IA: Blood Dragons

[Blackrat]

Origins:

Founding: 6th
Geneseed: Sanguinius
Reason for creation: To aid in Arcadian Crusade and to safeguard the subsequent Subsector Arcadia.

The origins of Blood Dragons Chapter is shrouded in history but what little is known pertains to the Arcadian Crusade. With the 6th founding underway, one chapter was dedicated to the campaign, intended to cull the Ork infestations in the subsector.

Very little is known of the founding members of the chapter. The chapter was formed from mostly Blood Angels genestock and the first Chapter Master, Vlad was from the parent chapter. A far more influential figure in the formation of Blood Dragons was however the Dreadnought Desmodos, already ancient by that time, having fought in the Great Crusade millenia before. Desmodos was expert on tactics against orks, and it was his teachings that influenced the chapter's affinity for flamers.

As their forces grew the Blood Dragons claimed an Ork infested Death World Thera as their Homeworld. For unknown reason, the planet had been colonised ages before and native Therans were perfect candidates for recruitment. Constant war against the Orks, climate and natural beasts made them some of the hardiest men in the area, only matched by the ice warriors of their twin planet Thule.

The early years of the chapter was spent fighting the Orks on Thera and consolidating their presence among the Thuleans. From there on they have been an invaluable part of virtually every nearby large scale campaign. With nearly 8 millenia of experience, the Blood Dragons have fought against innumerable foes but their main adversary has always been the Orks who constantly besiege the Subsector Arcadia.

Homeworlds:

Doric system and its two "habitable" planets, Thule and Thera.

Thera is the planet closer to the star and on the inner edge of the habitable zone. The proximity to the star makes Thera a hot, barren desert with very little life. However, a persistent colonisation and terraforming during the Dark Age left the planet with a small but sustainable population. Millenia after millenia have made the Therans a hardy folk, perfectly suitable for the needs of Adeptus Astartes. Thera is the location of the Blood Dragons' Fortress Monastery, and has a vast cavernous underground that is infested with Orks. Blood Dragons have kept the xenos forces manageable, but they still mount raids and occasional Waagh! against the native population every now and then.

Thule on the other hand sits firmly on the outer edge of the habitable zone, making it mostly a frozen world. Thule has a narrow temperate area along the equator which houses actual civilised cities and agriculture. The wasteland areas however are populated by feudal clans who have become Blood Dragons' other source of recruits. Agreement with the planetary government has ensured that the more civilised Thuleans don't interfere with the folk of the wastelands more than absolutely necessary, keeping their warrior culture suitable for the chapter's needs. As with most planets in Arcadia, Thule too suffers from Orks, but the Guardsmen and Planetary Defence Force keeps them at bay.

Combat Doctrine:

Blood Dragons follow the Codex Astartes rigidly, believing it to be their salvation from the curse of their blood. The chapter specialises in the use of flamers, preferring to fight in conditions where they are optimal. This preferance comes from the Thulean Fire Cults that have mixed their worship of fire to the chapter cult.

Beliefs:

After many millenia the Imperial Creed, Blood Angel heritage, Theran Honour Code and Thulean Fire Cults have intervowen to form the basis of Blood Dragons' Chapter Cult. The Brothers and serfs all follow a vow of silence when in the most revered parts of the Fortress Monastery. This has also given them an unnerving habit of fighting in total silence, with commands issued by hand signals as far as possible.

The chapter worships fire as the manifested purity of the Emperor and an eternal flame burns at the center of the main hall. This belief has transferred to the field of war as reverence to the flamer weapons and being found worthy of wielding one is a great honor.

Geneseed:

Sanguinius. Blood Dragons seem to suffer very slightly less from the Black Rage than other descendants of the geneseed. The difference is so small that it could be just a statistical quirk, but the chapter itself believes it to be due to their superior discipline.

Battle Honors:

***.M32 Chapter founded as part of the sixth founding. Assigned to spearhead the Arcadian Crusade. Blood Dragons claim Thera as their homeworld.

