+ IA: Imperial Castellans +

[Ferrata]

Original Post

If you

Edited August 8, 2005 by Ferrata

[Ferrata]

Keepers of the Faith

The Imperial Castellans

Space Marine Chapter

 

Introduction

Origins

Home world

Combat Doctrine

Organisation

Beliefs

Gene-seed

Battle-cry

 

Using a Imperial Castellans Army in Warhammer 40,000

 

Artwork needed as well as the Colour Scheme pictures (keep a similar theme to other IA Articles

Special Character Backgrounds

Herioc Stories

Edited August 20, 2005 by Ferrata

[ironloki]

Some thoughts.

 

How old is the chapter (founding wise?) are they pretty new and looking for glory, grizzly veterans or in the middle?

 

I liked the idea of being boarding experts. Lots of Termies, non jump pack assault marines running through ship decks :D

 

Other things - Do they reside on a planet or fleet based? I suppose you could have small settlements dotted over the area/shipping lane they are supposed to protect.

[Commissar Molotov]

Marines are not assigned to somethng lightly. If assigned to an area to protect shipping, then the shipping must be under constant, dangerous threat; the shipping must be vital to protect, and perhaps the Imperial Navy cannot spare the craft or the Imperial Navy aren't suited to the anti-pirate operations.

 

I would assume that while the strike cruisers and battle barges might travel along with the convoys, they would not be attempting to engage in ship-to-ship battles. Their main priorities are to detect and board ships and strongholds before eliminating their enemies.

 

Perhaps some shipping lane in hazardous celestial terrain. The Castellans might have two homeworlds, one at each end of the trade route. The idea of small keeps dotted around is interesting. Perhaps more like rapid response facilities in orbit of each planet. Docks and the like.

 

The marines would be very close with the people they protect.

 

A mid-founding chapter. Somewhere between 12th-18th is my guess. Likely Ultramarine or Imperial Fist gene-seed.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Sweet! Glad to see the good ol' Castellans won while I was out of town. :rolleyes:

 

Ok so here are my thoughts.

 

Geneseed: Imperial Fists. Mainly because Dorn is one of my favorite Primarchs and I don't like that 90% of the chapters are Ultamarine decendants. Besides, A defensive army seems to tie in to the Imperial fists siege specialty.

 

Traits: I think the one that gives you extra Devastators would be cool. I haven't seen many go that angle.

 

General Battle tactics: I would like to see a shooty army that prefers to dig in and let the enemy come to him. Minimum Assualt squads, instead use the fast attack slots on Landspeeders squadrons that could act as mobile firebases and to help contest/capture table quarters.

 

As for Homeworld I say we base them on a major industrial world possible a sector capital, with small fortresses along the route. The Marines could then patrol up and down the route while the local fortresses act as emergency response stations. That way when trouble brews you have a rapid reaction force that can get on the scene ASAP to hold the situation until the rest of the chapter can react as need be.

 

I was thinking we could have them based in the sector to the west of the Eye of Terror. That way they could protect the arms shipments between forgeworlds and the Cadian sector. Another advantage of this positioning is that we could tie them into 1 or more of the Blackcrusades for some history without them being major praticpants.

 

Anyway those are my thoughts. ^_^

[ironloki]

I think one problem (well perhaps only me :rolleyes: ) Is protecting a shipping lane is that its not very offensive for marines. Marines usually jump in, knock a few heads and then leave. Sitting protecting fleets all day would probably be suited more for guard.

 

Unless its close to a constant source of Danger (Chaos opening, Dark Elder raiding parties) which requires constant action.

 

So what desperate need would marines be needed to protect a shipping lane? Perhaps one of the most obvious would be the EoT but i've had enough of the EoT ^_^ How about supplies being sent to hold back nids (Although almost impossible) or perhaps fighting Tau?

[Commissar Molotov]

Here's the idea. The marines are not in a defensive role. They do not defend the transports. Rather, they hunt down and attack those that attack the transports.

 

- Tiberius:

 

Regardless of whether you like Ultramarines successors or not, that shouldn't come into your thinking. Your ideas regarding the mentality are much closer to the style of argument we require.

 

As to: "a shooty army that prefers to dig in and let the enemy come to him."

 

Sure, that might be interesting on the ground, but we're talking about a chapter that conducts boarding actions. They're the attackers, not defenders.

 

I personally would leave the Eye of Terror out of it; the Castellans were not listed as being involved in the 13th Black Crusade, or the Gothic War (12th Crusade). Perhaps elsewhere, as Loki said.

 

It needs to be somewhere that's absolutely vital for supplies to get through.

[Brother-Librarian Akritedes]

Agreed. Perhaps on the Tau frontier, as suggested earlier? That has Tau, Orks, and even the odd 'nid fleet, not to mention the ever present Chaos. I'm sure the Tau would just LOVE to blast a few of our convoys headed for the garrison worlds at our borders.

