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Our flgs finally got it's copies of Rites of Battle yesterday, so I started piecing together some ideas for Red Scorpions from their Create-A-Chaper chapter and thought I'd share for discussion. Rather than rolling randomly, I've picked what I felt were the most appropriate results for the existing fluff. Notes will be in italics to explain the choices where they need explaining.

I think this kind of gets across the current fluff of them taking charge wherever needed, but not trusting anyone or anything they consider impure. It feels rather light compared to the actual listed chapters though; hence posting it to discuss. I may have missed something in the creation rules..

Origins
The exact founding and reasons are lost, all we know is they are pre M35 and have very pure gene-seed, though they are wary of genetic deviations. As they are strict adherants to the Codex, I'll assume they are an Ultramarines offshoot unless something else is more appropriate to the known fluff. We don't know much, if anything about Zaebus Minoris, their recruiting world, as it's an unknown planet in an unknown region of space. Only high up members of the Inquisition know if it's whereabouts

Progenator: Unknown

Demeanour: Purity Above All This speaks for itself. Paranoid and purity obsessed
Gene-seed deficiencies: No known deficiencies
Chapter Flaws: We Stand Alone This one was a close call as We Stand Alone fits their secretive, withdrawn demeanour, but Pride in Colours was also a very close contender as they seem to hate anything that disguises their chapter colours, especially camo

Characteristic modifiers: Death Unto Duty. +5T, +5WP I felt that the toughness/willpower increase could be due to their fanatical belief in purity, both in deed and thought.

Figures of legend: Chapter Master Carab Culln for quelling the Badab uprising and returning the region to Imperium control.

Homeworld: Zaebus Minoris; location unknown.
Planetary type: Unknown
Relationship: Unknown, suspected direct rule.

Organisation: Codex chapter; Codex Combat Doctrine. Nominal strength; half strength scout company

Solo mode: Favoured Son (Ultramarines solo mode), unless dealing with abhumans, or those chapters that the Red Scorpions consider impure, such as Blood Angels, Salamanders and Space Wolves.
Squad Attack mode: Lead By Example (Ultramarines squad mode) Following Culln's example of mediatior and commander of the allied forces in the Badab War... the other alternative was Tactical Finesse. LBE seemed more like the leadership role they seem to believe is their right
Squad defensive mode: Rally Cry (Ultramarines squad mode) Rather than their devoted belief to their Primarch, their fanatical belief in the Emperor and the Codex pushes them to believe wholeheartedly in their fight and rally those around them

Speciality restrictions
The chapter has limited Scout resources and dislikes the use of camo, even Codex approved styles, and would thus not send Scouts to the Deathwatch. I would imagine that they would also send more apothecaries in order to monitor any existing Scorpions seconded to the Deathwatch and make sure they didn't... deviate.

Speciality equipment: Codex Astartes; Golden Icons (see Blood Angels equpiment)
Special rule: Lore: Scholastic [Codex Astartes] +5 They see the Codex as religious text, so they are likely to have a much greater understanding of this than most other chapters when they start out
Special rule: Distrust the impure: -5 Fel to any abhuman, or any chapter considered to be impure (Space wolf, Salamander, Blood Angels etc) While not an actual rule, I felt this would fit their distrust of anything they consider impure

Beliefs: The Emperor Above All

Friends & Enemies
Friends: none They are isolationists who trust no-one except those they must. i.e. only very high up members of the Inquisition know the location of their home world; no-one else
Enemies: Chaos Space Marines : Red Corsairs; Abhumans; mutants

Chapter Advances: Use the Command Without Doubt table

Very nice... if you have time you should just work your way through any major chapters that deserve attention.

I haven't got my hands on the Deathwatch Rulebook yet, so I don't know this relates to DH/RT, yet this seems really interesting...

Could you tell us more (what's squad attack mode, solo mode, etc?)

aka_mythos wrote:Very nice... if you have time you should just work your way through any major chapters that deserve attention.

I'd like to do all the Badab War ones as I'm enjoying reading the entries in IA9/10 and there are certainly some interesting options available in the Create a Chapter section


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Yggdrasil wrote:I haven't got my hands on the Deathwatch Rulebook yet, so I don't know this relates to DH/RT, yet this seems really interesting...

Could you tell us more (what's squad attack mode, solo mode, etc?)

The Squad attack/defence modes allow the Deathwatch squad to work more effectively as a cohesive unit. Solo mode is when the marine is working on his own and gains some benefits that don't affect anyone else. Someone that's actually played the game may be better equipped to provide a clearer answer though

There are lots of different 'Solo' and 'Squad' mode abilities, like being better on the defence, bonuses for Bolters, extra attacks and so on. It's very 'game-y', and the names don't help either ("Solo Mode"), but the system works remarkably well. I've saved our Kill-Team on more than one occasion.

So what would their chapter trapping be, since I do not have the book yet, I am assuming it is a golden icon?

I was thinking something along the lines of the Golden Icon to represent excessive use of purtiy seals, or other indicators of their faith in the Codex and the chapter. Out of all the suggestions for trappings that was the closest I could come to something they would use.

Another thought was to alter the armour table to represent that fact that the Red Scorpions have a larger supply of Mark 4 than most other chapters and regularly provide it to their veterans.

Something like:

1-3 : Maximus
4 : Heresy
5-6 : Corvus
7-9 : Aquila
10: Errant

Well it works, I am just waiting on the book, so when and if I have to replace an NPC, or a PC asks for something not in the book, I can suggest it to them.

Comments/criticisms would be good. It'd also be interesting to try and spin this out into a Dakka module with other famous Chapters... must go back to doing that at some point.

I think it's a good idea. I like what you've written.

I am playtesting it as a NPC with my group at the moment, so I do quite enjoy that he makes for a durable apothecary when the facal matter hits the ventilation.

As long as he's being all condescending when dealing with impure beings that's ok

When I get some spare time I might go back and look at some psychic powers too, just to round it off a bit.

How do I put it, he assumes that my whiny ultramarine PC, is actually some depressed noise marine. This actually made two PCs have a fighting scene becasue the librarian began to belive that he was flawed and needed to be purged.