Liber Astartes - Iron Brotherhood

[dothac83]

Iron Brotherhood, 2nd Company - 1st Tactical Squad Battle-Brother

 

• Chapter Name: Iron Brotherhood
• Founding: Second Founding
• Founding Chapter: Unknown (see history)
• Chapter Master: Iron Commander Ferrotem
• Homeworld: Fleet-Based
• Fortress-Monastery; Ferrus Ultoris (Battle-Barge)
• Chapter Colours: Silver and Purple
• Specialty: Bionics and Siegecraft
• Warcry: Chaplain: "We are Iron, we are Honour!" Marines: "We are the Brotherhood!"

Overview

 

The Iron Brotherhood is a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of the 2^nd Founding. To Imperial Scholars, their founding legion is shrouded in mystery, believing their origins are lost to time. The truth however is far more complicated.

 

History

 

The true story of the chapter’s origins begins during the 2^nd Founding in the year 021.m31. An Adeptus Mechanicus explorator fleet was conducting a survey of a region of the Segmentum Obscurus when their augur arrays picked up a distress beacon. Homing onto the beacon, the fleet was shocked at what they had discovered.

 

Adrift in space, the fleet had discovered a Battle Barge that had been reported lost in the warp during the Great Crusade. To their alarm though, the ship belonged to the Iron Warriors legion, who had turned traitor during the Horus Heresy. Auspex scans showed no signs of activity on the ship but did not board the ship until representatives from the Inquisition had arrived.

 

It wasn’t long until representatives of the Ordo Malleus arrived with their support fleet. Guns were trained on the Battle Barge as they began to conduct a thorough inspection and investigation of the ship. The ship’s servitors were damaged beyond repair of any of the techpreists could handle and the serfs were all dead as well, their injuries were not chaos inflicted but appeared to be trauma from an emergency stop during warp travel.

On the 4^th day of inspection came the biggest discovery.

 

Sleeping in row after row of stasis cells were 300 Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. The agents brought the ship and the Astartes on board to Titan where they were awoken and detained, begining an extensive investigation of purity and taint, a process that would take almost a year before they were deemed untainted.

 

After the threat of Chaos taint was eradicated, they decided to debreid the warriors from their detainment. Disoriented and confused at first, the Space Marines no doubted had questions to their would-be rescuers. But they in turn were asked one simple question: What happened?

 

Their ship was in warp transit to the world of Gugann to assist with the eradication of the Hrud infestation on that world when a warp storm caused a surge in their warp engines which resulted in a catastrophic overload. The overload knocked out their warp drive and caused their Battle Barge to make an emergency stop back into realspace. Damage reports from the Techmarines indicated the warp engines were damaged beyond repair.

The sudden shock of being stopped so quickly had killed almost all the serfs and servitors on board, the Astartes surviving with their augmented abilities. They decided to send out a distress beacon and went into stasis to sleep while they waited for their rescue. Unfortunately none came and the remaining serfs succumbed to their sustained injuries from the stop. The ships log had confirmed their story as well.

 

Of course, the Iron Warriors survivors had many questions: Was the Great Crusade a success? Where was Perturabo, their primarch? Where was The Emperor? What happened while they slept? Their answers however, were devastating to hear.

 

They listened in stunned silence as they were told and shown the events of the Horus Heresy, their primarch and brother Iron Warriors turning traitor to chaos. They witnessed the atrocities committed on the Istvaan system and the Emperor's final battle with Horus. When the Astartes asked of Perturabo's whereabouts, all they would say is that he was last seen with his traitor legion going into the Eye of Terror.

 

After hearing these great revelations, these loyalist Iron Warriors wondered what their options were now. None of them wanted to reunite with their Primarch now. They asked the Inquisitors what was to become of them now.

 

The Inquisitors saw this as a great opportunity, as the Codex Astartes had been drafted by Roubute Guilliman and the Second Founding was already underway. A new chapter could easily be established of loyalists who would know the enemy's tactics inside and out. Plus with the Apocrypha of Skaros having listed over 400 Successor chapters of the Second Founding, one more would easily be overlooked.

 

They spoke with the senior officer of the Astartes and he called his Warriors to gather and gave the following speech:

 

"Battle-Brothers, hear me! It is true, what we have all heard. Our legion, our Primarch betrayed The Emperor, casting aside all loyalties and oaths. Perturabo, didn't take into account something critical. That we, the last 500 Loyalist Iron Warriors still live. We have been given an opportunity, to continue to serve The Emperor as before. But to do so, we must shed our identity as a legion and forge a new chapter. This day we are Iron Warriors no more, but an Iron Brotherhood. We are free from Perturabo's brutality. We will forge our new destiny and should we come across our former brothers or The Primarch himself, we shall unleash the vengeance of our fallen brothers, whose loyalty stayed true. What say you my Iron Brotherhood?"