9**.M32 Still a young chapter, Blood Dragons take part in the defence against the 3rd Black Crusade... And loses nearly half of it's fighting force. Epistolary Theogenes is interred to a dreadnought.

***.M33 During the thousandth anniversary of the chapter's founding, the Blood Dragons fight off a Waaagh! on Arcadia, including Thera. An Enormous Theran Dragon rips through the Ork Horde driving the greenskins to terrified panic. This is considered a sign of Emperor's favor and the Blood Dragons quickly adopt the beast to their cult's reverance.

001.M34 The 4th Black Crusade gives Blood Dragons a chance for revenge. The entire chapter joins the imperial counter attack on El'Phanor and successfully helps to drive the chaos back.

474.M34 During the Minos Campaign, the 2nd Company is lost to warp. When it emerges again four centuries later, the survivors have turned to the ruinous powers.

834.M34 Fighting yet another Waaagh!, the Blood Dragons come in contact with their lost brethren. With a holy fury they slaughter the renegades, and only a small warband escapes to haunt the chapter in future.

***.M35 A series of Space Hulks drift through the Subsector Arcadia and Blood Dragons board them all, claiming lost artefacts before the ships are lost to warp again.

***.M36 Blood Dragons solely safeguards the subsector during the Age of Apostasy, figthing Orks, Chaos and fellow humans alike.

***.M39 An Eldar force invades the subsector in search of something ancient. The Blood Dragons fights them off, but suffers heavy casualties. Immediately afterwards they are besieged by their Renegade Brethren and other forces of Chaos who nearly decimate the chapter. The Blood Dragons pushes them back however and grow ever more courageous.

999.M41 The Blood Dragons heed the call for Baal's defence, sending the entire 3rd, 4th and 7th companies as well as most of the 1st and 5th to help their brothers. Only the 2nd company is left completely untouched as a sizeable Ork force is pillaging the outer regions of Subsector Arcadia, and the 2nd is assigned to deal with the situation.

Chapter Organization

Sanquinary Guard (The Ancients) - 15 Guards
Reclusiam - 15 Chaplains
Apothecarion - 21 Sanguinary Priests
Librarius - 29 Librarians
Armoury - 25 Techmarines
Fleet Command - 3 Battle Barges, 5 Strike Cruisers, 22 Escorts.

1st Company (White Flames) - Veteran Company, full 100 tactical dreadnought armours
2nd Company (Blood Hunters) - Specialty; tactics against Renegade Marines
3rd Company (Flame Talons) - Battle Company
4th Company (Fire Walkers) - Battle Company
5th Company (Black Ice) - Battle Company
6th Company (Firestorm) - Tactical Reserves
7th Company (Purple Dragons) - Tactical Reserves
8th Company (Dragon Riders) - Assault Reserves
9th Company (Inferno) - Devastator Reserves
10th Company (Hatchlings) - Scouts

Death Company - Currently 10 marines and 1 dreadnought

Heroes of the Chapter:

Chapter Master Outis
*Reconstructing records*

Chief Librarian Theogenes
Theogenes began his career early in the history of the chapter and records of those times have long layed undisturbed in the vaults of the Librarium. It is known he was an exceptional warrior and a strong psyker and rose through the ranks of Librarius fast. During the 3rd Black Crusade, then Epistolary Theogenes suffered a mortal wound. He was quickly deemed too great an asset to lose and so Theogenes was entombed to a Dreadnought. It was not long after that he was first offered the position of Chief Librarian but Theogenes kept rejecting it for the next couple millenia. Eventually he was forced to accept that he was the best suited librarian in the chapter to take up the task.

Theogenes is now ancient by any measures and spends great deal of time in stasis sleep, weary of the universe. He is however a great repository of historical knowledge and regularly woken to spread his wisdom.

