Looking for Ideas and Inspiration for my WHFB Empire Marines

[Claws and Effect]

I've narrowed it down to three possible name choices, though I'm still open to others:

 

1. Sons of Sigmar

2. Talons of Mortis (Reference to Deathclaw, Karl Franz's Griffon)

3. Hammers of the Emperor

Eternal Sons.

 

Or perhaps Suns.

[Black_Cat_41]

Enduring Sons. For The Empire (and the Imperium) endures.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I like the backstory you wrote.

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

I really like the color schemes you chose, and the backstory was great too!!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Enduring Sons. For The Empire (and the Imperium) endures.

For a more ornate and martial name, how about "Knights of Durandal," after Roland's unbreakable sword?

[Black_Cat_41]

THat's an interesting idea. 

[Black_Cat_41]

I'm trying to decide which Chapter these guys are Successors of:

 

1. Iron Hands
2. Imperial Fists

3. Ultramarines 

Do note I'm likely to use Successor Tactics crunch-wise, this is more of a lore based decision.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Iron Hand (replacing a Dwarf gyrobomber's nose-mounted clattergun with an auspex, so the pilot may aim the turret-mounted twin assault cannons): "Your efforts are admirable for one laboring without the Omnissiah's- the Machine God's blessings. Let us show you what can be done with the blessings of His Standard Template Constructs!"

 

Imperial Fist (directing the Thunderhawk transporter lowering a twin Earthshaker turret into the turret ring replacing a specially reinforced castle tower's original turret): "Nuln cannot be considered 'protected' until all its towers mount comparable weapons!"

 

Ultramarine (gilding the breastplate of Planetary Governor Karl Franz, to conceal the refractor field generator installed there): "My judgment is correct: the color ultramarine highlights the gold better than the color crimson. Kindly order more ultramarine paint from the dyers' guild."

[Black_Cat_41]

With help from the 1D4Chan Space Marine Chapter Creation tables, I came up with a bit more background.

 

 

Reason for founding: Crusade – The Chapter was created to fight in the Indomitus Crusade.

 

Founding: Ultima Founding (Primaris Chapter)

 

Progenitor:

 

Purity of Gene-Seed: Pure - Same as progenitor in terms of purity, and will maintain close links with it

 

Chapter Motto: “We Will Endure”

 

Mutations: Unknown (Until I decide Progenitor)

 

Chapter Flaw: We Stand Alone - The Chapter is either distrusted for some reason or shuns contact with others.

 Partially due to their isolation from the Indomitus Crusade following the Great Rift, and partially because of their heavy involvement in their affairs on Malleus, many other Imperial institutions view the Imperial Griffons suspiciously at first. Additionally, the lack of clear communications from the other side of Cicatrix Maledictum makes the Chapter’s intentions somewhat unclear. This forces the Imperial Griffons to fight unaided for long periods, with little hope of reinforcement.

 

Figures of Legend: TBD

 

Chapter Homeworld: Malleus Secundus (formerly Malleus Primus), a Medieval World. Most of the planet is covered in vast forests, although the terrain varies depending on region.

 

Rule of Homeworld: The Chapter Master of the Imperial Griffons is also the Lord Regent of the Malleus system, and Chief Elector of the ten provinces of the primary human colony. Each of his Captains serve as an Elector-Count of one of the provinces, and together they form a council of governance for both the star system and the Chapter as a whole.

 

Codex Compliance: Divergent. Initially, the Imperial Griffons were a Codex adherent Chapter, like their Progenitors. However, the unique conditions of the Malleus system, the difficulties with logistics caused by the Great Rift, and the near constant state of alert have forced the Chapter to blend Codex approved chapter tactics with those of the local Planetary Defence Forces, as well as tactics more commonly implemented by other Astartes Chapters. While the Imperial Griffons are still staunch believers of the teachings within the Codex and maintain a basic Codex-compliant structure in the broadest sense, they now view it as more of a series of tactical guidelines rather than an absolute doctrine. (This is a trait they share with their brother Astartes, the Howling Griffons, but for different reasons.) 

 

Combat Specialisations:

1. Versatility: Imperial Griffons are skillful both in melee and ranged combat.
2. Mechanised Warfare: The Chapter makes use of vehicles and armour, such as Tanks and Dreadnoughts.
3. Combined-Arms: The Griffons combine infantry, cavalry (bikers and actual mounted Astartes), and armoured support to mount precision attacks on the enemy.

Specialised Equipment:

 

-Mallean Demigryphs (Mounts): When the Chapter’s bikes and Land-speeders fell into disrepair, the Chapter adapted a local griffon-like Xenos creature to serve as a fast attack mount. Although slower than bikes, the Demigryphs are equally as strong, can still mount weapons, and have the advantage of being able to assist their riders in combat.

