IA: The Dusk Falcons

[Timberley]

Hi everyone,
 
My first post on B&C, and I thought I'd put my own chapter (models to be painted) into the wild.  After 20 years of being out of WH40K, it's been a whirlwind trying to keep up with the changes.  This chapter has existed in one form or other since 1996, but it's only been since the revamp (i.e. 8E) that I've put more effort into it.
 
Anyway, onto the chapter!
 
Tim
 

Basic Information & History

T

he Dusk Falcons are a 13th Founding chapter based out of their fortress-monastery, Akhetahema, located on Perheka in the Ultima Segmentum. The Perhekan system is located galactically East of Prospero and north of Golgotha, making it ideally placed to respond to Chaos incursions from The Maelstrom as well as Ork warbands that roam the sector.  Their founding chapter is unknown, though their stealthy fighting style suggests the Raven Guard.  However, they do not display the Melanchromic mutation common to the Raven Guard, and have a full set of Astartes organs.  Those that know of the chapter have speculated that they are one of Archmagos Belisarius Cawl's first successful experiments with the Sangprimus Portem, but the chapter does not know, nor do they care to ask the Mechanicus.

Perheka itself is a Feudal Death World, upon which city-states battle each other and the wildife for control of the desert world's scarce resources.  Soldiers tread lightly on the sands of the deserts, for they know that too much noise will draw the attention of the Sand Burrowers, Cuniculus Magnus Succo in High Gothic, and lead to their doom. However, they must guard the desert springs and the riverways from rivals, so they patrol on quiet feet and with no heavy animals.  There are those that spend their lives in the desert, hunting animals and the city dwellers, who they see as thieves, trying to maintain the nomadic ways of their ancestors.  These Sand Dwellers are regarded as uncouth savages by the city dwellers, but some of the best Astartes in the chapter come from such stock, including the current chapter master.

Notable dates:

• 310.M36 - Maatsa (The 8th Company) destroys a Traitor Navy unit, and the heretic transports they are escorting to Chiros, in the Aregulis system.
• 813.M37 - Sekhmetsa (the 6th Company) encounters Khoran Heural and his warband 'The Lidless Eye' for the first time on Kerythus Ostera, an agri-world. They manage to drive him off, though his sabotage destroys 80% of the world's crops and he coaxes nearly 60% of the population into slavery.
• 439.M38 - The start of a 3 year campaign by Kheprisa and Sobeksa (4th & 5th Companies, respectively) to eradicate an Ork warband from the minor Forgeworld of Hysperia IV.
• 620.M39 - Khonsusa (3rd Company) battles The Shining Spear Eldar corsair band on Agebon Prime.
• 320.M40 - Anpusa (2nd Company) drop onto Pharedon, the subsector's capital world, in response to an Inquistiorial request. There they find a Genestealer Cult, and spend the next 6 months hitting them in precise strike operations. The Loyalist PDF are impressed by their fighting style and reform into fast attack drop regiments to better prosecute the cleansing.
• 439.M41 - Nimatre Mentuhotep wounds Khoran Heural on Draken IV, after most of Apepsa (7th Company) is slaughtered in a brutal attack on the mining world.
• 513.M41 - Perasa (1st Company) board the Space Hulk 'Chains of Woe' when it drops out of the Warp in the Aephelia system. With the aid of the Adeptus Mechanicus they secure several important artefacts before it vanishes back into the Warp.
• 617.M41 - Niamtre Mentuhotep is promoted to Peraa (Chapter Master).
• 801.M41 - Maatsa is lost to the Warp when the Astronomicon flickers briefly. The chapter holds feats of remembrance and offers prayers to the Emperor for their safe return.
• 940.M41 - Tutamun Imontu is promoted to Hatyaa Anpusa (2nd Company Captain), when the previous captain is gravely wounded on Terrisina III fighting Necrons.
• 999.M41 - The 13th Black Crusade. Khoran lands on the Shrine World of Jeraphum IV, accompanied by foul Chaos beasts. He sacrifices enough priests to open a warp rift. The Falcons respond, and in the bloody slaughter evict the Chaos Lord, but it costs them 246 Ahautyu (battle brothers).
• 013.M42 - The Falcons encounter Khoran on Kheriban Prime, and attack his foul daemonkin pits. Khoran gains the upper hand, but the arrival of the Battle Barge Atet with Primaris reinforcements shifts the odds in the Loyalists' favour. Khoran escapes, but not before the world is burned to ash.

