IA: The Hospitallers Militant - LASC 2021

[Brother Lunkhead]

INDEX ASTARTES

space for heraldry

The Hospitallers Militant

For every human being there is a crossroads and a choice. Choose the road to the Emperor's Light

and there we will be, to protect you and guard the way. Choose the road to damnation, there we will

also be, to send you on your way.

- Gered Tomisian

Grand Master of the Hospitallers Militant

It is a grim truth, for some to live, some must die. If for humanity to survive, others must face oblivion, then so be it.

- Micael Keros

Knight Commander of the Black Chapel

CHAPTER INDEX

Veteran Knight Livery of the White Chapel (1st Veteran Company) - The Purifiers

Primogenitor Legion: XIII, Ultramarines

Primarch Primogenitor: Roboute Guilliman

Founding: =][= REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE INQUISITION =][=

Chapter Master: Gered Tomisian

Home world: Fleet based

Chapter Monastery: Battle barge Lux Imperator

Strength: Approximately 1,000 line Astartes

Specialty: High risk protective escort, war zone mercy missions,

large scale evacuation logistical support,

gene-seed hunt, exterminatus

Heraldry: Bone white cross on a field of apothecarium green

Chapter Colors: Bone white and apothecarium green

Battle Cry: Apothecary - For the living

Response - Hope!

Apothecary - For the dead

Response - Vengeance!

HISTORY

C

reated for and tasked with bringing hope to those who hold loyal to the Imperium of Man and bringing death to those who would do harm to the Imperium and its citizens, the Hospitallers Militant stretches its hand boldly across the galaxy. Seen by most as a relatively young chapter, it's origins are ancient and shrouded in mystery.

Origin

Unknown to the Imperium as a whole and even to the numerous Astartes chapters they have fought side by side with the Chapter Master and many of the Veterans of the Hospitallers Militant first tasted battle as warriors of Roboute Gulliman's XIII Legion, Ultramarines in the early days of the Great Crusade. This young chapter acrually traces its origin back to the end of the Horus Heresy and the begining of the Great Scouring.

At the end of the Horus Heresy and as part of the Scouring, Roboute Guilliman sends out several retribution fleets with broad mandates to seek and destroy surviving Chaos forces and enclaves, and to assist loyalist forces and civilians as necessary. One of these fleets, Retribution Fleet Praetor is under command of Chapter Master Mericus Bellerophon, former Invictarus Suzerain commander and part of Guilliman's inner circle.

While escorting a civilian refugee fleet to safe Imperial space, they are ambushed by a combined Chaos fleet which immediately sets upon the civilian ships. Bellerophon, immediately understands that his choices are limited. If he turns and fights he can destroy the Chaos fleet, but at the cost of the refugee fleet. He can run, but the Chaos forces will simply follow, and like a pack of wolves pick off the weaker civilian ships one by one. The only viable option is to have a portion of his fleet turn and fight a holding action, allowing the bulk of the fleet time to escape. Fleet Master Marcus Voyen (Bellerophon's closest human friend) volunteers to lead the holding action. Bellerophon knows that Voyen is the best man for the job and that it is also a suicide mission. He will never see his friend or the ships of the holding squadrons again.

Voyen launches his desperate little fleet into a savage attack against the Chaos forces, while the bulk of Fleet Praetor and the refugee fleet escape into the warp. In their death run, Voyen's forces smash the Chaos fleet and Bellerephon's rage and hatred of Chaos is fueled even brighter by the death of his friend and so many of his ship crews. It is a hatred that will burn hot until the day he dies.

Upon entering the warp, the fleet encounters a storm of power and ferocity unlike any they had ever experienced. Many ships are lost and huge portions of the fleet are separated in the storm. As the surviving squadrons exit the warp they are scattered throughout the galactic rim. But that is not the worst of it. Navigators and ship cartographers inform the Chapter Master that the stars are wrong. His ships have not only been flung to the far reaches of the galaxy but the far reaches of time as well. It is estimated that they are almost ten thousand years in the future.

After many battles and long searching over more than a century, Bellerophon is finally content that he has made contact with all surviving elements of his fleet. He has lost many ships along with over five thousand Astartes, and countless freemen and civilian refugees. Also, through an extensive intelligence network he and his Librarius have established, he has a clear view of what has become of the Imperium. They are truly in a dark age, in every sense of the word.

