Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-4948356-20130516175846/@comment-14745711-20130908215647

Okay since when I put up my stuff about the Angels of Reconciliation there was barely anything there I have been writing some more stuff to put up.

[warning, this is a very long post]

The Angels of Reconciliation

''The skies over the worlds of the Imperium grow dark as the legions of her enemies pour forth to burn her worlds and her inhabitants. As foul tides of traitor, heretic and xeno charge forward and the innocent quake with fear at what seems to be their inevitable doom, drop pods rain down from the skies as the Emperors holy angels of death soar down on holy wings to crush those who would assail his people. The people who thought their Emperor had condemned them see the true light of the true Emperor; for the pure of heart there is always reconciliation, but for the traitor there is only retribution.... ''

Introduction

The Angels of Reconciliation have always since their chapter’s founding placed themselves between the innocents of the Imperium and the dark hordes who threaten her borders from both without and within. Indeed this was the very reason this chapter was founded; to defend the innocents of the Imperium. The Angels of Reconciliation have access to a remarkably large number of devastators and terminators; they soak up massive amounts of fire then deal out even greater amounts to the enemy.

Lead by chapter master Avatus Macabrus the chapters 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th companies throw themselves time and again onto the battle field. The chapter posses no other companies due to the heavy casualties they sustain in their never ending campaign. In fact the rate at which the chapter takes casualties is so great that it is predicted that in 5 thousand years there will be no chapter left to fight. But for now the chapter fights on to destroy all enemies of the Imperium and protect the lives of all those who dwell within its boundaries.

Chapter Founding

The Angels of Reconciliation were created during the 3rd founding as a successor chapter to The Dark Angels. When the time of the third founding came it was decided that it was necessary to gather a chapter which would act in defense of those members of the Imperium who were unable to defend themselves. The warriors who would form the new chapter were chosen from the Dark Angels under the Command of Avatus Macabrus. He and his warriors were chosen for their acts of great valor on the world of Navarone. Those acts it is said still live and breathe in the mind of the chapter master unto this very day.

Navarone: The birth of a legend

Avatus Macabrus was himself merely a humble devastator sergeant when he and his fellow battle brothers of the Dark Angels 4th Company were deployed to crush what was believed to be a minor gathering of traitors from the World Eaters Legion on the hive world of Navarone. They deployed by drop pod amidst a small force of chaos space marines and after a brief engagement defeated them. But even as the space marines began to pursue the retreating marines and so turn them to rout a great warp storm engulfed the skies overhead. This was far more than a minor infestation; this was an invasion.

The Dark Angels quickly rallied to defensive positions and dug in around the main Hive city of Murdock; deeply entrenching themselves to prepare for the assault they knew must come against them.

But for a time the assault did not come and the Dark Angels found themselves waiting ankle deep in mud for two whole days while the warps storms whirled stronger each day overhead. They knew it could only be a matter of time before Navarone was sucked into the warp along with them and the local populace; the forces of chaos were waiting them out. Finally their captain decreed that they must advance forward and sent a squad of scouts out to locate the enemy position. They returned in the evening telling of a force of some thousand marines with what they estimated to be over five thousand cultists and traitor guard. They had noted also that The World Eaters had brought with them at least 200 daemons of Khorne and that it was a miracle they had not attacked yet for the daemons tugged at their chains eager beyond measure for the slaughter that must come.

The Captain sat and pondered for a time before putting his decision before his sergeants, Avatus included. About half of the company would launch a main assault on the enemy’s defenses to draw as many of traitors to them as possible. When that was done the remainder of the company would launch an attack from all sides and crush what would hopefully amount to more than half the enemy army’s strength. From there the company would drive onwards through the forces of chaos and scatter any remaining resistance to the winds.

Avatus found himself and his squad along with the other devastator unit and two tactical squads marching forward under the banner of the chapter lead by the captain so as to make the façade more convincing. When they reached the chosen place of battle not far from the enemy camp the captain let out a great war cry and the marines charged forwards. The daemons were the first to fall upon them having at last been released from their bonds full of bloodlust, the berserkers were the second. The Dark Angles fought valiantly leaving 80 or more daemons vanquished and almost all of the berserkers killed. But then the strength of the main army came upon them like a crimson tide and drove them back. Everything was working perfectly and as the retreating Dark Angels neared the canyon where the battle would turn Avatus prayed for the Emperor’s strength in vanquishing the enemy.