Organisation

 

T

he Dusk Falcons are not totally Codex Compliant, preferring to fight as demi-companies, and rarely as complete companies.  Each Ahautyu (battle brother) is trained to be proficient in all of the chapter's weapons, although some will show better skill with a missile launcher than with a chainsword.  As such, squad markings are eschewed and each squad is formed based upon the needs of the task by the Hatyaa (company captain), who will know the capabilities of each of the Ahautyu under his command.  Over time, most Ahautyu will coalesce into informal squad formations, and utilise Perhekan hieroglyphs to mark themselves out to each other.
 
The chapter is organised into 9 sa (companies), with each sa having a prefix depending upon the aspect of the Emperor that they are named after.  For example, the 2nd Company are called the Anpusa, named after Anpu, the God of the Dead in Perhekan religion.  Each sa is fully contained with their own scout formations, Apothecaries, Chaplains, vehicles and fleet ships.   The 1st Company, the Perasa, are the Chapter Master's veteran bodyguards (the Kenytnesu) and the instructors for the Djamu (the initiates).  The only other department that answers directly to the Pera are the Perdjehuty, the Librarium.
 
The Nine Companies and their company symbols:

• Perasa - Falcon
• Anpusa - Jackal
• Khonsusa - was-sceptre
• Kheprisa - Scarab
• Sobeksa - Crocodile
• Sekhmetsa - Lioness
• Apepsa - Snake
• Maatsa - Ostrich Feather
• Hathorsa - Cow

Each Hatyaa also has another title related to his other duties for the Chapter, as other Chapters are wont to do.  For instance, Tutamun Imontu, Hatyaa Anpusa (Captain of 2nd Company), is also called Hery-Meket (Master of Relics).
 
To take the Anpusa as an example of a Dusk Falcons company (A (P) next to the name indicates a Primaris marine):
Company Captain (Hatyaa): Tutamun Imontu
Lieutenants (Idnu): Zhanis Tezurian, Siamun Kosine (P)
Librarians (Djehuty): Sokhar Ramses, Irubis Khejan (P)
Apothecary(Senjw): Kelam Bydos (P)
Chaplain (Hemnatar): Kothar Sept
Standard Bearer (Tjai-seryt): Kephrim Suphan
Techmarine (Hemut): Tulam Hebes
Battleline Squads (Neyut): 40x Ahautyu (Tactical, Intercessor, Scout, Infiltrator)
Close Support (Nakhtua): 35x Ahautyu (Assault, Inceptor, Bike, Landspeeder)
Fire Support (Megau): 35x Ahautyu (Devastator, Eliminator, Suppressor, Hellblaster, Heavy Vehicles)
Veterans (Minfyt): 10x Ahautyu (Company Veterans, Terminators)
Elites (Nearin): 20x Ahautyu (Reiver, Aggressor)
 
These figures do not include the auxiliaries and non-named HQ/Elites choices. (I'm not a player, so this list is purely from a fluff perspective.)

 

Recruitment, Testing & The Cult of Amenra

P

rospective ahautyu are recruited from the many city-state dwellers that make the arduous journey across the deserts and fight amongst them. Life on Perheka is harsh, such that by the time a boy reaches 13 Terran years old he has already seen many battles and survived numerous encounters with the Sand Burrowers. On a world where the simple act of gathering food can result in death from arrow, blade or monstrous wildlife, many strive to become the heads of their city-state, either via gaining favour with the ruling Nome or by marrying into the family. It is from such a life that the Hemnatar plucks a boy, usually at the start of the brief rainy season. The Hemnatar will call at the boy's family house in the middle of the night and beckon the boy to come with him. The offer is never refused, as it is seen as a great honour for a family's son to be chosen.

