IA: The Stonebound 2020 - Version 0.4, a First Draft appears

[Machine God]

 

Can I ask why Redshields? I'd have thought you'd go for something like 'Ironbound' or 'Steelhearts' or something of that manner. Ores come from stone and what is refined through the forge of battle eventually ends up as the tested mettle* of the chapter.

 

Am I being too thematic here? I feel like this is a question you've covered in a previous version but my brain is dead. Apologies.

Tradition!

The Redshields have been the name of the Veteran Company since the earliest drafts, so I'd like to keep them.

Plus it just sounds cool.

 

Irounbound is the collective name of the Chapter's Dreadnoughts, for what it's worth - also a holdover from the earliest version of the Chapter.

 

Redshields - As in they're always in the forefront of battle against the foe. They are called Redshields as their shields are drenched in the blood of their slain enemies that they have broken before them.

 

(Edit: Emphasis on the blood.)

Edited March 1, 2020 by Machine God

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Redshields - As in they're always in the forefront of battle against the foe. They are called Redshields as their shields are drenched in the blood of their slain enemies that they have broken before them.

 

(Edit: Emphasis on the blood.)

This descriptor is full of WIN.

[Ace Debonair]

Update!

I have created a rough draft of an IA in the first post.

 

It's taken a lot of hours and very little sleep.

Once I've hibernated for probably a few days, I'll have a look at padding out some of the less detailed bits and generally upgrading sections.

[Brother Lunkhead]

  Brother Ace. A most excellent introduction to your most honorable Stonebound Chapter The narrative is fun to read, with enough information to get your points across and to build further narratives with. Good job. 

[Brother Cambrius]

A fine draft there, Ace! Well done. :tu:

 

So something that caught my attention was that their recruits come from mining-clans, now I didn't see anything mentioned, but when it comes to siege-warfare or similar, do the Stoneborn utilise their mining abilities for subterranean assaults or destabilising enemy emplacements before thundering in with a brutal, powerful attack on the surface as the walls crumble form beneath?

 

Atop that, regarding their original homeworld and keeping relics in pocket bunkers etc, are many relics still lost within those halls, locked away from the Orks through secret passageways and similar? I could imagine the absolute affront and dishonour upon seeing a Mekboy's newly Looted Battlewagon originating from an ancient and revered Land Raider or more likely, ornate firearms gubbinz'd up...

 

Cambrius

[Ace Debonair]

  Brother Ace. A most excellent introduction to your most honorable Stonebound Chapter:tu: The narrative is fun to read, with enough information to get your points across and to build further narratives with. Good job.

...A solid foundation then?

That would be a fitting start for the exploits of the Exiles of Kagara Rightful Lords of Kharabor!

 

 

So something that caught my attention was that their recruits come from mining-clans, now I didn't see anything mentioned, but when it comes to siege-warfare or similar, do the Stoneborn utilise their mining abilities for subterranean assaults or destabilising enemy emplacements before thundering in with a brutal, powerful attack on the surface as the walls crumble form beneath?

I mean, on the one hand... digging tunnels seems a bit long-winded for how I imagine Space Marines with tanks and artillery options to conduct their siege warfare (i.e. blast everything to heck until the walls come down)…

 

But on the other hand Throne Yes, they absolutely do exactly that when the situation calls for it.

The Imperial Fists and Iron Warriors are probably dab hands at  siege tunnels, but I'd wager nobody moves earth like the Stonebound when the need is dire.

 

Atop that, regarding their original homeworld and keeping relics in pocket bunkers etc, are many relics still lost within those halls, locked away from the Orks through secret passageways and similar? I could imagine the absolute affront and dishonour upon seeing a Mekboy's newly Looted Battlewagon originating from an ancient and revered Land Raider or more likely, ornate firearms gubbinz'd up...

 

Cambrius

I... honestly thought I'd already put something like that in the article.

 

I kind of feel like seeing an Ork with looted gear would send the entire Chapter into full "I will not part with a single coin suffer the loss of a single bolt round" mode and they'd become even more murderous, greedy and reckless with the need to reacquire it and avenge the dishonour dealt to them.

[Brother Cambrius]

 

Atop that, regarding their original homeworld and keeping relics in pocket bunkers etc, are many relics still lost within those halls, locked away from the Orks through secret passageways and similar? I could imagine the absolute affront and dishonour upon seeing a Mekboy's newly Looted Battlewagon originating from an ancient and revered Land Raider or more likely, ornate firearms gubbinz'd up...

 

Cambrius

I... honestly thought I'd already put something like that in the article.