At the end of what would later be known as the First Tyrannic War, and after furious battle with the Tyrannid invaders on the edges of Ultramar, Bellerophon makes contact with Macrage and meets with Marneus Calgar in secret. Once convinced of the truth behind Bellerophon's fantastic tale, the two Chapter Masters confer and make plans for the inevitable confrontation with the Inquisition.

For Calgar and the Ultramarines, meeting Astartes from the XIII Legion is a miracle. To actually speak with brothers who stood with the Emperor and the Primarch, who witnessed the Emperor's dream made manifest and then sundered by Horus' treason is nothing short of a wonder for them. For the Inquisition, it is nothing short of the ultimate nightmare. To actually have eye witnesses to the Horus Heresy walking in the Imperium is intolerable. The Inquisition arrives in force with elements of Battlefleet Ultima, demanding the surrender of Bellerophon, his Astartes, and all freemen and civilians under his authority. The inquisitorial forces are faced by ships of the Ultramarines, the Ultramar Defense Force, and elements of Retribution Fleet Praetor. Inquisitor Aegottubg tells Chapter Master Calgar that more forces are on their way. Calgar smiles and assures the Inquisitor that they most certainly are. Numerous warp portals appear at the Mandeville Point and swarms of Primogenitor war ships pour through and take up battle positions behind the Imperial naval forces, weapons locked.

After long and tense deliberation, a compromise is arrived at. Under supervision of the Ultramarines Chapter, Bellerophon and his people will submit to inspection by the Inquisition and the Grey Knights. Once cleared, the forces of Retribution Fleet Praetor will be divided into five groups that will form the nucleus of five new chapters of Astartes. The new chapters will then take charge of all accompanying freemen and civilians who will be bonded in servitude to the chapters for life as will their children and children's children in perpetuity. Secret charters are issued, and all are sworn to silence.

Thus is born the Hospitallers Militant, the Praetorian Sword, the Liberation Knights, the Hammers of Ultramar, and the Ursan Lords, five new Space Marine chapters to bring the Emperors Light to the darkness.

The Brotherhood of Praetor

Wherein, before launching out to meet their individual destinies, the Masters of the five new chapters swear eternal friendship and loyalty. They promise to come to each others aid whenever called.

The Batavian Reconquista

Wherein the Hospitallers Militant first taste battle as a chapter, liberate the Forge Worlds of the Batavian star system from the grip of a warband of the Iron Warriors, and in doing so, gain the eternal enmity of a mighty Chaos warlord, form an alliance with the Adeptus Mechanicus, and renew a bond of friendship with an ancient Rogue Trader family.

The Hospitallers' Crusade

Wherein the Hospitallers Militant come to the aid of a Shrine World, rescue the sisters of an Order Hospitaller and fight side by side with the Sisters of Battle.

Roland's Shield Crusade

Wherein the Black Chapel of the Hospitallers Militant exterminate all life on twelve Imperial worlds and starve a splinter fleet of the Great Devourer unto death.

Sargon's Bastion Crusade

Wherein the Hospitallers Militant assault the stronghold of an old enemy, raze a mighty fortress, and deal a deathblow to a Chaos warband.

The Golgotha Reclamation Crusade

Wherein the Hospitallers Militant invade the Ork infested world of Golgotha and rescue the gene-seeds of a fallen ally.

The Road to Salvation Purgation Crusade

Wherein the Hospitallers Militant purge the taint of a Chaos cult from a pilgrimage fleet with flame and sword, ship by ship.

The Coming Darkness

For century after century, the Hospitallers Militant have brought hope and death in the Emperor's name across the galaxy, but there is still suffering without end. The end of the 41st millennium is near its bloody end with no respite in site. All the seers of the Librarius see ahead is even greater darkness. A Council of the Brotherhood of Praetor is declared.

Prognosticators from all the chapters are predicting that a great cataclysm is about to befall the Imperium. Storms are building in the warp. War drums are sounding. Abaddon will unleash a new crusade upon the galaxy. But, where or when, no one knows. All the prophets can say is that it will be soon.

