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Hi guys, with the release of Dark Vengeance I started a DA army but wanted to make the Chapter my own. I decided to move the story forward and have my army set in the 42nd millennium. So I wrote this as a background to my DA army with allied IG


With the turning of the millennium and the Imperium beset on all sides, the armies of the Emperor fought to keep the His dream alive. The massed ranks of the Imperial Guard fought brutal wars of attrition, with the death toll spiralling into untold billions across the many worlds under the rule of Terra, conveyed across the vast distances of space by the mighty ships of the Imperial Navy. For every victory won however, there is a loss; planets are decimated by the ensuing wars, devoured by the onslaught of the Tyranids or seceding to the encroaching Tau. However in these grim times there was a glimmer of hope for humanity in the form of the Adeptus Astartes; the mighty Space Marines. One of the most famous of these Chapters are the Dark Angels, one of the original Space Marine Legions, and were at the fore of the fight against the encroaching darkness, their star rising high. For now...

With the dawn of the 42nd Millennium the Imperium still clung on to their survival, its armies fighting in ever more desperate conflicts. Just two hundred years into this new time and the Eye of Terror spewed forth the vast armies of Chaos once more. Abaddon had launched the latest of his Black Crusades. Supreme Grand Master Azrael, Chapter Master of the Dark Angels, led fully half of the Chapter to the Eye in the hopes of pushing back the forces of Chaos. Behind, he left Belial, his successor should he fall, his orders to continue the hunt and prosecute those who would blemish the Realm of Man. These were to be the beginning of the darkest times the Chapter had seen since the days of the Great Betrayal.

With half the Chapter deployed at the Eye, Belial ordered the remaining Companies to increase their patrols around the surrounding systems, fighting any who dared threaten the sanctity of the Imperium. Many victories were won; the defeat of Waaagh! ‘Eadstompa and the pacification of the rebellious Rhuna system, though news from the Eye brought grim tidings. The Imperium had suffered several, catastrophic defeats, and the Cadian Gate hung in the balance. The worst of these tidings was the loss of the entire Dark Angels task force and the Supreme Grand Master himself.

In the year 207.M42 Azrael led an Imperial force, consisting of his Dark Angels, a company of the Angels of Redemption and 20 Regiments of the Imperial Guard alongside a Grey Knight Strike force; against the Black Legion and their daemonic allies on the planet Dremal. The initial attack went as planned, driving the forces of Chaos back to the planetary capital of Golden Port. Here Azrael led the final push to destroy the Legions of Chaos; little did he know of the trap laid for him by the Chaos Lord Drazghul. With the siege under way, a mighty ritual was performed. As the Dark Angels and their allies fought through the traitor legions and waves of daemons and cultists, the ritual came to its destructive conclusion. The Chaos Marines were sucked into the warp as the planet began to explode. Unable to disengage and withdraw in time and still hampered by the remaining cultists and daemons, the Imperial forces were on the planet as it exploded. In one fell swoop the forces of Chaos had eradication millions of Guardsmen and all the Marines on the surface. Not one Imperial soldier made it back alive.
Upon word reaching the Rock of the dreadful tragedy the remainder of the Chapter entered a period of mourning. The Chapter needed a new master, and after a month of mourning Belial was elevated to the rank of Supreme Grand Master. Among the first of the edicts issued was for the re-building of the Chapter, to replace the losses suffered from the 14th Black Crusade. Elements of the 10th Company were sent out to scour the surrounding regions for new aspirants. Within a few short years, the Chapter had started the process of re-building, with the newest intake of Scouts out in the field. Worst was yet to come though and the Dark Angels would be brought to the brink of annihilation.

The Tyranids were still a relatively new race to the galactic stage but had already left a swathe of destruction across the galaxy. Planets were devoured, regardless of race, all organic matter consumed to try and sate the Hive Minds insatiable appetite. As more and more planets are devastated by the Hive Fleets, the Tyranid numbers increased, more warrior organisms and bio-ships produced to carve their way through space. The Imperium saw an increasing number of these incursions after the turn of the millennium. In 211.M42 a new Hive Fleet, dubbed Cerberus, made its way into Imperial space, devouring all in its path. Soon the path of destruction was leading to the Cereb system, where the Dark Angels were rebuilding. Faced with no choice but to stand against the oncoming tide the diminished Chapter prepared itself for a possible last stand while sending out calls for assistance.
For several months Belial led the Chapter in a series of delaying actions, holding out until the optimum time to strike the decisive blow. The time bought allowed for the Imperium to bring together a force to assist the beleaguered Dark Angels, spearheaded by a Deathwatch kill team. With the Imperial forces deployed on the sole inhabited planet of the Cereb system, Cereb Prime, they waited for the arrival of the Tyranids. Upon entering the system, the Imperial Navy and Dark Angels fleet ran a series of battles, inflicting heavy losses on the encroaching bio-ships; but despite the losses inflicted, the main Tyranid body still advanced to Cereb Prime. After 5 days of heavy fighting the space battle had reached the planet. As the war was fought in the heavens, millions of myscetic spores were launched onto the planet. The ground war had started.

