Kilted Marines

[TheDeinonychus]

Well, it might seem weird, but I kinda like the idea of marines with a scottish theme. And no, they wont be wearing the typical kilts (the short ones everyone thinks about), but rather the old-style great kilts (the ones that go over the shoulder, like in Braveheart). My only question is, what codex to base them off of? In obvious choice would be the Space Wolves, but I fear they are too 'rules heavy'. The Blood Angles could work with their Death Company representing a 'berzerker' unit. I could just go ahead and make them a basic codex chapter, but I'd rather not if I can help it. Any ideas?

 

Oh, and I may or may not actualy do up some miniatures for this, since I barely have enough for my Blood Angels as it is. I'd probably be useing the McKinzie tartan for them.

[Aurelius Rex]

There is a very nice tartan / Braveheart themed marine army called 'The Ravenborn' which was in the UK edition of White Dwarf a few years ago... very memorable and distinctive. Google might find some references to them.

 

I can see the Space Wolves being the obvious ruleset to use, but depending on exactly what you want from your themed 'Scots' army you may well be able to do quite well with traits in the codex. :D

[TheDeinonychus]

Well, I went looking through the SM codex and picked out a few traits I liked. I forgot the names of them, but one allows me to arm marines in tactical squads with bolt pistols and close combat weapons. And the other allows me to select the Furious Charge skill. I forgot what the restrictions on those were but they seem fitting for a scottish-themed chapter. And if anyone's wondering, I got the idea cause of the local Highland Games that I just came back from. Scarry picture of me and the prize I won below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/MeClaymore.jpg

 

Not a Golden Daemon sword, but it's good enough for me ;)

[Barret]

I was actually thinking about this exact idea the other night, though I was planning on using the McGregor tartan. I contemplated Space Wolves as well, but I think the traits I was planning on were Trust Your Battle Brothers and Cleanse and Purify if I wanted to represent the fearsome Highland Charge of the Napoleonic-era Highland Regiments in British armies. That, or represent the McGregor way of fighting with See, But Don't Be Seen and Take the Fight to Them. ;)

 

I wouldn't think Blood Angels would do a good job representing highlanders. Highland armies were typically just masses of variously armed clansmen who hurled themselves at one another. Cavalry and archers were rare, and heavy infantry was nonexistant. And as for berserkers, it was more the Norse, continental Celts and the Irish who became full-on berserksers in battle, even back to pre-Roman times. Gaels/Celts from the Isles were famed and feared for fighting naked, but that's not really the same as the berserkergang...

 

Whatever you do, good luck, and show us some pics! ;)

 

 

Oh, and that sword of yours looks almost exactly the same as the claymore I have slung over the back of my chair, though mine's not fullered, and I think it's a shade longer. Definately not a one-hander, by any means. ;)

[Beornling 3.1415]

Get out some blue ink, so you can do Celtic tattoos on your Sarges, and command squaddies.

 

I mean by ink don't use brushes, you ultra fine point pens which do hold on rather well.

[TheDeinonychus]

Hmm, you know Barret, we could just make the tartans diffirent company badges for the army, since each chapter has a slight diffirent way of displaying their companies. I was also thinking of makeing up rules for a claymore-style powersword or some such. Would probably increese the attacker's strength in combat, but require two hands, so it would be only for close-combat orented characters, the perfect weapon for an army of charging madmen, heh. I think I'll see if I can spair a plastic marine and go ahead and work up a conversion.

 

EDIT:

Alright, I went back and checked things over again. Here is that I have so far. They are a signifigant divergance from the codex, and have the following trais and flaws; No Mercy, No respite, Take the Fight to Them, Eye to Eye, and Have Pride In Your Colors.

 

Those all seem to sum up a highland-themed army. They get the option to purchace Furious Charge for their tacts and assault squads, they can arm their tacticals with close combat weapons (goes good with the Furious Charge skill), but they dont value hit and run tactics, so they dont use many landspeeders or bikes (like Barret said, hardly any calvary), and the are fiecely proud of their colors, and choose not to hide them (just about any scott has great pride in their tartans.

 

To me that pretty much fits with the mindset and history of the scottish highlanders. Now I just need to work on a name. I've considered the Highlanders, but that name's been overused in my opinion. Hmm, time to pull out the gaelic dictonary and mangle some words.

[Barret]

...

 

I was going to model great big bleedin' clawmores and use the rules for powerfists for 'em. ;)

 

 

As for the Traits, ;), looks ace to me. I especially like Have Pride In Your Colours, I hadn't considered the theme-related/fluff reasons for it. And having the differant companies all wear a differant tartan is perfect! Perhaps to represent non-Company specific characters like Techmarines or Librarians, the Black Watch tartan could be good? It's the default tartan available to any Scot or subject of the British Empire/Commonwealth.

 

I was thinking about a potential name, too. My initial instict was to go for something animal-related, but the only animal that readily springs to mind when I think of Scotland is the sheep, and that's not really something to take as a totem animal, and "The Sheep Stealers" while very theme-related, ain't exactly appropriate for the 41st Millenium, methinks. ;) You're right about not using Highlanders as a name, it's a little over used and brings to mind images of Christopher Lambert whipping a katana around.... Although 'The Imperial Highlanders' does sound good at first, but not really when thought upon...

