Golden Hawks (again)

[Artemis the hunter]

Ok, where to start...

 

++CHAPTER NAME++ Golden Hawks

 

++SYSTEM++ Arachia

 

++PLANET++ Arachia I

 

++FOUNDING++ 13th (Approx. 536/M35)

 

++GENESEED++ White Scars

 

After the 4th Black Crusade in M34 the high lords of Terra realized that additional protection was required to defend against further Chaos excursion into Imperial space. One of the chapters created during the 13th founding for this purpose was the Golden Hawks, of whom the original Chapter Master was Artemis the Hunter, who gained his suffix by hunting down Chaos cult leaders on the Previously colonised Arachia system in the southwest section of the Segmentum Obscurus. The Hawks chose for themselves the first of the 5 planets in the Arachia system to be their homeworld.

 

The Hawks had inherited a love of speed from their progenitors but as every one of the 5 Arachian planets was a sunbaked wasteland where few could survive and sand was easily disturbed next to no training facilities could be established for bikes or land speeders as the sand could destroy the delicate engines of a speeder or irritreivably bog down a bike. Transport vehicles, with enclosed machinery and more evenly distributed weight, were easier to provide for and became highly revered as divine forms of transportation. Jump packs were easy to provide for as well, being more adept at circumnavigating the many rocky plateaus to be found on Arachia III.

[Librarian- Melechor]

Sounds like a good start, now tell us more, about their history, enemies, doctrines and such. :)

[Artemis the hunter]

The most Destructive creature in the Arachian system is the Ainsiether, or Giant desert scorpion. Known to grow up to 15 feet long and 8 feet tall (including the massive arched tail) they are renowned throughout the system as incredibly fast and lethal, taking the lives of anything unfortunate enough to stray into their path. Erupting from beneath the sand with all the force of a direct hit from a vengeance missile those close by are often dead before they even hit the sand. striking quickly and without mercy few survive to tell about an attack and even fewer have witnessed one and escaped unscathed. Those who manage to kill an Ainsiether are held with a mixture of respect and awe by the natives and often singled out for greatness amongst the battle brothers of the ever watchful space marines.

 

Green was chosen for the Main colour of the marines armour to represent the thin strip of fertile land from which life sprang in the desert. Gold was chosen as the trim colour to represent the viens of the metal hidden beneath the sand and used as currency by the natives in its raw form. This especially suits the mindset of the hawks who hate stealth in all its forms for not allowing the enemy proper time to see thier doom approach. Vicious in combat often all that is needed is a single charge from a unit of hawks to deter even the toughest of enemies.

 

Unfortunately some of the organs implanted when a person becomes a warrior of the Emperor have been lost to time. Amongst these are the occulobe, resigning many of the marines to depend on thier armours vision receptors in low lighting conditions or in particle filled air, and the multi-lung causing the hawks to rely on thier armours oxygen supply in low oxygen atmospheres. In addition slight and acceptable mutation of the biscopea makes the hawks a little stronger than a normal marine. Becuase of these weaknesses the Hawks frequently try to out-do other chapters achievements. This often leads to the other chapters becoming annoyed because they think the Hawks are trying too hard.

 

The Golden Hawks hate especially and Khorne in particular as Chaos has been responsible for the deaths of two of thier four most notable chapter masters to date, and it was a daemon of Khorne which was specifically responsible for the death of the founding master. The Hawks love of both combat and Beer has put them on fairly good terms with the Space Wolves but for the Black Templar they have only contempt, as the Templar have been responsible for several of the Hawks defeats. The Hawks regard the Dark Eldar with almost as much hatred as they regard chaos, having suffered a number of defeats at their hands.

 

The Hawks greatest defeat was at the hands of the despoiler himself during the 13th Black Crusade. During the defence of Cadia the hawks were assigned to gaurd a small planet in the Cadian system. One of their armies, led by Artemis the steadfast, the Chapter Master at that Time, Came under attack by a Black Legion army supported By Daemons of Khorne. The Fighting was bloody, with Artemis and his retinue of Terminators destroying the chosen and Leutenant participating in the command of the Chaos army. Artemis then turned to engage another target but was dismayed at what he saw: His brother marines were all dead or fleeing, their transports blackened hulks, Commandeering the one functional vehicle left in his army, a land raider crusader named the Emperor's Wrath, he and his remaining warriors fell back to the cathedral of martyred saints and called for evac, realizing that this was a fight they could not win. Abaddon himself led the attack on the cathedral, which was rapidly surrounded. The thunderhawk arrived not a moment to soon, but Artemis Valiantly sacrificed himself to allow time for his brothers to escape. He died a heroes death as Abbadon's lightning claw cleft him in two.

