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Well, given that it's Monday (where I am) I am given to introspection. And procrastination with getting to work... So, with the new Space Marine chapter upgrade packs having just been released for pre-order over the weekend, I was struck by the short synopsis of the Chapter Backgrounds. It is interesting to see an entire Fluff background of a Chapter (all of them pretty rich, and becoming moreso with the Horus Heresy novels continuing to come out) reduced to a few sentences. So, I wanted to ask: if you were a neophyte just beginning to venture into the 40k universe, and you wanted to start a Space Marines chapter, which of the following blurbs would inspire you the most, knowing nothing else about the Chapter?

1.) Masters of warfare and strategy, the Ultramarines embody pure heroism. Conquerors and protectors in equal measure, they stand for everything it means to be a Space Marine through both their bravery and their strict adherence to the Codex Astartes. They fight the Emperor’s wars all across the galaxy, battling to defend Humanity against foul heretics and xenos wherever they might arise.

2.) Amongst the most loyal servants of the Emperor, regarded as one of the most accomplished Space Marine Chapters of the Imperium, the Dark Angels are feared and respected with equal measure. However, they harbour a terrible secret, a betrayal buried by time and dust that nevertheless indelibly stained the chapter’s very soul.

3.) A proud Space Marine Chapter of the First Founding, the Blood Angels fight both to protect the Imperium, and to protect themselves from their own hidden failings. Though they are amongst the best, most heroic warriors Mankind has ever known, they harbour a terrible inner darkness - a gene-curse that gradually reduces them to raving, blood-mad beasts as the years grind against their souls. Before they descend into that fate, however, they will exact such a toll on their enemies that their names will live forever.

4.) From the frozen world of Fenris, the Space Wolves sail out across the Sea of Stars. Noble savages who disregard the teachings of the Codex Astartes in favour of the traditions laid down by their Primarch, Leman Russ. Valuing honour, courage and skill in battle above all other concepts, the Space Wolf armies are full of lone heroes, skyborne longships and tales of absolute bravery.


Just to do my part, and for total disclosure, I collect both Blood Angels and Dark Angels, and I don't really think I would choose either of them based on these short descriptions. Though it pains me to say it, I think I would go with Space Wolves.

Ultramarines or Blood Angels.
Unsurprising, as those are my favorite.

Ultramarines or Space Wolves. It's a bit of a turn off for me to hear about the doomed fate of Blood Angels. Interesting, but not where I want to be. The dark angels are also well and good, but the unforgiving guilt would not be fun. Regular guilt kills me, couldn't imagine a terrible secret.

Salamanders or iron Hands or maybe Grey Knights if you go for fluff.

Based off the little info they give us I would probably go for the space wolves. They talk about there acts in battle being "absolute bravery" which just makes then sound that much cooler and unique. To be fair I don't play sm or plan on it. And never was a fan of the whole space Viking thing they got going on.

I am biased because I play BA. That being said, the BA and DA blurbs are best to me. They speak to the chapters being relate-able, rather than just flawless super soldiers. That being said, SW tend to have anger issues. UM are the most cookie-cutter of the bunch by far, as they aren't shown to have any real shortcomings aside from being too strict.

I collect Ultramarines and Blood Angels (and Grey Knights, but they don't get a sprue or blurb), and I have always had a thing against Space Wolves, I don't know why, I've just never liked them at all. But they have the best blurb there.

Id have to go with Ultra Marines based on the fluff. It doesn't make them sound OP but well rounded and normal.

I’ll admit my bias, and still vote Ultramarines. SW sound pretty nice, followed by BA, and DA last.

It would be interesting to see the other major chapters summed up in a little two line blurb like those.

definitley Ultramarines. I hate them with a passion, but they sound really awesome with the little blurb about the chapter.

Also, the upgrade kit is fantastic IMO. The combat blade and the heads especially.

happy wargaming,

-Mikey

Ultra.