 

(These will be counts-as bikers)

 

- Unpowered Hand Weapons (Intercessors): Although the Intercessors of Griffons Battleline companies do not carry power weapons or Chainswords into battle (except for their Sergeants), this does not stop Griffons Astartes from shunning their basic Astartes survival knives and instead arming themselves with more effective close-quarters weapons. From simple swords and axes to other, more ornate forms of armament, the Intercessors of the Imperial Griffons are better prepared for close-quarters combat than some of their fellow Astartes, though they cannot hope to best chapters such as the Blood Angels or Space Wolves in terms of raw close-quarters savagery.

 

(this will allow me to use Empire hand weapons on my Intercessor models to represent their extra attack)

 

-Other: Other specialised Imperial Griffons equipment will be described in detail as I come up with them.

 

Chapter Beliefs:

 

The Aspects of the Emperor: The human denizens of the Malleus system believe that during days long forgotten, the God-Emperor of Man once came to their world and walked among them in the form of their original local deity, known in their local dialect as Sigmar. Other former gods of Malleus (I.e. Myrmidia, Taal, Morr, etc.) have been reframed to represent different aspects of the Emperor’s divine will and the various offices of His Imperium. Myrmidia, the goddess of war, for instance, is now commonly associated with the Adepta Sororitas.

 While these lesser aspects of the Emperor are sometimes still worshipped directly as gods, direct adoration of these powers is still considered heresy by the Ordo Hereticus. Therefore, worship of the God-Emperor (Sigmar) is the only officially sanctioned religion on Malleus, with cults devoted to the other Aspects of the Emperor being carefully monitored, and, in many cases, eliminated by the Imperial Griffons in order to prevent sanctions and investigation by the Inquisition. This sometimes creates tension between the ruling Imperials and more traditionalist members of the colony, who still view the former with suspicion. However, careful negotiation on the part of Chapter Master Franz has ensured that the peace has been kept, or, at the least, that open hostilities have not drawn the Malleus system into full-scale civil war.

Each Battle Company of the Imperial Griffons is bound to one of the ten Provinces of Malleus. Therefore, some initiates still cling to the traditions of their home province, which may venerate other aspects of the Emperor besides Sigmar. It is not uncommon to see an Astartes belonging to the Battle-Company of Middenland to wear a wolf’s pelt as a cloak, or for the Talebheim Company to bear the names of both Taal and Sigmar upon their banners, (with the latter being more prominent.) This has, in the past, created tensions between the Chapter and certain members of the Inquisition, who believe that these “Aspects of the God-Emperor” are little more than code-words for other, more heretical beings.  

 

The Imperial Griffons believe that Sigmar, the Emperor Himself, is master over all these other aspects. They consider him the One True Lord of Malleus, whose divine will sent the Chapter to their distant system. It is in Sigmar’s name that the Griffons march to war, and it is by serving Him that the Griffons can best fulfill their oaths to both the Imperium they are sworn to serve and the people of the system which relies upon them for protection.

 

Faith, Steel, and Firepower: The Imperial Griffons believe that devout belief in Sigmar, mastery of arms, and overwhelming firepower are the keys to victory. Each Griffon has devoted himself to mastery of these three doctrines, regarding them as highly as other Chapters might revere the Codex itself. Each day, an Astartes trains his mind, body, and spirit with utter devotion and stoicism, mastering blade, bolter, and prayer with every ounce of his being.

 

Faith-- The first tenant, faith, states that the God-Emperor Sigmar is the source of the Chapter’s strength: that it was He who inspired Archmagos Dominus Cawl to sire the Chapter on holy Mars, and that His lightning birthed the Primaris crusaders who first arrived in the Malleus system. By remaining faithful and loyal to the teachings of Sigmar, the Astartes can find the guidance, strength, and willpower to fulfill their duties as the wardens of Malleus. Likewise, those who lost faith in the Emperor’s will are hated above all others, for they abandoned Sigmar when he needed them most.

 

Steel -- The tenant of steel teaches that a warrior of the Emperor should master his weapons and use them as extensions of his own will. By fusing weapon and warrior into a single entity, a Griffon can act most efficiently and thus rightly end the foes of Humanity. Many Imperial Griffons are master artisans, inscribing each suit of Tacticus armour with words of purity and using the rich mineral resources of Malleus to create ornate swords and bolt-rifles of exceptional quality. Even those who are not gifted craftsmen find ways to express their unique gift for the handling of arms. Prior to their transformation into Space Marines, many of the Astartes of the Chapter either serve in the State-Trooper Regiments of the System Defence Forces, or else hail from upper-class families that reside within the hive-cities.  Whether veteran Guardsmen or master duelists, each Astartes of the Chapter finds a way to master his skill at arms, creating a powerful Astartes force which strives for mastery of its weaponry and equipment.

