DIY CHAPTERS Creating Your Own Space Marine Chapter for Warhammer 40,000 By Brother Tyler The Warhammer 40,000 universe is one rich in history and character. The most popular armies are the various Chapters of the Space Marines. Games Workshop has published twelve army lists for various Chapters, and the Index Astartes articles that appear regularly in White Dwarf magazine provide background on the Space Marines in general, and new Chapters in particular. There are reputed to be over 1,000 Chapters of Space Marines, though, and many players enjoy making up their own Chapters. It is very easy to use one of the official Chapters, but there is an immense gratification from creating your own Chapter. You will be able to identify more closely with a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Chapter. What follows is my advice on creating a DIY Chapter of Space Marines. This work is not mine alone, it is the result of much time spent on line looking at other DIY Chapters; and it is a consolidation of the advice given by various members of the Bolter & Chainsword Space Marine Discussion Group. I could not have done this without the dedicated work of others. Hopefully this helps those players who are new to WH40K, or who have never labored long and hard over the creation of a new Chapter. There are two major aspects of Chapter creation. They are the Background (known affectionately as “fluff”) and the Rules and Army List. Chapter creation isn’t necessarily a step-by-step process. Background information might have an impact on the rules and army list, and vice versa. Additionally, we will look at Making Your Chapter Unique and Hints & Things to Avoid in creating your Chapter.
METHODS OF CHAPTER CREATION There are three basic methods you can use in the creation of your Chapter. The first (and best) method is simply to use one of the existing army lists. This method is the easiest, and ensures that you will be able to use your Chapter in officially sanctioned tournaments. All you have to do is create the background material, color scheme and markings, and create any special characters that you want. For example, if you really like the Blood Angels army list, but want to paint your army a different color, you could create a DIY Chapter virtually identical to the Blood Angels. When using this method, keep in mind that any special characters or special wargear that may only be used by the original Chapter won’t be usable in your DIY Chapter. So your Blood Angels-based DIY Chapter can’t use Mephiston, Dante, etc. The second method is to use one of the existing army lists as a template, making changes where appropriate. A good example of this method is the Flesh Tearers army list. The game designers used the Blood Angels as a template, modifying here and there. The resulting Flesh Tearers rules were obviously based on the Blood Angels, but distinct from them. When creating your own Chapter this way, if you play in an officially sanctioned tournament you will have to play based on the original (i.e. official) army list instead of your DIY rules. The third method is to create an army list and rules from the ground up. army lists, or create rules and organization unique to your Chapter. consuming and difficult. The end result, though, will be worth the effort. in officially sanctioned tournaments, though, unless the army it creates official Chapters.
You can combine elements of different This method is by far the most timeYou won’t be able to use this Chapter can be duplicated by using one of the
Regardless of the method you choose, a vital issue is game balance. The rules and army list you come up with should be balanced so that your army is not overpowered. This will be covered in greater depth later in the section titled Balancing Your Army.
BACKGROUND The background is a vital element in any Chapter. It gives the Chapter personality, history, and identity. Use the format of the Index Astartes articles as your guide. ORIGIN Come up with a history for your Chapter. Consider the following: • Why your Chapter was created? Chapters aren’t created in a vacuum. Instead, the Emperor, through the High Lords of Terra, will order a new Founding. Reasons might be to replace combat losses, to augment areas of the Imperium that have seen increased hostile threats, etc. • When your Chapter was created. While many Chapters know which Founding they are from, some do not. In this case, when do the earliest known records of your Chapter date back to? Note that the 1 st and 2nd Foundings should be avoided. Only two 1 st Founding Chapters remain unknown, and all records of these two Legions have been expunged. All of the known 2 nd Founding Chapters have been listed in the Apocrypha of Davio – it is doubtful that there are any other unknown 2 nd Founding Chapters still in existence. More likely, any un-named 2nd Founding Chapters have been lost to the Imperium. • Where your Chapter principally operates. Do they patrol near the Cadian Gate? Do they face the encroachment of one of the Tyranid Hive Fleets? Much of this can be based on the armies fielded by your
There are reputed to be a thousand Space Marine Chapters, each with its own unique uniform and heraldry. None can be sure of the exact number of Chapters as new ones are founded over time and as old Chapters die or amalgamate. Many are extraordinarily ancient and can trace their Founding to the very dawn of the Imperium, ten thousand years past. - Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook
The Apocrypha of Davio lists the following Second Founding Chapters: BLOOD ANGELS Angels Encarmine, Angels Sanguine, Angels Vermilion, Blood Drinkers, and Flesh Tearers DARK ANGELS Angels of Absolution, Angels of Redemption, and Angels of Vengeance IMPERIAL FISTS Black Templars and Crimson Fists IRON HANDS Brazen Claws and Red Talons RAVEN GUARD Black Guard, Raptors, and Revilers SALAMANDERS (None Known) SPACE WOLVES Wolf Brothers ULTRAMARINES Aurora, Black Consuls, Eagle Warriors, Genesis, Inceptors, Libators, Nemesis, Novamarines, Patriarchs of Ulixis, Praetors of Orpheus, Silver Eagles, and White Consuls WHITE SCARS Destroyers, Marauders, Rampagers, and Storm Lords The Apocrypha of Skaros says that there are 23 Second Founding Chapters of the Ultramarines, but fails to name them. - Codex Space Marines and Chapter Approved
KNOWN (OR SUSPECTED) FOUNDING DATES Aside from the First Founding, only three other foundings have their dates in the records. The Second Founding occurred in M31. The Thirteenth (Dark) Founding is believed to have occurred sometime between M34 and M35. The Twenty-First (Cursed) Founding occurred in late M35 or early M36.