 

Historical names are most likely a good bet. The people who became the Scottish were originally known as the Scotii, a bunch of barbaric raiders and savages from north-east Ireland who crossed the water, settled in Dal Riada on the south-western coast of modern Scotland around 800-900AD and conquered/assimilated the Picts, who were really just displaced Scythians from several centuries earlier.

 

Perhaps using a great historical Celtic/Gaelic hero in the name? I.e., "Sons of Culchain," "Swords of Dal Riada" or something similar. I wish I had all my history/pop-paganism books with me, or I'd come up with something better...

 

 

++edit++

 

Okay, I can provide a bunch of Latin/Roman-era tribes, place names and first names and what history I can remember off the top of my head, but all my history books are in storage and I lost all my bookmarks in the last nuke-and-pave. ;)

 

This idea is completely killing my 'no more armies' resolution. I'm totally going to have to get a box of Blood Claws and kilt 'em up. The horror.

[jimmythemoose]

I was under the impression that tartan started as a type of camouflage. Oh well, I'm not exactly an expert on Scotland.

[ironloki]

who were really just displaced Scythians from several centuries earlier.

 

Im no buff on early scottish history but I thought the scthyians were between Russia and Greece (round about Crimea)? oh well ;)

 

As for animals well there's the scottish adder (the snake) and thats quite ferocious compared to the sheep idea ;) so you perhaps work with that. As for names well it depends on what era of scottish history but Jacobites might be a good way to go.

 

Just some ideas that came to me ;)

[Ferrata]

Orignally there was no such things as clan tartans. You just wore which ever pattern you liked. It wasnt until somewhere around the 1800's (i think) that the idea of clan tartans existed. Nowdays, people believe they always have existed.

 

Claymore's - I would say treat them as powerfists.

 

Traits - Take the Fight to them and No Mercy no Respite seem perfect.

 

Ferrata

[Barret]

Hmm... The Jacobite era. Definate potential there, too, though the names and such are much more 'European' than Celtic by that point. Not an era I'm hugely familiar with, though, as from around just pre-Napoleon on, my knowledge gets a little more spotty. Once guns came into the picture, it just got less interesting. ;)

 

As for the Scythians, yes, their territory was the western steppes in western modern Russia and around Crimea. However, around about 200-300BC, their empire collapsed and they were displaced by the westward-moving Sarmatians, who were another steppe horse-culture from further east. The Scythians then migrated west into Europe across Germany and France, giving the Celts and Gaels horse-riding technology like stirrups and bridles, before settling in what is now Scotland, interbreeding with the natives and becoming the horse-loving, hard-fighting, matriarchal Picts that, as I said above, were eventually assimilated by the invading Scotii. In fact, some research from a few years back found that a pure-blood Highland Scotsman's closest genetic relative is the Berbers in North Africa, who are also descended from migrating steppes people displaced by all the even-more-dangerous tribes coming out of Asia.

 

I love history. ;)

 

 

++EDIT++

 

@Ferrata~ Yep! The modern kilt was created by the English overlords in Scotland as part of their attempt to assimilate and 'civilize' the Scottish clans. Before that, it was less organized, and tartans were generally shared by local family groups. The clan emblems/badges have been around for some time, though. However, the clans have existed since at least the 8th Century, possibly earlier. For example, Clan MacGregor lost its right to exist in the 14th or 15th century, and it was punishable by death to have the last name MacGregor until 1775. Rob Roy MacGregor, the most famous of our lot, lived between 1671-1734.

 

 

++OTHER EDIT++

 

Ooh, lochaber axes as CCWs. That'll be fun. ;)

[TheDeinonychus]

True originaly there was not official tartan for each clan, but when you look at it from the view of an orginiazed Marine Chapter, useing a set tartan for each battle company makes sense. Just as the Blood Angles tell their companies apart by the color blood drops, a distinctive tartan would make it easy, exspecialy in a battle containing more than one company, to tell what troops are which. I was also thinking of useing diffirent color shoulder trip for the diffirent types of squads. Maybe blue for tactical, red for assault, yellow for devistator, green for veteran?

 

As for chapter names, if we're looking for a chapter mascot, in scottish myth, the stag was often represenative of the noble side of nature, graceful yet powerful and masculine.

 

But if we're going for something a bit more personal than an animal, useing the name of a great hero or mythic figure from celtic history seems best, atleast to me. Sons of Culchain, like Barret mentioned is a good one. Culchain was a great celtic hero of mythic poroprtions. Dagda was considered the chief of the gods by the celts, and could probably work too. Sons of Dagda, or the Swords of Dagda. Hmm... Could even name their home world Dagda, since other chapter names have been resoned that way. Sone of Maccreg, to name one fo them.

 

As for chapter colors, I was considering something involveing alot of darkangels green. In celtic folklore, green is the color of death. Or perhaps gold, since gold was considered a very masculine color. I'll have to play around with the marine painter on the GW website and in DoW to see what I can come up with.

 

Well, Barret, since you seem to be the Commander of the McGregor Company (which will be the 3rd company, with McKenzie being the 2nd), I'll let you mull over a choice for the name, hmm? I'll get to work thinking up a paint sceme and some chapter badges.

[TheDeinonychus]

Alright, after playing with the Marine Painter on the GW website, I came up with 5 ideas. I wanted to try and make them mostly green, or atleast to keep green in the color scheme, mainly on the shoulder pads.

