User blog:Supahbadmarine/Where They Come From

Now all of us know a thing or two about Space Marines. For most us they are the first thing that we learn about when we get into 40k. Space Marines Chapters come in all sorts of varieties, many with unique cultures, organizations and ways of making war. However no matter how unique your article is, the Imperium is going to look at them based on the circumstances of their Founding, and upon their genetic lineage. It's sad to say, but in the Imperium sometimes where you come from is more important than who you are.

Let's take a look at some of the Gene-lineages and Foundings and see how they might impact your Chapter. Shall we?

Ultramarines
If your Chapter is part of the lineage of Roboute Guilliman, then you are in good company. 60% of all Space Marine Chapters make use of Ultramarine Gene-seed, making them the most populous and successful bloodline of all Space Marines. They can be considered the "standard" for Space Marines. Ultramarine Successors tend to be strict followers of the Codex Astartes, and the line of Guilliman is infamous for its regimented nature and discipline. They are also known to have the most stable Gene-seed out of the first Founding Legions, making them excellent gene-stock. If you are worried about your Chapter being "unique" Don't worry. Since the Ultramarines gene-progeny are so numerous and widespread many have diverged quite a bit from the traditions of their parent Chapter. There are even Ultramarine Successors that are Non-Codex. So don't worry your little head.

Imperial Fists
The Imperial Fists. The sons of the brilliant Rogal Dorn. After the Ultramarines the Imperial Fists are likely the most common lineage for a Chapter to have. Like the Ultramarines and their successors the Imperial Fists and their progeny tend to follow the Codex Astartes pretty closley. The trait that most commonly sets the sons of Dorn apart is zeal. Imperial Fists and their successors tend to have an even more pronounced drive to claim glory for themselves, and to make up for any shortcoming they have. Success matter to them more than most. Thus they tend to be prolific Chapters with many honors. The Imperial Fists also have a very strong, respected reputation with the various branches of the Adeptus Terra, and thus the line of dorn can often have politcal clout. It should be noted that the Ultramarines and the Imperial Fists as well as their successors tned to have a rivalry with one another. How friendly or hostile this rivalry is depneds upon the Chapter in question.

Dark Angels
The Dark Angels have a vaunted, but grim reputation among the ranks of the Astartes, and their successors tend to take after their parent Chapter more than most. In fact the Chapters descended from the Gene-seed of Lionel Johnson even have a collective name. The Unforgiven. The Unforgiven tend to take after their predessesor in a number of ways. The Dark Angels tend to be a grim, brooding presence when compared with Chapters of other lineages. They spurn glory and flashy baubals, and cut a somewhat unfriendly figure. This is because of their secret shame, the Fallen. The Unforgiven seek to both hide, and wash away that stain upon their honor. Thus they do not seek to grow close to those outside the Unforgiven, less their secret become known. This has made them especially wary of the Inquisition, and the two sides do not get along. Likewise since they are very conscious of their honor, and anything that may blemish it they tend to be very orthodox in their beliefs, sometimes to an extreme extent. This is why they refuse to fight alongside mutant or Abhumans. In the Imperium the Dark Angels are unpopular for new Chapters because of the secrets surrounding the Unforgiven, the fact that they don't tend to play well with others and because they have been known to abandon their duties to pursue their own unkown agendas (chasing the Fallen Angels). Unforgiven tend to be Semi-Codex Chapters. They follow the Codex is most respects, but often their 1st and 2nd Companies are modelled after the Dark Angels' Deathwing and Ravenwing. As stated the Unforgiven aren't the most friendly of Chapters, and they have a particularly bad relationship with the Inquisition. They also have a rivalry with the Space Wolves. So if your Unforgiven Chapter happens to run into them it is a good excuse for some hostility. Remember that the hunt for the Fallen is going to be a big part of your Chapter's identity.

