Emperor's Vengeance

[Bloodspeaker]

I had also posted this chapter earlier, but since that was my first post i don't really want to play around with it. This version, however, i will be adding to and continuing to grow as I get ideas or other people point out continuity errors or other problems. I hope you enjoy my idea of the...

 

Emperor's Vengeance
War Cry - Vengeance comes for you!
Founding - 8th Founding M35
Primarch - Unknown (Jaghatai Khan/Leman Russ)
Successor of - Unknown (White Scars/Space Wolves/Sanguinius)
Homeworld - Malgoroth IV, chapter is based on the planets moon
Chapter Master - Tiberian Cezar
Allegiance - Imperium
Colors - Black(primary) White(secondary)

History
Founded to fight in the bloody wars of the Nova Terra Interregnum, the Emperor's Vengeance have always been noted for their savagery in battle. This reputation stems less from a desire to close with the enemy and more from the malicious pleasure the space marines take in exacting bloody vengeance. Despite their savage reputation, this chapter remain masters of all forms of warfare, with an honor roll to rival chapters founded a thousand years older before them.

Exactly which chapters gene-seed was used to create the Emperor's Vengeance remains a mystery, however many scholars believe it to be likely that they are a White Scars or Blood Angels successor chapter. The reason for this theory chapters almost unbelievable brutality in battle, which could either be a mutation of the black curse known to plague the Blood Angels or simply a manifestation of the legendary savagery of the White Scars. A few have wondered about the possibility of them being a Space Wolf successor. The space marines of the Emperor's Vengeance do not seem to care very much which chapters gene-seed was used to create them, as they venerate the Emperor and no other.

As a chapter the Emperor's Vengeance are known to take great pride in the fact that they have never been known to leave survivors from any theater of war that they have been involved in. The space marines of the Emperor's Vengeance chapter have been known to pursue rumors of a survivor from one of their actions across the whole of the Segmentum Pacificus where they are based. Founded as they were in a time when the Imperium seemed set to tear itself apart, the warriors of this chapter quickly grew to hate those who would abandon the Emperor above all others.

Initially a fleet-based chapter, the Emperor's Vengeance claimed their homeworld as a reward for their service in during the Nova Terra Interregnum. Once a heavily populated and prosperous world, Malgoroth committed the twin offences of defying the Emperor and harboring those who managed to escape from the earlier actions in the chapters campaign against the Ur-Lords. The Emperor's Vengeance fell heavily on Malgoroth, with the entire chapter engaging the enemy with wild, savage abandon. When the smoke cleared there was not a single building was left standing of the once mighty cities that had once spread across Malgoroth. Every man, woman and child had been brutally hacked into bloody pieces. To the space marines of the Emperor's Vengeance this has become know as The Proving.
 

Since then then the chapter has continued to earn it's reputation as an uncompromising and brutal adversary. Much of the chapter spends it's time on crusade, roaming Imperial space, or engaged on missions of extermination. There is always a company stationed at the chapters fortress-monastery. Half of this company will be charged with bringing fresh prisoner-recruits back to Malgoroth for testing, processing and training. The half-company that remains on Malgoroth will act as a garrison and oversee the training of the new recruits. This ensures that there is a pool of freshly trained marines available, ready to replace any losses incurred by the companies currently on crusade.
 

Where other chapters might use tactics that spare the lives of citizens still loyal to the Emperor, the Emperor's Vengeance concern themselves only with the extermination of their enemy. Their reputation is not helped by their recruiting practices, as many of the more 'noble' chapters feel it is an affront to the honor of all space marines to grant criminals the powers of a space marine. The space marines of this chapter are held in such disdain that many other chapters simply refuse to fight alongside them.The Emperor's Vengeance total disregard for life has brought them to blows with other loyal Imperial chapters on several occasions, most notably in the aftermath of the purge of the agri-world of Carsis VIII. 
 

