Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Name: Imperial Lions
Founding: 26th
Geneseed: Ultramarines
Home world: Arathia
Colors: Orange and Black with Purple accents for veterans
Specialty: techmarines, Combat against the Dark Mechanicus, and supporting non-astartes troops
Strength: <400

Overview:
The Imperial Lions are an Ultramarines successor founded during the 26th founding. Although they make use of the Codex Astartes and respect it greatly, they do not follow it religiously like their Ultramarine cousins. They deviate from the codex in several ways. First the chapter does not make use of chaplains. The chapter’s techmarines see to the spiritual and mechanical needs of their brothers. Secondly each ten man squad has a techmarine and an apothecary attached to it. This means each squad is suited to a large variety of tasks and if need be can be self-sufficient for decades at a time. The most dramatic deviation is that the Imperial Lions worship the Emperor as a god and embrace him as both the god-emperor of mankind and the Omnissiah machine god. This belief in the Omnissiah means the chapter takes great steps to destroy the dark Mechanicus where ever they find them, as they are seen as the greatest traitors to the emperor, even more so they the traitor legions of Horus. This affinity to technology and a deep desire to punish the Dark Mechanicum has led to close relationship with the Priests of Mars. Because of this relationship the chapter is well supported with the latest vehicles and weapons, and has a large proportion of special weapons in each squad. As a result of this close relationship with Mars many fellow chapters are distrustful of the Imperial Lions claiming they are nothing more than the Mechanicus lap dogs.


So I really like the Mechanicus and I like space marines so I tried to combine the two. But I don't want it to be so over the top with the tech like the Iron Hands get. I want my chapter to be more of the middle of the road with the chapter respecting and having an affinity for technology but respecting the perfection of the emperor’s creation of their bodies so they don't go replace parts of themselves all the time. This is just an overview and I’m still trying to flesh the chapter out, I’m thinking about making the chapter just freshly created and telling their early story. Any comments or thoughts on how I should go about this would be greatly appreciated

Sounds interesting, are they a group that believes the Omnisiah is separate entity or an aspect of the emperor?

They believe the Emperor and the Omnisiah are aspects of the same being and worship both equally. Because of this they have a big problem with forges that teach that the emperor is a false prophet.

I've been trying to find some information on how the Ecclesiarchy feels about the Omnisiah and haven't been able to find anything. I feel that they'd probably frown upon it but i'm not sure.

Both the Mechnicus and the Ecclesiarchy believe the Emperor is another face of the Omnissiah and vice versa.
Very few members of either organisation believe they are separate entities.

Thanks for that, I know there's a few forges in the Ad mech that don't worship the emperor, like in Titanicus and Helsreach but you don't really hear about how the Ecclesiarchy feels about the whole emperor/omnisiah thing. Now unto the chapters home world.

The Ecclesiarchy likely puts up with the Cult Mechanicus because the Ad. Mech. still believe that there Emperor is the leader of their faith, and is thus their protector etc. etc. They probably see it as an acceptably minor deviation from the Imperial Cult.

There's also the fact that, if they didn't, they'd immediately alienate every single Forge World, including Mars. Alienating and trying to invade a single Forge World would be difficult enough, but when the choice is between "leave them be and keep our Forge Worlds" and "Declare them Heretics and lose our Forge Worlds", it's a clear decision.

Some in the Ecclesiarchy might not like it, but the Imperium cannot afford to fall out with the Ad. Mech. in any sort of way; even losing a single Forge World is a tremendous blow to the Imperium; to lose them all would be its end.

So here's what i've got for the chapter's planet so far. Next will be recruitment and training. I'm also working on a story from the chaptermasters point of view of the early days of their founding so i'll hopefully have something on that soon.

Planet Information
Name: Arathia
Segmentum: Ultima Segmentum
Sub-sector: Arathian
Population: ≈ 4 million
Affiliation: Imperial
Class: Civilized World
Tithe Grade: Aptus Non

Arathia is a small ocean world located in Segmentum Ultima. There is very little land mass and most of the planets population lives on small islands or in large roving fishing fleets. The largest island contains Rath’s Landing, the planets the largest city and its capitol. The city itself has a small spaceport and a large seaport for the modest amount of trading happening on the planet. The planets main exports are food in the form of fish, algae, shellfish and many other varieties of aquaculture. There are also exports of pearls and promethium but in much small quantities. Large fleets of fishing vessels roam around the planet collecting vast amounts of food which is used to feed surrounding systems. Rath’s Landing is the main center of processing and receiving for these many fisheries and provides a small amount of wealth through trade with other systems.