The novite, or djamu in Perhekan, will then endure the multi-year process to turn a callow youth into an ahautyu, with constant surgeries and tests.

One of the final tests is called simply 'The Egg Trial'. In this test. the djamu must trek alone into the heart of the Great Western Desert and bring back a Perhekan Falcon egg. Whilst this trial sounds simple, the journey is fraught with dangers. Firstly, the djamu weighs more than he did as a boy, so must take great care, particularly when approaching the skyscraper-sized rocky pillars that the Falcon nests in, as the territory is also the home of the Sand Burrower Queens, whose senses are considerably more sensitive than their warriors. A mis-step can result in jaws as wide as an ahautyu is tall snapping up from the sand and swallowing him down into the darkness. Once at the pillars, the djamu must be careful not to be seen climbing up to the nest, as the Perhekan Falcon has a beak as sharp as any arrow, and can easily cut through the bone of any Astartes. Once successful, the djamu must meet at the rendezvous point with the egg intact. The egg is then inscribed with his name and placed in a sus-an sarcophagus, which is worn on his armour until his death. If his battle-brothers can retrieve it, the sarcophagus is carried until the surviving brother returns to Perheka. It is then hatched and released. Thus is the ahautyu's spirit reborn in the form of the Falcon.
 

T

he Cult of Amenra is the cult of the Dusk Falcons, and is derived from the beliefs of the native Perhekans.  In this cult, the God-Emperor is venerated as the Perhekan sun-god Amenra.  It is His light that makes the crops grow, and the aspects of His personality are with the Ahautyu from their birth until their death.  He controls and shapes their lives, and it is because of Him that they endure.  As such, it is to Him that they owe their lives, and they strive to repay that debt.  The cult is led by the Hemnatar Tipamun (head chaplain) of the chapter.

When not involved in battle, training, or prayer, the ahautyu spend their time writing their deeds upon papyrus scrolls, which are then entered into the chapter's Librarium once they die. After all, all knowledge can be useful, and if an ahautyu's experiences in the past help the ahautyu of the present, then he has lived on in the service of his chapter.  Further, each battle brother pores over the ancient scrolls of their predecessors in an effort to spot patterns from previous times and avoid any mistakes.
 

Chapter Colours

 
Below is an example of a Dusk Falcons Primaris Marine in Mk X Tacticus armour.
 

 
 
N.B. The badge in the 'Alternate Shoulder Insignia' is the jackal head of the Anpusa.  The sergeant helmet is for an assault sergeant, standard sergeants have a grey face plate.  The hatyaa's helmet is not shown because he wears a helmet shaped in the form of the aspect that his sa takes its name from.  For example, Tutamun Imontu wears a jackal-head helmet.  Officers and veterans also wear the company badge as a relief on their right pauldron, not painted on.
 
Specialists within the chapter wear armour in the chapter colours, with their pauldron trim in a colour that corresponds to their 'branch'.  The exception to this is the Hemnatar, who wears black armour.  Their right pauldron has the relief of the 'branch'.

Specialists

Specialist	Name	Symbol	Colour
Librarian	Djehuty	Ibis	Royal Blue
Apothecary	Senjw	Ankh	White
Techmarine	Hemut	Sceptre of Ptah	Deep Red
Chaplain	Hemnatar	Crook & Flail	Bone Cream/white

 
++ I'll add some painted Marines when I finally getting around to getting all of the colours and painting some stuff up! ++