The Emperor's Vengeance were deployed along with space marines of the Ultramarines chapter to quell an uprising, believed to be incited by chaos cultists. The Ultramarine commander invited the Grand Warden of the Emperor's Vengeance to the bridge of his battle barge to co-ordinate tactics for the coming engagement. The Grand Warden arrived, only to tell the Commander 'What tactics are needed? This world is in open revolt against the Emperor and may be under the thrall of Chaos. The judgement is simple." As the two spoke a series of massive explosions ripped across the Carsis VIII bellow. "The judgement is death." The Emperor's Vengeance had launched a simultaneous assault on the planets nuclear generators, detonating them all. At a stroke the planet was plunged into a nuclear winter, with all it's inhabitants being poisoned in the process. Enraged by the Emperor's Vengeance callous disregard for the loyal citizens that had been fighting on the surface the Ultramarine commander struck the Grand Warden and ordered his fleet from orbit. The Emperor's Vengeance were left for finish off any survivors on their own. The Ultramarines and the Emperor's Vengeance have not fought on in the same arena of war since.
 

Some time towards the end of M.38 the Emperor's Vengeance were engaged in action around a world infested by a xenos cult calling themselves the New Breed. Grand Warden Tiberian Cezar had decided to oversee the campaign personally. The New Breed were humans that had been infected by xenos spores and begun to change into something else. The fighting was hard, for the New Breed were nearly as strong as the space marines themselves. Cut off from his honor guard during the fighting around the cults last stronghold, the Grand Warden was swarmed and cut off from the rest of the chapter. Mortally wounded, he still managed to kill all his assailants and survive to be found by his brother-marines. With no other officers capable of commanding the Great House still living, he was interred into a suit of Dreadnaught armour. Grand Warden Tiberian Cezar has lead the chapter ever since.
 

At the turn of M.41 the 5th Great House was lost in a warp-squall on their way to aid the forces of the Imperial Guard. The space marines of the Emperor's Vengeance mourned the loss of their brothers. After almost five years the Great House was declared lost and new equipment and recruits were ordered to rebuild the missing house. Ten years after the 5th went missing the newly created 5th Great House was declared ready for action. Sent to aid in the fighting against a splinter of Hive Fleet Leviathan that had penetrated into the Segmentum Pacificus they quickly proved that the Emperor's Vengeance was a brutal thing, driving the Tyranids from one world after another. As always happens in war, the 5th Great House begun to loose it's momentum and started suffering more losses. On the world of Yassarin the tide finally turned against them. It seemed that the Emperor's Vengeance would loose the 5th Great House a second time when, just as dawn broke across the Yassarin, space marines wearing the livery of the lost Great House charged into the Tyranids rear flank. Trapped between the two space marine forces and the guns of the Imperial Guard, the Tyranids forces were completely annihilated.

 

Recently the Emperor's Vengeance has fallen on the Ork controlled empire based in the galactic north of the Segmentum Pacificus. They were ordered to focus their efforts in this region by decree of the High Lords of Terra after wiping out a small hive world they had been ordered to garrison after it showed signs of unrest. While the High Lords may have meant the campaign against the orkish empire to be a punishment, the marines of the Emperor's Vengeance seem to be relishing the chance to once again unleash their fury on the xenos scum. With the Great House Quintum remaining on Malgoroth to gather new recruits and rearm, the Emperor's Vengeance has divided itself into two crusading fleets, attacking the Ork empire from the borders of the Segmentum Solar and the outer edge of Segmentum Pacificus. So far both fleets have met with great success, retaking worlds at a furious pace from the green-skinned hordes. 
 
Recruitment
The Emperor's Vengeance recruit almost exclusively from penal worlds and the most violent and brutal of the gangs commonly found on hive worlds. Potential recruits will be electronically tagged and sealed in a prison on one of the chapters battle barges. They will remain there until the battle barge returns to the Malgoroth system. Once there the prisoner-recruits will be dropped onto the death world of Malgoroth IV. They will be expected to survive the harsh, desert climate, blistering acid rains and lethal predators for one lunar cycle, approximately 40 Terran days. The few that can survive this lethal 'Initiation' are then taken to the chapters fortress-monastery on the orbiting moon to begin the process of becoming a space marine.
 

The psycho-conditioning of the Emperor's Vengeance is known to be particularly harsh, due to the fact that the recruits are drawn from some of the most violent criminals in the Imperium. It is not uncommon for recruits to be unable to remember much of their former lives once the conditioning is complete. The space marines of this chapter are conditioned to see their elevation to space marine as proof of the Emperors divine nature. 
 

