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This article, Storm Marchers, was written by SonicJohn117. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
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This article, Storm Marchers, is currently under active construction. The author, SonicJohn117, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
The Storm Marchers are a Codex-compliant Loyalist Space Marine Chapter comprised entirely of newly revealed Primaris Space Marines, created during the recent Ultima Founding of 999.M41. Their lineage descends from the gene-seed of the stoic Imperial Fists.
The Chapter was founded during the later phase of the Indomitus Crusade, after passing into the Imperium Nihilus. A formation of Unnumbered Sons fought to deactivate an awakening Necron Tomb World of the Sautekh Dynasty that possessed powerful weather manipulation technology. The dozen Unnumbered Sons that survived the encounter were all descendants of the Imperial Fists, and were honoured by being allowed to found their own Chapter.
The Storm Marchers have devoted themselves to preventing the expansion of Imotekh the Stormlord's Sautekh Dynasty in the Eastern Fringe of the Galaxy. Following their founding, the Chapter has specialised in heavy infantry assaults, battles of attrition, and hazardous environment warfare. They often trade mobility for durability with a large reliance on Mk X Gravis Armour.
Chapter History
Founding
The Primaris Marines that would eventually found the Storm Marchers Chapter were amongst the legion-sized formations of Unnumbered Sons led by Roboute Guilliman that fought in the Indomitus Crusade. After Guilliman and his sons retook their home system of Ultramar during the Plague Wars, the Indomitus Crusade crossed into the Imperium Nihilus, where the various battlegroups became more independent as they dispersed to fight in different warzones.
In one such warzone, a battlegroup of Unnumbered Sons, led by Lieutenant Avirus Kaster, and their auxiliary forces fought to deactivate an awakening Necron Tomb World. The Tomb World was in the domain of the Sautekh Dynasty, under the rule of Imotekh the Stormlord. This gave them access to the same weather manipulation technology that the Stormlord employs against his foes.
The Space Marines managed to prevent the Tomb World's full activation - but it came with heavy casualties. Exposed skin was stripped to the bone by sandstorms, and respirators became clogged. Survivors recount green lightning strikes that leapt from the sky to pulverised tanks. The living metal of the Necrons themselves were unaffected by the harsh conditions of the planet.
The Primaris Marines fought and destroyed the still dormant Necron Lord before the majority of Necrons awakened, but suffered heavy casualties. The dozen Space Marines who had survived were all of Imperial Fist lineage. The yellow paint had been completely stripped from their armour by the intense storms, leaving it the shining silver of unpainted ceramite. The survivors were honoured by being allowed to found their own Chapter, with Lieutenant Avirus Kaster becoming their Chapter Master.
The Necron Sautekh Dynasty ruled by Imotekh the Stormlord is known as a huge threat to the Imperium. The Dynasty is expanding, and the Stormlord forcibly integrates any other Dynasties that will not peacefully submit to his rule. The Storm Marchers charge themselves with preventing this expansion of Imotekh's Dynasty within the Imperium Nihilus.
The weather manipulation of the Sautekh Dynasty would heavily influence the fighting style of the Storm Marchers Chapter. They were outfitted with a large amount of Mk X Gravis Armour which they used to fight attrition warfare. The Chapter dispersed and spread out to fight the Necron Dynasty along the borders of their empire.
Notable Campaigns
Maethrillios Campaign (999.M41)
The Shrine World Maethrillios in the ___ Sector was a beacon of the Emperor's light. Its importance and wealth in the Sector saw it defended by a contingent of Sisters of Battle and highly pious Astra Militarum Regiments. A Chapter of Space Marines had once ruled over the planet, and their statues still towered over the citizens. Unfortunately the planet's history had become lost to the inhabitants and the reason for their Space Marine protectors abandoning the system was unknown. The 3rd Company of Storm Marchers arrived fresh from the Indomitus Crusade and became involved in a long campaign in the Maethrillios System on two separate occasions.
