IA: Equitus Austis (previous Brass Foxes)

[Alepous]

I want to make my own chapter and I would like some feedback and help to add more fluff. Here is it so far.

When the Titan moon was in the Warp and the first full GK were off the last stages of training, they received a help signal from a convoy of Astartes ships that have fallen to the Warp chasing some Traitors. Since the convoy was with several Legions the GK council decided to send a very small team with the new GK to also test their potential and save the gene-seeds from possible annihilation of the Legions. The corvette found the convoy and organized them to return to the monastery but a sudden Warp storm made things worse and made them lose their way. In the following years-millenia the convoy drifted in the Warp trying to find an exit. In the way the GK guided the Legios and pourged Traitors and heretics found in various places and planets. They also encoutered Loyalist forces lost in the Warp and found that they were not tainted yet. The new team had to adapt to the new situations with the Warp environment, limited supplies and loss of battle brothers and crew. The GKs died in the battles and the Legions were almost decimated. However the guidance and legacy of the GKs remained and new neophytes trained. Finally, after a very long road, only one Battle Barge remained, with salvaged parts from all the other ships and parts from some Space Hulks and tech found in lost Forge Worlds. The saved Mechanicus played a vital role in saving the crumbling ship.

The Battle Barge and the remaining force exited the Warp in the Purge of Jollana (913.M41) when the attack of Ahriman loosend the barrier between the dimensions. They responded asap to the battle of the planet and fought a furious battle in the Library, yet not in a vital place as the GK were. After the battle they reunited with the Imperium forces. The Inquisition was suspicious at first, but after a long process it found that the team was pure. They could not become GKs, so the Inquisition and GKs given them the privilege to go to other Chapters or found a new one. Most of them chose to make a new Chapter with the name "Bronze Foxes", to honor their first Chapter Master. While they fought a huge battle in a Hell-Forge World, he was lost to a cavern and was saved by dragging himself from a fox´s tail. The liquid bronze of the soil stained his armor. After his emergence from the cavern he managed to find his battle brothers and succeeded to organize a defence and they were saved. After this battle all the battle brothers have painted their armor Bronze-Brass color. The remaining Legion SMs went back to their homeworlds, yet still remained in contact with the new Chapter.

The saved armors of the lost GKs were given back to their Chapter and the Bronze Foxes started a path to the far fringes of the galaxy to bring the light of the Emperor. They passed the Ghoul Stars and finally they settled their homeworld in the Eastern Fringe (Scutum–Centaurus Arm, Vulpecula constellation). There they foun a ringworld (Hey, the 40K has a Dyson Sphere, so I am not outside the fluff there ) inhabited by humans and helped them eradicate the emerging Necrons from the world. The ringworld is older than the Necrons and the Old Ones and the War in Heaven. The Chapter stayed there, as the mechanicus wanted to find the archaeotech the ringworld had. The armor will be a mix of Greek Hoplite and Monks with other bits.

So far I am at this point. I want to make the Chapter a mix of GKs, Exorcists and Blood Ravens-Thousand Sons. I am also thinking of using a modified GKs codex as a force construction but I don't know if this is possible by rules.

Battle cries:

"Improvise, Adapt, Overcome"

"Vir sapiens et fortis est et vir doctus robustus et validus"

I started building the army for Blood Ravens so I used the basic CA and home a basic structure made, but then I followed the dark path of DIY Chapter. I am new to the fluff and I am sure i have forgotten many things. Thanks in advance and if it not the appropriate palce, please Mr. Moderator move it where it is.

[Chaplian Belphoron]

I really enjoy the story, but are you saying you are one of the lost legions? If so where's your Primarch, if not name your primogrnator

[Olis]

The story does hold some promise - I think the most interesting part is the last section. The chapter finding an old ring-world is food for thought, certainly, even if it is ancient xenos-tech. However, I don't think the Grey Knights should feature so heavily in the story, to be honest. In fact, I think you should ditch them altogether. It would be more interesting, I believe, if you start the story from the last paragraph. That's my humble suggestion. I realise it does cut out two thirds of the text that you've probably worked hard on but it starts the story in a place where it's not totally reliant on fluff already established by GW.