The Brotherhood agrees that they will consolidate their forces in the northern reaches of the galaxy, near their bastions of power and make ready. Grand Master Gered Tomisian waits with anticipation and a sense of foreboding. It is the year 999M.41 and there is only war.

CHAPTER ORGANIZATION

H

onoring the Codex Astartes of their beloved father, Roboute Guilliman, the Hospitallers Militant form their fighting force and doctrine around this revered battle tome.

Chapter Order of Battle

Chapter Command

• Grand Master of the Hospitallers Militant: Gered Tomisian
• Honor Guard of the Chapter: 20 Veteran Knights seconded from the White Chapel
• The Knight Council: Advisors to the Grand Master
• Equerries and serfs

Reclusium of Light

• Grand Reclusiarch
• 3 Knight Reclusiarchs
• 16 Knight Chaplains (10 seconded to the chapels)
• Acolytes and serfs

Librarius

• Grand Marshal of the Librarius
• 3 Knight Commanders of the Librarius
• 3 Knight Epistolaries
• 6 Knight Codiciers
• 9 Knight Lexicanums
• Acolytes and serfs

Apothecarium

• Surgeon Marshal of the Apothecarium
• 3 Knight Commanders of the Apothecarium
• 18 Knight Apothecaries (10 seconded to the chapels
• Helix Adepts (variable numbers of apprentice apothecaries, 10 of which are seconded to line companies)
• Biologus Genetors (Variable number seconded to the chapter by the Adeptus Mechanicus)
• Medice serfs
• Servo-meds

Armorium

• Grand Marshal of the Forge
• 3 Knight Commander Techmarines
• 15 Knight Techmarines
• Knight Commander of Armor
• Forge Serfs
• Servo-techs
• Armorium: All armored fighting and support ground vehicles and heavy weapons

Fleet

• Knight Admiral of the Fleet
• Fleet staff
• Ship Masters and serf crews
• Fleet servitors
• Ships of the Fleet: Battle Barges, Strike Cruisers, Vanguard Cruisers, Escort Ships, Armored Mass Conveyors, Support Vessels
• Drop Pods, Battle Support Flyers, Heavy Transports

Fighting Companies

• White Chapel (The Purifiers): Veteran company
• Gold Chapel (The Light Bringers)
• Red Chapel (The Sacrificers)
• Green Chapel (The Life Givers)
• Black Chapel (The Destroyers)

Reserve Companies

• Orange Chapel (Tactical)
• Purple Chapel (Tactical)
• Grey Chapel (Fast Attack)
• Blue Chapel (Heavy Weapons)

Scout/Training

• Chapel of Learning and Judgement

WARRIORS OF NOTE

space for text

• Gered Tomisian, Grand Master of the Chapter

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• Petrosus Vartanian, Knight Commander of the Destroyer Company (Black Chapel)

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RECRUITMENT AND GENE-SEED

Recruitment

The Hospitallers Militant exact a tithe of the healthiest young males from the pilgrim fleets they guard and the worlds they liberate. No special test or ceremony of ordeal is required to become an initiate to the Chapter, for it is in the harsh and deadly ordeal of day to day survival that the worthy are tested.

Gene-Seed

The gene-seed of the Hospitallers Militant comes by way of their revered Primarch, Roboute Guilliman. It is among the most pure of Ultramarine stock as it comes directly from the era of the Great Crusade.

COMBAT DOCTRINE AND BELIEFS

Combat Doctrine

The missions, tactics and strategies of the Hospitallers Millitant are derived primarily from the Codex Astartes. They are however known primarily for some of the specialized missions they perform. Among these are warzone disaster relief and mercy missions, pilgrim fleet escort, exploritor fleet escort, rogue trader escort, warzone gene-seed retrieval, and warzone gene-seed search and destroy missions.

Some of the specialized missions are often talked about in hushed tones or not talked about at all. These are the missions of the Black Chapel, the Destroyer Company. Rebellions have ended on many worlds merely when the Black Chapel strike cruiser, Final Judgement enters high orbit. Space Marines from brother chapters who joke that the Hospitallers Militant are a chapter of medices fall silent at the mention of the Black Chapel. Descended directly from the destroyer companies of old, the Black Chapel bear the Chapter's most lethal and horrific weapons, that many chapters shun or outright forbid. They weild the deadly toxins, rad weapons, and virus bombs used to wipe away life in the Chapter's purgation and exterminatus missions, and they do it with a disquieting zeal.

