Children of the Anvil

"We are as children of the anvil, war forged, battle tempered. With iron in place of flesh, and fire in place of soul, let the Enemies of Man wash over us... for our victory is absolute."

- High Elder Roman Wo'Lek's final rallying cry to his Battle Brothers in the face of the forces of the Sakhrut Dynasty

A Chapter hailing from the brutal legacy of the Iron Hands, the Children of the Anvil are a Chapter that certainly exudes all that is to be expected of Sons of the Gorgon. Relentless, cold, and above all efficient to a fault, the Children of the Anvil have left world after world a bombed out wasteland in their endless war against the Enemies of Man. Regularly patrolling the northernmost borders of the Exile Sector, the Children of the Anvil's fiercely independent Clan Companies regularly vanish altogether from the Imperium for centuries at a time, always returning however with trophies of war and new worlds for the Imperium to colonize, liberated in fire from the clutches of vile xenos overlords and heathen bands of the Lost and Damned.

Such is their nature then, that precious little is known for certain about the Children of the Anvil and their inner workings as a Chapter. Not for any overt secrecy, but simply due to the fact that they do not suffer the dawdling questions of outsiders with any manner of grace, and their biting words and imposing forms are usually more than enough to deter even the most determined of Imperial scholars. However, there are only a handful that would ever dare to question the loyalty of the Children of the Anvil, for as aloof and unorthodox as they may be, there is little doubt that their cold hatred of the xenos and heretic is far beyond whatever animosity they may feel towards nosy Inquisitors and self-righteous cousins within the Adeptus Astartes.

While the Children of the Anvil are not masters of any social graces or flamboyant skills such as swordplay, they are most certainly unabashed experts at the cold arithmetic of war. Much like the reputation of their Battle Brothers, the Children of the Anvil specialize in ruthless, brute force assaults utilizing mass amounts of raw firepower and brutal surgical strikes via orbital insertion. The Children's approach has been dubbed by some Imperial commanders who have witnessed it first hand, the "Hammer and the Bigger Hammer" strategy. Regardless, this style of combat, while artless and destructive, has been proven to be overwhelmingly effective and reliable as a means of utterly destroying those who would dare stand against the Imperium.

Founding
The Children of the Anvil are of an unknown founding, though they profusely claim to be of the Fifth Founding. Regardless, there is no record of their chapter having even existed before the Age of Apostasy beyond rumors and legend. However, the Chapter itself has provided several instances within their own records in which they have participated in large Crusades and campaigns. Though these records have yet to be corroborated with official Imperial records, some apocryphal reports do line up with the Chapter's own records.

Gene-Seed
"A lamentable thing, that even we Astartes must begin as such, fragile and fallible, blindly whimpering to the cold void. But it is the ken of man to rise above and transcend what he is given. By the will of the Emperor and divine knowledge of the Omnissiah, we are now far above whatever loathsome and base constructs of flesh we once were."

- Apothecary Natan Ul'Rets remarking upon the birth of a Chapter Serf to his Battle Brothers

Like their Iron Hands forebears, the Children of the Anvil's Gene-Seed is free of any major deviations from the ideal Asartes form, though minor mutations in size have been reported due to prolonged activity within the confines of derelict starships and in void combat, leading to Children of the Anvil being on average taller and lanker than their fellow Astartes. Other than that, any Space Marine of the Children of the Anvil would be virtually indistinguishable from the equally pure stock of the Ultramarines or Dark Angels. However, the scars of the legacy of the Gorgon are far deeper than those of mere flesh and bone.

Like their cousins who also share the blood of the Gorgon, the Children of the Anvil pathologically replace their organic components with bionics, however their ritual is somewhat altered. As opposed to simply removing the shield arm of every recruit, each Clan Company has their own specific ritual, the bionic replacement usually symbolizing a key aspect of the Clans philosophy.

Of the few Chapters borne of the linage of Ferrus Manus, all are known for a bellicose and bitter nature, a trend which the Children of the Anvil have in no way defied. Prone to cutting sarcasm and cruel, mean spirited jabs at the egos of those around them, including their own Battle Brothers, the otherwise stoic Children of the Anvil are notoriously difficult for any being, be they Space Marine or lowly Guardsman, to work closely with in any capacity such is their wantonly anti-social manner. Space Marines of the Children of the Anvil have shown great difficulty in the past when it comes to speaking openly, and not lacing their words with backhanded insults and hiding behind lengthy jargon. Children of the Anvil also seem to pride themselves on being extremely spiteful towards those they feel tread on their independence, from showing up to a tactical meeting as late as possible to snubbing the reputation of those who think to suggest battle plans in the presence of the Children's tacticians.