Siege of Maethrillios
The Maethrillios system had been under constant attack by Orks eager to reach pillage the shiny relics of the Shrine World. When the Ork raids abruptly ceased, it meant they'd found something bigger to fight. This threat was revealed when a Necron force drifted into the system on a heading directly towards Maethrillios. The Necrons were from the Kashantekh Dynasty - a vassal of Imotekh the Stormlord's Sautekh Dynasty. The small Kashantekh Dynasty had been allies of the Sautekh Dynasty since the ancient days of the War in Heaven, and had been granted access to some of Imotekh's most powerful weather manipulation technology.
Pilgrimage ships on their way to and from Maethrillios fled in droves from the oncoming fleet of Necron ships. Orbital weapon platforms fired upon the Necron ships as soon as they came within range, but the initial wave of Necrons had built up such inertia from their inter-sector travel that they were too fast for the platform's servitor-operated guns to track. Fleets of Imperial ships surged forward to meet the attackers, but were also unable to engage the targets as they were too fast and numerous. When the main fleet of Tomb ships and Cruisers arrived, a large void-battle began in orbit.
The first wave of Necrons descended through the atmosphere of Maethrillios so fast that they created bright trails of fire across the sky. Before the landing craft hit the ground, they braked at such speed that the g-forces would have killed any mortal creature inside. Upon landing they deployed their Dynasty's weather-altering Obelisks, so that as the legion of Necron Warriors marched forwards, they did so under the cover of giant electric storms that smothered cities and tore apart unfortunate civilians caught out in the open. The smaller outer cities of the planet were invaded by Necron forces that killed without mercy.
Auger Arrays on the outer edge of the system sent reports of new contacts incoming which were transmitting Imperial codes. The Storm Marcher's 3rd Company had arrived after tracking the Necron fleet. As the Necron forces moved against the city, the citizens were in panic and frenzy. In order to hold out long enough for the Imperial reinforcements to arrive, the planet's governors knew they had to make every second count.
From the city's central street a precession of the preachers marched alongside Sisters of Battle with giant holy banners and parchments carried on floats. The group maintained a calm and steady pace along the street, blaring litanies from Vox-speakers. As the parade continued, citizens and soldiers alike gathered to it and joined in with the chanting. The chanting spread across the city, picked up by anyone that heard it. Some raised their hands to the sky, and others clutched their Aquila pendants. The hundreds of thousands of voices from the city began to rival the sound of the storm created by the Necrons.
The Storm Marcher fleet entered orbit of Maethrillios. There, the Company's Librarians used their psychic powers to part a hole in the storm above the largest city. To the zealous citizens below, they saw the clouds parting and rays of sunlight blazing down onto the city, and determined that the God-Emperor was watching over them. With encouragement from the preachers, a rapturous roar resonated around the whole city, and the citizens took up arms. They charged the Necron forces that had entered the city. Thousands of civilians died in seconds, but it succeeded in slowing down the Necron's advance.
Through the hole in the clouds came dozens of Storm Marcher drop pods, followed by Thunderhawks and Storm Ravens all dropping Marines and vehicles into various locations around the city. Upon landing, the Marines rallied the local military units and bolstering the defences of the planet. The planet's population hailed the coming of the Chapter as a miracle, but were appalled when the Storm Marchers destroyed shrines and reliquaries to make way for defensive walls and bastions to repel the Necrons. The Storm Marchers 3rd Company and their Astra Militarum auxiliaries cleansed the planet of the Necron invasion force, and began an operation to purge the system of Xenos.
Historians of Maethrillios maintain records that write of red armoured angels who protected the planet, and long ago left to bring the light of the God-Emperor to others. It was prophesised that one day they would return. With ancient statues of Space Marines watching over the city, the citizens saw the Storm Marchers as the foretold guardians of the world returning.
