Chapter Name: Angels of Doubt (Formerly Angels Resolute)

Strength: 1500 Battle Brothers with 2,000,000 support personnel (Including serfs, auxiliaries and other servants)

Allegiance: Renegade (Formerly Imperium of Man)

Founding: 15th Founding (Allegedly)

Descendants of: Dark Angels (Allegedly)

Descendants: Eternal Crusaders and Blades of the Imperium.

Primarch: Lion El'jonson (Allegedly).

Chapter Master: Unknown

Specialty: Rapid Assault and Corruption of Planetary Governments.

Colors: Dark Green, black shoulder pads w/ gold trim and black knee pads.

Symbol: Dark Angels symbol inverted and tilted slightly to the fore.

The Angels of Doubt are a mysterious renegade chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. There are scant records of this particular warband but what little there is seems to indicate a trend during encounters with them. Typically, the Angels of Doubt arrive to a beleaguered world offering assistance to the local Imperial forces. The Astartes typically announce themselves as belonging to the Dark Angels chapter and, thanks to the somewhat similar color schemes, they usually arise little suspicion. It is primarily this reason that these marines are difficult to track as their activities are usually marked as simply being of the Dark Angels. However, on multiple occasions have these heretics been properly identified. One notable incident was on the Holy world of Nokiv X where a convent of the most pious Adepta Sororitas noticed the discrepancy in not only heraldry but also the color scheme. Two entire companies were lost before the Angels retreated.

What is strange about their activities is that at no point do the Marines voluntarily turn on the Imperial forces they offered aid to. However, it is commonly thought that their aim is not to conquer the worlds the visit but to corrupt them. On the few known planets they are known to have fought nearly all of them have seen major uprisings against the Imperium shortly after order has been restored. Though few uprisings have been successful the damage they do is unmistakable. It would seem that, given their name, that this is an intended effect on their part. and perhaps their ultimate goal.

It is not known for certain who these warriors call master. Though their activities certainly seem to be favoring Chaos their warriors do not, by in large, appear to be corrupted by the warp. Indeed, the aquilas on their equipment is intact and their Chaplains still sing praises to the Emperor. At the same time, Marines with more "Chaotic" appearances have been reported wearing the colors of the Angels of Doubt. However, one should note that they are often mistaken for the Dark Angels chapter by the ignorant masses so reports are inconclusive at best. What is known is that these Astartes are traitors to the holy Emperor and should be killed on sight. Indeed, the Dark Angels themselves have sent members to hunt these renegades down to not only destroy them but to preserve the good name of the chapter. The only reason they have not done so as of yet is how new the reports of them are.

The Angels of Doubt are largely organized along the same lines as set out in the Codex Astartes with a few notable deviations. The first one is that Scouts are directly promoted to Tactical Marines after a set training period. Veteran Tactical marines, depending on their inclination, are promoted to either Devastators or Assault Marines. At this point many marines have given their souls to the gods of Chaos and are suffering from large number of mutations. These marines are typically sent to the 11th company after gaining a certain number of mutations.

The Angel of Doubt, in order to preserve the future of the Chapter, quietly discourage Chaos worship so that their geneseed does not suffer mutation. In line with this it is an informal rule that suffering from a large number of Chaos mutations removes one from being eligible to being promoted beyond a Assault or Devastator marine. These poor fellows are instead sent to the 11th company, a company that features the most devout worshippers of Chaos the chapter has to offer. These damned men are used only in the most dire of moments as the Chapter seeks to deceive the local Imperials as to their nature. However, once deployed they are a sight to be seen.

The Angels of Doubt are unique amongst renegade chapters in that they actively receive reinforcements. Recruits are trained and indoctrinated in the chapter fleet. However, because the Angels of Doubt are constantly on the move they must take recruits from any source they can. As such, they must take in massive amounts of prospective astartes in the hopes that enough will pass muster. In times of need, though, it is not unheard of that the standards will be lowered in order to gain larger numbers. Recently, though, the Apothecaries have reported a significant degradation in the quality of the geneseed harvested from the fallen. If this trend continues then it will not be long until the Chapter is reduced to a warband like many others who went renegade.

Another source of reinforcements are other Astartes that wish to leave the service of the false Emperor. Though these individual are more rare they are prized due to their pure gene seed.

For over 5000 years the Astartes of the Angels Resolute have defended the Emperor's domain. For over 5000 years countless battle brothers bearing their colors and heraldry have suffered horrible fates in order to preserve humankind for another few precious seconds. Twice the Angels Resolute have lost nearly their entire chapter in terrible battle against the direst enemies of man. Each time the Chapter has rebuilt, no less faithful or strong.

However, in late M41 the Angels Resolute suffered one of their greatest losses. In the year 993.M41 fully half of the Chapter, including it's first company and Chapter Master, returned to it's homeworld of Corrique in order to defend it against Tau incursions. They weren't initially successful. From the skies the awful war machines of the Tau Empire rained down on these stalwart warriors. Riptides, Tigersharks and Battlesuits destroyed the entire 3rd company and reduced the other three to around 10% fighting strength. Though the Imperial Guard put up a good fight they were ultimately routed. For over a year the Angels Resolute had been on a fighting retreat. Demoralized, exhausted and low on supplies even the veterans of 1st company could not see victory. Their last stand would be on the world's capital of Nalek City.

The Tau, on their part, had overextended themselves during the rapid gains of the previous offensive. They paused their assault for the moment in order to consolidate what they had. This gave the Imperial Guard and PDF time to prepare their defenses. Basilisks, Manticores, Medusas and even Shadowswords would rain fire on the enemy. A precious few Imperial Knights had arrived to try and slow down the Tau.

