding comes from the HIgh Lords.

 

Views on when/how the training cadre takes over (or if they exist at all) vary wildly so you can be pretty flexible. I figure if you do follow the cadre theory, the trainers would view the responsibility as a great privilege and would have no issue with going wherever they were assigned.

[incinerator950]

Heresy online has spectacular guides, with many variations based on dice rolling for diy chapters and warbands.

[Olis]

My understanding is that the gene seed used to found a new chapter would be decided by the High Lords and/or the Adeptus Ministorum (or would it be the Administratum?)- so the White Scars would have had very little to do with the actual founding of my chapter, correct? But they could be involved/influential as part of their development, correct?

 

Essentially if you state the Founding is at the High Lords request (well, orders), then you'll be pretty much on the money. I don't think the Ministorum would get much of a direct say in a Founding (but never say never), however the Administratum would likely be influential in providing appropriate data for the decision and possibly arranging the gathering of resources (in conjunction with the AdMech, I would suspect) for the new-born Chapter. The White Scars themselves, outside the oft-used 'training cadre' device, would have very little to do with the Founding. It would be entirely out of their hands.

 

Is there anything that says the home planet would then need to be in the same sector/area as Chogoris?

 

Not really, no. There is precedent for successor Chapters to not fall far from the metaphorical tree (for example certain select Ultramarine successors) but I personally find that spawning your Chapter close to their primogenitor is an unnecessary detail that walks dangerously close to namedrop territory. 

[geektom]

Thanks again, everyone- time to get reading, writing and researching.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

The only suggestion I might add is to read some of the IAs in the Liber.  Even if they are unfinished they can be inspiration or warning of what not to do.  Octvulg's IAs, Ace's, Olis', and Messor's are some suggestions. 

[JeffTibbetts]

I'll toss this link in the pot, too. It has, as far as I can tell, every official IA ever made. Some of it is of dubious provenance, but the ones I remember from WD and whatnot seem 100% correct so I assume it's mostly legit. 

 

Red Elf

[geektom]

As I have been reading some of the IA's, seems like a lot of folks want to have something extra "cool", or in a lot of them, something akin to a deep dark secret... Hope I am not too boring by having a Chapter of "good guys" that follow the Codex Astartes and want to kick Chaos, Orks and Tyranids in the teeth.

[JeffTibbetts]

As I have been reading some of the IA's, seems like a lot of folks want to have something extra "cool", or in a lot of them, something akin to a deep dark secret... Hope I am not too boring by having a Chapter of "good guys" that follow the Codex Astartes and want to kick Chaos, Orks and Tyranids in the teeth.

 

Not at all boring. That's what most marines are, really. Although SOME kind of tension is a good thing to make them seem real. Even the happiest, most positive people I know have a flaw somewhere. People are complicated. You'll probably find as you're going that you'll expose weaknesses or failures naturally. The longer you think about something or someone, the deeper you will go. Surface level good guys with pure intentions don't stay 'perfect' for long, after all. Shame, failure, humiliation and defeat can be powerful motivators and some pathos draws readers in.

 

That being said, it doesn't take much, and as mentioned you'll probably find that something comes up without even trying.  

[Olis]

Might I suggest taking a look at the Chapters that have been created for the Liber Cluster project? I know mine was created on the fly and I suspect some of the other Chapters were spawned on the basis of a theme and a couple of ideas (the relevant link is in my sig, you can't really miss it).

 

You don't need a secret to make the chapter interesting, in fact giving them a secret is very much akin to making them a Cursed or Dark Founding chapter - it's a cheap device when used on it's own. If the Chapter evolves into having a secret through narrative means then that is something altogether different. There would genuinely be a reason for secrecy rather than "I want my Chapter to have a secret because it'll make them cool." In fact it would be a major factor of how the Chapter would behave when the secret is threatened with discovery.

[JeffTibbetts]

Might I suggest taking a look at the Chapters that have been created for the Liber Cluster project? I know mine was created on the fly and I suspect some of the other Chapters were spawned on the basis of a theme and a couple of ideas (the relevant link is in my sig, you can't really miss it).

 

You don't need a secret to make the chapter interesting, in fact giving them a secret is very much akin to making them a Cursed or Dark Founding chapter - it's a cheap device when used on it's own. If the Chapter evolves into having a secret through narrative means then that is something altogether different. There would genuinely be a reason for secrecy rather than "I want my Chapter to have a secret because it'll make them cool." In fact it would be a major factor of how the Chapter would behave when the secret is threatened with discovery.

 

I was starting to feel a bit self-conscious about my chapter's 'dark secret'... Thanks. I feel like mine is just a small part of who they are and it makes perfect sense to me, fluff wise. And yes, it is a very powerful motivator for their actions at this point. 

[geektom]

I wasn't talking about yours, Jeff- you handle yours in a totally different way than what I was talking about.

 

Olisredan- I will start reading those now, thanks!

[Resarys]

The White Scars actually give you a unique opportunity to have your Chapter interact with them. In the Damocles Anthology, in "Hunter's Snare" by Josh Reynolds, Thursk, a marine from a White Scars successor, is seconded to a White Scars Company. By being attached to the founding Chapter, Thursk is supposed to learn about Chigoris and the White Scars and take his knowledge back to his Chapter, and it's mentioned that all White Scars Successors do this. I'm not well-versed in the White Scars, so maybe there were some liberties taken in that story, but this does present an opportunity to have the Storm Brothers and the White Scars directly associate with one another.

[JeffTibbetts]

I wasn't talking about yours, Jeff- you handle yours in a totally different way than what I was talking about.

Olisredan- I will start reading those now, thanks!

Phew.

[Olis]

Olisredan- I will start reading those now, thanks!

 

Do remember that they are quite unfinished atm. :)

[geektom]

The White Scars actually give you a unique opportunity to have your Chapter interact with them. In the Damocles Anthology, in "Hunter's Snare" by Josh Reynolds, Thursk, a marine from a White Scars successor, is seconded to a White Scars Company. By being attached to the founding Chapter, Thursk is supposed to learn about Chigoris and the White Scars and take his knowledge back to his Chapter, and it's mentioned that all White Scars Successors do this. I'm not well-versed in the White Scars, so maybe there were some liberties taken in that story, but this does present an opportunity to have the Storm Brothers and the White Scars directly associate with one another.

That is excellent news, thanks!