opponents. If several of the players have Chaos armies, perhaps your Chapter is based near the Eye of Terror, the Maelstrom, or one of the smaller areas of Warp overlap with the material universe. If, on the other hand, you have several Tau opponents, your Chapter might be based near the Galactic East. Official maps of the WH40K universe can be found in several publications (notably some of the Codex books) and on line. These might prove extremely useful in determining your Chapter’s area of operations. • Who the key players in your Chapter are. The Chapter Master, one of the Captains, and a few significant characters (key Chaplains, Librarians, Apothecaries, Standard Bearers, etc.) are prime characters to flesh out. Also, whom does your Chapter share a significant relationship with? The Space Wolves and Dark Angels, for example, share an enmity that results in a special rule. Is there any organization that your Chapter shares a significant hatred of, or friendship for? Are there any individuals who your Chapter has crossed paths with before? These special relationships may or may not have resulting special rules. Even if they don’t, they add character to your Chapter. • What are some of the major engagements your Chapter has participated in? Perhaps they have faced Hive Fleet Behemoth, or assisted in the Third War for Armageddon. Perhaps elements of your Chapter participated in the Damocles Crusade or against one of Abaddon’s Black Crusades. You don’t have to include major battles or campaigns from the WH40K timeline in your Chapter’s history – you can always create minor engagements or new battles or campaigns. Keep in mind that the Chapters who participated in certain major conflicts such as the Gothic War and the Badab War have been listed - try not to place your Chapter in events unless the established background history allows for it. HOMEWORLD
“There is less than one Space Marine for each world of the Imperium. Nevertheless they are number enough for the task at hand.” - Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook
The type of planet your Chapter comes from will give you ideas for its character. You will get some sense of a cultural identity for your Chapter based on the culture of its homeworld. For example, a Chapter based on a planet whose culture is similar to Feudal Japan would incorporate some interesting features. Even if you don’t have a distinct culture in mind, the type of world (i.e. Hive World, Death World, etc.) will have some impact on your Chapter. For example, Chapters based on Forge Worlds might have access to more technology, while those based on Feudal Worlds might have a more knightly feel to them. Most Chapters have their fortress-monastery on a planet, recruiting primarily from the inhabitants of that planet. Some, however, are fleet-based. The Dark Angels, for example, inhabit the Rock, while the Black Templars rove the galaxy aboard their ships. Both of these Chapters recruit from a great many worlds, which is reflected in the cultural diversity of the Space Marines within the Chapter. Consider how the Chapter fits into the culture of its homeworld and how the society has influenced your Chapter. The Space Wolves, for example, remain within the confines of the Fang, and are viewed as the messengers of the gods by the natives of their homeworld of Fenris. The Salamanders, meanwhile, live and work among the inhabitants of Nocturne when not gathered for war. COMBAT DOCTRINE
The Cults of the Space Marines were formed long before the Ecclessiarchy became a powerful force within the Imperium, and they hold to their beliefs stubbornly, disdaining the fanatical ravings of the Ministorum. Their ideology features fundamental theological differences from the teachings of the Ecclessiarchy. The main point of contention between the Space Marines and the Ecclessiarchy occurs in how they perceive the Emperor. To the Ecclessiarchy, the Emperor is a god, the most divine being, the Savior of Mankind and its eternal guardian. The Space Marines revere the Emperor as a brilliant, inspired man, but a man nonetheless. This forms a major schism between the two organizations. - Index Astartes Chaplains
What is the style of combat preferred by your Chapter? In a nutshell, is it oriented towards shooting, assault, or a mix of the two styles? Generally speaking, the special rules for your Chapter should contribute advantageously to the preferred style of combat. The majority of the published army lists (Black Templars, Blood Angels, Flesh Tearers, Space Wolves) are geared towards assault-oriented armies. Notice how each has advantages in the assault, but all have different rules for this. The Stubborn/Intractable rules, meanwhile, give the Dark Angels a more shooting-oriented nature. Those Chapters that follow the Codex Astartes tend to be a mix of the two styles, tactically flexible. It is possible, though, to have a Chapter that is geared towards a mix of the styles while having special rules for each style. The Salamanders, for example, have special rules that balance their shooting and