Sons of Doom (IG 2020)

[Brother Cambrius]

Well, this took much longer than expected as there was a lot to repair, throw away and remake in the 13 years since I wrote the article for my first army. But here is how it stands right now for all you delightful fluff maulers to enjoy.

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THE SONS OF DOOM

 

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Chapter that has pushed itself through constant trials of torment and endurance in their very short history, the Sons of Doom display the classic traits of an Imperial Fist descendant. With their fierce and aggressive countenance in the eyes of impossible odds against the forces that threaten the Ultima Segmentum and Imperium at large, the Chapter refuse to falter as they advance upon the foe in a storm of firepower, until they tear the foe apart toe to toe with blade and fist.

 

Chapter Symbol

 

• CHAPTER NAME: Sons of Doom
• GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Crimson Fists (Imperial Fists)
• FOUNDING: 26th, 747.M41
• CHAPTER MASTER: Oros Sirion
• HOMEWORLD: Auton, Amdo Cluster
• SEGMENTUM: Ultima
• FORTRESS MONASTERY: Onyxspire (on Gravik, Auton's Moon)
• COLORS: Azure and Bronze
• SPECIALTY: Aggressive Assault and Asset Defence
• STRENGTH: ~800 Astartes 450 First-born / 350 Primaris
• BATTLE-CRY: Call : "Death is a gift!" Answer: Accept it!

 

 

History

 

Brother Athiair of 5th Company prior to the Hadean Assault. Right knee-pad and shoulder-pad trim denote Company.

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reated in 747.M41 during the 26th Founding, the Sons of Doom were created from the seed of the Crimson Fists to plug the gaps left behind in the aftermath of the First Tyrannic War, which had blunted a vast amount of the Imperium’s defenders in the Utima Segmentum. Taking the Chapter roster number of 412, inherited after the mysterious annihilation of the Shield Brethren chapter a few centuries prior, some murmured their inheritance of their number was an ill-omen and courted fate to go against them. But the newly formed Chapter paid no heed as they grew in number, learning their craft alongside Marshal Gredus’ ‘Aberios Crusade’.

 

The young Chapter, grown from the small retinue of Crimson Fists chosen by newly promoted Chapter Master Dolomitis, adapted themselves to the aggressive, close quarters tactics of the Black Templars that had been sworn to train the new Chapter. They chose their name to be the ‘Sons of Doom’, as their sworn pledge and duty as sons of the Imperium was to be the doom of all those who dared to defy the Emperor. After a near half a century of training and growing to a complement of over five hundred Astartes, the Sons of Doom fledged themselves from the Aberios Crusade and forged out across the Ultima Segmentum’s galactic spiral arm. After establishing their new homeworld upon the extremely volcanically active world of Auton and embedding themselves into its culture over the generations, undertaking their colours in a way to tie the Chapter to their new home and its people to remind themselves of who they fight for. Auton was strategically placed to allow for rapid response to threats in the gaps the Sons of Doom had been created to fill, the chapter sought to grow and establish their influence across the Amdo Cluster, with numerous victories as they grew to full strength, notably against the marauding Chaos Marine warband of the Hatred’s Tools and ending the threat of Warboss Nekshredda. But the first moment and arguably, one of their most catastrophic moments of ill-fate befell them decades later in 992.M41.

 

The Gaia Harrowing

 

 

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eaching the Gaia Primus system after receiving distress calls about severe uprisings upon the system’s major planets, the Sons of Doom answered the call to cleanse the region of the rebels under the banner of the “Imperium Respawned”. The manufactorum worlds of Holmna and Driax, paired with the Hiveworld of Gaia itself was a vital lynchpin in providing material for the chapter and a myriad of forces nearby. Deploying the Second, Third and Fifth Companies, alongside a myriad of other Imperial forces, the Sons of Doom prosecuted a vicious war of fire and fury in the underhives of Gaia and amongst the manufactora of Driax and Holmna. The reasons behind these uprisings however became horrendously clear upon the discovery of Genestealers, and as the light of the Astronomican disappeared within a week of this knowledge Hive Fleet Kraken arrived.

The ensuing warfare that followed as the Tyranid hordes fell upon the worlds is one that matches many tales of horror involving the devouring xenos. As the Sons of Doom were left stranded across the three worlds, alongside their human Imperial allies, they prepared to defend the soil of the Imperium, after their ships had been rendered useless and destroyed from the sheer numbers of Bioships that emerged from the void before any valid evacuation could take place. As the weeks of gruelling combat and survival passed, the Sons of Doom were whittled to near the very last across all three worlds.

