Assigning Chapter Tactics to the Sons of Dorn

[Dosjetka]

Hi all,

 

I thought it'd be an interesting excercise to take a list of all confirmed Imperial Fists successors and to see which of the new Successor Chapter Tactics would fit these various Chapters. For those who don't have access to the book, here is the full list of traits (courtesy of @Kallas):

 

From this video review (https://www.reddit.com/r/WarhammerCompetitive/comments/cogen1/mob_rules_presents_the_full_space_marine_codex/)

 

Bolter Fusilade: Reroll 1s to hit for Bolt weapons.

Born Heroes: Characters can HI 6"

Duellists: Melee attacks vs Infantry/Bikers score auto wounds on 6s to hit (can't be combined with Whirlwind of Rage Tactic)

Fearsome Aspect: -1 Ld for enemy units within 3" of units with this tactic

Hungry For Battle: +1 to Advance and Charge rolls

Indomitable: Can only lose 1 model to Morale

Inheritors of the Primarch: Choose a First Founding Chapter Tactic instead of two Successor Tactics

Knowledge Is Power: Reroll one/both 1s when making Psychic/Deny tests

Long-range Marksmen: +3" to ranged weapons

Master Artisans: When Overwatching, shooting, or fighting, reroll a single hit and a single wound roll per unit, each time.

Preferred Enemy: Choose (Tyranids, Aeldari, Orks, Heretic Astartes, Necrons or T'au) - reroll melee to hit if you charge/get charged/intervene.

Rapid Assault: No penalty to Advance and shoot Assault weapons

Scions of the Forge: Damage table models have double wounds remaining for the row you use

Stalwart: Unmodified wounds of 1 and 2 auto fail against you

Stealthy: Get the benefit of cover against models more than 12" away

Stoic: +1 Ld

Tactical Withdrawal: Charge after Falling Back

Warded: 5+ FNP vs Mortal Wounds

Whirlwind of Rage: Unmodified 6 to hit with melee when you charge/get charged/intervene, get an extra hit (can't be combined with Duellists tactic)

 

And here is the list of Chapters confirmed to be of Dorn's lineage (as of the latest Codex: Space Marines released yesterday):

• Astral Knights
• Black Templars (already have their own CT)
• Celestial Lions
• Crimson Axes (little to no information)
• Crimson Fists (already have their own CT)
• Death Strike
• Doom Fists (little to no information)
• Emperor's Warbringers
• Excoriators
• Executioners
• Fists Exemplar
• Fists of Wrath (little to no information)
• Hammers of Dorn
• Hospitallers (little to no information)
• Invaders
• Iron Champions (little to no information)
• Iron Knights
• Knights of Dorn (little to no information)
• Night Swords
• Red Templars
• Sons of the Phoenix
• Subjugators
• Venom Thorns (little to no information)

Of the above, only the following have enough information about them for us to be able to gauge what their character and battle doctrines are (though you are of course free to have fun with trying to figure out which CT would suit these "minor" Chapters :)):

• Astral Knights
• Celestial Lions
• Death Strike
• Emperor's Warbringers
• Excoriators
• Executioners
• Fists Exemplar
• Hammers of Dorn
• Invaders
• Iron Knights
• Night Swords
• Red Templars
• Sons of the Phoenix
• Subjugators

[Dosjetka]

With all of that in mind, here's my attempt at assigning Chapter Tactics to the successor Chapters from the last list.

 

Astral Knights

Given their indomitable nature and their heroic sacrifice, I'd give them the Indomitable and Stalwart traits.

 

Celestial Lions

Hungry for Battle seems like a good fit but I'm at loss as to what the second trait could be. Perhaps Bolter Fusillades?

 

Death Strike

Come across as an assault-y Chapter so Hungry for Battle looks like it'd fit their character, along with Rapid Assault.

 

Emperor's Warbringers

Their tendancy to collect almost excessive amounts of recon would make me want to assign them the Stealthy trait. Bolter Fusillades for me represents their optimisation of firepower and force to end their conflict in one decisive action.

 

Excoriators

These attirition fighters would get the Stalwart and Stoic traits. Alternatively, Stoic could be replaced by Indomitable but I avoided that because the Astral Knights already have that combo.

 

Executioners

Their skill at close combat and headhunting would be well-reflected by the Duellists trait, while their grim determination would be reflected in the Indomitable trait.

 

Fists Exemplar

Bolter Fusillades feels like a good fit, as does Stoic.