The battle of Nalek City was a total rout. The Tau commander Dawnlight dropped in his strategic reserves of Riptides and fusion gun Battlesuits into carefully planned drop points so that they could eliminate the Imperial Guard's ordnance early. Though many Riptides and sutis were lost in the choked city fighting it had bought him the opening he needed. His forces moved in and obliterated the now scattered Imperial defenders.

As the Tau approached the governmental palace, a massive fortress to be sure, the now demoralized Chapter Master began to hear whispers. He had been spending the last few weeks wracking his mind for a solution to win the 1st Battle of Corrique. All of his efforts had been failures. He had doubt in himself, his forces and perhaps even the strength of the Imperium himself. However, in his darkest hour as the Tau approached the gates of the palace an angelic voice promised him victory if he performed certain actions. The Chapter Master believed this voice to be from the Emperor himself.

The task he was asked to do was simple. He was to gather what Librarians he had and was to go to the holy statue of one St. Nikalo and chant a certain phrase. Little did this Master know that the stone sword this statue held aloft was, in truth, a dormant artefact of Chaos. As soon as the phrase was uttered the minds of the Librarians were shattered. They fell to the floor in a bloodied heap and the sword glowed a brilliant purple. It fell from the saint's hand and, while falling, carved a hole in the materium. Daemons spewed out into real space but they did not attack the Imperial Defenders. Instead, they laid upon the Tau forces with terrible efficiency. Within hours all of the Tau in the city were dead. Already several Chaos cults had formed in the human populace and even several Angels Resolute space marines had fallen.

The Chapter Master was immobile. He could not believe he was so foolish as to not realize he had been influenced by Chaos. At the same time, though, he was awe inspired by the gifts the Gods of Chaos would grant to those who served them. The voice spoke once more, just as angelic. It told him that if he picked up the sword he could ascend to Daemonhood and save the Imperium from the Tau.

10 years passed since the 1st Battle of Corrique. The remaining half of the Chapter, fresh from their victory over the Orks, decided it would be best to go investigate what happened on their homeworld. Though interstellar communication was haphazard at best they had not heard anything from their battle brothers since they made planetfall. Upon arriving in the Corrique system their fleet was fired upon by the planet's defenses. The chapter fleet retreated after sustaining some loses but this was not to deter their investigation. A strike force consisting of three chapters descended upon Corrique in Thunderhawk gunships and other fliers. This assault went into the city that was closest to the Chapter monastery. The Monastery's defenses, though formidable, was not as long reaching to reach Malow City. Upon reaching the city it became apparent that the world had fallen to Chaos.

Malow City fell quickly to the Space Marines as the local militia was only armed with stubbers and a few autoguns. In time, though, a counter assault by a traitor armored regiment had costed the strike force dearly. Air superiority stunted to counter attack but many battle brothers perished in the fighting. Another company arrived to reinforce the assault. Scouts had reported that the Chapter Monastery was filled with Chaos Space Marines calling themselves the Angels of Doubt. Their forces were well equipped with Terminator armor, Land Raiders and other such prized machinery. It was uncertain whether or not these were fallen Angels Resolute as the armor marks were somewhat inconsistent as to what 1st company had been equipped with.

Still, if these Chaos Space Marines were allowed any time to form a meaningful assault it would mean doom for the Strikeforce. Many bikes, Land Speeders and Rhinos were brought in for the force to mount up in. The bikes would form the vanguard with the Land Speeders dropping in to destroy key targets. The Rhinos would then force the breaches in the defenses. Just before sunrise the first wave set out in their bikes. As they approached the Chapter Monastery the fortress's terrible guns opened up on the attackers. Though the speed of these vehicles limited the ability of the guns to harm them the assault force had lost several battle brothers. When they got close enough the guns relented. Out from the gates the Chaos Space Marines attacked with their own bikes. A vicious biker on biker battle ensued.

Though outnumbered these Chaos marines were more experienced and infused with the power of the warp. The Angels Resolute were ultimately victorious but at a price. Only 20% of the initial assault team had survived. The Land Speeders had all been lost. The Rhinos arrived on time without issue thanks to their sacrifice. These battle brothers entered the monastery. A close quarters battle between Chaos marines equipped with Terminator suits and loyalist tactical squads ensued. The Terminator suits held up their reputation for their protective ability. It was only thanks to the Plasma and Meltaguns that the loyalists had survived that battle. The ravaged survivors, led by the newly arrived command elements, marched into the heart of the citadel. There they found a daemon prince wearing the armor of their former chapter master. In his hands was a glowing stone sword. Almost immediately this daemon prince set upon the Angels Resolute.

The concentrated firepower and skill at arms of the loyalists ensured that the daemon was banished. The sun rose on a bloody corpse strewn battlefield. Dark Green power armor shone brilliantly even while their occupants had long died. Charred bikes, the twisted wreckages of Land Raiders, melted Terminator suits and several crashed Thunderhawks completed this scene of devastation. The only true victor here were the enemies of mankind. Only 103 Angels Resolute marines still drew breath. These survivors gathered what geneseed, chapter relics and vehicle carcasses that were still salvageable and left. The monastery's reactor was set to self destruct. The Chapter retreated from the gathering forces of Chaos and the approaching Tau fleet.

Since that terrible battle the Angels Resolute have set themselves to rebuild their chapter. The Chapter no longer has any working terminator suits or land raiders. The shame of losing their homeworld, chapter master and first company. Though they had redeemed themselves in the eyes of the Imperium by sacrificing so much to destroy their fallen bretheren the fact that one of their number may be a Daemon prince still hung over their heads. The new Chapter Master took a vow to banish this Daemon should he ever return to the materium. Now, the Chapter is preparing to join an Imperial battle group that is being formed to retake the Corrique system. Perhaps by purging the world of Chaos they may finally absolve themselves of their burden.