Index Astartes: Supernovas [2018 Edition]

[Wargamer]

Note by the author: Why a total rewrite?

I decided to totally redo my Index for three reasons. The first is that the game's lore has changed quite a bit and, in the true spirit of the Chapter, I have embraced it in my own way. The second is that I have done what I think is one of the hardest things to do; I've accepted a fair bit of what I did previously was just plain bad. The third was that a clean do-over is much easier than yet another hatchet job of cut and patch, which is frankly what led to point #2.

 

8th is a new age - a 42nd Millennium. With that, perhaps things lost, forgotten or misunderstood can be seen again in a new, clear light.

 

Index Astartes: Supernovas

 

 

The Supernovas can trace their origins back to the 2nd founding, in the wake of the most cataclysmic event in Mankind's history. Situated in the far north-east of the galaxy, the Chapter has by both design and necessity adopted an independent and headstrong attitude to the galaxy. Often forgotten by the bureaucracy of the Imperium, and declared lost entirely at least twice, the Supernovas nevertheless have a distinguished legacy of loyal service should one know where to look for it.

 

Origins - The Sons of Laertes

 

Supernovan in Corvus Plate, wearing the heraldry of Laertes.

 

No records remain of the Chapter's founding save those held by the Supernovas themselves, and these have been corrupted by time. Yet enough remains that some sliver of truth might be gleamed from them.

 

According to legends passed down by the Librarians, Tasal was visited by the forces of the XIII Legion in the wake of the Horus Heresy. Their leader was an officer named Laertes; a veteran of the Great Crusade who had become disillusioned with the galaxy. He had witnessed a war that was unthinkable; Astartes killing Astartes, Primarchs slain in battle and even the Emperor Himself mortally wounded. Laertes was a man gripped by a longing for a better, brighter age that could never return. In his melancholy, he came to Tasal.

 

It is said Laertes found the world in the grip of an Ork invasion. The people of Tasal, having regressed to a feudal state, were ill-equipped to deal with the invasion. The XIII Legionaries came to their aid, falling from the sky with calculated fury to cleanse the Orks. After the swift and brutal war, Laertes lingered to help the Tasalian people rebuild. In Tasal he saw a grim mirror of the Imperium as a whole, for the planet was ravaged by war, plagued by infighting and ignorant of its lost glory.

 

Despite these trials, Laertes saw something in the people of Tasal he had thought lost forever; hope. The Tasalians had not been cowed by fear at the sight of a foe beyond their means to defeat, nor did they look upon the ancient ruins of their world with despair. As Laertes travelled the planet and learned of its cultures, he saw a common theme among the disparate people. Each of them, in their own way, were proud to inherit whatever sliver of the past they had, and each carried it forward as best they could.

 

This defiant hope rekindled the spirit of Laertes, and with the Legions disbanding he petitioned his Primarch for the right to found a Chapter of his own. He adopted the name "Supernovas" and the Chapter took his heraldry as their own. However, instead of adopting the Codex as Guilliman decreed, Laertes chose to retain the structure of the Legion - a choice that would forever reshape the Chapter and its future.

 

The Last of the Legion

 

With a fortress monastery established and a Chapter recognised, Laertes set about creating nothing less than a Legion in miniature. His forces, though only one thousand strong, would remain built around the idea of large, uniformly equipped squads of troops. Instead of using Scouts, new recruits were brought straight into the battle lines as regular Marines were. While the First Company was retained as an elite force under Laertes' personal command, the remaining companies were not split into battle and reserve categories, but instead split into battle-line and specialist companies.

 

These decisions were not well-received by many of the Chapter's original officers, who were conflicted between their loyalty to Laertes and the Primarch. Yet with the shadow of the Heresy still looming over them no-one wished to openly challenge the Chapter Master. Some Captains obeyed, others defied him in their own way, restructuring their company to be Codex-compliant. Yet ultimately, Laertes outlived enough of his officers that his choices could not be undone in time; when he finally fell in battle, Laertes was replaced by a Tasalian-born officer who had embraced his unorthadoxy. Thus, the Chapter's identity and future were decided.

