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This article, Desert Hawks, is currently under active construction. The author, Salusien1, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
The Desert Hawks are a loyalist non Codex-compliant Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the ancient and heroic White Scars during the 8th Founding. It's a small and endangered Chapter with only three ordinary companies left after the Soul War - a hard won victory almost 300 years ago against the Chaos Lord Haman Mal of Tzeentch and his daemons. This victory nearly destroyed the Chapter.
Chapter History
The Desert Hawks was one of several Space Marine Chapters created during the mid-34th Millennium during the 8th Founding, which was undertaken amid the dark times of the Nova Terra Interregnum, when the Imperium of Man had been split into twin interstellar empires. This Chapter was created to keep watch of temporary warp rifts that occur in their assigned sector and to protect trade and civilian transports. The Chapter kept their vigil, nearly unbroken, for over six millennia, until the closing years of the 41st Millennium.
During this time, the dreaded Abaddon the Despoiler, led the larges invasion by the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade and assaulted the vital fortress world of Cadia. With the destruction of this vital fortress world, a massive tear in reality occurred - stretching across the width of the known Galaxy - from the Eye of Terror to the Eastern Fringe.
This tear in reality effectively cut the galaxy in half, with those caught in the isolated region designated the Imperium Nihilus, cut off from the rest of the Imperium of Man and forced to defend themselves from the predations by the Forces of Chaos and legions of daemons. With the fall of Cadia and the creation of the Great Rift, the Chapter is now even more isolated from the rest of the Imperium. The trade has nearly all stopped and once more war bands of Chaos are sweeping thru the sector like a plaque.
Notable Campaigns
Battle of the Blood (235.M37)
During a escort mission of Manfred Cervas, Inquisitor from the Ordos Xenos, three Strike Cruisers from the Desert Hawks was attacked by Khorne's Revenge, a Chaos Battle Barge belonging to the warband Blood Ravagers.
The Khorne's Revenge destroyed two of the Cruisers with it's mighty guns and the ship of the escorted Inquisitor was boarded. Only when Warleader Elsu and his 1st Company made an assault directly to the command bridge of the Khorne's Revenge, defeated Chaos Lord Whreg the Unbroken, the battle ended.
During the battle the inquisitor were badly wounded. Before his death, he made the Chapter to sworn to protect the thing he was carrying, a artifact of unknown power and use, called The Essence. Even to keep it a secret from the rest of the Inquisition. Since that day the artifact has been kept in the depth of the Chapters Fortress-Monastery.
The Soul War (720.M41)
Nearly 4500 years after the Battle of the Blood and the protection of the artifact, The Essence, the Chapter was attacked. Chaos Sorcerer Haman Mal and his Warband The Warp-Cursed of Tzeentch threw a full-scale assault upon Solitudinem with the purpose to acquire this secret relic.
A large warp-rift appeared over the planet and several Silver Towers came out of it. The Chapter attacked with it's entire flotilla against the enemy, but it could not prevent them from reaching the surface. A bloody war followed and the Chapter stood alone against the full power of Tzeentch. Thousands of demons, Chaos Marines and strange war-machines roamed the planet.
In the end the Chapter retreated to it's Fortress-Monastery, the Nest, for a final standoff against the forces of Chaos. After a long siege battle the enemy broke thought the defensive lines of the Desert Hawks.
When all hope were lost, one last counter-offensive heroically was carry out against the head of the snake, Haman Mal himself. The Chapter Master, Lore-Keeper Akecheta, together with the remnants of the Cheveyo, the 1st Company, clashed with the Chaos Lord and his bodyguards. After a vicious fight Haman Mal finally was defeated.
The artifact is still in the protection of the Desert Hawks.
Chapter Home World
Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of Solitudinem. Home of the Desert Hawks.
Solitudinem is a very remote dry and arid desert planet within Segmentum Pacificus. The planet has numerous nomadic tribes and small villages and is one of the few planets in its sector that supports life. For that reason it is a strategic located hub, close to several important trade-networks.
Notable Flora & Fauna
- Dreadwings - With a wingspan of over five meters and a weight of nearly 90 kg, this huge black birds of prey are as impressive as they are dangerous. They hunt anything they come by, both animals and humans.
Pict-file of The Nest on Mt. Zaltana.
Fortress-Monastery
The Nest is located on the mountain Zaltana. The highest peak on the planet. The Fortress-Monastery has a lot of hangars and landing pads for the large flotilla of aircraft the Chapter possess.
Chapter Organisation
Due to the fact that so few companies remains has left the Desert Hawks to only have an elite 1st Company and two battle companies with a mix of Battleline, Close Support and Scout Squads. The Chapter only have a couple of dreadnought remaining but no tanks left.
Officer Ranks
- Lore-Keeper - Chapter Master equivalent.
- Warleader -Captain equivalent.
Specialist Ranks
- Lord of Shamans - Chief Apothecary/Master of Sanctity equivalent.
- Shaman - Apothecary/Chaplain equivalent.
