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The Earliest Memories

Not much is really known about the Sanguine Fist chapter. Their heritage is shrouded in mystery, and their origin in completely unknown. Their earliest known history begins in the Warp. Fleet records indicated that the entire chapter had mustered for the beginning of a major campaign alongside the Imperial Guard. The combined forces of the chapter that would become known as the Sanguine Fist and the Imperial Guard entered the warp. The space marines were supposed to drop out of the warp after three days to begin the campaign. Three years later, they realized that they would likely never leave its clutches. Chapter master Icaro Lisade, after taking counsel with the company captains and the Chief Librarian, ordered his marines to use their Sus-an membrane, and the chapter slipped into hibernation. Lisade never gave up hope that his chapter would return from the Warp, and selected his most trusted brothers to form watch groups, able to rouse the chapter should that day come. The Warp, however, had other ideas.

The Warp Years

After the Horus Heresy, the corrupting power of the Warp became painfully known to the Adeptus Astartes. While the Sanguine Fists remained pure and loyal to the Imperium, they would not remain unscathed. While the marines slept, their memories were corrupted, the fleet’s databanks were wiped clean, and their written history and codes became unreadable as each brother lost the memory of how to decode them. When marines awoke to take their watch, they had no memories of their days before the warp. They retained their knowledge of battle and training. The techpriests never failed in the upkeep of the chapter’s valuable armored force. But of who they were, none had knowledge.

Awakening to Battle

With no knowledge of how long they languished in the Warp, the call went out among the fleet: Awake, brothers, the Warp no longer holds us. Chief Librarian Allo Nan quickly realized that something was wrong, that the chapter had been affected by their ordeals. Debate and discussion was long, but no progress was made in remembering their past. Master Lisade realized there was only one course of action open to them. He ordered that the chapter remake itself. He chose the new name based on the image of a bloody fist that dominated the command bridge. Thus was born the Sanguine Fists. Lisade took no time mustering his forces. He knew the dangers of the Warp, and was determined that his chapter test itself to prove it remained pure. The normally prudent strategist ordered a sensor sweep of nearby space, and ordered his fleet to move immediately to a nearby planet that showed signs of life. The problem was that his marines were sluggish coming out of their hibernation. While their knowledge of warfare was as sharp as ever, their abilities were lacking. The fleet drew near to the planet, and it was here that Lisade realized his mistake. The fleet’s sensors had been damaged, and failed to pick up on the readings of the Eldar ships surrounding the planet. Outnumbered and outgunned, Lisade knew that the Sanguine Fists faced their doom. After sending out a distress call, he ordered his fleet into battle. The battle looked to be short and bloody. The Eldar were laying waste to their opponents. Lisade was out of options when deliverance arrived. The 5th company of the Ultramarines appeared behind the Eldar fleet. Recognizing their battle-brothers were in dire straits, the ultramarines opened fire. The Eldar were destroyed before they knew what happened.

To Begin Anew

It was after the battle that Lisade told the Ultramarines of the troubles that had befallen the Sanguine Fists. Unfortunately, the Ultramarines could provide no information as to the origin of Lisade’s company. However, they were able to help repair and refit the Fist’s battle damaged ships and equipment. Willing members of the warriors of Macragge undertook to retrain the warriors of the Sanguine Fist. The Ultramarines, it turned out, were on a continued deployment in the Drasanac Nebula, tasked with the defeat of a large band of Eldar pirates. Lisade offered the Ultramarines the aid of his chapter in return. The Ultramarines knew that the Sanguine Fists needed a home to begin rebuilding, and told them of a few planets near the nebula that were loyal to the Imperium, but as yet unclaimed by any chapters. Lisade quickly led his marines to the most populated of those planets, Elysia. One hundred years have passed. The Sanguine Fists now call the planet Elysia home, and recruit from nearby worlds as well. The chapter is regaining its strength, and has recently promoted its first batch of neophytes to the ranks of the 10th Company. With many companies still weak, the 2nd Company stood strong under the command of Captain Germanicus. They had boarded and destroyed and elder warship before the arrival of the Ultramarines and taken few losses. Germanicus was ordered against the Eldar. The time had come for the Sanguine Fists to live up to their name.

All comments are welcome, you can also find this in the articles section (easiest way to find it would likely be through my profile page). I hope you enjoyed the read!