Apollon, Captain, 1st Company
*Reconstructing records*

Ares, Captain, 2nd Company
Ares the Undying was thought to have been mortally wounded in fight that pitted his company against both the orks and the renegade marines. Against all odds he did survive, but was horribly disfigured. His both eyes have been replaced with bionics and he chose to have them crimson red, to better drive horror in the hearts of his enemies. (Counts as Tycho)

Adonis, Captain, 7th Company
*Reconstructing records*

Daedalos, Captain, 8th Company
*Reconstructing records*

Zeus, Captain, 10th Company
*Reconstructing records*

Brother Sergeant Leonidas, 1st Company
*Reconstructing records*

Battle Cries:

-*Unnerving Silence*
-Burn!


The main thematic elements of the chapter:
-Greek Mythology based naming convention
-Flamer Affinity
-Tendency to hoard artefacts

Well that's the extent of my desing so far, but I'll keep improving it. Let me know your opinions and any kind of suggestion is always welcome. Edited February 27, 2013 by Blackrat

[Plague Angel]

Welcome to the B&C!

 

Hm, my first thought was "that color scheme is so boring", and then I read they were Blood Angels successors, and now I think it's interesting and stands out among the other BA successors. Funny how that works. I'd work on the shoulder trim though.

 

"Angels of Judgment" sounds Unforgiven to my ear, though.

 

Flamers, flamers everywhere sounds good (especially with hand-flamers back in the Codex) but a flamer-happy army on a frozen world seems kind of... discordant. I can't decide whether I like that discord or not.

[Blackrat]

Welcome to the B&C!

 

Hm, my first thought was "that color scheme is so boring", and then I read they were Blood Angels successors, and now I think it's interesting and stands out among the other BA successors. Funny how that works. I'd work on the shoulder trim though.

Thanks. Which shoulder do you mean. I was thinking of using black on the left to trim it with the same theme as otherwise. And the right shoulder trim is to distinguish company.

"Angels of Judgment" sounds Unforgiven to my ear, though.

Well, to tell the truth, this was going to be a Dark Angels successor when I started the planning... But I couldn't get the color scheme work for my aesthetics, and by the time I got to red base, I decided to make it Blood Angels successor.

 

Flamers, flamers everywhere sounds good (especially with hand-flamers back in the Codex) but a flamer-happy army on a frozen world seems kind of... discordant. I can't decide whether I like that discord or not.

Heh, well they need a way to keep warm there :P

 

Thanks for the input.

[Plague Angel]

I think I'd make both shoulders the company trim, or use a different designation. I'm all for different color shoulders (check my own IA to see proof of that), but different colored shoulder trim bothers me.

[Malthe]

Actually I very much like your colours, including the yellow and black shoulder trims!

 

A couple of questions for you to work on:

 

What 'Judgement' does Angels of Judgement refer to?

Personally I'm think along the line of a dooms day theme, with the Angels culling the wicked, but the name sounds a little too... Angelic for that... And quite Unforgiven :P

Maybe, 'The Emperor's Revenge', 'Angels of Slaughter' or something with 'Flame' or 'Fire' in it instead?

 

Why do they specialize in flame weapons?

A fronzen wasteland is hardly the optimal place to use fire?

 

Also 'noble savages from an Ice World is already done to death... You're only going to remind people of Fenris if you insist on going that route.

I suggest you cut either 'savages', frozen wasteland or both.

Also check out The Ice Lords (in the Librarium) if you insist on the ice thing, that's actually a unique idea for a planet covered in ice! But then again, it's already been done :devil:

 

Something to think about :lol:

[Blackrat]

Hmm... You have indeed given me something to think about. I wasn't aware of the Space Wolves ice planet theme. I knew they came from harsh planet but not that it was one of these. Well, I have already thought of a twist that sets my angels apart, and I'll be modifying the savage part somewhat.

 

Ah, yes. I will keep the shoulder trims definitely. Personally I really like them to be different.

 

The name has seen some fluctuation, and as I said, my planning started with Dark Angels successor, so it's not surprising that it brings them in mind. I ended with this mainly 'cause I like it better than Angels of Wrath which was my other choice. I've also been thinking of four-word names but seeing how all the official ones are max three words, it feels forced.

 

I will have to think of a way to explain their flamer specialisation. So far it's just my personal preferance on both the weapon and terrain. The apparent conflict between the two is intentional, but I'll need to figure out in-universe logic to it :cuss

 

Thanks for both inputs.