 

Mostly DA Green with black on the elbows and knees

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/Scott1.jpg

 

DA Green with gold on the elbows, knees, and chest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/Scott2.jpg

 

Scaley Green body, DA Green pads and head, gold on elbows, knees, and chest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/Scott3.jpg

 

Half DA Green, half gold

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/Scott4.jpg

 

Bleached Bone with DA Green pads and head, black knees and chest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/Scott5.jpg

 

Any other ideas you all can come up with would be helpful. The black bolter caseing is just there cause it's the easiest way to paint them, and the yellow trim to the shoulder pads shows that he's a tactical marine.

[jequirity]

I prefer the fourth one down.

 

For the scottish theme you could also include a coupla techmarines in your force to represent the tech achievements of our driech little country, i'd stay away from the more celtic themed scottish army though and any mention of sheep! I'm an Aberdeen supporter and come from the Borders, and i have heard enough about sheep if you get where i'm going!

Your apothercaries must carry hipflasks of whisky though for purely medicinal purposes of course and you could have a coupla of fou marines for added realism!

 

Ahhh whisky! ;)

[ironloki]

I like the last scheme but not sure about the yellow trim as it may look a bit busy -- perhaps make them black (to stick to the 3 colour rule).

 

Im also unsure about the celtic feel - thats more irish than scottish but that depends on your view and experience ;)

[Night Dragon]

Well, the first thing I thought when I saw this was "Cool!" I've been tossing around ideas of doing an IG army in full Scottish regalia, mainly brought on by the fact that Brin Milo already has (more or less) a set of bagpipes. The next thing was that a claymore, as you want it, a powersword with a bonus to strength, is pretty much a frostblade. But, not going for a SW chapter, I don't know how to do that.

 

The idea of having the companies each having a different tartan (call them clans instead of companies) is a cool idea. The traits also fit quite well, but I'm not sure on Have Pride in Your Colors. I know that a Scot would have pride in their colors, but didn't they make use of ambushes and concealment and suchlike? Eye to Eye definitly brings the concept into the 41st millenium, as they used very few horses/siege equipment/etc. Take the fight to them and No mercy, no respite are great, very fitting, but I thikn it would be nice if you took the standard chainswords and replaced them with plain swords and axes (maybe ork choppas, but those look quite barbaric, in my opinion). For HQs, I'd say either get a claymore and call it a powerfist, or a power sword, but definitly get a claymore. It's a shame marines don't have many two handed close combat weapons.

 

That's about all I can add, and I wish you great luck on your task!

 

 

P.S. Make one of the clans the Highland or Ancient Stewarts! If you need a captain, My ancestor, Alexander Stewart (my name too) is the one who brought the Highland Stewart line to America in 17 something. I'm sure there are other famous Stewarts, but that's the only one I'm very familiar with.

[Barret]

Excellent!

 

I was thinking browns and other earth-tones, but the symbolism of the green and gold is much better. Of the ones you've created, I must say I personally favour the split green/gold scheme, as I think the others might be a bit too Dark Angel-y. Perhaps, instead of bright yellow for the right shoulderpad trim, a dark brown? The yellow makes me think of overt military markings, whereas an earthy brown might look more naturalistic?

 

As for Chapter markings, the St. Andrew's Cross (the modern blue-and-white Scottish flag) comes immedeatly to mind. I think it'd work well as an emblem, as it's both easy to paint, distinctive, and striking. Aside from that, there's the historical Scots flag, the Scottish Lion, a rampant red lion on a bright yellow background. The St. Andrew's Cross has, of course, the bonus of being easier to paint and not confusable with the Fiery Loins. ;)

 

Kind of like this:

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/ElcidBarret/Sons%20of%20Dagda/Scott4.jpg

 

Oh, a word of warning: If you, like me, are arachnophobic, I would not recommend doing a Google Image Search on "Saint Andrew's Cross" as there appears to be a particularily hideous variety of spider called that. It did not go well for me just now. There was much flinching and hurried scrolling involved. ;)

 

The Sons of Dagda sounds like a good Chapter name to me, with Dagda being the home planet. Perhaps Culchain could be the name of the Chapter Master/Founder, as befitting his legendary status?

 

As for a Chapter Banner-type symbol or image, I would think that the stag would work well... Clan Colquhoun use a stag for their clan symbol, and it looks good. Of course, using a White Hart/Stag draws somewhat upon Arthurian imagery, and he was Celtic (if Welsh Celtic) and lived around the time of the rise of the Scottish Clans...

 

This is most excellent. I'll be getting a Blood Claw box and a refill of Green Stuff tomorrow, so I can start on the Sons of Dagda 3rd "McGregor" Company. ;)

[jequirity]

Hmm, having another think about this seems to suggest to me more ideas concerning scottish themed armies (This is a great thread by the way!).

I think if you want to go for the highland feel use the IG. Simply because they can make use of more characterful abilities such as light infantry and swamp fighters. If you still feel like using SM for the highlanders use very drab and dirty colours for realism, leave the fancy tartan for the Burns suppers and wot not. We didn't steal any sheep by dressing like multicoloured muppets!

The other option could be to represent a Napolionic era scottish regiment with SM. Bright red tunics and brighter tartans along with bearskins could give you more of that Scottish pride feeling.

At the end of the day though, it's your army and i look forward to seeing it on the website in future!