 

So far I am at this point. I want to make the Chapter a mix of GKs, Exorcists and Blood Ravens-Thousand Sons. 

 

By the look of it, boiling it down to it's essence, you want to make an anti-daemon chapter, right? If that's the case I'd recommend making your own way instead of basing the chapter on these references. By doing so you will have a unique entity all of your own instead of something that will appear derivative. What you need to do is identify what you want, perhaps find a world-culture that you like, past or present, and go from there.

 

I really enjoy the story, but are you saying you are one of the lost legions? If so where's your Primarch, if not name your primogrnator

 

From what I can tell, no, Alepous is not making a lost legion.

[Alepous]

Hello. No, I am not making a lost Legion. Just a Chapter trying to find his way back from the Warp and trying to fit in the 41st millenia, as his battle doctrine (fluff) and perception is closer to Horus Heresy era. 
 

 

 

I want to make the Chapter a mix of GKs, Exorcists and Blood Ravens-Thousand Sons.

I meant to make it as a fluff philosophy not necessarily battle doctrine. 

 

I made a blog to post my progress there.  I am working the backstory and the rules. 

 http://hammerandgluemodels.blogspot.com/2015/06/space-marine-40k-army-building.html

[Alepous]

• Chapter name: Equitus Austis
• 23rd Founding
• Progenitor/Primarch/Geneseed unknown
• Chapter Master: Supreme Grand Master Diogen Odysseus Aurelius
• Homeworld: Terminus Prime (dead world)
• Fortress-Monastery: Whœnua Parakøre (Space Hulk-artificial moon)
• SM numbers unknown
• Specialities: Clandestine operations, guerilla warfare, Daemon purge, Space Hulk purge
• Allies: Salamanders, Iron Hands, Raven Guard, Space Wolves, Ordo Xenos, Ordo Malleus
• Warcry: "One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."

 

The Equitus Austis are a loyalist Space Marine Chapter with roots dating back to the Horus Heresy era, although it was founded in a very later date. They are a non-Codex Astartes compliant Chapter, as they are organized into Brotherhoods, rather than the standard companies, the fighting formations of specialised warfare skills. During each campaign the members of each Brotherhood create a different force, depending on the situation and commanded by a Captain. Each Brotherhood, except the II Brotherhood, is overseen by a Grand Master, where the Chapter is commanded by a Supreme Grand Master. There are nine Brotherhoods and the position of a Space Marine in each Brotherhood is not fixed· they can change between them if they want to pursue a different path. The chapter oversees theVulpecula Sector in the northern reaches of the Eastern Fringe of the Ultima Segmentum. The Vulpecula Sector compromises of only two inhabitable systems - theTerminus System and the Polean System. 

 

The initial force of the Equitus Austis was on the border to make them an operable combat unit, and as such they had a larger than usual number of surfs, so that the Space Marines had enough time to train properly. It took more than 2000 years for the Chapter to reach its optimal fighting capacity.

 

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk240/Morfeas333/shoulder%20Equitus%20Austis.jpg

 

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk240/Morfeas333/spacemarine%20f%20resize.jpg

 

 

 

 

Chapter Beliefs

Main beliefs

As a result of (painful) lessons learned during their 3000 years in the Warp Storms, they believe that, although there are creatures named as daemons or gods, there is not such a thing, just names civilizations give to them. The Universe is a cruel place to be and it just is. This cold-thought approach helped them overcome the taints of Chaos and stay on the path of enlightenment.

