Steel Shrikes Chapter

[Claws and Effect]

My DIY Raven Guard successor chapter. I came up with a bunch of them back in the day, but I didn't know nothin' about nothin', so they were all pretty dumb and didn't fit in the 40k universe at all. (i.e. Overpowered Special Snowflake Mary Sues)

 

ORIGIN

 

The Steel Shrikes are a Raven Guard successor chapter of the 5th Founding to the best of anyone's knowledge. There is no Imperial record of the chapter prior to M37 but the chapter's own records stretch back to late M33, so the assumption is the records were destroyed during the Age of Apostasy. The chapter's records indicate that their gene-seed is derived from the Raptors chapter rather than directly from the Raven Guard. One assumes this is because the Raptors had the purest gene stocks of Corax's line available at the time, as they were the result of Corax's only successful use of the gene stock he obtained from Terra before the Alpha Legion corrupted it.

 

HOMEWORLD

 

The chapter is based in the Lanius system on the Eastern Fringe. The system contains 4 habitable worlds, 3 of which are populated. Their fortress-monastary is locaed on Lanius IV, a sizable world with slightly higher than normal gravity. Lanius IV is 95% covered in water with a great deal of undersea volcanic activity. It has only one continent of note with a number of islands nearby. Due to the highly active oceanic volcanoes small rocky islands appear and disappear on a regular basis all across the surface of the planet. There is a population of approximately 4 billion on the main continent, which is at a normal Imperial level of development. The chapter master is the planetary governor and the Steel Shrikes serve as justicars when they are in residence on the planet. Recruitment takes place on Lanius IV and its sister planet of Lanius VI, which is an agri-world. Lanius II is a forge world, and the Mechanicus there have an agreement of mutual cooperation with the Steel Shrikes and manufactures most of their equipment in exchange for military support.

 

HERALDRY AND ORGANIZATION

 

The Steel Shrikes' power armor is predominantly medium gray. The joints, gauntlets, and helmet faceplate are black. The chest aquila is white, and the shoulder pads are black with white trim.* Company is denoted by the color of the squad insignia on the right shoulder pad, which is codex adherent.

 

Initially, the chapter was strictly codex adherent in organization and remained so for over 2,000 years. However, during the Age of Apostasy's Reign of Blood, significant divergence occurred. A rebellion on their homeworld found them fighting a guerrilla war to reclaim their fortress-monastary. The rebellious citizens lost over 40,000 of their number in taking it from the garrison of 100. The entire 10th Company was destroyed, and never rebuilt.

 

The Steel Shrikes are now divided into 9 companies, with 20 squads of 6 in each company. So at full strength a company includes 120 Astartes and the chapter as a whole includes 1,080 men. The larger number of smaller squads evolved from combat tactics and facilitates greater battlefield flexibility. The chapter does not have a dedicated veteran or scout company, with veterans and scouts being rolled into the 9 companies, making each company a self-contained force. A company is comprised of 6 Tactical squads, 4 each of Devastator and Assault squads, and 3 each of veteran and scout squads.

 

COMBAT DOCTRINE

 

Like all Raven Guard successors, the Steel Shrikes excel at guerrilla warfare. Where they differ is in having less of an emphasis on stealth and more of a focus on misdirection, lightning assaults and sudden, overwhelming heavy weapons fire. Tactical squads do not carry heavy weapons, because weapons you must remain stationary to fire hinder the squad's mobility. Devastator squads are always equipped with 4 of the same heavy weapon, the specific weapon being determined by the mission. Devastator sergeants spot and direct fire for the heavy weapons gunners while the 6th squad member watches their surroundings to prevent the squad from being flanked. Only the veterans of the 1st and 2nd companies utilize terminator armor, as the chapter does not possess many suits (and terminator armor is too slow for most of the chapter's tactics anyway).

 

The Steel Shrikes do not possess many tanks, preferring to use land speeders and Storm Raven gunships for fire support. They make use of a re-purposed version of the Raven Guard's Whispercutter as a mobile firing platform for their Devastator squads in theaters where there is little high ground to be had. They do not use Land Raiders at all, largely due to the fact that the forge world of Lanius II is not capable of producing them. However, they do have a compliment of Predators that will occasionally see the field in a fire-support/ambush role, with the tactical squads luring the enemy to where the Predators are lying in wait.