 

The Remnants and Memory of Gaia

Three grievously wounded Astartes were interred into the new Chapter’s remaining Dreadnought sarcophagi, each becoming sacred links to their past where they stubbornly stood their ground against impossible odds. As the chapter sought to rebuild themselves slowly, with the catastrophic loss of geneseed from the terrible events that unfolded, the Sons of Doom remade the standards of the three companies, each displaying the planet they fought on proudly behind the golden skull and scythes that was the symbol of the Chapter. These company standards are now sacred relics that remind the Sons of Doom of their past and to never give up in the face of the impossible when the lives of Humanity were at stake.

Driax soon fell with the complete loss of the Third Company as a retribution fleet containing the rest of the chapter arrived, launching a brutal multi-planetary assault to purge the Tyranid foe from its surface. Alongside their allies, including the Autonian 44th Armoured Regiment from their own homeworld and the forces of Demi-Legio Hastus to reclaim the Mechanicum manufactora. Reinforcing the beleaguered and exhausted Astartes upon Holmna and Gaia and bringing fire and vengeance upon the fallen of Driax, the retribution fleet broke the back of the splinter of Hive Fleet Kraken with the death of their synapse minds, paid in blood and fire.

 

The death toll upon the Sons of Doom from Gaia Primus was high indeed, with the complete loss of the Third Company and all Captains, with only twelve and twenty-four surviving from the Second and Fifth companies respectively. Returning to Auton with the remnants of their lost wargear and few bodies that hadn’t been devoured, the Sons of Doom committed their fallen brethren to the tombs of their Fortress Monastery upon the moon of Gravik. Chapter Master Dolomitis swore the Sons of Doom would rebuild and to their former strengths and remain unbroken against the enemies of the Imperium. The Gaia Cluster he declared, displayed the chapter’s fortitude and stubbornness at the very thought of retreating and self-preservation over the Imperium’s inhabitants.

 

Following these catastrophic events, the Sons of Doom sought to deploy to eradicate any threat of the Tyranids as much as possible, as Hive Fleet Kraken continued to split of into smaller splinter fleets, bringing ruin across the Ultima Segmentum. But with their numbers cut drastically, the Chapter were dismayed at not being able to prevent a lot of the losses wrought by the all-consuming xenos. As a result, the Tyranids are viewed with a vehement abhorrence and hatred amongst the Sons of Doom and if any intelligence is received of Genestealer Cults, the Chapter deploys rapidly to purge the threat.

 

Noctis Aeterna and Reward of Duty

 

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s the Sons of Doom sought to rebuild from their heavy losses following the Gaia Harrowing, the Imperium at large began to face its darkest time since the Horus Heresy with the 13th Black Crusade spilling out form Cadia and leading to Noctis Aeterna. The tearing open of the Cicatrix Maledictum led to numerous threats emerging and the fortunes of the Chapter to remain grave, as the Chaos warband of the Hatred’s Tools spilled out from the tears in reality, heading towards the Amdo Cluster in a bid to settle their grudge against the Sons of Doom and others in the centuries prior.

 

With little in the way of reinforcement as the Imperium descended into tumult and chaos with the Astronomican shrouded in darkness, the Sons of Doom grimly held the line against the Hatred’s Tools and their daemonic allies across the Amdo Cluster. With losses mounting, including the shattering of the Sixth Company’s Strike Cruiser, ‘Firespite’ in a cataclysmic warp-drive detonation after being infiltrated by Warp Talons mid transit, numerous planets fell or were reduced to Exterminatus and the toll kept rising amongst the Sons of Doom. The young Chapter remained fiercely steadfast despite the ill-fortunes befalling them, with Master Dolomitis declaring that this was the ultimate test of conviction and duty as sons of Dorn and the Emperor. 

 

The war within the Amdo Cluster eventually came to a head upon the Shrineworld of Erdavus, which had become corrupted with a warp rift opening in the holy city of Saint Justina.

First Master Carrek Dolomitis

The founding Chapter Master of the Sons of Doom, Carrek Dolomitis is an Astartes that has served the Sons of Doom since their founding, now interred within a Contemptor Dreadnought’s sarcophagus after grievous wounds banishing the Hatred’s Tools’ Daemon Prince, Lord Kalkus in 021.M42 at Erdavus.
His enormous double-headed axe, which was rarely seen without him whether he be in armour or not, known as “Doomstrike” has now been placed in the main chapel of the Sons of Doom’s fortress monastery on Gravik, to be returned to combat when called for by the new Chapter Master, Oros Sirion to wield, or one he has blessed the honour to carry it into battle.

