Iron-hearted Angels

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Edited 20JUN2016: I plan to add a Techmarine-turned-Captain to my Codex supplement, and need to give context to the reasons for which he was promoted.

The Techmarines- two Sons of Medusa and an Iron-hearted Angel- were Deathwatch veterans: their left arms were silver-plated, the back of their hands branded with a black "I". The monitor bathed them in a sickly green light; the Techmarines were wraiths in the metal-lined catacombs, haunting it instead of working within.

 

"We have deactivated the xeno defense grid.  The fleet may proceed," Iron-hearted Angels Techmarine Pedro Matthies reported.

 

Dominus Pedro nodded. Matthies joined the Deathwatch in 693.M41; when the White Sentinel was destroyed, Dominus Josefo ordered the Techmarine to remain as a living memorial to the Bleeding-hearted Angels, while his battle-brothers fought and died to redeem themselves. Although the former Chaplain thought Matthies' spirit was untested, he knew the Techmarine's skills and experience were needed to defeat this new enemy, and planned to promote Matthies to the rank of Captain. "Argent Arrow, this is the Dominus. Advance towards the Rib Cage, full speed ahead," he voxed to a strike cruiser.

 

"Dominus, this is the Argent Arrow.  Order acknowledged."  The cruiser accelerated towards the asteroid that was no asteroid, but a star fort of alien construction.  Minutes passed; the ghost weapons remained silent.  Her Captain sighed in relief before voxing the ship's estimated time of arrival.

 

Codicier Taprik led Dominus Pedro down the catacombs.  Metal bones lay in each niche; dismemberment did not diminish the malevolence each skeleton radiated.  "Although the tomb world's automated weapon systems remained functional despite the passage of 60,000,000 standard years, its stasis system evidently suffered a catastrophic failure, killing the warriors it once preserved.  We were most fortunate."

 

The former Chaplain picked up a metal skull, looked through its lenses, and saw only a soulless void.  "What are they?"

 

"These mechanical xenos are known as 'Necrons.'  We had no name for them until 897.M41, when the Necrons perpetrated the Massacre at Sanctuary 101-- an Adepta Sororitas convent in the Vidar Sector," Taprik explained.  "The xenos arrogantly left a message, naming themselves and stating their goal: to reclaim this galaxy, subjugating or exterminating all non-Necron life forms."

 

The Dominus' mechanical hand crushed the Necron's disembodied head, which showered him with green sparks.  "They dare challenge mankind's claim over the stars?  Their very existence a sin!"  The former Chaplain threw the metal skull at a wall, denting it.  "We must summon allies in the Adeptus Mechanicus, to help us study these xenos and their weapons.  We must learn everything we can about this new enemy, to defeat them."

 

"The Magi," the Adeptus Mechanicus' senior members, "will not act on a whim-- not even on ours."

 

The Dominus pointed at the living metal wall, which was repairing the damage inflicted when he threw the Necron's head.  "They will act on this evidence.  We will each keep a 'ghost weapon' for study; the rest will be bartered to the Mechanicus, in exchange for their aid."

Edited June 20, 2016 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Bjorn Firewalker]

With this, the fluff section should be done.

 

Edited 20JUN2016: The original segment read:

 

The Iron-hearted Angels committed 100 Marines (half the Chapter) to the loyalists' cause in the Badab War, and honor the debt they owed the Sons of Medusa.  The Inquisition was reluctant to accept the services of a Blood Angels successor, as another (the Lamenters) supported the secessionists.  The Sons of Medusa vouched for their allies, and agreed to share a traitor's fate if any Iron-hearted Angel turned against the Imperium.  To prove their loyalty, the Iron-hearted Angels attacked the Lamenters with fury only the Minotaurs could match, ignoring the secessionists' accusations of fratricide, and outraging the Blood Angels.

 

Lord Thørn raised objections to the Iron-hearted Angels' contribution to the Badab War, so I've decided to reduce- NOT erase- the number of Angels who participated in this war, as well as the number of battles they fought.