assaulting nature, balancing them into the mixed category. Chapters that are based on Codex Space Marines tend to be balanced in their approach to combat. More than anything, the combat doctrine you decide upon will be affected by the army list and rules you create for your Chapter. ORGANIZATION How closely does your Chapter follow the Codex Astartes in its organization? Most Chapters follow the Codex closely, some fanatically so. A great many, however, deviate in some way. A very rare few will completely disregard the Codex Astartes, having a significantly different organization. The Ultramarines are a Codex Chapter, following the dictates of the Codex Astartes very closely. Meanwhile, the Dark Angels follow the Codex closely in their Chapter organization except with regard to the Deathwing and the Ravenwing. The Space Wolves, however, are radically different in their organization, ignoring the Codex Astartes in favor of their Primarch, Leman Russ. Codex Organization can be found in the first Index Astartes Compendium, as well as in Insignium Astartes. BELIEFS The beliefs of your Chapter will be based on several things. Primary among these is the culture from which your Chapter recruits. The Mortifactors, for example, recruit from tribes of headhunters. The belief system of the parent culture has carried over into the Chapter. Another factor affecting your Chapter’s beliefs is the geneseed from which it was created. If your Chapter knows from whom it descends, it might incorporate a similar belief system (such as the Blood Angels and their Successors having Sanguinary High Priests). Some Chapters, however, do not know from whom their gene-seed originated. In these cases, the belief system probably wouldn’t carry over (so you could have a Chapter created with the gene-seed of the Space Wolves, but they would have some other explanation for their canines and the Wulfen). The beliefs you give your Chapter might affect such things as Combat Doctrine, Chapter Markings, etc. It is important to note that there is a schism between the various Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes and the Ministorum. This is because most Space Marine Chapters, especially those from the 1 st and 2nd Founding, don’t
worship the Emperor as a god. Instead, the Emperor is revered as the creator of the Space Marines and as the supreme human being. That said, it is conceivable that some Chapters, especially very young ones, might adhere to the Imperial Cult. For the most part, though, the belief system of most Space Marine Chapters is an esoteric warrior-cult. GENE-SEED What Chapter’s gene-seed was used in the creation of your Chapter? Some Chapters, like the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists, have very pure gene-seed; while others, like the Blood Angels and Space Wolves, have significant mutations. Every Chapter is required to send a tithe of its gene-seed to the Adeptus Mechanicus for monitoring and for use in restoring the Chapter to full combat strength or creating new Chapters. When the Emperor decides that a new Chapter of Space Marines is to be created, the Adeptus Mechanicus finds a pure gene-seed for each zygote, implanting a human test-slave with each of the organs, and then harvesting the resulting progenoids for further duplication. While it is general practice to take only pure zygotes from one Chapter’s store of gene-seed, it is possible that the Adeptus Mechanicus might use impure gene-seed, and that they might use zygotes from different Chapters. Also remember that the gene-seed isn’t used only from the First Founding Legions, the gene-seed from Successor Chapters might be used. It should be noted, however, that the Adeptus Mechanicus is inclined to use the gene-seed of the Ultramarines and their Successors much more often than from other Legions/Chapters, with that of the Imperial Fists coming in a close second. An important consideration is the effect of gene-seed. While gene-seed mutations or losses are quite common, even in the 1st Founding Chapters, very few of these gene-seed deficiencies actually result in special rules. The only hard examples of these are the Blood Angels/Flesh Tearers Black Rage/Red Thirst and the Space Wolves Enhanced Senses. The balance of the other gene-seed deficiencies merely give an interesting character to the Chapters in question. Examples of this include the Space Wolves teeth, the Imperial Fists lacking the ability to “hibernate”, and the Raven Guard tendency to become more pallid as they grow older. Note that the gene-seed of the Space Wolves and Dark Angels is rarely, if ever, used in the creation of new Chapters.
“Give me a hundred Space Marines. Or failing that give me a thousand other troops.” Attributed to Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists - Codex Space Marines
The Ultramarines Legion is responsible for nearly 3/5ths of the gene-core of the current Space Marine Chapters. - Codex Space Marines
BATTLECRY Come up with something intimidating to the enemies of Mankind, and appropriate to your Chapter’s character and history.
