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This article, Howling Wolves, was written by Chapter Master Nexus. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
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This article, Howling Wolves, is currently under active construction. The author, Chapter Master Nexus, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
- "Brothers, our enemy already boasts about their apparent victory, about how they will slaughter us all! Let them bark all they like, for our howls shall be the last thing they hear!""
- — Chaplain Davis of the Howling Wolves 3rd Company, at the Battle of Gaxon in the Drake Sub-Sector
The Howling Wolves are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter who were formed during the 11th Founding in 695.M35, with the purpose of stabilizing the Imperium's borders during the Nova Terra Interregnum. They are a fleet-based Chapter and are currently deployed across various warzones in the Imperium. It is unknown from whom they drew their gene-seed from.
Their Fortress-Monastery was originally located upon the Death World of Kailos, though has since been transferred to the Battle-Barge Ghost of Kailos after the destruction of their world at the hands of Chaos Lord Arkanon and his forces, something for which they would have vengeance during the course of the Hyperion War.
History
The Founding (695.M35)
During the Nova Terra Interregnum in the 35th Millennium, the Imperium saw need to create a new force of Adeptus Astartes to stabilize its borders and reclaim the secessionist Segmentum Pacificus for the Emperor. Amongst these newly founded Chapters was the Howling Wolves Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.
The Battle of Balisis (734.M35)
The newly appointed Chapter Master Anduin Prius, the last known survivor of an unknown Chapter according to limited Imperial records, oversaw the arming and training of his Chapter with the assistance of detached officers from the Raven Guard until it was at full battle-strength to begin waging war against the secessionists of the Nova Terra Empire. In their first engagement they were sent to pacify a Hive World known as Balisis along with the Death Korps of Krieg's 75th Siege Army and the Ultramarines 5th and 7th Companies. The war waged for no more than a week before it was over, the Loyalists had won with next to no casualties for the Astartes, but the same could not be said for the Death Korps as they had suffered heavy casualties in the conflict. The war came to a swift end when the full force of nearly 1,200 Astartes assaulted the capital hive, completely overwhelming the rebel Guard and PDF forces and exterminating the rebel command structure, throwing the rest of their forces on the planet into disarray, allowing reinforcing Imperial Guard regiments to easily handle them. After the successful completion of this campaign the Howling Wolves and Ultramarines departed, leaving the Imperial Guard behind to stabilise the world.
The Discovery of Kailos (746.M35)
Almost a full decade after the events on Balisis, the Howling Wolves came across a planet designated as Kailos that was suitable for them to claim, with a population of hardy warrior tribes and the violent wildlife and terrain of a Death World it was perfect for the needs of an Astartes Chapter. It was located within the newly named Prius Sector, an area containing a lost long part of Humanity since the days of Old Night that was discovered and re-claimed in the most recent campaign of the Howling Wolves, alongside regiments from Cadia and Harakon, which saw the destruction of a minor Ork Empire that had ruled over the sector with an iron fist, and was planning to strike out at nearby Imperial territories.
Within weeks of the defeat of the Ork overlords, the lost fragment of Humanity was brought back into the fold when the Administratum, Ecclesiarchy and Mechanicus began to arrive and establish their presence of the many worlds of the sector. Leaving the integration of the sector to the Imperial bureaucracy, the Howling Wolves claimed the world of Kailos for their Chapter and began operations to secure territory and establish a Fortress-Monastery. Upon landing a zone was secured in the equatorial mountain regions, a vast labour force being deployed to begin work on the Fortress-Monastery, it's placement offering it a commanding presence and adequate defense against invaders both native and foreign.
Nova Terra Interregnum (???.M35-???.M36)
Throughout the course of the Nova Terra Interregnum the Howling Wolves Chapter waged war against secessionist forces on countless worlds, bringing them back into the Imperial fold. From the ravaged wastes of Fomorra X to the continent-wide hives of Burilia they fought against every foe ranging from rebels to xenos and heretics, none would stay the wrath of the Howling Wolves. It was towards the start of the 36th Millennium that the Nova Terra Interregnum ended, a series of uprisings spurred on by the Ecclesiarchy wage across the Imperium causing a civil war not seen since the days of the Horus Heresy. When all is said and done the Segmentum Pacificus is returned to the Imperium and the Ur-Council of the Nova Terra Empire fallen. The power of the Adeptus Ministorum in Imperial politics would reach it's zenith in the centuries afterwards, ultimately unleashing the events of the Age of Apostasy in the later 36th Millennium.