Beliefs

Like the XIII Legion of old, the brothers of the Hospitallers Militant hold true to the Imperial Truth and revere the Emperor as the pinnacle of human evolution. They do tolerate and honor those who hold tight to the Imperial Creed and see the Emperor in the light of the divine as their strength and shield against the horrors of the universe and the warp.

CHAPTER HERALDRY AND LIVERY

Heraldry

The symbol of the Hospitallers Militant is a simple bone white cross on a field of pale green. These are the universal symbols of life and healing, known to all in the 41st Millenium.

The heraldry of the Destroyer Company is a simple ash gray cross on a field of black.

Livery

All but the Astartes of the Reclusium, the Librarius and the Black Chapel wear the bone white and pale green colors of the Hospitalers Militant. Veteran, line and reserve companies denote their colors with a wide band across the lower third of both paldrons. These companies also denote the company colors on their left knee guard with squad number stenciled over it in the high gothic form. All veterans' helmets are bone white.

The officers and marines of the Black Chapel are liveried in ash gray armor with black paldrons and black aquila. Veteran officers also wear black robes and veteran marines wear a black tabard over their armor.

Like many other chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, Chaplains are liveried black, symbolizing death and Librarians wear the blue of purified warp lightning.

(LEFT) Knight Marshal, White Chapel (CENTER LEFT) Brother Knight, Red Chapel, 2nd Squad (CENTER RIGHT) Knight Commander, Red Chapel (RIGHT) Neophyte Scout

(LEFT) Brother Knight, Black Chapel, 3rd Squad (CENTER) Veteran Knight Sergeant, Black Chapel Command Squad (RIGHT) Knight Commander, Black Chapel

SUMMARY

W

hether they bear the white and green hearldry of life or the ash and black hearldry of death, all brothers of the Hospitallers Militant are the Emperor's Angels of Death, fearless warriors bringing hope to the living, vengeance for the dead and destruction to the xeno, traitor and daemon.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hail Warriors of the Liber and thank you for taking the time to look at my second article for the Liber Astartes Swap Challenge 2021 (It's still a shell as I post this, but I'll be adding text in a few days). Critiques and questions are welcomed and appreciated. Allow me to apologize in advance if my responses are not prompt. We're down to the wire on Phase 1 and I'm pressing myself to finish this and my other article.

No suprise that the creation of the Hospitallers Militant was heavily influenced by the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. The genesis of the Hospitallers Militant goes way back to a time before I'd even heard of the Bolter and Chainsword and had just gotten bit by the 40K bug (2006ish). In fact, it was my first 40K army build. I created the general back story and army for one of my long time gaming buddies. He had been into 40K and a Space Marines fan long before I got into this. He is a huge gaming fan (all kinds) but at the time had not played for some time. He was in Med School at the time, and apparently that's kind of a life consuming experience. Upon graduation, I presented the Hospitallers Militant army to him. I'm pleased to say that he plays it to this day.

In closing, I dedicate this article and the Hospitallers Militant chapter to my friend and all healers and warriors in the eternal war against disease and deprivation in all its forms.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Brother Lunkhead

[Bjorn Firewalker]

 

For every human being there is a crossroads and a choice. Choose the road to the Emperor's Light

and there we will be, to protect you and guard the way. Choose the road to damnation, there we will

also be, to send you on your way.

Battle Cry: Apothecary - For the living

Response - Hope!

Apothecary - For the dead

Response - Vengeance!

These are GREAT lines, and help to distinguish the Chapter.

Primogenitor Legion: XIII, Ultramarines

 

Primarch Primogenitor: Roboute Guilliman

 

Founding: =][= REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE INQUISITION =][=

Considering the mischief the Inquisition gets into, I'm suspicious of the statement the Chapter is an Ultramarines successor. Why censor information on the Chapter's founding? Is it actually a Death Guard successor, founded due to the Inquisition and the AdMech experimenting with gene-seed, the way the Cursed Founding Chapters were?

