Ash Scorpions

The Ash Scorpions are a Loyalist semi-Codex compliant Space Marine Chapter and 8th Founding Successors of the Imperial Fists Chapter. They are a proud Chapter whom try to adhere to the Codex Astartes wherever possible but have been known to disregard it if the situations warrants it. They stand as a bulwark against various threats that assail the Sigma Cluster, a volatile region located in the Ultima Segmentum, defending the worlds of the Imperium against xenos, heretic and Chaos forces.

History
The Ash Scorpions are an old and proud Chapter created during the 8th Founding from the Imperial Fists Chapter. Their Homeworld is found on the outskirts of the Sigma Cluster in the Ultima Segmentum. The Cluster is home to many xenos including: Orks, Hrud and even Eldar Exodite Worlds located on the Northern Frontier of the Cluster. This close proximity to enemy forces have given the Chapter a long and storied history and their battle-brothers have fought in hundreds of campaigns not just against the various xenos forces in the Sigma Cluster. But the Chapter has faced all foes of the Emperor, from rebel forces to the Heretic Astartes of the Traitor Legions and have earned fame that rivals even the ancient 2nd Founding Chapters. It is almost certain that they were created in order to watch over the Cluster and the choice of Imperial Fist gene-seed adds credence to this, as those of Rogal Dorn's blood are known to be almost fanatical in defence and were therefore, the obvious choice to defend this volatile region of space. Most recently the Ash Scorpions have been involved in ongoing Skirmishes with the Farsight Enclaves as well as fighting in the 13th Black Crusade. Before this campaign they helped lead the fight against a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Leviathan on the world of Granicus.

Battle of Granicus
The Battle of Granicus was fought in 999.M41 against what was first thought to be a new Hive Fleet, code-named Granicus, after where it was was expected to be first Engaged but was found to be an offshoot of the Hive Fleet Leviathan tendrill that was Destroyed at Tarsis Ultra. The Battle was an immense undertaking and the Ash Scorpions committed 8 full Companies to the Fighting. The Hive Fleet was first identified by the telltale signs of Tyranid Activity on  Several Worlds in the Ultima Segmentum and by 999.M41 it was Determined that a Small but Significant Hive Fleet was Headed for the Granicus System. Lord Commander Corvo was given overall Command of the Imperial Forces and Decided to make his Stand on the Agri-World of Granicus V. Granicus V was an almost perfect World to Fight the Tyranids as it possesed just 1 City with High Walls surrounded by flat open Spaces that gave the Tyranids no cover or places to hide, and when the Hive Fleet appeared on the Edge of the System the Imperial Navy forces were waiting and immediately engaged the Tyranids in a Great Battle.

The Massive Hive Ships were the main target and 2 of the 3 were destroyed before the Imperial Forces Pulled back to enable the  Hive Fleet to move further in-system, This was done because there were no Worlds between it and Granicus V and so no Chance for the Tyranids to Recover their Losses. Lord Corvo was well aware of the Tactics used at Tarsis Ultra and repeated them at Granicus. The Tyranids were allowed to fire Mycetic Spores at the World while the Orbital Lasers remained silent but Allowing the Torpedo Silos to fire at Will, with the Fighting now Raging on the surface the Imperial Navy attacked again in order to draw the Hive Ships screen back in to orbit just as had been done at Tarsis Ultra but the Tyranid Forces did not Follow what had happened at Tarsis Ultra and the screening forces remained in position but it was a futile effort as there were just not enough Tyranid Ships to defend from Orbit and from the Surface Lasers and finally the last Hive Ship was Destroyed and sending the Tyranid Forces into Panic as their Link to the Hive Mind was broken, after that it was just a Mopping up operation. With the Fighting over studies of the Tyranid Corpses confirmed that they were part of Hive Fleet Leviathan and not a New Fleet.

Battle of Granicus Order of Battle
Adeptas Astartes ~ Ash Scorpions (8 Companies) ~ 1 Battle Barge, 6 Strike Cruisers, 13 Escorts

Imperial Guard ~ Valhallan Ice Warriors (2 Under-Strength Regiments - About 3000 Men - 200 Vehicles)

Planetary Defence Force ~ Granicus Home Guard (7 Companies - About 4000 Men)

Imperial Navy ~ 1 Mars Class Battlecruiser, 1 Front-Line Cruiser Squadron, 2 Light Cruiser Squadrons, 2 Escort Squadrons

Noctis Aeterna
During this dark period the hopes of trillions was reignited with the return of one of the Emperors loyal son's, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Roboute Guilliman and he brought with him the fruits of 10,000 years of research, the Primaris Space Marines. Hearing of this momentous event the entire chapter set course for ultramar immediately where they pledged to serve son of the Emperor in perpetuity and soon Primaris Astartes were serving with distinction and they received not only fully grown and battle hardened Primaris but also the technology and knowledge to create their own Primaris Space Marines.