There are two distinct cultures on the planet, the islanders and the mariners of the fleets. The islanders tend to be a devout and hardworking people. They hold a great respect for the mariners as they know their way of life would not be possible without them. The islanders produce the goods the mariners need to keep sailing and also recruit and train a small planetary defense force. As well as being responsible for the defense and enforcement of law on the islands, they also operate and maintain a small fleet of warships which patrol the vast oceans in search of pirates.
The mariners of Arathia are a clannish and superstitious lot. They tend to be a courageous people having to ride out monstrous storms and fight off the occasional pirate raid. They are a pious people who are always beseeching the Emperor who they know as the “Lord of the Sea and the Sky” to keep the fish plentiful and to keep their ships running. They only come ashore to barter their catch of fish for things they themselves cannot produce like medicine and fruit and vegetables.

The Imperial Lions fortress-monastery is located at the south pole of the planet. It is located on an island called The Lions Cove and the fortress itself is partly above and below the water. The cove is surrounded by many larger volcanic islands which provide a number of benefits. First the volcanos provide a natural defense both from invaders and by keeping native fishermen from getting too close. Secondly the volcanos provide an impressive source of natural resources from metals and other materials bubbling up from the lava. These are used to keep the monasteries’ many forges operating and eliminate the need to bring materials from elsewhere. Lastly the volcanos provide an almost infinite amount of power to run the fortress enormous generators in the form of geothermal energy. There a several landing pads carved into the side of the mountain of the Cove and a large cave seaport from which the fortress gets its name. The chapter’s serfs operate two small trading ships which are used to travel to Rath’s Landing to pick up supplies. The chapter’s scout also operate several fast attack boats which they use to launch training raids against the planets few pirate bands.

Also what does everyone think of having a techmarine for a chapter master? It would keep with my theme and i'm currently converting a warpsmith mini to be a little less heretical because I just love how it looks.

It all seems a little conflicting. For a chapter called the Imperial Lions, choosing an oceanic world as opposed to, say, a jungle world or a death world (see Catachan for, quite literally, the best of both worlds) seems quite strange.

Similarly, for a chapter that seems to excel with technology and forge work, a world without significant landmass and easily obtainable resources seems fairly backwards. If you want an idea of how large Forge World foundries are, read Mechanicum. Yes, it takes place during the HH, but most forge worlds are relics in themselves, so will likely be similar. For a planet with little landmass, operating any sort of forge in addition to a fortress monastery and outposts would be a logistical nightmare. There is only so much you can do underground, and what with there being oceans around these small landmasses, you have to straight down for a long way before you can truly branch out to the side.

An oceanic world also doesn't seem like the greatest recruitment centre ever, although neighbouring worlds could easily fill in, so that's not as big of an issue.

One other thing if you're final about keeping it oceanic (and there is precedent for an oceanic chapter homeworld: http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Iron_Snakes although their homeworld is noted as containing significant landmasses in spite of being largely ocean), then forget about pirates. It's not some backwater Imperial world we're talking about here; it's a chapter's homeworld. Anyone who even thinks that they could get away with activites like piracy are out of their minds, and any established groups would have been entirely wiped out by the chapter early on. With the orbital stations as well as the fortress monastry, even trying to act under the radar would be impossible, and no pirate group could even begin to afford the technology required to start scrambling sensor equipment, never mind jam it.

As for having a techmarine chapter master, I don't see why not.

Thanks for bringing me to attention on something’s I really hadn't thought about.

First off I got rid of the pirates; they were mostly antagonists to toughen the mariners up for recruitment. I've decided to go with mariner clans fighting each other similar to the white scars and space wolves home worlds. The chapter will ignore any fighting as long as the food tithes don't drop dramatically.

I'm also going to be more specific when I talk about the chapters forges. They're going to be on smallish scale mainly used for armor and weapon repair, with the techmarines using them to create master weapons and armor. The chapter will import any raw materials needed from a nearby forgeworld which I will add, which will provide the big stuff like tanks ships and speeders. The forgeworld will also provide a place to train aspiring techmarines.

