Astartes Praecipus - The Cardinal Guard

[TheSpeckledTrout]

The Cardinal Guard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low Gothic: Cardinal Guard

 

 

High Gothic: Astartes Praecipus

 

Founding Legion: VII, Imperial Fists

 

 

Founding: 22nd Founding (“Nexus Founding”)

 

Current Chapter Master: Attico Diomedes

 

Homeworld: Cathea, Ultima Segmentum

 

Fortress-Monastery: Basilica Fidelum

 

Colors: Red (primary); White, Black (secondary)

 

Specialty: Deep Strike/Drop Assault, Independent Unit Operations

 

Strength: 874 Marines (est. M41.789)

 

Battle Cry: “Rapture Beckons!" / "Your Time Has Come!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recorded History

 

Hailing from the Ecclesiarchy's upheaval following the Age of Apostasy, the Cardinal Guard were deployed from their genesis in the 22nd Founding (M36) with the explicit purpose of defending a cluster of worlds previously entrusted to the considerable might of the defunct Frateris Templar. The Decade Worlds - named for the ten Cardinal Worlds they hosted - had become prey to the very same Frateris Templar forces which had previously guarded it. Quickly dispatching from their muster, the Cardinal Guard immediately undertook a four-year crusade to free these worlds, eliminating the pirate element and establishing both a home-world and numerous fortress-postings throughout the Vivarian Sector.

 

From the 22nd Founding to the 42nd millennium, the Cardinal Guard have played both military and cultural roles, emphasizing their defense and reinforcement of the Eccleshiarchy’s cherished strongholds in the region. Whereas other, mightier chapters of the Adeptus Astartes have shirked a quasi-political role, the Cardinal Guard have taken a strong stance towards the Imperium and the Imperial Faith, allowing themselves to be regularly utilized as living icons of the God-Emperor. Where records can be located, the Cardinal Guard boast a proud history of nearly 4,000 years of service, on fronts both infamous and obscure.

 

 

Fighting Doctrine

 

The Cardinal Guard, as observed and recorded with some detail, retain near-Codex strength, often meeting a nine-company quota of fighting marines and boasting a healthy scout company - though recent martyr actions have set the chapter back by nearly two full battle-companies.

 

The chapter’s primary means of attack, and their most practiced, is the “deep strike” action, wherein the chapter often deploys from a sizeable drop pod and gunship landing, inserting of marines in pivotal locations to fight behind forward lines, often without re-supply or support - a battle dogma gleaned from brutal mountainous terrain of the home-world, and suitable to densely packed Hive Cities and war-torn battlefields alike.

 

Like so many of the varied chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the backbone of the Cardinal Guard is the Tactical Squad - organized in tight five-man formations - capable of clearing enemy encampments, disrupting supply lines, securing hive-blocks, and clearing the zones mortalis that so often compose the Cardinal Guard’s battlefields. The Tactical Marine, at the heart of these squads, is commonly armed with the ubiquitous load-out of the Adeptus Astartes; his bolter, bolt pistol, gladius, and a compliment frag and krak grenades. Wielding Cathean-born tenacity and trans-human ingenuity, a lone Cardinal Guard is capable of engaging enemy forces, safeguarding Imperial civilians, assessing situational integrity, and communicating with allied forces, all while planning his next action - a testament to any space marine’s incredible abilities.

 

Chapter Culture

 

The Cardinal Guard, by dint of their origins, first combats, and the worlds they are charged to defend, have developed synchronously with the post-Thorian Ecclesiarchy. The Decade Worlds, first enraptured by the Confederation of Light, then later held in the iron fist of Vandire's Frateris Templar, reestablished themselves as beacons of Imperial Faith in the Ultima Segmentum. Some scholars suggest that some trappings and practices of the heretical Confederation of Light still remain, hybridized and now inseparable with the mainline doctrine of the Temple of the Savior Emperor. The Cardinal Guard are true believers of this particular creed and uphold a bizarre Chaplaincy to reflect their faith. In addition to the Codex Astartes standard ranks, the Chapter also maintains a third, semi-formal rank, an unspoken pre-requisite to promotion to the battle-ranks of Sergeant or Captain. The sub-rank of "Velocitari" is earned through study and ordination into the Ecclesiarchy, specifically the Order of St. Vivarius - in essence making all ranking brothers of the Chapter priests of the Adeptus Ministorum, if only in a secondary capacity. Though largely celebratory, it is not uncommon for Sergeants and Captains of the Cardinal Guard to celebrate the rituals of the Imperial while on Crusade or patrols of the Decade Worlds, much to the relish of the Ecclesiarchy, who benefit from the spectacle and legitimacy brought by such participation by the Emperor's Angels.

