Black Raptors

(WORK IN PROGRESS DO NOT DELETE PLEASE)

Black Raptors is a Codex-Compliant Loyalist Space Marine Chapter founded in 33rd Millenium as a part of strategic prognostication to liberate the Death World of Espada-Delta against Tau Forces. They are a Chapter facing a near extinction after their first battle against the Hive Fleet Arachnid on the War World of Hardok in Ultima Segmentum, reducing their forces to only 400. They are the only Chapter that lacks a Tactical Squad, having them lost in their first mission. Their Assault Marines filled in the role of a regular Tactical Marine, and was one of the Chapters that utilize Ground Assault Marines. In their second mission, the Chapter was able to liberate the Death World of Espada-Delta. They were given direct rule over the Planet and established their fortress-monastery there since then. The Chapter's Gene-Seed was harvested from the preserved incorrupted Gene-Stock of the Death Guard Traitor Legion which was stored for millenias. They were said to have descended from the Sons of Anthaeus Chapter but there are no evidence to support the speculation.

History

Near-Extinction

Black Raptors Chapter was created as a part of strategic prognostication to defend the Planet Espada-Delta located in the Segmentum Ultima. The Planet was considered a Death World by Imperial Departmento Cartographicae yet, holds value to the Imperium. The Ordo Xenos wants to know the increased Tau activity on the Planet. The Chapter was sent there to investigate but they were delayed when they came across a Planet invaded by Tyranid Forces. The Planetary Governor of Hardok has sent help to any responding Imperial Forces nearby. The Chapter received the transmission and landed there to help. The Chapter has led a series of Campaigns and battles on the Planet but they failed to repel the Tyranid Invasion. The combined efforts of the 45th and 76th Cadian Regiments and the Chapter was wasted. Many of their forces has fallen from battle. Escaping the Planet, the Chapter lost nearly 600 of its Space Marines, mostly Tactical Squads. The Planet was considered 'Perdita' by the Imperium and soon, subjected to Exterminatus.

Liberation of Espada-Delta

The Chapter resumed its journey to its original destination, being late to arrive on the Planet. Tau Forces has arrived already on the surface. Three of its Septs has established a stronghold topside, spreading its cadres of Fire Warriors across the world. The 97th Alakdan Regiment of the Imperial Guard has arrived early to fight the Tau Forces on the Planet, turning it into a wasteland as the battle rages on. Two unknown Regiments were reported to have arrived on the planet fighting alongside the 97th but they faced total annihilation against the Xenos. Upon their arrival on the Planet via Drop Pods, the Black Raptors Chapter faced Cadres of Fire Warriors with extreme difficulties but they managed to defeat them with the help of the remnants of the 97th. In their third skirmish against the Tau Forces, Captain Gabael Cloelius of the Black Raptors 1st Company has discovered a Chaos-artifact on the Planet. The Captain was not sure if the Tau was searching for this artifact which could explain their frequent activity on the Planet but deemed it unlikely. A Chaos-aligned warband of Space Marines named Dark Sun and Fallen Star has started to appear from the Warp induced by the artifact. The Chapter battled the Chaos Space Marines in a lengthy fight. The Black Raptors found themselves fighting a three-way war. Dark Eldar Forces soon joined the conflict as they tried to steal the artifact from the planet for unknown reasons. The Chapter fought through cadres of Tau and bands of Chaos Space Marines to reach the Dark Eldars. The two factions battled one another for the artifact, which they almost failed. Soon enough, the Inquisition is called in and several Imperial Guard Regiments has arrived to help the remnants of the 97th against the Tau and Chaos Forces. The artifact was handed over to the Ordo Hereticus and the Planet, cleared off from all of Daemonic influence and the Tau Forces, their fleet crippled, escaped the orbits of the Planet but was destroyed by patrolling Imperial Navy. The Planet was handed over to them and they established their fortress-monastery to their new homeworld.

Ground Assault Marines

The Chapter has lost nearly 600 of its Space Marines against the Hive Fleet Arachnid in the Battle of Hardok. Most of it, comprising of Tactical Marines of the Chapter's companies, was killed in action. The lack of Tactical Space Marines has forced the Chapter Master, Habbakuk Caesar, to convert half of the Assault Marines to Ground Assault Marines. They became the backbone of the Chapter and usually spearheads each operations they conducted against the enemies of the Imperium.

