IA: Knights Vindicant

[Harlan Skorus]

Index Astartes

CHAPTER NAME: ..............THE KNIGHTS VINDICANT

FOUNDING: ..................26_TH [738.M41]

CHAPTER WORLD: .............N/A
FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........MONUMENT OF AWE

GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...BLACK CONSULS [uLTRAMARINES]
KNOWN DESCENDANTS: .........NONE

"May our deaths be glorious, that our foes remember our wrath."
Harlan Skorus, Master of Sanctity; to Battle Brothers at the Battle for Talacra Prime.

T

he Knights Vindicant are a Space Marine Chapter, created as descendants of the Black Consuls Chapter, and through them the Ultramarines Legion, during the 26th Founding. Originally intended as a replacement Astartes Praeses Chapter for the destroyed Black Consuls, the Chapter instead was diverted to patrolling the Eastern Fringe in the wake of Hive Fleet Behemoth's attack on Ultramar. The Chapter notably suffered heavy losses battling Hive Fleet Vritra twice between 992.M41 and 001.M42 and functioned at minimal strength for just over a century, until being brought back to full strength by absorbing Primaris Greyshields from the Indomitus Crusade.

The badge of the Knights Vindicant is a black eagle head over white crossed swords. Their colours are silver with blue. On most marines, the blue is displayed on the shoulder pads, kneepads, helmet, belt, and backpack. The Company colour is displayed on the left shoulder pad trim, and also on the chest decoration. Veteran marines also paint their helmets gold, the colour of the 1st Company. Colour scheme for Librarians, Chaplains, Apothecarions, and Techmarines are according to Codex Astartes. The Knights Vindicant battle cry is Memento Ira!/Remember our wrath!

“Security breeds complacency, and we will know no rest.”
Brother-Captain Maekor Eltas of the 1^st Company, addressing new recruits, 102.M41

O

riginally intended as a Crusading Chapter, the Knights Vindicant were fleet based. The Battle Barge Terrible Vow served as their mobile fortress-monastery, and recruits were taken from whichever suitable worlds they were granted recruiting rights to. This led to the Chapter's new recruits having a variety of cultural and societal beliefs, a lack of any one domineering cultural bias ensuring the Chapter has not had reason to deviate from the Codex Astartes. As the Chapter has largely been based near the Eastern Fringe since its inception, most of those who are not founding members of the Chapter hail from this area of Imperial space.

For a brief period between the Poriphon Wars against Hive Fleet Vritra at the end of M41, the Knights Vindicant based themselves on the Ocean Planet of Talacra, forming a floating Fortress-Monastery from the ruins of their destroyed flagship, the Battle Barge Terrible Vow. The planet was abandoned when overrun at the start of the Second Poriphon War however, and the Chapter once again resumed its spacefaring nature, basing itself across Darina’s Fire and Excisor, their two remaining Strike Cruisers. The arrival of a Torchbearer fleet bearing reinforcements in 102.M42 also brought with it the Battle Barge Monument of Awe, which now serves as the Chapter’s headquarters. Having spent the prior 120 years defending the Barus Sector, they have been granted access to a number of recruiting worlds within this sector; primarily, the feral world of Obol in the Har Myrae system, where the Chapter has taken it’s recent stock of aspirants for assessment and induction.

“From my vigil on the Watch Fortress, I looked on, helpless, as my Brothers fell to the Great Enemy. By the Emperor's divine will, I have been given a chance to change what I could not. We will not end, not yet.”
Brother Antedes, Venerable Dreadnought; during a council held by the remaining Knights Vindicant following the end of the Poriphon War.

T

he Chapter was founded as part of the 26th founding, in 738.M41, primarily using the geneseed of the all-but extinct Black Consuls Chapter. The Chapter's founding leader was Oris Antedes, a Black Consul who had been serving as a Watch Captain of the Deathwatch; the Chapter's recruits were initially trained by Antedes, the few remaining Black Consuls he could muster, and a detachment of the Ultramarines Chapter. Although originally intended to patrol the Cadian Gate, the Knights Vindicant were instead diverted to the Ultima Segmentum almost as soon as they had reached battle strength due to the incursion of Hive Fleet Behemoth. Although not arriving until after the major battles had been fought, the Knights Vindicant worked in concert with numerous other Chapters and Imperial forces in hunting down any remaining elements of Hive Fleet Behemoth.

The Knights Vindicant then started on a long patrol into the Eastern Fringe. Encountering numerous Tau colony worlds, they won significant victories over the Tau at the Battle of Madragast VI (796.M41) and the Irusci Insurrection (802.M41). Chapter Master Antedes was gravely wounded during the Irusci Insurrection and was interred into a Dreadnought, as the Chapter continued it's crusade into the Eastern Fringe under Chapter Master Molon. Of note, they defeated a sizable Ork Waaagh! under Warboss Grazgar Rendklaw at the Battle for Isadoni (845.M41); and the Dark Eldar Kabal of the Wild Light, defeating them on the surface of the moon Maroch (878.M41), before destroying the Kabal aboard their fleet in a mass boarding action led by the young Captain Indrus Baeloc and the 3rd Company (879.M41). Since the victory over the Kabal of the Wild Light, the Knights Vindicant were involved in a score of minor conflicts of little note, up until the outbreak of the Poriphon War.