Hang on...
The Ultramarines 5th Company can do what an entire chapter fleet can't?
Is that what it says or did i just read that wrong?

Thank you for commenting. The idea that I had had in my mind (and hoped to convey) was that the Ultramarines 5th was a full strength, combat ready company itching to battle an Eldar force. The Fists had languished in suspended animation for untold years, and their memories (including any knowledge of combat that went past muscle memory) were highly compromised. A company of IG recruits were probably more combat effective than the Fists were at this point. The Ultramarines also warped in behind the Eldar, who were focused on the SF forces. A much smaller force can decimate a larger one with suprise and quick deliverance of ordinance. Does that help it make sense? If it still seems implausible I'll revise the bio. I'm still tweaking and playing around with the story, I just wanted to get some comments on it.

Ricedaddy wrote:Thank you for commenting. The idea that I had had in my mind (and hoped to convey) was that the Ultramarines 5th was a full strength, combat ready company itching to battle an Eldar force. The Fists had languished in suspended animation for untold years, and their memories (including any knowledge of combat that went past muscle memory) were highly compromised. A company of IG recruits were probably more combat effective than the Fists were at this point. The Ultramarines also warped in behind the Eldar, who were focused on the SF forces. A much smaller force can decimate a larger one with suprise and quick deliverance of ordinance. Does that help it make sense? If it still seems implausible I'll revise the bio. I'm still tweaking and playing around with the story, I just wanted to get some comments on it.

If they are that inept it's a wonder they would be able to leave warp space at all...
A Chapter fleet is a monstrous force in space. It can be defeated but it is powerful.
A company size fleet is... well it's a 10th of the chapter sized fleet.
Maybe throw some Imperial Navy elements in there as well...

purplefood wrote:

Ricedaddy wrote:Thank you for commenting. The idea that I had had in my mind (and hoped to convey) was that the Ultramarines 5th was a full strength, combat ready company itching to battle an Eldar force. The Fists had languished in suspended animation for untold years, and their memories (including any knowledge of combat that went past muscle memory) were highly compromised. A company of IG recruits were probably more combat effective than the Fists were at this point. The Ultramarines also warped in behind the Eldar, who were focused on the SF forces. A much smaller force can decimate a larger one with suprise and quick deliverance of ordinance. Does that help it make sense? If it still seems implausible I'll revise the bio. I'm still tweaking and playing around with the story, I just wanted to get some comments on it.

If they are that inept it's a wonder they would be able to leave warp space at all...
A Chapter fleet is a monstrous force in space. It can be defeated but it is powerful.
A company size fleet is... well it's a 10th of the chapter sized fleet.
Maybe throw some Imperial Navy elements in there as well...

Of course what type of assest are there. Retribution, Armaggeddon, Emperor, Omega, Ect.
If a Armageddon showed up with the ultramarines its game over folks.

Asherian Command wrote:

purplefood wrote:

Ricedaddy wrote:Thank you for commenting. The idea that I had had in my mind (and hoped to convey) was that the Ultramarines 5th was a full strength, combat ready company itching to battle an Eldar force. The Fists had languished in suspended animation for untold years, and their memories (including any knowledge of combat that went past muscle memory) were highly compromised. A company of IG recruits were probably more combat effective than the Fists were at this point. The Ultramarines also warped in behind the Eldar, who were focused on the SF forces. A much smaller force can decimate a larger one with suprise and quick deliverance of ordinance. Does that help it make sense? If it still seems implausible I'll revise the bio. I'm still tweaking and playing around with the story, I just wanted to get some comments on it.

If they are that inept it's a wonder they would be able to leave warp space at all...
A Chapter fleet is a monstrous force in space. It can be defeated but it is powerful.
A company size fleet is... well it's a 10th of the chapter sized fleet.
Maybe throw some Imperial Navy elements in there as well...

Of course what type of assest are there. Retribution, Armaggeddon, Emperor, Omega, Ect.
If a Armageddon showed up with the ultramarines its game over folks.

Nothing like that...
Maybe the 5th company (during their hunt for the Eldar in that sector) had joined up with a naval task force.
3 Light cruisers a heavy cruiser and an assortment of frigates + the SM company fleet.
That would provide a strong force for hunting other naval assets and wouldn't draw too much away from front line battles.
It would also be believable that they could destroy a force an SM chapter fleet couldn't on their own...