RULES AND ARMY LIST The best method of DIY Chapter creation is to take an official list and use it unchanged. Often, the ideas you have for a new Chapter can be applied creatively to official lists. For example, a Chapter known for its practice of dueling and entering combat with twin swords could simply use twin lightning claws to reflect both a pair of power swords and increased skill with those weapons. Many matters of choice can simply be used as guidelines in army creation. For example, if your army prefers fast moving attacks with limited armor support, you could simply require that all infantry units (Tactical squads, Devastator squads, etc.) take Transports and limit tanks to 0-1 per army. The options presented above are allowed within the guidelines of the current rules and don’t need to be included as special units/wargear/etc. Since most players like to try their hand at modifying army lists and rules in some fashion, though, the below guidance provided. The key to creating a DIY Chapter that is acceptable to other players will be in balancing the rules and army list. If your Chapter seems over-powerful to other players, it is likely that they won’t allow you to use the rules you have labored so long to create. If, however, you have created a Chapter with balanced rules, you are much more likely to be allowed to play them. A note, it is better to create a Chapter with a distinct character, but slightly weaker rules. The Flesh Tearers, for example, are often perceived as being weaker than the Blood Angels. They have a distinct character, but the rules for them have distinct weaknesses. When you create your Chapter, if you are unsure about the balanced playability of your rules, it is better to err on the side of weakness. You won’t seem beardy and other players will enjoy the opportunity to play against a unique Chapter. What follows is a description of ways you can balance the rules for your army list. They will be inter-related, so where changes in some of the following will give your Chapter advantages, changes in others will balance this with disadvantages. SPECIAL RULES You might want to add special rules in order to give your Chapter character, to give them advantages, or to balance out advantages with disadvantages. It is important to remember that special rules don’t have point values; they are an inherent part of your army. As such, special rules must be suitably countered, either by other special rules or by changing the variables below. Special rules should always mesh well with the character of your Chapter. Look closely at the special rules of other Chapters and consider how they are balanced. Any special rule you add to your Chapter should be similarly balanced. CHANGING POINT VALUES Reducing the point value for specific items of wargear, weapons, units, etc. will reflect that they are more common or more easily accessible to your Chapter, while increasing point values will reflect that they are less common. A key to changing point values is to consider the effect of the altered availability on the combat effectiveness of your Chapter. The larger the effect, the higher the points change should be. A good example of this is found in the Salamanders army list. Due to the self-reliant nature of the Chapter, many individual items (Artificer Armor, Master-Crafting, etc.) are more readily available and, therefore, cheaper.
BLOOD ANGELS SUCCESSOR CHAPTERS The Blood Angels Chapter was originally part of a much larger Legion during the Second Founding. Just as it is itself an offshoot of an older institution, so too has Blood Angels gene-seed been used to create several Successor Chapters. These Successor Chapters were created before the discovery of the Blood Angels’ flaw. The most widely known are [the Chapters Angels Vermillion, Angels Sanguine, Angels Encarmine, Blood Drinkers, and the Flesh Tearers], but doubtless there are many others in dark and far-flung corners of the galaxy, each trying to battle the legacy that is the Red Thirst. - Codex Blood Angels
The White Scars successor Chapters, the Rampagers, Marauders, Destroyers and the Storm Lords are all equally ferocious and fine examples of the combat teachings of Jaghatai Khan. - Index Astartes White Scars
RESTRICTING ITEMS/UNITS Those items which have an unbalancing effect on your army, or which are not in keeping with the character of your Chapter should either be removed from the army list, or limited to a maximum number per army. Units are often limited in number to counter special rules that are advantageous to the Chapter. For example, the Flesh Tearers may take no more than one standard or furioso dreadnought per army. You might also limit the number of Marines in a unit if it has the potential to dominate a game. The Space Wolves Wolf Guard, for example, are limited to one per squad and no more than twenty per army. CHANGING RULES/ABILITIES You might change a character’s or unit’s rules in order to be consistent with the character you have envisioned for your Chapter. The most ready example is the various Librarian Psyker powers available to each Chapter. It is important to keep in mind that you must preserve balance when doing this. If a changed rule or ability is stronger or weaker than standard, the point value should be adjusted accordingly. If, however, the changed rule or ability is close to the original in effect and potency, you should be able to preserve the standard point cost. CHANGING UPGRADE OPTIONS Often you will want to change the weapons upgrade options available to your characters or units. These changes should be in keeping with the character of your Chapter. You can either take away options available to Codex Chapters, or you can add options. For example, Salamanders Chaplains, as Priests of the Promethean Cult, may exchange their Crozius Arcanum for a Thunder Hammer. If you give your units options that are not normally allowed, closely examine the effect of the option on combat performance and assign point values accordingly. MODIFYING THE FORCE ORGANIZATION CHART
THE CURSED FOUNDING The Twenty First Founding was the largest since the Second Founding. It took place sometime immediately before the Age of Apostasy, a time of civil war which divided and almost destroyed the Imperium. The new Chapters were dogged by bad luck right from the start. Several disappeared mysteriously whilst in action or in warp space. Every surviving Chapter of the founding is affected by spontaneous genetic mutation of its gene-seed. As a result the Chapters have gradually dwindled in size as their inability to raise and induct recruits means that battle casualties cannot be replaced. Worse still, some Chapters have developed genetic idiosyncrasies, mutations which strain the tolerance of the Inquisition and threaten the Chapters survival. Few Chapters have suffered as ignominious an end as the Flame Falcons whose spontaneous and extreme physical corruption turned them into a race no longer human or sane. The Chapter was declared Excommunicate and driven from its home world of Lethe by the Grey Knights. - White Dwarf magazine Index Astartes Codex Astartes
You might decide that the standard Force Organization Chart doesn’t properly reflect the nature of your Chapter. There are two ways you can change this. The first is to change the slots, which specific units take on the chart. A good example of this can be found in the Codex: Craftworld Eldar. The second way is to do something similar to the Space Wolves, in which the Force Organization Chart is completely replaced with a different sort of organization. There must be a good rationale for your changes, and you should have balanced changes. REQUIRING UPGRADES You might require squads or characters to take specific upgrades as standard in order to meet the characteristics of the Chapter. An example of this is how Dark Angels HQ characters automatically have Terminator Honors. Perhaps you envision your Chapter being oriented as a mechanized force. To effect this, you might require that all Command, Veteran, Tactical, and Devastator squads take a Transport. NEW ITEMS AND UNITS Perhaps your Chapter has access to units or items of equipment not used by other Chapters. A key factor in creating new units or items will be in analyzing how they affect game play, and assigning appropriate point values. The Vehicle Design Rules allow you to work out vehicles quite easily. For items of equipment, look at official Chapters and see how new items are used and valued. An example of a new unit is the Veteran Assault squad used by Blood Angels armies.