Age of Apostasy (???.M36)
Notable Campaigns
- Battle of Balisis
- Defense of Prius Sector
- Nova Terra Interregnum
- Age of Apostasy
Chapter Homeworld
Kailos was a Boreal world located in the Prius Sector that served as the Howling Wolves homeworld prior to it's destruction at the hands of Lord Arkanon and his Warband in the late 40th Millennium. Covered in a mixture of coniferous forests, large tundras and mountains planet wide, this world played host to a variety of lifeforms, some of which are considered dangerous enough to be worthy of being hunted by Astartes. Along the planets equator was an expansive mountain range that ringed the circumference of the world, effectively dividing the world in half and traversable only by a series of narrow corridors which play host to seasonal migrations by both the indigenous fauna and human tribes, as well as packs of local predators looking for an easy meal among the packed prey in the narrow corridors with nowhere to run.
In the current days of the 42nd Millennium all that remains of this world is dust and continent sized debris, as well as the countless wrecks and corpses left behind during Kailos' destruction.
Fortress-Monastery
Ghost of Kailos - Chapter Barque, current Fortress-Monastery
The Howling Wolves are currently based out of the Chapter Barque, the Ghost of Kailos, and are on active deployment throughout Segmentum Pacificus. The Ghost of Kailos is an upsized Battle-Barge currently serving as the mobile Fortress-Monastery of the Howling Wolves Chapter, being converted for this function after the destruction of the Chapter homeworld, Kailos, and with it the Chapter's former Fortress-Monastery at the hands of Chaos Lord Arkanon and his Warband.
The Ghost of Kailos rests at around 8,000 meters in length, being almost twice as large as other vessels of the Battle-Barge class. The ship is protected by thickened layers of adamantium and plasteel armour plating, ferrocrete buttresses surrounding the hull and no less than several separate void-shield arrays, with the vessels superstructure as strong as the doors to the Golden Throne itself, being made up of the same ultra-dense alloy used in all Battle-Barges granting the Ghost of Kailos near invulnerability to all but the most relentless and savage of attacks. On the prow is mounted additional armour plating to facilitate ramming attacks, taking advantage of the vessels overwhelming size to simply smash through enemy starships.
The hull bristles with sensorium arrays and weapon emplacements ranging from broadside plasma macro-batteries to the heavy dorsal lance turrets, along with macro-laser cannons, missile racks and fusion beamers adding to this destructive arsenal. Blisters of defense lasers dot the hull, arrayed around exposed and vital areas in order to intercept enemy munitions, while the prow-mounted bombardment cannon silently waits to deliver it's deadly payload of magma-bombs onto either planetary or voidborne threats. Towards the prow also resides the primary hangar, where a large complement of Thunderhawks and other assault craft rest, awaiting the next time they will be deployed as they are tended to by Techmarines and maintenance crews, while running the length of the hull is enough drop pods to facilitate the rapid deployment of four full companies, with additional deployment craft in the form of boarding torpedoes lining the broadsides of the ship along with the macro-batteries. The Ghost of Kailos also plays host to a teleportarium array, allowing for rapid lightning strike attacks by teleporting the Space Marines into the heart of the enemy.
This sheer amount of defensive and offensive power allows the Ghost of Kailos to both engage vessels larger than itself and take on multiple vessels in it's own weight-class or below with relative ease, tearing through the enemy either through massed weapons fire or simply ramming through the mid-section and tearing them in half, while still being able to weather a hailstorm of capital-grade weapons fire. During engagements the embarked Astartes companies either perform boarding actions on enemy vessels or begin a rapid planetary deployment under the cover of her guns.