Notable Campaigns The Chapter fought the Hive Fleet Arachnid on the surface of Hardok but lost 600 of its Space Marines. The battle may have been lost but the Chapter has saved a large amount of civilians from the Planet. the Planet was considered 'Perdita' and soon subjected to Exterminatus. ​The Chapter arrived late in the Death World of Espada-Delta where a battle has already took place. Three Regiments were outnumbered and outgunned against the unstoppable Cadres of the Tau Forces. The Chapter aided the remnants of the 97th against the Tau and discovered a Chaos artifact. A Chaos Space Marine Warbands soon started to appear on the Planet alongside Dark Eldars who wants to steal the artifact for profit. The Chapter fought hard in this multi-war that ended with victory at the cost of more Astartes and Guardsmen lives. The Inquisition arrived alongside more Regiments to wipe out the remaining Chaos Forces and to repel the Tau Forces on the Planet. The Planet was handed over to the Chapter in the conclusion of the battle. ​The Black Raptors assisted the Azure Vultures Space Marine Chapter in the defense of the Death World, Dark Haven located in Segmentum Obscurus in the sector of Coronid Deeps, sub-sector of Cyclops Cluster. The Azure Vulture and the Black Raptors has captured two Or'es El'leath-class Custodians of the Tau Forces that has made planetfall on the former Knight World. They used it to get close to the two Tau Gal'leath-class Explorers in the orbit of the Planet. Using their Battle-Barges would more likely to spark a ship-to-ship battle and since both Chapters are suffering heavy losses (with the Black Raptors still recovering from the Battle of Hardok and the Azure Vultures suffered heavy casualties in the early days of the battle), their Captains agreed to capturing the vessels and used it to ambush one of the Explorers. The first Custodian has managed to get close on the nearest Explorer but was attacked by them when the Explorer has established transmission on the Custodian and saw a platoon of Space Marines on-board. The Custodian occupied by the Black Raptors came in to help their cousins on the other ship but was ambushed by the Explorer in a deck-to-deck combat that resulted in heavy losses on both sides. The Black Raptors also found a wrecked Transport Ship nearby that was occupied by Terminator Marines from the Azure Vulture. Rescuing them, the Terminators aided the pinned down Black Raptors where they eventually managed to board the Explorer. They were greeted by a Cadre of Tau Fire Warriors, ready to destroy them. They raced towards the Control Deck of the ship, fighting through the Tau soldiers where they killed the Captain of the ship. They took control of the Explorer and filled it with stranded Space Marines from the wreckage. Soon, the second Explorer arrived, sending most of its Fire Warriors to the destroyed Transport Ship and kill the remaining the Space Marines stuck on the vessel. The Astartes made their final stand and the other Carrier, ramming onto the ship and boarding the Tau Fire Warriors, the Tau soon met their demise at the hands of vengeful Astartes.
 * Battle of Hardok (Unknown Date.M35)
 * Espada-Delta Campaign (871.M36)
 * Defense of Dark Haven (134.M40)

Chapter Organization

The Black Raptors originally have 10 full companies that consists of Tactical Space Marines, Assault Space Marines, Devastator Marines and Terminator Marines but when they participated in the battle of Hardok, it was reduced to only two companies. Habbakuk Caesar merged the remaining Assault Marines into two large companies for the mean time while they recruit more Neophytes to restore their Chapter into full strength. Most of the Assault Marines in the Chapter was a hardened veteran who survived the horrors of Hardok. The Chapter have two Space Marine Captains, who served as Assault Marines in the previous battles. Just like most Chapters, they have a Chapter Master, an Apothecary and an attending Chaplain. Though, the Apothecary and the Chaplain served as Assault Marines due to being undermanned in the battles they fight. Surprisingly, the Primarch they recognize was Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists and they see Marneus Calgar as their Spiritual Liege. This is either due to one of their genetic flaws or the fact that their Primarch, Mortarion, was a Traitor and they do not want to venerate a Traitor as a Saint in their Chapter.

The Chapter Master oversees both the strategy and the weaponries or loadout of the Chapter. He decides who to deploy and what tactics they should use to approach the situation they find themselves in. The Captains of the two Companies could decide for themselves and their Companies but when the Chapter Master could interfere, the two won't have authority to do much unless the Chapter Master says so.

'Battle-Brother '