While the majority of Maethrillios IV's population treated the Chapter with reverence and saw their appearance as the will of the Emperor, there were highly zealous underground groups that were perturbed by the Storm Marcher's disregard for the Imperial Church. They attempted to sow the seeds of doubt into the population with propaganda that the Storm Marchers' lack of worship and different appearance compared to the ancient records were a sign that they are not the prophesised angels, and were actually agents of heresy.
The Adeptus Mechanicus Magos of the Storm Marchers fleet determined that the Necrons had been attempting to recover Blackstone underneath the surface of Maethrillios which had gone unnoticed by the population. With this knowledge, the Storm Marchers 3rd Company has remained vigilant of the system knowing that the Necrons may undertake another invasion of the planet in the future.
Invasion of Maethrillios
In the far eastern Fringe the 4th Company of the Storm Marchers encountered worlds scoured of all biological life. Soon the threat revealed itself as a Tyranid Splinter Fleet from Hive Fleet ___.
With the large scale of the threat becoming more clear, the 4th Company engaged in an attempt to slow the Tyranids, and also called for aid. The 5th and 8th Companies of the Storm Marchers were the only ones within range that were able to respond, and made their way to intercept the Tyranid forces.
The even with the combined strength of 300 Storm Marchers, the Tyranids began to overwhelm their forces across multiple systems. Each Company lost many Battle-Brothers, and ultimately retreated after they had allowed many worlds in the path of the Tyranids to evacuate.
Recruitment
The Storm Marchers remain fleet-based and recruit from recaptured Imperial worlds as they roam from sector to sector. Without a constant set of worlds to recruit from, the importance of providing a constant flow of recruits for all of the Chapter's Companies cannot be overstated, and thus the 10th Company is completely dedicated to abducting, recruiting and training potential aspirants.
The 10th Company's only permanent members are the Captain, his two Lieutenants and 20 Battle-Brothers. These Space Marines are tasked with finding and abducting potential aspirants, as well as mentoring them during their training. The rest of the Company is made up of Space Marine Scouts being trained, who will then be filtered into Battle Companies once they become a full Battle-Brother.
Chapter Organisation
The Chapter is Codex-compliant, so just like their genetic forebears, the Storm Marchers adhere to the organisation laid out in Roboute Guilliman's Codex Astartes. However, due to the Chapter's main objective being to spread out and destroy Tomb Worlds ahead of Imotekh the Stormlord's expanse, each Company must be an independent fighting force.
For this reason, the 6th-9th Companies that would typically be Reserve Companies are instead fully capable Battle Companies. Space Marine Recruits are inducted into the 10th Company for training, but rather than rising through the Reserve Companies as they gain experience, they are assigned straight to one of the 2nd-9th Battle Companies and will remain there.
To enter the 1st Company, a Battle-Brother must be elevated to a Company Veteran within their current company, and then nominated for induction into the 1st Company. Only these warriors have unrestricted access to the Chapter's armoury, and are given access to the Chapter's rare Terminator Armour. Members of the 1st Company rarely fight as one, and squads will join other Battle Companies as advisers, and strategic support.
Headquarters
Chapter Master Avirus Kaster
Companies
- 1st Company - Veteran Company.
- 2nd Company - Battle Company.
- 3rd Company - Battle Company. Eradicated Necron presence from Maethrillios Shrine World, and is currently protecting the sector from further Necron intrusions. Established alliance with Templar Sanguine Chapter.
- 4th Company - Battle Company. Devastated by Tyranid splinter fleet ___. Currently operating at under 25% strength.
- 5th Company - Battle Company. Devastated by Tyranid splinter fleet ___. Currently operating at under 20% strength.
- 6th Company - Battle Company. Engaged in heavy attrition against Necron Sautekh Dynasty.
- 7th Company - Battle Company.
- 8th Company - Battle Company. Devastated by Tyranid splinter fleet ___. Currently operating at under 40% strength.
- 9th Company - Battle Company.
