IA: Sons of Olympia

[SupremeGrandMaster_Daniel]

Chapter Name: Sons of Olympia

Founding: 23^rd (Late M37)

Chapter World: Olympia Segundus

Fortress Monastery: Mytikas

Gene-seed: Ultramarines

Favored Tactic: Relentless Advance

Battle-cry: “For Olympia! For the Emperor!”

 

Introduction:

The Sons of Olympia are a chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, and they are the Emperor’s wrath. Founded during the 23^rd, so-called “sentinel” founding, the Sons of Olympia act as wardens of the Iron Veil, in the northwest of Ultima Segmentum. As proud sons of Guilliman and Olympia, they protect the Emperor’s domain and bring death to His enemies.

 

Homeworld:

Olympia Segundus is a large world orbited by four small moons, with very little land mass, most of it uninhabited archipelagos surrounded by tumultuous oceans. The only inhabited land on the planet is a single, mountainous continent. Nevertheless, that land is dominated by a dozen or so massive city-states, each with their own unique culture and politics, albeit culture and politics derived from a common ancestry.

 

Olympia’s city-states are not ruled over by the chapter. Instead, they are ruled by various noble families and politicians, constantly maneuvering for more power. Furthermore, these city-states are locked in frequent, bloody wars for power, status, and wealth. However, because Olympians only have technology at the bronze-age level, these wars are rarely disastrous to the general population.

 

That being said, these wars form the basis of a very strong warrior culture on Olympia, each city-state with its own specialties and traditions. Nevertheless, these traditions all share a common theme of honor, glory-seeking, and respect for individual martial prowess. And above all that, they share an idolization of the heroes of myth and legend that are the space marines.

 

The people of Olympia regard the space marines that dwell in the highest mountains on the planet with awe and reverence, as vengeful gods of legend. The chapter actively encourages this by staying shrouded in myth and only interacting with the humans of Olympia to recruit new aspirants. The chapter monitors those youths who show great promise and take them away to either serve the chapter, or die trying. To be chosen is considered the greatest honor in life, and the people of Olympia gladly go with the chapter. In fact, many don’t wait to be chosen and actively seek to prove their mettle by performing heroic deeds like killing great beasts or climbing the mountainous face of Mytikas.

 

The Chapter:

Once an aspirant is chosen, there is no going back. They ascend beyond the petty political squabbling and wars of their people. Even then, there is no guarantee of becoming a member of the chapter.

 

To become a Son of Olympia an aspirant undergoes the 100 trials and must pass through the gates of flesh, pain, fire, loss, and despair. Those that fail usually die due to the nature of the trials. However, even if one survives, a failed aspirant will only ever by allowed to serve the chapter as a serf, there is no going back. That being said, those that succeed in the trials join the ranks of their people’s greatest heroes and legends.

Chapter Beliefs:

 

Strangely, for a chapter descended from Ultramarines geneseed, their geneseed has shown some degradation in recent centuries. How or why this is, is unknown. However, it has brought a great deal of scrutiny from Imperial authorities, who, as of yet, have found nothing new to report. The chapter has taken this news with grim resolve, determined to prove their purity of spirit and dedication to the Emperor to everyone with bolter and blade.

 

The chapter is a staunch follower of the codex.

 

The different cultures represented in the chapter can sometimes cause friction, but mostly result in a healthy rivalry among brothers.

 

The internecine warfare of their homeworld tends to instill an innate heroism and close combat prowess in their marines. However, they have a tendency to seek glory and much of their training is spent teaching them the restraint they need to achieve victory rather than personal aggrandizement.

 

In recognition of the victory of the veteran company in holding back an Ork Waaaagh for 3 days and nights, inclusion in the first company means taking on the names of the 100 who fell in that campaign. That is why the 1^st company is known as “the immortals”

 

Combat Doctrine:

 

Codex adherent. They favor relentless advances that grind their enemies to dust with interlocking fields of fire, each squad protecting the other and forming an inviolable defense and unstoppable offense.

