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The Marines Malevolent are one of my favorite minor Space Marine Chapters, so I thought I'd give a go at making some rules to properly represent the galactic scale of their douchebaggery on the tabletop in 8th. I've tried to keep everything balanced, but I'm a more casual player and this is my first time attempting to homebrew rules. Be gentle with me.

Marines Malevolent Chapter Tactics: Victory, No Matter The Cost
Nothing stands between the Marines Malevolent and the total destruction of their enemies. Unbreakable and unyielding, they press forward without a heed given to the damage they inflict on themselves and others.

Add 1 to the leadership of all MARINES MALEVOLENT models with this tactic. In addition, MARINES MALEVOLENT models with this tactic can target enemy units in the shooting phase that are within 1″ of friendly models. Any to hit rolls of 1s for shooting attacks resolved this way are considered hits against the friendly unit within 1″ of the enemy unit being targeted. For weapons that hit automatically, such as flamers, roll a d6 for each attack made. On a roll of 1, resolve the attack against the friendly unit within 1″ of the enemy unit being targeted.

Marines Malevolent Stratagem: Fire On Their Position!
The callous cruelty of the Marines Malevolent is legendary amongst even the most cold-hearted of the Adeptus Astartes, and they will use any underhanded tactic they deem necessary in order to win the day. One such tactic that they are fond of is using the telemetry data from suits of Power Armor to call in pinpoint artillery strikes once the bearer becomes locked in close combat.

2 CP

This stratagem can be used once per battle, in the shooting phase, if you have a MARINES MALEVOLENT Warlord that did not move during your movement phase. Instead of shooting with your Warlord’s weapons, select a visible friendly unit and roll a D6 for every unit within 1″ of the friendly unit being targeted, including the friendly unit itself. Subtract 1 from the result if the unit being rolled for is a CHARACTER. On a 3+ the unit being rolled for suffers D3 mortal wounds.

Marines Malevolent Warlord Trait: Myself Above All Others
Self-preservation is paramount and commanders in the Marines Malevolent will gladly spend the lives of their underlings if it means living to fight another day.

Each time your Warlord suffers an unsaved wound, roll a D6. On a roll of 4+ the Warlord does not suffer the wound. Instead, a friendly MARINES MALEVOLENT infantry model within 1″ suffers a single mortal wound with no saves of any kind allowed.

Marines Malevolent Relic: Backbreaker
Cut off from standard channels of resupply, the warriors of the Marines Malevolent often have to make due with weapons and equipment scavenged from others Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. The Backbreaker is a fine example of such procurement. Once the weapon of a champion from the Imperial Fists, a Captain from the Marines Malevolent claimed it from his blasted corpse in the aftermath of a long battle the two Chapters fought together, earning the enmity of the dons of Dorn. Since then it has been carried into battle by a string of warriors, each having stolen it from the cold, dead hands of one who previously wielded it.

MARINES MALEVOLENT models with a thunder hammer only. The Backbreaker replaces the bearer’s thunder hammer and has the following profile:
Weapon | Range | Type | S | AP | D |
Backbreaker | Melee | Melee | x2 | -3 | 4 |
Abilities: When attacking with this weapon, you must subtract 1 from the hit roll

I like the attempt, but the rules don't really give much of a boost, as they all involve hurting your own guys to an extent. The Relic also seems a bit naff, you get an extra point of damage but you still have the -1 penalty.

I actually like it, as it's kinda like the opposite of Ultramarines. They would fall back to safety and shoot from a secure position, and Marines Malevolent will keep firing in contempt.

Stratagem is pretty fitting as well. Not terribly broken and would get use.

Warlord Trait is not terribly great. Probably need to switch that up.

Relic is just bad. Sure you kill Custodes Bikers in one hit. That's it though. Not sure what else you can do with a Thunder Hammer relic.

Yeah I wasn't quite sure what to do for their relic. Maybe I should swap it out for a special Whirlwhind that gets bonuses to hit and wound when firing at anything with a 5+ save or worse

Seems pretty reasonable, and in-line with the other tactics and whatnot.

You didn't go overboard or anything, so good job.

 Coolyo294 wrote:
Yeah I wasn't quite sure what to do for their relic. Maybe I should swap it out for a special Whirlwhind that gets bonuses to hit and wound when firing at anything with a 5+ save or worse

Maybe make it a Thunder Hammer that rerolls everything to wound?

Or, with a name like Backbreaker, you can go the Gabriel Angelos route from FW and give it a different fighting mode. Maybe a Thunder Hammer without a hit penalty normally and some super mode where you can't reroll to hit and it does more damage? Depends how you wanna tackle it, really.

Hmmm, how about this then?

Marines Malevolent Relic: Backbreaker

MARINES MALEVOLENT models with a thunder hammer only. The Backbreaker replaces the bearer’s thunder hammer and has the following profile:
Weapon---- | Range | Type | S | AP | D |

Standard----- | Melee | Melee | x2 | -3 | 3 |

Helmsplitter--| Melee | Melee | x2 | -3 | 4 |
- Abilities: When attacking with this weapon, only make a single to hit roll. An enemy model wounded by this attack does not receive the benefit of any invulnerable saves they might have.

Not terribly broken and can go after a model with only a few wound left. I like it personally.

It all seams fair to me. Maybe you should specify the warlord trait what happens if no nearby models are near. I would assume he does not ignore the wound?