 

Or maybe, looking at my 40k 4th ed map, the Ghoul Stars? I don't see much up there, 'cept the Cardinal world Dimmamar. Perhaps that forms a vital convoy route from the center of the Imperium to it's "northern" and "eastern" fringes?

 

Mind set wise, I agree. They would do better to hunt down the enemy ships and either destroy or board and capture them, instead of sitting around on merchies twiddling their thumbs. Question is then, how does their mind set influence and dictate those tactics?

[Cpt_Tiberius]

I know that they weren't list in the EoT fluff. That was my point. By having them protecting the vital supply lines to the Cadian Sector you can tie them into a major event in the galaxy without undermining the established fluff.

 

However the EoT region was just an example. The area around Tau space, or near the maelstrom, or near Charadon, etc., etc., all are viable options. The point was that it needs to be something that needs the protection of space marines over simple PDF troops/ or the imperial navy.

 

As far as the battle tactics I mentioned, I see your point. I was trying to tie in to the image of someone sitting behind castle walls letting the enemy come to him. However even in boarding actions you could have them rely on firepower over assualt troops, or when attacking a pirate stronghold or ork outpost they could be backed up with lots of tank support such as whirlwinds and demolishers.

 

Finally about the gene-seed, I just think that the Ultra-Geneseed is to uncharacterful. Being so average isn't very interesting. Rogal's geneseed is the most stable and the imperial fists are close to codex, but have enough variety to add so color to the Castellans. However if you guys want to use Ultramarine ancestory it's cool with me.

[SCC]

The Castellans might have two homeworlds, one at each end of the trade route.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that I like ^_^

 

A while ago someone, forgotten who sadly, posted an IA for a Chapter named the Mendicants IIRC, they were a spaceborne Chapter that protected a pilgrimmage route, amongst other things. I think swiping that idea would make sense here, a vital shipping lane that happens to be on a major pilgrim route gives the Castellans a two-fold mission - one is to protect materiel the other is to protect the souls of pilgrims.

 

This ties in neatly to the two Homeworld idea and even opens up the possibility of 2 types of Castellan - the spiritual protectors and the physical protectors, so you could have virtually 2 Chapters in one if you'd like which could produce all sorts of fun :rolleyes:

[Daeothar]

A while ago someone, forgotten who sadly, posted an IA for a Chapter named the Mendicants IIRC, they were a spaceborne Chapter that protected a pilgrimmage route, amongst other things.

 

Now, when Brother-Librarian Akritedes mentioned the Cardinal world Dimmamar, that's exactly what I was thinking!

 

A throwback to the original Knights Templar, who had a string of fortresses from 'civilized Europe' all the way to the holy land, to protect the pilgrims headed to and fro.

 

This could be a perfect base to start from; they have a homeworld, somewhere in the Segmentum Solar perhaps, and a grand fortress on Dimmamar. Numerous small fortresses are spread out along a line between the two, coinciding with the heaviest travelled pilgrim route to Dimmamar.

 

Recruitment is conducted both on their homeworld and on Dimmamar. Actually, the bulk of the recruitment takes place there. Pilgrims that made the dangerous voyage are overwhelmed by a gulf of piety and offer their children to the chapter to be inducted to be marines. Perhaps only the children that have been born en route to the Cardinal World?

 

The dotted fortresses along the way should be ports if you will for small fleets of strikecraft, corvettes and frigattes, which patrol the route. Because of the pilgrims donating vast quantities of money/gold/etc upon arrival, the chapter's quite rich and able to aquire the ships needed to patrol the lanes. (as opposed to the Fiery Lions, who have a charter which allows them to seize and keep any non-Imperial and non-Xenos ship they board).

 

I still like their inclination towards heavy weapons and large caliber guns, related to their ship's cannons, so lots of Vindicators, Whirlwinds etc. Terminators (shooty) and Devestator squads to cover the Tactical squads. Basically a chapter that prefers to cripple/severly weaken their foes from afar, before closing for a rapid killing blow.

 

I see them as proud masters of their fortresses, which have become safe havens for weary pilgrims during their years long journey to Dimmamar. Whenever there is a problem along the routes, they man their ships and 'sally forth' to eliminate any threat to their charges.

 

I see their major foe to be the Dark Eldar by the way; they love to prey on the weak and (seemingly) defenceless.

 

Another idea involving that string of fortresses might be that they never built them themselves. All these fortresses have an enormously powerful telescope, of which the technology has been long lost. Each is focussed solely on the next fortress world, each of which has an extremely bright warning light in a tower, making a visible light chain all the way from Dimmamar to the Segmentus Solar. A relic from the Golden/Dark Age of Technology, to warn Terra of some long since gone foe in the area around Dimmamar. Think the watchfires in Lord of the Rings which called the Rohirrim to Minas Tirith. In dire times and Warp storms, when Warp travel and communication is impossible, this ancient system might be deployed and it is carefully maintained by the Castellans...

