Marines Baleful

"We are Death. We shall take your lives and the Emperor will torment your souls."

- The Mantra of the Marines Baleful

The Marines Baleful are a 15th founding Dark Angels successor chapter. Originally known as the Purifiers, a proud and arrogant chapter. However, after their arrogance nearly became their downfall, the chapter underwent serious changes to it's structure, livery, and and culture. Renaming themselves the Marines Baleful, they have since become a mysterious and potent force against the enemies of the Imperium.

History
The story of the Marines Baleful starts with the Purifiers. The Purifiers were a proud chapter, believing it was their holy duty to "purify" the galaxy of it's chaotic taint. However this pride led to arrogance, and soon the Purifiers began to believe with each victory against the Ruinous Powers that they were incorruptible. This led to the chapter's librarians delving deeper and deeper into the warp, believing themselves to be immune to the temptations of Chaos. This was the Purifier's downfall as their Librarius, becoming obsessed with the power that the warp offered, declared themselves followers of the Dark Gods and attacked their former brothers. These battles were short but in the end nearly half the chapter was decimated. After the last corrupted Librarian was slain, the Purifiers realized that it was their pride that led to this catastrophe and so what remained of the chapter embarked on a penitence crusade through the Eye of Terror. When they returned, only 100 marines were left, and together these one hundred marines repainted their armor and swore new oaths of humility and repentance. No longer were they the Purifiers, they were the Marines Baleful.

Chapter Organization
After their penitence crusade, the Marines Baleful underwent several major changes to the structure of their chapter. The most radical was that they eliminated their Librarius, no longer recruiting psykers into their ranks. Instead they replaced that with the Tomekeepers, a group of marines responsible for recording and preserving the history of the chapter. The Marines Baleful also do not have a scout company, but rather each company has a small cadre of scouts at it's disposal. Like their progenitor chapter, the Dark Angels, their chapter master is known as the Grand Master and Captains are known as Company Masters. Also like the Dark Angels, the Marines Baleful have a special cadre of terminators and a special cadre of bikers. The terminators are known as Reavers and the bikers are known as Cavilers.

Companies
1st Company "The Redeemed" - Company Master "Eidolon"

2nd Company "The Silent" - Company Master "Enlighten"

3rd Company "The Enraged" - Company Master "Fury"

4th Company "The Steadfast" - Company Master "Watcher"

5th Company "The Vigilant" - Company Master "Arbiter"

6th Company "The Infamous" - Company Master "Rogue"

7th Company "The Virtuous" - Company Master "Patriarch"

8th Company "The Bloodied" - Company Master "Carnage"

9th Company "The Ardent" - Company Master "Sacrament"

Notable Campaigns
The Valarian Campaign - 971.M41- The Marines Baleful 3rd Company fought against the forces of the Storm Draugar warband on the Hive World of Valarian. Casualties were high on both sides, forcing both forces to retreat, leaving behind a devastated planet

Chapter Fleet
The Marines Baleful are know to have the folowing ships in their fleet:

Emperor's Vengance (Battle- Barge)

Silent Death (Battle- Barge)

Void Stalker (Striker Cruiser)

Absolution (Strike Cruiser)

Final Exodus (Strike Cruiser)

Harbringer (Strike Cruiser)

Chapter Culture
The Marines Baleful have learned from their time as the Purifiers that pride is a weakness, and so they are a very humble chapter, never going into battle seeking glory but simply victory. They also "give up" their names after being initiated, giving up all sense of individuality in an ultimate act of humility and are only referred to by the names that they give themselves in order to tell one another apart. These names usually refer to a certain aspect of the marine, like "Vengeful" or "Repentance". They do not decorate their armor or weapons, and members of the Marines Baleful only receive honors after their deaths. Although, others find the Marines Baleful's lack of the concept of individuality unnerving.

While the Marines Baleful may be humble, but they are also cruel. They believe that the only way to fight the enemies of Man is to break them completely, and so they never give any quarter or mercy no matter what the circumstances. Anyone who is in the least affiliated with the enemy is an enemy themselves and is killed on the spot. They also don't barter or make deals with the ones they consider to be enemies, not even with more benevolent factions such as the Tau or Eldar. The Marines Baleful also strongly dislike psykers, believing them to be easily corrupted. This does not mean they will not associate themselves with psykers, but they will keep a close eye on them.