 

Committing their entire force of approximately four hundred Astartes, the Sons of Doom sought to stop the Chaos force upon Erdavus. In a colossal open battle, the sons of Auton managed to break the back of the Chaos rampage, relying on fixed points of firepower as their infantry moved around them to break the tide of daemonic warmachines and bitter Chaos Marines that emerged from the rift. Chapter Master Dolomitis himself would face the Hatred’s Tool’s own leader, the Daemon Prince Lord Kalkus in a duel that shattered the earth beneath them, before Dolomitis was laid low as he banished the Daemon Prince back to the Warp with a titanic strike to the monster’s heart, receiving a mortally crushing blow from the monster as it flailed in anguish at being cast back into the warp. With the loss of their leader, the daemonic forces began to melt back to the Warp and the Hatred’s Tools sought to escape.

 

As the threat diminished and the remaining Sons of Doom counted their losses and recovered their fallen brethren, an impossible miracle appeared with the arrival of elements of the Indomitus Crusade as it made its way to Macragge, including the arrival of the Primaris greyshields. The news that these new Astartes were to become the new reinforcement and brethren of the Chapter initially brought scepticism amongst the Sons of Doom, fearing that despite their sacrifices in the past centuries, they were to be replaced and forgotten. But after Master Dolomitis had been interred within the Chapter’s sole Contemptor pattern Dreadnought’s sarcophagus gifted from their founding, the reborn First Master declared the Primaris marines to be a gift from the Emperor and was the Sons of Doom’s reward for their duty to stubbornly remain unbroken against the fates that conspired to have destroyed them. Returning to Auton, the Sons of Doom welcomed their newer brethren, integrating them into their shattered forces to rebuild once more, empowered and filled with a hope that their duty and faith had been rewarded by the Emperor and His Imperium.

 

Homeworld and Recruitment

The Promotion Tithe

An odd tradition is held amongst the Chapter, that is viewed to them as a reminder of the Sons of Doom’s future beyond their lives and of what each Astartes owes their brothers. Whenever a brother has risen a rank, they must spend a month alone down the hellish mines of Drokanas, to the southern pole of Auton, retrieving the ores and minerals within, which are used to build and repair their wargear. The mines themselves are fraught with peril, both from the risk of explosions and also from saurian predators that sometimes lurk within the dark passages, drawn to the sound of the mining and scent of flesh, providing a test of combative skill and vigilance whilst the Astartes complete their tithe.

 

Should a battle brother be promoted whilst in active combat, he doesn't receive the full uniform of his rank until he's "paid his tithe to the Chapter’s future”. Their squad insignia or heraldry is then covered in a grey cross until it is fulfilled. Once the Marine has fulfilled the tithe, he's fully promoted in a ceremony in the eyes of the Chaplaincy and commanding staff present.

 

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uton, is a hellishly violent, volcanic planet where humanity has managed to cling onto life in this constantly changing, barren and inhospitable wasteland. The planet's surface is often changing across its numerous tectonic plates, with new mountains of fire growing out of the black, basaltic ground annually, making it almost impossible for the Imperium to map in the active regions. But due to its violently active nature, the planet is rich with mineral resources that are mined and scoured for the Sons of Doom’s supplies and to the Adeptus Mechanicus of the nearby Forgeworld of Adelan-Tertius. The calmer regions of stability are found in the poles of the planet, where the majority of the population live in varied tribes and clans, notably the Ordovs and Silurs, which control a large amount of the local politics and trade amongst the Autonians. These clans are always at war with each other for dominance of the viable stable lands to live upon and for the precious resources and minerals that are mined from the planet’s crust.

 

The human inhabitants praise the Sons of Doom as their watchful protectors despite the clans’ constant battles for dominance and survival, unknown to them that the Chapter is responsible for ensuring that the turmoil and constant wars between the tribes never truly cease, achieved through politics using their chapter serfs and secret sabotage and assassination missions, ensuring that there is always a viable source of young warriors to recruit. Initiates are brought to the chapter's fortress, based on Gravik, which is Auton’s sole moon. Every five years, the Chapter also holds a sacred tournament of battle and skills between the young champions of the clans, where peace is enforced amongst the humans on pain of death for any who would break it during the event. Aspirants of the tournament wear traditional armour from the planet’s ancient history, consisting of blue war paint over their bodies and wearing bronze armour upon their shoulders, shins and entire left arm. It is from this traditional armour that the Sons of Doom created their unique armour heraldry as they sought to embed themselves into Auton’s culture and be seen as the watchful warriors of legend that protect and rule over the region. 