[Plague Angel]

Ah, yes. I will keep the shoulder trims definitely. Personally I really like them to be different.

 

Go for it. My own color scheme isn't very popular around here... but I like it and I'm keeping it. I've already started painting it anyways.

[Blackrat]

Go for it. My own color scheme isn't very popular around here... but I like it and I'm keeping it. I've already started painting it anyways.

Well it's different for sure. I actually like it.

 

I edited my first post to include larger description.

Edited January 25, 2011 by Blackrat

[Blackrat]

I hope double posting isn't aversed around here. Anyway, since the name does sound somewhat Dark Angelish to me too, I was thinking of something else. Now I'm dead set on the name having the word Angel in it so figuring out one that doesn't sound corny is quite hard.

 

What do you guys think of Flaming Angels? It'd fit well with their theme of using flamers, but I fear it has a bit of cheezy echo...

[Malthe]

I think Flaming Angels sounds a little too much like a curse... "Flaming Angels, that hurt!", or "Flaming Angels, that girl is smoking!" (See what I did there B) )

 

Rather Angels of Fire, then.

Though I don't think you need to use either 'Angel' or 'Fire' unless you really really wants to.

It's a little to generic and bland.

 

Why don't you have a look in the 'Guide to DIY' up in the sticky section, there is a part about naming your chapter?

 

Cheers :blush:

[NightrawenII]

What do you guys think of Flaming Angels? It'd fit well with their theme of using flamers, but I fear it has a bit of cheezy echo...

Fiery Angels

Flame Angels

[Balthamal]

Could always call them Angels Pyra if you don't object to a small bit of Latin in there

[Plague Angel]

Could always call them Angels Pyra if you don't object to a small bit of Latin in there

 

I kind of like it.

[Blackrat]

Could always call them Angels Pyra if you don't object to a small bit of Latin in there

 

I kind of like it.

And I really like it. Considering Pyra is also bysantine greek for Fire and I was going to have a greek theme for the personal names of the marines... I love that. Thank you very much, I think I will be using that.

[Blackrat]

I think Flaming Angels sounds a little too much like a curse... "Flaming Angels, that hurt!", or "Flaming Angels, that girl is smoking!" (See what I did there :P )

 

Rather Angels of Fire, then.

Though I don't think you need to use either 'Angel' or 'Fire' unless you really really wants to.

It's a little to generic and bland.

 

Why don't you have a look in the 'Guide to DIY' up in the sticky section, there is a part about naming your chapter?

 

Cheers ;)

True, but the thing is, I really want to use "Angel", it's the other part I'm having trouble with ;) Judgement really doesn't fit for my idea anymore either.

 

Names I'm considering now:

-Angels of Wrath (Apparently there might have been an official chapter by this name some time in the past)

-Angels Pyra (As suggested by Balthamal. I like it, but I'm not sure anymore)

-Knights Pyra (Lacks the Angel but sounds more structured to me)

-Seraphim (Almost literally Angels of Fire)

-Knights Seraphim (Sounds better for some reason. Dunno, I just might not like the one-word names)

-Angels of Valor (Has a nice noble sounds to it)

-Archangels (I can't understand why there isn't a chapter by this name already. Yeah, it's the name of the Blood Angels' 1st Company, but that can't be the reason)

-Lords of Fire (Lacks the Angel again, but Angels of Fire and Angels of Flame are both official...)

-Emperor's Wrath (Again, lacks Angel, but has nice ring to it and Wrath sounds suitably "angelic" to me)

 

Opinions on these appreciated as I can't seem to make up my mind.

[Plague Angel]

Names I'm considering now:

-Angels of Wrath (Apparently there might have been an official chapter by this name some time in the past)

 

Too general. Like "Angels of Death." It could apply to any Chapter colloquially.

 

-Angels Pyra (As suggested by Balthamal. I like it, but I'm not sure anymore)

-Knights Pyra (Lacks the Angel but sounds more structured to me)

 

I like both of these, for reasons I'll share momentarily.

