Index Astartes: Hounds Rampant

[Dosjetka]

For the moment, only a (tentative) name, a colour scheme, and a few vague ideas. More to come.

INDEX ASTARTES

CHAPTER SYMBOL

CHAPTER NAME: .............. HOUNDS RAMPANT FOUNDING: .................. 23RD (SENTINEL FOUNDING; M.38) CHAPTER MASTER: ............ N/A CHAPTER WORLD: ............. FLEET-BASED CHAPTER FLAGSHIP: .................. N/A MAIN COLOURS: .............. GREY, BRONZE, AND DARK CRIMSON COMBAT SPECIALITY: ......... DROP POD ASSAULTS AND BREACHING ACTIONS GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... N/A KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE CURRENT STRENGTH: .......... N/A BATTLE CRY: ................ N/A

Ideas:

• Created via political machinations of Lord General Militant Slayban Bellrath (a powerful Terran noble with links to the Lord Commander Militant's office on Terra) to fight in the Bellrath Crusade (182-453.M38) -> so-called "Sentinel" Founding
• Impressed by the brutal and uncompromising Sons of Medusa alongside whom they fight during the crusade
• Fleet-based Chapter travelling all over the galaxy (goes well with the "rampant" part of their name)
• Either had a home world and lost it or never had a home world, might have a few scattered Chapter outposts but few and far between
• Recruitment is rather violent and traumatic as whole groups of teenage males are rounded up on planets where the population is deemed pure enough and brought aboard the Hounds' fleet, all attempts to resist this forced recruitment end in brutal execution at the hands of the Hounds' recruitment team
• Due to their very diverse recruitment pool, they prefer to homogenise things as much as possible so that no percieved weakness remains -> memory of previous life erased from each aspirant's mind though the process isn't always successful: either they remove too much and the aspirant becomes a lobotomised servitor or they remove too little and the aspirant has fragments of memories remaining which can cause issues later on down the road with memory flashbacks causing confusion and potentially leading to insanity
• Due to far-from-perfect recruitment process and brutal combat doctrine, the Chapter has very frequent recruit intakes and a very large 10th Company -> crucial part of their continued survival as a Chapter and as a fighting force
• Considers keeping battle trophies heretical, despises all form of trophy collection -> barbaric and beneath the behaviour expected of loyalist Astartes
• Either unknown geneseed provenance or of the Ultramarines' stock
• Relish in close quarter combat (with both firearms and close combat weapons) and believe this is the only way they can confirm that their foe has been eradicated, favour Drop Pod assaults and breaching actions (both planet-side and in the void) above all other forms of combat, psychological side-effects of these forms of waging war are also something the Chapter is aware of and uses to its advantage, won't go to the lengths of the Night Lords but believe the mere mention of their name should evoke fear
• [...]

Colour hexes:

• Grey: #B7BDC4
• Bronze: #CFB588
• Beige: #F0ECE4
• Yellow: #F7DE60
• Dark grey: #8C8C8C
• Red/brown: #512317

[Sete]

"Recruitment is rather violent and traumatic as whole groups of teenage males are rounded up on planets where the population is deemed pure enough and brought aboard the Hounds' fleet"

 

This needs more trauma to it xD

 

"Memory of previous life erased from each aspirant's mind though the process isn't always successful: either they remove too much and the aspirant becomes a lobotomised servitor or they remove too little and the aspirant has fragments of memories remaining which can cause issues later on down the road"

 

What kind of issues?

 

I think these 2 aspects will define the chapter.

 

Extra scout companies makes sense i like it.

[Dosjetka]

"Recruitment is rather violent and traumatic as whole groups of teenage males are rounded up on planets where the population is deemed pure enough and brought aboard the Hounds' fleet"

 

This needs more trauma to it xD

All attempts to resist this forced recruitment end in brutal execution at the hands of the Hounds' recruitment team. How's that? ;)

 

"Memory of previous life erased from each aspirant's mind though the process isn't always successful: either they remove too much and the aspirant becomes a lobotomised servitor or they remove too little and the aspirant has fragments of memories remaining which can cause issues later on down the road"

 

What kind of issues?