However, behind this almost childish veneer of stubbornness and spite lies an iron core of ruthlessness and efficiency that can be evident in every action. The calculated squeeze of a bolter's trigger, the mechanical death-grip of a choking fist, the spiteful flick of the wrist when hurling a live grenade, these are just a handful of things that show the Children of the Anvil's true tie with the spirit of their Primarch. In battle they are as cold and unrelenting as the very armor they wear and the very vehicles they are borne into war upon, ceaseless in their barrage, heedless in their charge, remorseless in their execution of their flawlessly calculated strategy. The mind of a Space Marine of the Children of the Anvil is one that thinks in ballistic angles and Chainsword torque, not in catechisms and glories of those who have come before.

Organization/The Clan Companies
"Hail to the Children of the many tribes of Ferrus Manus. Though we may be distant, our blood is the same, and our hands are wrought of his very own iron. Let them know who comes to destroy them, Battle Brothers! Let them know the Clans come to put twisted flesh and bone to the test of iron and fire!"

- Iron Elder Dawid Hal'Geir at the head of Clan Topór's brutal charge at the infamous Battle of Burgrad Heights

Similar to most Chapters borne of the Iron Hands linage, the Children of the Anvil maintain a unique system of Clan Companies. To the untrained eye, the Clan Companies are little different from their Codex counterparts, but to even those with rudimentary understanding of "traditional" Astartes battle doctrine, the unorthodoxy of the Clan Companies is almost instantly apparent. The Clan Companies of the Children of the Anvil are not outfitted for specific battlefield roles nor are they strictly intended to be part of the greater whole of the Chapter, each being outfitted extensively to operate as essentially a unit autonomous from the greater whole of the Chapter itself. While there is no doubt that units of Astartes and even standard Codex Companies are intended to some extent to operate independent of their Chapter, few are so equipped for a multitude of battlefield roles. In this manner, there are no "Reserve" Companies within the Children of the Anvil, as each Clan Company is expected to carry out its duties often very far from any support from their fellow Astartes.

Furthermore, beyond these basic aspects of equipment and organization, each Clan Company is a somewhat insular and self sufficient unit distinct in its martial traditions and manner of esprit de corps. While all the Clan Companies of the Children of the Anvil adhere to the general traits of the Chapter at large and the culture inherent in being descended of the Iron Hands Legion, the Clan Companies each have very distinct traditions and preferred methods that set them apart from their fellows within the Chapter proper. Also, the existence of the Clans rules out the need for a proper Chapter Master, with the Chapter being governed by a conclave of elders known as the Clan Council. The Clan Council of the Children of the Anvil is further unorthodox even from its own Iron Hands Successors, for rather than having the Clan Elders (Captains of the Companies) as members of the Council, only members of the Iron Elders and esteemed Venerable Dreadnoughts are given the power to determine the actions of the Chapter as a whole.

The purposes for this seemingly fractured manner of organization are many, and not without their merit. First and foremost is the decentralization of power, which drastically lowers the likelihood of a charismatic but spiritually weak individual gaining control of the Chapter and dragging it down into damnation at the hands of Chaos. Furthermore, this system of insular tribes bound by shared blood and philosophy rather than mere military divisions of a larger body inspires plenty of healthy sibling rivalries that encourage the Clans to operate at peak efficiency at all times, never wanting to seem less than their Battle Brothers from another Clan. Finally, the Clan Company system allows for more stability and endurance on long, perilous campaigns deep into uncharted depths of the Exile Sector's northern expanses, decreasing the dependency on greater Chapter support and general survivability in those unpredictable battlefields, overall creating an environment where practicality and efficiency are valued over brashness and glory.