[Barret]

I suspect that, like so many things based off pre-Middle Ages Europe, 'anachronism' is probably going to be the key word in this venture. ;) I agree with you about the unrealism of wearing kilts anywhere but formal occassions. Mel Gibson wearing a kilt and woad to battle just about gave me a fit. (Not like 'The Patriot' did, though. My paternal family were British Loyalists who moved north into Canada during the War of Independence, so the 'whole British burning crowded churches' thing actually had me spitting bile. Had to watch the entire Mad Max trilogy in one sitting to cleanse myself of the evil.)

 

In reference to using IG, I've planned something similar to what you suggested, actually. Paint up the main troopers to represent the 'scum of the earth' English regimentals, and a corps of harder fighters to be the fearsome-charging Highland Regiments. I contemplated going to WWI for the theme, but I don't think I can field an army containing the 'Ladies from Hell' with a straight face. ;)

[jequirity]

;)

 

I think if you were to do a 'Ladies from Hell' theme then you'd have to make your army completely fearless and immune to pinning without even asking for your opponents opinion. Charging through machinegun fire with a bloody great chance of having your bollocks shot to buggery would back this up!

 

I think i'd have to agree with those that suggested using space wolves now, to get that more wild hairy arsed scotsman look! You could use the fenisrian wolves to represent the animal mascot of your choice and the bareheads from the SW sprues would make for excellent angry scots.

[Barret]

Alright, here comes some fluff about the 3rd "McGregor" Company, just because I like to write fluff. ;) It's gonna be pretty basic, I think, since none of the Chapter's background has been fleshed out yet... The terminology, too, I'm going to say is tenative, 'cause I'm making all of this up on the spot.

 

 

Actually, before I get started, this makes me think of more things to be thought about. How Codex a Chapter are the Sons going to be? I mean, aside from the non-Codex markings, are each Clan-Company meant to be self-relient, like the Iron Hands or Space Wolves, with just ten Clan-Companies that each consist of all the specialists and their own Scouts, or the more Codex arrangement of Battle, Reserve and Scout Companies? Not really critical stuff, I guess, but definately something to determine. Personally, I'd be more in favour of the self-contained IH-style Clan-Companies, as this is more reminiscent of the Scottish Clans. However, by the same token, a more centralized and structured chain of command, like Space Wolves or more Codex chapters, with one Chapter Master/High Chief/King/Thane/whatever presiding over the entire Chapter, and each Captain/Clan-Chief reporting to him. A seperated Reclusium, Librarium and Armoury as well, perhaps? I would think that these rare and prized individuals would more likely be shared amongst the Chapter rather than hoarded by each Company. Not that I can say I intend on fielding Chaplains at all, and probably not Librarians and Techmarines, either. ;) I like my great ugly hordes of infantry!

 

Another thought occurred to me... The Highland Games should definately get some kind of representation the Chapter fluff. Perhaps every ten or fifty years, the entire Chapter gathers together on Dagda to participate in a month of games and contests of martial and physical superiority, with each Clan trying to prove its dominance over the others, with the prize being some kind of special trophy or banner that they can display on the field that shows their superiority and goads the other Clans into greater efforts to personal and Company valour. I do think that inter-Clan rivarly really must be a part of the Chapter, (naturally, given who we're basing this on) but not perhaps to the level of the Iron Hands, with actual conflict between the Companies.

 

Chapter: The Sons of Dagda

 

Company: 3rd 'McGregor' Clan-Company

 

Clan-Chief: Malcolm "Wolfman" McGregor

 

Tartan: "Red" Rob Roy McGregor

 

Clan-Company Emblem

 

Company Motto: 'S Rioghal Mo Dhream "Royal Is My Race"

 

Battle Cry: We Bring You Death!

 

 

Leadership and Practices

 

The Clan-Chief of the McGregor Company is Captain Malcolm McGregor, widely called The Wolfman. He earned this nomiker not for his battle practices or fighting style, but for his appearance and his behaviour. He is a monomanical leader, preferring to make up his mind on something, and then bull-headedly charge forwards, never doubting his decisions or opinions (which he frequently has difficulty seperating from actual facts) and deterring any who would argue with him by verbally attacking their own intelligence and ability to counter his arguements and, most of all, by shouting. When not actively leading his Company in battle, 'Wolfman' McGregor is prone to frequent and extended bouts of misanthropy, dissappearing into the scrubland that dominates Dadga for long periods of time and reappearing only when called to battle or when he feels he needs to correct someone else's (in his opinion) grevious mistakes. He is irascible, stubborn and possessed of an incredibly caustic sense of humour that he finds utterly entertaining, and a habit of pontificating and holding forth at great length on things he's decided are of great importance to the galaxy. His equals and subordinates have learned to either ignore his deliberate provocations and offensively sweeping generalizations about other peoples' character, which generally makes him cantankerous and bad-tempered, but, thankfully, quiet, or to respond to him in kind, which delights him and pushes him into more extensive attempts to dominate all interactions around him. His is nortoriously and consciously neglectful of his appearance, and is as legendary for his scruffy beard and unkempt hair as he is for the incredibly pungent cigars he is never without, even in the heat of battle. In battle, he leads by example, devising a plan of attack, seeing that it is executed, and then taking his command retinue and plunging headlong into the thickest fighting, always looking for the fiercest combatants and the biggest Xeno monsters. When forced onto the defensive, he takes an almost sadistic delight in forcing an enemy to wear themselves out just to reach his forces to engage in combat, and then springing forward in a savage close-assault with his fresh troops. Malcom McGregor is widely known and occasionally respected for the almost childlike glee he takes in combat, and has been known to watch a broken enemy flee from atop a mound of the dead and cackle maniacally with the satisfaction of defeating a foe. He wields a great, two-handed claymore that he uses to cleave through flesh and armoured hulls alike.