I had in mind that these Astartes would be more fragile psychologically-speaking and could have mental breakdowns which, depending on when and how they happen, could lead to some rather problematic situations for the Chapter.

 

Extra scout companies makes sense i like it.

I'm glad you do. I don't think the Hounds (as I currently see them in my head) would survive as a Chapter without a high influx of fresh meat to beat into shape.

 

Thank you for the feedback, Sete!

[Sete]

For a fleet based chapter forcing recruitment upon unexpecting populations works if they don't have let's say fixed recruitment worlds like DA.

Or else populations would just get used to it xD

 

I think the second one is more difficult to develop.

In the ADB Grey Knight novel Hyperion is brainwashed, and has flashbacks on his previous life.

 

I think if this is well done you could have a great characterisation here. I wish i could help but it's something i never actually tough of.

 

About the scouts it never mad sense to me to have a fixed number of scouts in a company.

 

It's a detail that i left out my IA because i just assume they recruit as they go, company numbers fluctuate accordingly.

 

Best of luck!

[Dizzyeye01]

*cracks fingers*

Alright, first of all do you have any particular thoughts on what geneseed the Hounds have? It can have some big impacts on how the chapter behaves (Or lack of with the Hounds it seems ;) )

Second of all, why Hounds? Does the chapter feel like they are little more than than beasts compared to some other chapters due to their behavior or is it perhaps something else?

Third, what made them go fleet-based? Did they lose their original homeworld to a threat they now chase which drives them to recruiting the way as you described? To further go on with this, do they feel like any influences from a planets' homeworld make a recruit weak hence why they do mind wipes?

Fourth, what is it about head trophies they despise? Is it due to that the forces of Chaos choose to do so?

Lastly, how is their combat tactics brutal? Do they throw themselves into Sieges and get cut down by gunfire until a breach is more or is it more about overwhelming the enemy in general and surrounding them on all sides like the World Eaters?

Hope these questions allow you to ponder and expand on your base ideas. Good luck on the Iron Gauntlet

[Dosjetka]

For a fleet based chapter forcing recruitment upon unexpecting populations works if they don't have let's say fixed recruitment worlds like DA.

Or else populations would just get used to it xD

Indeed. What I forgot to mention is the Hounds travel all across the galaxy and never stay in any area longer than necessary, so they might have a few outposts here and there but there won't be more than a handful across the whole of the Imperium (and I'm not too sure what purpose they would serve... perhaps places where people to go to petition for the Chapter's aid?).

I think the second one is more difficult to develop.

In the ADB Grey Knight novel Hyperion is brainwashed, and has flashbacks on his previous life.

It's not because ADB says one thing that something similar but with notable differences cannot be written. ;) More seriously, I'll need to think more about this. It's just something that popped into my head as I was thinking about the Chapter. If it ends up not fitting/working, it'll get removed.

About the scouts it never mad sense to me to have a fixed number of scouts in a company.

It's a detail that i left out my IA because i just assume they recruit as they go, company numbers fluctuate accordingly.

Agreed, though in this case I think it's worth havng extra companies and mentioning that because it's a crucial part of their continued survival as a Chapter and as a fighting force to be reckoned with.

Best of luck!

Thank you! :)

Alright, first of all do you have any particular thoughts on what geneseed the Hounds have? It can have some big impacts on how the chapter behaves (Or lack of with the Hounds it seems )

No particular thoughts so it will probably end up being either unknown or from the Ultramarines' stock.

Second of all, why Hounds? Does the chapter feel like they are little more than than beasts compared to some other chapters due to their behavior or is it perhaps something else?

Hounds are dogs who track and/or chase their prey. This is a theme which I'd like to keep for this Chapter. They travel the length and breadth of the Imperium, hunting down Mankind's enemies wherever they hide, and are both extremely efficient and brutal with this mission.