 

-Seraphim (Almost literally Angels of Fire)

 

Too obvious. I can practically guarantee there are several dozen, if not a hundred, DIYs out there called "the Seraphim." They just aren't posted here. :woot:

 

-Knights Seraphim (Sounds better for some reason. Dunno, I just might not like the one-word names)

 

Just adding one word makes it more unique and gives it some flavor. This one's worth considering.

 

-Angels of Valor (Has a nice noble sounds to it)

 

Okay. Maybe this is just me. Or this could just be a coincidence. But to me at least:

 

Angels of Prepositional Object sounds like a Dark Angels successor — Angels of Absolution, Angels of Redemption, Angels of Vengeance, Disciples of Caliban... Angels of Judgment, Angels of Valor.

 

Angels Predicate Adjective is more the style of the Blood Angels successors: Angels Sanguine, Angels Encarmine, Angels Vermillion... Host Incarnadine, Angels Pyra, Knights Seraphim.

 

So by that logic, try The Angels Valorous.

 

-Archangels (I can't understand why there isn't a chapter by this name already. Yeah, it's the name of the Blood Angels' 1st Company, but that can't be the reason)

 

Like Angels of Death and Seraphim, it combines both problems of being too general and too obvious.

 

-Lords of Fire (Lacks the Angel again, but Angels of Fire and Angels of Flame are both official...)

 

While this isn't a bad name, it could be the name of any random Ultra or Sallie successor. It fits your chapter fine, but it doesn't clue your readers or opponents that they're Sanguinian unless they read the IA. This isn't a bad thing, per se, but something to be mindful of. You might actually prefer it that way.

 

-Emperor's Wrath (Again, lacks Angel, but has nice ring to it and Wrath sounds suitably "angelic" to me)

 

There's a warp storm with that name already.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Plague Angel

[NightrawenII]

Seraphim is name of Sisters of Battle unit.

[Plague Angel]

Seraphim is name of Sisters of Battle unit.

 

Good catch.

 

So maybe Knights Seraphic instead.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Seraphim is name of Sisters of Battle unit.

 

Good catch.

 

So maybe Knights Seraphic instead.

 

Umm.. Not that it actually stops you, but Dark Guards Knights Seraphic.

[Blackrat]

Seraphim is name of Sisters of Battle unit.

 

Good catch.

 

So maybe Knights Seraphic instead.

 

Umm.. Not that it actually stops you, but Dark Guards Knights Seraphic.

Yeah, I'm avare of the Sisters of Battle unit and that doesn't matter to me at all. Now Knights Seraphim sounds a bit too closely to the one that Captain Juan linked to, but I'm more conserned about not using official chapters than stepping on someone else's DIY...

 

I think I've narrowed my decision to Knights Seraphim and Lords of Fire. I like the first one better, but I am a little averse to using one that sounds so closely to another ones idea... Need to think about it. Might go with it anyway.

[Balthamal]

I'd stay away from Lords of Fire since there's already a chapter called the Fire Lords. Sounds too similar

[Blackrat]

I'll keep thinking about the name. Over the weekend I've come up with several new ideas, but that's a matter for later. I need some opinion on a fluff idea. Mainly whether it's viable at all. I couldn't find anything at Lexicanum so I defer to you guys:

 

Dreadnought Librarian or Dreadnought Chaplain. Is such thing possible? Not rules-wise for actual gaming but just for fluff?

[Plague Angel]

Seeing as there are in fact rules for both Librarian Dreadnoughts (Codex Blood Angels) and Chaplain Dreadnoughts (Forge World) I'm going to go with "Yup."

[Blackrat]

Seeing as there are in fact rules for both Librarian Dreadnoughts (Codex Blood Angels)...

Damn, must have missed that ;) Thanks

Oh yeah, I painted a quick test version. It's been ages since I've painted myself (wife dear does the painting nowdays :D) so I'm quite happy with the results.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Blackrat

[Blackrat]

I have made quite a big update on the first post. All in all, I'm not that good a writer so I've tried to keep things somewhat simple and short.