 

The Iron-hearted Angels committed a strike cruiser, two frigates, and their crews (half the Chapter) to the loyalists' cause in the Badab War, honoring the debt they owed the Sons of Medusa.  The Inquisition was reluctant to accept the services of a Blood Angels successor, as another (the Lamenters) supported the secessionists.  The Sons of Medusa vouched for their allies, and agreed to share a traitor's fate if any Iron-hearted Angel turned against the Imperium.

 

To prove their loyalty, the Iron-hearted Angels ambushed a secessionist flotilla as it approached the planet Cygnax, boarded the Lamenters strike cruiser "Haemolacria," set melta charges upon the ship's reactor, and destroyed her from within.  In a scene that was twice repeated during the war, the Iron-hearted Angels attacked the Lamenters with fury only the Minotaurs could match, ignored the secessionists' accusations of fratricide, and outraged the Blood Angels.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Doctor Perils]

Hi Bjorn, would it be possible to update your first post so that it reads like an article, rather then having to read bits and bobs from all over the thread (which is surprisingly tiresome). I'd like to give this a proper read and C&C at some stage, but it just isn't practical at the moment.

 

Could you also avoid putting spoiler tags here there and everywhere ? People actually on the thread are going to read what's in the spoilers anyway, so it breaks up your answers unnecessarily.

 

 

Now, the basic concept seems pretty cool, but I've got to ask, do you have to have them participate in the Badab War ? It's probably one of the best documented events in the whole 40k universe, so having your chapter added on top seems mary-sueish and name-droppingy at the same time, and rather unnecessarily it would seem. I'm sure you can come up with your own campaign for this kind of event, or use one of GW's more obscure events.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Hi Bjorn, would it be possible to update your first post so that it reads like an article, rather then having to read bits and bobs from all over the thread (which is surprisingly tiresome). I'd like to give this a proper read and C&C at some stage, but it just isn't practical at the moment.

 

Could you also avoid putting spoiler tags here there and everywhere ? People actually on the thread are going to read what's in the spoilers anyway, so it breaks up your answers unnecessarily.

 

 

Now, the basic concept seems pretty cool, but I've got to ask, do you have to have them participate in the Badab War ? It's probably one of the best documented events in the whole 40k universe, so having your chapter added on top seems mary-sueish and name-droppingy at the same time, and rather unnecessarily it would seem. I'm sure you can come up with your own campaign for this kind of event, or use one of GW's more obscure events.

I apologize if the posts are difficult to read. It may be easier for you to view the now completed work on my DeviantArt gallery (Part 1, detailing the Chapter's history, is here).

 

As for the Badab War, well, it's a single Company's worth of Marines, and they're likely fighting under the command of the Sons of Medusa. I felt it was important to have the Iron-hearted Angels fight another Blood Angels descendant, to define the Chapter's character; the Lamenters are the most famous case of Blood Angels descendants going rogue, and though they're not the only one, the Knights of Blood are too obscure and easily confused with the Khornate warband.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Doctor Perils]

 

As for the Badab War, well, it's a single Company's worth of Marines, and they're likely fighting under the command of the Sons of Medusa. I felt it was important to have the Iron-hearted Angels fight another Blood Angels descendant, to define the Chapter's character; the Lamenters are the most famous case of Blood Angels descendants going rogue, and though they're not the only one, the Knights of Blood are too obscure and easily confused with the Khornate warband.

 

Emphasis mine, as it is part of my point. The Lamenters during the Badab War are indeed the most famous example of Blood Angels turning rogue: that means that their stint on the other side of the line is very well documented, both in-universe and out out universe. Since even the Forge World books use a semi-omniscient view point like Index Astartes, it's difficult for new things to be implemented in the context without stepping on people's toes.

 

Whatsmore, I think it's dangerous to do this for the company, as, if they are even more ferocious then the Minotaurs in their attack on the Lamenters, then at some point the Lamenters will surely counter-attack in full force, just to get rid of the needle in their side: either your company should and would die in short order (not necessarily the whole company, but a good part of it), or you save them through some Deus Ex Machina stunt, which will make them come off as Mary Sues.