Third, what made them go fleet-based? Did they lose their original homeworld to a threat they now chase which drives them to recruiting the way as you described? To further go on with this, do they feel like any influences from a planets' homeworld make a recruit weak hence why they do mind wipes?

In my mind they never had their own home world due to being founded to fight in an Imperial crusade though your idea of them losing their original home world could definitely work and deserves exploring. And yes, due to their very diverse recruitment pool, they prefer to homogenise things as much as possible so that no percieved weakness remains.

Fourth, what is it about head trophies they despise? Is it due to that the forces of Chaos choose to do so?

They see such practices as barbaric and beneath the behaviour expected of loyalist Astartes (so yes, there could be a link to Chaos forces doing such things). Also, depending on the item that has been kept, it could be a source of corruption.

Lastly, how is their combat tactics brutal? Do they throw themselves into Sieges and get cut down by gunfire until a breach is more or is it more about overwhelming the enemy in general and surrounding them on all sides like the World Eaters?

They relish in close quarter combat (with both firearms and close combat weapons) and believe this is the only way they can confirm that their foe has been eradicated. They also favour Drop Pod assaults and breaching actions (both planet-side and in the void) above all other forms of combat. The psychological side-effects of these forms of waging war are also something the Chapter is aware of and uses to its advantage. While they won't go to the lengths of the Night Lords, they believe that they should exude an aura of fear.

Hope these questions allow you to ponder and expand on your base ideas. Good luck on the Iron Gauntlet

Thank you. Good luck to you, too. :tu:

[Dizzyeye01]

Glad to be of assistance. Have you considered having the chapter come from the White Scars or one of their successors? They're often considered hunters going around on their bikes and such and could fit the bill for the Hounds very well.

 

Another alternative as to why the chapter could be in constant hunting mode could be that they were in the 2nd Founding and took part in the days of the Scouring and just didn't simply stop when most of the chaos forces were pushed into the Eye of Terror.

 

All food for thought.

[Dosjetka]

Have you considered having the chapter come from the White Scars or one of their successors? They're often considered hunters going around on their bikes and such and could fit the bill for the Hounds very well.

The "hunters = White Scars" association is one I don't really like, so thank you for the suggestion but I won't be going down that route.

 

Another alternative as to why the chapter could be in constant hunting mode could be that they were in the 2nd Founding and took part in the days of the Scouring and just didn't simply stop when most of the chaos forces were pushed into the Eye of Terror.

I'm not overly keen on them being 2nd Founding but perhaps they started off by hunting down fleeing elements of their enemy during their first crusade and then kind of went from there. Similar to both the White Scars' and Dark Angels' respective hunts but without the whole package that comes with both of those.

[Sete]

I explained myslef poorly. It's a thing that is in the cannon, so it's totally doable, even with different consequences depending on the process. It was more like of a suggestion nudge like, yeah this happened this way, so you could get an idea rolling.

[Dosjetka]

No problem, Sete. I was messing around a bit and didn't take what you said badly. :tu:

[NightrawenII]

I think the second one is more difficult to develop.

In the ADB Grey Knight novel Hyperion is brainwashed, and has flashbacks on his previous life.

It's not because ADB says one thing that something similar but with notable differences cannot be written. More seriously, I'll need to think more about this. It's just something that popped into my head as I was thinking about the Chapter. If it ends up not fitting/working, it'll get removed.

They could have flashbacks of memories which are not their own.

About the scouts it never mad sense to me to have a fixed number of scouts in a company.

It's a detail that i left out my IA because i just assume they recruit as they go, company numbers fluctuate accordingly.

It's good then there is no fixed size for 10th Company, a something you obviously know since you pay attention to lore.

~ NightrawenII

[Dosjetka]

It's good then there is no fixed size for 10th Company [...]

Thank you for that tidbit, Nightrawen. I'll just make do with a mention that they have a very large 10th Company.

