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So, I'm toying with an idea to legitimize some of the models I've got into one army of space marines. Long and short of it, is that through my playing career myself and my brother have played Imperial and Chaos Marines (ranging back to 2nd ed), so I've got a lot of both of those lying around, as well as some kit bashed regular marines into chaos marines etc.

Name: Shadow Slayers

The idea I was thinking is that I had a marine chapter in Battle Barges that got sucked into the Cicatrix Maledictum. As time works differently, they were drifting through warp space for what seemed like thousands of years and over time, they began to start using tactics to enhance their survival, such as "chaosifying" themselves with chaosy bits, as well as "sanctifying" weapons that had been used by chaos marines as they ran out of ammunition (read, I'm using some spiky marines here and there, or regular marines kitbashed into chaos). They also picked up survivors and stranded imperial citizens they found along the way, including other chapters marines. For what seemed like eternity, they drifted in warp space, and these other chapters marines eventually started to use the same tactics, and everyone darkened their armour to black, to match, forging their own friendships and brotherhood.

*Handwavium* Upon returning to real space, contact was made with the Indominus Crusade, on forces battling against a system taken by Chaos. After assisting to rid the system of chaos, the Shadow Slayers seemed to have proved that they were loyal to the Imperium. Besides the equipment that some marines refused to let go of, the marines showed very little signs of being corrupted. As part of returning, they had Primaris Marines inserted into their ranks, and being required to be consulted for all decisions being made (I'm thinking sort of 2 chapter masters, 2 captains per company etc.), and have inquisitors constantly stationed in their Battle Barges, monitoring for signs of corruption.

I know it's a bit of a long stretch, and at the end of the day, it's entirely up to me, but I feel like I need some internet approval on this one.

Be gentle please....it's my first time

Neat idea it's nice to see the warp time wibbly wobbliness being used the other way from usual. Usually it's people enter warp and materialise thousands of years later. Nice to see people spending an eternity in the warp, and then popping out moments after they left.

Might need to work a little on the acceptance of them by the wider Imperium. Anything that looks vaguely chaosy will probably be shot on sight, so you might need to come up with a compelling reason why they weren't.

Oh, and they would be under close scrutiny for corruption. Perhaps they have had a number of chaplains transplanted from other loyal legiosn to keep an eye on them, under the auspices of a suspicious inquisitor.

Lastly, sanctifying Chaotic weapons is a thing. I don't think it's common at all, but it has fluff precedent in the Inquisitor game's wargear selection

I like it! I've been toying with a similar theme of marines lost during a warp storm reappearing as a result of the Rift, but this is a really cool concept that I think is very plausible.

Welcome to Dakka Dakka.

I love this idea, though I think you need to justify how they came back in to the Imperiums favour; reappearing from the warp looking like a bunch of Chaos Marines isn't a great way to not get yourself blasted out of existence!

Perhaps they saved an inquisition fleet in a last minute ditch against a Night Lords warband which had also just popped out of the warp tear.
Possibly they had been tracking this warband down for some time, and following them allowed them to re-emerge from the warp.

When a radical Inquisitor boarded their ship to give his thanks, and saw what had become of them, he decided to permanently become stationed on their ship, so they could further prove themselves to not be corrupted by Chaos' taint, the remainder of his fleet in tow.

Just an idea.

But love what you have so far.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, if they joined the Indomitus crusade after that, it could justify having Primaris in the ranks.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Possibly the inquisition fleet was en route to join up with Guilliman when ambushed.


Just my thoughts

Agreed with @Rippy on this one! In any situation like this you need a common enemy to help foster cooperation, if not trust. Any number of Xenos threats could also work to unite your chapter with the crusade; just look at what Dante managed to throw together to defend Baal from Hive Fleet Kraken/Leviathan(?)

Yeah you got to find a enemy and a outcome greater than the idea of turning against each other. Not had in 40k!

Like maybe a small inquisition fleet came out in wrong spot and area was riddled with xenos and regade pirates..

The marines are thrown out of warp about same time and the two have to join up to make it out of enemy territory.

Google 'HH Blackshields', its a bit like what you're thinking about. And I also suggest that your dudes appear in the Galatic North, aka. completely rekt due to being isolated from the Astronomican.

Apart from that, sounds all good to me.

Disappointed this dude never came back lol

Same here^

Sorry Guys, Dakka wasn't letting me log back in for some reason!

Ok, so coming back from the warp:

After hunting a band of renegade marines through the warp to do some raids and resupply, the renegades and Shadow Slayers find themselves find themselves in an area breaching back into real space. The renegade marines appeared to be staying in the warp, however the Shadow Slayers are dangerously low on fuel, and need to make the decision to return to real space and potentially be stuck drifting in space, or conduct the raids and potentially remain trapped in the warp for longer.

The decision to return to real space was made, and after the short jump, the Battle Barge reappeared in the Vespasian System, very close to Vespasian Prime. The world appeared to be in flames from space, surrounded by Chaos space craft and foul demonic machines. Beginning from there, the Shadow Slayers began conducting raids and offensives against the Chaos forces, resupplying and striking some valiant defeats of the Chaos forces. One mission, they found a few imperial navy ships, including an inquisitor ship, surrounded and being overrun by Chaos forces. The Shadow Slayers began a series of offensives on the chaos ships, drawing fire away from the imperial forces, and alloying them to regroup, and overcome the chaos fleet in the battle. In the lull after the battle, contact was made with the Inquisitor, and although distrustful of the marines, the fact that they risked their own ship and lives could not be denied.

Being updated on the situation, it appeared that the planet was suffering a deamonic infestation of Khorne, and that the Imperial Navy and Inquisitor ships were a forward scouting party of the Indominus Crusade. They had come to the System to assess the tactical situation, and after briefly making contact with the PDF forces on the planet, had been beset by the chaos forces in space. From here, the Shadow Slayers and the Imperial scouting party began to conduct join space and ground raids on key Chaos positions, destroying summoning circles, helping to close warp breaches, striking leadership, and over the course of a few weeks, were beginning to make some small amount of progress towards lessening the amount of heresy on the planet.

The Inquisitor, having joined the Shadow Slayers on occasion over their time together, had borne witness to the ferocity and hatred towards chaos that they had shown. He could not deny that these marines were loyal to the Emperor, however, remained distrustful of them. As time passed, a greater body of troops for the Crusade arrives, and over the course of a few months, the planet was freed. During this time, the Shadow Slayers had been vital to several key offensives, leading to the overall defeat of the Chaos. They had proven themselves time and time again to be enemies of Chaos, often risking themselves more than the other marines to bring ruin the their enemies.

In the aftermath, the Inquisitor and local commanders decided that these marines could prove useful. Given that they had been exposed to the warp for so long, Chaplains from the Crusade were planted amongst their ranks, and the inquisitor stationed on their ship, to monitor for signs of corruption, however over the course of time together fighting on the planet, he had been unable to find any.