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[Hrvat]

THE ACCIPITRES ASTRA

Space Hawks

 

 
CHAPTER NAME: High Gothic - Accipitres Astra

          Low Gothic - Space Hawks

          Colloquial - Grey Hawks, Grey Giants, Grey Guard

 
FOUNDING: 26th - 738.M41
 
CHAPTER NUMBER: 986
 
GENE-SEED: Jaghatai Khan
 
PROGENITORS: Unknown 
 
KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None
 
CHAPTER MASTER: The High Table – council of senior officers
 
HOMEWORLD: Ys Minoris [Hive World; ϑ CLASS; Wasteland; Sybaris Sector - Segmentum Solar; (In)Direct Rule]  
 
FORTRESS MONASTERY: The Retreat
 
FORWARD BASE: Fleet Based – Tacitus Venator
 
COLOURS: Storm Cloud Grey¹ – high propensity for camouflage usage
 
COMBAT DOCTRINE: Codex 
 
CHAPTER ORGANISATION: Divergent
 
STRENGTH: 700+ 
 
CHAPTER MOTTO: “Semper Fidelis, Semper Paratus, Semper Letalis”
 
BATTLECRY:  - TBD -
 
 
 
 
1 ORIGINS/HISTORY
 
1b The Founding
 
1c Initial engagements
 
1d early defining moment
 
1e recent major event
 
 
 
2 HOMEWORLD
 
2b Recruitment
 
 
3 ORGANISATION
 
 
4 COMBAT DOCTRINE
 
 
5 BELIEFS
 
 
6 GENE-SEED
 
 
7 BATTLECRY / MOTTO
 
 
Side box A - current deployments
 
Side box B - notable individual
 
Side box C - notable enemy
 
 
 
 
 
1 - this was part of the inspiration > https://wh40k.lexica...lekh_Daumas.jpg

Edited by Hrvat, 13 January 2021 - 07:08 PM.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

"Always faithful, always ready, always lethal," is a good Chapter motto. The US Marine Corps' "Oorah!" is too on-the-nose, in my opinion. Maybe answer "Semper Fi!" with "Orcus!" the Roman god of death, i.e., the Space Hawks swear to faithfully serve the Emperor's will by killing all enemies of His Immortal Majesty?

[AHorriblePerson]

You've got the framework for a decent homebrew chapter down, the information you've given until now is quite solid. I've gotta agree with Bjorn on the 'Oorah' being a bit too obvious, though. My suggestion would be to have an officer shout something like 'Ave Imperator' first, with the line brothers replying with 'Semper Fi'.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

My suggestion would be to have an officer shout something like 'Ave Imperator' first, with the line brothers replying with 'Semper Fi'.

Great idea!

[Hrvat]

Thank you for the replies.
 

 

"Always faithful, always ready, always lethal," is a good Chapter motto. The US Marine Corps' "Oorah!" is too on-the-nose, in my opinion.

 Being pointed out like this I think I would agree with you. 
 
I am looking to create a chapter that shouldn't feel out of place among Rogue Trader as well as "modern" 40K. 
 
 
 
 

You've got the framework for a decent homebrew chapter down, the information you've given until now is quite solid. I've gotta agree with Bjorn on the 'Oorah' being a bit too obvious, though. My suggestion would be to have an officer shout something like 'Ave Imperator' first, with the line brothers replying with 'Semper Fi'.

Indeed I am looking at the shout-reply dynamic, though I have been contemplating not having a specific battlecry with putting more emphasis on the motto.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

"Always faithful, always ready, always lethal," is a good Chapter motto.

I agree, though, this might feel a bit more Astartes like: "Semper Vigilans, Semper Invictus, Semper Fidelis". Ever Vigilant, Ever Invincible, Ever Faithful. Rather than translating Semper as Always, translating it as Ever, as in [For]ever, I think feels a bit more self assured, which an astartes chapter would be.

 

 

The US Marine Corps' "Oorah!" is too on-the-nose, in my opinion. Maybe answer "Semper Fi!" with "Orcus!" the Roman god of death, i.e., the Space Hawks swear to faithfully serve the Emperor's will by killing all enemies of His Immortal Majesty?

I also agree. Though if you wanted to give them a bit of an old world feel, the Russian "Urrah!" is both similar and also ancient at the same time. If you want to go roman, you could always have them use the Barritus, which isn't words, but rather a haunting intonation meant to intimidate. It's chilling if you've ever heard it (some movies use it, and it's also done at historical reenactments). Or you could simply have them not use a war cry and instead fight in solemn silence.

 

 

 

"Always faithful, always ready, always lethal," is a good Chapter motto. The US Marine Corps' "Oorah!" is too on-the-nose, in my opinion.

