- "To turn a misfortune into an advantage, to turn a disease into a weapon, to turn a curse into a boon, that is the way of our Chapter."
- —Chapter Master Anura
The Bullfrogs are a Space Marine Chapter succeeding from the Salamanders created during the 21st "Cursed" Founding. They were founded in order to support the Imperial forces in the Celestonic Sector. However, they were afflicted with a mutation due to a mishap caused by Magos Preu. This mutation, called "the Toadstool Curse", afflicts the Betcher's Gland, causing it to secrete toxins over the Astrates' skin, creating a film of acidic mucous. As a result, they have modified their armor to resist corrosion that could inadvertently be caused by the mucous. The toxic mucous slowly eats away at their skin, but because they are Astrates this skin regenerates at a matching pace, which means that the Bullfrogs are stuck in a state of constant degradation and reparation. These Space Marines practically reek of death and decay, which had affected their reputation, causing the local Imperial populace to distrust and avoid them.
They are considered to be the leading experts in chemical warfare within the Celestionic Sector thanks to their mutation. They suffer from shortages of Neophytes thanks to the mutation in their gene-seed killing off a notable sum. To avoid causing an outbreak and wide-spread pandemic, the Chapter had relegated themselves to their fleet, vowing to avoid contact with others unless absolutely necessary.
History[]
Founding[]
As with many chapters of their founding, they are very unfortunate. They are cursed with a mutation of their Bletchers Gland, which secretes a acidic mucous onto their skin, creating a film of acid. Their first suits of armor were quickly corroded due to the acid and they were forced to modify their armor to cope with the mutation. They seem to have avoided the 'bad luck' that many chapters of the 21st founding seem to have.
When they were sent to the Celestionic Sector, they arrived with their ships in tatters. The Astartes corroded and disintegrated their ships with every touch. As such, they were forced down on a planet called Brazili, a planet completely covered by a dense rain-forest and home to all forms of deadly insects, animals, and a small human population.
The humans from this planet are considered to be the toughest in the sector for being able to survive the horrid conditions they endure. They at once saw the Astartes and believed them to be the mythical saviors from their hell on that planet. They at once went to help them as much as they could, giving them food, water and helping to modify their armor, weapons, vehicles, and ships to be resistant to their acidic touch. Soon after they were repaired, the soon-to-be Bullfrogs decided to recruit from this planet. The locals believed that they were taking them to be free from their hellish existence. But they were just condemning them to their own hell.
The chapter was told tales of the mighty Giant Bullfrogs that roam Brazili. Carnivorous beasts, they spit their toxic acid to disable their prey. Touching them is fatal, as the acid coats their body, killing anything that touches it. The chapter saw themselves in that animal and named themselves the Bullfrogs. They painted themselves the colors of the Giant Bullfrog to commemorate the link with Brazili.
Early History[]
After they had adapted to the poison they are cursed with, they became fleet-based. As they are descendant of the Salamanders they have compassion for human life. If the poison they are afflicted with were to breakout, they would be forever shamed. To minimize the risk of a breakout, they became fleet-based, so that if there was a breakout, it would be much easier to contain.
The curse has become their most defining feature. Though they have crusaded since the 36th millennium almost nothing is known about them to common Imperial citizens. Whereas the Celestial Hawks are known for their exceptional skill in ranged-warfare, the Blood Hammers for their brutal hammer-blow strikes, and the Preachers for their immense devotion to the Emperor, the Bullfrogs are known for their repulsive nature. Their bodies are rotted and bloated, they smell of death and decay. This has led to them not interacting with citizens in the Imperium, unless absolutely necessary.
After they rebuilt, they sought to move upon the enemies of the Imperium with a new style of warfare. As the poison had affected them, they became great manipulators of chemicals and viruses. Most of their weapons include some form of poison or acidic compound. Their bolter shells have a core composed of acids that, when the shell detonates, eats away at materiel. This makes them usually require only one shot to kill and if any enemies do survive the shot, they will have to be amputated wherever they were hit to prevent the acid from completely eating their bodies.
In their early years they had numerous successes as the enemies of man that reside in parts of the Celestionic Sector were unused to the new chemical warfare. Many bastions of Orks fell due to massive orbital bombing with shells that detonated in the atmosphere to release Ork eating acid. Chaos Marines found their armor ineffective against the acidic shots fired from bolters. Many enemies stripped fallen battle brothers only to find their skin completely rotted away after contact with the Bullfrog's skin.
