Ultima founding chapter name ideas

[Brother Ambroz]

Hello brothers! I'm a longtime traitor (CSM) player who loves the primaris range and wants to start a DIY primaris only chapter. I'm thinking either they'll either be a iron hands or imperial fist successor chapter. Have a color scheme for the most part and now just struggling with a name. I would really love to incorporate something related to bears or ursine in the name as the fluff of I've written is related to them. So far I've come up with the ursine praetors, the war bears and then the ashen wardens. The last is the only one I like but has nothing to do with bears so that's a last resort. Any ideas? Here is the WIP scheme:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/228027-img-18

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/228028-img-18

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I was going to suggest "Iron Fists," but a canon Chapter is using it. How about "Firewalkers"?

[Olis]

Okily dokily, here's my attempt at giving you some ideas. I would advocate, when searching for names, that you delve into some light research. Look up the Wikipedia page on Bears for example. Within seconds of bringing up that page I had come up with the moniker "Sons of Berathia" (which could be altered to a number of variations such as 'Knights of...', 'Brotherhood of...' and so on), derived from the Old English word 'Bera'. In my mind, using 'Berathia' not only allows you to have an ursine influence in your DIY, but also phonetically links to some influences from a Game of Thrones (Berathia/Baratheon). That's a twofer.

 

There's several words that can help on that page, such as 'Arktos', 'Bär' and 'Urs', which could easily ascribed to prominent astartes or other things. 

 

For further inspiration, there's a couple of links at the bottom of that page. (Here and here.)  

Edited February 5, 2018 by Olis
Abhor the typo!

[Brother Ambroz]

Thanks guys, some great ideas! I did do some but I have difficulty getting creative with names . Some of my gaming group members suggested Clan Arkouda which sounds pretty awesome but would the Iron Hands have successor chapters named after their clans? Another idea pitched was the Ursine Titans which I'm also a bit partial to. 

 

A little bit of a fluff synopsis: Somewhat similar to the parent chapter, they believe in doing anything to make themselves stronger (both mechanically and/or biologically). No real specialization in the chapter other than slower units (very few inceptors) and tougher to kill. Homeworld is a volcanic planet and the bear bit comes from the megafauna on their particular homeworld.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Salamanders also hail from a volcanic world. Does your Chapter have a fierce rivalry with Vulkan's sons? Do both Chapters name Champions to fight honor duels whenever they meet, like the Dark Angels and Space Wolves? (A suggestion if this is the case: Have a ring of fire- representing both home worlds' volcanoes- encircle the dueling platform.) Edited February 5, 2018 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Brother Lunkhead]

I like bears too ...... Ursan Lords, Ursan Wardens.  I also liked Brother Olis' idea of using Bera' or Berathia.

[Ryno]

My mind immediately goes to to the Grizzly (Ursus Arctos Horriblis) for a couple reasons; in a species of alphas, it is the alpha. Secondly, Arctos is an awesome name. Something like "Sons of Arctos" could be cool.

Kodiak is also a cool name. Might be something in there. "Brotherhood of the Kodiak" perhaps?

As an aside, you could also take various ursine binomial names as inspiration for various characters in the chapter (for instance, the Kodiak Bear's binomial name is Ursus Arctos Middendorfi. Maybe 'Middendorf' is a Sergeant?

[Lysimachus]

I know it's a little obvious for a bear themed Iron Hands Successor, but sometimes simple works so what about Iron Bears?

 

I like Arctos as a Homeworld name though, so Sons of Arctos could work as an official name and Iron Bears could be a moniker given by other Imperials?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Iron Hands successors that honor bears, with red and gray as Chapter colors...

 

How about "Sons of Wojtek," after the Polish 22nd Artillery Supply Company's mascot? (Naturally, you should find a way to shoehorn Earthshaker artillery guns into the Land Raider hull, so your Iron Hands can match Perturabo's treasonous sons shot-for-shot.)