 

I kind of feel like seeing an Ork with looted gear would send the entire Chapter into full "I will not part with a single coin suffer the loss of a single bolt round" mode and they'd become even more murderous, greedy and reckless with the need to reacquire it and avenge the dishonour dealt to them.

 

 

It would certainly make for some...interesting notable moments in the long campaign of purging the Greenskin. Especially if they looted a Dreadnought's chassis for a Warboss...

 

Cambrius

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I kind of feel like seeing an Ork with looted gear would send the entire Chapter into full "I will not part with a single coin suffer the loss of a single bolt round" mode and they'd become even more murderous, greedy and reckless with the need to reacquire it and avenge the dishonour dealt to them.

Stonebound Techmarine (beating an Ork Mek to death with the shoota he tore off the Land Raider-turned-Looted Wartrukk's sponson): "The Sons of Dorn have zero tolerance for hereteks, human or xeno!"

 

Smaug (watching from closed circuit cameras outside his hidden lair): "I thought I get grumpy when my treasures are stolen. Impressive rage, human."

[Ace Debonair]

It would certainly make for some...interesting notable moments in the long campaign of purging the Greenskin. Especially if they looted a Dreadnought's chassis for a Warboss...

 

Cambrius

 

 

Wow, that's definitely going to be a thing.

 

The very thought of it made me genuinely angry for a second (I am getting too into character for this Chapter ), but even so I can only imagine the terrifying depth of the fury that the Stonebound would be capable of if such a thing were to happen.

 

10/10 idea, would carve into Grudge-Stones

 

 

Stonebound Techmarine (beating an Ork Mek to death with the shoota he tore off the Land Raider-turned-Looted Wartrukk's sponson): "The Sons of Dorn have zero tolerance for hereteks, human or xeno!"

 

Smaug (watching from closed circuit cameras outside his hidden lair): "I thought I get grumpy when my treasures are stolen. Impressive rage, human."

 

I tired to add a Smaug-type enemy in An'Zagurd, but he came out much more like the Balrog of Moria (and the 'Hidden Fun Stuff' in Dwarf Fortress) than the giant dragon of Erebor.

 

I'll have to add a few bits about An'Zagurd greedily hoarding treasure / technology on a world somewhere, and try to strike a balance of sorts between the two.

 

...And now I'm tempted to have a Forge World that the awoken serpent attacks (and is wounded on). I just need to think of a better name than "Forge World Dale" and this might actually work...

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

 

 

 

Stonebound Techmarine (beating an Ork Mek to death with the shoota he tore off the Land Raider-turned-Looted Wartrukk's sponson): "The Sons of Dorn have zero tolerance for hereteks, human or xeno!"

 

Smaug (watching from closed circuit cameras outside his hidden lair): "I thought I get grumpy when my treasures are stolen. Impressive rage, human."

 

I tired to add a Smaug-type enemy in An'Zagurd, but he came out much more like the Balrog of Moria (and the 'Hidden Fun Stuff' in Dwarf Fortress) than the giant dragon of Erebor.

 

I'll have to add a few bits about An'Zagurd greedily hoarding treasure / technology on a world somewhere, and try to strike a balance of sorts between the two.

 

...And now I'm tempted to have a Forge World that the awoken serpent attacks (and is wounded on). I just need to think of a better name than "Forge World Dale" and this might actually work...

 

 

 

Just a thought, but what about the Hrud? They live in underground cities called Juunlaks, made of tunnels, dirt, and dark, aparrently.

 

They would make a rather lethal and somewhat mysterious threat, given how little GW has truly fleshed them out.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Just a thought, but what about the Hrud? They live in underground cities called Juunlaks, made of tunnels, dirt, and dark, aparrently.

 

They would make a rather lethal and somewhat mysterious threat, given how little GW has truly fleshed them out.

Good idea! The Hrud can be Skaven equivalents.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Just saw a video of Baltimore Knife and Sword blacksmiths forging a historical

, and thought it was relevant to this thread. The company also made a replica of

.

[Donkey Kong]

Hey again Ace old friend, it’s been a minute. I’m glad to see that you’re still writing! My initial idea was to run through your draft in the OP with a red pen, but I think it’s probably a bit early in the writing process to cut into grammar and syntax. So, I’ll stick to hopefully thought provoking questions and suggestions for now. 

 

 

 

The Chapter took the Hive World of Kharabor ('Keystone' in High Gothic) as a homeworld, and named themselves the Stonebound, after the local's name for the Space Marines.

