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Custom Chapters are actually actually slightly less powerful than the original Parent chapters. Successors get to pick and choose two traits but all of the "canon" chapters traits have unique abilities that can't be picked with the pick and choose method, and even if you go for Inheritors of the Primarchs and use a parent chapter tactic, you lose access to the parents special characters and have to pay extra CP for the chapter specific relics.

But as stated, Iron Hands just makes the entire argument moot (it's almost like giving them three abilities instead of two and a Super Doctrine that is active from Turn 1 in a game that rarely ever makes it to turn 3 is OP or something) you're either running a gimicky list that does silly things with 11" range flamers, or you run Iron Hands.

I've been musing on one potential self-made Chapter. Opinion on how this sounds?

Name

Steel Brothers / Steel Brigade

Parent Legion: Iron Warriors

A non-codex Astartes compliant loyalist splitoff faction of Iron Warriors that separated from its Legion after Perturabo's betrayal. Not wanting to split any further, the Chapter refuses adamantly to accept Codex Astartes but after one bloody series of battles with Iron Warriors Steel Brigade taking huge casualties in HH, their loyalty is not in question.

Strength of the Chapter when they split off was 15000 of whom they lost half in HH and until gene-seed production for Chapter had stabilized the Chapter size had halved again to just around 4000 Astartes.

Chapter is most known for its excellent mechanized forces and artillery known to advance fast in battlefield with tanks screened by mechanized infantry and constant artillery strikes clearing the enemy in concert with the mechanized forces while getting copious amounts of air support.

After Council of Nikkea Iron Warriors stopped using Psykers and Steel Brigade absorbed Librarians to it.

Does this sound like an interesting backstory?

 aphyon wrote:
>the most versatility-
build your own chapter with your own paint scheme, buy a bunch of the named characters from different chapters then paint them in your colors. then mix and match if you want to not be locked into a single style of play.

As someone who's played Ultramarines for 20+ years...this is the only solution I would put to a new player. Unless you are 100% in love with a specific chapters lore and background and "to hell with the rules", then make your own chapter. With the meta shifting month to month, an army can go from bottom tier to top in no time, and being able to switch rulebooks without having to repaint dozens of models is the only sane decision these days.

Hell, you can probably have a lot of the chaos codex covered as well, which gives you the chance to paint up a Demon Prince in your chapter colors for a change if you wanted.

 Tyzarion_Kronius wrote:
From the sound of post above, yep, going with Dark Angels

Good choice. People who aren't speed painters with insane motivation, time and funds should never pick based on what's good at any given moment anyway. Because by the time you finish painting and building, what you chose will suck again. Dark Angels however have never sucked, not even at their most outdated codex point, and they have the most interesting lore within SM. My only dislike about them is the colour scheme, which is why I made mine a successor chapter.

By the way, the Phobos Librarian is pretty great for Dark Angels, just a tip.

LoftyS wrote:

 Tyzarion_Kronius wrote:
From the sound of post above, yep, going with Dark Angels

Good choice. People who aren't speed painters with insane motivation, time and funds should never pick based on what's good at any given moment anyway. Because by the time you finish painting and building, what you chose will suck again. Dark Angels however have never sucked, not even at their most outdated codex point, and they have the most interesting lore within SM. My only dislike about them is the colour scheme, which is why I made mine a successor chapter.

By the way, the Phobos Librarian is pretty great for Dark Angels, just a tip.

They are also getting a PA book soon, so that may make them even better.

 Tyzarion_Kronius wrote:
I've been musing on one potential self-made Chapter. Opinion on how this sounds?

Name

Steel Brothers / Steel Brigade

Parent Legion: Iron Warriors

I really like what you've done. A lot. No need to change anything. It's literally perfect as-is, if it's what you want. Below is just if you want to expand your fluff further.

A non-codex Astartes compliant loyalist splitoff faction of Iron Warriors that separated from its Legion after Perturabo's betrayal.

Some will always suspect you. And with all the beurocracy, secrecy, and internal strife, you're going to have some problems with some Imperium factions, or splinters thereof. That *is not a bad thing*. You may find yourself in games against other Imperium factions - possibly because they're confident *you* are the traitor. Can't convince 100% of the people 100% of the time, even of the truth!

Not wanting to split any further, the Chapter refuses adamantly to accept Codex Astartes but after one bloody series of battles with Iron Warriors Steel Brigade taking huge casualties in HH, their loyalty is not in question.