Edited February 16, 2018 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Brother Ambroz]

I thought of iron bears as well and don't mind it, you're right though it is simple! Not that that's a bad thing. What about "the knights of arctos"? And then use iron bears as a moniker given by others? Love the use of various bear names as characters and I plan on doing so, also have a few titles thought up like "the bloodied bear" for a new captain or lieutenant and then "the denfather" for a higher ranking fellow.

[Olis]

'Denfather' could be good for an alternate Chapter Master title. Though I would stress avoiding calling your scouts 'Cubs' if at all possible. It sounds weird. Hopefully, that wasn't even a consideration. ^_^

[Bjorn Firewalker]

As "berserk" once meant "bear shirt" (after the bearskin cloaks a berserker would wear), would your Chapter have Honor Guards wear the skins of bears they killed in ritual combat, to demonstrate their elite status? (Naturally, they'd angrily deny they're in any way related to Khorne Berserkers.)

 

Do they retain the post-Heresy Iron Hands ritual of amputating a hand and replacing the "weak flesh" with an augmetic limb? Or are they more like pre-Heresy Iron Hands, and are yet to share the belief "the flesh is weak"?

[Brother Ambroz]

Yeah that's what I was thinking too, cubs would be too reminiscent of children I think. I was thinking about that too bjorn, wouldn't be too hard to GS either. Do you think they'd be distinct enough from the wolves to look good?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Tactical Marines may refer to Scouts as "Cubs" as an insult, the way US Army drill sergeants once referred to draftees/recruits as "cherries" for their lack of combat experience. ("Cherry" also refers to virgins; political correctness forced the Army to discourage the term's use.)

 

As for a Chapter-specific term for Scouts, how about Amphicyon or Hemicyon, after the extinct bear dogs and dog bears?

[Brother Ambroz]

Yeah I get what you mean (I'm a vet as well). I'm not sure if I will use scouts as I'm thinking of doing primaris only but it'll depend on if they keep introducing more primaris units. I was looking at the Amphicyon for naming ideas a few days ago while researching the aussy drop bear myth, so I might incorporate that into naming some units, if not scouts then probably reivers.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

When I wrote an Iron Hands-centric Codex supplement, I named my Scouts "Pioneers" (after German Army sappers), and gave them Space Wolves Wolf Scouts' stats, so these "Scouts" would have the experience needed to actually scout. (I also added Neophytes to the Troops selection, so new recruits could gain combat experience.) Maybe you could do the same?

[Graymane]

What about 'Iron claws'? As there is already an Ironhands successor called 'Brazen Claws' the naming style has precedent.

 

And as for chapter symbol, i had these made up as a company icon for my bear based chapter, but you might find them useful. :)

 

Cheers,

 

GM.  

[Brother Ambroz]

@bjorn I could just say that they still use scouts prior to transitioning into primaris marines so I may just do that!

 

@greymane wow you had those made? They're nice! Would they fit a primaris shoulder pad though?

[Graymane]

Yes they do. Shoulders are the same size on normal and primaris marines. He also does them as just the icon if you would rather stick them on instead of chopping off the original blank pad. He also does a Gravis version and terminator ones. If you want something custom, just drop him a line. :)

 

Cheers,

 

GM

[Brother Ambroz]

Wow thanks so much for the tip man, went and found some with bear heads that he does!

[Graymane]

Lol! Indeed. That is my chapter symbol. :D

 

By all means, if you want to use it too, feel free. :)

 

Cheers,

 

GM

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I was looking at the Amphicyon for naming ideas a few days ago while researching the aussy drop bear myth, so I might incorporate that into naming some units, if not scouts then probably reivers.

Your mention of "drop bears" drew my interest in the same. The Wikipedia article had links to hoax Australian Museum and Australian Geographic artcles, where the animal is referred to as "Thylarctos plummetus" (the scientific name combines those of the Tasmanian wolf and the koala).

 

For jump infantry, "Thylarctos" may work as a Chapter-specific term.