 

 

I’m having a little trouble reconciling a presumably typical high tech low life hive world calling space marines something that sounds as primitive as “The Stonebound.” I’m not suggesting rename the chapter, but I’d consider reworking the name origin or the homeworld circumstances. Your description of Kagara works perfectly for this version of the story, but Kagara isn’t Kharabor and I’m not sure how much you want to share between them.

 

Semi-related, having a back-up homeworld in Kagara doesn’t convey “displaced” and “homeless” to me the same way something like “fleet based” would. That also means that you can fit the current Kagara description under Kharabor. The Chapter’s serfs aboard their ships and garrisoning their keeps could still be from or descended from Kharabor/ Kagara so you could keep the culture.

 

 

 

Riled up by the deviant convictions of the Dead Prophet, Galgor Toof-Robba, the orks of the Glastheim Rifts had become fanatically convinced they were already dead, and thus were 'living' in an after-death paradise that Gork and Mork supposedly reward good Orks with.

 

I don’t know what’s supposed to be going on here. What does “Dead Prophet” mean? Is Galgor Toof-Robba dead? If he’s dead, how is he still prophesying and riling up Ork empires? I don’t imagine Orks are too into reading scripture. Why is being in Ork Valhalla more motivating than a good fight in the mortal life as opposed to the afterlife? Why not be motivated by the opportunity to fight space marines or loot their treasures? Right now I don’t think this snippet adds anything.

 

 

 

the Stonebound marked the greatest of these offences onto formidable stone tablets, recording the wrongs that must be avenged in order to restore the Chapter's former glory. These Grudge-Stones serve as a permanent reminder of shames endured and losses taken, and only when the grudge engraved upon the stone is considered avenged is the stone ritually shattered.

 

The way that this is written, it sounds like the Grudge-stone tradition only starts after the Stonebound lose control of their home world. Is that intentional?

 

 

 

Since losing their first home and migrating to Kagara, the Stonebound's armoury is typically more centralised, and kept within the Chapter's reach at all times.

 

How is this not repeating the same mistake that lost them all their treasures the first time around? Wouldn’t the solution to not letting all of your treasures be stolen from a vault be to disperse the treasures around the Chapter and put them to use?

 

 

 

The Stonebound have been shaped by their history, and defined by their endless war to retake their lost realm.

 

 

 

The fall of Kharabor was a blow like no other to the young Chapter;

 

I don’t like this timeline or sequence of events. We need The Stonebound to be doing multiple things for a long enough period of time for everything to make sense. 1. How many relics and treasures can a young chapter really have? The Stonebound have to be old enough at the time of their defeat that raiding the Chapter’s vaults is a heavy and meaningful blow. Losing a land raider or a dreadnought (love that idea too, Brother Cambrius) with history and campaign honors is more impactful than losing one that doesn’t. 2. Then the Chapter has to lose Kharabor early enough in their history that fighting to reclaim Kharabor becomes a defining conflict. 

 

I’m also not sure what you mean by “realm.” Is “their lost realm” Kharabor? Is it the system? Multiple systems? A subsector? A sector? The whole Glastheim Rifts?

 

You’ve written Imperial Fist successors hellbent on vengeance and settling grudges. Why isn’t there an Emperor’s Champion role somewhere in there? Random thought jumping off from here, could the Stonebound be an offshoot Black Templar crusade? That way the Chapter could be older than the 6th Founding. It also fits nicely with the Chapter Keeps too.

 

 

 

The Redshields were honestly originally inspired by the Deathwing - I just really liked the idea of the First Company having its' own colours

 

I like the idea of a special First Company too. Any thoughts on changing the whole suit instead of just the pauldron colors?

 

 

 

I mean, on the one hand... digging tunnels seems a bit long-winded for how I imagine Space Marines with tanks and artillery options to conduct their siege warfare (i.e. blast everything to heck until the walls come down)…

 

But on the other hand Throne Yes, they absolutely do exactly that when the situation calls for it.

The Imperial Fists and Iron Warriors are probably dab hands at  siege tunnels, but I'd wager nobody moves earth like the Stonebound when the need is dire.

 

Are Termite Assault Drills or possibly an Ordinatus Aktaeus on the table?

[Ace Debonair]

 

Just a thought, but what about the Hrud? They live in underground cities called Juunlaks, made of tunnels, dirt, and dark, aparrently.

 

They would make a rather lethal and somewhat mysterious threat, given how little GW has truly fleshed them out.

Good idea! The Hrud can be Skaven equivalents.