 

Cathea

 

Imperial records of Cathea place it in the Ultima Segmentum, southeast of the Perfidian Gap warp storm, a theta-class world of icy forests and caustic climate, unsuited for proper colonization, but home to a persistent race of man, long ago crash-landed on the death world. Having survived the amniotic climate, hazardous fauna, and sub-zero temperatures, the population was eventually visited by the founding company of Chapter #446, who would buillt their fortress monastery and recruited from the world’s youth - to great success. To Imperial scholars, it is not entirely clear how or why the chapter settled upon Cathea, it defies belief that such a boon would fall under the chapter’s provenance by luck alone.

  

The Legacy of Rogal Dorn

 

The Cardinal Guard stand with the sons of the Dorn, as stalwart as any other chapter, and have answered the call of the Imperial Fists without hesitation or delay on countless occasions - including summons to the Feast of Blades, an event at which the chapter has rarely claimed any great honor - winning only once, on the 725th Feast.

 

It is unknown, even to the most privileged scholars, if the Cardinal Guard are pledged the Last Wall, or if chapter command is yet to be elucidated of such rites. The dangers of the Cicatrix Maledictum, such that the galaxy has been cleft in two, greatly diminishes any such pledges if they exist, and leave the Cardinal Guard under the hierarchical leadership of Commander Dante, of the Blood Angels chapter.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 29 by TheSpeckledTrout
Edited for updated lore and effort.

[Gamiel]

Looks good.

Based on the name do it feel like they send one/some of their brothers to protect the local cardinal/s, is it so? If not, any history behind the name?

Do you have any thought about:
- how their worship of the Emperor take form?
- their culture? What would an outsider notice if s/he was allowed to stay with them?
- their relationship with the different ecclesiarchial organisations? Any they are near? Any they have problem with?

Edited December 10, 2020 by Gamiel

[TheSpeckledTrout]

Looks good.

 

Based on the name do it feel like they send one/some of their brothers to protect the local cardinal/s, is it so? If not, any history behind the name?

 

Do you have any thought about:

- how their worship of the Emperor take form?

- their culture? What would an outsider notice if s/he was allowed to stay with them?

- their relationship with the different ecclesiarchial organisations? Any they are near? Any they have problem with?

 

Thank you for the feedback!

 

Moving question by question:

 

- The name is largely ceremonial, but harkens back to their defense of an Eldar Corsair action on an Ecclesiarchy void convoy transporting a sizable contingent of Imperial Missionaries. Nineteen marines sacrificed themselves for the safety of the mortals, so the local Cardinal honored the chapter with the name.

 

- It's direct adoration, mostly, using traditional Imperial/Western means. Paraphrased, a milder dogma than the Black Templars.

 

- Culture is huge topic, something that I need to expand on in the legion format, then condense into chapter format. Cathea has Roman frontier vibes, at least in its undeveloped form, and breeds marines that are mission oriented, but not entirely inhumane. Non-combat time is likely spent visiting with the worlds surrounding the Perfidian Gap, doing "tours" with the Ecclesiarchy. They're personable, in the way you'd expect a someone used to be flocked by attention to be sociable and capable of using a crowd's energy.

 

- The Cardinal World of the region - St. Vivarus, is the closest tie, and likely had some influence on the early chapter. Relations outside of that have been largely peaceable - considering the more civil nature of the local dogma, the Cardinal Guard are much less likely to appreciate some of the more 'barbaric' methods of Emperor-worship.

 

 

[Brother Lunkhead]

Looks like you're off to a solid start

 

Colors look very good.

 

What is the significance of your chapter's heraldrdy? Looks to be a gladius/spatha passing through.... what? I like it, but I'm not quite sure what it represents.

 

Cardinal number XIX on right pauldron: significant number to the chapter?

 

Chapter moto - "Tua Venit Tempus! Mors!": 'Your time has come! Death!' Is that what you are going for?

 

They all look good. I'm just curious

[Ryltar Thamior]

Nicely done Marine there for the colour-scheme exemplar, some interesting parts incorported - and always a fan of that XXth style helm 

[TheSpeckledTrout]

Looks like you're off to a solid start

 

Colors look very good.

 

What is the significance of your chapter's heraldrdy? Looks to be a gladius/spatha passing through.... what? I like it, but I'm not quite sure what it represents.

 

Cardinal number XIX on right pauldron: significant number to the chapter?

 

Chapter moto - "Tua Venit Tempus! Mors!": 'Your time has come! Death!' Is that what you are going for?

 

They all look good. I'm just curious

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

A quick disclaimer, these guys are switch-hitting for an alternate universe legion, where they are the 19th. But, I'll justify the design choices in true Games Workshop fashion - in retrospect!