As the roots of the Equitus Austis were planted by Space Marines of the original Legions, the Chapter follows the Imperial Truth as it was declared by the Emperor of Mankind. They believe that the Emperor is an extremely powerful being, the rightful ruler of all mankind and the perfect image of humanity, but no matter how supreme, still a human being. They venerate him as a father figure, a spiritual guide, as a person of great wisdom and as the perfect image of human being. These beliefs, that are more rational and cold-logic than the other Space Marine Chapters, makes their relationship between the Ecclesiarchy and the Ordo Hereticus strained, at best. If not the Chapter's knowledge of the Warp and the purging of Space Hulks, they would have destroyed the survivors in the first place. However, they do believe that their souls will be at the side of the Emperor against Chaos when the End Times come.

 

 

Seppuku ritual 

The Arhats of the Chapter are the spiritual and philosophical guides of Equitus Austis. They regularly screen the battle-brothers and if they find that a brother has been tainted by Chaos, something that has not happened so far, the brother is forced to repent and to do a suicide ritual. The ritual takes place in front of the whole chapter.

 

 

Pendants, tattoos and armour carvings

Since the process to become member of Equitus Austis is to survive in different parts of the Polean System as an aspirant, it is expected to have a memento from each one. These fetishes do not have a religious purpose, they are worn as badges of honour and self-affirmation. The most usual are skulls of animals, worn as pendants around the neck or on the armour, but can also be finger rings, arm rings, earrings or any other shape and of various materials.

Another symbol between the brothers of Equitus Austis are the tattoos and scarifications. These can depict various symbols and beliefs from the people of the Polean System or Imperial designs, or can also be quotes from wards and protections against the Warp. Some battle-brothers that have fought together for long time or hard battles do the same tattoo to signify their bond. Many of these are made as ceremonial events and some are major events and feasts of the Chapter

As the individualistic nature of the battle-brothers is promoted, it is expected for them to carve upon their armours their personal thoughts, beliefs, battles, inspirational quotes and protective wards against the Warp entities. This forms a special bond between them and the machine-spirit of their armour.

 

 

Personal equipment

Each battle-brother has a standard personal equipment, most of it during their path as aspirants. These are:

• Monofilament blade of the Machaera design

• A sqarf, memento of their life before, usually red but can be any colour

• A force sword of Tachi style

• A grimoire, with the Code of the Equitus Austis and personal observations and thoughts

• A bandoleer, usually from leather of indigenous Polean animals

 

Death and funeral rites

Upon death, the remains of the battle-brothers are burned in a ceremonial pyre. The machine-spirit of the armour is connected with the repository of the machine-spirit of Iuominen and give her their knowledge of the battles they had taken part. After this, the armour machine-spirit is placed again with the fallen brother. Their ashes, along with their bones, cybernetic implants and their equipment are stored in a sarcophagus and they are placed in the mausoleum of the Fortress-Monastery. During this ceremony is devoutness, which ends with a great feast.

 

 

Code of Equitus Austis

This is a tome containing various texts for war doctrine and philosophy. Some of them are the Bushidō, the Spartiate, the Credo Legionario and others -saved in full or partial form from ancient transcripts-, Codex Astartes, the Book of Five Spheres and relative tomes from other Chapters and Liber Daemonicum. While it may appear to be a normal book or a scroll, opening it will reveal a series of flickering paper-thin screens that contain interactive information that can be brought to focus or enlarged, since the wealth of information is vast for a simple book to contain.  

 

 

 

Chapter Combat Doctrine

 

Despite that the initial force of the Chapter was organised from a variety of Legions with very different combat doctrines, their limited numbers under overwhelming number of enemies and limited supplies, made them employ infiltration and guerilla warfare tactics with fast attack elements. The tactics, rooting back to Raven Guard and the ease which can replace their lost limbs with artificial ones, rooted from Iron Hands, are the most prevalent to this day. The initial large numbers of surfs attending the Space Marines, and the teachings of the Salamanders, have let them close to the normal humans and they try to minimize the collateral damage. There are instances were they have stayed behind, to support the evacuation of the Imperial citizens, even in the direst of circumstances. The Chapter venerates the Legionnaires that organised first their Chapter force and have close ties with the original Chapters. The names of the loyalist members from the Traitor Legions are known only by the most seniors members of the Chapter.