I was tempted to add more worlds which I think I will do now. Besides the fore mentioned forge world I’m thinking about adding a prison planet, sort of like early Australia or Salusa Secundus if you’re a Dune nerd like me for another source of recruitment. This prison world could also be the source of man power for the forgeworld.

Thanks again.

Lovely reading so far. Here's my 2 credits:

Do you need the in-fighting between the mariners? They seem to have a rough live: always out there in the sea, fishing and fighting the native fauna. It would be refreshing to see some recruits that don't need to have murder as an hobby to actually be able to join the Space Marines
But the prison planet sounds like a great idea. If the penal legion can give the criminals a second chance to serve the Emperor, why not the Space Marines.

What's the relation between the Imperial Lions and the people? Do they occasionally walk among the people and offer some manner of inspiration and support like the Salamanders? Or are they respected and feared because they are the Angels of Death? Since the mariners are a supersticious lot, I guess they are something like the people of Fenris, with legends and tales about the Gods? Just curious.

A Tech-Marine as chapter master sounds excellent. Either that, or an ancient Dreadnought, previously a Tech-Marine. He would be pretty close the perfecion of the Omnissiah . Imagining you were using your army as a SW count-as, you could even use Bjorn's stats for your "Chapter Master".

I think you're right about the murder as a hobby thing and I’ll leave the mariners being relatively peaceful. I think having the prison planet sort of balances it out and since they’re coming from Ultramarine stock they don't all have to be bloody thirsty killers.

I'm thinking as far as human/marine interactions I’m going to have something similar to the White Consuls where chapter officers administer the planet. The way I’m leaning is that each company (and I haven't figure out how many there are going to be) has a small base on a larger island and administers/holds court to a large group of islands whenever they are not on campaign. The company captain would be the ruler and the company would be able to train and advise their people similar to the Salamanders. The chapter master’s 1st company, the dreadnoughts, and the scout company would be based out of the fortress monastery and the whole chapter would only gather in times of extreme crisis. Otherwise they would be dispatched to warzones by the chapter master as needed at a company or squad level.

I'm thinking about having the scouts whenever someone is selected as a candidate for being a marine go and basically kid naps them in the middle of the night. This will lead to the mariners being superstitious of putting their sons to bed; because the angels of the sea might come and they might never see their sons again. This kind of contradicts having the marines being present on the planet and being seen regularly as the mariners would be aware of the marines being the ones taking their sons. This all subject to change as I’m still trying to find a good way of making use of the mariner’s superstitions. Any comments or thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and as far as the techmarine chapter master thing goes right now I have just finished a lightly modified warpsmith to be the chapter master techmarine stand in. In the future when I have a little more spare cash I really want to make a techmarine dreadnought, whether he'll be chapter master or not I'm not sure but it'd still be cool.

I do like that you have this world set up, and how its ran by the. Imperial lions. Maybe the prison planet is one of the moons around your home world which gives it a easy way of getting new members. With the scouts idk if that fits your chapter, maybe it could instead be a way of honor to be selected when the scout showed up it was going to greatness given to the family, or could be taken at birth like the Spartans, which ironically they also took prisoners into there ranks too. But everything else I really like the direction they are headed towards.

And I'm really likening the chapter master being a tech marine and if you did want to go in the direction of a dreadnought they have really cool dreadnouts at forge world. Just have to pay an arm an leg for it lol. I also know a site that has cheap bionic parts for your marines too ill send you the link.

http://www.maxmini.eu/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_27&products_id=101
Here the like a really cool conversion site.

I think I’m going to just have the scouts go to the family and tell them their son has been selected to possibly become a space marine. There would be a ceremony and it would be a great honor to the family or clan. The marines that come from the mariner clans will be particularly into omens especially when it comes to moons and stars, as they use them to navigate the huge oceans of their home.

I was thinking that the prison world would actually be a moon that orbits the forgeworld. The chapter's master of recruits would either make periodic visits to the moon or be stationed on the moon so he can have access to potential recruits. The forgeworld could then use the prisoners that don't make the cut as slaves, servitors, or skitarii.