 

The Steel Shrikes have fewer librarians than many chapters, with a decided leaning toward Biomancy, Telepathy, and Pyromancy. They have not had a librarian of the Divination discipline in many centuries.

 

BELIEFS AND CULTURE

 

The culture of Lanius IV is similar to medieval Eastern Europe of Ancient Terra, specifically the region of Romania. Impalement is a common means of execution, and you will frequently see impaled criminals outside city walls serving as a warning to others. The impalement is usually done with a native tree that has thorns longer than a man is tall.**

 

The Steel Shrikes venerate the Emperor as all Astartes do, as a great man rather than a god. Their Primarch, Corax, is held second only to the Emperor, with his sense of justice being adopted by the chapter as a whole. The Steel Shrikes are one of the more humanitarian chapters, and will fight fiercely to defend non-combatants. However, it is not a sign of weakness, as they can be just as vicious and bloody-minded as any other chapter when the need arises.

 

 

(* I designed the paint scheme after looking at the loggerhead shrike, which is native to Canada)

 

(** I combined the shrike's tendency of impaling their prey on thorns with Vlad the Impaler to come up with some of the chapter's culture)

 

Any feedback you may have is very welcome!

[Claws and Effect]

GENESEED

 

The Steel Shrikes gene-seed is relatively stable, but it does have the same flaws as the Raven Guard to a degree, Like their forebears, their Mucranoid Gland and Betcher's Gland are flawed and non-functional. The Melanchromic Organ is not as severely flawed as other Raven Guard successors. Steel Shrikes have pitch black hair like the others, but lack the pale complexion. An interesting quirk is the interaction between the Melanchromic Gland and the Occulobe. The Melanchromic Gland gives them the black eyes the Raven Guard are known for, but a hyperactive Occulobe causes the entire eye to turn black, including the cornea. This gives them exceptional eyesight, even by Astartes standards.

 

FLEET

 

Battle Barge - Thorn of Lanius

Strike Cruiser - Butcherbird

Strike Cruiser - Impaler

Strike Cruiser - Shrike's Fury

 

CHAPTER RELICS

 

The Butcher's Blade - An ancient power sword that is exceptionally light and has a more powerful power field than normal (+2 attacks when charging and Fleshbane. Master-crafted). It is wielded by the captain of the 3rd company. 

 

The Impaler - A power spear whose origins are lost in time. It can bring down even the mightiest foes. It has a melta gun built into the blade. (+3S, AP2, Master-crafted, 2 handed) Currently wielded by Chapter Master Vladamir Rook.
 
(History and notable engagements in next post)

[Claws and Effect]

Would it sound better as the Silver Shrikes? 

[Lysimachus]

Very nice start, I like the eastern Europian flavour and the Chapter org makes sense for sneaky RG Successors.

 

On the name, either works perfectly well, I guess Silver might better emphasise speed/lightning strikes whereas Steel would perhaps highlight strength/determination, depends which characteristic you want to focus on more?

[Claws and Effect]

Think I'll stick with Steel Shrikes. That way I won't have to change the color scheme.

 

Anyway, here's some more random stuff. The History and notable engagements will have to wait until tomorrow, as it will be a long post.

 

RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING

 

The Steel Shrikes recruit exclusively from Lanius IV and Lanius VI. The chapter values natural intelligence and personal initiative over pure combat ability. All Astartes are fearsome combatants after they are fully trained, so the Steel Shrikes prefer recruits that will be capable of sound decisions and quick thinking under pressure. To that end, the Shrikes' psychological conditioning isn't as draconian as some chapters.