 

To be fair, there's Orks, Necron and Heretics already threatening the Chapter (and I'm still not 100% sure I should keep the Necron involvement)

I think there's enough enemies for the Stonebound to deal with right now.

 

It's a neat idea all the same, but I'll let someone else tackle the Hrud.

 

Hey again Ace old friend, it’s been a minute. I’m glad to see that you’re still writing! My initial idea was to run through your draft in the OP with a red pen, but I think it’s probably a bit early in the writing process to cut into grammar and syntax. So, I’ll stick to hopefully thought provoking questions and suggestions for now.

 

I had a funny feeling the Stonebound would drag a few old names out of the woodwork with them. 

Welcome back, brother.  

 

 

 

The Chapter took the Hive World of Kharabor ('Keystone' in High Gothic) as a homeworld, and named themselves the Stonebound, after the local's name for the Space Marines.

 

 

I’m having a little trouble reconciling a presumably typical high tech low life hive world calling space marines something that sounds as primitive as “The Stonebound.” I’m not suggesting rename the chapter, but I’d consider reworking the name origin or the homeworld circumstances. Your description of Kagara works perfectly for this version of the story, but Kagara isn’t Kharabor and I’m not sure how much you want to share between them.

 

Semi-related, having a back-up homeworld in Kagara doesn’t convey “displaced” and “homeless” to me the same way something like “fleet based” would. That also means that you can fit the current Kagara description under Kharabor. The Chapter’s serfs aboard their ships and garrisoning their keeps could still be from or descended from Kharabor/ Kagara so you could keep the culture.

 

Huh.

I'd honestly never considered fleet-based, and it makes a lot of sense.

 

I'll have to give this some serious thought.

 

 

I don’t know what’s supposed to be going on here. What does “Dead Prophet” mean? Is Galgor Toof-Robba dead? If he’s dead, how is he still prophesying and riling up Ork empires? I don’t imagine Orks are too into reading scripture. Why is being in Ork Valhalla more motivating than a good fight in the mortal life as opposed to the afterlife? Why not be motivated by the opportunity to fight space marines or loot their treasures? Right now I don’t think this snippet adds anything.

So.... when there wasn't anything explaining the existence of an Ork empire near Kharabor, I was asked to include something to justify the existence of Orks there.

 

I've thrown together a bunch of Orks based on the Discworld's Nac Mac Feegle, who believe that they're already dead and in the afterlife since from their point of view the world is just awesome.

 

The 40k Universe is grimdark and horrible, unless you're an Ork, in which case it's pretty awesome. There's stuff to fight and loot all over the place, and what proper ork doesn't love fighting and looting? So Galgor voices the idea that this must be where good Orks go after they die, and since they're already dead, they don't need to fear death.

 

On re-reading it, a randomly in-depth snippet about the orks does seem somewhat out of place.

 

I'd be happy enough to cut it completely, since as far as I'm concerned the entire setting justifies Orks being all over the place.

Also since I think Galgor and his followers might make an interesting Index Xenos article of their own at some point, where I can go into more detail about them.

 

I'll mull this over too.

 

 

 

 

the Stonebound marked the greatest of these offences onto formidable stone tablets, recording the wrongs that must be avenged in order to restore the Chapter's former glory. These Grudge-Stones serve as a permanent reminder of shames endured and losses taken, and only when the grudge engraved upon the stone is considered avenged is the stone ritually shattered.

 

The way that this is written, it sounds like the Grudge-stone tradition only starts after the Stonebound lose control of their home world. Is that intentional?

 

Yes indeed!

The fall of Kharabor is currently the intended trigger for the Grudge-stone tradition. 

 

 

 

Since losing their first home and migrating to Kagara, the Stonebound's armoury is typically more centralised, and kept within the Chapter's reach at all times.

 

How is this not repeating the same mistake that lost them all their treasures the first time around? Wouldn’t the solution to not letting all of your treasures be stolen from a vault be to disperse the treasures around the Chapter and put them to use?

 

That is precisely the point, but I'm glad you've picked up on it.

The Stonebound are, in some ways, very stubborn. This is (or at least, it should be) a flaw as well as a strength.

 

They're obsessed with remaking their glory days, and struggle to learn from their mistakes.

Heck, they probably wouldn't understand it was a mistake to start with. 

 

I don’t like this timeline or sequence of events. We need The Stonebound to be doing multiple things for a long enough period of time for everything to make sense. 1. How many relics and treasures can a young chapter really have? The Stonebound have to be old enough at the time of their defeat that raiding the Chapter’s vaults is a heavy and meaningful blow. Losing a land raider or a dreadnought (love that idea too, Brother Cambrius) with history and campaign honors is more impactful than losing one that doesn’t. 2. Then the Chapter has to lose Kharabor early enough in their history that fighting to reclaim Kharabor becomes a defining conflict.

