Sons of the Phalanx- Custom IF Successors Chapter.

[allegedlynerdy]

Well, I'm starting an IF successor chapter to work alongside my Templars.

 

First, the fluff:

 

The Sons of the Phalanx are an Imperial Fists successor chapter originally founded during the 23rd founding in the latter half of the 37th Millennia.

 

**Early History**

The Sons of The Phalanx Chapter was originally founded directly out of the Imperial Fists and fragments of their successor chapters onboard the Phalanx at the time. They were dispatched on board the Battlebarge Mantle of Caesar to the recently rediscovered Arkanna system in order to recover it for the glory of the Emperor and the Imperium. They arrived in system, and began working alongside the administratum to reintegrate the planet into the Imperium, including the act of putting down some pro-chaos warbands residing in the jungles of the southern continent.

 

However, it seems, these warbands were able to attract the attention of the Emperor's Children, who lay siege to the planet. During the initial void engagement, the Mantle of Caesar was heavily damaged and crash landed on an outlying planet of the system. It's wreck became the basis for the chapters fortress-monastery and the planet was renamed Caesar's Landing.

 

The remaining Sons of The Phalanx were, in conjunction with local PDF and guard regiments brought by the administratum, able to hold out until a Crusade of Black Templars arrived and was able to drive off the Emperor's Children.

 

This Black Templar Crusade also gifted the remaining Sons of the Phalanx a new Battlebarge, the Pillar of Terra, as well as some much needed equipment to begin the process of building the fortress monastery on Caesar's Landing.

 

**M38-M40**

 

Not much of note occurred during this time for the Sons of the Phalanx. Much of the early parts of M38 were spent reinforcing the very much weakened chapter to get it up to full strength for the first time, as well as building the fortress-monastery. The chapter kept close relations with the government and people of Arkanna, allowing and even aiding in the establishment of several small settlements of Arkannians on Caesar's Landing. Many marines who were part of the original founding and helped defend Arkanna still keep in touch with the descendents of those they fought besides.

 

The most major event of note was a small WAAAAGH! which took place against Arkanna in M39. While the major cities of the northern continent could easily weather the storm, the much more primitive cities on the southern continent were often destroyed. It took the PDF, local guard regiments, and 200 Sons of the Phalanx well over 50 years to hunt down all of the Orks in the southern jungles.

 

**The Fall of Cadia, The Great Rift, and M41**

 

When Cadia fell, and the Great Rift opened, Arkanna was cut off, like much of the galaxy. And, like many other worlds, it was besieged by the forces of chaos. The full strength Sons of the Phalanx fought valiantly alongside the Imperial Guard, PDFs, and Mechanicus, to defend the system against the renewed assault by the Emperor's Children. During this war, Caesar's Landing and even the fortress monastery was used as a refugee evacuation site from the main planet, those that they could evacuate at least.

 

Arkanna fell. Overwhelmed by the forces of chaos. The surviving Sons of the Phalanx, PDF, Imperial Guard, and Mechanicus embarked on board a large and varied fleet led by the Pillar of Terra to seek shelter and reenforcement.

 

The geneseed was able to be saved, as were many of the relics held in the fortress monastery.

 

The fleet has yet to make contact with any major aspect of Imperial Authority, but has partaken in several minor battles during their journey. They still have not found anyplace which the survivors will be able to settle.

 

Reenforcement in the form of Primaris will likely not come to the Sons of the Phalanx, at least not for the foreseeable future. They are isolated, adrift, facing the horrors of the Dark Imperium on their own.

That's the fluff for now, any thoughts on that would be appreciated.

 

As far as organization of the chapter, they call companies centuries, since there's 100 (and a bit) marines, and I want to go with a more Roman aesthetic. 10 centuries (at full strength) plus support staff.

 

Appearance wise, they have silver armor with red pauldrons and gold trim. Sergeants always have some sort of ornamental plumage (think of the Mk. IV sergeant).

 

Test Scheme:

 

 

Feedback is always appreciated!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I doubt the Black Templars will gift your Chapter a battle barge, even if the Templars want to- those ships are difficult to build, rare for that reason, yet in high demand due to their usefulness. A strike cruiser is a more likely gift- the Templars did so for the Celestial Lions during the 3rd War for Armageddon, so there's canon support.

 

More important support would be contacts with the AdMech, who will then build a shipyard for the Sons of the Phalanx- likely in exchange for "favors," e.g., an STC fragment your Chapter discovered on Arkanna, defense of a vital forge world near the planet, the right to strip mine Arkanna for rare minerals, support for an Archmagos' "quest for knowledge," etc.- so your Chapter can build its own battle barges.

 

The model looks good.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I reconsidered, and thought up a possible source for the battle barge:

 

The Black Templars embark on a crusade to cleanse a space hulk that's approaching one of their Chapter keeps, when the hulk unexpectedly transitions into the Warp and then transitions out near Arkanna. The Templars are able to contact the Sons of the Phalanx on planet, and devise a plan to lure the xenos on the space hulk (likely Orks, though Tyranids are a possibility) into battle against the Emperor's Children, before joining forces to finish off the weakened victor of this fight between enemies of the Imperium. Once Arkanna is secure, the Templars and the Sons of the Phalanx scour the hulk for parts to fix Caesar's Landing's astropath station, so the Librarians can summon help; the battle barge is freed from the hulk during the salvage operations, and her still intact hull (and aid to restore the barge to working condition) is gifted to the Sons of the Phalanx in gratitude once a Templar flotilla arrives to pick up its marooned brethren.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Have you decided on a Chapter symbol? Maybe an aspis (a Greek shield) over crossed dory (Greek spears, which those fighting in a phalanx formation would wield), a crusader cross marking the shield as gratitude for the Templars' aid?