I think making the survivors that don't make the cut some kind of SKitarii that can still think would be kinda cool. To help represent the link between the forgeworld and the marines.

In terms of them taking their children the chapter could pay a bounty in food or material (Wood or metals or something) as a traditional recompense for taking someone who could have brought food into the tribe.
I like the idea of the Marines being above the tribes but still being seen.

Purplefood those are both great ideas which I'm going to use. With the tribute the mariners will receive materials, wood, metals etc. but also an item crafted by the chapter’s techmarines as something that will last forever that they can use and that they can show off as a source of pride. The islanders will get something similar that goes with their trade, so a woodcutter might get a saw or axe or a libarian might get a copy of special book only the chapter has access. The prisoners get nothing as being turned into a space marine is enough and it saves them from becoming the play things of the forgeworld.

I really like the idea of washouts becoming skitarii and forgeworld just rolled out some really cool Mechnicus skitarii like models. Just have to save up a bit and finish the many projects I have right now before I can get them.

So here's the revised planet information with two additional nearby planets.

Planet Information
Name: Arathia
Segmentum: Ultima Segmentum
Sub-sector: Arathian
Population: ≈ 4 million
Affiliation: Imperial
Class: Civilized World
Tithe Grade: Aptus Non

Arathia is a small ocean world located in Segmentum Ultima. There is very little land mass and most of the planets population lives on small islands or in large roving fishing fleets. The largest island contains Rath’s Landing, the planets the largest city and its capitol. The city itself has a small spaceport and a large seaport for the modest amount of trading happening on the planet. The planets main exports are food in the form of fish, algae, shellfish and many other varieties of aquaculture. There are also exports of pearls and promethium but in much smaller quantities. Large fleets of fishing vessels roam around the planet collecting vast amounts of food which is used to feed surrounding systems. Rath’s Landing is the main center of processing and receiving for these many fisheries and provides a small amount of wealth through trade with other systems.

There are two distinct cultures on the planet, the islanders and the mariners of the fleets. The islanders tend to be a devout and hardworking people. They hold a great respect for the mariners as they know their way of life would not be possible without them. The islanders produce the goods the mariners need to keep sailing and also recruit and train a small planetary defense force. As well as being responsible for the defense and enforcement of law on the islands, they also operate and maintain a small fleet of warships which patrol the vast oceans.
The mariners of Arathia are a clannish and superstitious lot. They tend to be a courageous people having to ride out monstrous storms. They are a pious people who are always beseeching the Emperor who they know as the “Lord of the Sea and the Sky” to keep the fish plentiful and to keep their ships running. They only come ashore to barter their catch of fish for things they themselves cannot produce like medicine and fruit and vegetables.

The Imperial Lions fortress-monastery is located at the south pole of the planet. It is located on an island called The Lions Cove and the fortress itself is partly above and below the water. The cove is surrounded by many larger volcanic islands which provide a number of benefits. First the volcanos provide a natural defense both from invaders and by keeping native fishermen from getting too close. Secondly the volcanos provide an impressive source of natural resources from metals and other materials bubbling up from the lava. These are used to keep the monasteries’ several small forges operating and eliminate the need to a lot bring materials from off world. Lastly the volcanos provide an almost infinite amount of power to run the fortress enormous generators in the form of geothermal energy. There a several landing pads carved into the side of the mountain of the Cove and a large cave seaport from which the fortress gets its name. The chapter’s serfs operate two small trading ships which are used to travel to Rath’s Landing to pick up supplies. The chapter’s scouts also operate several fast attack boats which they use for rapid response to off world incursions and to transport aspirants to their new homes.

Surrounding Systems:

Subsector Arathia has two other habitable planets in the system. The first is the forgeworld Hephaestus. Hephaestus is a relatively young forgeworld only having been in existence for about 3000 years. The priests and the Imperial Lions have a close relationship and work hard together to improve and protect the subsector. The forgeworld provides the chapter with all the materials of war they cannot produce themselves, like tanks, speeders and even warships. The chapters many techmarines first learn the ways of the machine and the forge here and are evaluated to see if they are worth to be sent to Mars for training . After their primary training at Mars they make periodic trips to the planet to continue their training and to converse with their Mechanincus brethren. The planet itself is a barren wasteland with a just barely breathable atmosphere. There are two large hive-forges located at both of the planets poles. The planets defenses are formidable with thousands of surface to space batteries and tens of thousands of skitarii. The forge does not however have any titans on station and relies on the Imperial lions for aid if the planet is attacked by a substantial enemy force.