 

Home world: Fleet based

 

Chapter Monastery: Battle barge Lux Imperator

 

Strength: Approximately 1,000 line Astartes

 

Specialty: High risk protective escort, war zone mercy missions,

large scale evacuation logistical support,

gene-seed hunt, exterminatus

Good imagination.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Thanks Brother Bjorn.

 

Getting proper alignment on that quote has been a problem. It looks okay on my end now

 

Inquisitorial redaction: The explanation will be in the HISTORY section under Origin. Should be up tomorrow, but you can get a sneak peak by looking at the IA: Liberation Knights thread. The Hospitallers Militant are part of the same founding. Emperor willing, I'll have all the blanks filled in by the deadline.

 

Thanks again for taking time to comment...... much appreciated

[Zebulon]

As a bit of a pinko liberal, I very much like the motivation behind this chapter and the dedication bit.

 

I will be interested to see how much real world Hospitaller history you can or wish to fit into this IA. For example, the real ones had some run ins with Barbary Pirates - could be an opportunity for a conflict with Red Corsairs perhaps, or even Eldar Corsairs.

 

Also, will these Hospitallers benefit massively from the suppression of their Templar brethren? ???

[Brother Lunkhead]

As a bit of a pinko liberal, I very much like the motivation behind this chapter and the dedication bit.

Thank you for that. See?..... pinko liberals and narrowminded conservatives can have common ground 

 

I will be interested to see how much real world Hospitaller history you can or wish to fit into this IA. For example, the real ones had some run ins with Barbary Pirates - could be an opportunity for a conflict with Red Corsairs perhaps, or even Eldar Corsairs.

 

The Knights Hospitallers have been a special interest to me since I was a boy, so I will definitely be incorporating their history in here..... and yes, there will be pirates

 

Also, will these Hospitallers benefit massively from the suppression of their Templar brethren? ???

I don't think so. Although their temperaments and means are different, their goals are the same. The Hospitallers Militant see the Black Templars as kindred spirits. What the Templars think of them, the Hospitallers neither know nor care. They will however from time to time but heads with various factions of the Inquisition

Edited March 29, 2021 by Brother Lunkhead

[Brother Lunkhead]

Basic article is now submitted for the LASC 2021 It's not to the level I'd like, but it does give a fair view of what the Hospitallers Militant are about. If I have time, I'll put in more examples of livery and I'll add an illustration of the Chapter's heraldry next week and more details as time allows.

 

As always, critiques and cash are welcomed

[Brother Lunkhead]

Added a second quote to the top and some illustrations to the main article HERALDRY AND LIVERY section. Hope to improve my graphics skills sometime in the near future from nil to passable in the nearish future. You should get the idea though

Edited April 8, 2021 by Brother Lunkhead

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I love the Knights Hospitaller, they've always espoused a military ideal I've found myself attached to. While I haven't ever delved as highly into the history of the order as I have with other subjects, let's just say that any time I am able to in any historical game play as or utilize the Hospitallers, I most certainly do.

 

 

All but the Astartes of the Reclusium, the Librarius and the Black Chapel wear the bone white and pale green colors of the Hospitalers Militant all but the Black Chapel wear the white and green heraldry of the chapter on their left paldron. Veteran, line and reserve companies denote their colors with a wide band across the lower third of both paldrons. These companies also denote the company colors on their left knee guard with squad number stenciled over it in the high gothic form. All veterans' helmets are bone white.

 

 

Emphasis mine, I feel like this needs to be condensed, rejigged or punctuated differently, as it stands it feels like one big sentence that repeats itself, even though technically it doesn't.

 

That just stood out to me on first reading.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Thanks for the feedback Brother Grey The Knights Hospitallers have a most interesting history and I hope to incorporate some of it here.

 

That paragraph .....In my fevered imagination, I  thought I'd fixed that.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Thanks for the feedback Brother Grey The Knights Hospitallers have a most interesting history and I hope to incorporate some of it here.

 

That paragraph .....In my fevered imagination, I  thought I'd fixed that.

 

Sometimes, sometimes the fever dream... well, isn't a dream.