That is a fair and valid point.

They'd have to flourish very quickly to still be a young Chapter when they lose Kharabor (and everything surrounding it).

 

More food for thought!

 

 

I’m also not sure what you mean by “realm.” Is “their lost realm” Kharabor? Is it the system? Multiple systems? A subsector? A sector? The whole Glastheim Rifts?

Consider it a shorthand for "all the planets they had keeps, armouries, or other materiel on, and most importantly of all, their homeworld."

 

You’ve written Imperial Fist successors hellbent on vengeance and settling grudges. Why isn’t there an Emperor’s Champion role somewhere in there? Random thought jumping off from here, could the Stonebound be an offshoot Black Templar crusade? That way the Chapter could be older than the 6th Founding. It also fits nicely with the Chapter Keeps too.

Because I have no interest in recreating the Black Templars, is the honest answer.

I like the Templars just fine, but I don't really look at them and go "They seem like the Dwarfiest Chapter".

 

If they were Black Templars, I'd have to justify them stopping their Crusade and taking a homeworld, only for them to lose their homeworld and either migrate to another or go back to crusading, making the entire justification in the first place a bit pointless.

 

It's probably a better idea to stick with the Fists.

 

 

I like the idea of a special First Company too. Any thoughts on changing the whole suit instead of just the pauldron colors?

 

I really like the colours I've picked out for the Redshields, so I'd rather keep them as-is.

 

I've got other Chapters who can change things up for their First Company, though...

 

 

 

I mean, on the one hand... digging tunnels seems a bit long-winded for how I imagine Space Marines with tanks and artillery options to conduct their siege warfare (i.e. blast everything to heck until the walls come down)…

 

But on the other hand Throne Yes, they absolutely do exactly that when the situation calls for it.

The Imperial Fists and Iron Warriors are probably dab hands at  siege tunnels, but I'd wager nobody moves earth like the Stonebound when the need is dire.

 

Are Termite Assault Drills or possibly an Ordinatus Aktaeus on the table?

 

 

Both of those things are technically Mechanicus vehicles so I'd be very hesitant to outright include them in the article.

It'd be a bit like giving a tank-heavy Chapter a handful of Baneblades - it's a little bit too on the nose.

 

….I might have to amend my earlier statement to "Nobody moves earth like the Stonebound, outside of the Adeptus Mechanicus".

 

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

It'll be a little while before the Stonebound get a proper update; What hobby time I do get these days is likely to be spent on the Iron Gauntlet and / or the 12 months of Hobby challenge.

 

But rest assured the boys in brown are not forgotten, and their time will come.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

They're obsessed with remaking their glory days, and struggle to learn from their mistakes.

Heck, they probably wouldn't understand it was a mistake to start with. 

 

Donkey Kong, on 02 Apr 2020 - 11:03 AM, said:http://bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_images/carbon_red/snapback.png

I don’t like this timeline or sequence of events. We need The Stonebound to be doing multiple things for a long enough period of time for everything to make sense. 1. How many relics and treasures can a young chapter really have? The Stonebound have to be old enough at the time of their defeat that raiding the Chapter’s vaults is a heavy and meaningful blow. Losing a land raider or a dreadnought (love that idea too, Brother Cambrius) with history and campaign honors is more impactful than losing one that doesn’t. 2. Then the Chapter has to lose Kharabor early enough in their history that fighting to reclaim Kharabor becomes a defining conflict.

 

That is a fair and valid point.

They'd have to flourish very quickly to still be a young Chapter when they lose Kharabor (and everything surrounding it). 

 

More food for thought!

 

 

Depends more on what the Stonebound define 'treasure' or 'relics' to be. Are they as kooky as the Mechanicus to venerate a toaster? Or is it more practical? Are they prideful and they're just hoarding battle-trophies from what could be seen as a lucky streak of successes?

 

I think answering that would make streamlining the timeline a lot easier, as you don't necissarily have to justify every single priceless relic (to the wider Imperium) if they are instead simply of sentimental value to only them and their own.

[Ace Debonair]

BROTHERS OF THE MINE REJOICE

 

Hail again, brothers!

 

I've made a few updates to the article.

Sorry it's taken so long - it's been quite the year so far, hasn't it?