 

++EDIT++ In the light of the course my idea here has taken, I'd say they're from Imperial Fists stock by the way, strengthening their inclination to stand proudly on their battlements :rolleyes: ...

Edited August 9, 2005 by daeothar

[Brother Sergeant Alasseo]

A light telescope? That would take potentially hundreds of thousands of years for a distress signal to make it from Dimmamar to Terra!

 

A series of powerful astropathicus beacons possibly, "bright" enough to overcome warp storms, or maybe a sequence of those expensive mapping things that Abaddon has/had to choose targets for the Planet Killer: a device that manages to show what is happening a sector away with no appreciable time-lag.

 

Second point: a chapter that specialises in boarding actions would probably not favour artillery; as that means firing a large, inaccurate explosive inside a pressurized vessel that is just full of conduits carrying plasma to power the various parts of the ship. When you consider the fact that Battlefleet Security carry modified autoguns (firing low velocity, low recoil, frangible rounds) so they don't puncture the hull or something else vital, then carrying a vindicator there doesn't seem to work.

 

That said, once they get dirtside, they're home free, and can make as much mess as they want. Given the mentality we seem to be going after, I suspect that they would maintain a force of Vindicators just on the offchance that they can blow something up planetside

[Hemal]

How about having the Vindicators acting as a mobile artillery force from special gun-decks on the battle barges, and firing melta shells which cause hull breaches in support of the boarding operations? The bombardment cannon etc are pretty powerful, heavy calibre weapons, and when a ship is incapacitated, the marine vessel can close, and the Vindicator "battery" can demolish a section of hul in one salvo, rather then the marines uisng plsma cutters and phase field generators to work their way inside...

[Ferrata]

wow, you guys have been busy :ph34r:

 

I like a large number of idea's, while others I'm not as fond of :lol: Here's my thoughts (based on yours) -

 

- Defend the Pilgrim Route, which comes under heavy attack

- Have the 2 homeworlds

- Have Space Ports orbiting several planets along the way

- Do a large number of boarding attacks (increased termies)

- When forced to fight on land, large number of barrage weapons

- Because forces are spread out, maybe no companies, just Ships/Planet of around 50 men.

- Small forces so are rather elite/specialised

 

Now, what character does this give them (the main point of this first discussion). They are very elitist, thinking themselves better than chapters who go racing around anywhere. Each squad has its task, and will do the task, so very determined. Very Pious due to protecting the Pilgrim route.

 

So eventually you have Pious Elitist marines :lol:

 

Ferrata

[Daeothar]

Yeah; didn't think about lightspeed there... :lol: Naff idea; okay...

 

The template weapons would only serve as a reminder of the chapter's predeliction towards heavy calliber cannons onboard ships. On board ships, they'd of course use devvies and vehicles. Still; for my FL, I want to include a Vindicator, because a vindi would be very useful in breaching bulkheads, air-tight doors and the like. Onboard Imperial Ships, there's open spaces hundreds of meters (or more) wide and high. Corridors can be several landraiders wide and I can see space Marine fighting vehicles being used on board ships!

 

And we're too much focussed on how ships look right now and in near-future films when thinking of 40K ships. We're talking about 30Km long monsters hundreds and sometimes thousands of years old with crews of tens of thousands and maybe even a hundred thousand, also, they're pretty Gothic in appearance; stone walls, chapels, high, vaulted ceilings etc etc.

 

The battery idea sounds pretty cool too btw. Anyone remember that scene from Firewarrior where Kais boards the Imperial Cruiser? Right.

[jimmythemoose]

How about having the Vindicators acting as a mobile artillery force from special gun-decks on the battle barges, and firing melta shells which cause hull breaches in support of the boarding operations?

Edited August 9, 2005 by jimmythemoose

[ironloki]

Do you know what this reminds me of slightly. The iron warriors. Small pockets of marines spread out everywhere :ph34r: Perhaps its a good idea for this to also change and warp their mentality so it adds to the superiority complex :lol: .

 

Here's another thing that came to me. What kind of names are we going to use? Medieval type names are popping out at me. (As daeothar said, Templars, protecting pilgrims/crusaders ) All add to that theme.

[Commissar Molotov]

Pious, yes. Elitist? No, I'm not so sure about that. I don't see why them being stationary whilst others race around would make them elitist.

 

I'll comment on other things later, I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment. :lol:

[Daeothar]

Being rooted in their own (long and narrow) territory would perhaps result in some pride in them being able to hold this territory against all comers and keep those that seek their protection safe.