The Poriphon Wars

Whilst on route to Sotha to assist the forces battling Hive Fleet Kraken in 992.M41, the Knights Vindicant had stopped to resupply in the little-known Poriphon system when a splinter of Hive Fleet Kraken was discovered on the outer edges of the system. Dubbed Hive Fleet Vritra, it rampaged through the outer planets of the system before Captain Indrus Baeloc, with the help of four regiments from the Heralic Armoured Infantry, managed to halt the Tyranids on Heral. The war spread to consume Talacra, another planet in the system, where the Chapter sustained grievous losses including most of their fleet, hundreds of Marines and most of their Command staff, including Chapter Master Molon, in an effort to destroy the bulk of the Tyranid threat.[/background]

The Hive Fleet was eventually destroyed with the intervention of Battlefleet Barus, although not until Heral had been abandoned and subjected to Exterminatus. The Knights Vindicant suffered catastrophic losses in the war, with little more than a hundred Space Marines and only two of it's Captains surviving the battles with Hive Fleet Vritra, alongside the losses of much of their armoury and all but two Strike Cruisers of their fleet.

From 993.M41, the Chapter based itself on the planet Talacra in the Poriphon system whilst it tried to rebuild, forging a floating Fortress of the remains of the Battle Barge Terrible Vow. The Knights Vindicant also took responsibility for combating the unexpected resurgence of the Tyranid threat on Talacra; a very small number of Xenos having seemingly survived the bombardment of Talacra that ended the Poriphon War, seeming to grow in numbers despite efforts to eradicate them. Chapter Master Indrus Baeloc did all he could to deflect requests for the Chapter's presence elsewhere by the Imperium in the period up to 999.M41, fueling speculation that the Knights Vindicant were a crippled Chapter; some onlookers going so far as to cast aspersions as to the stability of their gene-seed.

In the dying days of 999.M41, the Second Poriphon War broke out. Without notice, the Terrible Vowcame under attack by swarms of Tyranids rising from the deep; having evidently spent years breeding and adapting to their underwater environment. The Knights Vindicant fought a bitter battle, desperately holding out until less than a Chapter’s worth of survivors could be evacuated from Talacra aboard their Strike Cruiser, Darian’s Fire. Those left were led to the nearby agri-world Ymirica; also experiencing a resurgence of Hive Fleet Vritra that nearly overwhelmed the local PDF and Heralic Mechanised Legion regiments stationed there since the end of the First Poriphon War. Under Baeloc’s leadership, Ymirica was also kept safe, and Vritra was defeated for the second and final time when an artillery company attached to the 212nd Heralic Armoured Infantry sacrificed itself to destroy the Bio-Titan at the core of the Xenos swarm.

Age of the Dark Imperium

With the fall of Cadia and the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum, what was left of the Knights Vindicant were set to policing the wider Barus Sector by Baeloc, knowing that with limited numbers they balanced on the precipice of extinction. Spreading themselves thin in order to bolster as many Imperial defences as possible, they forged a legend as heroes of the sector as new battlefields came alive one after the other, foes of the Imperium seeking to capitalise on its weakness and confusion. Over the next century, the Knights Vindicant would notably lead the defence against numerous attempts of the minor Tau Pa’shel sept to encroach on outlying planets of the sector, and were instrumental in the defeat of Waaagh! Gurgor, Indrus Baeloc slaying the Ork warboss himself after the remnants of the Chapter launched a lightning strike on Gurgor’s personal retinue of Nobs.

Meanwhile reinforcements trickled in; but with the Imperium in Chaos, they did not come quite as fast as the Chapter lost its strength. Small losses across numerous battlefields added up, and when the Torchbearer ship finally found the Chapter battered and bloody in the wake of Waaagh! Gurgor, just seventy Knights Vindicant and a handful of tanks remained. Under these circumstances, Baeloc had no choice but to willingly accept almost an entire Chapter’s worth of Greyshield Primaris marines under his leadership, retiring or recommending obsolete vehicles to the Deathwatch in return for an armoury of Impulsors and Repulsors, and receiving a new Battle Barge and two new Strike Cruisers for it’s fleet.

One last tragedy would strike, however. In order to integrate themselves with their new Brothers, the remaining Knights Vindicant held a council in which they decided as one to all submit themselves to the Rubicon Primaris. Perhaps the Rubicon was as dangerous as first feared, or perhaps the naysayers of late M41 had been correct when they doubted the worth of the Chapter’s geneseed. Regardless of the reason, over half of those who had survived over a century of almost endless combat died undergoing the arduous surgeries required.

“Strike not without purpose; strike hard, and strike fast, and find your next foe before the first realises he is dead.

Brother-Captain Orstan Larentes of the 2^nd Company, Battle of Hive Fraxxis

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argely adherent to the guidelines laid down in the Codex Astartes, the Knights Vindicant have a preference for surgical armoured strikes; not the overwhelming force of those such as the Aurora Chapter, but using their mobility to strike with speed and precision against key targets in tactics reminiscent of the White Scars. This developed through the Chapter's link to the Black Consuls and their favoured tactic of mass Drop Pod assaults, through an approach of heavy armoured assaults. Although the Chapter lost much of it’s armoured strength in the years following the Poriphon Wars, these too have been replenished by a large stock of Primaris Repulsors and Impulsors, in return for the Chapter offering what few tanks remained to them for service in the Deathwatch. The Chapter has even benefitted from a detachment of the Astraeus super-heavy grav tank which form the core of its armoured strength.

“Some days it is hard to remember all that Vritra took from us. Some days it is hard to forget.”
Carve Sorris, Chief Apothecarion; from conversation logs with Chapter Master Baeloc.