 Being pointed out like this I think I would agree with you. 
 
I am looking to create a chapter that shouldn't feel out of place among Rogue Trader as well as "modern" 40K.

That's getting easier to do with the way the games rules and models have been going. Power Armor will almost always feel like an anachronism. It's both modern and ancient. On one hand if you offered Power armor to the 101st Airborne, they'd love it, but 5th SFG would hate it. You can't integrate with populations, and execute stealthy raids wearing clunky power armor. But a supersoldier used to wearing it and with appropriate modifications, it's a different story...

 

 

 

You've got the framework for a decent homebrew chapter down, the information you've given until now is quite solid. I've gotta agree with Bjorn on the 'Oorah' being a bit too obvious, though. My suggestion would be to have an officer shout something like 'Ave Imperator' first, with the line brothers replying with 'Semper Fi'.

Indeed I am looking at the shout-reply dynamic, though I have been contemplating not having a specific battlecry with putting more emphasis on the motto.

Call and response is very common. But if you want to take a cue from the US military, the Warcry is all about motivation, it's almost never heard in battle. Vocalizations are all about effective communication, and there is way too much going on to worry about a war cry. You also don't want to announce your presence before you're ready. So it could be part of some pre-battle ritual, or something like that. You could also get a bit cheeky, and have them shout curses and obscenities (40k themed of course) at their enemies, that would feel especially like the US Marines...

[Hrvat]

 

 

You could also get a bit cheeky, and have them shout curses and obscenities (40k themed of course) at their enemies, that would feel especially like the US Marines...

That is quite an interesting and rather novel approach. I will think about it.  

Edited by Hrvat, 26 May 2020 - 06:08 PM.

[Brother Cambrius]

 

 

 

You could also get a bit cheeky, and have them shout curses and obscenities (40k themed of course) at their enemies, that would feel especially like the US Marines...

That is quite an interesting and rather novel approach. I will think about it.  

 

 

I'm sure they could take some pointers from our Fenrisian friends.

 

But I do like the idea of curses and such being thrown out across the battlefield. But the mention of the Roman war chant to terrify the opponents would be a fun route to play with too.

 

Cambrius

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'm sure they could take some pointers from our Fenrisian friends.

 

Oh, I've been doing a ton of research on norse culture for my homebrew chapter, and I thought some of the curses my dad taught me were rough...

 

-"may ravens tear your heart asunder" (Þit skyli hjarta rafnar slíta)

-"the ravens shall tear out your eyes in the high gallows" (Hrafnar skulu þér á hám galga slíta sjónir ór)

 

Those are nasty...

 

But also, the scots have some really great ones, that could make a space wolf blush...

 

 

But I do like the idea of curses and such being thrown out across the battlefield. But the mention of the Roman war chant to terrify the opponents would be a fun route to play with too.

I can just see a loyalist astartes in one trench and a heretic in the opposite:

 

Heretic: "You worship a false emperor, a corpse on the throne!"

Loyalist: "Eh Yer Maw's git baws and yer da likes et!"

Heretic: "Uhhh... Death to the corpse emperor!?"

Loyalist: "Get it up ye, ye clatty wee bassa. Tha all ye got ye howlin' dobber?"

Heretic: "... W-What?"

Loyalist: "Away an' bile yer 'ead, ye scabby roaster, yer yappin mince."

Heretic: "I'm gonn-"

Loyalist: "Shut yer geggie, yeh jessie !"

 

That would be beautiful...

 

 

 

 

[Hrvat]

Previous year threw a spanner into my hobby time, but at the moment and for the foreseeable future I got that time back. It will be used to full flesh out the Space Hawks as well as be accompanied with a modelling project called Warzone Sybaris in which the Space Hawks will heavily feature. Due to stress (the reason why I took time off from other activities) is having a negative effect on my ADHD so while I have my ideas in my head as well as a bunch of notes scribbled into my "hobby notebook" it is a bit tasking writing it actually down. Therefore I have opted to do it in manageable chunks - I hope they will be. Just this intro took three sessions spread over a week to type in a style I was satisfied with     
 
 
So without further ado I give you the first part of the Accipitres Astra Origins
 

 

ORIGINS
The Founding
 
The controversial creation of the Accipitres Astra exemplifies the corruption, profligacy and iniquity among high ranking Imperial officials in the centuries preceding the dual calamities of Noctis Aeterna and Cicatrix Maledictum.  Under the cover of the 26th Founding of the Space Marines, in the later part of M41 by the old count, a number of individuals conspired to conceal establishing an entire chapter of the Adeptus Astartes for personal use. 
 