 

The Sons of Doom often train on Auton, due to its violent nature and unpredictability, making the reflexes and senses of the Marines as sharp as can be and to teach the skill of self-awareness and spotting risks. Although some have been unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and encased forever in a tomb of volcanic rock, these incidents are surprisingly rare, given the danger of Auton’s more active regions. Many Astartes hold and trophy burns from training upon the planet, some requiring bionics to replace limbs ruined or lost. This training also includes their methods of ensuring that the tribes of Auton are always in some form of war between each other, through numerous assassination, reconnaissance and sabotage missions. 
 

 

Geneseed

 

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he geneseed of the Sons of Doom is deemed stable, continuing to carry the Imperial Fists' trait of the Sus-an Membrane and Betchers Gland continuing to be rejected by the progenoids implanted into the aspirant. As the Sons of Doom hold the strong beliefs of their pasts linking to their duty, the genetic legacy of the geneseed is revered to an extreme extent, as it carries the histories of their previous owners. To lose any amount of geneseed, whether through corruption or destruction is a grave moment of sadness to the Astartes of the Chapter following the end of their battles/campaigns. A 'Vigil of Lost Legacy' is held within the Transept Sanctorum in the Fortress Monastery, Onyxspire, where the legacy of these lost geneseeds are read out as the names of those who bore those blessed progenoids are inscribed in gold on the sable 'Columns of the Lost', which tower above the Sons of Doom and their servants in their prayer.

 

Combat Doctrine

 

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he Sons of Doom are a fiercely aggressive fighting force, utilising the teachings from their founding cadre in the Crimson Fists, alongside their growth in the Aberios Crusade to bring forth a punishing amount of firepower in a constant storm as they advance, or redeploy when in defence to plug gaps or capitalise on the assaulting enemy’s weak spot. Their heavy losses following Noctis Aeterna and their re-forging afterward in the advent of the Primaris have also been integral in the alteration of their fighting styles as they have readily welcomed their new brethren to the Autonian brotherhood. 

 

The Chapter rely heavily on their infantry assets and they often utilise their Battleline and first-born Tactical squads in paired 5-man demi-squads to allow for flanking and covering fire in their rapid assaults under a storm of boltgun fire, accompanied by their assault assets in the form of bikes and Land Speeders to harass and pin the enemy, as the withering bolter line advances. With the addition of their Primaris brethren, the Sons of Doom have rapidly adopted the use of Inceptors and Suppressors to augment the mobility of their attacks whilst their Intercessor brethren act as moving bastions of firepower.

 

The use of flamers and plasma weaponry is a favoured item amongst commanders and tactical squads, viewing them as exacting the purging fires of Auton upon the enemy. The Chapter possess a small number of Land Raiders that often spearhead their attacks alongside Predators and Razorbacks, providing a storm of firepower for the scant few Terminator suits they possess. Vanguard firstborn and more recently, Gravis armoured Aggressors often substitute for their might of the Terminators instead.

 

Infiltrating units have not often been used by the Chapter, preferring to face the foe head on instead of hiding in the shadows, but the Sons of Doom are more than willing to utilise such actions as required in more protracted campaigns against Genestealer Cults and Chaos induced rebellions. The Chapter still possess a decent amount of heavy ordnance, with recent additions of the Repulsor and Impulsor to bolster their mobile firepower. When the Chapter must stand their ground over advancing towards their enemy, the Sons of Doom heavily utilise their tanks to act as the strongpoint of defiance and punishment, whilst their infantry move as needed to plug gaps and break weak points within the enemy’s advance.

 

Organisation

 

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he Sons of Doom are a primarily codex oriented Chapter, who have embraced and accepted the newer changes wrought by Primarch Guilliman during the era Indomitus and the advent of the Primaris joining their number. Their rebuilding of their losses after Noctis Aeterna is still underway, with the Chapter nearing full operational strength at near 800 Astartes, with just under half being Primaris. Their command structure is standard current Codex practice, with the relatively unique practice of ensuring that squads are not filled with Astartes that have all descended from one clan upon Auton, but shared as equally as possible. Marks of their origins can be found upon their company kneepad or Cloaks of Office when ascended to the rank of Command. This practice has grown from the teachings of their founder, First Master Dolomitis, who instilled the importance of their origin to remind them what they fight for and that regardless of their birth, the Chapter’s duties itself overrides all their previous animosities.