Organization[]
This chapter is considered to be mostly-codex compliant. They mostly follow the general organisational structure of the codex, but their chapter hierarchy and way of waging war is different. They have never been at full strength thanks to the curse and have never rose beyond 900 brothers.
Companies[]
1st Company, Veteran Company[]
Commander: Captain Marcos Vantura
Numbers: 15 Terminator Squads
Markings: White Shoulder Pads
Notes: The Bullfrogs First Company is made up of the oldest and most experienced brothers in the Chapter. They are the most decayed and hideous brothers in the Chapter as their long service has left them exposed to the curse for so long which also makes them very slow and ponderous. Very few brothers survive to make it this far, so this elite company is clad in the only Terminator Armor available to the Chapter.
2nd Company, Battle Company[]
Commander: Captain Mateus Carvello
Numbers: 6 Tactical Squads, 1 Assault Squad, 3 Devastator Squads
Markings: Yellow Gothic 2 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: The Second Company is one of the Battle Companies. They have had a long history of being one of the most willing companies to sacrifice themselves in His name. The Captains of this company normally are the most willing to save civilians by any means, including excluding themselves from the civilian population.
3rd Company, Battle Company[]
Commander: Captain Kelvin Bakassar
Numbers: 6 Tactical Squads, 1 Assault Squad, 3 Devastator Squads
Markings: Red Gothic 3 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: The Third Company has always been one of the most potent Drop-Pod strike companies the Bullfrogs field. They have always devoted themselves to the art of Drop-Pod strikes deep behind enemy lines. They are normally under-strength as they take heavy fire when they land and as such they are considered a formation of grizzled veterans.
4th Company, Battle Company[]
Commander: Captain Juliano Klisk
Numbers: 6 Tactical Squads, 1 Assault Squad, 3 Devastator Squads
Markings: Green Gothic 3 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: The Fourth Company has always had the honor of bearing the Banner of Toxins into battle. The Banner has a small canister on it that releases clouds of toxic gas. Whenever it comes into contact with normal flesh it immediately begins to eat away at it, killing the victim in a most painful way. They have bore this as their company color is green and the captains of the Fourth always protect it with their lives.
5th Company, Battle Company[]
Commander: Captain Lucas Martinez
Numbers: 6 Tactical Squads, 1 Assault Squad, 3 Devastator Squads
Markings: Black Gothic 3 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: The Fifth Company appears to be struck by the bad luck that plagues so many Chapters of the 21st Founding. But it is only the Fifth in the Bullfrog's case. They have always had the highest number of casualties of any company in the Bullfrogs and they always seem to be more afflicted by the Toadstool Curse than any other company, save the First. Due to this, it is considered a damnation to be placed within the Fifth.
6th Company, Tactical Reserve Company[]
Commander: Captain Victor Palio
Numbers: 5 Tactical Squads
Markings: Orange Gothic 6 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: When the Bullfrogs first fully organized themselves, they found that they did not have enough Tactical Marines to create two Reserve Companies. So they decided to only have fifty Marines in both the Sixth and Seventh Companies.
7th Company, Tactical Reserve Company[]
Commander: Captain Willian Bathedus
Numbers: 5 Tactical Squads
Markings: Purple Gothic 7 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: When the Bullfrogs first fully organized themselves, they found that they did not have enough Tactical Marines to create two Reserve Companies. So they decided to only have fifty Marines in both the Sixth and Seventh Companies.
8th Company, Assault Reserve Company[]
Commander: Assault Captain Adriano Valquez
Numbers: 10 Assault Squads
Markings: Grey Gothic 8 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: The Eighth Company of the Bullfrogs is the Assault Company. They make use of most of the Jumppacks available to the Chapter. They are not considered to be as good as normal Assault Marines as their decayed bodies makes it hard for them to move quickly and efficiently. They are deployed often as part of a spearhead maneuver in which they will protect the main formation with massed ranks of chainswords. They usually are under-strength due to the small number of brothers that can use Jumppacks effectively.
9th Company, Devastator Reserve Company[]
Commander: Devastator Captain Renato Dublain
Numbers: 10 Devastator Squads
Markings: Blue Gothic 9 on the Right Shoulder Pad
Notes: The Ninth Company plays a very critical role in the Bullfrog's order of battle. Due to the Chapter possessing very few vehicles, they rely heavily on the Ninth for their anti-armor capabilities and fire support. They also field the Blighters of the Chapter, those weapons which are the twisted cousins of the Flamers. The Ninth is never short on brothers as they are constantly kept manned due to their critical role.