 

- The heraldry is my stab at an original design choice - a downward gladius superimposed on a stylized stag's head. I like it because it's evocative of the Dark Angels, Ultramarines, and something entirely different at the same time. Cathea can best be described as a freezing amniotic forest world - the frost stag being native fauna.

 

- The XIX is heraldic, a reminder of the 19 marines who sacrificed themselves during the battle that earned the chapter its name.

 

- "Tua Venit Tempus" is a real life motto of a military unit I have worked with. It's just fun - and slightly evocative of the Dark Angels and Blood Angel's battle cries, when used in Low Gothic.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

- The name is largely ceremonial, but harkens back to their defense of an Eldar Corsair action on an Ecclesiarchy void convoy transporting a sizable contingent of Imperial Missionaries. Nineteen marines sacrificed themselves for the safety of the mortals, so the local Cardinal honored the chapter with the name.

This gives the Chapter character, and should be included in your IA, under "Chapter history."

- Culture is huge topic, something that I need to expand on in the legion format, then condense into chapter format. Cathea has Roman frontier vibes, at least in its undeveloped form, and breeds marines that are mission oriented, but not entirely inhumane. Non-combat time is likely spent visiting with the worlds surrounding the Perfidian Gap, doing "tours" with the Ecclesiarchy. They're personable, in the way you'd expect a someone used to be flocked by attention to be sociable and capable of using a crowd's energy.

The "tours" can be justified as deterrence patrols, i.e., the Marines' visible presence discourages would-be enemies from acting against the Imperium and its subjects; shows of force to raise and maintain Imperial subjects' confidence in the Ecclesiarchy and other Imperial institutions; and recruitment drives, diversifying the Chapter's source of recruits to reduce its vulnerability to strikes that could and would devastate the Chapter planet and its population, e.g., what the Space Wolves suffered from when Magnus the Red attacked Fenris.

[TheSpeckledTrout]

Updated the original post to reflect a renewed take on the chapter - an updated founding, better tie-in with in-universe lore, and some chapter culture. In addition, I will be posting Chapter organization and a deep dive on the 5th Company as I work through modeling a force.

[Brother Cambrius]

Nice work establishing a grounded, yet unique flavour of Chapter.

The link to the Ecclesiarchy is interesting, given the legacy of the Age of Apostasy etc. How do other Chapters view these zealous cousins who believe the Emperor a God and originating from a region that was gripped by Vandire's influence?

 

Cambrius

[TheSpeckledTrout]

16 hours ago, Brother Cambrius said:

Nice work establishing a grounded, yet unique flavour of Chapter.

The link to the Ecclesiarchy is interesting, given the legacy of the Age of Apostasy etc. How do other Chapters view these zealous cousins who believe the Emperor a God and originating from a region that was gripped by Vandire's influence?

 

Cambrius

 

I appreciate the compliments!

 

Though worship of the Emperor isn't a new phenomenon in the Adeptus Astartes (dating back as far as the Second Founding), the Cardinal Guard's adoption of religion and close relation to the Adeptus Ministorum can be viewed as problematic by other Chapters, both secular and observant.

 

The Decade Worlds, and by extension the Cardinal Guard, still retain some of the Confederation of Light's influence in their specific creed. Poverty and humility, even on the highest levels of the organization, is held as an axiom. To other Chapters, purposeful deprivation and meekness can be viewed as undermining the Imperium's cause - the Cardinal Guard's solemnity and zeal are abstract distractions from the mission at hand. Upturning a religious hierarchy which places the Emperor's Angels near its apex has potentially heretical consequences.

 

Regarding the influence of Vandire and the Frateris Templar, the Chapter's first true engagement, the Edictal Crusade, provided an effective purge of the entities and ideas that held the sector hostage (at the cost of two Cardinal Worlds, one of which was razed beyond repair). Sebastian Thor and his near successors provided much of the healing that the Imperium needed following the Age of Apostasy and a return to the status quo - in the Decade Worlds, existing Ministorum personnel, the majority of which obliged Vandire, were replaced by those loyal to Thor's beliefs. Distance and time, above all else, has healed the wounds and kept the Chapter free from that particular suspicion.