Weeks of hard fighting culminated in the Tyranid horde laying siege to the planetary capital. The city was set at the end of a valley, creating a bottleneck that all who wanted access had to traverse. With the waves of the horde crashing against the city fortifications, the Imperial defenders launched their counter-attack spear headed by the Dark Angels. As the Imperial Guard gave fire support, Company Master Balthasar led the Chapter into the heart of the horde to kill the Synapse creatures holding the invading army together. Meanwhile, in space, Belial led the Deathwing into the heart of the Hive Fleet in a bid to kill the Norn Queen, thereby destroying the Tyranid coherency and winning the war. After several hours of desperate conflict, Belial pulled his surviving Deathwing back to their battle barge and disengaging as the charges planted by the Dark Angels detonated, destroying the Norn Queen. With the rest of the fleet deprived of the Queen’s leadership and reverting back to their basic instincts, the Imperial forces closed in for the kill, wiping out the remaining bio-ships.
With the space battle won, the Deathwing was free to assist in the fight below. The counter-attack had ground to a halt, surrounded on all sides and unable to break back to the city walls. Belial and his weary Deathwing teleported down to the battle in the hope of rescuing their Brothers. Upon arriving on the field Belial cleared a way through to the Hive Tyrant controlling the Tyranid force. While the Deathwing fought off the Tyrant Guard and surrounding organisms, Belial fought the Tyrant, and killed it with a mighty swing of his thunder hammer. With the eradication of the synapse creatures, the rest of the horde lost all semblance of control. The pressure was relieved from their Brothers, and with the easing of the pressure the Imperial forces was able to link up and chase down the remaining Tyranids. Victory was assured though it took another week to cleanse the planet. The cost in lives was high however; the mighty Dark Angels were close to annihilation with barely a hundred Marines left alive.

With the defeat of the Tyranids and the resulting devastation to the Chapter, Belial was forced to look at the Chapter’s viability. With barely a company’s strength and at the loss of most of their ships and equipment would not be able to engage the enemies of the Emperor on any grand scales. Emergency measures were taken and so Belial ordered the Rock and the remainder of the Dark Angels fleet move to a secluded system to focus on the re-building of the Chapter. Ships were sent out to scour for more recruits and messengers dispatched to the second founding Chapters for assistance. In order to maintain a fighting force so as to not neglect their duties, Belial made a radical decision. He ordered that the Chapter serfs and those recruits who failed the trials to be formed into a new army with the primary function of supporting the Marines in combat, as well as protecting the Chapter assets. Tribute was also taken from the cream of the PDF of local planets in an effort to maintain an effective force. This edict was to last until the Chapter had regained its strength, in the mean time the new Calibanite Jaegers, so named after the old regiments raised on ancient Caliban during the Great Crusade, would be a fixture in the Dark Angel arsenal. Each Soldier would be trained to the highest levels and highest demands in order to be worthy of serving alongside the Dark Angels.

Belial also ordered the Chapter colours be changed until such a time as they are back to full strength. The armour of all Marines would be repainted black in mourning for their fallen Brothers, save for their right shoulder pads, which were to retain their original green. A similar colour scheme was adapted for their serf army, the green and black for the time of mourning. So prepared the Dark Angels set out to rebuild their Chapter and to stand strong once more against the encroaching darkness of the Traitor, the Xenos and the Daemon.

What do you guys think as to the background? How can I imprve upon it and my writing? There are some bits I am not happy with in terms of writing style but not thought of how to change it just yet. All comments welcome.

I like it. It actually makes DA's sound cool to me.

Well beside the fact that not any given Astartes company may command other forces of the Imperium what so ever, I found it rather good. Consider me a fan

Logan Grimnar led the Imperial forces during the first war of Armageddon. Also they are Chapter serfs pretty much, who can be armed to defend vessels, bases etc. Don't see that as to far a leap for them to be assisting.

He did not control them as his own army, offering guidance and aid are a far cry from a Astartes chapter starting its own personal army.

I refer you once again to the serfs who serve the Chapters, who will fight against those boarding their ships or attacking the monastery etc.They have the weapons so they would use them. The DA just use the serfs the same as a weapon.

I know that but I still do not approve of it! Its a reason we do not see this in the established fluff.

I like the way it is now, I'd like to hear about what they're doing now and a campaign or two please.