 

 

In this case, I think it's probably just better, easier and more coherent to create your own campaign in the 40k universe in which your chapter, Rogue Blood Angels, and possibly even the Sons of Medusa take part: that way you're free to write nearly anything you want without stepping on people's toes.

If you need, my own Blood Angel DIY successor often has elements that go a bit rogue. The Crimson Host will quite often plunder worlds that they have conquered before releasing them back to the Imperium, which you can well imagine the High Lords of Terra don't take to kindly.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

What if I said the Iron-hearted Angels' contribution was one strike cruiser, two "scout frigates," the ships' crews and passengers? They'll only engage the Lamenters in a few boarding actions- considering how many ships and how many naval battles were fought during the Badab War, so small a force will probably be overlooked.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

New fluff:

 

The Iron-hearted Angels committed a strike cruiser, two frigates, and their crews (half the Chapter) to the loyalists' cause in the Badab War, honoring the debt they owed the Sons of Medusa.  The Inquisition was reluctant to accept the services of a Blood Angels successor, as another (the Lamenters) supported the secessionists.  The Sons of Medusa vouched for their allies, and agreed to share a traitor's fate if any Iron-hearted Angel turned against the Imperium.

 

To prove their loyalty, the Iron-hearted Angels ambushed a secessionist flotilla as it approached the planet Cygnax, boarded the Lamenters strike cruiser "Haemolacria," set melta charges upon the ship's reactor, and destroyed her from within-- in a scene that was twice-repeated during the war, the Iron-hearted Angels attacked the Lamenters with fury only the Minotaurs could match, ignored the secessionists' accusations of fratricide, and outraged the Blood Angels.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Doctor Perils]

So they send 80 marines rather then a company ? That's like... a 20% reduction :P

 

I'm sorry, but you seem to be missing my main point: it isn't the size of your involvement in the war that I wonder at, it's the necessity of taking part in the Badab War at all for your IA. There are already a lot of marine forces that take part, but even 80 marines will be noticed. Since the Badab War is so well documented, you are essentially making a retcon of official publications, and that isn't often well perceived by the community. I know that GW institute a policy of "loose canon", but that doesn't really go as far as to essentially re-write what they have done: it's so that they can re-write what they have done without rendering the older publications null and void.

 

In any case, I don't know if the Lamenters really fit into the profile you are looking for in a renegade chapter, as their ties to the Blood Angels aren't that close at the time of the Badab War I believe, and them seceding officially from the Imperium alongside the Astral Claws even makes them heretics in the eyes of the Imperium, and therefore the Blood Angels: I'm sure that, should the Blood Angels be free to take part in the campaign, they would have done all they could to expunge this taint from their bloodline.

However, you want a Blood Angels successor chapter that the IronHearted Angels can fight without passing off as renegades, yet that the Blood Angels maintain close enough ties with that they won't like your actions. In that case, I really do think that the Knights of Blood fit the bill: they are rather well known to us and the Imperium alike, but without being so famous (or infamous) as the Lamenters during the Badab War. What's more, they have kept seemingly cordial relations with the Blood Angels, so attacking them will earn you the wrath of the primogenitor chapter. All you need do is invent a campaign where the Sons of Medusa are attacking a Knights of Blood contingent with some help (read, supervision) from the Ordo Hereticus or the Ordo Astartes, but the Sons of Medusa clan-company is outnumbered and so are having trouble defeating the Knights of Blood. Your chapter comes along and board two of the Knights of Blood frigates, crippling their retreat and allowing the reinforcements from the Sons of Medusa to achieve their objective: the Knights of Blood battle barge then manages to retreat by making a warp jump, their tail between their legs.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I've edited it as far as I'm willing to. The rest, I'm sticking to. As for numbers, note that 3/8 consists of vehicle crews (including starship crews).

 

Why am I beating up the Lamenters? Specifically because they're seen as "good guys" (see their 1d4chan article), and beating them will cement the Iron-hearted Angels as being as "iron-hearted" as the Iron Hands. An obscure incident involving an obscure Chapter will NOT WORK for this.