The Children of the Anvil's Clan Companies take their recruits from the Chapters Serf stock, which in turn is continuously replenished from worlds liberated from the clutches of vile xenos. The Children of the Anvil do not go through the same trial of seeding like most Chapters as their Scout units are expressly made of veterans who can be trusted with the vital tasks of scouting the battlefield and assassinating high value targets. Thus, Neophytes who have completed their augmentations are given their Black Carapace and placed in the rank and file with their more seasoned Battle Brothers within their Clan Company. However the general ladder of advancement is similar to a Codex Chapter, with new Battle Brothers being assigned the role of Devastator Marine before moving on to Assault and Tactical roles as well. However, following their first tours of duty in each of these roles, a Battle Brother of the Children of the Anvil is expected to be capable of utilizing every weapon in his Clan Company's arsenal and to adapt as the battlefield situation demands as opposed to rigidly maintaining a certain loadout for the rest of his foreseeable career as a Space Marine. (Unless he proves particularly gifted in that given field)

Clan Topór
"Target surrounded, all units draw close combat weapons, end this."

- Clan Elder Dobrogost Du'Trez during the Battle for Tokmata Heights

Also known affectionately as the "Hatchet Men" amongst their rival Clans, Clan Topór has a considerable reputation as those most dedicated to the letter of their orders as opposed to the spirit. Noted for a tendency to be involved in the thickest of the fighting and therefore a logical impetus placed on melee specialized units, the forces of Clan Topór feature more Fast Attack Vehicles and Assault Marines than most of their contemperaries. They also hold the singular honor of housing the most Dreadnoughts, for these towering ancients are ideal for Clan Topór's brutal strikes against the enemy.

Clan Topór's insignia is that of an axe held in a mechanical hand, and icon that has become feared across the northern expanse of the Exile Sector amongst various Xenos civilizations. Even within the bellicose and stoic ranks of the Children of the Anvil, the Clansmen of Clan Topór are renowned as pure killing machines. Brutal, almost methodically barbaric in their execution of their assaults, Clan Topór consider themselves the tip of the spear, the mailed fist about the enemies throat. Representing their love for close combat, Clan Topór warriors often daub their armor in crimson warpaint and icons of the Machine God, and lucubrate their signature Chainaxes in specially dyed crimson unguents, so it seems that their blades are perpetually awash with gore and viscera. Needless to say, this often has the desired effect of rendering the enemy shell shocked with terror as the Clan's Hatchet Squads and Assault Centurions advance, scouring worlds of xenos life with the roar of the Chainaxe and Flamer. Battle Brothers of Clan Topór replace their sword arms with a bionic limb upon their acceptance into the rank and file of the Chapter's warriors, and this limb is usually designed to impart far greater strength than its organic counterpart, making Clan Topór's heavy handed assaults all the more literal and uncompromising.

Clan Armata
"Relocating... Targeting solution valid, fire for effect... Targets destroyed. Casualty estimate, five hundred and twenty two. Acquiring new solution."

- Transmission from Whirlwind Squadron Hexus during the Euripides Vale Xenocide.

Even amongst a Chapter whose calling appears to be the rapid deployment of long range firepower, there are those said to be truly gifted beyond reproach at the application of artillery fire. To the Imperium at large they are known as Clan Armata, but to their rival Clans they are known more frequently as the ever indecisive "Clan Calcula". In spite of such remarks, the Whirlwind Squadrons of Clan Armata have proven themselves time and time again as brutal opponents and a menace to any would-be impenetrable fortress with their relentless salvos.

Represented by the icon of a steel fist holding an artillery shell aloft like a thunderbolt to be cast by an angry god, Clan Armata are known for their simmering fury, hidden beneath a thin veneer of mechanical coldness. Utterly without any scruple when it comes to civilian casualties or luring the foe into a killing field via deceptive means, Clan Armata are, as their brothers infer from their nickname, cold and calculating, caring only for the most efficient victory. Thus, they place heavy value in both their armored squadrons of tanks and artillery, and the ability of their lighter mechanized fast attack units. Common ritual within Clan Armata has new recruits replace their dominant eye with a bionic prosthetic, which enhances their range finding capabilities and is often upgraded within their officers to fire a deadly lasbeam.

Clan Kosa
"Hostile Dreadnought targeted, engaging... Envelopment protocol effective, hostile eliminated with extreme prejudice."

- Devastator Sergeant Eryk Ka'Thal during the Purge of Kriksis

Heavy weapons specialists and demolitions experts, the Astartes of Clan Kosa are known amongst their fellow Children of the Anvil as almost sadistically capable marksmen. Boasting more units of Devastators and Centurions, as well as an above average number of coveted Dreadnoughts, Clan Kosa drowns their foe in overwhelming firepower before rolling over them with the brute force of their Terminators and tanks. The crown jewel of Clan Kosa's armored squadrons is the mighty Land Raider Heilos known simply as Scythe, whose venerable hull has weathered many a storm and regularly bears the honor of being the Clan Elder's personal transport and mobile command center.