Meta/Design

Egyptian ninjas IN SPAAACE!!!! The chapter was originally inspired by a Thousand Sons converted Chaos Terminator I saw on the old GW site many years ago, with a headpiece that was very evocative of the nemes worn by a pharaoh (this was before the Sons got their full Egyptian-themed range). I love ancient history, and we studied the Ancient Egyptians in school. I also love the idea of having a sneaky-beaky Special Forces style of Marines. However, it's generally frowned upon to use Traitor gene-seed, so they couldn't be Alpha Legion; hence the Raven Guard as a possible precursor. If, however, using Traitor geneseed becomes acceptable, then they'll be shifting to Alpha Legion faster than you can say "I'm Alpharius"!
My chapter of choice back in the day (90s) was the Space Wolves, because they weren't as boringly Codex compliant as most of the other chapters, so it was natural that mine wouldn't be either (hence the Nine Blades to make the Nine Companies).

 

UPDATE (26/09/2019):  I've updated a few things to remove some confusion and such, based upon the feedback from everyone here.  Hopefully it scans better now!  Also, I've read through the Raven Guard supplement (I got myself a copy), and I'm definitely leaning towards having them confirmed as Raven Guard, although I'm still waiting to see if GW creates a similar CSM 2.0 & supplements for Chaos before committing.

Edited September 26, 2019 by Timberley

[Gederas]

Now this is an interesting chapter. I like the Egyptian theme without them being Thousand Sons-lite.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The IA is well-written, overall. However, there is room for improvement.

Notable dates:

 

310.M36 - Maatsa destroys a Traitor Navy unit, and the heretic transports they are escorting to Chiros, in the Aregulis system.

 

813.M37 - Sekhmetsa encounters Khoran Heural and his warband 'The Lidless Eye' for the first time on Kerythus Ostera, an agri-world. They manage to drive him off, though his sabotage destroys 80% of the world's crops and he coaxes nearly 60% of the population into slavery.

 

439.M38 - The start of a 3 year campaign by Kheprisa and Sobeksa to eradicate an Ork warband from the minor Forgeworld of Hysperia IV.

 

620.M39 - Khonsusa battles The Shining Spear Eldar corsair band on Agebon Prime.

The fact you put "Organization" UNDER the "History" segment, had me wonder, "WHO and WHAT are the 'Maatsa' and other terms thrown about this IA?!" Either the "History" segment should be cut and then inserted UNDER the "Organization" segment, or more details should be added, e.g., rewrite

Maatsa destroys a Traitor Navy unit,

as

Maatsa, the Dusk Falcons Eighth Company, destroys a Traitor Navy unit.

(Emphasis mine.)

 

I certainly want to know who and what "Khoran Heural" is, and what kind of warband he led. Is he a Chaos Space Marine, leading the Lost and the Damned? A Drukhari Kabal leader, launching raids out of Commorragh? Something else?

[Timberley]

Thanks for the feedback!  Bjorn, you're right about the dates.  I think your latter option is the way to go, so I'll amend the initial post.

 

As for Khoran Heural, he's the leader of a Chaos warband.  His history and that of his warband, will be published in the next few days, once I've finished writing it!

 

TIm

[Kelborn]

Egyptian ninjas in Speeeehs?

 

Count me intrigued. Currently at work but I'll definitely read your stuff. I once had a comparable idea including a XVth Legion blackshield force, with some heavy influence from Starcraft's Dark Templar and such.

 

Curious to see how you managed it. :)

[Brother Cambrius]

Always do love seeing an "Aegyptus Astartes" chapter being put together! The design is nicely unique and I really love the interpretation of rebirth with the egg's hatching.

 

Have you got the symbol of the chapter handy on its own? Would love to put together a heraldry set in the classic SM armour to pass to the 1000 Chapter Gallery Project. :)

 

Cambrius

[Timberley]

Always do love seeing an "Aegyptus Astartes" chapter being put together! The design is nicely unique and I really love the interpretation of rebirth with the egg's hatching.

 

Have you got the symbol of the chapter handy on its own? Would love to put together a heraldry set in the classic SM armour to pass to the 1000 Chapter Gallery Project.

