Crucible (40K)

[Imperial Overlord]

Tantalus Drumand towered over Damien Exacles from his position a the head of the dais. The silver painted artificer armour enhanced the Chapter Master's physique so that he appeared to be giant compared to his First Captain. Sheathed at the Chapter Master's hip was the power sword Terminus Est, from which the Chapter derived it's name. They were the Sword Bearers and for two thousand years they had struck down the enemies of mankind.

Physically the Chapter Master and the First Captain were much alike. Both hailed from the northern reaches of the Icaru and bore the features that were common in those places. Grey piercing eyes looked out above hawk-like noses and angular faces. Their hair was dark and their skin was a deeply tanned brown and both of them had been fortunate enough to not require augmentic replacements. The left side of Tantalus's face was marred by a terrible acid burn that he had received while serving in the Deathwatch but Damien was fortunate enough not to have received such a disfiguring injury.

"Behold Damien Exacles," the Chapter Master shouted, "Captain of the First Company." Drumand's voice echoed through the long hall, carrying without any mechanical augmentation. The hall's acoustics and the augmented senses of the assembled Astartes meant that not a word was lost even to the men furthest away from the Chapter Master. Eight hundred Space Marines of the Sword Bearers were assembled in two lines facing the aisle and running for almost almost a kilometer in length. Banners and trophies from a hundred different foes hung from the ceiling, swallowed up in darkness. Only the lights at the front of the room were on, although darkness was not a barrier to the vision of the Astartes.

"Take from him his Mark of Mastery!" roared the Chapter Master. Two Marines in silver armour approached the First Captain. The black sword symbol on their right shoulder pad marked them as Sword Bearers, but the stone Crux Terminatus on their left shoulder pads marked them as First Company and worthy of the honor of wearing the rare and potent Terminator Tactical Dreadnought Armour into battle.

They extended their hands and gently took the white cloak from Exacles's shoulders. Hands encased in armoured gloves with deliberate and delicate care unclasp golden sword broach secured the cloak to the First Captain's shoulders and marked him as a master of the blade. Exacles stood as still as a statue.

"Take from him his badges of rank!" roared the Chapter Master. Two more Astartes of the First Company approached their captain. Exacles now wore just the long sleeveless tunic and sandals that were the common garb of the Chapter for both Astartes and serfs. On his brow he wore a crown of laurels carved from jade and set with a synthetic ruby. On his shoulders he wore a small stone badge in the shape of a cross and skull and a gold badge depicting a skull on top of three badges. Around his waist he wore a simple belt of grox hide from which hung a meter long gladius style sword in an intricately worked sheath.

The Astartes delicately removed the badges marking Damien's position as captain and a warrior of the First Company from his shoulders. They then stepped back. "Take from him the mark of glory!" bellowed Tantalus Drumand.

Two more warriors of the First Company stepped forward. The took the crown of laurels from their captain's head and stepped back. Exacles had not yet even blinked. "Take from him the mark of brotherhood!" roared Drumand.

Another pair of warriors came forward and cut the sword from Damien's belt. They resumed their positions as had their brothers before them, holding the honours as carefully as spun glass trophies.

"These are all marks of a Sword Bearer and from today forth you are a Sword Bearer no longer!" roared Drumand "From our ranks I cast you out!"

Damien moved for the first time, raising his gaze to meet that of his former master. "But I am still your brother!" he shouted. "For all that you have done will never been forgotten! All that I have lived, all that we have lived, we will carry with us forever! The old bonds and old ties will never be forgotten!"

"For as long as men endure in this galaxy," replied Drumand, "for as long as Sword Bearers fight in the Emperor's Name you will be remembered! By what name shall you be known?"

Damien Exacles turned away from the Chapter Master and turned to address the assembled Marines. "From this day forward, I and all that shall follow in my footsteps shall be known as the Blood Tigers!"