 

With their current rebuilding of their fighting force, the Sons of Doom are both growing their numbers of First-born and Primaris, to utilise the wargear at their disposal to the best of their abilities and to be fully restored to complete combat-readiness in the fastest way possible. A number of First-born have attempted and achieved the Calgarian Rites of becoming Primaris Marines, which is currently only permitted by those Astartes that have served for at least a century and have proven their strength and fortitude to undertake such a painful process. Those that survive and are reborn anew as Primaris are viewed amongst their brethren as walking icons of endurance and duty. 

 

The Chapter do not possess a large amount of Dreadnought chassis, with their honoured brethren only being summoned from their slumber in times of great need. Truly, it is a time of dire consequence for more than three Dreadnoughts to walk the fields of battle. The newer Redemptor Dreadnought pattern are slowly building in number, with supplies arriving from the tithed Forgeworld of Adelan-Tertius.
 

Beliefs

 

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he Sons of Doom view the Emperor as the great master who forged the Imperium together so that all humans could unite under one banner. They also believe him to be a great warrior who’s the “Grandfather” of the Chapter after their Primarch, Rogal Dorn who’s seen as the “Father”. 

 

The Chapter has fully embraced the teachings of First Master Dolomitis’ importance of taking root in their pasts and origins and the shared history all Sons of Doom hold, as they carry out their duties upon the battlefields. This is displayed in their clan or origin markings upon their armour and also with honour markings of campaigns that Astartes have participated in as they forge the history of the Sons of Doom with blade and boltgun.

 

Being a young chapter with less than a millennium of history, the Sons of Doom hold a hopeful edge to their outlook on the Imperium’s future, tempered by the return of Primarch Guilliman, despite the cataclysmic events that have befallen the Chapter and the Imperium itself since the turn of the 42nd Millennium. So long as a son of Auton stands in the colours of the Sons of Doom, the Imperium still lives.
 

 

Battlecry

 

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he traditional battle-cry for the Chapter is in two parts, where the Sons of Doom’s commanders would roar at the enemy “Death is a gift,” with the rest of the Chapter then answering in unison “Accept it!” as they would charge.

 

 

The Sons of Doom have also adopted roaring in unison “Doom” and also maintain the litany of the unbroken as they advance:
 

"Unbowed. Unbroken. We stand eternal."

 

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Well, there we have it, 13 years later and updated. Still got a number of things to add, notably in the beliefs section and some other items, as by the Emperor's toenails, I have 13 years' worth of content I have done across the board to use and pick out. :dizzy:

Cambrius

Edited November 15, 2023 by Brother Cambrius

[Ace Debonair]

A fine start!

Good to see another Liber Oldie resurfacing.
 
Two tiny nitpicks, though:
 
Firstly, I'd consider moving the sidebar about the First Chapter Master to later in the article. Having a sidebar about the guy telling you how he died in the same section that tells you how he died in the main text seems a little bit redundant, but moving it to later in the article means the information is just re-iterated, and spreads your sidebars out a little more.
 
Secondly, and this one is really nitpicky:

Their command structure is standard current Codex practice, with the unique practice of ensuring that squads are not filled with Astartes that have all descended from one clan upon Auton, but shared as equally as possible.

It's not strictly a unique practice, since the White Scars also mix recruits from different tribes into their squads.

 

Maybe instead consider wording it as "with the additional practice" or something along those lines.

[Focslain]

Nicely done.

 

Agreed with Ace, Dolomitis's block would be better served moved down to the combat section. The fact that a chapter master is interned reinforces the idea that interment is a high honour.

 

I'd also add in a mention or two in the recruitment section about which type of marine, primaris or first-born, are the main reinforcement currently. If mixed that's fine too, but a mention would add to future plans.

[Berzul]

Brother Cambrius:

This is a really interesting chapter, and I love many of the ideas you have used to create them. Due to the age of the IA, I find myself wondering how this text shows the evolution of your original ideas.

 

In any case, here are some thoughts:

 

I LOVE the color scheme. I am a big fan of unconventional schemes and odd types of company markings. Using one shoulder pad and a knee, instead of the codex-compliant shoulder pads and aquila, looks pretty cool to me. Specially as, in imagining the army on the field, the combination of azure and bronze would really make that one stripe of color on the side of the mini pop up.

 

I also like how the combination of colors is, in a way, very reminiscent of their Crimson Fists heritage.