 

All at once every Astartes present raised their fist in absolute agreement. The Iron Brotherhood was born.

 

With this, the Inquisitors went to work establishing a chapter fleet for the newly formed chapter. The Battle Barge that they had been discovered on was retrofitted to remove all traces of Iron Warriors iconography and names. The Battle Barge was rechristened the Ferrus Ultoris, which in low gothic meant the Iron Avenger, which would serve as their Fortress-Monastery.

 

The senior Astartes that had given the speech was appointed to be the Chapter Master. He had thrown away his old legion name and took a new one to commemorate their Founding, the name of Ferrotem, which translated from the Olympian dialect as Iron Vengeance. Ferrotem also decreed that his successors would also carry this name, to let their traitorus brethren know that they had returned and would never be rid of them.

 

Combat Doctrine

 

The Iron Brotherhood has based their specialty on siege warfare and bionic augmentation. They also prefer the use of solid and slug-based projectiles, finding them more reliable than their energy counterparts. As such, energy weapons such as plasma and las-based weapons are seldomly fielded. Devastator Squads can be commonly seen wielding all Heavy Bolters, all Missile Launchers or a combination of the two. With their preference for siege warfare, they do tend to apply overwhelming firepower, with their preferred methods being Thunderfire Cannons and Vindicator siege tanks.

The Chapter’s Librarius also makes use of Prognosticar’s using the Emperor’s Tarot to seek out regions that will call for help, especially if the call is from an area under siege by the Iron Warriors traitor legion.

 

Gene-Seed

 

While the Iron Brotherhood utilizes both bionics and siege tactics, this has caused confusion as to which Primarch the chapter’s gene-seed is from. It’s split down the middle with imperial scholars that half believe it to be Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists, while the other half believe it to be Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands. However, any further attempts to delve into the chapter’s gene-seed it met with inquisitor-level restrictions to access that information.

 

The truth of the matter is that their Gene-Seed is derived from the traitor primarch Perturabo of the Iron Warriors, which explains their preference for both bionics and siege warfare, along with having a keen intellect that is above average for most space marine, making them adept problem solvers when taking on the enemies of the Imperium.

 

Homeworld

 

The chapter is a Fleet-Bound chapter, their fortress-monastery being the Battle Barge the Ferrus Ultoris. The chapter does recruit aspirants from worlds they conquer in The Emperor’s name. There is also a subsector of planets the chapter recruits from as well that is the Bastille subsector, but is better known throughout the Imperium as the “Iron Worlds” sector. These worlds have been fortified by a combined efforts of the planets’ PDF forces and the Iron Brotherhood, turning them into near Fortress Worlds that boast could rival full fortress worlds of the Imperium.

 

Notable Engagements

 

Black Crusades (Defended Imperium)

• 1st Black Crusade (781.M31) - First engagement against traitor Iron Warriors on an imperial hive world, laying a siege that catch their traitor brethren off-guard, using their own tactics against them. Ferratem is wounded during the final battle. Techmarines inter the first Chapter Master into a dreadnought and is now forever known as Ferratem, the First Avenger. His successor takes the name Ferratem as well to become Ferratem the Second, continuing the tradition of the new Chapter Master assuming the mantle of Ferratem.
• 3rd Black Crusade (909.M32) - Led a Vindicator siege on the Black Legion, decimating their battle lines to make way for the Imperial Guard regiments to break through as well.
• 6th Black Crusade (901.M36)
• 7th Black Crusade (811.M37)
• 8th Black Crusade (999.M37)
• 10th Black Crusade (001.M39)
• 12th Black Crusade (139.M41)
• 13th Black Crusade (999.M41)
  Invasion of Ultramar (999.M41) - The Chapter’s Prognosticars see a possible incursion of Iron Warriors shortly before the 13th Black Crusade but on the opposite end of the galaxy in the realm of Ultramar. Iron Commander Ferratem decides to split his forces, sending half to the Cadian Gate to be ready for Abbadon the Despoilers Black Crusade, while the other half are sent to Ultramar to help reinforce the Ultramarines. Warp storms however delay their arrival until the siege by the Warsmith Honsou’s Bloodbourne is already underway.

Wars for Armageddon

• 2nd War for Armageddon (941.M41 - 943.M43)

Miscellaneous Engagements

• Badab War (901.M41 - 913.M41)
• The Scouring of Malodrax (996.M41) - Provided support to the Imperial Fists chapter

 

[Zhiv]

Gene-Seed

 

While the Iron Brotherhood utilizes both bionics and siege tactics, this has caused confusion as to which Primarch the chapter’s gene-seed is from. It’s split down the middle with imperial scholars that half believe it to be Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists, while the other half believe it to be Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands. However, any further attempts to delve into the chapter’s gene-seed it met with inquisitor-level restrictions to access that information.