"Let the enemies of Mankind tremble!" shouted Drumand. "For today the Sword Bearers have given birth to a new chapter of the Angels of Death and from our ranks we haven chosen one of the greatest among us, the Captain of our First Company, to lead it!"

[drakensis]

Nice turn around there. I'll be interested to see how this one goes.

[Grimnosh]

Knowing IO's writing (and enjoying his tales so far), this should be an intreasting read. The birth of a new chapter, and what it will be like. The rise to glory that many marines aspire to, and the potential pitfalls of Chaos (and/or the Inquisition) to drag them down. It'll also be illuminating what thier start will be like as many begining chapters tend to be a bit (at best) underequipped (Aspire to Glory major drawback from the Space Marine codex), having prehaps less then a handful of terminator armor suits, dreadnaughts, and limited number of vehicles and types of vehicles.

A lack of gear has been known to be more then just the death of a mere chapter of marines.

[RogalDORN88]

I am intrigued.

[Imperial Overlord]

Two chapter serfs guarded the Strategarium. The honour guard wore white carapace armour marked with the downward pointing black sword of chapter. In their gloved hands they held Delcius pattern lasguns, a hard hitting model capable of sustaining barrages of over four hundred pulses a second without overheating. One of the serf's inclined his head. "Chapter Master."

"I request entrance to the Strategarium," said Damien Exacles. Yesterday he would not have had to ask but today he was no longer a Sword Bearer.

The serf nodded and touched the vox panel by the thick ceramite door. "Chapter Master Exacles wishes to enter the Strategarium." The was a soft reply. The serf touched a control on the door and the half meter thick door slip open. "Permission has been granted to enter Chapter Master."

The interior of the Strategium was technoshrine to waging war throughout the Charybdis Reach. The domed ceiling was covered in holomaps and the central table displayed the known positions of fortress worlds, major space stations, Astartes and Imperial Navy vessels, and xenos worlds that had yet to succumb to Mankind's fury. Four servitors attended to the cogitators while two Space Marines stood at the table. They had ceased their conversation when the Chapter Master entered.

The Marine on the right was tall, even by Astartes standards, and his bald scalp was marked by deep scars. His left eye was an augmatic and his skin was the same rich brown as the Chapter Master's. The other Marine was nearly thirty centimeters shorter and paler, almost bone white, with a messy mop of short black hair and dark eyes that glinted with mirth. He managed a sly smile. "You missed him Damien. Marcus left us half a bell ago."

"I'm not looking for Marcus," replied Exacles, "I'm looking for you."

The taller Marine slapped the smaller one of the shoulder. "Hah. You're not always as clever as you think you are Navaros."

"Are you serious?" asked Navaros. "Marcus and you were scouts together. The First Company has always been based on the Excalibur. I thought that he would be your choice."

"Marcus is a great captain, but if he is to be a Blood Tiger he must leave Excalibur behind as well as the Sword Bearers and that is asking too much from the man who will be Master of the Fleet if he stays. You, on the other hand, are skilled in fast attack operations and are audacious without being reckless. That is the Master of Fleet I will need."

"Well it is easier getting the job this way than waiting for all the brothers ahead of me to die," replied Navaros.

"Considering there are so many of them, yes."

"You wound me brother."

"I was beside Tantalus at Volega. Your choice of maneuvers nearly gave him a heart attack. In both hearts. That is not a quality one looks for in a Master of the Fleet."

"It succeeded," said Navaros.

"It did."

Navaros extended his hand. "I'm your man Damien."

Exacles took it. "One down, two hundred and ninety-nine to go."

"Two hundred and ninety-eight," replied Navaros. "Don't tell me that I'm wrong about that one."

"You're not wrong," replied Exacles.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kail Prenshaw rubbed his beard with his left hand. The augmentic was sensitive enough to faithfully reproduce the sensation of touch, an absolute necessity for Prenshaw. The lives of his brothers were literally in his hands and so when flesh threatened to fail he can acquired replacements of infallible steel. His body was failing, but his mind was still sharp. He gestured and the pict display moved to the next image. Curious.

