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This article, Steel Tigers, was written by Shador61. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
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This article, Steel Tigers, is currently under active construction. The author, Shador61, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
The Steel Tigers are a Successor Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, with their lineage drawn from the White Scars and founded in the year 862.M38 as part of the 23rd Founding. The Chapter finds its home in the Kassari System, with its homeworld being the Hive World of Kassari Primus although its Fortress-Monastery is on the moon of Sannoris.
Due to the varied ecosystems found across the Kassari System, the Steel Tigers are experts at fighting and tracking in any terrain and prefer hit and run tactics to whittle down an enemy before breaking them with a charge. In more recent times, they have had their numbers reinforced with Primaris Marines and work on integrating new and old together while embarking on their most dangerous mission: Being part of a scouting force beyond the Cicatrix Maledictum.
Chapter History
862.M38 - The Steel Tigers are founded as part of the Sentinel Founding, with a group of fifty White Scars Astartes led by Suberei Khan being assigned to the newly founded chapter to get them on their feet. Suberei Khan takes the position of Chapter Master, leading the Steel Tigers for slightly more than a standard century.
994.M38 - 002.M39 - The Steel Tigers are sent to reinforce the Star Golems at Juprost Minor after a splinter of the Black Legion joins the fray. Led by Mornakh Khan as his first major act as Chapter Master, seven full companies land on the planet and work with the Golems using hammer-and-anvil battle tactics. The fierce fighting takes a toll on both Chapters, with the Tigers losing the combined total of a couple hundred Astartes across all companies involved and the Golems' Chapter Master sacrificing himself to cripple and drive back the Black Legion forces.
201.M39 - Mornakh Khan is grievously wounded in battle against the Blades Macabre, a Night Lords warband that had been terrorizing the region south-east of the Kassari System. The warband is driven back into the Warp, leaving behind several dead Astartes and Chaos-fallen Marines as well. Seeing no other recourse, the Apothecarium of the Chapter place Mornakh into a Venerable Dreadnought, the first in the Chapter's history.
Notable Campaigns
Chapter Home World
The Hive World Kassari Primus, homeworld of the Steel Tigers
The world of Kassari Primus, named after the Kassari System it is found in, is a barren and rocky world that is unsuitable for most types of worlds but the large open spaces made it perfect to be developed into a Hive World. Most of the terrain of Kassari Primus is composed of rocky plains that stretch for kilometres beyond the horizon, only broken by rough chasms or craggy mountains. The Hive Cities of the planet are all connected with long, winding roads to allow resources to be brought from one Hive to the next.
After the planet was established as the homeworld for the Steel Tigers and they had begun operations, Suberei Khan, the first Chapter Master spent more than a decade establishing their presence on the planet and turning the hives into synergistic machines of the Imperium. He set up a yearly event to test the skills of the citizens who used their bikes to deliver goods from hive to hive, creating a treacherous race that had them going from Hive Magdalos to Hive Norksal and crossing most of the planet while doing so. He also worked with members of the Adeptus Mechanicus to bring the bikes produced by the hives up to Astartes standards, as well as have them begin producing Jetbikes for the Steel Tigers.
Sannoris, the moon of Kassari Primus
The moon of Sannoris is the location of the Steel Tigers Fortress-Monastery and supports life naturally unlike the planet it orbits. The moon is covered in steppes, woodland and a few large bodies of water that all are home to a variety of wildlife maintained for one of the Steel Tigers' primary traditions.
Fortress-Monastery
The Fortress-Monastery of Cho Ganbar looks like a modestly-sized headquarters from the outside but is in fact a sprawling complex that delves deep into the mountainside. Many of the more utilitarian facilities such as barracks, housing for the Chapter serfs and vehicle bays are situated in the outside portion while more ceremonial and important ones like the Librarium, Cathedral and Tiger's Den are in the mountain.
Chapter Organisation
Officer Ranks
- Khan - The Chapter Master of the Steel Tigers, leading the Chapter in times of peace and war. The Khan is normally either rule from Cho Ganbar or from the Chapter's flagship: The Voidclaw. The most revered and venerated Khans obtain the title of Nar-Khan, signifying a Khan that exemplifies the heart and soul of the Steel Tigers. To date, only the Second and Fifth Chapter Masters, Mornakh Nar-Khan and Tuloan Nar-Khan have been granted such a title.
- Akhmad - Equivalent to the rank of Company Captain in the Steel Tigers, each Akhmad leads 100 Battle-Brothers in their Company. Upon the death of the current Khan, the Akhmads and other members of the Steel Tigers leadership convene to determine which Akhmad will be appointed to fill the role of Khan.