 

Colors:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/smsbeta.php?bpe=1D3ACC&bpj=1D3ACC&bp=1D3ACC&bpc=1D3ACC&hdt=1D3ACC&hdm=1D3ACC&hdl=1D3ACC&ey=CC341D&er=1D3ACC&pi=56575C&nk=1D3ACC&ch=1D3ACC&eg=CCC31D&sk=CCA01D&abs=1D3ACC&bt=1D3ACC&cod=1D3ACC&ull=FFFFFF&lk=FFFFFF&lll=FFFFFF&lft=FFFFFF&url=1D3ACC&rk=1D3ACC&lrl=1D3ACC&rft=1D3ACC&slt=CCBA1D&sli=FFFFFF&srt=CCCC1D&sri=1D3ACC&ula=FFFFFF&lel=FFFFFF&lla=FFFFFF&lw=FFFFFF&lh=FFFFFF&ura=1D3ACC&rel=1D3ACC&rla=1D3ACC&rw=1D3ACC&rh=1D3ACC&bg=FFFFFF&rb=787575&gr=5E5A5A&ha=FFFFFF&wg=true&be=BBBBCC&hsk=true&aq=true&chps=CC0000&ti=133ABD&ultrapad=FFFFFF&blt=000000

 

Organization:

 

As a codex compliant chapter, the Sons of Olympia have 10 companies: 1 veteran company, 4 battle companies, 4 reserve companies, and 1 scout companies.

 

Furthermore, they have a large fleet and one of the most powerful orbital defense systems in the Imperium, with half of Olympia Segundus’ moons converted to orbiting weapons platforms, the others being a shrine that the chapter uses to house their dead and a listening outpost.

[Lysimachus]

This all sounds workable, it's quite heavily themed towards the Greeks but that's ok. I particularly like how you've interpreted the phalanx tactic into the interlocking fields of bolter fire.

 

You might want to think about the name though, maybe make up another planet? Firstly, Olympia makes the Greek theme very obvious but also has connotations in the fluff as it's the Iron Warriors Legion's homeworld which was wiped out and declared Perdita after the Heresy. I mean, it's not impossible that another world could have the same name, but people will immediately connect your Chapter with the IW.

[SupremeGrandMaster_Daniel]

Thanks for the advice,

 

Yeah, these are the space Greeks, but I really like greek mythology and think it makes sense, at least in the context of 40k, given the influence of greek mythology in our world and the possible influence of the ultramarines legion when they were first brought into the imperium.

 

I was wondering about the chapter's name. What about "Sons of Ion" from ion segundus?

 

I'm glad that you noticed the phalanx reference, I tried my best to translate that tactic into a 40k tactic :)

 

If anyone has more advice or comments, I'm glad to hear it, thanks!

 

-Daniel

[Anver Cassiel]

really strong start but i would mirror the thoughts about Olympia. Ion works as do other, maybe less recognizable greek locations like Assos or Delos (both of whish are said to be important to the gods if thats the theme you're looking for.)

 

Another thing i wonder is, you mention the degradation of the geneseed but in what way does this show? Just something to think about that might add something to the chapter's character 

 

Cassiel

[SupremeGrandMaster_Daniel]

Thank you for the response!

 

I was thinking that, as of now their beltcher's gland is no longer functional, but I'm not sure I'll keep the geneseed degradation. I'm not sure if it is interesting or is a distinction without a difference. What do you all think?

 

As always, any help is appreciated :)

 

-Daniel

[Anver Cassiel]

well if you think it adds something to the chapter then go for it, but if you don't feel it benefits the story of your chapter or adds anything to the character then it might be worth removing it. I quite often fall into the trap of adding toads into my own lore/fluff; things added for the sake of their being there and serving no other purpose ie. a toad on the wall (pretty sure NightrawenII came up with that phrase during one of my IA's actually)

 

I'm not trying to say that's what you've done here in particular, but if you feel that maybe something doesn't add to the story then maybe it is worth taking out

 

Cassiel

[SupremeGrandMaster_Daniel]

Thanks for the advice. I'll think about it :)

 

-Daniel

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Not bad. I would recommend adopting the "you move while I provide covering fire, then I move while you provide covering fire" tactics a modern army uses, as the accuracy and firepower of M41 weapons would make an M-1 (negative one, i.e., Before the Common Era) phalanx a suicide pact.

 

"Your Marines have storm shields? Ha! I have direct fire artillery." This boast will be echoed by every single army in the game, with the possible exception of Chaos Daemons.

[SupremeGrandMaster_Daniel]

Thanks,

 

That's pretty much what I envisioned :)