- 10th Company - Recruitment Company.
Specialist Formations
- Tempest Guard - This elite squad of Bladeguard accompany the Chapter Master and serve as his personal bodyguard. They also act as diplomatic envoys when dealing with cross-Chapter negotiations.
- Breacher Assault Squad - Taking inspiration from Heresy era Breacher Squads, the Storm Marchers have taken to equipping Assault Intercessor squads with Breacher Shields. They either use these for personal protection in close combat, or a unit can mag-lock their shields together and provide protection to ranged units behind them while advancing into melee range.
Combat Doctrine
Like their progenitors, the Storm Marchers favour ranged combat with an emphasis on bolt weapons. They prefer to bolster their defences and let the enemy throw themselves against them. During close combat, Dorn himself used a Chainsword known as Storm's Teeth, and the Storm Marchers honour this by preferring Chainswords in close combat.
There are a few alterations that the Chapter's Techmarines have made to the Marines' equipment to better suit their style of warfare. This includes more heavily shielded tactical sensors to reduce the effect of electromagnetic interference from radiation bursts or electrical based phenomena. Sergeants are often equipped with extensive power pack-mounted communications gear and auspicator lenses that negate the effects of intense atmospheric storms.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The primary colour of the Storm Marcher's armour is silver, as the chapter leave the majority of their ceramite armour unpainted. This originated from the Unnumbered Sons that founded the chapter having their Imperial Fist yellow paint scraped off in the turbulent storm created by the Necrons in the battle that would ultimately lead to the chapter's founding. The chapter continues to fight in environments that are often hazardous enough to strip the armour's paintwork.
The lower-leg and backpack are painted black. The chest Aquila and shoulder trim is painted gold.
The Battle-Brother's company number is displayed in Imperial Gothic on the right knee pad. Their squad number is shown on the right shoulder puldron over the tactical symbol.
A Sergeant's helmet has a black stripe. Veteran's wear completely gold helmets. Veteran-Sergeants wear a gold helmet with a black stripe. Lieutenants have a helmet with a white stripe inside a black stripe. Captains wear a gold helmet with a white stripe.
Chapter Symbol
The Storm Marcher chapter symbol is a black fist surrounded by four yellow lighting bolts. The black fist can be inverted to white/silver if placed on a black background.
Chapter Belief
The Chapter has a strict adherence to the strictures and tenants of the Imperial Truth, as laid down by the Master of Mankind during the burgeoning days of the Imperium.
Chapter Gene-Seed
Like their Progenitor Chapter, the Storm Marcher's Gene-seed lacks 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.
Primarch's Curse: Death Before Dishonour
Due to the Chapter's relatively recent founding and the Imperial Fists' very low Gene-seed mutation level, there have been no confirmed cases of the Storm Marchers Chapter suffering from genetic deficiencies as of yet. However the early stages of Death Before Dishonour has been suspected in a few Battle-Brothers, and even in the 4th Company Captain as an explanation for his obsessive drive to push his company against the Necrons that border them. It usually occurs in three stages:
- Stage 1 (Suffer Not Failure) - The Battle-Brother believes himself deficient in some manner, whether real or imagined, and becomes truculent and obstructive when ordered to redeploy in the face of a stronger foe. When acting as a squad leader or Deathwatch Kill-Team leader, he makes demands of his squad that others might consider unreasonable, and views any disagreement as outright disobedience.
- Stage 2 (Beware Hubris) - The Battle-Brother spends his every waking moment brooding on past battles, seeking even the slightest flaw in his own deeds, and those of others. While he stops short of outright criticism of his Battle-Brothers, he condemns his own actions as falling short of the example set by his Primarch, and seeks to redeem himself in the fires of battle.
- Stage 3 (None Are Flawless) - The Battle-Brother obsessively reviews every detail of every mission he takes part in, finding fault with his own actions and those of his squad. He becomes withdrawn, maudlin and confrontational, and unwilling to accept or issue any order that does not result in imminent battle.