The second world is the prison moon Gefangnis, which orbits forgeworld Hephaestus. The moon is a forest world with enormous tracks of forests. There is only one settlement on the planet which is station 324 which is operated by the Mechanincus. The station is defended by automated turrets and a large garrison of skitarii which shoot any living thing on site. The planets many inhabitants are prisoners which come from all over the segmentum. The toughest prisoners have set themselves as warlords and are a constantly at war to gain control over their fellow warlords. Both the Mechanicus and the Imperial Lions recruit from the planets population. The chapter mainly recruits the sons of warlords and their lieutenants as they are young enough to survive the many traumatic surgeries to become a space and marine and they are young enough to mold into pious servants of the imperium unlike their corrupt and possibly insane fathers. The Mechanicus uses all the other unacceptable survivors as either meat for servitors or the ones who have a shown interest in violence as skitarii. The Mechanicus is sure to never to deplete the population slow low as the Imperial Lions have a hard time finding recruits. If one warlord becomes too powerful and appears as if he or she is going to unite the planets many warring factions the Imperial Lions scouts are sent in to destabilize the planet by removing the warlord and his chief lieutenants. The power vacuum left behind insures more fighting and that any potential recruits will be tough.

And here's a little teaser for the story i'm writing about the chapters founding


Message between the Magos Biologis and the Fabricator General of Mars

Inscription Code Vermillion

+The High lords of Terra have decreed that a new astartes chapter is to be created+

-Praise to the Omnissiah-

+ I desire the chapter+

-Inquiry, my lord?-

+ I feel it is time that the Mechanicus has control of its own astartes chapter+

- The High Lords and the other astartes will not be pleased if they discover this.-

+ Although we cannot control them directly we require something we can guide and manipulate to our ends.

+ Candidates? +

-The Blood Angels?-

+ Too hard to control and don’t forget that little secret they are trying so hard to hide+

-The Imperial Fists?-

+The sons of Dorn have always looked to us with suspicion since the days of the dark schism. I fear they would be little moved by our nudging. +

-The Ultramarines?-

+Ah yes the most noble and numerous of the legions and the most malleable. Yes they will do nicely I think. +

-I will begin the preparations at once my lord-

+ And Magos the first lord of the chapter must be a student of Mars+

-This will be most difficult my lord, techmarines usually do not hold rank within the chapters and are at bested looked at with suspicion by their fellow marines. Too demand one be made the first chapter master would be too obvious and almost certainly denied-

+ Then do not demand, suggest and give them reason to follow this suggestion+

-A bribe my lord?-

+ Not a bribe an enticement, give them weapons, ships, or glory and soon they will be like hot iron beneath the forge. They can be tempted, they are men after all, flesh. See that this is done+

-Your will be done my lord, praise to the Omnissiah-

+Praise to the Omnissiah indeed+

Transmission ended
Record deleted

I not sure if it's Mechanicusee enough, I have a hard time writing in the style they're often portrayed in. The story is going to be based around the chapters founding cause I think that would be really interesting and the Black Library hasn't done anything like to my knowledge so I figured i'd take shot at it.

Seems pretty decent.

Just a tiny nit-pick: All Techmarines are sent to Mars. They don't go to the nearest FW. From the Lexicanum: "Space Marine Chapters identify prospective Techmarines from within their own companies, favouring those who show the greatest affinity for machines. These aspirants are then sent to Mars for thirty years of training, where they are taught the lore of the Machine God, how to divine the Runes of Engineering and the Liturgy of Maintenance. This great body of lore must be fully understood and committed to memory by the novice Techmarine. A great deal of the thirty years of instruction involves learning each of the many and intricate maintenance rituals and hymns by heart.["

If they have special permission to train techmarines from the neighbour FW, that would probably raise some flags, questions and rumours about that particular chapter.

Oh, and that teaser was excellent. Oh, the plot thickens

A space marine must be sent to Mars to learn the full secrets but he is allowed to learn a trick to two from a techmarine in order to maintain weapons and gear in combat. Which means the idea of being good at tech persists...