Driving this indomitable vessel is a series of powerful plasma drives taking up the aft section, this area being a mass of drive tubes, engine compartments and nuclear fusion-based Plasma Reactors, all allowing for the Ghost of Kailos to maintain a higher speed than most other vessels in it's weight-class, letting her outmaneuver the enemy in most engagements. Her intensified gellar fields likewise play a role in her defense, staving off the vile denizens of the Warp during her travels through the Immaterium. Powering it all is an immense Generatorium within the drive section, overseen by the Master of the Forge and the many tech-adepts and serfs present.
Within lies the heart of the Chapter itself, with the vessels interior being heavily converted to support the many base facilities required for the Chapter to be self-sustaining. The Apothecarion in which resides the gene-seed stasis-well, guarded by ranks of servitor-slaved heavy bolter turrets and armed serfs protecting the very future of the Chapter. Elsewhere on the ship lies the domain of the Techmarines, the forges and armouries where the majority of the Chapters armour, armaments and munitions are produced and stored, as well as being the resting place of most of the Chapter's dreadnoughts. Due to the nature of the Chapter being fleet-based only these base items can be locally produced by the Techamrines, with Forge Worlds being required in order to procure heavier armaments, warsuits and vehicles. Thankfully this issue is mitigated by the Chapter's close relations to the Forge World of Gros XV, a Mechanicus world with close ties to the Chapter in thanks of the Howling Wolves efforts to protect the world from suffering the same fate Kailos did.
Towards the rear of the vessel, in the command spire towering over the drive section, is where the Reclusiam and Librarium can be found. Both facilities serve as storage for ancient relics and arcane knowledge respectively, with much of the Chapter's past glories and history kept here, under the watchful eyes of Chaplains and Librarians. In the upper-levels near the command bridge is where the Chapter Master's sanctum and the Chapter Council's chambers reside. Here the highest echelons of the Howling Wolves gather to discuss matters of great importance.
Protecting the interior of this vessel, apart from it's already overwhelming security complement of Astartes and serfs, are ranks of automated blast doors, ranks of automated turrets and remote airlocks at regular intervals. Other, non-defensive systems, can also be utilized to aid in repelling boarders such as the gravity plating which can be intensified to crush anything within the field, or the cutting off of life support in sections isolated by sealed blast doors. These measures ensure the Ghost of Kailos is impervious to all but the strongest and most determined of boarding parties.
Chapter Organization
Command Ranks
- Chapter Master
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Chief Apothecary
- Master of Sanctity
- Reclusiarch
- Chief Librarian
Veteran Ranks
- First Company Veteran
- Veteran Sergeant
- Sergeant
Line Formations
- Veteran Squads
- Battleline Squads
- Fire Support Squads
- Close Support Squads
- Scout Squads
- Vanguard Squads
Specialist Formations
Honour Guard
The Honour Guard of the Howling Wolves Chapter are the sworn guardians of both the Chapter Master and the Chapter Banner, while also enforcing the Chapter Masters will when assigned to companies to be the eyes and ears of the Chapter Master.
To become an Honour Guard is to display courage, honour, and loyalty above the normal call in a given combat situation. Each Honour Guard is equipped with ornate Master-Crafted Artificer Power Armour, each possessing a component of the power armour worn by past heroes of the Chapter, while they are also given free reign of the Chapter Armoury for their weapons of choice, though most usually settle for dual Master-Crafted Power Swords and a twin Master-Crafted Bolt Pistol set with specialist ammo.
Among the Honour Guard three individuals stand out, the Chapter's Ancient, the Chapter Champion, and the Honour Guard Apothecary. The Chapter's Ancient is the bearer of the sacred Banner of Madrigal, while the Chapter Champion is the mightiest of the Honour Guard often acting as the personal bodyguard of the Chapter Master and also being his envoy, and the Honour Guard Apothecary who has the sole job to see to the physical well being of the Honour Guard so other Apothecaries may tend to the other wounded Battle-Brothers.
Howling Wolves Librarians
Like their fellow Astartes Chapters, the Howling Wolves also maintain a Librarium of potent psykers who are highly talented and trained to master the power of the Warp at the highest levels. Each Chapter selects its Librarians in its own way, either from seed worlds, as it does with the bulk of its Initiates, or from the ranks of gifted psykers brought to the Scholastica Psykana. Most Chapters train and test chosen psykers following the ancient ways laid out in the Codex Astartes. Librarians of the Howling Wolves are trained in this way, and, with some minor variances, have been taught to live by the word of the Codex unless their judgement and instinct proves to be sounder.