Blood Angels
To be a successor of the Blood Angels is to have a long history of glory, nobility and grief. The Blood Angels and their successors are often of a partiularly noble spirit, and usually possess glorious service records. However any Chapter Descended from the Blood Angels suffers from an ongoing struggle with the Gene-curse of Sanguinius's line. The Black Rage and the Red Thirst. Those that possess this gene-seed have to struggle daily to reign in their aggression and keep hold of their sanity. This is why the line of Sanguinius is believed by many to be cursed, and ultimately doomed. Thus if you make a Chapter of this lineage they are going to have to come to grips with the realization of a tragic fate. The Blood Angels and their successors have a naturally heightened aggression by Marine standards, and excell in close quarters combat, making them some of the most effective assualt Chapters in the Imperium. If your Chapter comes from this line they are very likely to have similar organizational structures to their parent Chapter. They may possess members of the Sanguinary Guard, and will most certainly have a Death Company of some sort. While the Blood Angels and their progeny have proven themselves again to be fearsome warriors, and dedicated servants of the Emperor their reputation has been marred by their curse. So other Imperial force may be wary of your Chapter

White Scars
Jaghatai Kahn and his White Scars are amongst the most fearsome and savage warriors of the Astartes. They are also well known for their love of high-speed warfare. To battle with the White Scars is to battle with a storm. They strike like lightning. The White Scars have a primal fury about them that is awe inspiring. If you make a Successor to them they may have the same apptitude for fast moving combat. Also they are a good choice for a parent Chapter if you are looking for a Chapter with more of that savage, barbaric fury to them. A White Scar successor may be the next best thing to that Space Wolves successor that you desperately want to make. Sorry again.

Iron Hands
The Iron hands are known primarily for two things. First off is their obsession with technology and modifying themselves with bionics. Secondly is their strong, bitter hatred. If you were to make a successor for the Iron Hands they are very likely going to be very tech adept, and may have strong relations with the adeptus Mechanicus. They may also be just as cold and unfriendly as their forebearers. It is thought that the Iron Hands' need to replace their flesh with metal is a sideeffect of a gene flaw. If this is so then your Chapter may suffer the same compulsion.

Raven Guard
The Raven Guard are a Chapter that rarely have successors. They were never one of the larger Legions, and the Drop Site massacre left them undermanned. They just barely managed to recover from their loses with forbidden science when the 2nd Founding occured. The Sons of Corax are known for their sharp wits. Where other Chapter roar onto the battlefield like thunder, eager to bring terror to the foe and glory to the Emperor, the Raven Guard applies force with a calculated precision and cunning. They choose to fight smarter against the enemy rather than harder. If you were to create a Raven Guard successor they may have these traits, and would likely possess the pale skin and dark eyes that has resulted from the subtle mutation of their gene-seed.

Salamanders
The Slamanders have no known successors, though there are some that are suspected.

Space Wolves
How sad for you. Everybody can agree that the Space Wolves are extremely awesome, and I am sure that you would like to make a successor for them, but alas. The Space Wolves' gene-seed is by far the most gentically unstable of all the 1st Founders. So unstable in fact that they can not have successors. They produced one successor Chapter in their history, the Wolf Brothers, and they were disbanded for rampant genetic mutation. a guy can dream though, right?

Successors
Sometimes a Chapter of a later Founding is given the honor of having their gene-seed used to create a successor Chapter. This is a tremendous honor amongst the Astartes, as it singles the Chapter out for its great service and valor. Successors of such Chapter may wish to adopt their parent Chapter's traditions and fighting style, wanting to emulate their parent. After all to be given a successor is to be acknowledged as having stood out from the rest of the Astartes.

1st/2nd Founding
The 1st and 2nd Founding Chapters are of great importance to the background. After all they were created from the original Legions that fought in the Great Crusade. Needless to say they are vaunted Chapter with long, honored histories of glory in war. Having said that you don't have to worry about them. Why? Because this site has very clear rules that prohibit the creating of Chapters from these Foundings. Tough luck.

3rd Founding
Not much has been said about the 3rd Founding. It is the earliest Founding that one can create a Chapter in on this site, and thus many people do since they want old, honored Chapters. While there aren't many real details about this founding there are things to consider about it. There are only two Canon Chapters that have been named that are part of the 3rd Founding. The Executioner and the Flesh Eaters. Both Chapters are known for their extreme brutality and aggression. Since this Founding happened so soon after the Horus Heresy and the Great Scouring it may be that the Adeptus Terra felt they required brutal Chapters to strike fear into the Imperial populace and scare them into compliance during those hectic times. The 3rd Founding could have been used to raise "Butchers of the Emperor" that would wreak terrible slaughter on those that opposed the Imperium. Mind you this is never stated, so it is pure speculation, and can be completely ignored.