One more reason you're likely to be "investigated". Possibly by armed factions. Again, not a problem; happens in-universe all the time.

I'd also like to point out Black Templars and Dark Angels here. Black Templars have a similar background - they're still legion-esque (despite being a successor), and are an eternal crusade. While they fight like Codex-compliant factions, their org is not. They openly defy that rule, but don't get a lot of trouble for it. Dark Angels, on the other hand, publicly follow the rule. Privately, though, their successors are just branches of the "main" chapter - this way, they're still essentially a legion. They do wind up getting in trouble with inquisitors and the like, but this isn't the only *major problem* other Imperium factions have with them.

I like your "Nope, we're one Chapter, regardless of size". Just wanted to share two different chapters and how they do it.

Strength of the Chapter when they split off was 15000 of whom they lost half in HH and until gene-seed production for Chapter had stabilized the Chapter size had halved again to just around 4000 Astartes.

You won't be the only loyalist descendents of Iron Warriors. Just be aware of that. Also, does your "Chapter" still do 100-man "Companies"? Are they otherwise Codex-compliant?

For contrast, my Chapter (Wings of Dawn - descendants of UltraMarines) is also not entirely Compliant. For instance, Companies II through VIII are Battle Companies, with IX being "Younger Brother" scouts fully ready for promotion to Battle Brother, and X being "Little Brother" scouts who are battle-brothers in training. Being not fully Codex-Compliant doesn't mean they don't comply with the rest of the codex though; their Companies are 6 Infantry (Tac Marines), 2 Skirmishers (Assault Marines/Bikers), and 2 Heavies (Dev Marines), per the codex. Companies I through V and X are just like you'd see in other chapters. VI-VIII are just like II-V in other chapters, and IX is somewhere between what you'd see in VI and X of other chapters. Point being, it's up to you how Codex-compliant you want to be, and your choices don't directly affect rules (although fluff may inform what you want to field). I like a lot of the Codex-compliant fluff (or at least, the stuff before Primaris came about), so I use it.

Chapter is most known for its excellent mechanized forces and artillery known to advance fast in battlefield with tanks screened by mechanized infantry and constant artillery strikes clearing the enemy in concert with the mechanized forces while getting copious amounts of air support.

After Council of Nikkea Iron Warriors stopped using Psykers and Steel Brigade absorbed Librarians to it.

Sounds like Iron Hands. Forget them being top of the heap - the fluff just sounds like it aligns. Lots of mechanization and tanks.

Imperial Fists is another reasonable answer. Artillery and support make me think "Siege". But it's not as good a fit.

A third option is Dark Angels. Not a great fit overall, but with your history, your chapter has run afoul of the Inquisition and other investigators regularly, even (especially) when not at fault. Where the Dark Angels might use their psykers to hide their past, your chapter would use the same abilities to "guide" investigators - you may have done nothing wrong, but you still need to ensure that's the conclusion they come to...

As an honorable mention, I could see Salamanders, possibly. If your Chapter specializes in mechanized warfare with squads toting a single special or heavy, your squad may fixate on facilitating the Specialist. That kind of training/discipline would be explained by the Master Crafter rule. But I'm really stretching your premise there.

Does this sound like an interesting backstory?

Very, very much so. Welcome to the hobby. You've already shared quality work.

Well, an alternative to IH is Imperial Fists or Crimson Fists.

 Tyzarion_Kronius wrote:
I've been musing on one potential self-made Chapter. Opinion on how this sounds?

Name

Steel Brothers / Steel Brigade

Parent Legion: Iron Warriors

A non-codex Astartes compliant loyalist splitoff faction of Iron Warriors that separated from its Legion after Perturabo's betrayal. Not wanting to split any further, the Chapter refuses adamantly to accept Codex Astartes but after one bloody series of battles with Iron Warriors Steel Brigade taking huge casualties in HH, their loyalty is not in question.

Strength of the Chapter when they split off was 15000 of whom they lost half in HH and until gene-seed production for Chapter had stabilized the Chapter size had halved again to just around 4000 Astartes.

Chapter is most known for its excellent mechanized forces and artillery known to advance fast in battlefield with tanks screened by mechanized infantry and constant artillery strikes clearing the enemy in concert with the mechanized forces while getting copious amounts of air support.

After Council of Nikkea Iron Warriors stopped using Psykers and Steel Brigade absorbed Librarians to it.

Does this sound like an interesting backstory?

This is great! Run with it, have you given any thoughts to a color scheme or chapter insignia?