 

 

 

Chapter-specific roles

• The Arhats of the Chapter are similar to Chaplains, but they support the Space Marines in a spiritual level, rather the religious zeal that can be found on other Chapters.

• The Chapter has the rank of Lieutenant, instead the Sergeant.

 

 

Chapter Specific Equipment

 

• Terminus Pattern Bolter: This bolter is the distinctive weapon of the Chapter, as it is designed in a bullpup configuration, with the shell ejecting port on the front, just above the muzzle of the weapon. Its compact design makes it ideal for cqb and also provides more barrel length and more room in the front for cumbersome underbarrel attachments (ie. combi-plasma). It functions as any other Imperium bolter and takes the same ammunition, magazines and attachments.

• Snípa: This sniper rifle is a helgun and can kill both flesh and corporeal enemies. It draws energy from magazines with high-power yield, instead of a backpack unit. It can also use the more common backpack unit. The weapons of this class are all with silencer and light shield.

• Shield of Amikles: A type of storm shields used by the Chapter. They have built-in generators, thus provide more freedom of movement to the handler. The Mk1 pattern is round and Mk2 is an elongated rectangular and is used in Space Hulk boarding operations. If the generator depletes its energy, it can be powered by standard lasgun magazines, although with limited capacity. 

 

 

more can be found HERE, note that it is still WIP but the base of the Chapter has been created. 

 

 

 

[Allart01]

Hope to give some constructive feedback

• Chapter name: Equitus Austis
• 23rd Founding
• Progenitor/Primarch/Geneseed unknown
• Chapter Master: Supreme Grand Master Diogen Odysseus Aurelius
• Homeworld: Terminus Prime (dead world)
• Fortress-Monastery: Whœnua Parakøre (Space Hulk-artificial moon)
• SM numbers unknown
• Specialities: Clandestine operations, guerilla warfare, Daemon purge, Space Hulk purge
• Allies: Salamanders, Iron Hands, Raven Guard, Space Wolves, Ordo Xenos, Ordo Malleus
• Warcry: "One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."

Nice to see a Sentinel Founding Chapter.

Isn't the warcry a little too long?
It sounds impractical to scream while butchering a heretic...

The Equitus Austis are a loyalist Space Marine Chapter with roots dating back to the Horus Heresy era, although it was founded in a very later date. They are a non-Codex Astartes compliant Chapter, as they are organized into Brotherhoods, rather than the standard companies, the fighting formations of specialised warfare skills. During each campaign the members of each Brotherhood create a different force, depending on the situation and commanded by a Captain. Each Brotherhood, except the II Brotherhood, is overseen by a Grand Master, where the Chapter is commanded by a Supreme Grand Master. There are nine Brotherhoods and the position of a Space Marine in each Brotherhood is not fixed· they can change between them if they want to pursue a different path. The chapter oversees theVulpecula Sector in the northern reaches of the Eastern Fringe of the Ultima Segmentum. The Vulpecula Sector compromises of only two inhabitable systems - theTerminus System and the Polean System.

The initial force of the Equitus Austis was on the border to make them an operable combat unit, and as such they had a larger than usual number of surfs, so that the Space Marines had enough time to train properly. It took more than 2000 years for the Chapter to reach its optimal fighting capacity.

I think 2000 years before entering action is too much. 200 would be more reasonable.

Still, you should remember that the 23rd Founding was decreed to make up for the horrific losses suffered by the Adeptus Astartes in the previous millennia, while war raged all around.

They needed Chapters full-strenght and ready as soon as possible, and have probably accelerated their creation, not slowed it down.

Why does their story date back to Heresy Era?
Is it really important?

Why are they Codex Divergent?
This needs to be covered.

