Hello new to the site, question about typical SM Chapters.

[SCM2755]

Hello everyone, been behind the scenes for a little while now reading and I actually am creating my own custom loyalist chapter.

 

My question is how many gunships and ground armor does you typical chapter possess?

 

My chapter isn't fleet based but I want the chapter to have an above average sized airforce if you will. Many of the Astartes of my Chapter being transported by Stormravens that are supported by Stormtalons and the like.

 

How many Stormravens, Stormtalons, Predator tanks, Rhinos & Razors etc... does your typical chapter have? My Chapter is going to have Stormravens, Stormtalons, Landspeeders in abundance.

 

They are a fast attack Chapter that relies heavily on Tactical Squads and transport / gunships. They are a fast attack Chapter but I am not a big fan of Bikes so I am on the fence about them, frankly I do not know much about attack bikes if someone can tell me if the are worth it or not.

 

I am not going to play tabletop, maybe one day but where I live doesn't have really have anyone or anywhere to meet up and play so for right now this Chapter of mine is strictly on paper, Lore / Fluff type stuff.

 

Thank you in advance, looking forward to hearing everyones opinions hopefully!

 

Also, please forgive me for my ignorance on the matter, I have the lates Space Marine Codex but it can be vague in certain areas, I hope I have not committed any heresy on the matter,

Edited March 4, 2018 by SCM2755

[Rik Lightstar]

The codex is intentionally vague I believe so that you can create just what you've described.

 

For a "typical" Chapter (if there is such a thing), each of the Battle Companies will have its own preferred arena of warfare. So you could one that "specialises" in fast moving tactics and the use of air support, and another Battle Company will be focused on City Fighting with lots of short ranged and assault weapons. All of this can occur within a single Chapter.

 

Rik

[MARK0SIAN]

This might help:

 

https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/12/123441/2879706-ultramarine_chapter_chart_3rd.jpg

 

It’s an organisation chart for the Ultramarines. It doesn’t help with the stormravens etc I’m afraid but it shows how many land speeders and predators they have.

 

Just remember the Ultramarines are generally considered a well equipped chapter. Their prestige and pedigree as a first founding chapter means they are often given priority for new/replacement wargear. Not all chapters will be as well equipped. It’s also worth pointing out they’re not specialists, so they’re not geared towards fast attack like you want. I think it would be perfectly fine to give your chapter more of the fast attack options if you scaled back in other areas like land raiders or Dreadnoughts perhaps.

[Race Bannon]

It's your Chapter, however many you want is how many they have ^_^

 

Although the 6th company can be fielded with bikes, you could say they (along with the 7th) also uses Land Speeders.

[Dracos]

Seconding Race’s comments and suggesting you Google Bllod Angel and Raven Guard force orgsnizational information. Fandom and Lexicanum might be good resources to spur ideas for you.

[SCM2755]

Thank you to everyone for your replies.

 

I know it is my own custom chapter, but I don't want them to be unrealistic as far as how many vehicles they might have. Especially Stormravens since they are not from what I understand ubiquitious within alot of chapters.

 

So I was going to have my chapter possess some 20 or more Stormravens.

[Grotsmasha]

I'd bump it up to 24, as that covers all squads of the 3 Battle Co. (excel Assault Squads) to be able to deploy via Stormraven.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Race Bannon]

Man, bump unrealism.  I mean, look at the source material you are considering :lol:

 

Grotsmasha's suggestion can work :tu:

[Claws and Effect]

Maybe your Chapter has fewer Thunderhawks than normal because they prefer to deploy in smaller, more maneuverable craft?

 

It would make sense to have 3 Stormravens for each Thunderhawk a typical Chapter might have.

 

So, perhaps 9 Stormravens per Company? With fewer for Companies that deploy by other means. For example, if the Assault Reserve Company deploys via jump pack, Land Speeders, and Storm Talons, they might only have 2 or 3 for the jump pack guys to drop out of.

[SickSix]

Or just say the Chapter has adapted to what was available. Maybe they are newer and Thunderhawks are getting sparse, or the local Forgeworld can't make Thunderhawks. There are plenty of possible valid reasons.