The door behind him opened whisper quiet but that was loud enough. "Lights," he called out and the dark room was filled with illumination. The alcove the Apothecary occupied was filled with cogitators and pict screens but most of the rest were filled with surgical beds and medical augers. Kail's augmentic eyes adjusted automatically to the change in lighting. "Damien."

"Senior Apothecary. I have need of your services."

Prenshaw sighed. "I am not the man a new chapter needs. I am barely fit for combat and I am not getting any younger."

"I need your wisdom," said Exacles. "Most of the chapter will be young and that's before we begin recruiting. I need your wisdom and your experience as an adviser, an instructor, and most of all as steward of our geneseed."

"I am honoured, but you need someone younger, with more energy."

"Do you wish to die here, doing the errands of the Chief Apothecary without ever doing anything that matters?" Exacles said furiously. "How long has it been since you were in the field? How long since you had responsibilities that truly mattered? I remember when you lead the relief force at Coramanch. None could stand against you. If a brother could be saved you saved him. I need your cool head and I need your fierce devotion and you need work worthy of a hero."

"You are a hard man to refuse First Captain."

"First Captain no longer. No one less knowledgeable than the Chief Apothecary should oversee the seeding of a new chapter and that means the only man for the job is you."

"I am not so clumsy that you can catch me in a net that simple."

"Your duty to the Emperor, your brothers, and Mankind will compel you. I just bear the truth of it."

"I suppose if I refuse you will try again."

"Yes."

"And not you alone. I do not think I can best both of you. Very well, I accept."

"Thank you, old friend." Exacles extended his hand.

"I fear you think too highly of me," said Kail.

"I would be pleased if events are not so dire as to prove you wrong," replied the Chapter Master.

[Chris OFarrell]

Only thing that would have made the opening chapter better would have been;

Chapter Master: "Remove, the stone of shame!"

*1st Company marines do so*

Chapter Master: "Attach the stone of Triumph!"

*1st Company marines again do so*

[Rogue 9]

Sheathed at the Chapter Master's hip was the power sword Terminus Est, from which the Chapter derived it's name.

the power sword Terminus Est

Terminus Est

HERESY! *BLAM!*

Typhus aside, excellently written as usual.

[drakensis]

Only thing that would have made the opening chapter better would have been;

Chapter Master: "Remove, the stone of shame!"

*1st Company marines do so*

Chapter Master: "Attach the stone of Triumph!"

*1st Company marines again do so*

"Perform the Dance of Solitude!"

Exades does so.

[Imperial Overlord]

Typhus aside, excellently written as usual.

If you're under the impression that there are fewer than a dozen power swords per subsector with the name Terminus Est then you need to stop snorting and/or shooting whatever the Slaaneshi are supplying you with.

[Imperial Overlord]

Smoke rose from the cauldron as the mechanical arms lifted the massive plate of ceramite armour. Antaeous Drakon studied the plate through the augury monocle fitted over his left eye. With light touches of the control rods he shifted across the the cavernous room to cool. The quality was acceptable.

"Drakon," said Damien Exacles as he stepped into the forge. The sound of machines served to drown out his words, but only from the ears of mortals.

"Chapter Master," said the Techmarine as he turned from his work. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long," said Damien.

"The forges are not a good place for tunics and sandals," said the Techmarine. Antaeous himself wore Mark VIII Armour marked with both the Chapter's sword insignia and the gear and skull mark of the Adeptus Mechanicus. "We are not Salamanders and the fires of this place are not kind to flesh."

"I'll keep my distance from the fires. You know why I am here."

"Of course," said Antaeous. "Drumand will never make me Master of the Forge. Konstanin will not go with you. So logically I am the one should approach and I should accept. But I have a price."

"I know," said Exacles. "You want a freer hand to work. To experiment and tamper. To innovate. To create."

"Yes."

"You cannot do this behind my back. We will have limited resources and many times the maintenance of conventional machines must take precedence over experimentation."