 

The way you handle the integration of the Primaris makes a lot of sense. In fact, at first, as I was reading on how they resented their appearance, I felt this to be somewhat out of character, but how you then turned it around I think, was great. After all, a Chapter that comes from the Crimson Fists and the Imperial Fists; which already fears their own genetic heritage to be a form of curse on them, in a way; and which has in fact been almost wiped out twice in such a short span of years, later to make strong vows endurance and perseverance before adversity... well, it makes sense to me that they would welcome the bolstering wave of Primaris Marines with open arms. Specially since they are a young chapter, that I think would be more inclined to change and innovation, when compared to chapters from previous foundings.

 

I find the promotion tithe a great tradition for the chapter, but I think the description could go further into explaining the more symbolic nature of the rite, as well into more details of how it takes place. Perhaps the rite makes the battle brother explore specific parts of the mines? Perhaps the mining itself presents dangers which, in turn, build up the battle brother's skills for his new command? Is he joined by a crew of miners, or does he have to handle it alone? Do they look for a specific mineral, or does any resource work? I think this can be fleshed out more, as it already makes one want to know more.

 

How does the chapter incite turmoil on Auton? This I found REALLY interesting, and an awesome twist on the classic "protectors of humanity" trope that follows most Space Marine Chapters. Does this mean the chapter has particular social or political acumen? Skills they use when dealing with the tribes, so as to manipulate them into controlled conflict? Or do they promote this turmoil in some other fashion?

 

With regards to their combat doctrines, you mention at the beginning of the IA how the chapter is trained as the Black Templars are trained. And, with that, that they have a focus on melee combat. Yet, you do not touch on this on the combat doctrines chapter of the IA. I think it would be a great addition to expand on this a bit.

 

Also, flamers and plasma, not flamers and melta? I found that curious. Still, I simply LOVE the idea of the chapter choosing their own weapons based on symbology, like that. Absolutely love it.

 

 

 

... Its what I can comment, from a first read.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Fine work. You demonstrate a lot of good and original ideas here.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Your Sons of Doom look good, Brother Cam.

 

Livery colors are great and I like the heraldry design. I do think the scythe blades are too short. I'd recommend lengthening the blades X2.

 

Narrative is fun to read. Not too much detail ..... just right.

[Brother Cambrius]

A fine start!

Good to see another Liber Oldie resurfacing.

 

Two tiny nitpicks, though:

 

Firstly, I'd consider moving the sidebar about the First Chapter Master to later in the article. Having a sidebar about the guy telling you how he died in the same section that tells you how he died in the main text seems a little bit redundant, but moving it to later in the article means the information is just re-iterated, and spreads your sidebars out a little more.

 

Thanks Ace, it's good to finally work on my original army that I started as a fresh-faced and stupidly naive 16 year old.  There was much in the way of cringe looking back through my original article, so it took a good while to refine, tear out and fix up the IA, but I'm so glad it's come out pretty well.

 

On the sidebar front on Dolomitis, I'll look into getting that further down without breaking the BBCode, it's been an absolute monster to handle thus far.

 

 

Secondly, and this one is really nitpicky: 

It's not strictly a unique practice, since the White Scars also mix recruits from different tribes into their squads.

 

Maybe instead consider wording it as "with the additional practice" or something along those lines. 

 

Now this I did not know as I don't own any of the White Scars material! I'd actually come up with this idea a very long time ago in 2010, so I'm not sure which one came first. I'll adjust the wording accordingly in the next update, thank you muchly for the information and new knowledge.

 

 

Nicely done.

 

Agreed with Ace, Dolomitis's block would be better served moved down to the combat section. The fact that a chapter master is interned reinforces the idea that interment is a high honour.

 

I'd also add in a mention or two in the recruitment section about which type of marine, primaris or first-born, are the main reinforcement currently. If mixed that's fine too, but a mention would add to future plans.

 

 

Thanks for the input, Focslain. I'll make the switch of Dolomitis' sidebar soon, provided the BBCode doesn't implode again like it did last night.

 

I do intend to expand on what kind of Astartes are being recruited at the moment, you just gave me the reminding nudge to get on that, as the SODs do recruit both currently to befit the wargear they have at their disposal, as a lot of Firstborn stuff is lacking people to wield them after they were killed at Gaia and Erdavus.

 

 

 

Brother Cambrius:

 

This is a really interesting chapter, and I love many of the ideas you have used to create them. Due to the age of the IA, I find myself wondering how this text shows the evolution of your original ideas.