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ecent reinforcements have led to a period of re-adjustment within the Knights Vindicant, operating at full strength for the first time in over a century. Indrus Baeloc retained those of the Chapter who survived the Rubicon Primaris in key command positions across all companies, relying on those he knows the abilities of whilst assessing the leadership and prowess of his newer Greyshield recruits. Reverting to a Codex-compliant structure, there are few differences of note from standard Chapter organisation.

Owing to the Chapter’s doctrine of focused armoured strike, each Company will have a core of vehicles dedicated to it, rather than being assigned from the Chapter’s armoury. This allows vehicle crews and squads a closer bond, and the Knights Vindicant infantry and armoured elements are known to work particularly efficiently in concert. The armoury in the meantime retains the battle tanks of the Chapter, assigning detachments of Repulsor Executioners and Astraeus tanks as they are required.

The 1^st Company, usually expected to consist of Chapter veterans, does not yet have considerably more combat experience than the rest of the Chapter. Due to the recent influx of Greyshield reinforcements, admission to the 1^st Company is currently fluid; two squads have been picked of the most aggressive Primaris, forming them into Excelsor-units who enter battle carrying Eviscerator Chainswords. The remaining strength of the 1^st Company is made up of 10 Parimaris marines each nominated from the 2^nd through 9^th Companies, who are technically slightly overstrength as a result. It is expected that in time, identification of a 1^st Company ‘core’ will form and this practise will cease as units are permanently absorbed into the 1^st.

Where traditional Chapters might have the 10^th Company consist of Scout initiates, the Knights Vindicant operate theirs as a Vanguard company. New recruits are expected to gain experience in Battleline, Close Support and Fire Support roles in this Company, before being moved into one of the other Companies to gain more specific, in-depth experience as normal.

“Gulliman held the Imperium together as it threatened to shatter in the wake of his predecessor. I must do the same.”
Indrus Baeloc, Chapter Master; from conversation logs with Chief Apothecarion Sorris.

Chapter Master Indrus Baeloc

Formerly Captain of the Knights Vindicant 3rd Company, Indrus Baeloc was instrumental in the Chapter's defeat of the Kabal of the Wild Light in 878-879.M41, and further distinguished himself in the battle against Hive Fleet Vritra. Despite their inevitable defeat, Baeloc's rearguard held the planet of Heral long enough for Battlefleet Barus to arrive and destroy the Tyranid ships in orbit before they had a chance to consume the planet. Baeloc assumed leadership of the Chapter following the First Poriphon War, and was instrumental in saving the system from a resurgent Vritra in the Second Poriphon War of 999.M41-001.M42.

A solid warrior and an exceptional tactician, favouring lightning strikes against key targets, Baeloc was forced to spend his forces as efficienlty as possibly across the Barus sector, watching his brother's numbers dwindle with every engagement. Leading the Imperium to victory against numerous incursions from the Pa'shel Tau, and marshalling the defence against Waaagh! Grugor before slaying the Warboss in combat, Baeloc has become something of a hero to the local militarum regiments. With a new influx of Greyshield Primaris finally putting the Chapter back at full strength, Baeloc has set about defending the embattled Barus sector with a renewed ferocity.

Venerable Brother Antedes

Originally of the Black Consuls, Ores Antedes was serving with the Deathwatch at the time of the Black Consul's destruction at the Siege of Goddeth Hive. Antedes had risen to the rank of Watch Captain through various tours of service at Indomitus Point Watch Fortress, and had resigned himself to life as a Black Shield before he was offered the opportunity to head a new Chapter. Antedes served as Chapter Master of the Knights Vindicant until suffering a mortal injury in an ambush by a Tau Crisis Suit team during the Irusci Insurrection of 802.M41, and was interred within a Dreadnought.

Antedes has continued to fight alongside his brothers, providing heavy fire support with the pin-point accuracy that he had become known for. Brother Antedes was one of just two Dreadnoughts that survived into M42, and with centuries of experience, has become one of Baeloc's most valuable advisors. Known for his fierce temperament, in recent years Antedes has been content to see the Knights Vindicant re-established a a full-fledged Primaris Chapter, knowing as he freely admits that it will make him one of the last of his kind.

Venerable Brother Cantekles

The second of the two Castaferrum dreadnoughts to still exist in the Chapter, Cantakles' scroll of honour is not quite as long as Antedes, but he is a redoubtable foe no less. Armed with two twin-linked autocannons, he is most often found reinforcing the fire support elements of any force he is attached to. Stoic where Antedes is fiery, Cantakles offers little interaction with his brothers until they reach the battlefield, where he truly thrives.

Carve Sorris, Chief Apothecarion

Carve Sorris has served in his post since before the First Poriphon War, where much of the Chapter's geneseed was lost. Facing the monumental task of keeping a Chpater most thought doomed to inevitable loss from becoming extinct, Sorris had been prone to bouts of severe melancholy. However, sis demeanor has been tempered in recent years by the introduction of the new Primaris reinforcements, and he expresses a warm, if sometimes intrusive, curiosity towards them.

1st Company Captain Maekor Eltas

Previously a Sergeant in the 1st Company, most often found leading a detachment of Terminator-clad warriors, Eltas recieved a sudden and unexpected promotion after his predecessor fell tackling an infestation of Genestealers. He has taken to the role well, using any opportunity he can to remind the new influx of Primaris marines of the storied history of the Chapter, and casting a keen eye to identify any aspirants he thinks suitable for the vaunted 1st Company.