"No Master of the Forge worthy of the position could do otherwise. It is a sacred trust."

"Then you have my word."

Antaeous bowed. "You have my allegiance."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Damien turned took the last turn of the winding spiral staircase and found himself in front of a wide wooden door. His raised his hand and gripped the gargoyle head knocker and tapped on the metal behind it. The door swung open under the hands of a chapter serf, a woman in her mid thirties. She bowed and averted her eyes.

Inside was a hive of activity. Like most parts of the Sword Bearers Fortress-Monastery the Librarium was dimly lit. Shelves of books lined the walls, some of them hand written by the Chapter's founders or born by them to their new home during the founding. In the far reaches there were the data vaults and autoscribes that served to store and copy much of the chapter's hard won knowledge. This was usually a quiet place, attended to by a handful of scribes and the Sword Bearer's few librarians. Now it swarmed with activity.

A dozen chapter serfs were searching bookshelves and packing volumes into crates. The autoscribes groaned and hummed in a constant state of activity. Data plaques were carefully enclosed in velvet lined cases and had their positions entered onto lists.

Exacles walked softly through the hive of activity, heading towards the rear of the Librarium. Serfs bowed as he passed and scurried out of his way. A servo skull hovering near the ceiling turned in place and tracked the Chapter Master. Ahead of him was an Astartes in a sky blue robe. He shared similar build and facial features with the Chapter Master, but that had more to do with the world that had born them and the gene seed that had altered them than any real kinship. His skin was light pink and his eyes were blue. The Marine's close cropped hair was blond.

"Busy I see," said Exacles. "Any reason for it?"

"None at all," the Librarian replied. "A flight of fancy."

"Speaking of flights of fancy," replied the Chapter Master with a slight smile, "I have recruited two hundred and ninety-nine Marines to join me in founding a new chapter. That leaves one space to fill. Interested?"

"Of course not. What makes you think I would be?"

"I had a dream last night. Roboute Guilliman appeared to me and wrote your name in kilometer high letters of fire."

The Librarian threw back his head and laughed. "My friend, if I don't go with you who else will make me laugh?"

Exacles smiled. "Without me you're doomed brother." He paused for a moment. "Will you, Toth Arianocus, join with me and become the Chief Librarian of the Blood Tigers?"

"I will, my brother." Toth extended his hand and Exacles took it. "Well that's the formalities taken care of," he said and released his grip.

"The whole chapter knew I was going to pick you."

"Yes," said Toth. "Drumand solves two his problems at once. Perhaps more."

"That is unfitting," said Exacles.

"How many of the First Company were you allowed to take?" replied Toth.

"Forty. The volunteers drew lots."

"Drumand is no Vankara," said Toth. "With the too popular First Captain removed along with loyalists and troublemakers like myself there will be less objection to Drumand's 'reforms'."

"You speak unkindly brother. Drumand is a worthy Chapter Master. No man but a Primarch could expect to be as well loved by his chapter as Vankara was."

"A man less divisive than Drumand would command more loyalty."

"I think your position clouds your judgment."

"Really? Then why is Drumand allowing me to bring half of the Sword Bearer's librarians with me?"

"Half?"

"It's not that many," said Toth. "Drumand is going to make us just like the Black Templars in another century or two."

"No," said Exacles. "That might be the fate of the Sword Bearers and given the successes of the Black Templars, far from the worst one imaginable, but that will not happen to us. We are Blood Tigers and we will chart a different path to glory."

[RogalDORN88]

very nice!

[Rogue 9]

I like this Techmarine already.

[Imperial Overlord]

A dozen Astartes in armour clustered around a holo obelisk that had been hastily set up in the middle of the now empty vehicle bay. A Junior techmarine and a half dozen chapter serfs checked the heavy cables that fed power and data to the obelisk. The scent of burnt promethium and machine oil laid heavy in the air.