 2BlackJack1 wrote:
Ultramarines or Space Wolves. It's a bit of a turn off for me to hear about the doomed fate of Blood Angels. Interesting, but not where I want to be. The dark angels are also well and good, but the unforgiving guilt would not be fun. Regular guilt kills me, couldn't imagine a terrible secret.

I'll be "inheriting" an entire Dark Angels army when my friend leaves town to do research work, and I've been mulling over a Dangels successor chapter fluff that kind of relates to this - I'm not a huge fan of the "big embarrassing secret" story either.

Imagine if you will, a younger successor chapter that honours the knightly traditions and structure of the Unforgiven chapters, and pays appropriate homage to their Primogenitor, but espouses a (controversial) stance that the sins of the father don't become the sins of the son, so to speak. Whatever perceived and ancient dishonour stains the Dark Angel's reputation is no reason to shirk the chapter's duty to the imperium first.

What it means is having a Dark Angels army that more closely resembles a more conventional Space Marines chapter in form and function, but with clear inspiration from and ties to the 1st Legion. And an excuse to have a bit of a rebellious motif to the chapter fluff by sort-of thumbing their nose at the "authority" of their primogenitor without being so openly contrarian that the Dangels see them as a threat. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on this, maybe I should make a background thread for some feedback?

In any case, back to the OP: I think the summation for the Ultramarines is too generic, it could fit almost any chapter, although I suppose that's the point. I'm gonna have to go with Blood Angels for my favourite.

I really enjoyed reading all your responses, so thanks to those of you who replied. I agree with what some of you said about the BA and DA just sounding too messed up to be appealing, but was also interested that it was exactly that not-cookie-cutter perfection that attracted some of you to the force. That is definitely true for me in my collecting; I like it that my heroes are flawed but that they choose to fight on regardless.

That said, I was just interested to see that based on a few short sentences, I was much more attracted to the lily-white Ultramarines "Good Guys" or the "absolute bravery" Space Wolves. Interesting to me that the flaws of the BA and DA are considered so integral a part of their Fluff that they have to be included in 3 sentences, whereas those of the other two chapters (turning into beasts in the case of the SW, for example) are not.

 Jambles wrote:

 2BlackJack1 wrote:
Ultramarines or Space Wolves. It's a bit of a turn off for me to hear about the doomed fate of Blood Angels. Interesting, but not where I want to be. The dark angels are also well and good, but the unforgiving guilt would not be fun. Regular guilt kills me, couldn't imagine a terrible secret.

I'll be "inheriting" an entire Dark Angels army when my friend leaves town to do research work, and I've been mulling over a Dangels successor chapter fluff that kind of relates to this - I'm not a huge fan of the "big embarrassing secret" story either.

Imagine if you will, a younger successor chapter that honours the knightly traditions and structure of the Unforgiven chapters, and pays appropriate homage to their Primogenitor, but espouses a (controversial) stance that the sins of the father don't become the sins of the son, so to speak. Whatever perceived and ancient dishonour stains the Dark Angel's reputation is no reason to shirk the chapter's duty to the imperium first.

What it means is having a Dark Angels army that more closely resembles a more conventional Space Marines chapter in form and function, but with clear inspiration from and ties to the 1st Legion. And an excuse to have a bit of a rebellious motif to the chapter fluff by sort-of thumbing their nose at the "authority" of their primogenitor without being so openly contrarian that the Dangels see them as a threat. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on this, maybe I should make a background thread for some feedback?

In any case, back to the OP: I think the summation for the Ultramarines is too generic, it could fit almost any chapter, although I suppose that's the point. I'm gonna have to go with Blood Angels for my favourite.

It sounds pretty cool. Abother thread would let it go more indepth, I don't really want to get the thread off track, but it would be cool to see more of the chapter. To make this post more useful as a whole to this current thread, I will add that I think the ultramarines background does sound pretry generic and their greatness. They are too flawless imo. At least the SW are described as savage which can go either way.