2nd Company Captain Orstan Larentes

A veteran of many battles, Larentes has led units since the first engagements against Hive Fleet Vritra. One of Javas Varantis' trusted sergeants, he took over command of the 2nd Company after Varantis fell in battle with the Warboss Grugor. Known for being even-tempered, his mood has been soured somewhat by the Rubicon Primaris, a difficult transition leaving him with intermittent pains in the head.

2nd Company Lieutenant Gor Nayvir

Seen as the most promising of the Greyshield recruits, Gor Nayvir is a veteran of the Indomitus Crusade. A noted veteran of the Battle of Ophelia VII and the Cleansing of Pyros, he was quickly identified as a future leader of the Chapter, quickly adapting his favoured tactic of overlapping static gunlines to the Knights Vindicant's more mobile approach.

Knights Vindicant Chapter Banner.

Knights Vindicant Brother Argo, 2nd Company, Squad Firaxes (M41)

Edited July 14, 2020 by Harlan Skorus

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Others, they bring the pain but today I Bring the Critique!

 

 

As the Chapter has largely been based in Ultramar

 

Those funky dudes in blue might want to know why!

 

 

small numbers of Tyranids survived the orbital bombardment, and the Knights Vindicant try to control their numbers as much as is possible.

 

But if the planet was bombarded enough to turn it in to an arid wastedland, which seems impossible if you are also going to have water, how did any Tyranids survive? Also, why are the Chapter not more interested in eradication than controlling numbers?

 

Further points include:

 

If there is an arid wasteland because of orbital bombardment, how did the feral indiginous peoples survive?

 

If there is an arid wasteland, where is the biomass coming from that Tyranids not just need but hunger for?

 

 

It is highly likely that at some point in the near future, the Chapter will return to it's fleet-bound state and move on in the quest to rebuild itself.

 

To run counter to one of my favourite phrases.. We can't rebuild it, we don't have the technology! How are they going to replace the fleet?

 

 

Combat Doctrine

 

You've gone for quite a narrative style here to delve in to their style of warfare but does it fit with the tone of the rest of the article? And more importantly, does it need such detail?

 

Think that's all I have, as this stole my first critique!

Edited April 30, 2014 by Captain Juan Juarez

[Dizzyeye01]

Time to return the critique you gave with a bit of my own :)

 

I can't quite find the text but its states somewhere that your chapter when it was developing its strength just took recruits from suitable planets as needed due to it being fleet-bound. The problem is one I've faced too: not everyone will be happy taking recruits as you please from places that aren't your homeworld or area of protection.

 

Juan has the other points so I won't repeat them

 

Hope this helps out :)

[Captain Juan Juarez]

In terms of recruitment, there are actually more worlds you can recruit from than you can't.

 

Examples of worlds you can't recruit from:

 

Astartes homeworlds and, to be ever so detailed, any world they have recruiting rights to.

 

Imperial Guard worlds - such as Cadia, Mordia, Catachan.

 

Mechanicus worlds - Forge Worlds and the like.

 

Cardinal worlds - belonging to the Ecclesiarchy.

 

Obvious, there are plenty of Knight, Feral, Death, Hive - and so on - worlds left in the great universe to choose from so that you can still take recruits from different places. Remember that any world that a Chapter has the right to recruit from is probably going to have a Chapter Keep even if it isn't currently manned.

[Dizzyeye01]

Ignore me, Juan just phrases things so much better  

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Basically, the key is how you state what you want to get across which is the fact they recruit from multiple places.

 

It's easy to do this, just by saying that their campaigns have taken them far and wide and won them the right to recruit from many worlds across the Imperium.  Just be careful about stating an actual number.

[Harlan Skorus]

Gah... go to make a small edit, and the coding goes mad. This is why I don't do these things.
 

 

Those funky dudes in blue might want to know why!

 

Because they spent they spent their early years helping mop up the mess Behemoth made. Nonetheless, it was phrased poorly and probably not all that important, so I editted it out (which is what led to the code implosions mentioned above).

 

 

But if the planet was bombarded enough to turn it in to an arid wasted land, which seems impossible if you are also going to have water, how did any Tyranids survive? Also, why are the Chapter not more interested in eradication than controlling numbers?

Further points include:

If there is an arid wasteland because of orbital bombardment, how did the feral indiginous peoples survive?
If there is an arid wasteland, where is the biomass coming from that Tyranids not just need but hunger for?

 

 

I think a lot of this is a consequence of me not adequately explaining stuff (that sometime comes from different documents) and completely misunderstanding stuff.

• The one continent was bombarded to a pile of dirt. The rest of the planet, being ocean, was left alone. I am not sure if this works with 40k logistics, but it seems feasible.
• I read somewhere that apparently some Tyranid organisms can survive orbital bombardment. I probably didn't think this through before jumping to conclusions, and I can't seem to find the reference at the moment. Until I can I will be rethinking this.
• The Chapter are interested in eradication, but it's hard for them to commit in enough force to chase the 'Nids down. Also, there's a whole thing with an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor blocking requests to have the planet properly cleansed because he needs to occasionally steal specimens for his Anphelion Project pt 2, which is one of those things in a different document. This is another thing that I am not sure about it being feasible.
• I have no idea how these indiginous folk survived. I am not sure why I haven't thought of that.
• The idea was that the surviving 'Nids had adapted to be able to live/hunt underwater, and the planet is basically a ticking timebomb. Apparently the absorbing water things happens a lot later in the Tyranid invasion that I thought, this may need considering.