 

Throughout the history of the Sons, McGregor Company has been notorious for independant, irreverant behaviour that have earned them endless reprimands, both from other Imperial agencies, and from the Chapter commanders. It is an unofficial tradition of 3rd Company that before a Scout can truely be inducted into Clan McGregor, he must prove his determination with a 'crime' against another Clan-Company, typically involving elaborate practical jokes against members of the victim Clan's officer corps or staged embarrasments of the target Clan. No McGregor officer will ever (and has never, despite endless questionings) admit to even knowing about the young Marine's actions, let alone any reason behind them, even though it is frequently the superior officers, even the McGregor Clan-Chief, who chose the targets.

 

While inter-Clan rivarly is an integral part of life in the Sons of Dagda, it is largely done with a great sense of comraderie and humour. The McGregors, however, take that rivarly to a higher level, never more so than under the rule of Captain Malcolm, frequently becoming spiteful and vicious in revenge when they are the targets of the pranks and embarrasments they inflict on others, and countless McGregors have been disqualified and reprimanded for 'fighting dirty' or with a highly unneeded level of violence in the inter-Clan competitions. Indeed, there have even been incidences of such organized and wide-spread internecine aggression from the McGregors that the entire Clan has been sent on a penitence crusade, not that it's cowed their behaviour for any length of time.

 

On the battlefield, the McGregors under Malcolm McGregor favour sudden attacks, pounding an unsuspecting enemy with long-range firepower before the warcry-screaming mass of infantry jumps on the reeling enemy. The Missile Launcher is heavily favoured by McGregor Devastator Squads, though it is a dearly-held belief amoung the other Clans that this is not because of the Missile Launcher's effectiveness or flexibility, but because Captain 'Wolfman' likes all the explosions, and believes them to be devastating to enemy morale.

 

The McGregor emblem is the crowned red lion head on a brown field, and Malcolm McGregor's personal hereldry incorporates the Giant Moose, an adapted version of the ancient Terran herbivore, known on Dagda as a solitary, ornery and bad-tempered animal mean enough to crush a man with one blow from their massive antlers, and breath foul enough to do much the same. Their meat is prized by the natives of Dagda as an uncommon treat, so hard is the animal to hunt.

 

The original Clan McGregor of the natives of Dagda has a long and violent history. They settled in the extreme northerly mountainous areas, a cold, arid land of scrub and sparse boreal forest, prone to raging forest fires in the dry summers, and bitter cold during the long, dark winters. The natives of the Clan maintain, to this day, that they are descended from the original leaders of the colonizing expedition, and are thusly more highly-placed from the other, and in their eyes, lesser clans. Clan McGregor's past is bloody, as they believe strongly in keeping and expanding their lands by right of the sword, and have frequently been persecuted for it by alliances of nearby clans. One of the only reasons that the clan still exists today is that they have innumerable fastnesses in the mountains they inhabit, where they are impregnable and impossible to root out. As the land they live in is harsh and largely infertile, Clan McGregor has long survived on what they can hunt, which is no small thing given the vicious animals that inhabit Dagda, but mostly upon what they can steal from neighbouring clans. McGregors are notorious for their livestock raids and for pillaging settlements near their borders. One of the greatest McGregor epics is about a legendary chieftan who embarked on such a massive cattle raid, that it turned into a full-scale war with the neighbouring clans that was only settled at the Battle of Glen Fruie, where the McGregors used their home terrain to outmanuever and utterly rout a much larger army sent by an alliance of the neighbouring major Clans. The only thing that has kept the McGregors from being exterminated completely is the control they have over most of the planet's mineral deposits and mining operations, which almost exclusively occur in their mountain territory.

 

--edit--

 

Oh yeah, @jequirity, ;)! That sounds exactly like a Scots Regiment to me! As for using Space Wolves, I'm most assuredly using Blood Claws for my prototype squad.

[TheDeinonychus]

Alright, Barret, that just sounds sweet! Your commander sounds like my kinda guy. And yes, the clan-companies will be fairly independant of eachother, each one bearing a clan name casue traditionaly that company draws it's new recruits from that clan's area of the planet. The clan-companies have their own 'entry level' librarians, chaplins, apothicaries, and techmarines, but once they progress to the next rank, they fall under the command of the 1st company and HQ, which I think I'll call the Black Watch (sorta like the DA's Deathwing) cause of the black tartans they wear. These characters still fucntion with their original clans under most cercamstances, though in times of war they may be moves to replace casualties in much-needed areas. I do like the idea of the Highland Games being a huge event within the chapter. Clans in Scottland used to war with eachother for diffirent reasons, but within a marine chapter, infighting like that wouldnt realy work. Haveing it a big competition makes alot more sense. Perhaps it's held every 10 years (since space marines can live upwards of 500 years) and the ultimate prize is the right to carry the chapter banner into battle, which will have some nice game rules along with it. Probably like the squad carrying it assaults and persues an extra 1d6 inches, or something similar, in keeping with the hand-to-hand theme of the army.