[Doctor Perils]

I've edited it as far as I'm willing to. The rest, I'm sticking to. As for numbers, note that 3/8 consists of vehicle crews (including starship crews).

 

Why am I beating up the Lamenters? Specifically because they're seen as "good guys" (see their 1d4chan article), and beating them will cement the Iron-hearted Angels as being as "iron-hearted" as the Iron Hands. An obscure incident involving an obscure Chapter will NOT WORK for this.

That's okay :) You've obviously got the concept down well enough, so I'm not going to badger you anymore about it. In any case, it was only a minor nitpick :)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I edited the story in which the Iron-hearted Angels claimed the Rib Cage, to provide context for a character I'll add to my 'Codex: Blood Angels' supplement- in this case, a Techmarine-turned-Captain with the Preferred Enemy (Necrons) special rule.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

http://orig13.deviantart.net/a0ef/f/2017/036/0/6/chapter_symbols_by_armamentdawg-day038q.png

Drew Chapter logos using Microsoft Paint. From top to bottom, the Bleeding-hearted Angels, the Iron-hearted Angels, and the Heartless Angels (Chaos renegades).

 

I also rewrote this entry to make the Sons of Medusa act more in character for a loyalist Chapter.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Posting an idea so this thread doesn't get deleted:

 

During and after the Indominus Crusade, the Chapter increases in size to 1800 Marines, to account for Techmarines and Tech Adepts (apprentice Techmarines) needed to maintain and operate the Repulsor and other vehicles (as drivers/pilots and gunners). The number of Marine infantrymen remains the same, at the Codex-mandated 1000; however, the Chapter gets more battle tanks and aerospace gunships to boost its firepower.

[Doctor Perils]

Why such a massive increase? Wouldn't they be able to make do with 200 pilots and such? 1200 marines is a much more platable number than 1800 considering the 1000 "limit"

 

Do they receive any normal Primaris reinforcements?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Each tank needs a driver, a gunner (or more, in the case of Land Raiders and other multi-turret vehicles), and a commander to operate it; plus a crew chief at the base, guiding a number of specialists who perform maintenance on the tank's components. The flyer that transports the tank from a strike cruiser to the battlefield, needs its own operators and maintainers. The strike cruiser herself needs her own crew to operate and maintain her...

 

Even if we assume Chapter serfs/slaves/servitors make up the majority of an Astartes vessel's crew, I doubt a Chapter will ever leave their ships without a Space Marine aboard to mind the crew, in case the mortals stage a mutiny. What if the enemy sends a boarding party to capture the vessels while the Marines are off board, e.g., fighting on a planetary surface? What if the Marines need a prize crew to operate a vessel they just captured?

[Doctor Perils]

But surely the crews from before the Ultima Founding would still be able to do their jobs?

 

What I mean to say is - there is a theoretical limit of 1000 line marines, and those are really the only maximum numbers we're ever given for codex-following canon chapters, even the likes of the Ultramarines. At around 1200, the Space Wolves are already considered to be over large, and really only escape any consequences from the Inquisition because they are a First Founding chapter with impecable service records. (The Black Templars are a different beast entirely, more of a Legion then a chapter, and their Crusades send them so far apart that each of them could be considered separate entities anyway)

 

If canonverse chapters don't state the numbers of crew manning tanks and ships, there is no reason for you to do so - instead it makes your guys sound "snowflakey": I know it absolutely isn't the case, you are just putting more thought into your organisation then Games Workshop does - however it sounds like that when reading your text that's all :)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Space Wolves have 12 Companies, but that doesn't necessarily mean they only have 1200 Marines. The 7th Edition Codex states Ragnar's Company has/had "almost 200 warriors," while William King's novel states "there was a thirteenth great company belonging to the Chapter's leader which consisted of all the priests and other types of warrior," i.e., Rune Priests (Librarians), Iron Priests (Techmarines), Wolf Priests (Chaplain/Apothecary hybrids), etc.