Suddenly cries of ‘For the Emperor!’ resounded out throughout the canyon and assault and tactical marines came charging down into the battle from all sides. Three great dreadnoughts appeared behind the chaos forces cutting them off from any reinforcements. The assault squads hacked into the flanks of the enemy leaving bloody trails in the crimson armor. As the dark green wedges cut into the great red mass a horn sounded in the hills; the scouts had seen the main body of the army it was true but they had failed to see the reserve legion which had now moved up along with the remaining forces from the initial army.

The three dreadnoughts did their best to hold the line against this new threat as the rest of the battle company quickly tried to eliminate the remaining forces they had trapped within the canyon. But suddenly a chaos defiler managed to blast one of the dreadnoughts down and the chaos legions poured in swamping the Dark Angels. The order was given to retreat and the Dark Angels began to head back through the pass out onto an open plain before the hive city. The company rallied to their captain and held fast against the growing tide. But it was certain, they could never last.

For five hours they stood cutting down hundreds of chaos warriors building mounds of bodies which they could take cover behind. As long as their captain stood so would they and the captain seemed to be invulnerable, no matter what the enemy threw at him he always emerged alive. But this could not last either, and it did not. A great bloodthirster charged the Dark Angels lines and the captain charged to meet it head on. He fought bravely in the waning light his power sword Narsha Galdra cutting many deep wounds in the daemons flesh, but finally he was struck down.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Avatus himself was there; his armor battered and broken, his heavy bolter long since empty and his chainsword blunted by battle. At the sight of his captain death Avatus gave a cry of anguish and charged the great beast head on. But his chainsword was blunt, useless and heavy in his weary hands. The great beast simply pushed him aside and was about to crush him with its great axe when something happened to Avatus. He felt strange, a feeling of strength was flowing into him, his bleary eyes were clearing, his muscles felt strength anew and his mind felt clear and sharp. Also he heard a voice; a strange voice it seemed to him, deep but clear, strong but kind. He could not hear the words it uttered but he knew it was the voice or the source of the voice which gave him renewed strength, and suddenly, he knew he would not die here.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Avatus leapt backwards as the creatures axe bit into the dirt, he lunged forward and found that Narsha Galdra was in his hands gleaming bright silver even though there was no sun to shine upon its blade. The sword felt light and fluid in his hands, as if it was part of his own arm, part of his own body, just as it must have been for his fallen captain. Avatus charged forward and the power sword cut deep into the daemons flesh, the fiend howled to the warp torn skies in pain before charging Avatus in return. But Avatus felt as if he was moving on wings leapt easily aside and brought Narsha Galdra down into the daemon’s waist, cutting the beast in twain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Seeing the death of their greater daemon and the newly invigorated warrior who rallied his brothers too him before charging their lines, the servants of Khorne gave way and fled back from the terrible onslaught fleeing to the hills. The Dark Angels lead by Avatus pursued them and before the sun had set not one of them remained alive. The space marines returned to the hive city and heralded as heroes under a now clear sky for with loss of the battle the tendrils of chaos withdrew from the planet and reinforcements arrived to secure the world.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Avatus was appointed his companies captain for his acts of valor in defense of the planet and when the time came for the third founding to commence it was decided to form a chapter of marines who would fight forever in defense of the lives of those innocent in the Imperium. Avatus was chosen to lead this chapter drawn from the Dark Angels 4th and 6th companies and they were set down upon Navarone for their homeworld. The people there rejoiced at the return of Avatus and were greatly honored that the new chapter had chosen this world to be their home.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">But Avatus was not to easily forget the voice which had given him strength at his time of need; the voice which had felt kind and loving yet strong and fierce. Avatus was to seek long and hard before he found its source.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The Temple of Reconciliation: the shaping of the future