A First Fouding Chapter like the Space Wolves, or even the Black Templars, can get away with it.
But a Sentinel Fouding one would need a good reason, expecially if they go over the 1000 limit (I say this because of the "unknown number").

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk240/Morfeas333/shoulder%20Equitus%20Austis.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk240/Morfeas333/spacemarine%20f%20resize.jpg

Chapter Beliefs

Main beliefs

As a result of (painful) lessons learned during their 3000 years in the Warp Storms, they believe that, although there are creatures named as daemons or gods, there is not such a thing, just names civilizations give to them. The Universe is a cruel place to be and it just is. This cold-thought approach helped them overcome the taints of Chaos and stay on the path of enlightenment.

As the roots of the Equitus Austis were planted by Space Marines of the original Legions, the Chapter follows the Imperial Truth as it was declared by the Emperor of Mankind. They believe that the Emperor is an extremely powerful being, the rightful ruler of all mankind and the perfect image of humanity, but no matter how supreme, still a human being. They venerate him as a father figure, a spiritual guide, as a person of great wisdom and as the perfect image of human being. These beliefs, that are more rational and cold-logic than the other Space Marine Chapters, makes their relationship between the Ecclesiarchy and the Ordo Hereticus strained, at best. If not the Chapter's knowledge of the Warp and the purging of Space Hulks, they would have destroyed the survivors in the first place. However, they do believe that their souls will be at the side of the Emperor against Chaos when the End Times come.

3000 years in a Warp Storm is too much to bear for anyone, even a Chapter of Astartes. They would go insane or turn to Chaos.

Maybe you mean that their sector is full of warp storms, and they are used to fighting deamons?

Seppuku ritual

The Arhats of the Chapter are the spiritual and philosophical guides of Equitus Austis. They regularly screen the battle-brothers and if they find that a brother has been tainted by Chaos, something that has not happened so far, the brother is forced to repent and to do a suicide ritual. The ritual takes place in front of the whole chapter.

Nice.
But, if they are THAT used to dealing with chaos, some taint, at least in the flesh, would inevitably spread.

They are not Grey Knights... and that would be the very same reason of such a rigid regime of controls.

So, I would remove the "never happened" part.

Pendants, tattoos and armour carvings

Since the process to become member of Equitus Austis is to survive in different parts of the Polean System as an aspirant, it is expected to have a memento from each one. These fetishes do not have a religious purpose, they are worn as badges of honour and self-affirmation. The most usual are skulls of animals, worn as pendants around the neck or on the armour, but can also be finger rings, arm rings, earrings or any other shape and of various materials.

Another symbol between the brothers of Equitus Austis are the tattoos and scarifications. These can depict various symbols and beliefs from the people of the Polean System or Imperial designs, or can also be quotes from wards and protections against the Warp. Some battle-brothers that have fought together for long time or hard battles do the same tattoo to signify their bond. Many of these are made as ceremonial events and some are major events and feasts of the Chapter

As the individualistic nature of the battle-brothers is promoted, it is expected for them to carve upon their armours their personal thoughts, beliefs, battles, inspirational quotes and protective wards against the Warp entities. This forms a special bond between them and the machine-spirit of their armour.

I like this.

Personal equipment

Each battle-brother has a standard personal equipment, most of it during their path as aspirants. These are:

• Monofilament blade of the Machaera design

• A sqarf, memento of their life before, usually red but can be any colour

• A force sword of Tachi style

• A grimoire, with the Code of the Equitus Austis and personal observations and thoughts

• A bandoleer, usually from leather of indigenous Polean animals

Death and funeral rites

Upon death, the remains of the battle-brothers are burned in a ceremonial pyre. The machine-spirit of the armour is connected with the repository of the machine-spirit of Iuominen and give her their knowledge of the battles they had taken part. After this, the armour machine-spirit is placed again with the fallen brother. Their ashes, along with their bones, cybernetic implants and their equipment are stored in a sarcophagus and they are placed in the mausoleum of the Fortress-Monastery. During this ceremony is devoutness, which ends with a great feast.