 

The Supernovas would not retain the Legion structure after the death of Laertes, but nor would they return to the Codex. Instead, they became a strange hybrid of the two. The notion of a Scout Company was never accepted by the new blood, and the company was ultimately absorbed into the remaining nine. The 1st would remain a Veteran Company, but no-longer under direct command of the Chapter Master. The other eight would effectively all be Battle Companies, each with between six and twelve Battleline squads (now known simply as Battle squads) with the bulk of the rest being made up of Fire Support squads. Rather than forming permanent Close Support squads, the Chapter encouraged Battle squads to be trained in the use of Land Speeders, bikes and the Chapter's limited stockpile of jump packs so that these units could be reassigned as needed.

 

These reforms were accepted by the differing factions within the Chapter, but they did not heal the rifts that had formed. The Companies were still distant from each other. The solution was not to force unity, but codify the division. Each Company was given one of the Chapter's outposts on Tasal and ordered to expand it from a simple recruiting post to a miniature fortress monastery. Each Captain would, in effect, be master of a micro-Chapter. This choice was well-received and, in its own way, healed the lingering wounds from their founding. After centuries of unease, the Supernovas were ready to face the galaxy as a united whole.

 

Tasal

 

To understand the character of a Chapter, you must know their people. So it is with the Supernovas and the myriad peoples of Tasal.

 

It would not be an exaggeration to call Tasal a deathworld. Even the most hospitable regions are preyed upon by towering predators, ravaged by great plagues and subject to tempestuous shifts in climate. Tasal's habitable landmass is almost exclusively found upon a central super-continent, leaving vast tracts of empty ocean for wind and tide to whip up storms of apocalyptic proportion. Entire nations can be swept away in a summer storm, forcing the survivors to flee to the high ground of mountain ranges or deep into the central jungles of the Wyldstawk.

 

Yet neither of these places are welcoming to Man; great beasts swoop between the razor peaks of Tasal's mountains, large and strong enough to smash apart a battletank. But even these titans are prey to the shrieking swarms of feeder-bats that flock by the thousand, and such a swarm can devour a human in a heartbeat, leaving nought but strips of bloody cloth and splintered bone.

 

As grim as those mountains are, they are paradise compared to the jungle of the Wyldstawk. The great trees grow so close together that no sunlight reaches the ground, and even the trees themselves have a taste for warm flesh. Countless souls have plunged screaming into hidden sinkholes or corrosive pools to be rendered down, with cruel slowness, into nutritious soup for the trees to drink.

 

That more men die to their fellow Man than the world itself is testament to both Tasalian hardiness and their natural instinct for war. The people of Tasal are split between thousands of tribes, and even the Supernovas are not certain how many distinct cultures dwell upon their world. There are the Bastion-Men who defend their forts and farms with ranks of autolock musketeers; the forgers, like the legendary Armourers of Yyth, who make the great guns and ordnance that top the fortress walls of Tasal's many bastion-cities; the men of the War Trains whose military convoys trade between the two; and the tribals, like the infamous Berserkers of Qwaythe who loot and plunder all three. Each of these cultures, and more besides, provide no shortage of war-ready recruits for the Chapter. Each culture in turn brings a different perspective on the nature of war, and the regions from which each Company recruits has subtly altered their personalities.

 

The Forging of a Supernovan

 

As with most things, how a Tasalian rises from mortal youth to Angel of Death varies from Company to Company. Each has their own recruiting ground and edicts that dictate how and when recruitment takes place. Some recruits are taken from formal tournaments held annually at various city-keeps, others are taken from the young soldiers seeking to prove themselves in war. Any youth that can manage to reach the isolated Company Bastions is automatically considered, but the roads to these imposing fortresses are lined with the bones of those who failed in the attempt.

 

Whatever the source, the Chapter subjects their aspirants to rigorous trials of physical and mental purity. The most important of these is known as the Progenitor's Gift, where the youth is infused with a tiny piece of genetic material said to be cloned from the cells of Robute Guilliman himself. The sedated youth is monitored as the Gift takes hold, or not as the case may be. Some die during this time, most thrash and wail as fever dreams assail their mind and their bodies are painfully reshaped. Even then, many of these changes will not be enough, and the recruit will ultimately awake to be told they have rejected the Gift. These failed recruits become Chapter Serfs, and while no Space Marine by any measure their experiences typically leave them physically and mentally enhanced to some degree, however slight.