Specialist Ranks
- Mukhar - The psykers of the Steel Tigers, similar to the Stormseers of their predecessors in the White Scars.
Line Ranks
Specialist Units & Formations
Order of Battle
Headquarters
| Chapter Command | ||||
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| Armoury | Reclusium | Apothecarion | Librarius | Fleet Command |
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Companies
| Veteran Company | Fighting Companies | |||
| 1st Company "Ossein Brotherhood" |
2nd Company "Brotherhood of Crashing Thunder" |
3rd Company "Brotherhood of the Red Kite" |
4th Company "Brotherhood of the Spearstrike" |
5th Company "Brotherhood of Reborn Fury" |
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Kraken's Bane (Gladiator Reaper) Hatred's Vigil (Javelin Attack Speeder) |
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| Reserve Companies | Vanguard Company | |||
| 6st Company (Battleline) "Brotherhood of the Fallen Sky" |
7nd Company (Vanguard) "Brotherhood of the Sudden Storm" |
8rd Company (Mobile Support) "Brotherhood of the Blazing Comet" |
9th Company (Heavy Support) "Adamantine Brotherhood" |
10th Company "Brotherhood of Dusk" |
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Combat Doctrine
The Steel Tigers prefer to use their speed and manoeuvrability with their vehicles to run circles around their enemy, peeling their flanks away with storms of Bolter shots before charging right into the heart of the disoriented and weakened enemy army and shattering their lines with blades and brute, wild force. They also prioritize fast, shock attacks either using Thunderhawk transports or Drop-pods, looking to cause disruption in the enemy's ranks before either pressing their attack if they have the advantage or rapidly disengaging to commit to a more standard battle-line.
Shooting Doctrine
When it comes to their shooting, the Steel Tigers highly prefer a mix of precision and firepower although certain companies prefer different priorities in their guns. The Chapter makes use of a standard Bolter, with the only modifications being situational scopes. The main companies that either use other weapons or modify their Bolters are the 1st, 5th and 10th. As well, given the hatred the Steel Tigers have towards Tyranids, they make heavy use of Hellfire Bolts whenever they encounter the xenos race they despise.
The veteran Steel Tigers have all spent years of combat with their Bolters and have modified them to better suit their personal preferences and varying fighting styles, whether that is extended barrels, larger mags or scopes, each Bolter is tweaked to the specifications of the specific Marine. As such, a fighting squad of Veterans are a machine of individuality and experience that mow down their enemies.
The 5th Company of Steel Tigers is entirely composed of Primaris Marines due to the events of the Fall of Nyxpar. They make use of Bolters primarily but also a high amount of Meltas in their squads, wielding Meltaguns and vehicles with Meltas attached along with Combi-Meltas. They also use Inferno Bolts as much as normal Bolts, making use of their speed and burning weapons to breakdown enemy armour.
The 10th Company use Sniper Rifles, primarily the Mark III Shrike Variant modified to have even higher firepower and penetration ability. The Scout Company of the Steel Tigers go through rigorous sharpshooting training, not only from a static point against stationary and moving targets but also able to do so from a moving transport or gunship.
Melee Doctrine
Vehicle Doctrine
Chapter Culture & Beliefs
The Blood Debt
The punishment doled out to Battle Brothers deemed to have failed in a duty to the chapter or otherwise displayed behavior unbefitting of a Steel Tiger. They are given a drug by the Apothecarion that counter-acts the Larraman Organ, leaving them more vulnerable to injury and requiring longer times to properly heal from wounds. The drug to return the Larraman Organ to proper functionality is withheld from them until they have completed an adequate sentence as determined by the command of the Chapter, be it defeating a powerful enemy in combat, serving several front-line deployments or simply spending a number of years serving the Blood Debt. Marines currently serving the Blood Debt are marked by a stripe of red paint diagonally on their helmet as a sign of their penance, those that die to the Debt are considered to have paid the ultimate price and are honored while those that succeed are honored as well and given the right to paint the haft of their weapon in the same red paint as their marked helmet.
Chapter Recruitment
The Steel Tigers draw their recruits primarily from two worlds in the Kassari System: Their homeworld of Kassari Primus providing hardened survivors of the Hives and the Desert World of Lan'khail with the resolute and resourceful nomads. Aspirants are put through a trial depending on the planet of their origin, those passing being taken as Neophytes of the Steel Tigers.