 

 

To run counter to one of my favourite phrases.. We can't rebuild it, we don't have the technology! How are they going to replace the fleet?

 

I was under the impression that this would be the responsibility of the Adeptus Mechanicus, who supply the Chapters with vehicles/fleets etc?

 

 

You've gone for quite a narrative style here to delve in to their style of warfare but does it fit with the tone of the rest of the article? And more importantly, does it need such detail?

 

Upon rereading: no and no. It was written a while after the rest of the stuff. I will go over it tomorrow (he says confidently).

 

 

Time to return the critique you gave with a bit of my own

I can't quite find the text but its states somewhere that your chapter when it was developing its strength just took recruits from suitable planets as needed due to it being fleet-bound. The problem is one I've faced too: not everyone will be happy taking recruits as you please from places that aren't your homeworld or area of protection.

 

Are critique wars a thing? They should be a thing.

 

I was operating under the assumption (like what Juan later said) that there's a whole lot more recruitable planets than there are Chapters to recruit from them. It probably does need to be explained a little better though. I will add it to the list.

 

Thanks to the both of you!

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Clarification ahoy!

 

You've answered my points, so it is just literally you padding stuff out with those explanations - where needed - to get your article going.

 

On the Ad Mech rebuilding the fleet: correct, I assume, unless there is any involvement from Navy shipyards but I doubt it. But you do mention somewhere above that the Bionic Men are slow in resupplying the Chapter.

[Lysimachus]

It's good, but one thing throws me a little:

 

 

small numbers of Tyranids survived the orbital bombardment, and the Knights Vindicant try to control their numbers as much as is possible

 

Maybe I'm misreading, but their numbers should continue to drop each time one dies as, unless my understanding of Tyranid fluff is out of date, they don't reproduce like other species and their numbers don't need controlling?

 

The various warrior forms are spawned aboard the bioships and dropped in spores, then once a world is defeated they go willingly into the acid pools to be broken down and sucked back up to the bioship along with all the other 'fuel'.

 

So (if that's remembered right) Tyranids don't reproduce by themselves, and if the ships are gone/destroyed then any actions against the survivors are just mopping up.

 

 

 

My only other thought for consideration is how do they feel about the possibility (in the latest 'dex) that the Consuls didn't all die at Goddeth Hive?

Edited May 1, 2014 by Strike Captain Lysimachus

[Harlan Skorus]

Quote

 

Clarification ahoy!

 

You've answered my points, so it is just literally you padding stuff out with those explanations - where needed - to get your article going.

 

On the Ad Mech rebuilding the fleet: correct, I assume, unless there is any involvement from Navy shipyards but I doubt it. But you do mention somewhere above that the Bionic Men are slow in resupplying the Chapter.

 

 

Workin' on it! Damn new job stealing my time... grumble grumble.

 

Quote

 

 

Maybe I'm misreading, but their numbers should continue to drop each time one dies as, unless my understanding of Tyranid fluff is out of date, they don't reproduce like other species and their numbers don't need controlling?

 

The various warrior forms are spawned aboard the bioships and dropped in spores, then once a world is defeated they go willingly into the acid pools to be broken down and sucked back up to the bioship along with all the other 'fuel'.

 

So (if that's remembered right) Tyranids don't reproduce by themselves, and if the ships are gone/destroyed then any actions against the survivors are just mopping up.

I would dispute this - the 'Nid population on Beta Anphelion exploded between their apparent escape from the lab and Inquisitor Lok's investigation (sue me, Aliens is one of my favourite films. I love the whole Anphelion thing. ). So, I am assuming that the Nids do have a way to replenish losses on-planet through assimilation of bio-matter. Exactly how this process works is what I need to find out (and probably should have looked at sooner than I did).

 

Will update you on my findings as/when.

 

EDIT: Here it is, from the lexicanum:

 

"The creatures had hid in the jungles and swamps until they reached sufficient numbers to overwhelm the labs' garrison of three hundred." Source listed as Imperial Armour Vol 4.

 

So they must have had some method of reproducing on planet. Given the adaptable/mutable nature of the Tyranids, is it realistic to assume some might have survived the bombardment/learn to exist and breed underwater? Bearing the war ended 993.M41 and as of 999.M41 the planet has not exploded into a mass of the most vicious fish you ever saw, is it realistic that the nids have spent 6 years doing this? Do Tyranids know how to bide their time?

Quote

 

Quote

My only other thought for consideration is how do they feel about the possibility (in the latest 'dex) that the Consuls didn't all die at Goddeth Hive?

I had kinda personally handwaved this as being spread all over the place, CM Antedes et al a) might not have known if any of the Black Consuls on assignment were still alive, being that they were in active warzones might have assumed that there wouldn't be enough of a Chapter left for it to continue, and let it run it's course. B is probably a safer bet.

 

Thanks!

 

EDITTED to include some more info on Tyranid reproduction.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Harlan Skorus

[Harlan Skorus]

Have editted the original post on reflection of feedback obtained from all so far:

Combat Doctrine section largely cut down/altered

Mention of feral bands on Talacra, and recruitment from, removed

Added sections mentioning limited recruitment has taken place in what nearby worlds are available

Added clarification that only the continental mass of Talacra suffered orbital bombardment

Changed KV's goal from containing to combatting/eradicating nids

Added mention of tensions between KV and Adeptus Mechanicus based on lack of new fleet/armoury

 

Think that was about it. Also, if it was missed, I added a note on tyranid on-planet reproduction in the post above this one.