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Avatus was not to find the place where the voice emanated from until almost 100 years after the battle for Navarone. Avatus was leading the newly formed 4th company on a mass exercise out in the Polivian wilds when he felt something tugging at his mind, not in an angry or aggressive way but more as a simple notification of its presence. Avatus immediately knew what it was, ordered the company’s captain to take over and called Yannos-the 1st company’s captain-to him. Yannos was Avatus’s most trusted advisor and friend and they had been so for almost 200 years; long before Navarone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Together the two of them walked through the wilds as Avatus followed a trail that he could almost see laid out before him. Finally they found a great temple of white marble erected some 10,000 or more years ago; back in the times before the Emperor himself. The two of them entered and were awed by the great columns and carvings set upon the walls. They were carvings of many things; a great man with wings who held a sword high pointing into the gleaming skies above, a man whose head hung with blood running down the side of his face, his head was shrouded in a halo of gold, and last set upon a great plinth at the end of a great corridor was a mighty lion standing there regal and powerful.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The two brothers stopped and looked in wonder at this beast carved in solid gold staring down at them from its great plinth. Below it was carved into a bronze plate were these words which are now carved above the doors to the chapter’s stronghold.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">''“We stand before his power, radiant in his glory. His golden eyes shine brighter than a thousand stars and we dare not look upon them. But should we look we see the sun, we see the love and we see the power and the majesty. The lion lies down with the lamb and the great angels stand at his gates. He gives to us the Reconciliation we may choose, but we may have it only if we should stand firm at his side and not pass into the darkness.” ''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Avatus rested his head against the lion’s forehead and felt power flowing inexhaustibly into him. But not just power, love and wisdom also, love which was like fire passionate and pure and wisdom which was like a great spring overflowing with knowledge. Avatus felt himself lifted up by this and his heart soared on great wings through the skies. Something had been set in him, and would always and forever remain as long as he lived and beyond.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Avatus returned to the chapter hold a day later a different man, his eyes saw deeper, his arms were stronger and his heart was warmer. Never had his men known him like this and it was not long after these events that Avatus instituted that a council should be formed of ten company captains whom he should be subject too. However he was still chapter master and so could overrule the council if necessary as long as mind and soul were deemed pure by the chapter’s librarians. If Avatus should die then was set that the council should choose another chapter master from among their own. As yet this has not been necessary.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The chapter’s banner is taken from the very same temple where Avatus and Yannos found the lion. It was set upon the wall at the back behind the lion. Ever since whenever the chapter master or one of his captains has needed guidance they have gone to this temple should it be particularly grave. Always they have returned with their hearts set upon the right course and their bodies with the strength to accomplish whatever task it was they should need to. Whenever a new captain was chosen they would be initiated at the temple by their brother captains.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The temple is the chapter’s greatest secret for The Angels of Reconciliation know that it is not a temple of the Emperor but they also know that it is not one to a false god, but rather they think to the Emperor’s own god who resides above all others. They will never abandon the temple, never, not if the jaws of a hive fleet were to close on the system would they even consider retreating from the system. The temple is their sanctuary, their holiest of holies, and their most converted treasure.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Chapter Organization

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Contrary to the standard codex organization for a chapter the most common unit found in The Angels of Reconciliation is the devastator. Many believe that this out of honor to the chapter master who, before his promotion was a devastator sergeant, but in fact it simply because the chapter was formed from a devastator reserve company and that those who have come after these first hundred warriors have been of the finest stock and so have survived the life of an Angel far better than the tactical squads have.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Also since there are so few companies remaining every death counts as a blow towards the chapter. Alas in every battle fought casualties must be taken and the Angels of Reconciliation are no exception to this rule. The other problem which contributes to the chapter’s decline is their recruitment rates. Navarone once a flourishing hive world has recently been reduced to miserable back water system and only a handful of recruits can be drawn from there. To counter this the Angels have chosen several other worlds to recruit from but most of these worlds seem to have suffered ill fates at the hands of varying enemies so that now only 10 marines join the chapter every year to replace the 50 estimated fallen brothers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The Angels were once granted a time of respite during which they were able to gather fresh numbers but they have not been granted one for over 8 millennia despite their pleas for one. Such is the number of misfortunes that befall the chapter that some have referred to them as ‘The Blighted Angels’.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Out of the remaining companies the numbers are as follows:

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">1st company-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">1st devastator terminator, 2nd devastator terminator, 4th devastator terminator, 1st terminator, 6th terminator, 1st assault terminator, 3rd assault terminator, venerable dreadnought Yannos, venerable dreadnought Gilman.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">2nd company-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">4th devastator, 7th devastator, 10th devastator, 11th devastator, 9th tactical, 15th tactical, 7th assault, 19th assault, dreadnought Murabus, dreadnought Thorumn.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">4th company-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">1st devastator, 36th devastator, 37th devastator, 13th tactical, 19th tactical, 23rd tactical, 16th assault, 20th assault, dreadnought Rator, dreadnought Maraen, dreadnought Ulliuos.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">8th company

