The Unicorns Excalibur (Yes...I said Unicorns)

[space wolf]

 

The Unicorns Excalibur

 

 

GENESEED: Salamanders

 

FOUNDING: Ultima

 

ORGANIZATION: The Unicorns Excalibur are organized by the strictures of the Codex Astartes.

 

RECRUITMENT WORLD: Excalibur Prime

Considered a garden world by Imperium standards, Excalibur’s surface is full of lush green gardens, and an ease of living found rarely in the Imperium. However, it hides a secret, the entire ecosystem on the surface, is only maintained through complex, subterranean, weather modulating machinery. This machinery is maintained by a sizeable minority of the planet’s population. Kept in perpetual slavery, most never see the light of day. Wasting away their short lives, in the dark underground passages, ignorant of the life above, that they support. It is from this population, that the Unicorns Excalibur recruit from.

 

DEMEANOR: Like the planet they hail from, the Unicorns Excalibur have a deep seated secret. They paint their armor like they are paragons of hope and heroism. However, nothing is further from the truth. The Unicorns Excalibur, have naturally occurring nihilistic tendencies, and subscribe to a victory at all costs mentality. Moreover, while they view their primary function to serve and protect the Imperium, they care nothing for the average citizen. Indeed they have a deep distain for the weakness of the average citizen, and care nothing for their well being. Whether this comes from a deep seated self-hatred of the people they were originally recruited from, can only be speculated. They understand that the Imperium is nothing without humanity, however, they view the majority of humanity like a lower form of life that breeds in endless numbers. Whatever collateral damage occurs, “There’s always more where that came from.”

 

 

 

 

 

COMBAT DOCTRINE: Strictly following the Codex Astartes, the Unicorns Excalibur prefer a flexible style of warfare. “Whatever gets the job done,” might as well be their motto. Often their planetary engagements simply involve orbital bombardment, followed by a strategic drop “clean up, action.” Why waste the valuable lives of the Astartes, when the enemy can be destroyed from a distance, with acceptable losses to humanity.

[space wolf]

Thoughts, anyone? Predictable? The idea was simply how do I make essentially "the Care Bears," be the most despicable beings in the galaxy.

Edited January 12 by space wolf

[N1SB]

Peak Warhammer.

[Lysimachus]

Very cool. The colour scheme is very care bears, so goal achieved there I'd say! 

 

I get that this is maybe not entirely serious (right?) but I think a Unicorn would actually be a pretty good Chapter emblem? Horses/Stallions are already used in Imperial iconography, so a horse with its own built-in weapon is surely even better? Plus the mythical nature of the Unicorn would fit very nicely with the sheer rarity of the Astartes in the galaxy?

 

In terms of the background, I suppose a fairly obvious parallel could be to the Blood Angels, heroic, graceful, beautiful on the outside, but sometimes absolute monsters in reality?

 

 

Edited January 12 by Lysimachus

[space wolf]

37 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Very cool. The colour scheme is very care bears, so goal achieved there I'd say! 

 

I get that this is maybe not entirely serious (right?) but I think a Unicorn would actually be a pretty good Chapter emblem? Horses/Stallions are already used in Imperial iconography, so a horse with its own built-in weapon is surely even better? Plus the mythical nature of the Unicorn would fit very nicely with the sheer rarity of the Astartes in the galaxy?

 

In terms of the background, I suppose a fairly obvious parallel could be to the Blood Angels, heroic, graceful, beautiful on the outside, but sometimes absolute monsters in reality?

 

 

You're right, it's not entirely serious...however, I wanted to approach them like they were. Do I intend to actually make an army out of these guys? Probably not. But I agree, the Unicorn works pretty well. When I have more time, I may expand this a bit to flesh them out more. Or if you have any ideas, feel free to put them down here.  I also like the juxtaposition of being a salamanders successor and being probably the most brutal marines possible. I get that Salamanders are still Astartes...but they do have a reputation for a reason.  The only thing I would say about the comparison the Blood Angels, is that there is a nobility to the BA. There should be none with the Unicorns Excalibur. Nothing is beyond their wrath, should it stand in the way of service to the Emperor. If that service means, killing puppies in the most heinous way possible, they wouldn't bat an eye. The concept of honor means nothing to them. "Getting it done," is the only thing that matters to them, and "The ends ALWAYS justify the means."

[TheArtilleryman]

Great write-up. Although yes, the candy-sweet style is more parody than strictly fitting the setting, the concept is really well thought-out. I like how their mindset is completely the opposite of that of Vulkan and the Salamanders, despite being a successor. I wonder what happened to twist that ideology, or to make them reject it completely?

 

Love the way the chapter symbol subtly reflects that they have this dark side to them. First thing you see is the unicorn, but look closer and you see it framed by the black sword and horn, dripping blood.

Edited January 14 by TheArtilleryman

[Codex Grey]

Evil Care Bears? Hmm... Maybe they specialize in psychological warfare? 

 

Salamanders successors? *chef's kiss*

 

Silliness aside, I think the homeworld idea is pretty cool on its own. I envision something like a garden shrine world. Instead of statues and buildings dedicated to the Emperor, it's the majestic beauty of nature cultivated to perfection. Where the soil is nourished by the blood of millions, of course.

 

And space marines frolic in the fields.

 

Btw, Why excalibur?

 

Edited January 12 by Codex Grey

[space wolf]

14 hours ago, Codex Grey said:

 

 

Btw, Why excalibur?

