The Iron Scepters are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown Founding and genetic origin.
Chapter History[]
An Iron Scepters Firstborn Space Marine displaying the Chapter colours and badge.
The Iron Scepters were the result of a rushed Founding by the Imperium in an attempt to respond to a series of incursions into Imperial space by the World Eaters Traitor Legion. Lacking the time to build up their Armoury themselves, the Iron Scepters relied on an Adeptus Mechanicus magos assigned by the fabricator-general of Mars himself.
Unfortunately, the magos was reluctant to leave his own studies to perform what he perceived as a "menial chore." Instead of providing the Iron Scepters with the high-quality wargear and technology that one would expect for a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, they instead received faulty and experimental wargear. The Chapter was already well on its way to war when the defects became apparent.
Many outsiders, ignorant of the truth, believed that the Iron Scepters' problems stemmed from a lack of faith in the Emperor. However, rather than using their technical difficulties as an excuse for defeat, the Chapter simply accepted them as one more challenge to be overcome.
Perhaps the most notable of the defects the new Chapter faced were the experimental helmets they received that had been designed to enhance the senses. The helmets were excruciatingly painful and actually caused extensive scarring on the forehead.
Though nearly all of the defective wargear has now been replaced, the original helmets have been retained as proud symbols of the hardship the Chapter has faced and overcome.
Now, when an Iron Scepters Scout Marine is initiated as a fully-fledged battle-brother of the Chapter, he must wear one of these helmets until he develops the tell-tale scars that all Iron Scepters bear. The scars are a constant reminder of the Chapter's history and their humility in the face of hardship.
Chapter Appearance[]
Chapter Colours[]
The Iron Scepters wear green power armour with black shoulder pauldrons, a black backpack, and black knee plates.
Every battle-brother possesses an unusual scarring pattern on his forehead as the result of their use of the experimental helmets originally provided to the Chapter.
The yellow squad tactical specialty icon -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command -- is located on the right shoulder plate. A black High Gothic number centred within it indicates squad number.
A white Low Gothic number on the right knee plate indicates company number.
Chapter Badge[]
The Iron Scepters Chapter badge is a yellow Gothic cross with its lower half reduced and sharpened to a point centred on a black field.
Trivia[]
The Iron Scepters are a Space Marines Chapter created by Paul Carrick. With the release of Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), Games Workshop decided to celebrate its release with a "Create Your Own Space Marine Chapter" competition in their U.S. Hobby Centers.
Competitors were required to paint a Space Marine from a Chapter of their own devising and to write down their Chapter's history, tactics, and traits -- both the Chapter's advantages and disadvantages.
Entries from across the country were judged by each Hobby Center's staff and the winning entries from each store were sent to Games Workshop's corporate headquarters in the U.K. Carrick's Iron Scepters Chapter was one of two winners selected to be featured in White Dwarf (US) 305, alongside the Sons of Dorn by Tyler Mengel.
Sources[]
- White Dwarf 305 (US), pg. 104