- Desert Hawks Librarians
The Librarians has a special discipline unique for the the Chapter:
- Hawk Sight - The psyker share his warp-sight with his brethren, causing their eyes to see foes from the above and can focus on weak points in the enemies defenses.
Line Ranks
- Battle-Scarred - Veteran equivalent.
- Hawk-Brother - Battle-Brother equivalent.
- Shadow - Vanguard Primaris Marine equivalent.
- Pathfinder - Scout equivalent.
Specialist Formations & Units
- The Counsel - Together the Shamans make up The Counsel. Within The Counsel the Shamans rule the Chapter and share the responsibility and burden to be appointed as Lore-Keeper, the Chapter Master, for a period of time. This periods are often a couple of centuries long. In addition to protect the brothers of the Chapter, the Counsel also experimenting and producing drugs to improve performances and stamina in combat.
- Ahusaka (The Wings) - This formation involves the use of Ahusaka Squadrons. Comprised of one Stormhawk Interceptor and two Stormtalon Gunships. These squadrons are used to gain air superiority and to make attack runs at weak points and strategic locations on the battlefield.
Pict-File of a Cheveyo ('Spirit Warrior') in battle.
- Cheveyo (The Spirit Warriors) - These are the veteran warriors of the Chapter. They are the mythical 1st Company and they are fierce. The company consists of around fifty Marines with a small detachment of Terminators and Dreadnoughts. Once a brother have proven himself worthy to joining the ranks as one of the 1st Company, he will separate himself from the rest of the Chapter and move down into the depths of the Fortress-Monastery. The Company have several temples where the brothers meditate, study and train under the watchful eyes of the Shamans. In war the brothers of the Company paint their faces black and red and get injected by the Shamans with powerful combat drugs that also makes their eyes pure white. The local tribes believe that to face the Cheveyo is to look right at ones death.
- The Shadows (Vanguard Primaris Marines) - A small detachment of Primaris Vanguard Marines. Although the Chapter see the Primaris Marines as a good resource, they also see them as a threat to their pure gene-seed and culture. They live in a separate part of the Fortress-Monastery away from the rest of the brothers of the Chapter. They are given their own missions and are often used as spearheads or reserves to the main battle-groups.
Order of Battle
Headquarters
| Chapter Command | |||||
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| Librarium | The Counsel | The Armoury | Wing Command | ||
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Companies
| Battle Companies | ||
| 1st Company |
2nd Company |
3rd Company |
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Combat Doctrine
The Desert Hawks are specialists in desert warfare and rapid assaults. When they go to battle it is with a mix of variant landspeeders and aircraft. With no heavy tank support by land, the Chapters tactics is build around a small hard striking 1st Company task force and highly mobile, airborne squads of tactical- and assault marines with outflanking scout units. Combined with heavy close air support this will make most enemies to be overwhelmed before they can put up a decent defense.
A Thunderhawk Gunship on patrol.
Chapter Beliefs
Brothers of the Desert Hawks have a strong belief that spirits guide them and that the Emperor is watching over the Chapter thru the eyes of the planets large birds of prey, the Dreadwings. They worship this birds and the brothers of the Chapter tattoo imagery used by the local tribes. When a brother dies, he is honored with a sky burial on a altar high up on the Fortress-Monastery. Letting the birds feast on the body. In that way the fallen brother become one with the God-Emperor.
Chapter Gene-Seed
Although it is believed that the Desert Hawks are a Successor Chapter of the White Scars, the Inquisition isn't convinced that this is the case. According to them, there are some kind of darkness within the gene-seed of the Chapter. They believe that the long wars fought close to the warp-rifts in the Chapter's home sector could have polluted the brothers of the Chapter or that some sort of seed of Chaos has been planted.
The Chapter refuses to send any new gene-seed to the Adeptus Mechanicus for validation of its purity, despite the Inquisition's explicit orders to do so. The Desert Hawks defend the decision that they need all its precious gene-seed to rebuild the Chapter.
An investigation is ongoing by Inquisitor Valdemar van Strumbecker of the Ordo Hereticus.
Primarch's Curse: Chogorian Savagery
When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in two stages:
- Stage 1 - A Moment Unrestrained:
The Battle-Brother's discipline begins to slip and falter, allowing brief moments of untamed ferocity to emerge in the heat of battle. Often, the Battle-Brother will not even know that he is succumbing to this savagery, and it requires the presence of his brothers to warn him of his failure.
- Stage 2 - Suppressed Rage:
Within the darkest reaches of the Battle-Brother's mind lurks the shadow of his rage and fury, seeking any opportunity to emerge, and causing the Battle-Brother to become belligerent and quick to anger.
Recruiting Practices
The Chapter does not wish to dilute the culture and gene-seed of Chapter and used to only recruit new brothers from its homeworld of Solitudinem. To become a Neophyte the new brothers have prove themselves worthy by hunting and trap one of the planets Dreadwings. For the tribes it's the greatest of honor to have one of its people be chosen to join the ranks of the Desert Hawks. Or as the people of Solitudinem call them; Qaletaqa, Guardians of the people.