Beliefs
Conditioned to believe that the Emperor delivered them from their sins, the Emperor's Vengeance are all fanatically loyal to the Master of Mankind. It is their belief that they were saved by Him to reap bloody revenge on all those who would betray or defy the plans of the Master of Mankind. Contrary to the beliefs of most Space Marine chapters, the Emperor's Vengeance sees their deliverance from the penal worlds and hive gangs as proof that the Master of Mankind is a divine being. It is their belief that, while he started out as a man, he has long since passed into godhood.
 

As a chapter, the Emperor's Vengeance hold almost no regard for human life. As far as they are concerned the need to execute those who would betray the Emperor is paramount to any other concern. Their reasoning is that any loyal Imperial citizen would gladly give their life to see the Emperor's will done, since they will be welcomed into His arms for their sacrifice. Those who would not willingly give up their lives are viewed as cowards and are beneath the contempt of a Space Marine. This lack of regard is only partly down to the harsh psycho-conditioning they undergo however, as this simply ensures their loyalty to the Emperor. Before they became space marines, these men were all vicious, hardened criminals. Nothing is done to dampen their ingrained aggression as this is seen as an advantage in combat.

 

The marines of the Emperor's Vengeance honor their war-gear by adopting the name of the first marine to wear that suit of armor. The conditioning of each new recruit is so brutal that they frequently won't be able to remember much about their former life in any case. Any honors that a marine has acquired will be removed from his armor on the event of his death and placed in the cell belonging to that suit of armor. In this way each marine becomes part of an ongoing tradition of honor and bloodshed. 

 
Organization
The Emperor's Vengeance are organized into Great Houses. Each house is roughly the same sizes as a company. Currently the chapter is almost a full company over the strength dictated by the codex astartes due to the return of a Great House thought lost in a warp-squall. This Great House has returned missing much of it's equipment and is currently acting as a scout company until it can regain it's strength. Traditionally the Emperor's Vengeance has not had access to many energy weapons, having to rely on hard ammunition types like missiles and bolter shells. Also they tend to prefer bike squadrons over jetpacks for reasons that are unclear.

 

Each Great House is able to operate independently each other and have a squad composition based on the tactical preferences of it's commanding Warden. Every marine is expected to be able to fill any role required of him, however most are better suited to one role over another. The exception to this rule is Great House Primus, which is roughly analogous to a codex chapters veteran company and contains most of the veterans of the Emperor's Vengeance.

 

The Grand Warden is the title given to the chapter master of the Emperor's Vengeance. His decisions are law within the chapter and he determines which Great Houses fight were. The Emperor's Vengeance are notable in that they have only had eight Grand Wardens in their history, the last being interred into a suit of dreadnought armor roughly 3000 years after the chapters founding. He is currently one of the longest serving chapter masters in the Imperium.

 

As befits a chapter that draws it's recruits from criminals and convicts, the Emperor's Vengeance has a higher than normal number of chaplains, known within the chapter as Inciters. In additions to watching for corruption, Exemplars act as living examples for the rest of the chapter, seeking to inspire their brother-marines to ever greater acts of courage.
 

There are few Librarians in the Emperor's Vengeance, due to the fact that the few psykers that escape the black ships of the Adeptus Psykana are mostly hunted down and executed. They rarely found on penal worlds and the few psykers found in hive world ganger are mostly mutated, tainted creatures unfit for the honor of becoming a space marine.
 
Heraldry
I was planning to use the Emperor's Children shoulder pads from Games Workshop. I think it's a cool heraldic device that is generic enough that it is entirely possible that a loyal Space Marine chapter could be using it.
The whole left shoulder-plate is painted white and bears the chapter symbol of the Emperors Vengeance, a golden-winged black talon. The right shoulder pad serves dual purpose of carrying the Great House and squad type markings. Again the whole shoulder-plate is used. The markings of each Great House are simple geometric patterns. Great House marking are painted in black with a secondary color corresponding to the codex astartes. The white squad type marking will then by placed on top. The squad number is marked on the left knee-pad by a simple, white number. A marines personal honors will be marked on the left leg, frequently listing noteworthy engagements that the space marines has fought in. Apart from any battle honors, markings or heraldry the Emperor's Vengeance march to war in jet black armor. Squad leaders have white helmets. Veterans have a white chest Aquila. 