 

Firepower—The final tenant, firepower, teaches that an overwhelming show of force can often bring even the hardiest of enemies to their knees. The Griffons often make use of mechanised infantry as the backbone of their force, knowing that a gunline of Intercessors and Aggressors backed by Repulsor tanks and Dreadnoughts can carry the day.

 

A strike force of the Imperial Griffons deployed for battle is a magnificent spectacle. The Chapter’s forces comprise columns of battle-brothers clad in scarlet and bone-white ceramite marching to war beneath glorious banners. These seasoned warriors are supported by a wide assortment of other forces: thunderous Dreadnoughts, powerful grav-tanks, and powerful Psykers who harness the power of the God-Emperor upon His foes in a formidable display of lightning, thunder, and divine fury.

 

When the brunt of the enemy has broken itself upon the ranks of the battle-line, the Griffons counterattack with all haste. Shock cavalry mounted upon alien Demigryhons and Ulrican Stormwolves surge ahead of waves of Astartes bikers, the claws and beaks of their mounts rending through flesh, armour and bone as efficiently as any chainsword. Golden armoured Centurion battle-suits and Stormforged Terminators break through the fragmented lines of the enemy in brutal frontal assaults, crashing through enemy ranks without quarter and leaving only ruin in their wake. When at last the fog of war lifts and the smoke settles, the banner of the Imperium flutters high above the fallen, triumphant against the unending tide of the enemies of Man.

Edited January 5, 2020 by Black_Cat_41

[Bjorn Firewalker]

You're off to a good start. I do see possible errors, though.

Chapter Homeworld: Malleus Secundus (formerly Malleus Primus)

What happened to Malleus Primus? Did the Great Rift's opening devastate the planet, forcing the Chapter to evacuate all untainted humans and abhumans they could save from the doomed world, and relocate them to Malleus Secundus?

Unpowered Hand Weapons (Intercessors): Although the Intercessors of Griffons Battleline companies do not carry power weapons or Chainswords into battle (except for their Sergeants), this does not stop Griffons Astartes from shunning their basic Astartes survival knives and instead arming themselves with more effective close-quarters weapons.

Why don't the Intercessors bear chainswords? Do they lack the manufactories to build these weapons- including the onboard manufactories an Astartes warship should have, so the Marines have the autonomy needed to accomplish their missions?

 

Chainweapons can be made as small as a knife- Tona Criid wielded a chainknife as a hive ganger in the Gaunt's Ghosts novels- so lack of the necessary manufacturing and maintenance capabilities should be the only reason not to carry such weapons.

Shock cavalry mounted upon alien Demigryhons and Ulrican Stormwolves surge ahead of waves of Astartes bikers

Golden armoured Centurion battle-suits and Stormforged Terminators

Primaris Marines will not fit on Space Marine bikes, or in Centurion warsuits and Terminator armor, unless such equipment is specially modified to accomodate their larger physique. If such modifications were made, you should specify this detail in the IA; it may also be advisable to make up new names for Primaris bikers, Centurions, and Terminators.

[Black_Cat_41]

Malleus Primus was destroyed by a Chaos incursion following the opening of the Rift. (Reference to the End Times.)

 

Rules wise only Intercessor Sergeants can carry chainswords. So this way I can represent the extra attack of a Primaris while remaining WYSIWYG.

 

I wrote this assuming Primaris will get biker units etc. in the future. Custom rules for my playgroup until then will use different names, these are placeholders. Demigryphs will be kitbashed using the mounts from Stormcast Eternals, but use biker rules for matched play purposes.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Malleus Primus was destroyed by a Chaos incursion following the opening of the Rift. (Reference to the End Times.)

That's fair.

Rules wise only Intercessor Sergeants can carry chainswords. So this way I can represent the extra attack of a Primaris while remaining WYSIWYG.

Make a chainhalberd by having a chainaxe replace the standard atop a Primaris Ancient's pole? Convert chainswords into chainbayonets by attaching them to Intercessors' ranged weapons, and have the chainbayonets use a spear's profile in close combat?

I wrote this assuming Primaris will get biker units etc. in the future. Custom rules for my playgroup until then will use different names, these are placeholders. Demigryphs will be kitbashed using the mounts from Stormcast Eternals, but use biker rules for matched play purposes.

Fair enough. I assume Primaris Marines will get jetbikes, though- Custodes are comparable to Primaris in size, so the latter should be able to ride Custodes jetbikes.