 

The Iron-hearted Angels still have 10 Companies. Each Company has only 100 Marine infantrymen, though that count excludes the drivers and gunners of their tanks, the pilots of their flyers, the captains of their ships (a role distinct from that of a Space Marine Captain), the Techmarines keeping all those vehicles in working condition...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The count may seem a pointless distraction to the people who wrote 'Codex: Space Marines', but it's not to me. Logisical concerns should force the Marines to make the distinction- as Napoleon said, "Amateurs discuss tactics; the professionals discuss logistics."

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I'm thinking of revising the Chapter's history. My original plan was to have this 21st "Cursed" Founding Chapter be under the impression it's of the 3rd Founding, due to the AdMech trying to hide the fact the Bleeding-hearted Angels' gene-seed was experimented on. I now find this attempt to make the Chapter's origins mysterious, to be pointless.

 

My current idea: The Bleeding-hearted Angels WERE a 3rd Founding Chapter, which was destroyed during Abaddon's 1st Black Crusade. The Chapter's name, symbol, colors, and battle cry were passed onto one of the 21st Founding- what will be known as the "Iron-hearted Angels"- though the Chapter still considers itself of the 3rd Founding, heirs of those martyred during the 1st Black Crusade.

 

The Flesh Tearers recalled the Marines they seconded to train the 21st Founding Bleeding-hearted Angels, instead of allowing them to remain and become the new Chapter's leaders- officially because the Flesh Tearers needed those Marines to help fight [insert campaign here], unofficially because the AdMech Magos responsible for arming the Bleeding-hearted Angels, somehow insulted the Flesh Tearers he was working with. (The "insult" is directly comparing Sanguinius to his traitorous brother Angron. I'm considering having the Inquisition investigate rumors the Iron-hearted Angels gene-seed is chimeric- combined with that of the World Eaters, as hinted here- but am concerned that will make my IA Chapter Mary Sue-ish.)

[Gamiel]

 

COLORS: Silver, with blood-red gauntlets. Previously, the colors were blood-red, with silver gauntlets.

Any reason why they just did a colour swap? Feel like iron-grey would fit them better.

 

------------

 

You may have mentiond this and I missed it but how are their decorations? 

 

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My current idea: The Bleeding-hearted Angels WERE a 3rd Founding Chapter, which was destroyed during Abaddon's 1st Black Crusade. The Chapter's name, symbol, colors, and battle cry were passed onto one of the 21st Founding- what will be known as the "Iron-hearted Angels"- though the Chapter still considers itself of the 3rd Founding, heirs of those martyred during the 1st Black Crusade.

That's a nice idea

 

The Flesh Tearers recalled the Marines they seconded to train the 21st Founding Bleeding-hearted Angels, instead of allowing them to remain and become the new Chapter's leaders- officially because the Flesh Tearers needed those Marines to help fight [insert campaign here], unofficially because the AdMech Magos responsible for arming the Bleeding-hearted Angels, somehow insulted the Flesh Tearers he was working with. (The "insult" is directly comparing Sanguinius to his traitorous brother Angron. I'm considering having the Inquisition investigate rumors the Iron-hearted Angels gene-seed is chimeric- combined with that of the World Eaters, as hinted here- but am concerned that will make my IA Chapter Mary Sue-ish.)

Have to admit that I don't really see the point of the mentioning of the Flesh Tearers 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Gamiel

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Thank you for commenting, Gamiel.

 

COLORS: Silver, with blood-red gauntlets. Previously, the colors were blood-red, with silver gauntlets.

Any reason why they just did a colour swap? Feel like iron-grey would fit them better.

The Chapter planet's history draws a lot on that of Argentina. The tyrant the Chapter overthrew to take control of the planet, is based on Leopoldo Galtieri, who led the nation into the Falklands War- note the planet orbits a star named "Falk's Eye"- the treacherous Captain for which the entire Chapter went on a "penance crusade" to hunt and kill, is named after Francisco Solano López, whose nation opposed Argentina in the War of the Triple Alliance.