10th Company, Scout Company[]
Commander: Captain Henrique Valdorn
Numbers: Roughly 6-8 Scout Squads
Notes: The Tenth Company is the Scout Company as in most other Chapters. They are the reconnaissance and lightning raid force of the Bullfrogs. The people of Barazili are well adapted to the life of a Scout as they have to stalk among the foliage of their homeworld to avoid being caught by some predator. However, their role is made difficult by the smell they release from their decaying skin. Due to this, they must stay at a distance and are therefore equipped mostly with sniper rifles. They have very few squads as the Toadstool Curse kills most aspirants before they can become Scouts.
Vehicles[]
The Bullfrogs make use of rather few vehicles as the simple cost of maintaining them makes it rather not worth it to make heavy use of vehicles. As such, they rely heavily on their Devastator Squads for their heavy support. The few vehicles these Astartes do use are prized, used only when deemed absolutely necessary. These vehicles are all extremely resistant to acid and chemicals and are some of the most rugged in the Celestionic Sector.
The vehicles the Chapter are known to have are as follows:
At least 60 Rhinos
At least 13 Predators
At least 3 Land Raiders
At least 15 Thunderhawks
They are known to posses several other aerial transport vehicles, gunships, and other ground-based vehicles, but the number of those is unknown.
Weapons[]
This Chapter maintains some rather unusual weapons fitting their chemical warfare approach. These weapons include:
The Blighter- A form of Flamer, the Blighter spews forth acid and chemicals instead of flame. Enemies who are caught in the path of the chemical cloud will find their skin eaten away and their armor corroded. Their lungs will fill with toxins that cause massive inflammation and rapid-decay. Even environmentally sealed vehicles and armor will very likely succumb to this cloud.
Acid Bolter- All Bolter shells of the chapter contain a small acid and poison mix inside their shells. When the round detonates, this mix of chemicals is spread throughout the body. So, if the enemy survives the explosion, the chemicals will surely kill them.
Acidic Skin- The Astartes themselves could be considered a weapon, as their skin coating makes them lethal. Many often go without gauntlets on, as this gives them the opportunity to allow their acid to eat away at skin and armor. Most go without helmets when on the battlefield, as this gives them the opportunity to spit their toxins at the foe and allow them to feel the curse.
Relations[]
As the Bullfrogs are part of the 21st 'Cursed' Founding they carry a suspicion around them. Their curse only serves to make this worse as most Imperial officials make them out to be monsters corrupted by the influence of Nurgle, and it is true they look to be corrupted by Nurgle. Due to this they are highly mistrusted by most Imperial servants, save those they have extremely closely bonds with.
Astartes Chapters[]
Most Astartes Chapters regard the Bullfrogs with extreme suspicion due to their imperfection. Most will shrug off their support or refuse it. However, the Chapters that they have formed close battle-bonds with see them as living examples of the Emperor's unyielding will incarnate. They will do anything to help these troubled brothers and the Bullfrogs will do anything to help them.
Imperial Guard Regiments[]
The men and women of the Imperial Guard have mixed feelings of the Bullfrogs. Several think them as saviors, angels of the Emperor. Many others however, think of them as monsters due to their decayed skin and putrid smell.
Gene-Seed []
The Bullfrogs are successors of the Salamanders, albeit a debased and twisted version. Their Betchers gland has run wild and secretes a toxic and acidic mucous all over the Astartes body. This means they are lethal to touch and their cursed touch corrodes almost anything. Even though the mucous constantly eats and rots the Astartes, their cells are able to replace themselves at the same pace due to their enhanced structure.
Due to this, the Bullfrogs have been forced to modify their equipment to be immune to the acidic touch. This means that they are somewhat under-supplied as they have to modify any equipment they receive. They are fleet-based due to the toxin as they have taken a vow to not risk the killing of other civilians due to their curse. They wear full armor plate most of the time as this reduces the chance of an outbreak, but go without helmets into battle so they can spit their curse upon their enemies.
Most of their weapons revolve around chemical warfare as this is what they have always known due to the curse. Their bolter shells incorporate acidic charges to eat away at the enemy when they are hit and their blades are coated in acidic venom. Most notably though, is the Blighter: a version of the Flamer that fires a cloud of noxious acid and chemicals that will kill even Astartes in moments.