Exacles addressed the assembled Marines. "Gathered here are the leaders of the Blood Tigers from the Master of the Forge to the Chief Librarian. There are a number of important matters for us to address. The first is the choice of fortress-monastery."

Damien touched a glyph on obelisk. A blue-green word heavily shrouded in clouds appeared in the air. "Carexi. It possess an indigenous primitive population suitable for recruitment."

"With respect Chapter Master," Toth Arianocus began, "there are other-"

"Other potential sites and population," agreed Damien Exacles. "I have not ruled out recruiting from as well but Carexi is my choice for our new home world. Mount Dorn is too good of a site for a fortress-monastery to pass up. Here we can create an ediface to rival the Fang of Fenris."

"As you say Chapter Master."

"Master of the Forge."

"Chapter Master," said Antaeous Drakon. He touched another glyph on the obelisk. The planet vanished, to be replaced by a rough outline of a mountain. Fortified surface structures were present near the peak, consisting mostly of void shield projectors and weapon emplacements. Vast interior spaces were depicted within the mountain itself. "The mountain itself will shield us. Melta cutters will allow us to quickly excavate tunnels and chambers to our specifications. There remains the question of equipment."

"The Delcius Forgeworld stands ready to supply us with servitors, mining equipment, and the machines and weapons the fortress-monastery will require."

"I stand by ready to signal them when you will it," said Toth Arianocus.

"Thank you Chief Librarian. Status of our fighting arm?"

"As you have ordered, I have assembled a provisional order of battle in keeping with our resources and personnel. While the Blood Tigers currently consists of more than three hundred battle brothers, we can currently field only two hundred as line infantry. The rest are required as pilots, techmarines, librarians, apothecaries, fleet captains and so on. Currently our brothers will be organized in five companies of forty battle brothers each, with the First Company retaining their Terminator Tactical Dreadnought Armour. In that category alone we are well represented. We have no dreadnoughts and only a single Land Raider and a pair of Predator tanks. Two Whirlwinds and a thirteen Rhinos round out our ground forces. We have three apothecaries, including our Master, and five techmarines. The Libriarium consists of myself, two codiciers, and a lexicanium too early in his training to be assigned battle field duties. That leaves us with three Marines capable of astropathic communication and three thousand one hundred and seventeen chapter serfs to assist us in our tasks, not counting pre-adolescent children."

"Fortunately the fleet has astropaths assigned to it," said Navaros Rasteen. "And a full complement of Thunderhawks."

"If you could continue, Master of the Fleet?" asked Exacles.

"Certainly Chapter Master. Our current naval strength could be generously characterized as 'feeble'. Our assets consist of three Strike Cruisers, two Hunter Destroyers, and two Gladius Frigates. We can easily transport the entire chapter but we cannot fight a major space engagement. A battle barge is being constructed for our use at the orbital dockyards at Delcius, but it will be another seventy-five months before it is completed and even with it we will be grossly understrength."

"Acknowledged Master of the Fleet. You see the challenges being laid before us. We need to move to Carexi and begin work immediately, prioritizing our ground to space defences because our fleet cannot protect us from a large assault. We must recruit and train fresh warriors to swell our ranks and we must defend the human worlds of the Charybdis Reaches while doing so."

"A point Chapter Master," said Kail Prenshaw.

"Proceed," replied Exacles.

"Much of the Chapter's gene seed is coming by way of Mechanicus transport from Mars," said Prenshaw. "The vessel will supposedly contain new suites of power armour, weapons, ammunition, and so forth with which to help supply our chapter but most crucially it will carry two thirds of our gene seed stocks and it is coming here. The transport and custody of the gene seed is of crucial importance and will require the attentions of an apothecary."

"Of course"

"It is coming here," said Prenshaw, "not Carexi. It is already in transit, but the warp is hardly predictable. As our brother Arianocus has reported, there are not many apothecaries. Too few in fact. Who remains behind to care for the gene seed and who goes with the chapter. We are spread thin enough. If the worst comes to pass and we are spread even thinner, it could be a blow from which the chapter will never recover."