Clan Kosa combat doctrine and tradition often calls for sheer relentlessness and ruthlessness over all else, this is exemplified in their Clan icon, which is that of an iron boot upon a cracked skull. Thus, Clan Kosa tends to keep a slow, ever advancing pressure on their enemy, their Devastaors wading into the thick of battle, weapons ablaze, casually relocating to ideal firing positions whilst the Clans Dreadnoughts and Whirlwinds provide fire support. Clan Kosa combat doctrine also emphasizes the use of Attack Bike squadrons in order to both provide rapid fire support and to run down routing enemy forces, for Clan Kosa is utterly without mercy as they systematically run down fleeing infantry and armor by order of most demoralizing targets. Clan Kosa tradition has their Battle Brothers amputate their right leg, so as to always present their most armored flank to the enemy when bracing their Heavy Bolters.

Clan Stal
"I still have a functioning trigger finger, therefore I do not require medical aid, only ammunition."

- Famously attributed to Clan Elder Malachiasz Gul'Vra during the Brastas Liberation

Those who most exemplify the stoic and determined nature of the Gorgon himself, the Astartes of Clan Stal are known both amongst their fellow Space Marines of the Justicarium and their Battle Brothers of the Clans as nigh unbreakable warriors. Preferring to arm themselves for general combat and adapt their strategies on the fly, Clan Stal are ideally line fighters, grinding the enemy down in brutal frontier combat across various theaters and varied terrain, which their adaptive style of combat takes most advantage of. However, a certain trend has emerged in which Clan Stal find themselves fighting in increasingly inhospitable environments, thus they have adapted much of their tactics around combat in hazardous terrain, their wargear and motor pool often specially enhanced to deal with the extremes of these perilous theaters of war.

Known as unbelievably steadfast and remarkably capable in even the most harsh of battlefields, the Astartes of Clan Stal have adopted an icon in the shape of a mighty fortress wall and battlement. In keeping with this symbol, Space Marines of Clan Stal are famous for their raw determination and refusal to give even an inch to the enemy, regularly weathering grievous wounds and damning setbacks that would cripple any other fighting unit. In keeping with Clan tradition, Battle Brothers of Clan Stal replace their organic lungs with bionic equivalents, allowing them to survive in even the harshest battlefields when their Power Armor's seal is breached.

Elder Lord
A rarely occupied office within the Children of the Anvil and a usually temporary one at that, the title of Elder Lord usually falls to a member of the Clan Council in times of crisis or when the Chapter as a whole embarks on a campaign. When assigned the office of Elder Lord by a vote of the Great Ancients, that member of the Clan Council is entrusted with all the powers of a Chapter Master in a Codex Chapter, given full control of the Chapter's deployment and tactics. Such a weighty honor is rarely given, and those who serve as an Elder Lord, for however briefly, are often Ancients of such greatness that the Clans unanimously revere them as the first amongst equals.

Great Ancient
A vaunted title worthy of reverence above and beyond that of Clan Elder, the Great Ancients are the honored few Iron Elders who have been interred within the iron sarcophagus of a Dreadnought. These wizened warriors are considered the highest echelons of the Chapters command structure and its most divine keepers of tradition amongst the Clans. To each of the ten Clans of the Children of the Anvil falls a single Great Ancient, and in practice, the Clans current Iron Elders and Clan Elder are merely his stewards. In the Chapter's long history, the Great Ancients have only ever been awakened in times of great glory or even greater strife, and in such times it is common for them to convene in what is known as the Clan Council.

Together, the Great Ancients form Clan Council, the Chapter's most powerful body of command. As members of the Clan Council, these ancient warriors make decisions that affect the entire Chapter as a whole. The Clan Council convenes on matters of import such as whether or not the Chapter as a whole will support a particular crusade or if a crisis of such magnitude occurs that one Clan Company would be insufficient. Such Clan Council meetings are often moments of heated debate but usually done in a manner that decides quickly and decisively the course of action the Chapter must take.