 

Cambrius

Thanks Cambrius! Yeah, the badge is here.  Once I get my finger out and actually get around to painting (first time in nearly 20 years I'll have painted something), then I'll chuck up some pictures of them, assuming the quality doesn't totally suck!  I've been watching WHTV recently to try and pick up tips.  It's funny how much has changed since the days of old!

 

Tim

[Messor]

The Dusk Falcons look awesome, Tim. Very nice incorporation of all the themes you've chosen. I have a couple of points to raise: In the History section you refer to Sand Burrowers, but through the rest, to Sand Dwellers. I'm assuming they're the same, and one of the names is a mistake. The other thing, more a question:

 

 

 

Those that know of the chapter have speculated that they are one of Archmagos Belisarius Cawl's first successful experiments with the Sangprimus Portem, but the chapter does not know

 

What leads those who know of the Chapter to this speculation, when the Chapter itself can't say for sure?

 

Any future developments planned for their background? Gotten any models under the brush yet? I also think such a characterful chapter would really benefit from some flavor text and quotations.

[Brother Cambrius]

Some good questions from Messor there.

I've also finished putting together a classic heraldry set up form pre-Primaris so I can share this to Philip S' 1000 Chapter Project I mentioned last. Feel free to use it as you wish. :)

Cambrius

[Brother Lunkhead]

Nice Gyptus themed Space Marines with no Thosand Sons ties...…. I like it a lot.

 

Like Messor, I'm also curious about the speculation on the Cawl connection. Just an asside, how does any chapter have an unknown origin. When they send their gene-seed tythe in, why don't they ask the AdMech, "Oh by the way, who's our daddy?"

 

Good stuff.... looking forward to more.

[Messor]

Just an asside, how does any chapter have an unknown origin. When they send their gene-seed tythe in, why don't they ask the AdMech, "Oh by the way, who's our daddy?"

 

Good stuff.... looking forward to more.

 

I've often wondered that as well, and I can only assume that there must be some pretty specific conditions that allow the AdMech to identify a gene-seed source. I'd wager that under most circumstances, the most they can tell is how pure it is, and even that must be limited given some of the persistent mutations among first founding chapters, whose gene-seed continues to be used in new foundings. I'm thinking that for whatever reason (lost knowledge or tech) they can't just give it the ole paternity test.

[Timberley]

Apologies all, I've been busy recently and haven't had an opportunity to reply properly.

 

To reply to the questions...

 

Messor: No, a Sand Burrower is an indigenous mega-insect species, whilst a Sand Dweller is a nomad-type, similar to the Taureg. 

The Cawl connection has been speculated by other characters of mine (An Inquisitor and an AdMech Magos), and is put in there as they are ostensibly Raven Guard, yet unlike the Sons of Corax have a full compliment of implants.  This was me riffing off the Raptors Chapter having a functioning Betcher's Gland and trying to bodyswerve the 'Emo' of the Raven Guard.  Also, the 13th Founding seems to have been the time of mysterious chapters (as you'd expect), so I'm trying to incorporate that and not back myself into the corner should it become acceptable to use 'other' geneseed.

I am planning on developing them further (once I have some time off), and I've started putting a couple of models under the brush.  However, having time (I've been working for 65 days straight so far and before that I was travelling for nearly a month) is the problem.  I'm hoping it will improve.  I did (though it was not my best work) submit a story to the Black Library writing competition, detailing a recon mission gone wrong on the planet Morganthus (bonus points if you know where that name comes from).  Flavour text and such will be added, as I do muse over my chapter a lot, and how to improve them.