 

 

So originally i was going to go with a more arthurian theme. (Which i still may do). But Excalibur is ther name of the system they come from. Thats as much as i have right now. Do you guys have any idea as to why?

 

@TheArtilleryman, i agree, the rainbow thing IS a bit on the nose, but i tried to give a reason for the colors they utilize. I call them the Colors of the Catachism. Its like their chapter creed. Seen at the bottom.

[LameBeard]

There is a lot of fun here. The subterranean slaves are especially nice touch. Colour scheme and company markings seems a bit fiddly for painting up squads though. Might you go for a Kill Team?

[TheArtilleryman]

I think Excalibur just adds to the whole “paragon of virtue” image that they are presenting. The meaning of the sword’s name “cut steel” doesn’t give us much to work with but the image for me just enhances the irony and the whole dichotomy of their nature. The sword was pulled from the stone by one who was pure of heart - which these guys really aren’t 

[space wolf]

4 hours ago, LameBeard said:

There is a lot of fun here. The subterranean slaves are especially nice touch. Colour scheme and company markings seems a bit fiddly for painting up squads though. Might you go for a Kill Team?

If I were to make models of these guys, it "t'would" be for a kill team. I like freehand painting so I don't mind complex designs.

 

3 hours ago, TheArtilleryman said:

I think Excalibur just adds to the whole “paragon of virtue” image that they are presenting. The meaning of the sword’s name “cut steel” doesn’t give us much to work with but the image for me just enhances the irony and the whole dichotomy of their nature. The sword was pulled from the stone by one who was pure of heart - which these guys really aren’t 

Yes! that's exactly it. I wanted them to appear to be paragons of virtue, but are so directly the opposite its actually tragic. They are mainly nihilistic. They do not enjoy their lives, and ultimately think human existence is suffering anyway. So thats why "death is their ultimate rewards." Being an astartes doesn't make their lives any less awful, than what they would have had in the slave caverns on Excalibur, it just makes their lives slightly more meaningful.

[Brother Cambrius]

Quite the upturn of expectations upon seeing the opening image of their heraldry etc. Definitely gives off an old school RT/2nd Ed era of parody of expectation.

 

Given the potential hatred of their former selves, do they take to using bionics like the Iron Hands do to replace the weakness of their origins?

 

Cambrius

[Lysimachus]

Just looking at the Chapter badge again, is the sword and head deliberately done that way? I mean initially it looks bright and happy, but then you look again and realise that the sword is actually cutting the unicorn's head off...

 

That certainly ties in with the theme, I suppose. A unicorn represents innocence and purity, so they are in fact destroyers of innocence. That could tie in with how they are viewed by the populace that they recruit from, taking the innocence from the boys that they take (steal?)

 

I must say, I like the idea more and more... but the colour scheme makes it really hard to take them as a serious Chapter? Have you considered trying a version of the colour scheme without the rainbows? A bright, pearlescent white with light sky-blue areas and golden detailing would still look very heroic/angelic without being quite so obvious in the parodying? 

 

I guess maybe that goes away from the 'Care Bears' visual, though...

 

What if the rainbow wasn't quite so prevalent? Maybe if it was an honour badge, something only seen on a Company Banner or as a Veteran badge, maybe it wouldn't be quite so overpowering?

 

(Anyway, that's just my opinion, not my call at all so feel free to ignore it entirely! )

 

 

Edited January 22 by Lysimachus

[space wolf]

@Brother Cambrius No I don't think so...for them, there is no way to "make it better," just to endure until inevitable death.

On 1/22/2025 at 3:06 PM, Lysimachus said:

Just looking at the Chapter badge again, is the sword and head deliberately done that way? I mean initially it looks bright and happy, but then you look again and realise that the sword is actually cutting the unicorn's head off...

 

That certainly ties in with the theme, I suppose. A unicorn represents innocence and purity, so they are in fact destroyers of innocence. That could tie in with how they are viewed by the populace that they recruit from, taking the innocence from the boys that they take (steal?)

 

I must say, I like the idea more and more... but the colour scheme makes it really hard to take them as a serious Chapter? Have you considered trying a version of the colour scheme without the rainbows? A bright, pearlescent white with light sky-blue areas and golden detailing would still look very heroic/angelic without being quite so obvious in the parodying? 

 

I guess maybe that goes away from the 'Care Bears' visual, though...

 

What if the rainbow wasn't quite so prevalent? Maybe if it was an honour badge, something only seen on a Company Banner or as a Veteran badge, maybe it wouldn't be quite so overpowering?

 

(Anyway, that's just my opinion, not my call at all so feel free to ignore it entirely! )

 

 

So i mainly made the symbol to look somewhat symmetrical. I wanted a unicorn, but i wanted it to look sinister upon further examination. The fact that it looks like its decapitating a unicorn is unintentional, but certainly fits with what i was trying to do.

 

The recruits they get are already weary from their squalid life. Their recruitment into the chapter was their only hope to escape thier awful existance. Little did they know they just traded one extreme form of servitude for another.

 

I see what youre saying. Honestly the rainbow aquilla was a last minute addition. It was originally just sky blue. Im undecided myself, if I would keep the rainbow aquilla.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Suggestion for special weapons unique to the Chapter: "rainbow showers," flamers using a specially refined fuel that burns with rainbow colors. In-game, just add 1 to the Strength of all the Marines' flamers, with the ability to inflict an additional Wound if you roll a 6 on the To Wound roll.

[space wolf]

That's HILARIOUS! I would totally do that, if I were making models of these guys!