 

In any case, here are some thoughts:

 

I LOVE the color scheme. I am a big fan of unconventional schemes and odd types of company markings. Using one shoulder pad and a knee, instead of the codex-compliant shoulder pads and aquila, looks pretty cool to me. Specially as, in imagining the army on the field, the combination of azure and bronze would really make that one stripe of color on the side of the mini pop up.

 

I also like how the combination of colors is, in a way, very reminiscent of their Crimson Fists heritage.

 

Oh believe me, Berzul, the original was utterly atrocious, but had the important nuggets of info and ideas that led to it being rebuilt anew into this superior form. Alas the original article is lost to the Warp after the Librarium's demise.

 

I'm glad you really like the colour scheme! Funnily enough that came first when I started the army back in April 2007 and so I built an idea as to why it is so very unique. It does look fantastic on the models and as an army too:

 

 

 

I'm looking forwards to adding more to them as part of the other challenges in this event.

 

 

The way you handle the integration of the Primaris makes a lot of sense. In fact, at first, as I was reading on how they resented their appearance, I felt this to be somewhat out of character, but how you then turned it around I think, was great. After all, a Chapter that comes from the Crimson Fists and the Imperial Fists; which already fears their own genetic heritage to be a form of curse on them, in a way; and which has in fact been almost wiped out twice in such a short span of years, later to make strong vows endurance and perseverance before adversity... well, it makes sense to me that they would welcome the bolstering wave of Primaris Marines with open arms. Specially since they are a young chapter, that I think would be more inclined to change and innovation, when compared to chapters from previous foundings.

 

I find the promotion tithe a great tradition for the chapter, but I think the description could go further into explaining the more symbolic nature of the rite, as well into more details of how it takes place. Perhaps the rite makes the battle brother explore specific parts of the mines? Perhaps the mining itself presents dangers which, in turn, build up the battle brother's skills for his new command? Is he joined by a crew of miners, or does he have to handle it alone? Do they look for a specific mineral, or does any resource work? I think this can be fleshed out more, as it already makes one want to know more.

 

 

Yeah the Primaris integration was a tough one to work out how it was adopted, but it wokred out well with my Chapter's apparent ill fortune (which has grown from my absolutely appalling luck on the tabletop, my "Lamenter Luck" is well known amongst the groups I have played in and Dosjetka has seen it first hand!) being a catalyst of them accepting their newer brethren, despite their Dornian pride instigating fears they were being replaced for their ill-fortune and losses.

 

I was really proud of the idea of the tithe waaaay back mid-painting session and added the idea in. I'l be sure to add some more to it, but leave enough to entice questions and interest. But the Astartes do toil typically on their own as promotions aren't overtly common (unless as per the SODs' luck, there's a major loss of Astartes). In terms of what they mine for, I might add in some specifics, or leave it open to interpretation. But I do want to add in some dangers of working down there as some creatures love the warmth and darkness and they're often hungry...  

 

 

How does the chapter incite turmoil on Auton? This I found REALLY interesting, and an awesome twist on the classic "protectors of humanity" trope that follows most Space Marine Chapters. Does this mean the chapter has particular social or political acumen? Skills they use when dealing with the tribes, so as to manipulate them into controlled conflict? Or do they promote this turmoil in some other fashion?

 

With regards to their combat doctrines, you mention at the beginning of the IA how the chapter is trained as the Black Templars are trained. And, with that, that they have a focus on melee combat. Yet, you do not touch on this on the combat doctrines chapter of the IA. I think it would be a great addition to expand on this a bit.

 

Also, flamers and plasma, not flamers and melta? I found that curious. Still, I simply LOVE the idea of the chapter choosing their own weapons based on symbology, like that. Absolutely love it.

 

 

Thanks for the compliment on the turmoil inducing methods of the Chapter to get their recruit! So with that, there is a little bit of political and social acumen involved, as that is intel and a skill their Astartes must develop to weaponise against enemies in a less protracted campaign, such as rooting out the Genestealer Cults and partially helping when dealing with other allies within the Amdo Cluster and beyond when it comes to trade deals and pacts etc.

 

Plus, this is a great way for Reivers and infiltrators to practice their methods of sabotage and assassinations. Any civilians find out their purpose tend to have a bit of a volcanic accident...

 

On the combat doctrine front, I need to do a little fine tuning to describe how they adopted the fierce close nature of the Templars' tactics, but also paired it with Dolomitis and the rest of the founding cadre's style of punishing firepower as they advance towards the enemy and begin performing what Templars do best.