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">45th devastator, 47th devastator, 45th tactical, 58th tactical, 72nd tactical, 70th tactical, 101st tactical, 32nd assault, dreadnought Elbean.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Chapter master Avatus’s personal bodyguard-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Chapter master Avatus, 3 centurions, venerable dreadnought Colosiam, chaplain Martelius.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Above the entire chapter preside the council of captains. However due to the loss of 6 of the 10 companies the council s now composed of just 4 captains, with 4 librarians and 2 chaplains. The council now has even more power than they used to and can even give direct orders to the chapter master. However the chapter master can still override the council if he chooses, but to do so he must first go through a series of psychic tests to prove that he is pure of soul and heart. Because of the amount of time it takes to go through these trials Avatus has only chosen to overrule the council on one occasion; when they chose to send the forces of the Angels into the damoncules gulf crusade. However even though he stopped the entire chapter being committed to the crusade 3rd, 5th and 10th companies were still committed to the crusade and to the horror of the chapter master 3rd and 5th company were destroyed beyond repair and so were lost to the Imperium forever.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The chapter has a very small fleet numbering only 2 battleships and the chapter’s main battle barge, with 10 strike cruisers and about 20 escorts or so. The battle barge which commands the chapter fleet is called the Golden Lion and has been outfitted with a variety of special weapons including two highly powerful sonic weapons called the star talons which project concentrated beams of sonic energy capable of punching through up to 10 void shields per shot. The two battle ships are called the Emperor’s mercy and the Silver Trident. These ships are most ancient and the Silver Trident was built at the chapter’s founding while the Emperor’s Mercy is so ancient the techpriests have not yet discovered its time of construction.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The fleet is commanded by fleet master Righten, a veteran of several brutal naval campaigns. He bears the scars of over 10 millennia of war with both the forces of chaos and the armies of the Xenos powers. Deep inside he still grieves for the loss of his first warship 4 millennia ago; the Dragon Claw. This mighty war vessel was destroyed by a force of chaos battle ships which ambushed him and his fleet on the fringes of the galaxy. The fleet was under the command of a strange group of chaos marines, who colored their armor black and white, and this was to be only the first of the many engagements the chapter was to have with this strange legion of chaos space marines and Righten has never let go of his hatred for them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The chapter’s support forces are few and far between with only a small number of predators and whirlwinds as well as other vehicles such as razorbacks, land speeders and motor bikes. In addition to this the first company does field four land raiders and Avatus also has his personal land raider crusader. Apart from this the chapter posses nothing else with the exception of about half a company of scout marines who act ahead of the main force to probe the enemy lines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Chapter Battle Doctrine

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The Angels of Reconciliation inspire fear into the hearts of the heretic, mutant and xeno, just as much as they inspire awe, wonder and joy in the hearts of those in the Imperium whose hearts are pure and loyal. It is a fact that the Angels do use terror tactics against the enemy so as to add to the ease with which they can set them to rout. First they deliberately infiltrate scouts ahead of their advance so as to secure the forward positions. However the scouts are very careful not to reveal themselves to the enemy and reduce the impact of what is to come.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Suddenly as the enemy pours forwards towards the strategic objectives-still unaware of the presence of the Angels-the chapter fleet suddenly reveals itself in a place nearby in the system where they have been concealing themselves and deploy drop pods right into the middle of the unknowing foe. The enemy is completely taken by surprise as they are crushed by the raining fire pods which then pour forth their deadly cargo into the midst of the enemy. The foe is soon routing, trying desperately to regroup and are not prepared for the second assault wave to come.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Suddenly the far smaller but far deadlier assault wave hurls down through the atmosphere hitting the enemy from behind. This wave features any terminators and dreadnoughts the battle force may have as well as any other forces not yet deployed onto the battle field. The foe who hopefully believes that they are already facing the enemy’s full strength is shattered by the arrival of the battle force’s elites and super heavies. The enemy forces are soon compressed and the remnants are squeezed out between the two halves of the force.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">What remains is hunted down by the combined forces of the Angles of Reconciliation and the battle is soon over and the enemies pride scarred.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Other tactics the chapter uses are more generic and can be found used by most other space marine chapters in the Imperium. The greatest disadvantage in the Angels preferred tactic is if the foe they are in battle with has fought them before and knows their combat style well, this means that the marines are forced to purse new courses of action but fortunately it is often the case among the chapters captains that they are chosen for their ability to think on their feet.

There we go! That should add quite a bit of length to this thread. I am working on a history section of this fluff but have chosen not to put it up since it is to long and has very little to do with any RP involvment I may have since that is what this lore post if for for me.