The religious aspects of the Marines Baleful are centered around the fact that they are merely the Emperor's weapons of war, and nothing more. They believe that things like battle- honors and even their own names are superficial in the grand scheme of things. Their only purpose in life is to kill the enemies of the Impirium, and they do so with great zeal. Simply put, the Marines Baleful do not want to be honored or respected, they are content with being feared by mutants, heretics and xenos alike. The Marines Baleful also dislike proud or boastful astartes chapters, knowing that their pride will be their downfall just like it was almost theirs.

Heroes
The Grand Master - No one, not even the Marine Baleful no the Grand Master's real name. He has never been seen without his helemet on, and is considered to be the personification of the Marines Baleful's concept of undividuality.

Arbiter - Arbiter is a veteran of countless battles and one of the chapters most experinenced members. He wields the Umbra Laminis, a pair of master- crafted power swords.

Combat Doctrine
The Marines Baleful specialize in demoralizing and terrifying the enemy, making it easier to go in for the kill. They use ambushes and hit and run attacks to first lure the enemy into making the wrong move. Then they send in the scouts to sabotage enemies' resources while they are otherwise occupied. Then they call in the big guns, using heavy support and elites to ravage the the enemy, leaving them broken and scattered. From their the Marines Baleful move in for the kill. They also have several types of specialized units:

Marksman Squads
These squads consist of 9 to 10 space marines, each one armed with stalker pattern bolter, a bolt pistol, and a combat knife. These snipers provide long range support to units on the ground, and are famed for their marksmanship. They are identified by a crosshairs symbol painted on their right shoulder

Tomekeepers
While Tomekeepers are not psykers, they are formidable warriors. Experienced veterans, Tomekeepers give tactical wisdom as well as lead groups of marines into battle, where their tactical insights and inspiring presence are most needed. They are also responsible for chronicling and preserving the colective history of the Marines Baleful. Tomekeepers are identified by their light blue armor.

Reavers
Only the most honored veterans of the Marines Baleful become Reavers, the most elite unit of the chapter. They wear terminator armor and and carry massive storm shields and power scythes, a weapon unique to the Reavers that earned them their name. Reavers are used to utterly annihilate enemies in melee combat.

Cavilers
Calivers are the the elite biker unit of the Marines Baleful, used to run down fleeing enemies as well as conduct lightning fast hit and run attacks. Each one carries a combat shield and a power lance, used to impale enemies.

Recruitment
The Marines Baleful are a fleet- based chapter, and so they recruit from a number of worlds. Some of the most visited worlds are:

Rachaon V
This frigid Death World is populated only by massive predators and a primitive race of tribal humans who are bred cold and hard. Death can occur at any time for any reason here, which is why the Marines Baleful Recruit from this world.

Mournes Andres
This Hive World is little more than one city that covers it's entire surface. Vastly overpopulated and polluted, Mournes Andres is slowly decaying, and it's underbelly is ruled by the Hive Gangs. Life as a member of the constantly warring gangs is tough and hard, which is why the Marines Baleful recruit members of the hive gangs.

Zerus Prime
Zerus Prime is a Death World consisting of putrid swamps an fungal jungles, making life hear almost impossible. But a group of humans, descended from the crew of an Imperial vessel that crash landed on Zerus years ago. The Marines Baleful recruit from this world, but not very often to make sure that life persists on Zerus Prime.

Chapter Livery
The Marines Baleful's colors are very dark blue and bone. Veterans and Company Masters wear bone- white robes. Some Marines Baleful etch strange symbols and patterns into their armor to distinguish themselves.

Allies
(feel free to add your own)

Enemies
The Storm Draugar - Ever since the Valarian Campaign, the Storm Draugar and the Marines Baleful have been enemies. The Marines Baleful hold the Storm Draugar in contempt, believing them to be little more than sad parody of the Black Legion. (Feel free to add your own)

By:
"If you think that your boasting and pridefulness will get you anywhere then you are wrong. Now are you going to fight me Heretic, or are you all talk?"

- Arbiter, Company Master of the Marines Baleful to a Chaos Lord

"Surprise."

- Unknown Marine Baleful during an ambush

About:
(feel free to add your own)

"Dark Angels successors, your all alike. Weak, shortsighted, and blindly repentant to the inevitable end."- Malak Blackspawn, Chaos Lord of the Storm Draugar