 

This pride could lead to their mentality changing to the point where they'd find that to hold the Imperium in the name of the Emperor, his holy forces shouldn't run around lacking purpose (in their eyes) but every bit of Imperial ground/space should be properly defended. I could see them only respecting those with a predeliction for heavy fortifications and lightning (pre-emptive?) attacks from them.

 

No Water or Air stance for them; only the Earth aspect! Feet firmly on the ground, not giving an inch.

 

I think, in the light of the first two Crusades (real world), which had massive amounts of French and German knights, we could opt for names of that origin. With a medieval ring to them of course...

 

I noticed the Iron Warriors turn of events too. Perhaps that's their dark secret? Their pride in what they preceive as the right way could be driving them into being more defensive and envious of the glory and attention other chapters receive. Their work is just as important or even more so, but does anybody take notice? No...

[Ferrata]

. Elitist? No, I'm not so sure about that. I don't see why them being stationary whilst others race around would make them elitist.

 

If their covering a largest amount of space, then going around in ten 100 man companies might not be that efficent. So instead they go around in smaller groups (like 50 men). Now, if your in a smaller group your probably expected to be better/more elite. If they only have 50 men available most of the time, then they cant use numbers (even less then normal marines) so have to be more elite.

 

Ferrata

[Brother-Librarian Akritedes]

Ack! I go to sleep for EIGHT HOURS, JUST EIGHT! Mumblebllumbmumblethenyoustartmumblemumbletalkinggrumblemumbulumblebuggersmumblemumble.

 

Anyways, I like the ideas that Ferrata summarized, and the Vindicators as well. Perhaps they have requisitioned a..."modified" shell from the Adeptus Mechanicus? I could see a Demolisher cannon lobbing napalm or fragmentation rounds...

 

Also, Dreadnoughts. Would they use these on-board a ship? If they use lots of Terminators, I can see them using full scale Dreadnought sarcophagi to board as well. :lol:

 

The suggested pilgrim/supply route is an interesting one, and that would probably give them enough reason to be there. I actually liked the signal fire suggestion, but there isn't an easy way to get it to work around intersteller distances. The multiple homeworlds idea and small fortresses along the route sounds worthwhile though. So the reserve Companies would man the fortresses and home worlds, while the Battle Companies pulled escort duty?

[Daeothar]

So the reserve Companies would man the fortresses and home worlds, while the Battle Companies pulled escort duty?

Good one!

 

I very much see dreads being used onboard ships. My own FL dread is on hold pending my AoD entry being completed (and then some stuff not PA related...) but I just received the FW Siege Dread arms and they will work just as well onboard ships! So the Castellans will undoubtedly use those as well...

[my_name_is_tudor]

Right, let me see if I canform up some nice ideas to go toward this one...

 

Most space marines don't worship the emperor as such, but I can imagine these lot doing. Spending so long amongst pilgrims and priests might have had an effect on their spiritual perspective - and given that their duty is to defend pilgrims, perhaps they see themselves as some sort of emperor's chosen (for want of a better term). It's hard to explain what I mean.. As if the chapter functions more as a 'Sacred Order' than a Chapter - who believe their duty to these pilgrims is sacred, and are therefore quite pride and very pious.

 

Perhaps they have some sort of different approach to chaplaincy? With an unusually large amount of chaplains in the Chapter, who have a distinctly ecclesiarchical approach to their religion - rather than the ceremonies and feasts and other unusual approaches to religion the other Chapters have. Perhaps marines get formed into groups of 'trainee' chaplains, sort of acolyte-priests, lead by a Chaplain?

[SGT. Smilez]

Maybe they should have heavy ties with the Imperial Guard too. From what I understand, you want them to act very shooty, much like the guard. They also could use them in conjunction with their marines stationed on the various planets. The added reinforcements would make sure their hold on planet is increased. The Imperial guard would hold the fortresses with maybe a squad of marines to represent the chapter and command the local forces, while the Castellans guard the route.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that they would need help defending those planets, spreading your forces to thin would make it easier to isolate and destroy seperate parts of the chapter.

 

Keep up the good work guys! :ph34r:

 

EDIT: Oh yea, if they are going to have a lot of Terminators then they really need to be an older chapter. Thats probably really obvious but no one had said anything so I thought I should just do it. Sorry for being Captain Obvious :lol:

Edited August 9, 2005 by SGT. Smilez

[Commissar Molotov]

. Elitist? No, I'm not so sure about that. I don't see why them being stationary whilst others race around would make them elitist.

 

If their covering a largest amount of space, then going around in ten 100 man companies might not be that efficent. So instead they go around in smaller groups (like 50 men). Now, if your in a smaller group your probably expected to be better/more elite. If they only have 50 men available most of the time, then they cant use numbers (even less then normal marines) so have to be more elite.

 

Ferrata

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Elite doesn't equal elitist.

 

e