 

For the rest whose bodies accepted the Gift, the true test begins. The Company Bastion becomes their world - for years they live and train there, watched constantly by the Chaplains, Librarians and Apothecaries. Each of these has something to teach, and some measure by which they will pass or fail the Aspirant. It is during this time that the unique mutations of the Chapter's geneseed take hold, heightening the Aspirant's reactions beyond even their brother Astartes. However, that same quirk also slows their muscle growth, meaning that they will not achieve their peak physical prowess until years, if not decades after their training is otherwise complete.

Unlike in most Chapters who make use of Scouts, Supernovan aspirants will never take to the field of battle. Such an honour is reserved for the end of their training, when there is nothing left to do but throw the young warrior into the crucible of war and see if they are forged into a warrior worthy of their heraldry, or revealed as nought but slag and ash.

 

In this final stage, the would-be Space Marine is known as a Novitae - those without life. They are outsiders within the Chapter, forbidden from wearing honour markings or the heraldry of the company, and denied even the basic possessions of an Astartes; their holy weapons and armour. In this time, the Novitae has one source of companionship, a Mentor chosen to watch over them in battle. It is the Mentor who decides what arms and armour the Novitae may use, and who provides the final guidance to them to complete their training. But training is not the Mentor's true role. Instead, their duty is to judge whether the Novitae is worthy of life.

 

How this judgement takes place is a personal choice. Some Novitae are functionally indistinguishable from their Blooded kin, armed and armoured in the same fashion and needing only to complete a single mission before earning their Mentor's approval. Others serve much longer, and in more challenging conditions. A Novitae might have to serve in Scout Armour and armed with only a pistol and blade. Some may have to slay a certain number of foes, or perform a singular feat of heroism before being found worthy.

 

Although it may appear adversarial at first, the Novitae and Mentor typically bond during the time of trials. Indeed, Novitae and Mentor often share a genetic link, with the former receiving gene-seed harvested from the latter, or both descending from the gene-tithe of a fallen brother. This tradition creates bloodlines of a sort within the Chapter, and so while a Novitae is an outcast to most of the Chapter, they are seen as family to their squad and many will have something akin to a parent-and-child relationship with their Mentor.

 

When at last a Novitae is deemed worthy they attend a ritual known as the Blooding. Novitae and Mentor will both cut themselves with a sword, which is then presented to the Novitae. Upon the receiving of a sword, the Novitae is reborn a Novr Aestra - a full-fledged Space Marine - and welcomed by all as an equal.

 

Novr Aestra

 

The nine Companies of the Supernovas are made up of warriors that, in their own way, seek to emulate the ideals of their ancient founder - to be a Legion in a time of Chapters.

 

Nowhere is this more clear than their wargear. The armouries of the Supernovas Chapter are home to numerous relics, and the Supernovas have gone to great lengths to ensue that they can preserve and often replace the tools of days long past. The typical weapons of a Supernovan are Umbra and Tigris pattern Bolters, both designs mostly lost or abandoned. Most Marines wear a modern recreation of Corvus plate, although several of their suits date back to the time of legend. As each company has its own armoury and armourers, so too does each have a distinct character. Some, like the Fourth, have preserved arsenals of Corvus that were worn in the Heresy itself. The Fifth have managed to maintain a stockpile of Maximus plate and, slow and difficult as it is, they can even replace lost suits. The Eighth, due to the presence of the Ironforged Chapter Cult, favour Iron plate or regional variations built for boarding actions.

 

To see the Supernovas on the field is to witness the armies of the Legions. Yet this love of the past has on occasion slipped into stubborn refusal to accept change. The Supernovas are distrustful of new technology that didn't come from their own forges or expeditions. An example of this is Centurion Armour - five millennia after its inception, most Supernovans refuse to use it, declaring it heretical.

 

Supernovans wear blue armour, with the shoulders and helmet typically black. This is not universal, and an individual Marine may change the uniform to suit their own desires. Typical changes include reversing the shoulder inset and trim colours, or changing the colour of knees or backpack tops. In addition, each company has its own heraldric colour. This is not fixed, but instead chosen by the Captain. The Fourth, for example, have red shoulder trims or, due to their large number of Corvus suits, use a red band or red shoulder studs. The Fifth use green markings however the individual Marine desires. The Sixth favour yellow kneepads and the Eighth use gunmetal.