 

Hammers of Dorn
Preferred Enemy to represent their hatred for the Word Bearers (and no doubt Heretic Astartes in general). Long-Range Marksmen to reflect their preference to conduct war from a distance with superior firepower.

Invaders
Hungry for Battle and Preferred Enemy reflect their tendancy to close with the foe as quickly as possible and their hatred for the Eldar, who devasted their home world.

Iron Knights
Duellists and Bolter Fusillades feel like the best fit, reflecting a somewhat balanced Chapter with a proven skill with a blade.

Night Swords
Given the reason for their creation, Preferred Enemy is a good fit while Rapid Assault reflects their impatient nature.

Red Templars
Their preference for search & destroy and pursuit ops could be represented by the Fearsome Aspect (the foe knows the Red Templars are coming) and Preferred Enemy (the Red Templars know the foe they are hunting).

Sons of the Phoenix
A combination of Stoic and Warded feels appropriate given their zeal and them walking through firestorms unscathed on Vigilus.

Subjugators
As they are a part of the Astartes Praeses, Preferred Enemy is a bit of a no-brainer. Their use of extreme destructive power could be reflected by using either Long-Range Marksmen (giving their "big guns" more range) or Whirlwind of Rage (for when they get up-close and personal). Fearsome Aspect could also work, given their reputation for brutality.

 

That's it from me. Looking forward to reading your thoughts and own ideas.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Chaplain Dosjetka

[Sete]

Iron Knights

Duelists- The only chapter to have won the feast of blades twice consecutively.

 

Rapid Assault- . It is primarily a Chapter that is used as a full assault force. It focuses on launching heavy assaults against well-defended, strongly fortified targets using its large complement of Terminators and heavily-armoured vehicles like Predator and Land Raider main battle tanks.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Sete

[jeremy1391]

Executioners

Hungry for battle, whirlwind of rage

 

Invaders preferred enemy eldar, stalwart

[Dosjetka]

Sete: Good point about Rapid Assault for the Iron Knights. Probably fits them better than the somewhat generic Bolter Fusillades.

 

jeremy1391: I like your suggestion for the Invaders but I'm not keen on giving the Executioners Whirldwind of Rage as they're skilled headhunters, not mindless berzerkers as that trait suggests. Hungry for Battle is a good fit though. :)

[Thanatos31]

Emperors Warbringers

 

I feel like stealthy is a good fit - due to their recon and preparation being a key focus ; but with that , I'd also say they know what they're going into and a masterful with their ensuing attacks - Master Artisans , could reflect this , and their drive to really kill in a decisive strike and knowing how to best hit and wound the enemy due to their gathered recon ( re-rolling hits & wounds) 

[jeremy1391]

Sete: Good point about Rapid Assault for the Iron Knights. Probably fits them better than the somewhat generic Bolter Fusillades.

 

jeremy1391: I like your suggestion for the Invaders but I'm not keen on giving the Executioners Whirldwind of Rage as they're skilled headhunters, not mindless berzerkers as that trait suggests. Hungry for Battle is a good fit though. :)

You could always replace whirlwind of rage with duelists

[Montford]

Chaplain Dosjetka noted in his post that Red Templars are known for their preference for search & destroy as well as pursuit operations. These are missions shared with contemporary Cavalry and Armored Cavalry units in our present day armies.  For Chapter tactics I would assign:

 

Search & Destroy: You seek for and then wipe out an enemy once found: so Bolter Fusilades, or perhaps Whirlwind of Rage if you feel the Chapter is more melee oriented. I'd probably go with Fusilades.

 

Pursuit: You are chasing an enemy and not only keep up with them but keep pressure on them to drive them harder: so Scions of the Forge to keep both tanks (Predators, Vindicators, etc) as well as personnel carriers (Rhinos, Razorbacks, etc) moving as rapidly as possible to relentlessly pursue and maintain pressure, and be able to fire as well as possible while doing so.

 

I rather like the idea of Red Templars as Armored Cavalry, with the infantry mounted up and following the tanks; in pursuit when the enemy is cut off, or cornered, or has been caught up with then the troop carriers move forward, drop off the ground pounders and they go in to destroy or dislodge the enemy. Then remount and pursue if they fled.  In Search & Destroy they sweep their sector leading with tanks and looking for trouble, and when they find it they pin it in place with the tanks and the infantry go in for the kill. 

[Backslide]

My astral knights are almost entirely primaris I intend to stick to inheritors of the primarch

[casb1965]

Emperor's Warbringers

 

Bolter Fusilade for sure (all IF successors should have that)

and then torn between Stealthy (prepared positions) or Master Artisans (taking the best weapons for the best result)