MAKING YOUR CHAPTER UNIQUE In addition to changing the factors above, there are a number of simple things you can do in order to give your Chapter individuality and character. These don’t always have to result in different rules or point values. These, however, go a long way towards creating a personality for your Chapter. THEMES Giving your Chapter a theme is the most significant way you can contribute to individual character. A theme might be as simple as a specific racial stock, mode of dress, or decoration on armor; or as complex as intricate cultural influences. Dark Angels veterans, for instance, often wear robes and daggers; meanwhile, the Space Wolves have a complex Viking theme, which is reflected in their names, weapons, and ornaments. You could use the theme to convert design motifs into armor, paint facial tattoos, display trophies of war, etc. The immediate impact of a theme is the visual presentation of your army on the tabletop. Perhaps you want to use the Space Wolves rules, but want to replace the Viking theme with a Celtic theme, complete with tartans, skean duibh, etc. Perhaps you want your Codex Chapter to have an Ancient Greek theme, complete with crested helmets, spears, etc. Simple uses of themes are to paint or sculpt symbols particularly important to your Chapter onto clothing and armor. If you look at the cover to Codex: Space Marines, for example, several of the Crimson Fists Space Marines have their Chapter Badge stylized on their armor. A theme might also carry over into the names of characters and units. The Black Templars, for instance, are organized into Crusades instead of Companies, and are led by Marshals instead of Captains (Commanders). The Dark Angels don’t have a First Company, they have the Deathwing; and the names of Dark Angels characters come from the Biblical and Apocryphal Angels. In the above example of a Greek-based Chapter, your characters might have names like Hektor, Diomedes, and Herakles. The theme should be consistent with the culture of the homeworld you select. If the culture of the Chapter’s homeworld is firmly based in medieval France, your Chapter won’t seem right if you have armor based on the
Aztecs. Overall, a strong theme is a very easy way of giving your Chapter a distinct personality without necessarily requiring modifications to army lists or rules. A word of warning on themes – don’t get carried away. Keep in mind that you’re still creating a Chapter of Space Marines. Space Marines fight with bolters and chainswords. If you’re intent on creating an army that likes to use shields and spears, I would recommend playing Warhammer (Fantasy). CHAPTER NAME A strong name gives an immediate character to your Chapter. Most players try to keep the name consistent with both the theme and combat style of their Chapter. Remember, though, that your Successor Chapter name doesn’t have to incorporate elements of the parent Chapter’s name, especially if the source of the gene-seed is unknown to your Chapter. A list of words commonly used in Space Marine Chapters can be found in the Chapter Approved book (Second Book of the Astronomican). If you can’t find that book, another list can be found in the Liber Astartes forum of the Bolter and Chainsword. CHAPTER BADGE The Chapter Badge should reflect the name, character, or style of the Chapter. Keep in mind that if you don’t use something for which there is a decal or shoulder pad already made, you are going to have to paint your badge. The more intricate the badge, the more difficult this will be, especially if you plan on collecting a large army. Also consider that wings, blood drops, and skulls are very common motifs in existing Chapter Badges. If you want a more unique Chapter Badge, avoid using these items. A good Chapter Badge should be simple and bold, easy to identify and easy to paint. COLOR SCHEME A good color scheme goes a long way towards making your army stand out when placed on the tabletop. Simple color schemes employ a single dominant color with the chest designs being in a contrasting color. More complex schemes have different sides or sections painted in different colors, or have various decorations. Whether or not your Chapter adheres to the heraldry prescribed by the Codex Astartes (see 2nd edition Codex Ultramarines) will also impact the color scheme you use. Most Codex Chapters indicate company affiliation by color coding the trim on the shoulder pads, with different helmet colors and decorations indicating veterans and sergeants. Some Chapters indicate company affiliation on kneepads or the chest designs. If you don’t want to use Codex markings, come up with your own scheme. Additionally, you might not want to have your specialist characters (Librarians, Chaplains, Apothecaries, Techmarines) follow the standard Codex color schemes. If you are unsure of how your color scheme will work, here is a link to the Space Marine Painter: http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/spacemarines/painting/sm_painter/version2.htm CHARACTERS Many players enjoy creating characters for their Chapters. It is important to note the difference between normal characters and special characters. The majority of characters will be standard for their type, not having any special rules. They will be distinct in that they have their own personality, history, etc. Special Characters, however, stand out from the crowd. They have special rules and aren’t normal for their type. Normal characters can always be used in games and tournaments without the opposing player objecting. Special characters, however, can only be played if you and your opponent both agree; and they probably won’t be allowed in tournaments. Keep the number of special characters to a minimum, especially since you won’t use them often. When creating Special Characters, be careful to preserve balance in point value.