 

Im not so sure about the cross for the chapter badge. While being simple to paint is a real plus in my opinion the bright blue and white just seems to clash hard with the other colors. A color variation on the cross would probably work, though I am still leaning towards useing the stag for the chapter symbol. And as for the shoulderpad trim for the tactical squads, hmm, yellow does seem to clash some. Dark blue could work good though. What do you think?

 

Anyway, I'll see about typeing up some information on chapter history, orginizations, and some characters, as well as information on the first 2 companies (Black Watch and McKenzie). That'll leave 7 other companies needing names and tartans.

 

EDIT: Oh! BTW, since the chapter badge is on the left shoulder pad, and the squad designation is on the right shoulderpad trim, any personal or clan badges/awards/purity seals should go on the right shoulder pad, generaly painted in red or gold.

[TheDeinonychus]

Alright, here's what I have so far on the chapter as a general whole. I'll work more on the 1st and 2nd companies soon.

 

------------------------------------------------------

The Sons of Dagda

 

History:

While there are many deadlier worlds in the Imperium of Man, Dagda, located in the Segmentum Tempestus southwest of the galactic center, with it's deep forests, treacherous bogs, and sprawling hills and mountains boasts many hidden dangers. Despite this, Imperial records show that early on Dagda was selected for colonization as an agri world, intended to harvest the rich forests and transform the landscape into vast farms. For some unknown reason, there was never any other mention of the planet in Imperial records, and it seems that the colonists just disappeared from all records. Things would perhaps continued this way had it not come to the attention of the Imperium that Dagda had become the target of a small ork war fleet, intent on stripping Dagda bare of resources before moving further into Imperial Space. With most other Imperial forces occupied elsewhere at the time, it was decided to send in a newly raised Marine Chapter, with orders to repel the ork raiders and establish Dagda as their home world. The conflict was long and bloody, depleting over half of the fledgling chapter's resources. Once the ork threat was averted, the arriving marines found what had happened to the lost colonists. It seemed that some mishap in transit had caused the loss of their craft, along with most of their equipment and supplies in the vast ocean that covered much of the planet. Stranded on this world the colonists returned to a more simple way of life, sustaining themselves at just above an almost feral level of civilization. The colonist families in the years since their arrival had grown and separated form each other, forming large groups in an organization of clans, each one independent of the others, consisting of related or otherwise close-nit families. This independence among the clans often developed into warfare between them, over resources or territories. This way of life had produced people who were tall, proud, and above all, fierce and loyal to their clans. It was from this stock that the new chapter decided to draw their new recruits, and came to take their name and heraldry from. And thus the Sons of Dagda were born.

 

A mear 16 centuries old, young by the standards of many other chapters, the Sons of Dagda didn't so much adapt the local population to the Imperial way of life as the local population adapted the Marines to their's. Fiercely independent but loyal, the new marines raised from the local population banded together with others from their original clans, causing the companies of the chapter to be reorganized thusly, each one able to work separately from the main chapter, but each one loyal to their chapter master. Largely overlooked by the rest of the Imperium since their founding, the autonomous nature of a marine chapter allowed the Sons of Dagda to operate of their own will, defending their home and surrounding worlds from the enemies of mankind. Most notably were their conflicts with the Red Corsairs, repelling numerous invasions of their home world, standing defiant against the encroachments of Chaos. To those from within the chapter, it was no surprise that when the last Black Crusade spilled from the Eye of Terror, that several companies of the Sons of Dagda chose to take part in the conflict. For the rest of the Imperium this reappearance of the chapter was something of a shock. Perhaps enough of a shock that the chapter did not see much action in this conflict, though what action they did take part in was well recorded. Of the records from such battles, it was noted that "..the Sons of Dagda, these marines from this long-forgotten world, were like devils upon the battlefield. Their howling and helter-skelter charging not unlike the blood frenzy of the Blood Angels, or the wild berzerking of the Space Wolves. Every man of them seems to be familiar with the tools of his trade, by which I speak of the varied implements they engaged the enemy in close combat with. Swords taller than the marine who wielded them, great crushing axes long enough to cleave the turrets from tanks, and every battle-brother without such strange weaponry carried a chainsword, down to the last man. A very unrefined method of war, but one which the executed to perfection."

 

The Chapter Today:

Today each company of the chapter has taken command over one of the great clans of the planet Dagda. There is no longer open war between the clans, but the strong independence of each company has brought about a strong sense of competition between them. This has given rise to numerous ways for one company, also called Clans amongst the battle-brothers, to 'one up' the others, and numerous rivalries have come about. These include pranks of various sorts, competition for trophies upon the field of battle, but none as grand as the Games. Deep in the highlands of the planet, near the chapter fortress, which houses the chapter Master and the 1st company, there is a great arena, comprising an entire valley amongst the mountains. It is on this great field that members of each Clan not currently engages in war gather and compete in various grueling, often deadly events, each one proving the strength and prowess of his Clan above the others. These events are held every decade, and a marine can expect to take part in these games numerous times before he dies in battle or is no longer able to compete. These Games are held perhaps to stem any animosity between the Clans, lest they break into open war among each other. But each Clan has in it's sights the prize, the honor of carrying the first Chapter banner, brought from Holy Terra itself to the planet. It is considered no dishonor to loose, for surely the winner was preordained to win by his own prowess and by the will of the Emperor, though often those Clans who fall short of victory are eager to be sent off into battle, hopeing to strengthen themselves for the next Games and to prove themselves in actual combat.