"You will remain behind, along with two squads from the Fourth Company," said Exacles. But we will not all leave immediately. Master of the Fleet, detach one of our Strike Cruisers to carry the Second Company and everyone selected by the Master of the Forge for his construction team. You will leave as soon as possible."

Antaeous saluted, fist to heart. "Your will Chapter Master."

"There is one more thing, before you leave. Your armour. We are no longer Sword Bearers and will no longer bear their colours. Assemble your serfs. I will present the new pattern tonight so that their machine spirits will be able to leave proudly when we depart."

[Chris OFarrell]

This is really interesting.

I've never read fiction from the POV about a new Adeptus Astartes unit being formed.

This is really really interesting. Already we see their new Chapter Master is becoming both a warrior without peer and a politician, and able to chart his own course that differs from his parent Chapter...

Looking forward to watching this go.

[RogalDORN88]

Guess that is why he gets to be the new master.

[Imperial Overlord]

"This is beautiful work," Exacles said softly. "You have outdone yourself Ludvia."

The girl smiled shyly. "Thank you," she said. "It is a privilege to serve."

Exacles suit of Mark VIII armour dominated the arming chamber. No longer did it bear the silver and black colours of the Sword Bearers. Ludvia had repainted the armour black with carnelian tiger stripes running along the sides and back. A snarling tiger's head was emblazoned on the right pauldron, surrounded by a circle of blood drops. Another tiger's head snarled at onlookers from the breastplate.

"With more time, and better materials," the teenager continued, "I could make it look truly magnificent. Emeralds for the eyes and gold leaf for scrolling and-"

"Enough," said Exacles. The girl recoiled, her dark eyes wide and her face a mask of fear. "I did not mean-, calm yourself. I am not displeased. You have done good work, but this suit will never be your masterpiece. That suit will have its machine spirit awoken on Carexi and bear the mark and work of Antaeous Drakon." Ludvia began to calm down. "A Chapter Master must wear his chapter's masterwork."

He extended his hand. She took it. "It is not fitting that you should fear my anger. You are a gifted artist and you have done no wrong. You should have nothing to fear from Astartes."

"Forgive me, my lord," she said looking down. "Not everyone is . . . as even tempered as you are." She did, Damien recalled, work on many of the suits of senior members of the Sword Bearers. She was one of his serfs, but her work had been so good that her skills had been in demand since she was twelve.

"Has anyone abused you?" he asked. It had not even occurred to him to think of it. They were Space Marines. Sword Bearers.

"No. No one at all. But . . . some are harsh."

"War and hardship is our purpose," he said. "That can make us . . . blind to differences between our lives and that of others. There is no need for you to fear and what you do here will be the first of many such works."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exacles knocked on the cell door. "Enter," was the response. The Chapter Master swung the door open to reveal a modest room. A desk with a cogitator was against the left wall, a cot against the back wall, and a weapon and armour stand on the right. Toth Arianocus was sitting at the desk, working something out on the cogitator.

"How are you?" asked Exacles.

"Keeping busy," the psyker replied. "We have yet to establish a rule of the Blood Tigers."

"That will come in time," said Exacles. "At the moment our needs are not ordinary and there are more tasks than there are hands. Establishing a rule that will not be followed is not the best use of my time."

"True," said Toth. "At least I only have to repaint a pauldron."

Damien glanced at Toth's armour. Unlike Damien's new Mark VIII suit, Toth wore a heavily modified and upgraded Mark VII that was one of the Chapter's heirlooms. The Shroud Armour was one of the two suits of Librarian Artificer Armour that the Chapter possessed, a treasure worn by one of the great heroes of the Founding. If Damien had not been the First Captain and entitled to wear the awesome Tactical Dreadnought Armour it was likely that he would have been granted a suit of similar antiquity and workmanship.