The Hellclaw Journey
On the world of Lan'khail, a massive celebration takes place every decade, the equivalent of three Terran years. All the nomadic groups converge back to the capital of Lan'jaska to feast. All potential Aspirants are taken to a large chasm that runs for over fifty kilometers through the sand, known as the Hellclaw Ravine. The Aspirants are stripped down to nothing and must make their way from one end of the ravine to the other during the height of the day, weathering the extremely potent sun, superheated sand and the natural dangers of the ravine including unstable terrain and the dangerous predators of the desert: Serpors and the Jan'dori. The ravine sheer length and difficulty to traverse means the Aspirants will also have to combat the freezing cold of the Lan'khaili night. A handful of Apothecaries are stationed along the ridges of the ravines, to rescue those Aspirants who show themselves to be particularly resourceful but who may not have the raw stamina to complete the journey.
Trial of the Wastes
For those Aspirants who hail from the Hive World of Kassari Primus have an equally grueling trial ahead of them. The wastes surrounding the Hive Cities are filled with rivers, lakes and even seas of toxic sludge along with heavily polluted air and roving bands of half-mad scavengers. Aspirants are given a simple Dustbike, a gasmask, a map, a knife and little else and are required to make their way to one of many outpost locations deep in the wastes. The Aspirants have little more than a day's time to make their way to the outpost, forcing them to push their skills to the limit to traverse the toxic landscape and either avoid or conquer the scavengers that stand in their way. Between the scavengers, the toxic air and the rough terrain that hides pools of waste that can kill a man instantly, it is a harrowing journey that sees many of them die and only the most resolute and resourceful succeed.
Trial of the Teeth
While Neophytes of the Steel Tigers go through many trials during their training, the most strenuous and important one comes after they've been implanted with their Omophagea. They are separated into sixteen groups as evenly as possible and sent out to one of the many outposts the Steel Tigers have on the moon of Sannoris. The Neophytes are armed with nothing but a combat knife and a bolt pistol before being sent out to hunt down one of the many animals that live on Sannoris. With a time limit of only 7 hours to track, kill, clean and eat the animal as well as make a trophy necklace of the teeth, the Neophyte's skills of hunting are put to their limit.
The Trial of Soul-Sight
The final major trial for Neophytes, one to test their mental fortitude and their resistance to the powers of Chaos. Some plants of the planet Teron have a small, yet odd connection to the Warp, just enough that when brewed into a concoction, it can open the mind to visions. Neophytes are given the concoction and then released into the wilds of Teron, watched over by veteran Battle Brothers flying overhead in Thunderhawks. The trial is a two-fold one as not only are the Neophytes in these visions which can be influenced by the Warp, but they must also survive among the hostile jungles of Teron, a planet composed of many toxic plants. Those that survive with their bodies, minds and souls intact are inducted as full Battle-Brothers of the Chapter, where as the rest are either left to the jungle or executed by those watching over the trial.
Chapter Gene-Seed
The gene-seed of the Steel Tigers is one that is fairly stable, although a few mutations have cropped up in more recent generations. Both the Catalepsean Node and the Melanochrome organ have atrophied to a degree, leading to both being unreliable and weaker than the normal. However, due to the Steel Tigers tradition of eating a native animal upon landing on a new world, their Omophagea is stronger than most Marines. Along with having stronger memories from eating flesh, the first creature that a Steel Tiger eats will have an even greater effect with most Astartes having some personality trait from the animal and an affinity to it. Such as a Steel Tiger that first ate something like a lion being fiercer and more protective of their unit whereas one that ate a wild boar being more headstrong and stubborn. This doesn't completely overwrite the Marine's traits but influences them in most cases. As well, they suffer from the curse inherited from their Primarch and can fall into overwhelming ferocity. Combined with the enhanced Omophagea, it can lead to some members of the Steel Tigers descending into animalistic bloodthirst in combat and forsaking strategy for raw ferocity and viciousness.
Deathwatch Service
Notable Steel Tigers
- Rikhai Akhmad, 'the Nightblade' - Captain of the Steel Tigers 10th Company
- Mornakh Nar-Khan, 'Wind's Chosen Son' - Second Chapter Master of the Steel Tigers, now interred in a Venerable Dreadnought.
- Jasken Horval, 'the Phoenix' - Captain of the Steel Tigers 5th Company. Primaris Marine.
