Vengeance Chapter (aka: how not to homebrew)

[Wargamer]

REALLY IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:

 

I am not looking for feedback on this Chapter for my own benefit. Rather, I thought I would post this up because I've been digging through my old models looking for anything worth salvaging, and what I've been faced with is a nightmare of badly built, badly painted models that silently scream for the sweet mercy of immolation.

 

Naturally, terrible models bring with them terrible fluff. Thus, I thought we could all gather round and use this as both a learning experience for newer people, and a source of amusement for older folks to mock the foolishness of youth.

 

All information on this Chapter is accurate as best as I can remember it, with very minor adjustments made for the sake of sanity. As much as possible, I have remained true to the artistic vision first created by 12 / 13 year-old me. 

 

Vengeance

"Vengeance for the Emperor! Vengeance in His Name!"

 

The Chapter known as "Vengeance" were once members of the Blood Angels Chapter. A calamity in the Warp hurled the Blood Angels through space far beyond the borders of the Imperium's Eastern Fringe, as well as displacing them in time.

 

Hopelessly lost beyond any hope of recovery, the Blood Angels should have perished. However, by sheer good fortune they returned to realspace alongside a Space Hulk named "Colossus", a titanic vessel capable of supporting multiple Chapters worth of Space Marines should the need arise.

 

Within Colossus, the Blood Angels found salvation. Able to use the Space Hulk as a mobile base, and begin manufacturing new equipment, the Astartes exodus back to the Imperium would be a long and arduous one. The exact details of this journey are unclear, but upon their return to the Imperium the Blood Angels had increased their force considerably, possessing at least three thousand fully-equipped Space Marines and enough Chapter Serfs to properly crew and maintain the Space Hulk.

 

Most impressive of all were the advancements made by the Apothecaries, who had used the secrets within the Hulk to engineer a cure for the Red Thirst! While not a perfect solution, the majority of the Marines on board Colossus were no-longer afflicted by the madness that tainted their original Chapter.

 

Likely assuming they had been declared dead long ago, and perhaps no-longer feeling a part of their original Chapter, this mighty force rechristened themselves "Vengeance", and quickly took it upon themselves to wage war on the foes of Mankind once more.

 

Chapter Heraldry

 

Vengeance Marines wear a deep purple colour scheme, with no squad or company markings (save for the First Company). Their Chapter Symbol is a Gothic "V", typically in red.

 

Within the Chapter, sergeants and squad seconds wear markings upon their right shoulders to designate the role of their squad. Tactical squads are denoted with white; assault squads / bike squadrons with yellow; devastators with blue and command with black. Members of the First Company universally wear a red shoulder pad, and use a black V for their chapter symbol.

 

Specialists such as Chaplains, Librarians and so forth wear the Codex colours of their organisations, with the right shoulder painted purple.

 

Organisation

 

Vengeance sought to maintain the Codex Astartes as the template for their Chapter structure, but due to internal factors there are certain deviations.

 

As normal, the 1st Company is a Veteran Company, with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th operating as Battle Companies. The 5th is technically a Battle Company, but is not normally factored into the Chapter's standard structure for reasons listed later.

 

The 6th, 8th and 9th Companies act as Reserve Companies, but unlike a Codex-compliant Chapter these Reserves use Battle Company structures. In addition, they feed directly into one of the Battle Companies; 6th supplies 2nd; 8th supplies 3rd; 9th supplies 4th. The 10th is a Scout Company as normal.

 

The 5th Company is set aside exclusively for those members of Vengeance who still suffer from the curse of their original heritage. Marines who show any sign of the Red Thirst, regardless of their level of experience, are placed into this Company. Little else is known about the Company's size or internal structure, but it can be inferred they have their own Veterans and possibly even Scouts. Members of the 5th who succumb to the Red Thirst typically have their armour painted a woodland green.

 

The 7th Company is a mysterious organisation. Its exact nature and purpose are unknown to most of the Chapter, who are likely spun some form of misinformation. The 7th possesses a unique heraldry used only by themselves. What little information is available concerning the 7th suggests they were involved in some form of clandestine inner conflict within the Chapter and its Successors, but no records remain of this.

 

The Triumvirate

 

Vengeance, being much larger than a Codex Chapter, chose to divide itself some time after returning to Imperial Space. Three Chapters were formed, one of which led by the original leader of the Blood Angels expedition named [REDACTED BY THE INQUISITION], which maintained control of Colossus and the established heraldry. The other two Chapters adopted new names and colours, becoming fleet based and operating independently. These Chapters were apparently led by close friends of [REDACTED] and entrusted with relics from Colossus.

 

Of the two offshoot Chapters almost all records have been lost. One, referred to as the "Wings of Vengeance", appeared to be a highly secretive Chapter with a fondness for hammer and anvil tactics, making extensive use of both bikes and a large stockpile of Terminator armour. No other information about them survives.

 

The second offshoot's name is unclear, with both "Angels of Vengeance" and "Heralds of Vengeance" being possible names. Their heraldry appears to have been black and bone, and their Chapter contained a group of elite warriors known as "The Horsemen". This group was made up of five warriors: a black-robed Librarian named "Death"; a Dreadnought named "Pestilence"; a brutal berserker-Captain named War; a Marine known as Famine, of whom nothing but his name is known; and finally, the Champion of the Horseman, a mysterious individual known as "Oblivion".

 

The Heralds Chapter appeared to maintain closer ties with Vengeance. Led by Chapter Master [REDACTED BY THE INQUISITION], the Heralds eventually faded from history, their ultimate fate unremembered and great works left unsung.

 

Records on the Vengeance Chapter suggest that there was a great hall aboard Colossus where all three Chapters would at times gather together, although the purpose of these gatherings has slipped from living memory.

 

Heroes of Vengeance

 

Chapter Master [Redacted]:

All information pertaining to the identity of the Vengeance Chapter Master has been redacted by the Inquisition. What little information can be obtained indicates that he is, for all intents and purposes, the creator of the Chapter in the most literal sense possible. He wore a suit of Artificer Armour and carried two relics of the Chapter into battle; the Sword of Vengeance, a blade said to be a twin of the Sword of Secrets, and a master-crafted plasma gun named "Avenger".

 

Kain the Undying:

A heavily augmented Marine, Kain the Undying appeared to have suffered severe wounds in battle, to the point where much of his body had to be replaced. However, so great was his lust for battle that Kain had the Chapter replace one of his arms with a chainsword, that he might still butcher his foes in hand to hand combat!

[Beta galactosidase]

During their sojourn in the warp they had to assemble special units of librarians who fight daemons and carry halberds.

 

I appreciate your candor. This is an important phase for people to go through.

[Wargamer]

Grey Knights didn't exist when I made these guys, and I'd moved onto Guard when Codex Daemon Hunters arrived. But if they had been around you can bet there would have been a Company dedicated to fighting Daemons with Super Awesome Amazing Weapons! XD