 

Pictures will be re-uploading when I get around to it because tired. EDIT: done.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Harlan Skorus

[Captain Juan Juarez]

 

◾The Chapter are interested in eradication, but it's hard for them to commit in enough force to chase the 'Nids down. Also, there's a whole thing with an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor blocking requests to have the planet properly cleansed because he needs to occasionally steal specimens for his Anphelion Project pt 2, which is one of those things in a different document. This is another thing that I am not sure about it being feasible.

 

My brain did a thing where it ignored everything else and picked out only this.

 

This is totally impossible. If the world belongs to the Chapter then the Inquisition has no say or right to interfere, regardless of even if the Chapter is a lapdog of His most holy Inquisition.

 

The Space Marines answer to only one being in the grand cosmos and he ain't picking up the telephone!

[Beta galactosidase]

The stand-up portions are the armored strike combat doctrine, since it is simultaneously insightful and unemphasized, and the scout captain who is not really a captain.  Those are treats but the design is good too.

 

I enjoy this a lot and look forward to more from you.  Thank you for sharing.

 

Jj: it's not their world, and that is a very nice detail that comes up a few times, actually it might be sort of the premise for the article.  Plus, you said a weird thing about "Imperial Guard worlds."

 

The topic of tyranid reproduction is fascinating.  I'm not sure, and this seems like an idea that I'd seen in forum comments a nd not anywhere creditable, that tyranid informs are even able to eat for themselves.  It makes sense both that the can and that they can't, and the biggest clue is that they all seem to have mouths.  

 

Orbital bombardment is definitely enough to destroy tyranids as a strategic entity, but almost certainly cannot destroy them as a population.  That is usually how warfare works, it is usually how genocide works.  It seems pretty plausible that at a population level they can adapt to increase their numbers, especially given speculation about organisms like the catachan devil.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

 

it's not their world, and that is a very nice detail that comes up a few times, actually it might be sort of the premise for the article.  Plus, you said a weird thing about "Imperial Guard worlds."

 

 

If they reside on that world, for whatever reason, it doesn't matter whether you consider it "theirs" or not, they have a stake in it - a serious one - and no Chapter is going to listen to an Inquisitor when it is the holy duty of the Space Marines to destroy utterly the enemies of man. And I don't see a Hive Tyrant bringing round a plate of cookies.

 

 

The topic of tyranid reproduction is fascinating.  I'm not sure, and this seems like an idea that I'd seen in forum comments a nd not anywhere creditable, that tyranid informs are even able to eat for themselves.  It makes sense both that the can and that they can't, and the biggest clue is that they all seem to have mouths.  

 

 

The Tyranids seek biomass to feed the Hive/Bio ships which they find on worlds generally with human life, following the assimilation of this biomass the creepy critters are reabsorbed by the ships and the cycle carries on - I'll need to dig out my source for this at some point.

 

 

Orbital bombardment is definitely enough to destroy tyranids as a strategic entity, but almost certainly cannot destroy them as a population.  That is usually how warfare works, it is usually how genocide works.  It seems pretty plausible that at a population level they can adapt to increase their numbers, especially given speculation about organisms like the catachan devil.

 

First off, the Catachan Devil is a different kettle of biological fish entirely and secondly Tyranids don't reproduce, they are created from harvested biomass, and so if you turn a planet in to an arid wasteland then you take away that which the Tyranids need - biomass.

 

A "stranded" force of Tyranids is not going to be able to expand its force and so any type of hunting of them is going to prove fatal for that force.

[Harlan Skorus]

@CJJ

 

 

This is totally impossible. If the world belongs to the Chapter then the Inquisition has no say or right to interfere, regardless of even if the Chapter is a lapdog of His most holy Inquisition.

 

a) They haven't officially been granted the world - they are effectively squatting, because to move would likely bring them into conflicts they'd have a pretty awful chance of surviving.

 

 

no Chapter is going to listen to an Inquisitor

 

The Inquisitor never asked them. It's a big world, and with their floating fortress that has no set destination, the KV have very much limited how much of it they can police.

 

I think this is probably another thing where it adds up better across the 5-6 documents I've written than the one that is presented here. I will have a think, and see if I can rephrase the original text to reflect that it's not a sanctioned intervention without having to go off on too much of a tangent. Looking at it with the point raised, I can see how it doesn't add up - not that it's meant to in this case, but it needs something.

 

@Curvacious

 

 

that tyranid informs are even able to eat for themselves.  It makes sense both that the can and that they can't, and the biggest clue is that they all seem to have mouths.

 

The way I understand it is they can eat for themselves, but don't... not don't need to - energy has to come from somewhere - but it's probably not high on their list of agendas (second behind killing stuff). Following on from what's known of the Beta Anphelion thing, it stands to reason that having assimilated biomass, the Nids can produce numbers from it independant of Hive ships - the population on Beta Anphelion skyrocketed despite the non-presence of Hive ships that are normally used for reproduction. However, it is left (probably intentionally) vague - which is why I have only made guesses, and am not entirely sure myself.

 

 

I enjoy this a lot and look forward to more from you.  Thank you for sharing.