- Anagar Gal, Lieutenant of the Steel Tigers 7th Company. When the escort cruiser Darkhunter was temporarily left behind on a jungle world where an Ork uprising was recently crushed to ensure no spores survived, it was three squads from the 7th Company that would unfortunately come to discover that much more survived than was thought. Sergeant Anagar Gal and his marines were on the receiving end of an Ork assault, leaving the three squads decimated with merely six survivors. Anagar Gal took command and his men observed as quick moving Orks smeared in purple warpaint escaped their base of operations with the heads of half of the slain Steel Tigers. The six astartes decided to fight fire with fire, venturing out in pursuit of the Orks and slaying many that had assailed them that day. When no further report of the operation came back to their command after a day, they were thought lost. Fifteen days later Anagar Gal walked back into the base of operations, dragging behind him two makeshift drag sleds with the five battle brothers he ventured out with, now deceased, and severed heads of countless massive orks whose faces were smeared in the same purple warpaint as his power armor now was. He went on to report how he and his men avenged the slain Steel Tigers, employing the terror tactics a reiver capitalizes on and further mocking the greenskins into making tactical mistakes by both stealing their cans of warpaint and ordering his men to paint their armor with it. This fifteen day long jungle engagement left him adept to the combat tactics of Ork Kommandos and thirsting for the bloodshed of more. Now promoted to Lieutenant, he is the current expert in guerilla tactics for the Brotherhood of the Sudden Storm.
Chapter Fleet
The Steel Tigers fleet is primarily composed of Cruisers, Escorts, and a pair of Battle Barges. Their ships have been modified for speed, manoeuvrability and some stealth, at the cost of some of their defences.
Battle Barges
The Steel Tigers have a pair of Battle Barges in their fleet, making up their Chapter Flagship and secondary major ship.
- The Voidclaw - Flagship of the Steel Tigers and headquarters of the Khan when they aren't at Cho Ganbar as well as the primary quarters of the Chapter's Chaplains.
- The Blazing Dao - Second Battle Barge of the Steel Tigers and the location of the Chapter's mobile gene-seed repository, armoury and primary quarters of the Mukhar.
- The Sannorian Star - Formerly the third Battle Barge of the Steel Tigers, destroyed in orbit above Nyxpar in battle with Hive Ships of Hive Fleet Kraken.
Cruisers
The Steel Tigers have several Strike Cruisers in their fleet, both supporting their Battle Barges and standing as a mobile headquarters when separate from the fleet. As well, ten of the cruisers hold the position as the flagship for each Company.
Flagship Cruisers
- Mornakh's Courage - Flagship of the 1st Company, a Mark I Vanguard-class Cruiser equipped with an array of heavy torpedos, broadsides of Mars Pattern Macrocannons and larger than normal launch bays. As the Flagship of the Veteran Company, it is often the leading ship in secondary missions taking place separate from the Battle Barges.
- Stormheart - Flagship of the 2nd Company, a heavily modified Strike Cruiser with a preference on speed and swarms of Drop Pods to send the entirety of the Second Company down to the surface of a planet in quick succession.
- Bite of the Jan'dor - Flagship of the 3rd Company
- Nakh Teron - Flagship of the 4th Company
- Howling Flame - Flagship of the 5th Company, a Strike Cruiser carrying a pair of heavy Disruption Macrocannons and a quartet of Pyros Melta-cannons, along with an array of Melta Torpedoes to stop a ship in its tracks and bombard it with powerful Melta weaponry.
- The Darkstar Lantern - Flagship of the 6th Company
- Wild Laughter - Flagship of the 7th Company
- Vengeance Finale - Flagship of the 8th Company
- Steel Will - Flagship of the 9th Company
- Shrouded Respite - Flagship of the 10th Company
Escorts
Chapter Relics
The Soaring Teeth - A trio of scarred and blood-stained Eviscerators that were wielded against the Orks of WAAAAAAGH! Thraktok in the early days of the Steel Tigers existence. The three heavy blades were wielded by Battle Brothers Sonkhor, Kargutei and Khalakh from the 5th Assault Squad, Brotherhood of the Red Kite. The trio were separated from their squad during the fierce fighting against the Orks and were found nearly a day later atop the rusted wreckage of an old Imperial Fist Thunderhawk. In line with the strange happenings that went on during the battle between the Steel Tigers and WAAAAAAAGH! Thraktok, those that found the trio reported that they fought with speed that should not be possible for their situation, covered head to toe in the blood of Orks and each other and only slowing, tiring and finally perishing as reinforcements cut down the Orks surrounding them. The Soaring Teeth became a hallowed set of relics of the Brotherhood of the Red Kite, Sonkhor's being wielded by every Brotherhood Champion, Khalakh's being carried by the Akhmad of the Brotherhood and Kargutei's being enshrined in the Tiger's Den alongside a statue depicting their heroic last stand.