NOTES ABOUT SUCCESSOR CHAPTERS The core of this is that a great many aspects of a Chapter don't have to be related to its ancestry. There are certain things that would, of necessity, be carried down through the gene-seed. The Blood Angels' gene-seed flaw has been transmitted to every Successor Chapter it went into (which is why their gene-seed stopped being used in the creation of new Chapters), and the Space Wolves' fangs probably would appear in a Chapter created using Russ' gene-seed (yes, I know the fluff indicates that there have been no further instances of Space Wolves Successors since the Second Founding). A Chapter's deviation from their parent Chapter, or conformity to traits characteristic of another Chapter, can easily be explained away by fluff: For example - a Chapter created using Ultramarines gene-seed might be based on a barren inhospitable planet. The native society is feral and barbaric. The result is that the Chapter might take on attributes that make it resemble the Space Wolves more than their parent Ultramarines. Another example - one of the (very few) Successor Chapters created using the Dark Angels gene-seed is based on a medieval world. At its inception, though, the fledgling Chapter is trained by a cadre of Black Templars. As a result, this Dark Angels Successor follows most of the doctrine of the Black Templars. My basic take on this is that characteristics inherent in the gene-seed will be passed on to Successor Chapters. Those traits, however, that derive from experience, culture, etc. have a high probability of differing. In fact, a Successor Chapter might be totally ignorant of its ancestry. When creating your own Chapter, you pretty much have free reign to give your Chapter its own unique character. Don't feel constrained to making all Dark Angels Successors into Unforgiven, or White Scars Successors into Mongols. It is entirely feasible to have an Ultramarines Successor have its First Company virtually identical to the Deathwing (except for that pesky little secret, that is). A common theme that irks me (picky as I am) is for Dark Angels Successors to share their dark secret and Hunt for the Fallen. My personal opinion is that the Dark Angels and other members of the Unforgiven (which should be the Second Founding Successors and possibly some later-Founding Successors) would be very circumspect with sharing their little secret. Odds are that only a handful of the few Chapters created using the Dark Angels'
COMMON WORDS FOUND IN SPACE MARINE CHAPTER NAMES Angels, Black, Blood, Brazen, Brothers, Celestial, Champions, Crimson, Crusaders, Dark, Death, Destroyers, Devourers, Devils, Doom, Dragons, Eagles, Emperor’s, Fists, Falcons, Fire, Flesh, Golden, Griffons, Guard, Hawks, Imperial, Inferno, Iron, Jaguars, Knights, Lions, Lords, Mailed, Marauders, Millennial, Night, Nightmare, Omega, Obsidian, Panthers, Paladins, Questors, Rampagers, Red, Silver, Sons, Space, Storm, Talons, Tearers, Templars, Tigers, Thunder, Ultima, Ultra, Vengeance, Valedictors, War, Warriors, White, Wolves, Zephyrs. - Chapter Approved
THE DARK FOUNDING Not all the foundings of Space Marine Chapters are recorded in exact detail. However, the Adeptus Terra maintains a single bank of original gene-seed from every single Chapter ever created since the Horus Heresy. There is one notable exception: the Thirteenth Founding, also known as the Dark Founding. No-one knows how many Chapters were created by the Dark Founding or what became of them. Perhaps the secret lies in some deep vault in the record office of the Adeptus Terra. Maybe the Space Marines of the Dark Founding are still out there somewhere, waiting to return to the world that created them. - White Dwarf magazine Index Astartes Codex Astartes
There are no known aberrations in the Dark Angels’ gene-seed which makes the reluctance of the High Lords of Terra to utilize it in the founding of new Chapters perplexing. No doubt there are other successor Chapters… - Index Astartes Dark Angels
…there seem to have been no Second Founding successor Chapters formed from the Salamanders…It is a matter of debate whether there have been Successor Chapters during subsequent Foundings, although it appears likely and many scholars point to similarities in the physique, markings and tactical dogma of Chapters such as the Storm Giants and Black The original Codex Dragons. was compiled [Astartes] approximately ten thousand - Index Astartes years ago in the aftermath Salamanders of the Horus Heresy. It is not known what form the original took: it may have been a manuscript or it may have been a compilation of holo-files or even some combination. Of course manuscript copies were made and distributed . … Over the millennia the copies have been copied and recopied many times in order to preserve them. Inevitably, mistakes occur Some Chapters recruit their and so it is unlikely that Librarians solely from any two copies of the Codexaswill amongst those chosen be identical. Furthermore, potential Space Marines, the work is constantly being while other Chapters select reanalyzed and their number from amongst reinterpreted. Theand original the most talented prose style of of young Roboute is at disciplined best archaic and in Primaris Psykers of some the cases almostPsykana. unintelligible. Scholastica This has led to many varied interpretations over Astartes the - Index centuries and to many Librarians situations where two entirely different doctrines have been legitimately claimed as the ‘official Codex’ at the same time. - Insignium Astartes
gene-seed would be brought in on Luther's betrayal. Most (including my own DIY DA Successor) would be completely ignorant of this dark history, blissfully going on about the business of killing in the name of the Emperor without a care in the world.