I think power armours are too valuable to be buried with the first owner.

Even First Founding Chapters pass them down from one generation to the other.

And... what about terminator armour?
Also, does this mean the Chapter can't have relics?

Code of Equitus Austis

This is a tome containing various texts for war doctrine and philosophy. Some of them are the Bushidō, the Spartiate, the Credo Legionario and others -saved in full or partial form from ancient transcripts-, Codex Astartes, the Book of Five Spheres and relative tomes from other Chapters and Liber Daemonicum. While it may appear to be a normal book or a scroll, opening it will reveal a series of flickering paper-thin screens that contain interactive information that can be brought to focus or enlarged, since the wealth of information is vast for a simple book to contain.

Chapter Combat Doctrine

Despite that the initial force of the Chapter was organised from a variety of Legions with very different combat doctrines, their limited numbers under overwhelming number of enemies and limited supplies, made them employ infiltration and guerilla warfare tactics with fast attack elements. The tactics, rooting back to Raven Guard and the ease which can replace their lost limbs with artificial ones, rooted from Iron Hands, are the most prevalent to this day. The initial large numbers of surfs attending the Space Marines, and the teachings of the Salamanders, have let them close to the normal humans and they try to minimize the collateral damage. There are instances were they have stayed behind, to support the evacuation of the Imperial citizens, even in the direst of circumstances. The Chapter venerates the Legionnaires that organised first their Chapter force and have close ties with the original Chapters. The names of the loyalist members from the Traitor Legions are known only by the most seniors members of the Chapter.

Don't mix geneseeds.

This only happened during the Crused 21st Fouding, and it ended VERY BADLY FOR EVERYONE.

The Imperium wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Chapter-specific roles

• The Arhats of the Chapter are similar to Chaplains, but they support the Space Marines in a spiritual level, rather the religious zeal that can be found on other Chapters.

• The Chapter has the rank of Lieutenant, instead the Sergeant.

Chapter Specific Equipment

• Terminus Pattern Bolter: This bolter is the distinctive weapon of the Chapter, as it is designed in a bullpup configuration, with the shell ejecting port on the front, just above the muzzle of the weapon. Its compact design makes it ideal for cqb and also provides more barrel length and more room in the front for cumbersome underbarrel attachments (ie. combi-plasma). It functions as any other Imperium bolter and takes the same ammunition, magazines and attachments.

• Snípa: This sniper rifle is a helgun and can kill both flesh and corporeal enemies. It draws energy from magazines with high-power yield, instead of a backpack unit. It can also use the more common backpack unit. The weapons of this class are all with silencer and light shield.

• Shield of Amikles: A type of storm shields used by the Chapter. They have built-in generators, thus provide more freedom of movement to the handler. The Mk1 pattern is round and Mk2 is an elongated rectangular and is used in Space Hulk boarding operations. If the generator depletes its energy, it can be powered by standard lasgun magazines, although with limited capacity.

more can be found HERE, note that it is still WIP but the base of the Chapter has been created.

[Alepous]

I am rethinking the relics theme into the lore. I think that I like it, even if the Chapter gets issued new wargear, the stories and the history of a 5.000yr+ relics gives another air to the narrative. 

[Phoebus]

You have some very good ideas, but they seem (to me, at least) overshadowed by the attempt to make this chapter Grey Knights by another name.

 

Ask yourself what you really want from this chapter. Do you want them to be powerful psykers? Daemon-hunters? Tied to the Traitor Legions somehow? They can be one or more of those things (though you'd have to be quite creative to make them all three) without being Grey Knights: the Cursed Founding was a time when factions within the Imperium tried to do all sorts of things with Astartes gene-seed. The second you associate them to Chapter 666, though, that link becomes more important than your own work.