The wargear to arm these formidable warriors was also received including 500 suits of Mk X Power Armour in their various Patterns, Hundreds of Cawl  and Belisarius Pattern Weapons,4 Redemptor Dreadnoughts Chassis and 2 Repulser Grav Tanks. Thanks to this great fortune the Ash Scorpions prosecute their wars with even greater vigour. The numbers of Primaris Astartes currently serving are unknown but during the battles of the Indominatus Campaign they were able to field an entire company.

Notable Campaigns

 * Siege of Balle Alpha (755.M38) - The Ash Scorpions support their gene-brothers, the Imperial Fists, against the Ork's of WAAAGH! Gogard. The enemy is destroyed when a detachment of Blood Angels arrives.
 * 12th Black Crusade (139.M41) - The Ash Scorpions are known to have fought during this campaign. No other information is available in Imperial Records.
 * The Centurion War (931-954.M41)- A campaign to eradicate Secessionist Forces including an Astartes Chapter, Lord Commander Corvo is Given overall Command..
 * Tau Skirmishes (996.M41 - Present) - A Series of skirmishes and battles against the Tau Empire and principality. the Lark-Ta Sept.
 * The Battle of Granicus (999.M41) - Defense of the Granicus System Against a Hive Fleet Leviathan Tendril.
 * 13th Black Crusade (999.M41) - The Ash Scorpions are known to be currently fighting during this campaign against the Forces of Chaos. No other information is available in Imperial Records.

Homeworld
The Ash Scorpions Homeworld of Volcanum is officially designated as a Hive World due to the 5 Hives that dot it's Surface but is more akin to a Death World due to the fact that the Land outside the Hives is a Barren and toxic Desert World riddled with Volcanoes and home to numerous Mutants and Huge Scorpions that are more than capable of Killing a Man and which are hunted for their Venom. The Ash Scorpions fortress-monastery the Scorpions Claw is actually based on the Planets Largest Moon and the Ash Scorpions only descend to the World to Take Recruits.

Volcanum is, like other other Hive Worlds comprised of several separate Hives that vary in size from the relatively small Hive Gamma to the Massive Hive Alpha that holds several Million People. The 5 Hives are Named for the Ancient Greek Alphabet and Descend in Importance from Alpha which is the De-facto Capital and home to the Planetary Governor to Epsilon which is the Newest Hive built to Hold the growing Population and is just 400 Years Old. Each of the Planets Hives Officially answer to the Planetary Governor and Hive Alpha but have on occasion gone to war with Each other for Control of the World and therefore have their own Armed Forces with whichever Hive is in the Ascendant their Forces are considered the Planets PDF and have control over the Planets Orbital Defences and the Systems Defence Fleet. Volcanum's main Export is Promethium that is Extracted from Massive Wells in the South of the World.

Chapter Organisation
Like most Space Marines Chapters, the Ash Scorpions are divided into 10 companies comprised of 100 Space Marines each. Each company is led by a hero of the Chapter with the rank of Captain, who - in addition to his company command - is in charge of a particular aspect of the Chapter's logistics. They therefore are a typical Codex Chapter for the most part but differ in that they have just 2 Reserve Companies, the 8th and 9th rather than the 4 Reserve Companies of other Chapters and so the 1st to 7th Companies are Battle Companies with the 10th being the Scout Company, all Battle Companies save the 1st Company are organised identically and are intended to be able operate independently of each other and each have their own Battle Tanks, Artillery and Transports as well as their own Fleet Assets.

Chapter Gene-Seed & Traditions
The Ash Scorpions are Descended from the Imperial Fists and therefore Boast one of the Purest and Least Mutated Gene-Seed in the Imperium. However, over time they like all other Imperial Fist Descendants have lost the use of two of the special organs produced by the basic Astartes genetic template: the Betcher's Gland, which allows a Space Marine to produce poisonous/acidic spittle, and the Sus-an Membrane which allows an Astartes to enter a state of suspended animation.

Another peculiar and unexplained quirk of the Chapter is the Ash Scorpions pathological need to scrimshaw the bones of their dead when off-duty, a need inherited from the Imperial Fists themselves. Scrimshaw is considered a solemn undertaking to the Astartes of this Chapter. It is seen as a way to practice mental discipline, focus, and attention to detail. Oftentimes the finished scrimshaws are worn as jewelry and ornamentation, particularly by the Chapter's officers. None know the roots of this practice, which for many Imperial Fists and their Successors becomes an obsession they must indulge every hour they are not fighting or training. The bones of slain kin are engraved in minute detail, every surface lovingly covered in lines of devotional script and illuminated scenes depicting the deeds of the fallen.

Armour is also highly ornamental and it is rare for a Battle-Brother's Armour not to have some level of personalisation.