 

I was debating on meltas, but it's not as much fire and brimstone as prometheum and miniature suns. But the Chapter certainly do utilise such weaponry along with the rest of their arsenal, but flamers and plasma weapons are very much favoured and revered further.

 

Thanks again for the hefty input and suggestions, Berzul. I really appreciate it.

 

 

Fine work. You demonstrate a lot of good and original ideas here.

 

Thanks Bjorn! 13 years of building and playing these boys on the tabletop since I started the hobby seems to come in handy for refinement. 

 

Brother Lunkhead, on 17 Apr 2020 - 8:15 PM, said:

Your Sons of Doom look good, Brother Cam.

 

Livery colors are great and I like the heraldry design. I do think the scythe blades are too short. I'd recommend lengthening the blades X2.

 

Narrative is fun to read. Not too much detail ..... just right.

 

 

Much obliged for the comments, Brother Lunk. Alas the symbol won't be changing any time soon, as I do not have the facilities to make the edits as the image was a gift from the great Dazzo waaaay back in 2007 and has remained that way since. It looks pretty good on the miniatures as well, although I cannot really paint the golden cutting edges on them.

 

I'm glad the narrative just about hits the balance, there was a lot of chaff from my 16 year old self to cut and rebuild from.

 

Cambrius

Edited April 17, 2020 by Brother Cambrius
Suffer not the double-quote error to live

[Messor]

Very fun read. Just a couple of minor things stuck out to my eye:
 

"receiving mortally crushing blow" seems to have lost a word, and more a suggestion than anything actually wrong, " with the catastrophic loss of geneseed from the catastrophe" reads a little redundant.

 

Very characterful chapter, and a really cool aesthetic, too.

[Brother Cambrius]

Thank you for the grammar spots, Messor. They have been rectified.

 

I have also made a few tweaks and updates, including expanding on the Chapter's Beliefs and some additions to their homeworld and such. :D

 

Cambrius

[Deadass]

Decided to take some time to have a proper look at some of the custom factions people are creating, and I'm really enjoying reading about your Sons of Doom! The chapter feels very organic, like something that'd fit right in among canon factions - pretty much everything you want from a homebrew.

 

I'd like to object to the idea of moving the First Master's box copy as I think its current position makes the most sense from a structural point of view. Sure, much of it is also present in the main body, but that also means it highlights some of the most significant information from the paragraph. Unless you plan on adding a 'Dramatis Personae'-section at some point, I can't think of a better spot to put it. Maybe it'd be worthwhile to limit some of the finer detail about Dolomitis to his sidebox though, like his dreadnought pattern.

 

If you'd like to update or modernise the chapter badge as per Lunkhead's suggestion, maybe I can be of service? I'm unsure whether I'd be able to make a 1:1 copy of the current version, but I have a bit of experience with Photoshop and Illustrator.

[Brother Cambrius]

Decided to take some time to have a proper look at some of the custom factions people are creating, and I'm really enjoying reading about your Sons of Doom! The chapter feels very organic, like something that'd fit right in among canon factions - pretty much everything you want from a homebrew.

 

I'd like to object to the idea of moving the First Master's box copy as I think its current position makes the most sense from a structural point of view. Sure, much of it is also present in the main body, but that also means it highlights some of the most significant information from the paragraph. Unless you plan on adding a 'Dramatis Personae'-section at some point, I can't think of a better spot to put it. Maybe it'd be worthwhile to limit some of the finer detail about Dolomitis to his sidebox though, like his dreadnought pattern.

 

If you'd like to update or modernise the chapter badge as per Lunkhead's suggestion, maybe I can be of service? I'm unsure whether I'd be able to make a 1:1 copy of the current version, but I have a bit of experience with Photoshop and Illustrator.

 

Well that is certainly high praise indeed, thank you very much!

 

I have moved it up after some BBCode wrangling and it seems to fit okay for the moment, the Contemptor type was put in there as a reference to one of the upcoming challenges for this event as I was intending to build and paint a Contemptor for the SODs. The original idea was that the chassis was a gift from the Adeptus Mechanicus within the Indomitus Crusade that arrived to relieve and rebuild the Chapter, but I shifted a little on that as that would have meant Dolomitis would likely have ended up in a Redemptor pattern instead.

 

I might just take you up on that offer, thank you very much. I'll have to see if I still have the original 2D design symbol I made aeons ago, that was suitably then adjusted by Dazzo into the image you see now.

 

Cambrius