 

Thanks! I have another 3 that range from skeletal to almost done. I am trying to resist the temptation to post everything all at once.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Harlan Skorus

[exetus]

 

The way I understand it is they can eat for themselves, but don't... not don't need to - energy has to come from somewhere - but it's probably not high on their list of agendas (second behind killing stuff). Following on from what's known of the Beta Anphelion thing, it stands to reason that having assimilated biomass, the Nids can produce numbers from it independant of Hive ships - the population on Beta Anphelion skyrocketed despite the presence of Hive ships that are normally used for reproduction. However, it is left (probably intentionally) vague - which is why I have only made guesses, and am not entirely sure myself.

Tyranids reproduce by way of a Norn-queen, not a specific type of reproductive ship... the Norn-queen just happens to be at the center of that ship in a massive birthing chamber where they asexually reproduce the entire host of tyranid organisms. The likelihood is that, on Beta Anphelion IV, there was a captive norn-queen, since the facility was designed to discover ways to counter the ridiculous speed of tyranid adaptation. The presence of a growing tyranid force there, up to Heirophant bio-titans offers no question that such a norn-queen, once captive and now free, exists/existed.

 

Without the norn-queen, in fact without synapse creatures of some intellect like tyranid warriors, smaller tyranid lifeforms such as ripper swarms, gargoyles, termagants, hormagaunts and the like revert to their feral tendencies and are simply extremely dangerous wild animals acting with whatever instincts are natural to them. They cannot reproduce, however.

 

As to feeding, it was even written into the rules and the ripper swarms exist ONLY to eat, so tyranids can and will eat, they are just usually kept on task by synapse creatures.

The Tyranids seek biomass to feed the Hive/Bio ships which they find on worlds generally with human life, following the assimilation of this biomass the creepy critters are reabsorbed by the ships and the cycle carries on - I'll need to dig out my source for this at some point.

The references are numerous, to include every 'Nid codex that exists. Deployed tryanid forces that are expendable (the minor creatures, for the most part) throw themselves into disgestive pools once there is nothing left for them to do and the ships of the fleet then suck up the biomass to be fed to the norn-queens to expand the swarm. Larger creatures such as biotitans, tyrants, etc, usually just hop on board. This is evident in the existence of known tyranids that keep reappearing on various planets - Old One Eye, the Red Terror, etc.

 

 

 

All of this is to say that if you had an infestation of 'Nids, the planet could very well be doomed. Water isn't a barrier... they adapt to it and deploy water creatures as well. So unless it was a minor infestation, nothing short of exterminatus usually gets rid of them.

Edited May 14, 2014 by exetus

[Captain Juan Juarez]

 

This is totally impossible. If the world belongs to the Chapter then the Inquisition has no say or right to interfere, regardless of even if the Chapter is a lapdog of His most holy Inquisition.

 

a) They haven't officially been granted the world - they are effectively squatting, because to move would likely bring them into conflicts they'd have a pretty awful chance of surviving.

 

 

Space Marines answer to the Emperor alone, so to my mind this means they can claim the world if they so choose. The contention might be that the Inquisition are running some sort of game but I feel that any Chapter would be of the "shoot first and never ask a qeustion" school when it comes to the gribblies.

 

 

 

 

no Chapter is going to listen to an Inquisitor

 

The Inquisitor never asked them. It's a big world, and with their floating fortress that has no set destination, the KV have very much limited how much of it they can police.

 

 

I can defeat this but not in a concise and logical way that doesn't boil down to "this is how I see it...". So damn you! ;)

 

 

I think this is probably another thing where it adds up better across the 5-6 documents I've written than the one that is presented here. I will have a think, and see if I can rephrase the original text to reflect that it's not a sanctioned intervention without having to go off on too much of a tangent. Looking at it with the point raised, I can see how it doesn't add up - not that it's meant to in this case, but it needs something.

 

 

Often I suffer from "But I know what I mean"-syndrome. Are there major differences between the 5 or 6 documents you've got?

[Banelord]

As far as I remember the only Tyranids that can reproduce on their own are Genestealers. They basically turn people into hybrids who breed to create true Genestealers. One surviving Genestealer could in theory infect an entire planet given time, so you could still have a Genestealer cult to deal with. They also act like a sort of beacon to attract local Hive fleets. :) 

[Harlan Skorus]

@exetus:

 

 

The likelihood is that, on Beta Anphelion IV, there was a captive norn-queen, since the facility was designed to discover ways to counter the ridiculous speed of tyranid adaptation. The presence of a growing tyranid force there, up to Heirophant bio-titans offers no question that such a norn-queen, once captive and now free, exists/existed.

 

Except, I would say, that the records of Beta Anphelion seem to contradict that:

 

"Within the containment areas the Tyranid creatures had been allowed to develop. A few experimental samples had been released and observed... From only a few initial organisms their numbers soon started to multiply rapidly..."

 

I would say from the above that if they had a Norn Queen, it would be in the containment areas, providing the BA team with specimens. I can't really imagine they would be bone-headed enough to release the Queen that would theoretically be providing them with the meat'n'bones of their operation... which leaves a question of exactly how the ones that were released managed to multiply.

 

However, what you said makes sense, and I can't seem to corroborate the above with any other sources. Which puts me in a bit of a bind.
 

 

 

All of this is to say that if you had an infestation of 'Nids, the planet could very well be doomed. Water isn't a barrier... they adapt to it and deploy water creatures as well. So unless it was a minor infestation, nothing short of exterminatus usually gets rid of them.

 

This was exactly the route I had taken after prior feedback - the planet's landmass, where the 'Nid horde was located at the time was bombed, but as the vast majority or the world was ocean I think it feasible that the 'Nids could have adapted to become the world's scariest pirahnas, whilst having been bombed to a sufficiently small number that they have not, yet, become enough of a threat again to force the KV off the planet. I find it hard to shake the idea of the planet exploding into a mass of teeth and claws some time in the indeterminate future, should the timeline progress.