A NOTE ON CRUSADES There is often confusion about the nature of Crusades, and what it means to be a “Crusading” Chapter. CRUSADE Only the High Lords of Terra themselves can declare a Crusade. This can be a long and large-scale war involving many Space Marine Chapters, or it might be a short conflict resolved in a single battle by a handful of troops. A Crusade is a way of drawing contingents from several Space Marine Chapters together against an enemy, without committing entire Chapters or involving the ponderous resources of the Imperial Guard. When a Crusade is declared it is likely to be against heretic Lords, rebellious planetary governments which have turned against the Imperium for their own selfish reasons. A Crusade can also be declared against alien worlds, or newly discovered planets that lie beyond the Emperor's light. It is a matter of honour that Space Marine Chapters contributes forces to a Crusade when called, even [if] it is only a squad or two of troops. Once a Crusade is won a Chapter will add the battle honour to their standards as a mark of their loyalty and achievement. A Crusade can also be imposed upon an entire Chapter as a form of penance for failure or otherwise incurring the displeasure of the Emperor. For example, following the Badab War the Executioners [and Mantis Warriors] and Lamenters Chapters were dispatched upon a hundred year Crusade to atone for their part in the rebellion. Such a penance is very extreme, but willingly undertaken none-the-less, because once complete the Chapter earns the Emperor's forgiveness and can return to its homeworld absolved of heresy. From Codex Ultramarines (2nd Edition)
FAITH & CRUSADES The major difference between a War of Faith and a Crusade are in its origins and who takes part. A Crusade is ordered by the authority of all the High Lords of Terra, and generally involves all the different organisations of the Imperium, including Space Marines, Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy, the Adeptus Ministorum and the administrative forces of the Adeptus Terra. A War of Faith is by command of the Ecclesiarch alone and primarily concerns only the members of the Adeptus Ministorum and the followers of the Imperial Creed. Aside from this general distinction, the two overlap considerably. The object of a Crusade, whether it is the extermination of an alien race or the subjugation of rebellious Imperial worlds, is generally considered to be an affront against the Emperor and therefore is declared a War of Faith by the Ecclesiarch. When a War of Faith is announced, the Ecclesiarch will announce the objectives of the war and declaim the heretical, godless targets of the Emperor's vengeance. However, this is more a matter of stirring popular support than anything else. Almost all Crusades are additionally dubbed Wars of Faith. Space Marine Crusades are another matter entirely, and are never Wars of Faith. Not all Wars of Faith are Crusades - sometimes the Ecclesiarchy is allowed to pursue its own ends without outside interference. These are true Wars of Faith, when the Ecclesiarchy prepares to battle an enemy for the sake of its beliefs rather than to quell a rebellion or to occupy an alien-held planet. When not part of a Crusade, Wars of Faith are funded and organised solely by the Ecclesiarchy and contain only warriors from the Adeptus Sororitas and Frateris Militia, led by members of the Frateris clergy. The Ecclesiarch does not have supreme authority to order Wars of Faith, the adventure must be approved by the other High Lords of Terra. Wars of Faith are sometimes assisted by the forces of the other High Lords and even the armies of the Imperial Guard. Wars of Faith can be conducted against factions within the Ecclesiarchy who have been deemed heretics, or may take the form of punitive attacks against alien races. Wars of Faith may even be conducted against unexplored regions of the galaxy and comprise a multitude of Missionaries and the forces to protect them as they bring the light of the Emperor to the faithless. From Codex Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition) So we have two distinct types of Crusades. Additionally, we have Space Marine Chapters that embark on frequent and/or extended Crusades. The Black Templars are the most obvious example of this. After being created in the Second Founding, their Chapter Master, Sigismund, declared that they would embark on a Crusade as a signal of their loyalty to the Emperor. They have ostensibly been on this Crusade for the last 10,000 years (although it is basically a series of smaller concurrent Crusades being carried out by different elements of the Chapter). A lot of players, especially newer ones, have taken this to mean that since the Black Templars are a crusading Chapter, other crusading Chapters must be similar. Unfortunately, this is incorrect. Other examples of Chapters specifically mentioned by Games Workshop as having a crusading nature are the Mantis Warriors, Lamenters, Executioners, Relictors, Imperial Fists, and Crimson Fists. The first four are on 100-year penance crusades (the first three for participation in the Badab War and the last for use of daemonic relics.