 

Maybe their home world is a giant marsh and ground vehicles are nearly useless?

 

I get where Race is coming from, but I also understand not wanting to get eyerolls when you are explaining your chapter. I struggled with that when coming up with my own DA successor. (Still haven't finished that project)

[SCM2755]

Or just say the Chapter has adapted to what was available. Maybe they are newer and Thunderhawks are getting sparse, or the local Forgeworld can't make Thunderhawks. There are plenty of possible valid reasons.

 

Maybe their home world is a giant marsh and ground vehicles are nearly useless?

 

I get where Race is coming from, but I also understand not wanting to get eyerolls when you are explaining your chapter. I struggled with that when coming up with my own DA successor. (Still haven't finished that project)

Well you make a good point because my Chapters home world is a tropical jungle world with thousands of islands. It has a few decent size land masses but the need for transport ships would make sense for my chapter to possess more of because of their home world. My custom chapters world is somewhat likeable to that of the Iron Snakes without the giant sea worms but I am thinking of having my chapter use familiars from there home world, maybe some type of bad ass animal a lot of chapters will take with them like the giant wolves the space wolves use.

Edited March 11, 2018 by SCM2755

[Lord_Caerolion]

Perhaps some sort of eagle/hawk/garuda/quetzalcoatl/dragon type creature then? You could then have the flyers be used both for ease of access (local Forge World can't produce Thunderhawks in enough numbers), but also as a tribute to their totem animal, mirroring the strike from above.

[Claws and Effect]

All good points, but it pays to remember that just because a Chapter's homeworld precludes the use of certain equipment doesn't mean they don't have it or never use it.

 

Example: The Raven Guard prefer stealthy surgical strikes over frontal assault when possible, but that doesn't mean they aren't just as capable of a frontal assault as other Chapters.

 

Also, the Salamanders' homeworld has unpredictable gravity, making it difficult to use Land Speeders and aircraft, but that doesn't mean they don't have them.

 

A Space Marine is adaptable over all else. A Chapter may have certain preferences when it comes to how they fight, but they aren't stupid enough to cling to those preferences when another way would work better.

[SickSix]

All good points, but it pays to remember that just because a Chapter's homeworld precludes the use of certain equipment doesn't mean they don't have it or never use it.

 

Example: The Raven Guard prefer stealthy surgical strikes over frontal assault when possible, but that doesn't mean they aren't just as capable of a frontal assault as other Chapters.

 

Also, the Salamanders' homeworld has unpredictable gravity, making it difficult to use Land Speeders and aircraft, but that doesn't mean they don't have them.

 

A Space Marine is adaptable over all else. A Chapter may have certain preferences when it comes to how they fight, but they aren't stupid enough to cling to those preferences when another way would work better.

Yes. But that's kinda irrelevant. We play chapters becuase of what is special about them, not becuase they can do what every other chapter can do. (Exceptions granted, as always)

 

How many Salamander armies are all speeders and assault troops? Not many.

 

Do White Scars have dreadnoughts? Yes. How many see tables?

 

IMHO GW really srewed up when they took Assault Marine troops away from BA. Now they are a codex chapter with a few special units. Not AS interesting as they were.

 

The fewer codex adherents the better.

[SCM2755]

My chapter is very adaptable but there are some things that they just do not use / like. They do not like the idea of drop pods, throwing your men into the thick of it with no way out. They only have a handful of attack bikes mainly used for scouting.

 

They use very little assault troops and are tactical squad heavy.

 

They heavily rely on air transport and gunship cover. They use storm talons the way modern militaries use attack helicopters.

 

They do not have companies in the traditional sense. They use academies and training centers for different types of units. If the kids that graduate from the academies move on to training centers to become proselytes and find out basically what they are best at, tac squad, dev, assault etc...

 

From there they join a task force as a Neophyte and join squads with there space marine brothers. The chapter has 4 to 5 task forces each ranging in around 260 give or take active foot soldiers.

 

The task forces are completely different from companies. They do not use companies at all, the only thing close to a company in my chapter is the Terminator only company which would join a task force if the area they are going to is that heavily defended.