 

It still needs a little more flavour, particularly around the Combat Doctrine and Organisation bits, although once I know more about the new Primaris units (Heavy Intercessors, anyone? ) I can add more about how the Stonebound deal with the Newborns.

 

There's no actual mention of the Chapter having relics anywhere in the article, which confused me given all the talk about Chapter Relics in the posts above.

That's not something I've changed, rather there was already no use of the word 'relic' in the article.

 

The intention always was for the 'lost treasures' to just be things the Chapter considers treasures, (so trophies from meaningful victories, etc) rather than, for example, enough masterwork power axes to outfit a whole company, including the tanks*, so I've tried to make it so the lost treasures in question are a] actually in the article and b] not all be exemplary super weapons.

 

I've added some description to the homeworld section to illustrate how Kagara and Kharabor were different worlds, although I'm probably going to tweak it again after I've had some sleep.

 

I'm trying to work out if the article needs a mention of Good Dwarfy Beer of some kind to really tick all the Dwarf Theme boxes.

I'm thinking that counts as overtheming, but another viewpoint would be appreciated on this topic.

 

 

* There's no truth to the rumour the Stonebound recently found a partial STC for some kind of heavy tank variant called an "Axe Raider", replacing it's gun-equipped sponsons with banks of power axes in the same way old ships had banks of oars. No truth at all.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

* There's no truth to the rumour the Stonebound recently found a partial STC for some kind of heavy tank variant called an "Axe Raider", replacing it's gun-equipped sponsons with banks of power axes in the same way old ships had banks of oars. No truth at all.

I can see the "Axe Raider" as a double-decker transport with a roofless top deck, allowing embarked passengers to swing their power axes at enemies the transport drives by. Add a gun turret with a decorative dragon's head whose jaws frame the gun, maybe an auspex antenna as a "sail," and your Marines will be ready to go Viking.

[Deadass]

Maaaan, talk about a flavorful chapter. The Stonebound are absolutely steeped in the dwarven theme, and they wear it well!

 

Lots of unique stuff to talk about with these guys, but rather than clogging up the thread with me gushing over everything, let me just say that the excerpt from the Legacy Saga is absolutely incredible. I'd say that they're just colorful enough to appear like Space Marines with dwarven aspects rather than the other way around, so I'd advise to let the beverage idea rest.

 

Are the watch stations and outposts mentioned early on in the article still functional or were they abandoned when the chapter was harrowed by the Orks? If they're still active, what exactly made the Stonebound choose Kagara as a staging ground and eventual chapter world over one of their keeps, considering those were well-equipped and -fortified in their own right? Or was one of said keeps located on the planet? I know it's a relatively minor detail to get hung up on, but it may give us a better idea of just how the Stonebound operate nowadays.

 

Assuming the stations still stand, you could even integrate them into their organisation and/or MO. Perhaps they use them as a system of listening posts, an early warning system that aids chapter command in deciding where to deploy their brothers next. Regardless, you said that more info on those parts of the IA is forthcoming, so I won't pester you about them too much.

 

I have the recent batch of codices on hand, by the way. Anything you'd like to know in particular? I can probably give you most of the information you need here or in DMs, paraphrased, of course, to stay in line with the forum rules.

 

Again, a really cool homebrew you've got here. Eager to see more!

 

-Horrible

Edited November 8, 2020 by AHorriblePerson

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Are the watch stations and outposts mentioned early on in the article still functional or were they abandoned when the chapter was harrowed by the Orks? If they're still active, what exactly made the Stonebound choose Kagara as a staging ground and eventual chapter world over one of their keeps, considering those were well-equipped and -fortified in their own right? Or was one of said keeps located on the planet? I know it's a relatively minor detail to get hung up on, but it may give us a better idea of just how the Stonebound operate nowadays.

 

Assuming the stations still stand, you could even integrate them into their organisation and/or MO. Perhaps they use them as a system of listening posts, an early warning system that aides chapter command in deciding where to deploy their brothers next. Regardless, you said that more info on those parts of the IA is forthcoming, so I won't pester you about them too much.

Excellent idea.

[Ace Debonair]

I can see the "Axe Raider" as a double-decker transport with a roofless top deck, allowing embarked passengers to swing their power axes at enemies the transport drives by. Add a gun turret with a decorative dragon's head whose jaws frame the gun, maybe an auspex antenna as a "sail," and your Marines will be ready to go Viking.

That'd certainly be roughly what it looked like... if such a thing existed.

I won't lie, I had a feeling the Axe Raider would get your attention.  

 

Maaaan, talk about a flavorful chapter. The Stonebound are absolutely steeped in the dwarven theme, and they wear it well!