Conclusion - don't confuse being a crusading Chapter with being like the Black Templars.
HINTS & THINGS TO AVOID Here are some things you can do to get ideas for your DIY Chapter. • There are a great number of DIY Chapters on the web. You can always take a good look at them and see how their creators have tried to balance the rules and army lists. Many of these creators also welcome email or comments, so you might find out why they did certain things. A great many of these Chapters have intricate histories and personalities, with extensive conversion work and painstaking effort put into painting them up as the creator envisioned. • Use the published Chapters as a guide. Taking the Codex: Space Marines army list as your base, compare each of the other army lists and see how the game designers have balanced the new rules for each Chapter. • If you can get your hands on the WH40K Timeline which appeared in an issue of White Dwarf magazine, you will find a wealth of ideas for founding dates, important engagements, etc.
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Once you have come up with an army list and rules, let others take a look at it and give you feedback. Members of the various discussion groups are always willing to help, and they tend to be brutally honest. This is a good thing because that really cool special rule you came up with might seem very unbalancing to other players. Unbalanced (i.e. overpowered) armies rarely get the nod from opponents. One of these discussion groups is the Bolter & Chainsword, which is dedicated to Space Marines of every kind. The address is http://bolterandchainsword.com .
• If you would like ideas for Chapter names, Foundings, etc. there are any number of on-line collections of Chapters. One of these is Liber Astartes, which will soon be incorporated into the Bolter & Chainsword site.
Space Marine Chapter badges or icons are of very mixed origin. Many are iterations of common Imperial icons, such as the eagle, eagle wings, skulls and armoured fists. At a Chapter’s Founding the newly assigned Chapter Master must name his regiment and choose its heraldry. There are strict rules to govern this process. The Codex Astartes provides the Chapter Master with a roll of approved naming elements and also forbids the use of certain names. New leaders are careful to try to avoid duplicating the name, icon and livery of existing Chapters. ... Many new Chapter Masters therefore create new heraldries to avoid any possible duplication. Over the millennia this has led to a vast proliferation of icons and liveries. - Insignium Astartes
• It is important to remember that creating your own Chapter isn’t always easy. Take your time and be prepared to go back and revise work you’ve done. Your best bet is to complete the rules before you start collecting and painting miniatures. • Often, it isn’t necessary to come up with a radically different organization or special rules in order to make a satisfyingly unique Chapter. You can give your Chapter an individual background, name, and appearance, yet use Codex rules and still have a distinct DIY Chapter. • If you decide to take a Chapter that Games Workshop has created, but not given much history or rules to, feel free. Be prepared, though, for the possibility that GW might eventually come out with rules for “your” Chapter. If they don’t use your rules, you might feel frustrated. Of course, you could always change the name of your Chapter or make some other minor changes and continue to play with your rules. Then there are things you should avoid in the creation of your Chapter. These aren’t necessarily hard and fast rules. Following these little bits of advice, though, will help in getting your Chapter accepted by other players. Remember, it is just a game. You can do what you want. • Try not to make a Chapter with the same name as another player in your area. Actually, this isn’t that big a problem as you can cooperate with the other player and use a different battle company, etc. Sometimes, though, players are a little territorial with their DIY Chapters. This also goes for highly popular DIY Chapters on the web. • The 2nd and 11th Legions have been expunged from the Imperial Records. If you claim that your Chapter is one of these Legions, expect to be met with skepticism. • The Second Founding Chapters have been listed in the Apocrypha of Davio (see the back of Codex: Space Marines). If your Chapter is not one of those listed, you will be met with skepticism when telling others that yours is a Second Founding Chapter. Lastly, keep the following in mind. • No matter how much time and effort you put into your Chapter, no matter how intricate and balanced the history and rules, long odds are that Games Workshop isn’t going to publish official rules for them based on your work. Don’t let this discourage you. • If the armies your Chapter’s rules create can’t be duplicated (including special rules) using the rules found in one of the published army lists, you won’t be able to use them in officially sanctioned tournaments. You should have a back-up army list to use for tournaments or be prepared to play by Codex: Space Marines rules. Hopefully the information presented in this article will assist you in creating a Space Marines Chapter which you enjoy playing and find full of character. Good luck!
With the bolter, cleanse the unclean.
We will cleanse!
With the flamer, purify the unholy.
We will purify!
With the chainsword, purge the corrupt.
We will purge!
They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them and in the furnace of war I shall forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest guns shall they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them. They will have tactics, strategies and machines such that no foe will best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Space Marines… …and they shall know no fear. - Insignium Astartes
With the missile, kill the impure. Article from The Pain Glove web site. Contact webmaster at
[email protected].
We will kill!