Like their Imperial Fists Brothers they are also well-known for their passion for dueling, a tradition thought to date back to the earliest days of the old Legion, before it even left Terra on the Great Crusade. The Ash Scorpions engage in ceaseless duels against one another, sometimes to settle a point of honour but more often to test themselves and their swordsmanship. They like the most experienced and long-serving Imperial Fists sport numerous duelling scars all over their bodies, each a reminder of a hard-won victory, or a salutary defeat.

They continue to practise Self-Castigation and make use of a Pain Glove which encases the whole body and stimulates its pain neurons. The Ash Scorpions like Imperial Fists constantly feel the need to punish themselves for the smallest inadequacy, failure or infraction.

Battle Doctrine
As with most Imperial Fists Descendents they are nominally Codex-Compliant but are known to use the Codex as a base that can be added to or adapted to suit a particular Foe and therefore sometimes find themselves at odds with some of the more rigged Codex Chapters. In many ways though they are the Mirror of their Parent Chapter and have the same Drive and Determination to succeed as the Famed 1st Founding Legion Indeed, like the Imperial Fists if the Ash Scorpions have a fault, it is that they continue to strive when others would yield or withdraw. Such unquestioning steadfastness has rescued many a victory from the ashes of defeat, but only at a steep cost in lives but if it serves the Emperor than it is a Price worth paying.

The Scorpions also have a unique Battle Plan known as the Scorpion Contingency that has been Proven against Many Foes. Using this Plan a Battle Company will deploy Devastator's, Tactical Marines and Armoured Units as a Defensive Bulwark in the centre of their Lines which is Known as the Scorpions Sting, Fast Moving Assault Units deploy on the Wings as the Scorpions Claws. An Enemy is deliberately drawn towards the centre and are then surrounded and destroyed by the Wings. This has been devastatingly effective against more tactically deficient Foes such as Orks and Tyranids but not as Effective against Tau and Traitor Units.

Scout Units also utilize a Special Kind of Venom extracted from the Massive Scorpions of their Homeworld that they are named for. When Delivered directly to a Targets Bloodstream it is Capable of Killing a man-sized target within a Standard Terran Hour, it therefore is only of use in assassinations and not on the Battlefield. . The reason it is used over more common Neuro-Toxins is that it is completely undetectable by any Form of Imperial Technology, it also has an instantaneous anesthetic effect and the target is Completely unaware that he has been hit. It does however have several Drawbacks such as a complete ineffectiveness against Astartes, Eldar and has less than a 50% chance of killing even a lesser Ork let alone a Warboss. It has however been discovered to be devastatingly effective against Tau Forces and has an almost 100% Success rate against them and will kill in under 30 Standard Terran Minutes

Notable Ash Scorpions

 * Lord Commander Corvo - The Current Chapter Master, he is known to have a brilliant mind for strategy and has lead numerous Campaigns.
 * Chief Librarian Vladimir - Chief Librarian of the Ash Scorpions, he is an immensely Powerful Pysker and has proven the Difference in a multitude of battles.
 * Captain Halar - Captain of the 4th Company and a hulking Primaris Astartes, Halar is a consumate warrior and tactician, he has become one of the finest captain's in the Chapter's long and illustrious history and an example to all that the Primaris Asatres are true son's of Dorn.
 * Ancient Boreal - Bearer of the Chapter Standard and one of the first Primaris Astartes inducted into the Chapter. Like all Ancients he has sworn an oath before the Lord Commander himself that he would give his life to protect the Sacred Banner.

Chapter Fleet
The Ash Scorpions Chapter fleet is known to contain the following starships:


 * The Sting of the Scorpion (Battle Barge) - Flagship of the Ash Scorpions


 * Unknown (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Unknown (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Unknown (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Dorn's Light (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Unknown (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Shield of Dorn (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Sword of Sigismund (Strike Cruiser) -


 * Names and Class Unknown, 17 Ships (Escorts) -

Chapter Relics

 * The Armour Relictus - The Armour Relictus is a master-crafted suit of Terminator Armour used by the Lord Commander Corvo.
 * The Scorpions Blade - Master-crafted Power Sword, used by the Lord Commander Corvo.
 * The Axe of the Scorpions - Master-crafted Force-Axe used by Chief Librarian Vladimir.

Allies

 * Imperial Fists - The Imperial Fists are the Progenitor Legion of the Ash Scorpions and the two are Gene-Brothers.
 * Black Templars - Supported each other During several Campaigns and are also Gene-Brothers.

Enemies

 * Iron Warriors - Like their Fellow Sons of Dorn the Iron Warriors are the Ash Scorpions greatest enemy

Quotes
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By the Ash Scorpions
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About the Ash Scorpions
"Oh would you look at that...the oh so great scions of Rogal Dorn have their own little chapter that takes after scorpions. How cute."

- Bariel, Forge Walker Crimson Scorpions commenting upon the Ash Scorpions