When a Great Ancient is awakened to take part in a battle, it is usually one so momentous that the Ancient must be there in order to pass down his first hand account throughout the ages, or because it is only by their might and ancient knowledge that battle can be won. Whatever the purpose, when these great warriors of iron and fire stride into battle, flanked always by an honor guard of fellow Dreadnoughts or their retinue of Iron Elders, there is little that can stand against them. Should a Great Ancient fall in battle, it is often the duty of the senior most Iron Elder to replace him, and to be entombed forever within the armored form of a Dreadnought.

Iron Elders
Both the spiritual leaders and technical experts of the Children of the Anvil, the Iron Elders function in a very similar fashion to the Iron Fathers of the Iron Hands, purging their Battle Brothers of physical and spiritual weakness. To each Clan there is assigned a trio of Iron Elders, with the most senior of the trio often the highest ranking within the Clan itself. While the Clan Elder is the de jure leader of the Clan, the senior most Iron Elder is by far the de facto commander of the Clan and usually the liaison to the Great Ancient himself. However, Iron Elders seldom take the direct reigns of their Clan Companies unless the Clan Elder is incapacitated, usually focused on maintaining the inner workings of the Clan on a spiritual level, standing alongside their Battle Brothers as field commanders while the more lofty work of high command is entrusted by the Clan Elder.

Senior most Iron Elders are groomed for centuries by their lieges, the Great Ancients, to be their successors should they fall in battle. Such a great purpose is never taken lightly, and the acceptance of the office is always assumed with the highest humility. It is rare that such an event need occur, due to the awesome might and seldom need for the Great Ancients to be awakened, but regardless every Iron Elder lives with the knowledge that they must one day be the embodiment of their Clan's spirit and a symbol of the Chapter itself, a divine spark of the Omnissiah himself.

Clan Scouts
Within the Children of the Anvil, only the most gifted and experienced of Battle Brothers are allowed to take up the Carapace armor of the Scouts, and are often entrusted with tasks that could well be considered suicidal. However, experience, further augmented by extensive bionics, allows the Clan Scouts of the Children of the Anvil to be unfailingly proficient in their given tasks as assassins, saboteurs, and forward scouts.

Outriders
As the Children of the Anvil combat doctrine often depends on vital intelligence regarding exact enemy positioning and ensuring their all important artillery squadrons reach their positions intact, the Chapter has long since employed elite reconnaissance units known as Outriders. These Battle Brothers have proven themselves time and time again in the Scout elements of their respective Clan Companies, and thus have earned the right to dawn the dull blue sashes of the Outriders. Borne into battle upon their Assault and Attack Bikes, the Outriders serve the dual role of both forward scouts and hunter killer teams, locating and engaging vital enemy infrastructure and units before falling back to the main lines to support the final advance.

Outriders also specialize in raiding and assassination missions as well, acting in a capacity not unlike the Legion Seeker or Headhunter Squads of old. In certain situations, a dismounted unit of Outriders will be deployed into tightly contested areas with the express intent on singling out and destroying an enemy command unit, and to this end come armed with a wide array of specialized wargear, from Stalker Bolters to poisoned Combat Knives.

Hatchet Squads
Originally a martial tradition started by Clan Topór that has slowly disseminated throughout the Chapter over the centuries, the Hatchet Squads are an infamous force of the Children of the Anvil. Outfitted with a Combat Shield, Chainaxe, and Bolt Pistol or a Combat Shield and Flamer/Meltagun, the Hatchet Squads are specialists in rear line actions against the enemy and raiding operations behind enemy lines. Dropping in from orbit via Drop Pods, Hatchet Squads are commonly deployed during the initial Drop Assault toward the enemy rear, where their melee weaponry, Flamers, and Meltas can wreak havoc on fortifications and unsuspecting infantry. Once the shock of the assault wears off an the enemy responds in kind, the addition of the simple Combat Shield has proven time and time again to drastically improve a Hatchet Squad's longevity.

Raróg Assault Terminators
Named after a long forgotten beast of ancient Terran lore, the Raróg Terminator Squads originated and still are most populous within Clan Cyklon, though the other Clans have since adopted the configuration in all but name over the centuries. Experts in the art of Drop Assault even amongst their fellow Terminators, Raróg Terminator Squads come equipped with the unique Nocnitsa-Pattern Assault Grenade Launcher or a Heavy Flamer and a choice of Lighting Claw or Chainfist. With such weaponry and centuries of experience, not to mention a baffling suit of bionic augmentations that make them practically indistinguishable from their Terminator Armor, these elite units will make pitifully short work of any infantry or vehicle within their zone of engagement.