[TheSpeckledTrout]

Chapter Organization

 

Chapter Command

- Attico Diomedes, Chapter Master, Patriarch of the Velocitarii

- Alexion Kallistari, Chapter Ensign

- Marcus Vulturum, Chapter Champion, Wielder of Etnus

- Asper Nicolio, Master of the Forge, Keeper of the Three Seals

- Ricarn Tyloss, Master of the Apothecarion

- Velon Tusceles, Chief Librarian, Master of Abjuration

- Reynard Altheron, Master of Sanctity, High Prelate

 

Companies and Captains

- 1st Company (Veteran), The Vorpal Band: Gaius Calignes, Master of the Keep

- 2nd Company (Battle), The Wardens of Cathea: Antonic Carilonis, Master of the Watch

- 3rd Company (Battle), The Host Vermilion: Tydeo Calcedeon, Master of the Arsenal

- 4th Company (Battle), The Defenders of Vivarius: Elion Domentine, Master of the Fleet

- 5th Company (Battle), The Lords of Winter: Marius Patrenaro, Master of the Marches

- 6th Company (Res. Battleline), The Layshield: Palras Teriomen, Master of Missions

- 7th Company (Res. Battleline), The Diaconate: Giovo Hesperides, Master of Rites

- 8th Company (Res. Close Support), The Jeracites: Amadeo Faltro, Master of Scourges

- 9th Company (Res. Fire Support), The Seleucans: Lorencio Cataldere, Master of Relics

- 10th Company (Scout), The Solistarii: Flavias Messaron, Master of Recruits

[TheSpeckledTrout]

Fifth Company, Cardinal Guard - The Lords of Winter

 

Primary Tasking: Battle Company

Secondary Tasking: Chapter Logistics and Deployment

Charge World: Santiseron

 

Overview

Due to their status as highest enumerated Battle Company, the 5th is often last among its sister Companies to receive reinforcements, based on the Chapter's long-held practice of filling its Company formations in numerical order. Due to this, the Lords of Winter have adopted practices and strategies which allow it to operate under full strength, which in turn has bred a particularly insular culture, less welcoming of new recruits and reluctant to accede experienced Battle-Brothers to the 1st Company or other Chapter postings. Unlike other Companies, who maintain strong relationships with the Cardinal Worlds in their charge, their interactions with the people of Santiseron is rare, foregone for battlefield ministrations among the deployed forces of the Imperium.

 

Chapter Command

Marius Patrenaro, Captain of the Fifth and Lord of the Marches, is a product of the 5th's insular culture, having risen from the Company's own ranks. Following a short tenure among the 1st Company, Marius was re-inducted to the 5th as Veteran Sergeant of Captain Julien Lacrioso's command squad. In battle against an incursive Eldar force, a long-range assassination would leave Captain Lacrioso mortally wounded and unresponsive, necessitating Patrenaro's battlefield promotion - heralded by a swift recovery of his predecessor's broken form and a fighting withdrawal from the ambushed area. Since his ascension to command, Captain Patrenaro's has led no fewer than six deployments - several of which had him taking joint command among other Chapter's or Imperial Guard forces.

 

Alongside the Company Captain, Reclusiarch Telic Acacius serves as the 5th spiritual leader, his experience peppered by long service in the 3rd Company as an Armored Spearhead-Sergeant. The Battle-Brothers of 5th's command contingent are handpicked by Patrenaro, each noticed for their rising potential in the Company and Chapter: Apothecary Ignatus; the Company Banner Bearer and Champion, Fortino and Evarian; and Patrenaro's life-wards, Berthonal and Tezran.

 

Squad Sergeants

The ten Sergeants which compose the fighting leadership of 5th Company are, in Patrenaro's own words, "the true Lords of Winter" - a stern, professional group of warriors with a Chapter-wide reputation for their grit and laconic reserve. Andreus, Mattean, Santileo, Aurelio, Ezian, and Fulvan - the Company's Tactical Sergeants - embody their monikers, each cut from the similar cloth, and all hailing from villages in Batadoretti mountain range of Cathea's western continent. The Assault Sergeants, Montrean and Kalegorus, foster and maintain fierce competition among themselves and their squads, a rivalry which can spill over to frequent honor-bouts between Battle-Brothers, typically taking the form distances races or tests of exposure. Sergeants Donetal and Ilarian, of the Devastator Squads, buck the trend of the Company, and are noted as the most sanguine of their peers, the two grizzled warriors known for their tongue-in-cheek ironic commentary towards the Company, enemy, or situation.

 

Company Assets

The 5th Company is nominally stationed upon the Strike Cruiser Conviction of Man and maintains numerous tactical vehicles: a squadron of five Land Speeders of varying configurations, a stable of five Bikes and Attack Bikes apiece, a motor pool of eight Rhinos, three Razorbacks, and a single Land Raider, with prescribed access to the Chapter's larger component of other fighting vehicles on a situational basis. Chief among their heavy assets is Ancient Lacrioso - the reborn form of their previous Captain, relatively recently interred and at the nascent peak of his second life.