 

They have Sternguard and Vanguard marines but they do not get to that point in a traditional veteran way. Once they are full standard Marines, they have the option to go back to training after they have completed so many tours in there respective task force.

 

Basically the same manner as how a regular army soldier becomes an army ranger. Than after training is complete they would return to there task force a Praetorian "Sternguard".

 

I also have units called Palatines, basically Praetorians on steroids who are also part of the task force.

 

Again the only ones who operate on there own companies are Terminators and a very mysterious group called the Evocati and everyone of them are psykers and the chapters most elite soldiers, they are  even above the Praetorians, Palatines, and the Wings of Vaerus.

 

All psykers in the chapter will only go to the Evocati.

 

The Wings of Vaerus are Assault marines but with specialized bolters instead of close combat weapons.

 

They also bring along with them familiars from there home planet called Dragulors. They are Thunderhawk sized dragon type creatures who can fly and actually breath out a natural almost acidic napalm type substance which burns hotter and longer. They pretty much are the creatures that were written about in lore in old Earth. Any connection between the two is unknown and doubtful beings they are from a different planet.

 

What do you all think so far?

Edited March 14, 2018 by SCM2755

[Claws and Effect]

 

All good points, but it pays to remember that just because a Chapter's homeworld precludes the use of certain equipment doesn't mean they don't have it or never use it.

 

Example: The Raven Guard prefer stealthy surgical strikes over frontal assault when possible, but that doesn't mean they aren't just as capable of a frontal assault as other Chapters.

 

Also, the Salamanders' homeworld has unpredictable gravity, making it difficult to use Land Speeders and aircraft, but that doesn't mean they don't have them.

 

A Space Marine is adaptable over all else. A Chapter may have certain preferences when it comes to how they fight, but they aren't stupid enough to cling to those preferences when another way would work better.

Yes. But that's kinda irrelevant. We play chapters becuase of what is special about them, not becuase they can do what every other chapter can do. (Exceptions granted, as always)

 

How many Salamander armies are all speeders and assault troops? Not many.

 

Do White Scars have dreadnoughts? Yes. How many see tables?

 

IMHO GW really srewed up when they took Assault Marine troops away from BA. Now they are a codex chapter with a few special units. Not AS interesting as they were.

 

The fewer codex adherents the better.

You kind of missed my point.

 

Salamanders not using Land Speeders very often doesn't mean they can't use them under any circumstances. Sure an army with a lot of them would be out of character, but that doesn't mean you can't include a couple of them if you want.

 

A Space Marine Chapter that pigeonholes themselves into only using certain tactics or equipment regardless of how mission appropriate it is will eventually be a Chapter that no longer exists. Because they will eventually encounter an enemy their preferred way of fighting is ineffective against.

 

How well would a Chapter that only ever uses Infantry and heavy tanks fare on a world that consists of nothing but a bunch of tiny islands?

 

Raven Guard preferring stealthy guerilla warfare doesn't mean they'll keep trying to do that in a situation where a frontal assault is the most effective way to win. They'll suck it up and assault because they are Space Marines first, and Raven Guard second.

 

White Scars will absolutely send in their dreadnoughts in things like boarding actions or battles inside hive spires where they can't use their bikes. They don't like the idea of being interred in one, but that doesn't mean they're so stubborn as to refuse to acknowledge that they have their place.

 

I was mentioning that in regards to DIY Chapters because I've seen a number of them that overspecialize.

 

A decided preference for a specific way of fighting = good.

 

Stubbornly sticking with that method when it would be tactically stupid = bad.

[Claws and Effect]

For the record, their heavy use of air transport actually means that drop pod units would always have a way out.

 

If that weren't the case the modern day paratrooper wouldn't exist.

 

I get disliking drop pods, but I would re-word the reasoning to be more like they don't like sending their men into battle in what is basically a tin can target to be shot out of the sky.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I would take all that down to the Liber boards. Helping folk build their DIY chapters is their stock in trade.

[SCM2755]

I would take all that down to the Liber boards. Helping folk build their DIY chapters is their stock in trade.

Ill go ahead and copy and paste it there.