 

Lots of unique stuff to talk about with these guys, but rather than clogging up the thread with me gushing over everything, let me just say that the excerpt from the Legacy Saga is absolutely incredible.

All credit for that masterwork goes to the inimitable Octavulg, renowned scholar and gentleman that he is.

 

I'd say that they're just colorful enough to appear like Space Marines with dwarven aspects rather than the other way around, so I'd advise to let the beverage idea rest.

Ah, excellent. I have a tendency to be heavy-handed sometimes, so thought I'd try and rein it in a little.

 

Are the watch stations and outposts mentioned early on in the article still functional or were they abandoned when the chapter was harrowed by the Orks? If they're still active, what exactly made the Stonebound choose Kagara as a staging ground and eventual chapter world over one of their keeps, considering those were well-equipped and -fortified in their own right? Or was one of said keeps located on the planet? I know it's a relatively minor detail to get hung up on, but it may give us a better idea of just how the Stonebound operate nowadays.

Hmm.

I was picturing them as over-run by orks, or otherwise on inadequate grounds for the Chapter to rebuild from, but it would make sense for at least one or two of them to still be around.

 

I might have the Stonebound go fleet-based for a century or two, and make it clearer Kagara is the only other planet with suitably hardy recruit stock.

 

Assuming the stations still stand, you could even integrate them into their organisation and/or MO. Perhaps they use them as a system of listening posts, an early warning system that aids chapter command in deciding where to deploy their brothers next. Regardless, you said that more info on those parts of the IA is forthcoming, so I won't pester you about them too much.

I do like that idea, and layering defences across a number of planets is a very "Imperial Fists successor" thing to do.

Consider your idea thoroughly co-opted!

 

I have the recent batch of codices on hand, by the way. Anything you'd like to know in particular? I can probably give you most of the information you need here or in DMs, paraphrased, of course, to stay in line with the forum rules.

Does it have any information on how common Heavy Intercessors are? I can see the Stonebound using a fair few of them, but don't know if I need to make excuses for the Chapter having so many.

 

Also ideally if it says anything about heavy intercessors being in battle companies or just the Devastator reserve company, but I can work around that detail if I need to.

 

Again, a really cool homebrew you've got here. Eager to see more!

 

-Horrible

 Many thanks! I'm going to try and press on with these and get them closer to the ever-elusive "finish line". Might take a while, since my next day off is sometime after next week, but such is the perils of life working in retail.

[Deadass]

Glad I could be of some use. Now about your lore question(s):
 

Does it have any information on how common Heavy Intercessors are? I can see the Stonebound using a fair few of them, but don't know if I need to make excuses for the Chapter having so many.

Also ideally if it says anything about heavy intercessors being in battle companies or just the Devastator reserve company, but I can work around that detail if I need to.

 

I think you'll be very happy to hear that rather than being a fire support squad, Heavy Intercessors are considered a battleline unit in a codex-adherent chapter, just like Tactical Squads and regular Intercessors. That means that you could theoretically find up to six squads of them in a battle company, or up to ten in the 6^th or 7^th company.

 

I say 'could theoretically' because of the nature of the Primaris Marines' organisational structure. With Mk10 being an armor system rather than one single pattern, the exact unit an astartes serves in might change depending on the role his commanding officer wants him to fulfill. That means that Brother-Sergeant Defaultus and his squad might discard non-essential plating and don bolt carbines to deploy as an Infiltrator Squad using Mk10's Phobos configuration, having fought as Heavy Intercessors the day before.

 

Hope that helps!

[Ace Debonair]

[Laughing in Heavy Infantry]

Well that's excellent news!

 

And with that, I've added another update - now with expanded Combat Doctrine, Organisation, and Early History - in the latter adding how the Stonebound lost everything and were almost too stubborn to survive by refusing to look for another recruitment world for a couple of hundred years.

 

It probably needs tweaking a bit, but I like the concept.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

 

Many thanks! I'm going to try and press on with these and get them closer to the ever-elusive "finish line". Might take a while, since my next day off is sometime after next week, but such is the perils of life working in retail.

 

 

Heresy! This 'finish line' you speak of was an idea conjured up by insidious chaos-warped minds, to imagine that the work of 'perfecting' your work rather than endlessly toiling for the glory of Him on Terra thought-crime most foul! His work is never done and neither is ours in the devotion to His servants, endlessly re-writing and amending our records as best we can, until the day we pass into His eternal service beyond the veil!