The Orkbane Plate - A set of seemingly standard-issue Mark X Phobos gear, the only noticeable difference at first glance being the streaks of dark purple paint across various plates of the armor. Upon closer inspection, the extremely silent Phobos armor is dead quiet, even more so than usual. The grav-chutes have been modified to allow for a bit more mobility in flight and more precise landings to come down in the middle of the enemy. Worn by Lt Anagar Gal of the 7th Company, the Brotherhood of the Sudden Storm, his guerilla tactics on the planet of Onagon VII after the Darkhunter was left behind and ambushed by Orks. Over two standard weeks of jungle warfare saw the rest of his squad killed and he took vengeance by hunting down each and every Ork that ambushed them, taking their warpaint and mocking them before piling a cairn of Ork heads around the Darkhunter before reinforcements came.
Hatred's Vigil - A nearly destroyed Javelin Attack Speeder that the Brotherhood of the Blazing Comet found on the Dead World of Narys' Lament in 940.M39. The crashed hull of the vehicle had been scoured by both flame and time, wearing away any markings of which Legion it had once belonged to, with only the barely decipherable words 'Hatred's Vigil' able to be distinguished. The Battle-Brothers that found it managed to salvage the hull and inner workings, bringing it back to Cho Ganbar and placing it in care of the Armoury. A ever-rotating contingent of Techmarines worked over the wreckage for decades, carefully piecing it back together and replacing what they couldn't fix. Constant prayers were said to the vehicle's Machine Spirit for the sacrilege of grafting new pieces onto it and the Speeder sat in the vehicle bay for many years after it was fixed while so that Techmarines could soothe the Machine Spirit. Eventually, it was deemed fit for duty and now flies alongside the Brotherhood of the Red Kite.
Suberei's Sight - The Boltgun carried by Suberei Khan, first Chapter Master of the Steel Tigers. The machine spirit pg this Tigris-Pattern Bolter was particularly accurate, lending it extra range and piercing power while the modified sight let the wielder pinpoint the best places to shoot. Those who fought alongside Suberei would speak of the Khan picking enemies off at great range, bolt rounds piercing the weak points in armor and crippling vehicles with volleys of shells. The fact that it was left behind when Suberei disappeared in 955.M38 is one of the main pieces of evidence that lead most of the chapter to believe he is still alive somewhere. The gun is now wielded by Rikhai Akhmad, the Captain of the 10th Company.
Teron's Gift - One of the more prized relics among the chapter's Librarius, the bright green psychic hood was created by the higher echelon's of the office over several years. The Death World of Teron has always played an important role among the chapter, neophytes having to overcome the extremely inhospitable jungles to achieve full status. Woven among the fabric of the hood is several strands of plant matter taken from the more potent flora from the planet, the plants having the property of magnifying the presence of the Warp upon their user and allowing them greater control on the battlefield. This hood is a gift not given lightly among the Librarius, only a Librarian with high control of the Warp able to wield it effectively, lest the properties of the hood cause them to tap into more than they can control and fall prey to the influences of Chaos. Currently not worn by any member of the Librarius after the death of the prior wielder.
Kuragal, Bellow of the Forge - Considered the badge of office for the chapter's Master of the Forge, Kuragal is a Mk VII Mars Pattern Lascannon mounted in place of the Forge Bolter found on most Techmarines and supported further by a mechadendrite. The machine spirit is connected with the spirit of the Master of the Forge's armor, allowing him to easily aim it on the fly while focusing on other combat or repairs, making for a rather effective bodyguard that can turn most foes into slag. Truly a terrifying sight on the battlefield, the Lascannon seeming to operate nigh-independently from the Master of the Forge, spinning about to fire upon various enemies while the Master of the Forge fights with Omnic Axe and Bolter. Currently wielded by Kastros the Steel-Hearted, the second-longest serving member of the Armoury.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The armor of the Steel Tigers is coloured a deep beige, matching the rolling plains and savannahs of the moon of Sannoris, with a forest green trim and either black or white markings depending on the company the marine is a part of. The company colour is placed on the left kneepad as well as the right pauldron, company colours matching the Codex Astartes
Chapter Badge
Relations
Allies
- Carmine Dawn - Freeblade Imperial Knight
Enemies
Notable Quotes
'Venatores Sempiternus' - Chapter Motto
By the Steel Tigers
About the Steel Tigers
Gallery