 

Any citizen between the age of 10 and 16 is permitted to take the initial series of mental tests as a preliminary to neophyte training at any time. The chapter feels that recruits who WANT to be Space Marines will make better ones, and should be given a chance (however slim) at achieving that goal. The mental tests are a series of logic problems and scenarios that require intelligence and creative thinking to solve (not exactly your average Imperial citizens' strengths). Any aspirant who presents a solution to a problem that is heretical in nature is rejected out of hand, and is reported to the justicars for monitoring. A very small number of recruits are acquired in this way, as most citizens do not have the mental flexibility at that age (or any other age for some) to achieve the 98% or better score required to move on to the next phase. Every 10 years the chapter holds a general trial on each world to acquire recruits or chapter serfs (who are also expected to take up arms in the event of an enemy attack). Aspirants who pass the mental portion of the trial but fail the physical portion are given the option to enter training as a serf/armsman at the fortress-monastary. As a result, the Steel Shrikes have a large number of weapons-trained serfs at their disposal who serve as a portion of Lanius IV's Planetary Defense Force. These serfs are rigorously screened for Chaos-taint or heretical leanings.     

 

All recruits are expected to serve as justicars on the opposite world from where they were recruited during their training. The chapter feels it is important for each recruit to have experience meting out justice.

 

When a recruit is first accepted as a neophyte, he is issued a puscax*, which is a local variant of the Astartes shotgun that has a wide bladed axe head fused to it. It is only manufactured on Lanius II, and each Steel Shrike is expected to retain and maintain his puscax for life. Many assault marines use their puscax in place of a chainsword in close combat.

CHAPTER'S ROLE ON THEIR HOMEWORLD

 

The Steel Shrikes are a combination defense force and peacekeeping agents, and have the final word if a law or governmental practice is called into question. A citizen accused of a major crime can request trial by Steel Shrike tribunal in place of the local Arbiters. The result is seldom any different, but the citizens feel better knowing that justice was dispensed directly by the Astartes that govern their planet. Punishment for major crimes is usually set to fit the crime. Treason, Chaos worship, blatant heresy, and pre-meditated murder are punished by death. There is at least some effort made to determine if the accused is actually guilty of the crime. If there is still doubt at the conclusion of the tribunal, a Librarian is brought in to scan the accused's mind. At least a few innocent men have been vindicated by this practice, and their accuser found guilty of attempted murder (false accusation of treason or Chaos worship is effectively murder, given that both crimes are punished by death). The active role the Steel Shrikes take in the justice system combined with the large number of chapter serfs serving as part of the PDF has led to the system being peaceful and pleasant to live in by the Imperium's standards.

 

The Ecclesiarchy is not fond of the Steel Shrikes at all. This is due to their practice of not strictly enforcing the worship of the Emperor on their world. Only the utmost respect for Him is required. Blatant heresy is still punished, but the citizens are free to have any opinion they like. A long-ago chapter master came to the conclusion that since the chapter venerates the Emperor as merely a great man and not a god (they do have his blood in their veins after all, no matter how diluted), it would be hypocritical and indeed even slightly heretical to punish the citizens of their homeworld for something they do themselves. The Ecclesiarchy has a presence on the planet, but the Shrikes do not allow them to run things the way they do on other worlds. With the chapter taking an active role in the planet's justice system heretics and Chaos worshipers are not nearly as widespread as the Ministorum accuses, and in fact they are usually discovered and crushed earlier than on many Imperial worlds. Ironically, most citizens of the Lanius system are completely unaware that they have that freedom, and are devout worshipers of the Emperor anyway.

 

(*puscax is literally the Romanian words for "shotgun" and "axe" combined. It is pronounced "poos-kocks")

[Claws and Effect]

HISTORY

 

831.M33: The Steel Shrikes Chapter is founded during the Year of Ghosts. The timing is entirely coincidental, as the founding of the chapter was put into motion 57 years previously.

 

244.M34: The Steel Shrikes 4th Company joins the Marauders 3rd Company and Novamarines 5th Company to defeat an Alpha Legion warband on an unnamed planet in the Sirius system.

 

501.M34: The 3rd Company purges a Chaos cult on the planet Amnarro in the Vassha syetem.

 

109. M35 - 111.M35:  Period of unrest on the chapter's homeworld of Lanius IV. Most of the chapter is recalled to maintain order. A rebellion lasts for just under 2 years before it is crushed. Chapter Master Alin Grevane becomes the first official Steel Shrikes planetary governor.

 

M36: Warp storms make travel in and out of the Lanius system impossible, stranding 4 Companies on various planets outside the system, including the 1st Company veterans and the chapter master himself. The Captain of the 3rd Company governs the homeworld in his absence.