 

 

*Ahem*

 

I myself am entirely too sick of retail to ever go back. I've spent a lot of years doing it and I think I'd be happy to never work in a store front again.

 

I do like the idea of a lot of Heavy Intercessors in the mix. I could see some Kharadron Overlords or Ironbreaker heads working quite well there, or even something like the LotR Vault Warden saxon-style face-plate and chain coif look.

 

Your chapters always inspire the imagination Ace.

 

 

Ah, excellent. I have a tendency to be heavy-handed sometimes, so thought I'd try and rein it in a little.

 

 

The fact that all the ink-wells and vellum go flying whenever you put down your mug of 'Bugmans' finest makes working within ten-feet of you quite the challenge. 

 

But the colorful inspiration is well worth it! 

 

 

I'm trying to work out if the article needs a mention of Good Dwarfy Beer of some kind to really tick all the Dwarf Theme boxes.

I'm thinking that counts as overtheming, but another viewpoint would be appreciated on this topic.

 

 

Well, the Space Wolves make their own ale of a kind, don't they? So why couldn't your guys? Perhaps they stumbled upon their own method of brewing that is a departure from what the Space pups do.

 

I'd love to see that become a rivalry, because I've no love left for the 'overwolfing' of the Yiffers of legend anymore, and I'd much rather back the 'stunties' over the wolves at this late stage. I know it's not kosher really to do it, but a throw-away couple of lines in an out of the way boxout would be amusing.

 

 

The Stonebound are always a fantastic read Ace.  I wonder if I can get my head out of my behind and actually 'finis-' (HERESY! BLAM!) uh... 'round out' one of my chapters here as well.

 

To be honest I wasn't expecting to see this topic revived. Got some real Threadomancy powers going there my friend!

[Ace Debonair]

Heresy!

I mean, you could have just posted that word by itself and I'd have rolled with it.

 

This 'finish line' you speak of was an idea conjured up by insidious chaos-warped minds, to imagine that the work of 'perfecting' your work rather than endlessly toiling for the glory of Him on Terra thought-crime most foul! His work is never done and neither is ours in the devotion to His servants, endlessly re-writing and amending our records as best we can, until the day we pass into His eternal service beyond the veil!

 

Well obviously.

But I've been working on this Chapter for over Ten Years now, so it's high time I finished it anyway.  

 

I myself am entirely too sick of retail to ever go back. I've spent a lot of years doing it and I think I'd be happy to never work in a store front again.

Duly noted, but I wasn't actually expecting C&C on my choice of career.

 

I do like the idea of a lot of Heavy Intercessors in the mix. I could see some Kharadron Overlords or Ironbreaker heads working quite well there, or even something like the LotR Vault Warden saxon-style face-plate and chain coif look.

Way ahead of you there, brother.

 

 

The fact that all the ink-wells and vellum go flying whenever you put down your mug of 'Bugmans' finest makes working within ten-feet of you quite the challenge.

I don't even drink except when I'm writing this IA. What self-respecting Dwarf writes anything sober? Sorry about that data-slate, by the way, I'm sure the serfs have another one you could use to replace it.

 

Well, the Space Wolves make their own ale of a kind, don't they? So why couldn't your guys? Perhaps they stumbled upon their own method of brewing that is a departure from what the Space pups do.

That's entirely my original thought process. But...

 

I'd love to see that become a rivalry, because I've no love left for the 'overwolfing' of the Yiffers of legend anymore, and I'd much rather back the 'stunties' over the wolves at this late stage. I know it's not kosher really to do it, but a throw-away couple of lines in an out of the way boxout would be amusing.

… I don't think the article really needs it, to be honest. It kind of undercuts the tone a little.

Plus, I mean, should I have to spell out that the Dwarf Chapter makes their own ale? Isn't that a given as soon as you recognize the inspiration?

 

The Stonebound are always a fantastic read Ace.  I wonder if I can get my head out of my behind and actually 'finis-' (HERESY! BLAM!) uh... 'round out' one of my chapters here as well.

*cough cough* Bloodsworn *cough splutter* Definitely the Bloodsowrn *cough cough*

 

Ahem.

Yeah, it's cathartic to get back to writing a bit. You can't make any progress without putting the work in, after all.

 

To be honest I wasn't expecting to see this topic revived. Got some real Threadomancy powers going there my friend!

I did say I'd get back to the Dwarfy Bois once I was done with the Iron Gauntlet.

And various real life issues have kept me from progressing any further with the Gauntlet, so...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Suggested name for the Necron Dynasty that An'Zagurd is allied to: "Mairon", after this guy's original name.