 

Brother Lunkhead: I suspect that when a chapter submits their tithe to the AdMech for testing, the AdmEch Biologis does various tests to ensure that genetic markers line up, there's no mutation that would create different proteins and thus cause impurity, and that it matches the data held on file for the Dusk Falcons chapter.  Once the geneseed has been verified, that's the end of it.  Also, whilst the chapter may be curious as to their origins, I don't think they'd be so crass as to ask the AdMech!  The humanity of it; asking for assistance from outsiders...  They are loyal space marines.  Their duty is to the Imperium and whilst they may not know their true origins, they know that they were created to defend humanity from the horrors of the galaxy.  In such circumstances, their geneseed being stable and their loyalty true matter more.

 

Brother Cambrius: I love that image of a Firstborn (I'll think of a Perhekan name for them later)!

 

Tim

Edited September 25, 2019 by Timberley

[Messor]

Gotcha. Some further clarification in the body of that section would iron that out. 

 

This part in particular sounds like it refers to a beast rather than a person:

 

 

the territory is also the home of the Sand Dweller Queens, whose senses are considerably more sensitive than their warriors.

 

Glad to hear they're still growing in your mind; it's a really fun concept!

[Ace Debonair]

This is quite a fun Chapter to read about!

One thing did stick out a bit to me though;
 

The Nine Companies:

• Perasa - Falcon
• Anpusa - Jackal
• Khonsusa - was-sceptre
• Kheprisa - Scarab
• Sobeksa - Crocodile
• Sekhmetsa - Lioness
• Apepsa - Snake
• Maatsa - Ostrich Feather
• Hathorsa - Cow

I'm not terribly familiar with Egyptian mythology, but I have to ask: Why Ostrich Feather for the eighth Company, instead of just Ostrich?

What I mean is, if the rest are named for an animal, why is the Eighth Company only named for part of an animal?
 

...Although, the Third Company doesn't adhere to the 'named for animals' theme either, so I suppose maybe I've just missed the point altogether. 

[Timberley]

Sorry, I should really clear all of this up.  When I wrote this IA it was the first time my notes had come together in a formalised way!  The Ostrich feather is their company symbol, and is on their right pauldron.  Their left pauldron has the chapter symbol and their pauldrons are edged in a colour that denotes their 'branch' within the company.  Messor, you're right, i was clearly going mental with Sand Dwellers and such.

 

Tim

[Timberley]

So here's the first painted mini!

 

 

This is the first miniature I've painted in 22 years...  Anyway, hopefully it'll give people an idea of what the Falcons look like in the plastic.  I'm working on a librarian next.

 

Tim

 

Edit: Image hilarity...

Edited October 2, 2019 by Timberley

[Messor]

Looks awesome!

[Brother Lunkhead]

First rate

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good job on the model.

[Timberley]

Cheers gang!  I'm already seeing ways I can improve the paint job.  For anyone wondering; it's the Primaris Lieutenant from DI, with his sword replaced by a Khopesh from FW's Thousand Sons Kenetai set (my first foray into drilling and pinning), and his head is from the FW Deathsworn pack.  I need to make some plasticard ears to complete the 'Anubis' effect.  The grey is a pretty standard Mechanicus Grey, Nuln oil, and Dawnstone highlight. 

 

My librarian will take more time, mainly because the conversion is fairly extensive, but I'm hoping his camo cloak will give you an idea for 'character' units.

 

Tim

[Timberley]

Hey all, I thought I'd post a quick update, and show a variant on the Judicar with the Primaris chaplain hooded skull:

My painting skills still need work, but I'm starting to get to grips with highlights (I think). The hourglass was a bit of a pain to paint!

Edited August 5, 2020 by Timberley

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Judiciar looks intimidating as hell. Excellent work. Edited August 10, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Timberley]

Thanks Bjorn!

We all know that every protagonist needs an antagonist, so below is one of the antagonists for our intrepid chapter (full background and such to be added once I've written it, along with their entry into Chaos section):

Yes, it is Vex Machinator on foot! Though his name will be something else. He's going to be either a Lord Discordant or maybe just a Warpsmith (my Chaos warband being themed around daemon-binding and machinery).

Tim

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Vex Machinator is well-posed and painted. I commend your efforts.