The ran his fingers reverently over the sky-blue armour. As laid out in the Codex Astartes, the armour of Librarians was painted blue, the the exception of the right pauldron, to indicate their special status. The rondels over the knees and the articulated plates protecting the armoured power cables in the lower abdomen were marked with horned skull symbols while the rondels near the pauldrons bore lightning bolts, both traditional symbols of Librarians. His fingers stopped at the helmet ring. This part of the armour was a known shell trap and the Mark VIII incorporated a raised collar to protect this weak spot. "It is a fine suit," said Damien, "and a worthy spirit within. I am, however, afraid you are mistaken."

"In what way?" asked Toth.

"All Blood Tigers shall paint their armour ebony and carnelian. Our Librarians stand with us, not apart from us."

"In that case, can I borrow Ludvia?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three hundred Marines stood in the empty vehicle bay. "Today," began Damien Exacles, "today we are gathered as Blood Tigers. We now bear our rightful markings and places in our new chapter. All of us, save five."

"Nihlus Cataran step forward." The heavy footsteps of the Terminator Armour resounded through the cavernous vehicle bay. "Veteran Sergeant, the First Company needs a captain that knows neither fear nor despair, that no adversity can break, who knows the weakness of the enemy and can strike with all the might at his command. Will you serve your brothers as First Captain?"

"It will be an honour," rumbled the Terminator.

"Jachen Volg." A Blood Tiger wearing Mark VIII armour stepped forward. "Chapter Master."

"The Second Company needs a captain who can make forty Astartes do the work of one hundred. Your record indicates such a feat will be easy for you."

"As long as my hearts beat I will strive for victory no matter what the odds."

"Ares Kahere step forward." A Marine in Mark VI armour stepped forward. "The Third Company holds forty Marines and each life is precious. It needs a captain who give ground without giving up victory, preserve the lives of his battle brothers while bleeding the enemy white, and strike from hiding like a tiger to pull down his prey when the moment is right."

"I live to serve."

"Marhkus Exacles step forward." A Marine in Mark VIII armour stepped forward. "I need an enginseer of destruction to lead the Fourth Company. One who is a master of siegecraft, fire zones, sabotage, and destruction. Will you lead our devastators?"

"I am with you brother, from birth until the time we find ourselves before the Throne."

"Zarien Cadril, step forward." A suit of Mark VII armour stepped forward, its colours ripping from the slate grey of the surrounding ferrocrete to the black and red of blood tigers and then back. "I need a veteran of proven wisdom and cunning to impart his knowledge on the future of our chapter."

"I haven't finished imparting my wisdom and cunning on my Chapter Master and I've had nearly two hundred years," Zarien responded, "but I'll see if I can make some time for our future scouts."

"We shall see," responded Exacles. "These are your captains. Do you find them worthy?"

A roar filled the bay as power armour augmented the shouts of three hundred enhanced post humans. Exacles smiled. "Then they are yours. Now is the time of our first deployment. Master of the Forge?"

"Chapter Master," said Antaeous Drakon as he stepped forward. "My techmarines and over a thousand chapter serfs are ready to depart."

"Captain Exacles you will be joining the expedition. Select two squads of your Fourth Company to accompany you. Master of the Fleet."

"Chapter Master. The Strike Cruiser Bloodshed and the Gunboats Razor and Torment are ready to receive passengers and cargo."

"Then begin.

[Grimnosh]

"As you have ordered, I have assembled a provisional order of battle in keeping with our resources and personnel. While the Blood Tigers currently consists of more than three hundred battle brothers, we can currently field only two hundred as line infantry. The rest are required as pilots, techmarines, librarians, apothecaries, fleet captains and so on. Currently our brothers will be organized in five companies of forty battle brothers each, with the First Company retaining their Terminator Tactical Dreadnought Armour. In that category alone we are well represented. We have no dreadnoughts and only a single Land Raider and a pair of Predator tanks. Two Whirlwinds and a thirteen Rhinos round out our ground forces. We have three apothecaries, including our Master, and five techmarines. The Libriarium consists of myself, two codiciers, and a lexicanium too early in his training to be assigned battle field duties. That leaves us with three Marines capable of astropathic communication and three thousand one hundred and seventeen chapter serfs to assist us in our tasks, not counting pre-adolescent children."