 

202.M36: Local Ecclesiarchy representatives declare Space Marines to be abominations, sparking a civil war on Lanius IV. Half of the 3rd Company and most of the 10th are slaughtered in their own fortress-monastery, though the rebels took over 40,000 losses in the attack. As the Steel Shrikes had no further presence on the planet at the time, the rebels maintained control of the world for almost 5 years.

 

206.M36: The remaining half of the 3rd Company, along with the 7th, 8th, and 9th Reserve Companies, begin the campaign to retake their homeworld from the rebels. It was a long, grueling campaign that saw over 17 million rebels killed, as well as a major shift in the chapter's organization to a more tactically flexible form. At the conclusion of the war the rebel leaders and Ecclesiarchy representatives responsible for the uprising are all executed by impalement outside the fortress-monastery's walls.

 

228.M36: The warp storms around the system clear. Goge Vandire learns of the events that took place on Lanius IV and immediately declares the Steel Shrikes heretics. The Frateris Templars are sent to destroy them, but are driven back when elements of the Revilers and Raptors chapters arrive to support their fellow Raven Guard successors. A stalemate begins that only ends upon Vandire's death.

 

267.M36: The Steel Shrikes are cleared of any wrongdoing in the defense and subsequent retaking of their homeworld. They spend the next century rebuilding from their losses. They also begin the tradition of arms training for their chapter serfs so their fortress-monastery will never again be so sparsely defended. By 359.M36 the chapter has a standing force of 9,500 that serves as both chapter serfs and a planetary defense company. No fewer than 4,000 of them remain in the vicinity of the fortress-monastery at all times.

 

010.M37: The Steel Shrikes commit 5 companies to the battle following the Wrath of the Chaos Sun alongside the Grey Knights and 11 other chapters. 

 

321.M37: The chapter is nearly included in the 30 chapters judged by Saint Basilius and sent on the Abyssal Crusade. They only get a reprieve when the Grey Knights vouch for their service record in the Wrath of the Chaos Sun campaign. The Steel Shrikes themselves are unaware of this, as they were mind-wiped following the conclusion of their battles alongside the Grey Knights.

 

811.M37: The Steel Shrikes lose 3 companies and their Chapter Master in the 7th Black Crusade.

 

999.M37: The chapter sends a token force of the 3rd and 4th companies to fight in the 8th Black Crusade.

 

491.M39: The Steel Shrikes join the Raptors, Revilers, Black Guard, and Knights of the Raven in helping the Raven Guard defend their home system from an Ork Waaagh! Kiavahr and Deliverance themselves are spared, but a number of worlds nearby are devastated. This is the only known time the 6 chapters have fought together. Of the Raven Guard successors only the Death Spectres are absent, as they are too far away to commit any forces to the fight. At the conclusion all 6 chapters pledge to assist one another should similar circumstances ever befall them. The Death Spectres' unavoidable absence is forgiven.

 

993.M40: An Iron Warriors warband, 2 Daemon Engines, and 3 regiments of Traitor Guard attack the forge world Lanius II. The battle looked grim for the chapter until 2 Regiments of Tallarn and 2 companies of Blood Angels led by Commader Dante himself arrived to assist the Steel Shrikes and Lanius II's Titan Legion in repelling the attackers. All but 1,500 of the Tallarn are killed in the battle and the Steel Shrikes suffer significant losses to 4 companies.

 

782.M41: The Steel Shrikes send a company to support the Tanith First on Martithius in a battle against elements of the Blood Pact.

 

874.M41: The 4th Company is saved by the Legion of the Damned in a battle against cultists led by the Alpha Legion on Berendia VI. Unfortunately, most of the Alpha Legion made their escape when the tide of battle turned. 

 

935.M41: The Steel Shrikes engage in a running space battle with the Red Corsairs. The Battle Barge Thorn of Lanius suffers major damage and the Strike Cruiser Impaler is destroyed.

 

999.M41: The Steel Shrikes are occupied defending their home system from a previously unknown Tyranid splinter fleet. A request for assistance was sent out, but so far only the Salamanders have responded, sending a demi-company to assist, as it is all they can spare at the moment.