 

Further to this are squad or personal honours. These markings are subject to change as the individuals who earned them die off and new heroes rise. No heraldry is permanent - Supernovan colours honour the living, not the dead. The only exception to this is the Chapter's blue uniform, and the uniform of the sub-cults. All else is mutable. Since M38 the Supernovans have traditionally painted their helmets to match the heraldic colours of the Chapter Master, but following the events of the Weye of Lost Faith and the Tyrannic War this seems to have been abandoned. Instead, Master Dyus and most of the Chapter have retained the black helms worn in honour of the late Master Ximo.

 

Chapter Cult

 

The Supernovas have a curious relationship with the Emperor and the Imperial Cult. Most Supernovans appear to doubt the very existence of Terra itself, referring to it not as a physical place, but a spiritual realm where the souls of the dead go to await the End of Days. According to the Chapter, there will come a day when all light in the galaxy fades bar one. In the final hours of Man, Tasal will be alone in the heavens with all other worlds lost to Chaos. In that day, the Emperor Himself shall return, leading the Legion of the Dead to reclaim the stars and build a New Imperium, and begin the next age of Man.

 

The Cult and its culture has adopted many of the traits of the Tasalian peoples, with the history and traditions of the Chapter coming together to create a culture of individualism. Every Marine is expected to be an army in and of themselves, and while the bonds they form within squads are unshakeable, these are not carried further into the Chapter structure. A Captain leads only because the Sergeants choose to follow, and the Companies see the Chapter Master as someone there to advise and guide, not dictate. This ideology can serve as a double-edged sword, for as valuable as it may be to trust a squad to act with autonomy, that same squad may not always wish to adhere to a rigid battle plan.

 

Taekar

 

One of the defining traditions of the Supernovas is the ritual of Taekar. The sword is a holy symbol for the Chapter, a symbol of their transition from Novitae to Novr Aestra. However, a sword drawn in anger must taste blood - this is the law of Taekar. This must be satisfied, and a Marine who cannot wet his blade on the blood of a foe will cut himself to feed it. To sheathe a Tasalian blade without it first tasting blood is an insult of the highest order, and one can only speculate what would befall a Marine who did so.

 

The Chapter Weyes

 

Over the long millennia, the Supernovas have established traditional paths through the galaxy that they use for patrols and pilgrimage. These are the Chapter Weyes, and the Chapter considers every world along these routes to be under their protection. Most remain close to Tasal, but some stretch as far as Ultramar, Terra or even the Eye itself. Most Weyes are patrolled by a single squad, as this is typically more than enough to defeat whatever threats they find. However, should this patrol be unable to succeed alone, they can call upon reinforcements from Tasal to carry the day.

 

The Weye of the Dead: There are times when a Supernovan feels they are unable to continue their service to the Chapter. Age, injury or even some internal conflict might inspire a Marine to embark upon the Weye of the Dead and begin the long trek to Holy Terra and beyond. When a Marine undertakes this journey a great ceremony of mourning is held for them, for they are never to return to Tasal. They then travel across the Imperium, visiting shrines and holy places. Most will die along the way, lured to their end in one of the thousands of battles that rage across Man's domain. Should they reach Terra, they will seek the blessings of the Emperor and steel their souls for the final leg of their pilgrimage; the journey to the Eye itself, where they might at last meet a worthy end.

 

The Warrior Cults

 

Within the Chapter there also exist sub-cults, each of which is typically a combination of cultural traits of a prominent Tasalian people, and a shared talent or fondness for an aspect of war. The Chaplaincy, Librarius, Apothecarian and Armourium all represent obvious examples of sub-cults, but there also exist organisations unique to the Chapter.

 

The Naked Berserkers: The term "Naked Berserker" conjures a great many images, especially when applied to an Astartes Chapter. However, when used by the Supernovas it is somewhat misleading. The Naked Berserkers are near universally Marines who are drawn from the tribes of Qwaythe. Within these cultures, it is not uncommon for small bands of warriors, often drugged to the point of insanity, to charge into battle skyclad as proof of their bravery. While the Chapter has long been happy to allow the Qwaythian Marines to pump themselves full of combat stimulants, the other aspects of the traditions were not so readily accepted. The compromise provided was that, as far as was practical, Qwaythian Marines would go to battle without a helmet.

 

This tradition has sent many Marines to an early grave, but the Chapter considers the trade-off acceptable in the long term as the devotees of the Qwaythian cult are some of the most brutal close-combat fighters, not to mention the most fearless fighters in the Chapter. Dedicated Berserker squads are quite rare, though not through lack of Qwaythian Marines; instead, they prefer to spread themselves through all other aspects of the Chapter, where they can better upstage their less courageous battle brothers.