 

Noteworthy Engagements

M.35 - The Proving - Towards the end of the Nova Terra Interregnum the Emperor's Vengeance are ordered to take Malgoroth, one of the last bastions of the Ur-Council of Nova Terra. A well defended and prosperous world, Malgoroth was a key strategic world to the Ur-Council. After almost a week fighting their way across the Malgoroth System and the planets considerable orbital defenses, the space marines of the Emperor's Vengeance were finally ready to assault the planet itself. Before beginning the attack the Grand Warden sent a message to the people of Malgoroth offering them a choice. Surrender or die. This is the last time the Emperor's Vengeance are recorded as offering the chance of surrender. More crippling to the Ur-Council than the loss of the planet was the news of how quickly it had fallen. In a single day and night the Emperor's Vengeance chapter wiped out the planets standing army. They then proceeded to butcher the entire planets population in an orgy of wild carnage. At the end of the Nova Terra interregnum the Emperor's Vengeance claimed the Malgoroth system  as their own.

 

M.36 - Purging of Carsis VIII - Frequently used as an example of the Emperor's Vengeance chapters disregard for Imperial citizens, the Purging of Carsis VIII has become infamous across the Segmentum Pacificus. The agri-world of Carsis VIII revolted against the Imperium. The Emperor's Vengeance were dispatched to deal with the problem with a company of Ultramarines who had were also close to Carsis system. The Ultramarines Captain invited Grand Warden Mors Grimwrath to his battle-barge to discuss tactics. The Grand Warden arrived, only to tell the Ultramarine Captain 'What tactics are needed? This world is in open revolt against the Emperor and may be under the thrall of Chaos. The judgement is simple." As the two spoke a series of massive explosions erupted across the surface of Carsis VIII. "The judgement is death." The Grand Warden had ordered his marine to assault the planets nuclear power facilities and weapons depots, detonating them and plunging the planet into a nuclear winter. Everyone not already in shelter received a lethal dose of radiation poisoning, including the loyalist forces still fighting for the Emperor. Outraged by this total disregard for life, the Ultramarines ordered the Grand Warden from his ship and left the system. The Ultramarines have never not fought with the Emperor's Vengeance since.

 

M.38 - The New Breed Campaign - Late in M.38 the Emperor's Vengeance was ordered by the High Lords to retake a world recently fallen to a xenos infestation of unknown origin. The New Breed were Imperial citizens who had become infected after breathing in alien spores. Though the campaign was a great success, Grand Warden Tiberian Cezar was interred in a suit of dreadnought armor during the conflict. He had found himself cut off from his honor guard towards the end of the last battle against the New Breed. Tiberian Cezar fought bravely and managed to kill all his assailants, the Grand Warden was nevertheless seriously injured. There being no-one else ready to lead the first Great House he was interred in dreadnought armor. He has continued to lead the Emperor's Vengeance since then.

 

Late M.40 - The 5th Great House is lost in a warp-squall on route to assist the Imperial Guard. After five years waiting for the Great Houses return the Grand Warden ordered that the 5th be recreated.

 

M.41 - Battle of Yassarin - The 5th Great House is embroiled in a fighting against a splinter of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Initially the Emperor's Vengeance threw the tyranids from world after world. After many initial successes , the tide of war suddenly turned against the space marines on the world of Yassarin. It seemed that the Emperor's Vengeance would loose the 5th Great House for a second time. On the tenth day of fighting, the remaining marines of the 5th Great House prepared to sell their  lives dearly against the tyranid host.  As dawn broke across the plains of Yassirin the lost Great House returned, charging into the rear of the tyranid forces and taking them by surprise. Caught between the fresh forces of the lost Great House and the newly invigorated veterans of the 5th the tyranid swarms were totally destroyed.

[Bloodspeaker]

Emperor's Vengeance Assault Marine. 2nd Great House, 2nd assault squad

Emperor's Vengeance Veteran. 1st Great House, 1st squad

Emperorv Vengeance Veteran Sergeant. 4th Great House, 1st Squad. The green purity seal denotes that he is a veteran of a campaign against the Orks.