I'll definitely take that into consideration. A few other changes I've been thinking of is:

-Not making it the whole chapter, but only a few of the companies

-Keeping it where the entire chapter is involved, but only a few are released from the Warp, or only a few of the ships still function. (remember that as the story is. the Warp took hold of the fleet, the Astropaths were ineffective in their attempts to bring the fleet out of the Warp. The fleet was only released into realspace by external forces).

-Changing the outcome of the battle from a victory to a tactical withdraw aided by the Ultramarines 5th

Would these changes improve the story and help it to make more sense?

How about this.
Fleet gets scattered all over the Imperium compelling the chapter master to start a crusade to find them.
The navigators/crew are unable to bring them out of the warp instead they get smashed out by the Eldar's psychic trickery which also ends up scattering them.
The 1st and 2nd (on board the battle barge of the chapter) are rescued by the Ultramarine's 5th company and Imperial Naval Taskforce Xenobane (which had been in the sector hunting Eldar pirates/corairs) after a long cat-and-mouse game through the system.

purplefood wrote:How about this.
Fleet gets scattered all over the Imperium compelling the chapter master to start a crusade to find them.
The navigators/crew are unable to bring them out of the warp instead they get smashed out by the Eldar's psychic trickery which also ends up scattering them.
The 1st and 2nd (on board the battle barge of the chapter) are rescued by the Ultramarine's 5th company and Imperial Naval Taskforce Xenobane (which had been in the sector hunting Eldar pirates/corairs) after a long cat-and-mouse game through the system.

I would go with this Ricedaddy.
Also need to add lore as to how the battle brothers awoke. Like how did they feel give them human qualities not the mary sueness of the ultras.
Otherwise your good to go.
Write well and take flight.

That's a great idea. Thanks for the suggestion! I wanted to reflect the battles I'll fight on the tabletop with the bio (I'll be fighting chiefly against a friend's Eldar army), and because of this I didn't want to lock the entire chapter against Eldar in the backstory. I'd been looking at how to get the chapter spread out through the galaxy and the best I had was that elements of the chapter were searching for clues of the history, which to me sounded just...weak. I'll definitely incorporate your ideas and give both of you some credit in the next iteration of the biography.

If you don't mind me asking, any other comments or critiques in terms of content, flow, or style?

Asherian Command wrote:
Like how did they feel give them human qualities not the mary sueness of the ultras.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Could you clarify please?

Your fine in flow and style. I ain't a grammar nut but I can read through it and tell you. I just naturally stop on things half the time.

Ricedaddy wrote:

Asherian Command wrote:
Like how did they feel give them human qualities not the mary sueness of the ultras.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Could you clarify please?

I think he means you should comment on various human quirks (or possibly lack of)
This usually means how they react to other factions/organisation (Imperial ones)
How would they react if the Tau offered a cease fire or a temporary alliance to defeat a darker threat?
How would they react to an Inquisitor asking/commanding their aid?
Would they assist civilians or just ignore them?
Things like that...
My DIY chapter for instance:
Would agree the cease fire or temporary alliance but would manoeuvre into favourable positions and sabotage Tau equipment during the fight and as soon as they became unnecessary would turn on them and eliminate them.
Would assist the Inquisitor in whatever he needed doing unless they felt it didn't serve the Imperium's cause in which case they would kill him and deny ever seeing him.
Would ignore civilians or use them as cover for scouts infiltrating an enemy target or possibly using them as low grade auxiliaries.

You characterise a chapter best through examples of its actions...

Ok, that makes sense and is something that was missing entirely from the bio as it is. It looks like I know where the next expansion of the bio is going to go.

Ricedaddy wrote:Ok, that makes sense and is something that was missing entirely from the bio as it is. It looks like I know where the next expansion of the bio is going to go.

In fainress you are giving the very start of the chapter here...
Though what might be fun is adding in some reactions from various planets.
Maybe some of planets have a myth about armoured angels with fists of blood that are the servants of chaos or something...
That could affect the planet's reaction to the SF and cause an entirely unecessary conflict in a time where the SF need to avoid such things...
Could add some tension to whether they will survive or not...

It defnitely would. You put it perfect in that this is just the start of the chapter. I wrote this over the winter break between semesters, expecting to develop it further over the course of the current semester. Classes had another idea, and I decided to go ahead and get some feedback on what I have now since I don't know when I'll be able to sit down and focus on writing out more story.