 

The Ironforged: Once a very niche sub-cult found almost exclusively in the Eighth Company, the Ironforged were born on the Fortress World of Haraz. Years of brutal siege warfare, trench fighting and bunker clearance had a profound impact on the Novitae who were tested in that campaign, creating a culture of grim, dour warriors at odds with the typical headstrong, independent attitude of their peers. The Ironforged became linebreakers, trusted to break open fortifications or wear down foes with patience and cold calculation. Of these original Ironforged, only Brok the First-Forged survives, and even then he is interred within a Dreadnought. Yet every year a precious few Marines are deemed worthy to stand before Brok and be judged, and so the name Ironforged, and the warrior-cult itself, has endured.

 

Toward the end of M41 the Ironforged were dying out, but following the Tyrannic War and the promotion of Dyus Ironforged to Chapter Master, the ideals of the Ironforged have been raised to a new status within the Chapter. Despite the nature of most Supernovans, more now than ever aspire to earn the name Ironforged.

 

The Stalkers: Much like the Ironforged, the Stalkers are typified by their deviance from Chapter norms. Where most Supernovans seek honour and glory, a Stalker is willing to set aside their pride and do what is needed for victory, working from the shadows to perform reconnaissance, sabotage or assassination. Stalkers are few in number and almost always from the First Company, as these veterans have earned more than enough glory to satisfy their pride.

 

The Fuzylars: The Fuzylars are a direct off-shoot of the Stalkers, drawn exclusively from the new Primaris intake. Typically trained as Reivers before being adopted into the cult, Fuzylars seek to emulate the soldiers of Yyth from where they take their name, acting as marksmen who slay from afar. The rivalry between Stalkers and Fuzylars has quickly become a point of pride within the Chapter, and the previously shunned Stalkers have found themselves being encouraged by their peers to outperform their Primaris rivals at every opportunity.

 

The Oathsworn While many Supernovans faced the Tyrannic War and lived, there is a special subdivision of these veterans who have the honour of being named Oathsworn. The name is derived from the Bright Lords Chapter, whose symbol is a candle lit against a black field. The bulk of the Supernovas Chapter was deployed on a crusade when the Tyranids attacked, and due to the Shadow in the Warp they could not return home. Yet the ancient Star Fort of the Bright Lords, Siyyon Shachar was able to pierce the Shadow and bring their Chapter to bear, as well as create a wake of calm for an Imperial fleet and the Supernovas to follow.

 

This act, and the countless others performed both in orbit and on the surface of Tasal created a debt the Supernovas Chapter believes it might never be able to repay. The Oathsworn represent an effort to do so. Each Company has at least one squad of Oathsworn, and the Fifth Captain counts herself amongst their number. These Marines pledged an oath to answer the call of the Bright Lords, and this oath supersedes all others - even their oaths to their own Chapter. When the Bright Lords need them most, the Oathsworn will repay the debt of honour no matter the cost.

 

The New Generation

 

By the 42nd Millennium, the Supernovas Chapter had already endured several hardships. Internal division and a Tyranid invasion of their homeworld had brought the Chapter to the brink of extinction, but perhaps due to the psychic shadow of the Hive Mind, Tasal and the nearby systems escaped the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum virtually unscathed. This bought the Chapter precious time to rebuild itself, and as the Indomitus Crusade fought to restore the shattered Imperium, Tasal acted as a beacon of light within the Dark Imperium.

 

Ultimately, as with most Chapters, the Supernovas received envoys of the Primarch. Initially, only ten Intercessors were sent to determine whether the Chapter survived at all, but finding the Supernovas not only endured, but were rapidly returning to full strength, an entire Primaris Company was ordered to join the Chapter.

 

The Primaris were universally met with hostility by the Supernovas, although in each case the reasons were different. The first wave were suspect due to their seemingly outlandish claim that Robute Guilliman had returned, but the second wave were shunned because of the Chapter Cult itself - they were, in effect, all seen as Novitae with no-one to vouch their worthiness.

 

Not all Companies accepted Primaris, and none were required to. The Fifth has more Primaris than any other Company, for better or worse. In general, those Primaris who have adapted to the Chapter Cult and been Blooded are well-received, though lingering doubts remain. The Primaris who cling strongly to Codex Orthodoxy face a long and uphill struggle.