[Sete]

If i knew everything night i would be an Eldar. And they are filthy Xenos. ;)

 

Also i play Templars who cares about scout companies ;)

[Badass_Spaz]

Hounds Rampant... The name screams bestial companions. No no, not furry Space Wolves riding Space Wolves (Sete's cue to cringe) but something similar, perhaps? For small squad or individual deployment for system/sub-sector/sector distress calls, a Marine could be accompanied by a companion from a conquered world. Cyber Mastiffs, Skull Servitors (That one guy who back talked), or multi-limbed avian with a knack for latching onto faces.

Food for thought, good sir!

[Donkey Kong]

The mind wiping sounds Minotaurs-y.

 

There's also the Crusading Chapter loophole to the Codex Astartes that the Black Templars exploit. I'm not suggesting you go all in on it to that extent, but it's a possibility to justify being over strength.

 

Is the War Hounds heraldry a placeholder? Or is the early World Eater heraldry supposed to be referential and on the nose?

[Dosjetka]

Hounds Rampant... The name screams bestial companions. No no, not furry Space Wolves riding Space Wolves (Sete's cue to cringe) but something similar, perhaps? For small squad or individual deployment for system/sub-sector/sector distress calls, a Marine could be accompanied by a companion from a conquered world. Cyber Mastiffs, Skull Servitors (That one guy who back talked), or multi-limbed avian with a knack for latching onto faces.

 

Food for thought, good sir!

Cyber-mastiffs are more-or-less guaranteed to feature somewhere. Not sure how prominent they'll be as I don't want to push the "dog/hound" theme too far.

 

The mind wiping sounds Minotaurs-y.

Good/bad thing?

 

There's also the Crusading Chapter loophole to the Codex Astartes that the Black Templars exploit. I'm not suggesting you go all in on it to that extent, but it's a possibility to justify being over strength.

It's not a loophole I need to exploit since it'll only be the Scout Company which will be abnormally large. The rest of the Chapter will be fairly, if not completely, standard.

 

Is the War Hounds heraldry a placeholder? Or is the early World Eater heraldry supposed to be referential and on the nose?

I really like the symbol and since it's not an extremely well-known one, I think it's fine to include it. Besides very few people in the Imperium would know where this symbol comes from.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Hounds' recruiting process needs clarification. If they forcibly recruit from an Astra Militarum recruiting world, the Munitorum will be PISSED. If they do so to a forge world- robbing it of working age or soon-to-be working age men- the Adeptus Mechanicus will be PISSED. If they do so to an agri-world, the planets that world provides food for- which may include Astra Militarum recruiting worlds or Adeptus Mechanicus forge worlds- will be PISSED. As the Munitorum and Adeptus Mechanicus leaders are both High Lords of Terra, pissing them off will likely result in Inquisitorial scrutiny- NOT something a loyalist Chapter will want.

 

If the Hounds state BEFOREHAND that permitting the Chapter to recruit in this manner, is the price of their aid to the planets I described, then the "buck" is effectively passed onto any planetary governor desperate enough to seek (or incompetent enough to require) the Hounds' aid; the High Lords and the Inquisitions attention will no longer be on the Chapter.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Chapter may need to claim descent from a loyalist Primarch to minimize Inquisitional scrutiny- for comparison, see the Silver Skulls (Iron Warriors loyalists), who claim they're an Ultramarines successor.

 

May I suggest Rogal Dorn as the Hounds' Primarch? (1d4chan's article on Sigismund claims the future Black Templars High Marshal preferred to fight beside the World Eaters- BEFORE the Heresy, of course- adopting the World Eaters custom of chaining his weapons to his hands.)

[Donkey Kong]

The mind wiping's neither good nor bad, it just is. Unfortunately I'm not really getting a sense of character from them. A few of your ideas feel like they've been picked out rather than inspired. I think the Space Sharks supposedly abduct recruits and brutalize them to prove their worth. Like I said the indoctrination reminds me of the hypnotherapy the Minotaurs supposedly use to accelerate their recruitment. And you name drop the Night Lords as this ideal terror force while ignoring that the Night Lords were terrifying because they strategically practiced psychological warfare, not because they dropped down in pods and butchered everyone.