But because of the small numbers of Marines and the insufficient recruitment on the desolate tribal planet. The Chapter are searching for new recruits on the other planets in the sector. They also have requested more reinforcements of Primaris Marines.
Notable Members
- Wahkan - The current Lore-Keeper of the Desert Hawks. A brave and fearless warrior with countless of battles behind him. He has been leading the Chapter with honor for over 300 years.
- Akencheta - Former Lore-Keeper that destroyed the Chaos Sorcerer Haman Mal during the Soul War.
- Cochise - A Venerable Dreadnought and the oldest brother alive in the Chapter that stills serves as a warrior of the 1st Company.
- Elsu - Former Warleader of the 1st Company. Known for leading his company against the warband Skull Bringers of Khorne, destroying them to the last and capturing the Battle Barge Khorne's Revenge.
- Cetanwakuwa - A former Shaman and the creator of the large variation of different battle drugs that supported his brethren in battle.
Chapter Fleet
Pict-File of The Striking Hawk.
The Desert Hawks possess the following vessels:
- The Striking Hawk (Battle Barge) - Flagship of the Chapter. Formerly known as Khorne's Revenge, which belonged to the Khornate warband known as the Blood Ravagers and its Chaos Lord Whreg the Unbroken. Captured by Warleader Elsu and his 1st Company during the Battle of the Blood and re-consecrated for service in the Chapter as The Striking Hawk.
- Hand of the Spirit (Vanguard Cruiser) - This vessel has been with the Chapter since its founding and are on constant patrol in the sector. It's current mission is to find and bring new recruits back to the Chapter.
Deus-Caesar Pattern Thunderhawk
The Desert Hawks have a own unique relic pattern of Thunderhawks that were constructed in honor of the God-Emperor. The Deus-Caesar Pattern Thunderhawk was made for heavy close air support missions and is outfitted with the following:
- 1 dorsal-mounted Turbo-Laser Destructor
- 2 wing-mounted Lascannons
- 1 front fuselage-mounted Thunderfire Cannon
- 2 wing-mounted twin-linked Plasma Cannons
- 6 wing-mounted Hellstrike Missiles
There are only a few left of these patterns of Thunderhawks in the Chapter. The most famous one are the Arrow of the Emperor that is used as the personal transport to the Lore-Keeper.
Chapter Relics
- Makya - This relic boltgun has been with the Chapter since its founding.
- Rowtag - A master-crafted meltagun.
- Taima - An ancient Force-Axe traditionally used by the Warleader of the 1st Company.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The power armour of the Desert Hawks is primarily sand-coloured with brown colouring on both armorials and helmet. The Chapter's armour is often rusty and worn. The Chapter base their iconography on the imagery used by the tribes from which they are recruited. The brothers are often tattooed and have decorated their armour with feathers and bones of the birds they worship. When going into battle they paint their faces in different tribal patterns.
Each Shaman have their armour painted in different patterns of red and white. This is to honor the founding Chapter and to symbolize that everything has a noble, pure side and a grim, violent side. And to remind them of the importance of balance. Even within the Chapter itself.
Chapter Badge
The Desert Hawks' Chapter badge takes the form of a bone white skull of a hawk.
Relations
Allies
- The Sandstorm Rangers Regiment has functioned as a auxilia force to the Chapter on several occasions.
- The Chapter is under the protection of the Ordo Xenos since the Battle of the Blood in the 37th Millennium.
Enemies
- The current investigation by the Inquisition has put the Chapter, together with Ordo Xenos, and the Ordo Hereticus at a direct conflict with each other.
Notable Quotes
By the Desert Hawks
- "We are the Desert Hawks! The Emperor see us! Let´s make Him proud! Charge!"
- — Lore-Keeper Akencheta during the Soul War
| Eighth Founding Space Marine Chapters | |
|---|---|
| Dark Angels Successors | Black Reapers • Ebon Angels • Sword of Achrial • |
| White Scars Successors | Black Scorpions • Desert Hawks • Destroyers of Worlds • Marauding Eagles • Rising Sons • |
| Space Wolves Successors | N/A |
| Imperial Fists Successors | Ash Scorpions • Bears of Kalum • Crusaders Inexorable • Sable Lions • Thunder Guardians |
| Blood Angels Successors | Astra Khalybes • Blood Aurochs • Great Bears • Immortals • Sanguinary Accipiters • |
| Iron Hands Successors | Iron Depurators • |
| Ultramarines Successors | Bronze Bastion • Bulls of the Emperor • Far Hunters • Tribunes • Warhawks • |
| Salamanders Successors | Silver Pachyderms • |
| Raven Guard Successors | Crow Stalkers • Illuminators • |
| Unknown Lineage | • |
| Renegades | Bloody Hymn • Dionysus Revellers • Gore Vultures • Verum Illuminate • |