 

At present, the Chapter Cults are reluctant to accept the Primaris. The Fuzylars represent their only distinct sub-cult outside of the standard Codex organisations, but in truth the Chaplains, Librarians and Apothecaries of the Primaris are if anything less welcome than their ordinary brothers. None were present to join the Oathsworn, and Brok First-Forged himself has decreed no Primaris can ever adopt the name Ironforged.

 

Time will tell as to whether the Primaris become full and true members of the Supernovas, or whether they will be left to quietly wither away and be forgotten. That said, there are those that fear the Primaris for another reason entirely; that they represent the fulfilment of a long-held belief that the End of Days is night. Certainly, enough has happened to make some within the Chapter believe the end is coming, and with Primarichs returning and Custodes abroad once more, perhaps in time the Primaris will be seen not as unwelcome outsiders, but the fulfilment of a prophecy ten millennia in the making. For now, such things are in limbo, and the Chapter will do as it always has; fight on, and keep the faith.

[Archivist Thaddeus Kryptem]

First of all well done on writing an Index Astartes article! It's no small feat to actually complete one, and I want to say I really like the idea of it not being clear if the Chapter see Terra as a physical place or see it more as a Spiritual Plane  genuinely idea started an idea or two in my own head!

 

My one big (hopefully constructive)criticism is that while I completely understand the desire to recreate the Legion's of old in 42nd Millennium, because lets be honest the Legion's were freaking awesome! I personally think it best to steer away from Legion strength, particularly as a descendant of the XIII Legion. My reasoning behind this is twofold:

1. that usually GW have made a point that Chapters who do push that limit are very much the exception and are protected by how instrumental they were to the Imperium surviving the HH and the Scouring.
2. Roboute Guilliman would not tolerate a Chapter Master behaving in such a way, it is the biggest affront to his command as Primarch of the XIII and Lord Commander of the Imperium one of his officers could give him and would have been jumped on by Dorn when the Imperium was very nearly faced with another civil war between the loyalists over the fate of the Legions. 

If I were you and I would either select another Primogenitor or make the change in their organisation happen gradually over time rather than from their founding, see them move away from the Codex because they no longer see it as fit for purpose for the troubles of the Imperium of today and changing their organisation to reflect this. In fact this is a view Guilliman himself has and is why he is re-writing it so you wouldn't have to necessarily face an angry Robbie G. when he woke up he might be impressed by his "wayward" son's initiative. 

 

Any way they're just my suggestions, by no means am I saying I'm right, this is your Chapter/Legion after all

[Wargamer]

Thanks for the feedback, Inquisitor.

With regard to their strength, the intent wasn't that the Chapter seeks to return to Legion-strength, merely that they keep the Legion organisation. In effect, they're a Legion of 1,000 Marines. I'll try to make that a bit more clear. I suspect, given that Robute himself apparently misses the Legionary model, he might just be forgiving of Laertes in the long run. 

[Archivist Thaddeus Kryptem]

No problem, Wargamer. 

 

Yeah that makes a lot more sense :)

 

I would still say maybe have in their history that they started Codex Compliant but suffered some defeat or series of defeats that made them drop it and look to glory of the Legions of old for solutions for their woes or you could maybe shift them back a founding to avoid getting caught up in the whole near civil war over the splitting of the Legions. 

 

Remember Dorn was declared a traitor by Guilliman for speaking out against the Codex, and the Codex Crisis came to head with the Imperial Fist Strike Cruiser Terrible Angel being attacked by the Imperial Navy after this event all but the Space Wolves  at least gave the impression they were going to play ball to avoid war. http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Codex_Astartes 

 

The above is why I think it gets a bit difficult to explain why they were allowed to not go with the Codex if they were second founding because every one had to at least lie and say they were going to, and if that's a route you want your Marines to go down it could be fun to explore why this Chapter Master did not want to toe the party line so to speak :) 

[Seukonnen]

No problem, Wargamer. 

 

Yeah that makes a lot more sense

 

I would still say maybe have in their history that they started Codex Compliant but suffered some defeat or series of defeats that made them drop it and look to glory of the Legions of old for solutions for their woes or you could maybe shift them back a founding to avoid getting caught up in the whole near civil war over the splitting of the Legions. 