Orders were falsified, signatures fabricated and resources diverted carelessly undermining the overall effort in pursuit of selfish goals. While the plot was eventually exposed by dutiful members of the Inquisition it came too late. Extensive effort had already been expended by the time agents of the Ordo Hereticus set foot into the secluded facility where machinations of the conspirators were being made flesh. Suffice to say the scheme was expediently ended and retribution followed swiftly. From the lowly adepts across a dozen organisations to exalted members of the Senatorum Imperialis thousands were rounded up, stood trial and were punished. For the lucky it meant ignoble retirement for the rest divinely ordained execution. In spite of best efforts the masterminds evaded Imperial law and whispers spoke that the scale and the audacity of the operation could only have happened under the tacit approval of one or more of the High Lords of Terra. 
 
As operatives in the field dealt with perpetrators an inquisitorial conclave was convened to determine the fate of three dozen fully fledged Initiates and a gross of Neophytes under their tutelage. While opinions were expressed and debated the Space Marines were put through rigorous tests of mind, body and soul eventually passing all within acceptable parameters. The inquiry showed that the actions of the conspirators were merely treasonous rather than heretical. The training and lessons the aspirants were exposed to were in accordance with the Codex Astartes, regulations of the Adeptus Mechanicus as well as the orthodoxy of the Imperial Creed. These findings played a large part in silencing the voices calling for their outright erasure but did not ensure the conclusion of the conclave to be based on either reason or logic for the eruption of the events later to be known as the Fourth Quadrant rebellion overshadowed everything else. In response a missive was hastily drafted and sent to the High Lords of Terra beseeching them to authorise the official founding of a new Space Marine chapter which was duly approved and so the 986th chapter joined the warrior brotherhood of the Adeptus Astartes. Yet with the pandemonium rapidly engulfing large swathes of Segmentum Solar no additional resources could at that time be spared and the new chapter would have to do with what they had available - a single Strike cruiser, a quintet of escorts and barely enough equipment for a demi-company of Space Marines. Without delay they were to take to the stars and whether they fail and die or succeed and survive to be seen as the Emperor's verdict on the conclave's decree. Slightly confused and doubtful the marines boarded their vessels and set into the void adamant to prove their worth in spite of the sins of their creators.

 

The next instalment is named "The Forging". It will hopefully arrive in the next 3-5 days and will include the tale how the original members of the chapter coped with the situation they found themselves in as well as how the chapter got its name. 

 

 

I am looking forward to your replies.

 

Cheers
Hrvat

[Beta galactosidase]

I’m thrilled to see this. I count on your posts being good, I link people to your tech marine thread all the time.

Plenty of notes on style or whatever, but the absolute overriding thing is this one: I’m so disappointed that the next installment is more story/history. I still have almost no idea what the chapter is like. If I saw this chapter as models on a table or I were picking out a chapter to paint I’d have no idea what these marines are up to, what their attitudes and actions are like. Due to that, there’s no curiosity about the history of how they got to be whatever they are now.

IAs in the past usually had that done already. For the Blood Angels IA we already had years of photos, battle reports, painting and rules. We knew they had black armored suicide units and priests or heroes wearing death masks. For the chapters that we didn’t know as much about, the IAs gave a lot of detail on the vibe. They talked all about the Raven Guard’s surprise strikes and after-battle tactica sermons.

And we could talk about some strunk& white stuff or background numbers but I really want to see sections that sell the chapter as cool, and I’m not ready for background on how they got that way.

[Hrvat]

I’m thrilled to see this. I count on your posts being good, I link people to your tech marine thread all the time.

Plenty of notes on style or whatever, but the absolute overriding thing is this one: I’m so disappointed that the next installment is more story/history. I still have almost no idea what the chapter is like. If I saw this chapter as models on a table or I were picking out a chapter to paint I’d have no idea what these marines are up to, what their attitudes and actions are like. Due to that, there’s no curiosity about the history of how they got to be whatever they are now.

IAs in the past usually had that done already. For the Blood Angels IA we already had years of photos, battle reports, painting and rules. We knew they had black armored suicide units and priests or heroes wearing death masks. For the chapters that we didn’t know as much about, the IAs gave a lot of detail on the vibe. They talked all about the Raven Guard’s surprise strikes and after-battle tactica sermons.

And we could talk about some strunk& white stuff or background numbers but I really want to see sections that sell the chapter as cool, and I’m not ready for background on how they got that way.

 

Thank you for the feedback

 

I am hoping to this article in a sort of linear fashion as it helps me keep the concentration. In the next instalment there will some things that will help visualise the marines and I'll see if I manage to include a list of notes for the remaining parts to give a more general overview.

 

 

Cheers

Hrvat

[Kyknos of Athena]

They have a homeworld and are fleetbased? Seems contradictory to me. Maybe change homeworld to "primary recruiting world" or something like that. 

Anyways, I´m eager to see your storm-grey marines.