Primarch's Curse: Dorn's Darkness
Another genetic deficiency that afflicts at least one of the Imperial Fists' Successor Chapters is known as 'Dorn's Darkness'. When Dorn's Darkness takes one of their number it might appear to the untrained eye as merely a wretched palsy: a slackness of the jaw, a tremor of the limb, a blankness of the eye. But those who survive it report the experience as a living nightmare, a sleeping wakefulness in which they relive the bottomless woe of Dorn's most trying time - the grievous mortal wounding of the Emperor of Mankind during the final hours of the Battle of Terra. Whilst enthralled by the Darkness, its victims cannot speak or communicate. They cannot feed themselves or take water and seem feverishly insensible to everything happening about them. Those who fall victims to the Darkness are left in the care of the Chapter's Reclusiarch, or senior Chaplain, offering the victims of the Darkness a spiritual treatment that either cures them or ultimately results in their deaths.
Notable Storm Marchers
- Chapter Master Avirus Kaster: One of the original Primaris Greyshields that survived the conflict to deactivate a Sautekh Tomb World and was given the honour to found the Storm Marchers Chapter with his dozen surviving Battle-Brothers.
- Captain Arcas Hanfeld, 1st Company: Clad in one of the few suits of Terminator armour bestowed upon the Chapter and wielding a large Master-Crafted Power Sword, Hanfeld leads the elites of the 1st Company from the frontline. Previously a Bladeguard Veteran-Sergeant of the Unnumbered sons, Hanfeld lost many Greyshield Battle-Brothers under his command during the Indomitus Crusade and fights with the zeal of an officer avenging his lost brothers.
- Venerable Dreadnought ___, 1st Company: Brother ___ was interned inside a Redemptor Dreadnought after sustaining injuries on the Sautekh Tomb World. He became the first Dreadnought of the Chapter, and was revered for doing so in the battle that would ultimately lead to the Chapter's founding.
- Captain Gregath Decarion, 3rd Company: Captain of the 3rd Company. (To be Added...)
Deathwatch Service
Being a relatively new Chapter, so far only two Battle-brothers of the Storm Marchers are known to be involved with the Deathwatch.
- Battle-Brother _____:
- Battle-Brother _____:
Chapter Fleet
The Storm Marcher fleet consists of the following ships:
- Armageddon's Edge (Battle Barge) -
- Derecho (Cruiser) -
- (Cruiser) -
- (Cruiser) -
- (Cruiser) -
- (Cruiser) -
- (Destroyer Escort Ship) -
- (Destroyer Escort Ship) -
- (Destroyer Escort Ship) -
- (Frigate) -
- (Frigate) -
- (Frigate) -
Chapter Relics
Stormbreaker Bolter
This ancient Bolter is forged with master-crafted components and fires Tempest Bolt Shells which are extremely rare due to only being manufactured on Mars. Tempest shells contain a powerful miniaturised plasma-shock generator that releases a pulse of electromagnetic and thermal energy as the shell detonates. The explosion from these rounds are even more devastating than a typical bolt round, creating a localized shockwave that can incapacitate or scatter enemy forces within a wide radius. The Stormbreaker Bolter is only used in the most dire of circumstances due to such limited ammo reserves.
Thunderclap Gauntlet
Wielded by Chapter Master Kaster, this master-crafted Power Fist crackles with energy and uses powerful hydraulics to multiply the wielder's force by many times over.
Tempest's Fury
The Tempest's Fury Chainsword is a fearsome weapon. It features a chainblade adorned with a shimmering energy field that crackles with lightning as it's activated - similar to a power weapon. The energy field melts whatever it comes into contact with, before the chainsword teeth that follow easily shred through the target. This makes it very effective against armour and the living-metal of Necrons.
Relations
Allies
Enemies
Notable Quotes
By the Storm Marchers
About the Storm Marchers
Gallery