 

Remember Dorn was declared a traitor by Guilliman for speaking out against the Codex, and the Codex Crisis came to head with the Imperial Fist Strike Cruiser Terrible Angel being attacked by the Imperial Navy after this event all but the Space Wolves  at least gave the impression they were going to play ball to avoid war. http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Codex_Astartes 

 

The above is why I think it gets a bit difficult to explain why they were allowed to not go with the Codex if they were second founding because every one had to at least lie and say they were going to, and if that's a route you want your Marines to go down it could be fun to explore why this Chapter Master did not want to toe the party line so to speak

One of the saving grace of Chapters such as Wargamer's and mine is obscurity - they've gone off into the far corners of the Imperium to operate, which puts them somewhat under the radar. I believe the idea was that once Chapter Master Laertes felt he was far enough outside of Guilliman and the wider Imperium's eye, he returned to the operational model he felt most at ease with, commanding his Chapter as if it were still a sub-element of the Ultramarines Legion.

[Archivist Thaddeus Kryptem]

Yeah fair point Seukonnen, that would make sense

[Seukonnen]

I think you may be misunderstanding slightly - the Supernovas are not overstrength. By "Operating like a legion" Wargamer meant that Laertes operated his Chapter closer to the way Chapters worked before the heresy when they were subdivisions of Legions, rather than the way they were redesigned in the writing of the Codex Astartes.

[Wargamer]

Indeed; the early Supernovas Chapter would be operating with mono-weapon squads, much like Primaris units do now, and have up to 20 members. This also meant Scouts were completely absent (although they may have used Recon Marines - the origin of the Stalkers). Over time, as Laertes' influence waned, they moved closer to using "Codex" formations, but never entirely dropped their Legion origins.

[Wargamer]

So things have happened! I really should have made a proper changelog, but here's the gist of it:

 

• The "Last Legion" segment has had a slight rewording to try and make things clearer as to what Laertes' goal was and how he ran his Chapter.
• "The Forging of a Supernovan" now makes reference to the Chapter's genetic mutation (which is something you'd really think an IA article should include!)
• The "Novr Aestra" section now references the significance of the black helmet, which isn't actually part of their proper uniform!
• "Chapter Cult" now has a section Chapter Weyes, and the Naked Berserkers have been added to the sub-cults.

[Conn Eremon]

One thing to consider about a Chapter that decides to maintain its structure and methods while it operated as part of a Legion, rather than the model dictated by the Codex Astartes, is that this makes the Chapter inherently lesser than it could be.

 

While a Chapter still functioning as it did while part of a greater whole would still be an effective force in its own right, the lack of a Legion itself means that the Chapter is hamstrung in many ways. The Chapter-like units within the Legions were rarely self-sufficient forces, even within the Ultramarines Legion itself. There were plenty of self-sufficient forces within the Legions, but few, if any, were Chapter-sized. The Ultramarines themselves were organized around self-sufficient Chapters of 10,000, for example.

 

Another way to put it is to consider a single Company. Is it a battle-company, the most self-sufficient of the Companies? Then it still lacks Scout and Veteran support. It has heavy firepower and close-combat capabilities, but is unable to adapt to situations where one of those aspects is needed more greatly as it lacks the reserves to augment its forces. Its armor division, or fast attack vehicles, are minimal at best. If it's not a battle-company, then this issue is exacerbated.

 

A full Chapter, organized as it once was while part of a greater Legion, is essentially like that standalone company but on a larger scale. At best, the Chapter becomes hyper-specialized. Greater than a Codex Chapter within a particular pursuit, but less than one outside of it. A specialized Chapter is certainly not new, though it's more common among DIYs than canon Chapters. At worst, it simply becomes a lesser martial force. Effective in battle still, but in all ways less so than it could be.

 

The Codex Astartes, for all its flaws, did at the very least change the structure of Chapters into something that was more self-sufficient. Out-of-universe it's often derided as not making sense, but what's more relevant is that in-universe, logical or not, it made Chapters into something that can adequately operate on virtually any battlefield with similar efficiency.

 

This isn't meant to dissuade anyone from veering away from the Codex, only to point out that doing so can come with consequences for the Chapter itself. The means of divergence becomes very relevant. Consider the Space Wolves, who are also still organized as they once were. Rather than maintaining that structure in its entirety, it simply decreased the size of each component part. Before, a Great Company was many thousands of warriors. Now, it's barely more than a Company. As such, it maintains its legacy and traditions, while not letting itself become less effective in the process.