 

Ironically, the Hawks greatest victory was also fighting against the forces of Chaos. Artemis the Stalker, elevated to the status of master after Artemis the Steadfast's death, Commanded a force against the Night Lords After returning the the Cathedral of Martyred Saints to reclaim the Chapter's technology and the body of his predecessor foght of Night lords making landfall at the sight. As the Dreadclaw assault craft swooped down many of them were cut to pieces by Artemis' Anti-Aircraft Weapon Emplacements. Those that managed to land had to make their way through minefields sown by the whirlwinds in the Hawks force while under constant shelling by Golden Hawk positions. Those that survived where rapidly cut down In a charge Led by Artemis in the Emperor's Wrath, The very land raider that survived the previous battle on the same soil. Supported by an assault squads and two tactical squads that waded into the fray firing their bolters with one hand and beheading traitors with the other the Night Lords fell, and the Cathedral remained firmly in Imperial hands.

 

++TRAITS++

Trust your Battle Brothers

No Mercy, No Respite

Eye to Eye

Have Pride in your Colours

 

++COMBAT DOCTRINE++ It is standard procedure to take large numbers of tactical marines to soften the Enemy before destroying them in a decisive counter charge.

 

++BATTLE CRY++ "Your Death shall be Swift"

 

++END PART TWO++

 

any C&C and help to improve is welcome

[Ferrata]

Thinks back, where these the ones who where 1st Founding or something?

 

++FOUNDING++ 13th (2253466/M35)

 

I would remove the precise date or the founding. Only a few founding dates are known, so either say just 13th or the precise date, one or the other.

 

Unfortunately some of the organs implanted when a person becomes a warrior of the Emperor have been lost to time. Amongst these are the occulobe, resigning many of the marines to depend on thier armours vision receptors in low lighting conditions or in particle filled air, and the multi-lung causing the hawks to rely on thier armours oxygen supply in low oxygen atmospheres. In addition slight and acceptable mutation of the biscopea makes the hawks a little stronger than a normal marine.

 

Intresting. Makes them actually overall less useful then other marines due to limited fight enviroments, while stronger. Maybe include a hook about them always trying to out do other chapters because of their weakness.

 

The Golden Hawks hate especially and Khorne in particular as Chaos has been responsible for the deaths of two of thier four chapter masters to date

 

If they've been around for over 6000 years, their going to have had more than 4 leaders. More like 12 if no of them died in battle & lived to 500.

 

The thunderhawk arrived not a moment to soon, but Artemis Valiantly sacrificed himself to allow time for his brothers to escape. He died a heroes death as Abbadon's lightning claw cleft him in two.

 

Sounds like Dakka Boom by ironloki, you might want to check that out.

 

The Hawks love of both combat and Beer has put them on fairly good terms with the Space Wolves but for the Black Templar they have only contempt, as the Templar have been responsible for several of the Hawks defeats.

 

I would try to avoid links with 1st Founding chapters. Maybe have the BT replaced by some other unknown chapter and then you can tell us how they have lead to the Hawks defeat. Did they fight each other or just didnt help?

 

"Your Death will be Swift"

 

Maybe "Your death shall be swift"

 

Good Work :)

 

Ferrata

[Artemis the hunter]

That's some good advice Ferrata...

editing relevant posts now

 

and yes, they were originally first founding. I changed that cause no-one but me seemed to like it.

 

ok posts edited, the first founding links are from personal experiences: I have been beaten many times by Black Templar players and one of my friends brother's plays space wolves, nice guy too...

 

also changed it so that the four chapter masters were simply the most notable: They represent the four masters I actually want to have models for.

[Commissar Molotov]

To tie your chapter in the 40k universe, it could well be prudent for you to have the Golden Hawks as an Astartes Praeses chapter. They are a group of twenty chapters assigned to guard the entrance to the Eye of Terror.

 

You could perhaps do something similar to the Space Wolves' frost-blades - weapons coated with the venom of the Scorpions. Could be an interesting idea to give your chapter some character.

[Artemis the hunter]

Are all twenty of the Astartes Praeses listed? Besides, they aren't just there to gaurd the eye of terror cause they fight tau, eldar, and a whole bunch of other armies you aren't likely to find around there. Especially the tau, who are nearer to macragge. Not to mention the tyranids. The Hawks are more of a chapter on call that helps defend against chaos for most of the time anyways. I like the idea of the venom coated weapons though and wish I could create a rule to express that. I'll definately use it in sniper bullets (wound on 4 anyways= tournament legal ;) ). I need to check eye to eye as well, If I'm allowed I'll use a librarian riding a scorpion as a bike.

[Commissar Molotov]

Fair enough, it appears I misunderstood your first post. When you were talking about the aftermath of the fourth black crusade, I assumed you wanted your chapter to be stationed near the Eye of Terror to defend against Abaddon. It does seem rather interesting that your chapter is stationed in the Segmentum Obscuras but you're fighting a lot of Tau (in the Eastern Fringes of the Ultima Segmentum).

 

I'm glad you like the idea of the venom-coated weapons. Just use the rules for power weapons and use a normal sword dripping with venom (Skaven Weapons?).

[Artemis the hunter]

Like I've said my chapter likes speed a lot. They've got a fortress on Arachia I but they believe in being prepared for anything, hence the trips across the galaxy to gain battle experience.

[Artemis the hunter]

why does no-one ever look at my stuff?

[Artemis the hunter]

I'd appreciate a few more replies here. I want to make sure my fluff works in with previously established fluff.