[Black_Cat_41]

I'm pretty sure a lost colony of the Imperium would still use chain-weapons if it disappeared during the Dark Age of Technology. So the conversions you suggested could work very well for the Intercessors. :) 

 

The jetbike assumption would actually be super cool, I might convert a few for use alongside my 'Gryphs. If nothing else they would be cool kitbashing opportunities.

[Black_Cat_41]

"Imperial Foot" or "Reiksguard" as Gravis Terminators? 

"Nuln Ironsiders" instead of Centurions?

[Panzer]

 

 

-Mallean Demigryphs (Mounts): When the Chapter’s bikes and Land-speeders fell into disrepair, the Chapter adapted a local griffon-like Xenos creature to serve as a fast attack mount. Although slower than bikes, the Demigryphs are equally as strong, can still mount weapons, and have the advantage of being able to assist their riders in combat.

 

(These will be counts-as bikers)

 

Why not use the Space Wolf rules then? That way you could use their Thunderwolf Cavalry instead which would be closer to what you are trying to do here and their Sagas would work nicely as knightly quests too. And don't worry, nothing forces you to go all-in on melee just because you'd use SW rules. They can shoot just fine too. ^^

[Black_Cat_41]

SW might be a decent idea to look into. I'll keep it in mind.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I like your idea of Warhammer Fantasy Empire names for Marine units.

"Imperial Foot" or "Reiksguard" as Gravis Terminators?

Don't you mean "Primaris Aggressors"? Anyways, "Reiksguard" sounds better, in my opinion.

"Nuln Ironsiders" instead of Centurions?

Don't you mean "Invictor warsuits"? The Chapter is of the Primaris only Ultima Founding.

[Black_Cat_41]

Yeah, I forgot the name "Invictor" for a moment, I just remembered it as "the thing between a Centurion and a Dreadnought." 

 

"Gravis Terminators" is another way to say "Aggressor," but also a wish for a melee-oriented Aggressor to fill the Terminator Assault Squad role.

Edited January 5, 2020 by Black_Cat_41

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Call a Primaris-sized Terminator an "Ultimator," "Intimidator," or "Menacer"? (The last suggestion shares its name with a video game accessory compatible with the Sega Genesis port of the Terminator 2: Judgment Day arcade game- appropriate, no?) Edited January 5, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Black_Cat_41]

Ooh. I like that.  

More possible Primaris names/ custom units I came up with:

Interceptors: Intercessor statline, but with B+C and Jump Pack (Primaris assault marines)

Retaliators: Inceptor statline, but with melee weapon options 
Prosecutors: Primaris version of Empire Greatswords

Liberators: Empire Spearmen/Halberdiers with power weapons

 

[Black_Cat_41]

Obviously these custom units will be replaced with GW's units as they are released, with the lore stating they adapted Empire PDF tactics to better suit combat on Malleus, and then gradually replaced them with Codex approved replacements once they made contact with the other side of the Great Rift once more. ;) 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Prosecutors: Primaris version of Empire Greatswords

Arm them with slightly downgraded versions of the Custodes sentinel warblades (two-handed only, lacking the "Hail of Fire" special rule that let their wielders fire Snap Shots at Ballistic Skill 2 when using the sword's integral bolt weapon in 7th Edition)?

Liberators: Empire Spearmen/Halberdiers with power weapons

Arm them with imitations of the Custodes guardian spear?

[Black_Cat_41]

That seems pretty close to what I was thinking actually.

[Black_Cat_41]

Upon a bit more thought, I think Iron Hands would be fitting Progenitors. 

 

1. The Iron Council and Clan system of the Hands could naturally merge with the Elector system of Malleus. 
2. Like the Empire, the Iron Hands seek improvement of machines and technology. One needs only look at the Helblaster Volley Gun, Steam Tank, etc. of WHFB to see the similarity.

3. Like the Iron Hands, the Empire values its artillery (see Nuln.)

4. The twin-tailed comet and the hammer can both be associated with iron and metal, fitting for an IH successor
5. The Empire is often on the defence, outnumbered and outgunned in the face of the foe. The Hands have been in a similar position since the Drop-Site Massacre of the Horus Heresy. 
6. I like playing mechanised infantry. (Not a similarity between IH and the Empire, it's just my playstyle.) :P

[Ace Debonair]

Oh of course.  

 

Ideas for who in the Empire would be Master of the Forge, Chief Librarian, Master of Sanctity, etc? 

 

Also, I had the idea that each province of the Empire could be represented within one of the battle companies. Since there are ten provinces and ten companies this works out rather weil.

 

Speaking as another Total Warhammer guy, if your Supreme Patriarch Chief Librarian doesn't have a golden face mask and a propensity for yelling "I GO WHERE THE WINDS HOWL" and "I AM READY; ARE YOU?" then I have to wonder if your Chapter is really Empire-themed at all.