 

The truth of the matter is that their Gene-Seed is derived from the traitor primarch Perturabo of the Iron Warriors, which explains their preference for both bionics and siege warfare, along with having a keen intellect that is above average for most space marine, making them adept problem solvers when taking on the enemies of the Imperium.

 

I'll point out that if there is Inquisitorial conspiracy going around with a chapter bearing the gene seed of traitor chapter, the Adeptus Mechanicus HAS to be involved as

 

every Chapter's gene-seed is required to be monitored for mutations and genetic purity by the Tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus and why every Chapter is required to tithe 5% of its gene-seed stocks at regular intervals to the Mechanicus on Mars.

 

IF Adeptus Mechanicus is not involved and no tithe is collected, it raises the question where the chapter gets it resources (Some marine specific stuff like dreadnoughts, Centurion harnesses and fliers are not exactly regularly used by inquisitors themselves)

[dothac83]

 

 

Gene-Seed

 

While the Iron Brotherhood utilizes both bionics and siege tactics, this has caused confusion as to which Primarch the chapter’s gene-seed is from. It’s split down the middle with imperial scholars that half believe it to be Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists, while the other half believe it to be Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands. However, any further attempts to delve into the chapter’s gene-seed it met with inquisitor-level restrictions to access that information.

 

The truth of the matter is that their Gene-Seed is derived from the traitor primarch Perturabo of the Iron Warriors, which explains their preference for both bionics and siege warfare, along with having a keen intellect that is above average for most space marine, making them adept problem solvers when taking on the enemies of the Imperium.

 

I'll point out that if there is Inquisitorial conspiracy going around with a chapter bearing the gene seed of traitor chapter, the Adeptus Mechanicus HAS to be involved as

 

every Chapter's gene-seed is required to be monitored for mutations and genetic purity by the Tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus and why every Chapter is required to tithe 5% of its gene-seed stocks at regular intervals to the Mechanicus on Mars.

 

IF Adeptus Mechanicus is not involved and no tithe is collected, it raises the question where the chapter gets it resources (Some marine specific stuff like dreadnoughts, Centurion harnesses and fliers are not exactly regularly used by inquisitors themselves)

The Mechanicus is involved but has been sworn to secrecy by the Inquisitors from. the Ordo Mechanicus. The Chapter has proven their loyalty time after time since their founding.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Is the "Ordo Mechanicus" a canon organization, a fanon one (possibly your idea), or a typo of the Ordo Hereticus?

[Doctor Perils]

Is the "Ordo Mechanicus" a canon organization, a fanon one (possibly your idea), or a typo of the Ordo Hereticus?

It's a typo for Ordo Machinum ;) They are canon since Codex Inquisition, though they have no rules (which is a crying shame)

 

@dothac83: I have a couple of remarks to make, which I hope you'll take as the constructive criticism it is meant to be

You seem to have some pretty good work with your chapter, so bravo.

However, if I were you, I'd not outright state that the Iron Brotherhood are descendents of a traitor legion (be it the best Legion ever of all times ;) :P ) - for several reasons: it has evolved into quite a common trope, and it actually doesn't make all that much sense in regards to current canon (for several reasons). As you have obviously put more thought into this part then most though, that's all right.

 

What I would recommend you seriously reconsider is placing your chapter in nearly all the major conflicts published by Games Workshop, for a simple reason: these conflicts are very well documented by Games Workshop, and these stories don't include your chapter - it just makes it seem a bit weird, and seems quite demeaning to your chapter if the likes of (eg) the Mantis Warriors* are included in the Badab War.

Therefore, I'd recommend removing the mentions for the Badab War, the 3rd War for Armageddon, the Siege of Malodrax and possibly the invasion of Ultramar. The exception to this is the 13th Black Crusade, as this really is a massive event, and it isn't made certain that it is fully documented (especially in light of the Gathering Storm Fluff sections)

From a more "meta" standpoint, not all chapters can be part of every campaign, because it shrinks the setting, which is a real shame, as it saps the grimdark and the vastness of the setting we all love.

 

A final point I'd like to make (for the moment) - just because Games Workshop created a legion called the Iron Hands led by Ferrus Manus, and a Space Wolf officer can wield a Giant Frostfang of the World Ice Wolf (whatever it's called), it doesn't mean you can't diversify your own chapter's vocabulary base :D

 

Anyway, good luck on the rest :) if you want to see more general recommendations, I'd recommend visiting the Octaguide