 

@CJJ

 

 

Space Marines answer to the Emperor alone, so to my mind this means they can claim the world if they so choose.

 

They might well be able to - I don't really know about the process of claiming a homeworld for a Chapter that previously didn't have one. Most of the examples I can find seem to have been awarded them, with little note of whether they were awarded (great job! Have a planet!) or awarded (we can't shift you).

 

 

The contention might be that the Inquisition are running some sort of game

 

Bingo, if you replace Inquisition with Inquisitor.

 

 

Are there major differences between the 5 or 6 documents you've got?

 

Not really - I may need to update them to reflect certain changes that I've made the this one after feedback, but the bulk of them are the same, revolving mainly around the Poriphon War where they all smashed together. The KV file I have goes into a little more detail mainly in the organisational area - have an organisational chart that goes into more detail as to exactly what is left (I named every character down to Sergeants, and every vehicle up to Thunderhawks, and then wrote a 12,000 pt theoretical army list...). Other files all revolve mainly around the same topic:

1. The Poriphon System
2. The Poriphon War
3. The 212th Heralic Armoured Infantry (participated in said war alongside the KV, with a whopping 112k pt army list... I was unemployed and bored)
4. Inquisitor Konstanze Allarez
5. A lot of fluff to accompany the above. Some of this has been submitted for consideration for that fanthology thing.

@Banelord

 

 

One surviving Genestealer could in theory infect an entire planet given time, so you could still have a Genestealer cult to deal with.

 

It is a nice idea, but I have already nixed the initial idea of the planet still having much of a native population. Unless one can get genestealer-cockroach hybrids.

 

That took a while. Thank you all for your time, lots to mull over.

[Harlan Skorus]

Editted Chapter's Homeworld, couple of formatting errors, added context to quotes. I am not sure if this last one was a good thing.

 

Also editted recent history a tiny bit to hopefully add a bit more ambiguity. It may be subject to a more significant overhaul when I finish umming and ahhing about the reproductive traits of fictional aliens.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Harlan Skorus

[Welcheren]

The addition context lends depth to the quote and (to me) also creates coherence with the topic that follows in that section.

[Harlan Skorus]

Just to update on where I'm at with this:

 

I think that for the most part, barring any article-breaking critique that might yet pop up, I am fairly happy with how this has fleshed out. Currently working on refining some of the fluff and stuff (which may get added here) and I might reformat the article post at some point, but I consider it more or less v1 at this point.

[Harlan Skorus]

Edit 03/06014, because apparently I'm not so done with this yet. Mainly cosmetic changes:

 

Reworded one line in Combat Doctrine so it reads in a more formal, less familiar manner that was at odds with rest of article.

Centered some stuff and changed line breaks

Made slight alternations to Chapter livery

Added Gallary

Mucked up headings and smacked forehead

Made a lovely banner but forgot to save in-progress so if I need to edit it I'm stuffed

[Ace Debonair]

So I'm wondering something.

 

Does it absolutely HAVE to be tyranids on the homeworld?

I only ask because substituting Tyranids for another made-up species with some striking similarities might solve a bunch of problems in one strike.

 

If the replacement creatures are somewhat similar to Tyranids, the Chapter could deliberately keep the population of them alive to study them in the hopes of finding common weaknesses.

 

They could also reproduce in more conventional ways than Tyranids, sidestepping any potential 'needs more biomass/abandon planet' issues.

 

Throne, there's a sentence I never thought I'd have to type.

[Harlan Skorus]

Hrm. I did deliberate for awhile the potential of using Orks/Necrons rather than 'Nids, but, well... I kinda like the 'Nids. Part of the joy of the Nids is that there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of hard/fast rules or conrete information - prediliction for mutation, them as a recent threat, and numerous contradicting sources make them very unknowable. Also, there's the more general thing that I would be hesitant to create a race that managed to take a Space Marine Chapter, four regiments of Guard, and whatever PDF support was in the area to task, and yet not achieved the general attention of the universe (or GW) before or since.

 

Personally I feel that the following is feasible:

- Nid's can't leave, they're isolated - but I strongly suspect ground forces can reproduce, because 1) the previous discussion about how exactly they reproduced on Beta Anphelion IV with evidence pointing to there being no Norn Queen 2) Tervigons.

- Nids are highly capable of independant mutation, and I would say them evolving to exist underwater is not a greap leap in logic (I am certainly more sure of this logic than the above).

- Being an ocean planet, there's a whole lotta biomass under the sea.

- Even ignoring the 87% of the planet that is underwater (or whatever I set it as), the KV simply do not have the numbers to police the landmass, let alone the entire ocean.

- The entire sea turning into a writhing mass of claws and fangs and acidic spray in 001.M42 is hilarious and awesome.

 

Seeing as there was a Tyranid fleet in orbit over Talacra at the time of it's destruction, and it was already at the point of absorbing biomass from the planet (the remaining defenders at this point having been confined to one spaceport prior to the arrival of Battlefleet Barus), just to throw an idea out - could a Hive Ship/part of a Hive Ship, feasible survive rapid orbital entry in order to escape the Battlefleet/as debris? There's a whole lot of ocean for them to hide in if they could make it to planet, which might help towards reconciling differing views on Nid reproduction. Feedback on this potential idea would be appreciated.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Harlan Skorus