Hmmm a Land Raider and aproximently 40 suits of Terminator armor. A very generous amount of venerated gear there from thier parent chapter.

"Certainly Chapter Master. Our current naval strength could be generously characterized as 'feeble'. Our assets consist of three Strike Cruisers, two Hunter Destroyers, and two Gladius Frigates. We can easily transport the entire chapter but we cannot fight a major space engagement. A battle barge is being constructed for our use at the orbital dockyards at Delcius, but it will be another seventy-five months before it is completed and even with it we will be grossly understrength."

A little over 6 years to construct a Battle Barge? Sounds impressively fast to me, but as I don't have much knowledge of Battlefleet Gothic (or of the space units in general) it could be average construction speeds.

Other then that it seems about what I would expect gearwise for a starting chapter.

[Grimnosh]

Three hundred Marines stood in the empty vehicle bay. "Today," began Damien Exacles, "today we are gathered as Blood Tigers. Our now bears are markings and we now all have our places. All of us, save five."

Aside from this touch of confusion, everything is excelent. Can't wait for more IO.

[Imperial Overlord]

Hmmm a Land Raider and aproximently 40 suits of Terminator armor. A very generous amount of venerated gear there from thier parent chapter.

Keep in mind the Sword Bearers are considerably over strength. Its not as generous as it may look.

A little over 6 years to construct a Battle Barge? Sounds impressively fast to me, but as I don't have much knowledge of Battlefleet Gothic (or of the space units in general) it could be average construction speeds.

Six years to finish construction, not six years total. The keel was laid several years previously when the decision to consider founding another chapter was made. And it is fast. A major warship is usually a generation or more in construction time, but Delcius is a major forge world.

[DeRogue]

Six years to finish construction, not six years total. The keel was laid several years previously when the decision to consider founding another chapter was made. And it is fast. A major warship is usually a generation or more in construction time, but Delcius is a major forge world.

Indeed, Major forge worlds can get a Battle Barge ready in a (Relatively) short amount of time(Iirc, 15-50 years at a slow pace, shorter if it is the only major project), do remember that Battle Barges, whilst being the largest space marine craft, are still middle sized ships as compared to Imperial battleships.

I don't have my reference materials handy, and can therefore not double check, but these spitballed figures seem right.

[Chris OFarrell]

Actually, Battle Barges IIRC are roughly the same size as Imperial Battleships.

And IO, I take it that the decision to spin off a successor chapter was in large part because they were so over their codex strength?
That the High Lords (and/or the Inquisition directly) keep an eye out for chapters starting to get a little too big, and might suggest either a good old fashioned crusade, or a new founding?

Or was this entirely the Chapter Masters idea to get rid of comrades who were just not of the same thought process?

[DeRogue]

Actually, Battle Barges IIRC are roughly the same size as Imperial Battleships.

After consulting my old BFG books, I stand corrected.

[Imperial Overlord]

And IO, I take it that the decision to spin off a successor chapter was in large part because they were so over their codex strength?
That the High Lords (and/or the Inquisition directly) keep an eye out for chapters starting to get a little too big, and might suggest either a good old fashioned crusade, or a new founding?

Or was this entirely the Chapter Masters idea to get rid of comrades who were just not of the same thought process?

The Sword Bearers aren't above Codex strength by enough to worry anyone, but it was part of the decision to form a new successor chapter. There's a number of other factors coming into play such as the rise of Forge World Delcius and increasing Imperial interest in waging a major campaign of conquest into the Charybdis Reach.

[Rogue 9]

The chapter master and one of the captains share a name? Could get confusing.

[Imperial Overlord]

The chapter master and one of the captains share a name? Could get confusing.

It could. They are brothers and not in the metaphorical sense.