 

The most unique thing you've got is that a side effect of their hypnotherapy can induce insanity, but I don't know what that means, and if it means random psychological breakdowns I question whether or not that makes sense for space marines.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The most unique thing you've got is that a side effect of their hypnotherapy can induce insanity, but I don't know what that means, and if it means random psychological breakdowns I question whether or not that makes sense for space marines.

This reminds me of the Clegane brothers from 'Game of Thrones'. Any plans to sculpt hound-shaped helms for the Chapter's elites? With the hound helms granting the Fear special rule, the way a Blood Angel's death mask does?

[Badass_Spaz]

Cyber-Mastiffs could accompany Neophyte's sent out on missions. No real emphasis on hounds. In the book, Brotherhood of the Snake, one Astarte's takes a dog with him to track Dark Eldar. You could expand on the concept with companions from my previous listed being the norm within the Chapter. Individually, it would help distinquish the Chapter beyond heraldry in colors. An added bonus is, you guessed it, efficiency. That Servo-Skull could have a hidden barrel between its eyes while acting as an advanced auspex scanner for the Marine. Besides his own integrating helmets, the Servo-Skull might detect even the slightest of abnormalities... Whatever they may be.

FEEDING YOUR BRAIN IDEA'S!
 

[Draakur]

The mind wiping's neither good nor bad, it just is. Unfortunately I'm not really getting a sense of character from them. A few of your ideas feel like they've been picked out rather than inspired. I think the Space Sharks supposedly abduct recruits and brutalize them to prove their worth. Like I said the indoctrination reminds me of the hypnotherapy the Minotaurs supposedly use to accelerate their recruitment. And you name drop the Night Lords as this ideal terror force while ignoring that the Night Lords were terrifying because they strategically practiced psychological warfare, not because they dropped down in pods and butchered everyone.

 

Sorry to say, but I'm somewhat in this camp. It feels a little discordant and/or lacking in substance right now - hopefully it's just a matter of not being very fleshed out yet?

 

As KHK said, drop pod assaults (which I've always understood that all Chapters do as a stock, basic tactic) is not what makes the Night Lords terrifying, so I'm not sure what was going on here?

 

Similarly, many Chapters recruit from a large array of worlds, but I've never heard of any justifiable fear of 'potential weakness' due to variance in genetics/cultural background. The best of the best are always chosen and then the standard processes take care of the rest in terms of making them a close and loyal brotherhood. Is this perhaps just an eccentricity of theirs? Maybe they highly value the concept of purity and are ashamed of/can't stand the fact that they must vary their gene pool so much due to X, and so over-compensate when it comes to this aspect of recruiting?

[LancsHotpot90]

I like what you've got so far, the direct and brutal nature permeates well throughout the chapter from recruitment down to how they prosecute a war.

 

As a side note, have you thought of maybe including a death company style unit for the marines who've lost their minds due to flashbacks? I'm not saying make them a blood angels successor or anything but it definitely could be an idea to borrow from.

[Doctor Perils]

Hi there, I'll be making more of a commentary soon, but have you thought of a battle cry? If not, could I suggest the following high gothic version: "Cavis Canem ! "

:-P

[joschlumpf]

The Hounds' recruiting process needs clarification. If they forcibly recruit from an Astra Militarum recruiting world, the Munitorum will be PISSED. If they do so to a forge world- robbing it of working age or soon-to-be working age men- the Adeptus Mechanicus will be PISSED. If they do so to an agri-world, the planets that world provides food for- which may include Astra Militarum recruiting worlds or Adeptus Mechanicus forge worlds- will be PISSED. As the Munitorum and Adeptus Mechanicus leaders are both High Lords of Terra, pissing them off will likely result in Inquisitorial scrutiny- NOT something a loyalist Chapter will want.

 

But why not making the background more interesting with it? The Inquisition has an eye on many chapters, even famous ones like Space Wolves and Blood Angels. It would be a walk on the edge for the chapter but they don´t see another chance of surviving and so they risk the hate of loyal factions. That could also be an explaination to why they are called Hounds and never stay long in one place.