 

As the name of the Sons of Dagda slowly starts to spread through the Imperium, it was no surprise that their less that rigid discipline would produce some conflicts with other Imperial forces. The Space Wolves, obviously, share the Sons of Dagda's spirit of independence, and while there have been no official relations between the two chapters, any meetings between the two are generally accompanied by tests of strength, competitive brawling, and the consumption of much alcohol. The Blood Angels, while somewhat disdainful of their ruckus nature, hold the Sons in high respect for their fierceness in battle. Perhaps their worst relation among other marine chapters is with the Ultramarines. In the eyes of the Ultramarines, the Sons represent the worst negligence of the Codex. To the Sons of Dagda, the Ultramarines are the ultimate conformists, unflexing even should the situation call for such actions. These sentiments have even causes some Ultramarine commanders to request Inquisitorial involvement against the Sons of Dagda, though to this date no action has been taken against the chapter on the part of the Inquisition. When the two chapters are called to battle together, on many occasions the Ultramarines have engages the enemy only to find the Sons of Dagda already fighting far ahead of the engagement zone, having delayed the information form getting to the Ultramarine commanders.

 

Religious Beliefs:

While the native population of Dagda have reverted to the worship of nature and spirits before the coming of the marines, the introduction of the Emperor and Imperial doctrine has not totally supplanted this belief. Indeed the Sons of Dagda and the indigenous population revere the Emperor as does any other Imperial world, but rather than viewing him as an immortal god, on Dagda the Emperor is revered as the greatest hero of mankind, a position that the people of Dagda hold in equal regard as others would hold a god in. This is not unlike the way many marine chapters revere the Emperor, perhaps one of the reasons for the close relation between the Sons of Dagda and the population under their protection.

 

Chapter Organization.

The Sons of Dagda, like other marine chapters, are organized into 10 companies, in this case called 'Clans'. Unlike other chapters which adhere strictly to the Codex Astartes, each clan is a near autonomous formation. Each clan contains it's own scout squads, tactical squads, assault and devastators, as well as it's own armory for support. Each company Clan draws it's recruits from one particular clan of the population, another reason for each company's tight-nit nature and independence. Since each member of a company is from the same clan, they all display the traditional plaid wrappings used by the population, called tartans. These tartans are worn over a marine's power armor in loose wraps across the waist, with the remaining fabric slung over the shoulder, tucked under the shoulder pads. In harsh conditions these tartans can be used to construct tents, carry supplies, wrap wounds, provide protection from the rain, and numerous other emergency uses. One tartan used by a Veteran Sergeant of the 5th company measured well over 15 square yards of fabric.

 

Each Clan is lead by a Commander, who in turn defers to the Chapter Master and other members of the Black Watch. Each Commander leads his company in a similar way as the Chapter Master leads the entire chapter, with his own practices and unique methods of combat. Among Commanders of the different Clans, rivalries often begin, though usually they are nothing more than wild boasts or competition for battle honors. Rarely do these rivalries erupt into full out violence between Commanders. In such events the Chapter Master and Black Watch members are quick to put an end to events.

 

Characters such as Librarians and Chaplains in each Clan are actually members of what is known as the Black Watch. This is actually the 1st Company of the chapter, along with the commanding body of the chapter. In the case of Librarians, Techmarines, and Chaplains, each one is assigned to a particular Clan, usually the original one they were recruited to, though in some instances it may become necessary to move one such individual to another Clan cause of battle losses. While this is rare, the Commanders of such Clans often do not feel as if the 'fosterling' belongs until he has proven himself in battle.

 

The 1st company of the Sons of Dagda, like in other marine chapters, is formed from veterans taken from other companies. In the Sons of Dagda, this company is known as the Black Watch, named so for the black tartans they wear. They belong now to no Clan, rather to the chapter as a whole. Among battle-brothers, this is seen as as much an honor as in other chapters, being chosen for a higher calling in a sense. The Chapter Master, his routine, and immediate subordinates are also members of the Black Watch. This is in part to prevent any one Clan from feeling as if they have an advantage above the others, and to denote that the Chapter Master has unquestionable leadership over the entire chapter as a whole, not just a single Clan. While members of other Clans generally bear the family name of their Clans, since members of the 1st Company are essentially clanless, they drop their family names from their titles. Usually they just leave off the identifying part of their names, leaving the 'Mc' or 'Mac'. For example, Brother William McKenzie from the 2nd company would be known as Brother William Mc, and Brother Douglas MacGregor would be known as Brother Douglas Mac, upon joining the 1st Company.

 

As well as being denoted by their tartans, each Clan within the chapter is known by name, the same as the clans they were raised from. While the 1st company is clanless, the 2nd and 3rd are perhaps the best known of the Clans. These are McKenzie and MacGregor, respectively.

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[Barret]

Ace stuff, man, absolutely ace! ;) I especially like the description of the interactions with the Ultras, that made me happy. ;) I'm assuming, given the references to battles with Chaos and the Red Corsairs that Dagda is situated somewhere near the Maelstrom? If so, that would probably indicate the White Scars are frequently interacted with, as their homeworld borders the Maelstorm, too. Baal is also quite close by, looking at the galaxy map in the BBB.

 

As for the paint scheme, having the green-side shoulderpad rim be a dark blue works fine for me. The dark red squad markings on the right pad blend well, too, I think.