 

In addition to representing the Argentina-themed Chapter planet, the color silver symbolizes the purity of the Chapter's purpose: to eliminate all corruptive influences within the Imperium, the first step being to eliminate corruptive influences within the Marines themselves, by replacing sinful flesh with pure machines (augmetic organs).

You may have mentiond this and I missed it but how are their decorations?

I'm just going to modify existing Blood Angels models- the Marines' armor will fully enclose (and hide) their augmetic organs, protecting the latter (and letting me save money).

 

My current idea: The Bleeding-hearted Angels WERE a 3rd Founding Chapter, which was destroyed during Abaddon's 1st Black Crusade. The Chapter's name, symbol, colors, and battle cry were passed onto one of the 21st Founding- what will be known as the "Iron-hearted Angels"- though the Chapter still considers itself of the 3rd Founding, heirs of those martyred during the 1st Black Crusade.

That's a nice idea

Thank you.

Have to admit that I don't really see the point of the mentioning of the Flesh Tearers

The idea for the Chapter is "Blood Angels that act like the Iron Hands." The Flesh Tearers' disdain for the lives of Imperial subjects caught in the crossfire between them and their enemies, is one trait shared with the Iron Hands. Edited December 4, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Gamiel]

 

You may have mentiond this and I missed it but how are their decorations?

.I'm just going to modify existing Blood Angels models- the Marines' armor will fully enclose (and hide) their augmetic organs, protecting the latter (and letting me save money).

I was more thinking of the bling that many Blood Angels have, do the Iron Hearts still have that and if so is it in the same colours as the BA's?

 

I can see the blood drops being in black for example, representing machines' black blood (a.k.a. oil)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I was more thinking of the bling that many Blood Angels have, do the Iron Hearts still have that and if so is it in the same colours as the BA's?

Yes, for now. I may incorporate more Iron Hands and AdMech elements later.

I can see the blood drops being in black for example, representing machines' black blood (a.k.a. oil)

Red is also the color of hydraulic fluid, so I can reuse the color scheme.

[Gamiel]

 

Have to admit that I don't really see the point of the mentioning of the Flesh Tearers

The idea for the Chapter is "Blood Angels that act like the Iron Hands." The Flesh Tearers' disdain for the lives of Imperial subjects caught in the crossfire between them and their enemies, is one trait shared with the Iron Hands.

I understand, but it's more that I don't see the point with mentionoing them having ones trained under Flesh Tearers (before they become iron harted) or that they later left them after being insulted by the AdMech. What do that ad?

 

 

Also, any thouhgts about their realtionship with other not-even-trying-to-be-nice BA successors beside the Flesh Tearers?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

 

 

Have to admit that I don't really see the point of the mentioning of the Flesh Tearers

The idea for the Chapter is "Blood Angels that act like the Iron Hands." The Flesh Tearers' disdain for the lives of Imperial subjects caught in the crossfire between them and their enemies, is one trait shared with the Iron Hands.

I understand, but it's more that I don't see the point with mentionoing them having ones trained under Flesh Tearers (before they become iron harted) or that they later left them after being insulted by the AdMech. What do that ad?

The idea the Flesh Tearers washed their hands of the Chapter they trained, was an artifact of my original idea the Iron-hearted Angels are secretly a Cursed Founding Chapter, before I changed my mind upon reading this article. The abandonment and subsequent isolation from other Blood Angels Chapters, is also meant to give me the freedom to push the boundaries of how a Blood Angels successor would act.

Also, any thouhgts about their realtionship with other not-even-trying-to-be-nice BA successors beside the Flesh Tearers?

As noted here and here, the Blood Angels HATE the Iron-hearted Angels for violating Sanguinius' ideals (in this case, fixing demolition charges to the Death Company members' armor, so they may have a "last chance for redemption" by acting as suicide bombers); as noted here and here, the Lamenters FEAR the Iron-hearted Angels because the latter attacked and destroyed several Lamenters ships during the Badab War; and the Flesh Tearers simply don't give a damn.