Order of Battle
Like most Codex Astartes compliant Chapters, the Howling Wolves are divided into ten companies of a hundred Space Marines each. Each company is led by a Captain of the Howling Wolves, who -- in addition to his company command -- is in charge of a particular aspect of the Chapter's logistics. Each Company is also given a Chaplain, Librarian, Apothecary, and Techmarines to assist them. A Howling Wolves Astartes company designation is indicated by the colour of his power amour's left knee pad.
Headquarters
Companies
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Veteran Company |
Battle Companies | |||
| 1st Company
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2nd Company
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3rd Company
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4th Company
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5th Company
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| Reserve Companies | Scout Company | ||||
| 6th Company
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7th Company
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8th Company
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9th Company
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10th Company
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Chapter Gene-Seed
The primogenitor of the Howling Wolves is unknown. Whoever their gene-sire may be, the gene-seed of the Howling Wolves is regarded as very stable, with few singular or notable physical mutations beyond the expected pattern, with full functionality of implanted organs to projected specifications, and only an eleven percent chance of mutation.
Chapter Beliefs & Culture
Chapter Recruitment
Combat Doctrine
The Howling Wolves combat doctrine emphasizes heavily on mobile warfare and the disruption of enemy operations, often by use of shock assaults or guerrilla warfare tactics. While being a proud and honourable Chapter like their cousins, the Howling Wolves usually eschew the glory of open battles and the fanfare of waving banners, usually striking their foes in surprise lighting strikes, raiding the foe and destroying all in their path before quickly evading counter-attacks or setting traps and ambushes for the enemy, the forms of dozens of Astartes and their supporting vehicles materializing out of seemingly thin air and tearing into the enemies ranks before they even have a chance to comprehend what is happening.
A common theme seen amongst most Howling Wolves operations in coordination with other Imperial forces is the disruption and destruction of enemy logistics through strategic interdiction operations. Many times have the foes of the Imperium found their supply lines, munitions dumps and power stations completely devastated by a fast moving and most often unseen foe, crippling their ability to combat the rapidly approaching Imperial forces that eventually swarm over them.
Deathwatch Service
The Howling Wolves have kept their Ancient Oaths sworn to the Deathwatch since their inception in the 35th Millennium, with over a hundred of their Battle-Brothers being seconded to the fearsome xeno hunters over the millennia. The Battle-Brothers seconded to the Long Watch are often found invaluable, their Chapters method of warfare integrating seamlessly into Deathwatch operations, leading to them being highly effective members of the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos.
Notable Deathwatch Members
Notable Members
Chapter Fleet
Due to their status as a Fleet-Based Chapter, the Howling Wolves have a much larger fleet than most other Chapters, their main fleet often found guarding their mobile Fortress-Monastery, The Wolves Den, while smaller strike fleets are sent out to deploy Companies as required across various warzones.
The Chapter fleet of the Howling Wolves is known to contain the following starships:
- Ghost of Kailos (Chapter Barque) - The Wolves Den serves as the mobile fortress-monastery of the Howling Wolves, being a highly modified Battle-Barge twice the size of it's kin and bristling with weapons hardpoints and hangar bays filled with transports and strike craft.
Chapter Specific Vehicles & Wargear
Chapter Relics
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Relations
Allies
Enemies
Notable Quotes
By the Howling Wolves
About the Howling Wolves
| Eleventh Founding Space Marine Chapters | |
|---|---|
| Dark Angels Successors | • |
| White Scars Successors | Shades of Cog • |
| Space Wolves Successors | N/A |
| Imperial Fists Successors | Exalted Blades • Skull Takers • |
| Blood Angels Successors | • |
| Iron Hands Successors | Blood Guard • Karaashi Arbiters • |
| Ultramarines Successors | Steel Hawks • |
| Salamanders Successors | • |
| Raven Guard Successors | • |
| Unknown Lineage | Murdering Sons • Howling Wolves • Night Terrors • |
Gallery