 

I know the bright blue-and-white cross clashes with the more muted paint scheme, but it also makes it very striking, and the St Andrew's Cross is, I think, instantly recognizable as the Scottish flag, and might help solidify the theme/image in first-time viewers, as if the kilts didn't accomplish that already. ;)

 

However, I'm interested to see what you can come up with incorporating the stag. Herbiverous animals aren't exactly a common image among Space Marines, so using that should be distinctive on its own, as well as keeping with the theme.

 

 

As for the Chapter background, like I said before, what you've got thus far is excellent. However, what about leaving the remaining Clans largely undefined for the moment? That would leave room for future expansion, especially if others were interested in fielding a Clan of the Sons. ;) Between the first three companies, and the general Chapter background, we've got a lot to work with as it is...

 

Oh, perhaps one more Clan could be defined. Maybe the Sons actually only ever field nine Companies instead of ten, but still have ten companies on their roster, but the empty Company is referred to as the Not-Named Clan, and their heraldry is shrouded and their history taboo, because of some heinous crime against the Sons and the world of Dagda? The original name of the Not-Named Clan would, of course, have to be (and I cringe while writing this name) Campbell? ;) Perhaps the last Clan Campbell Captain made a deal with some Xeno or Chaos warlord to give them military support if they helped him take over the Chapter for himself...

[TheDeinonychus]

Alright, here's some stuff on the 2nd company.

 

Chapter: Sons of Dagda

 

Company: 2nd "McKenzie" Clan-company

 

Clan-chief: George "Bloody" McKenzie

 

Tartan: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v356/TheDeinonychus/mackenzie-mod-200.jpg

 

Clan-company Emblem: A mountian on fire

 

Company Motto: "Death Before Dishonor"

 

Battlecry: "Blood and Glory!"

 

Leadership and Practices

 

The 2nd Clan-company is lead by a man rightfuly called George "Bloody" McKenzie. He earned this dubious title durring the clensing of Madril V, where he ordered that half of the captured heretics were to be burried under the weight of the bodies of the other half. This act is only one of the events that lead to him being dubbed "Bloddy" and his reputation for ruthlessness. Unlike others of the chapter he has a calmness about him, which coveres a burning rage which he saves for those that earn his anger. He is one of the we men outside of the Black Watch that Malcolm "Wolfman" McGregor, Clan-chief of the 2nd company, will not argue with, on account of the particuarly brutal brawl between the two which happened the last time these two argued. In battle, George "Bloody" McKenzie lives up to his name, almost always chargeing ahead of his company, dispite the bulk of his Tactical Dreadnought Armor, twin poweraxes cleaveing limbs around him, often bisecting his opponents across the middle, which seems to be his perferd method of dispatching opponents. When not in battle, he often retreats into the structure which has come to be called the Black Mausoleum, a building of black stone built deep in the highlands controlled by the Clan-company. This place is a macarb gallery, it's walls lined with the severed limbs and heads of heretics, mutants, and xenos, all feld in battle by the 'Bloody One'. Some say that he is reaching the end of his leadership, pointing to his time spent among these visions of death and remembrance of his past victories as proof. None would say such things to his face for fear of his anger. While it may be true that George "Bloody" McKenzie sees the end of his days approching, none denie that his path has become as bloody as ever. Developing a rekindled thirst for combat against the enemies of the Emperor, he is always eager to bring his Clan to the front of any conflict. His Clan-brothers follow him as a shinning example of martial prowess and a figure of great wisdom in his advanced years. It is unknown wether or not unpon his fall in combat he will be interned within the holy shell of a dreadnought, but rumors of an unused framework within the Chapter's fortress persist whenever George "Bloody" McKenzie's name is mentioned.

 

The McKenzie clan was perhaps the most war-like of all the great clans before the comming of the Chapter, and it is only natural that the Clan-company raised from these people would share the same thirst for combat. Only once has the Clan been unable to take part in the Games, and it's said that the Eldar suffered greatly for it. The lands controlled by the Clan are primaraly highlands, great expanses of rolling hills and craggy mountian tops, dark vallies and hilltop glades. A breathtakeing land when seen from afar, a dangerous one when near. The woods that litter the vallies are filled with large wolves and monsterous boar. Among the dangerous creatures of these lands is one known as the skull-bear. An ursine standing three times the height of a man, it's head is covered in boney growths giving it the appearance of a skull. These beasts had been known to charge into villages, carrying off grown men. It is a rite of passage among the Clan-company for scouts to track and kill one of these creatures, armed only with their combat knives. Many do not return with the prized skull and pelt, marks of honor among the scouts and sure acceptance into the trust of their marine brothers.

 

In battle, Clan McKenzie believe strongly in fighting their enemies on level ground. Often useing long-ranges support to actualy force their opponents closer into the deadly reach of their front lines, hammering their reserves with barmbardments from Whirlwinds and Vindicators, cutting off any lines of retreat. It's often said that the Clan isnt satisfied with their victory till they've severerd the head from every opponent. The racks of skulls often displayed as a warning to would-be heretics seems ample proof. Veteran members of the Clan often carry the heads of particulary worthy opponents chained or strapped to their armor, a tradition grown out of an ancient pre-chapter belief that the severed heads would scream at the approch of their kin. Battle-brothers often paint their faces with red and blue warpaint before a battle.