Editing MidHammer 40,000: SM Chapters (section)

==Examples of "Tau Founding" Chapters==

The Infamous "T'au Founding" occurred in the 35th and 37th Millenium, out of panic for the T'aus rapid expansion. The High Lords, concerned about inadequate protection for the Ultima Segmentum, and with the Legions occupied in a Black Crusade, tried to create as many chapters as possible to protect against the Tau. And while this led to many successful chapters such as the Lotus Hearts, the lack of discipline and ruthlessness of these chapters resulted in only emboldening the Tau, as well as leading to the largest number of Traitor Astartes since the Great Treachery.

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===Sledgehammers===
<!---British Aesthetic--->
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
|Name = Sledgehammers
|Heraldry 
|Founding = M36
|Successors of = Imperial Fists
|Chapter Master = Colis Solsburry
|Homeworld = None (migratory)
|Specialty = Fortification Seige
|Strength = Full Strength
|Allegiance = Imperium of Man
|Colours = Yellow and Black
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right: 10px;"
!colspan="2"|'''Basic information'''
|-
!colspan="2"| ''Your death will be our testimony''
|-
|'''Founder'''
|"Gabriel Rutherford"
|-
|'''Cult'''
|Imperial Truth
|-
|'''Patron Saint'''
| None
|-
|'''Index'''
|Praetorian
|-
|'''Regula'''
|None
|}
A transfer to the Ultima Segmentum from Dorn's Tempestus Citadel, the Sledgehammers brought their Ruthless experience breaking sieges meant to hold Tyrannids and Orks to T'au Space. Very few T'au citadels-and T'au planets-were prepared for their capabilities. Their fortress worlds are covered in oceans of T'au Bones.

====Organization and Tactics====
====History====
The Sledgehammers were former members of the Hands of Dorn. Their specialty was "Fortification Research" or, in laymans terms seige expertise. They would work to beseige any designed fortification Dorn and his engineers designed. During the Tau expansion, Lord Gulliman Justinian Vendee reached out to Rogal Dorn for the creation of a successor chapter to defend against T'au space. Dorn provided him with his most expendable troops.
====Religion====
The Sledgehammers are one of the few chapters that do not adhere to a Cult.
====Relics and Equipment====

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===Swarm of Locusts===
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
|Name = Swarm of Locusts
|Heraldry = [[File:MH_Swarm_logo.png|150px]]
|Founding = M36
|Successors of = Iron Hands
|Chapter Master = Rossum Bokhanavosky
|Homeworld = D-503 (Ultima Segmentum)
|Specialty = Human wave "Auxillaries"
|Strength = Chapter itself is undermanned.
|Allegiance = Imperium of Man (later Dark Mechanicus)
|Colours = Grey and Green
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right: 10px;"
!colspan="2"|'''Basic information'''
|-
!colspan="2"| ''If you will not surrender, then Die intact''
|-
|'''Founder'''
|"Zaharov"
|-
|'''Cult'''
|Omnissiah
|-
|'''Index'''
|Phoenecian
|-
|'''Regula'''
|None
|}
Perhaps the most infamous of the Tau Founding chapters, the Swarm of Locusts have served Tau propaganda for mellinia thanks to psychologically scarring tactics. In particular their use of their own form of Skitarii, and converting of Tau killed and wounded in battle into further Skitarii
====Organization and Tactics====
[[File:MH_Swarm_template_reduced.png|thumb|Beating the Tyrannids at their own game since M36]]

The Swarm of Locusts have a disproportionate amount of Techmarines, but otherwise operate mostly under standard Chapter divisions. 

The Swarm have two additional sub classification Techmarines. The first is called a "Administrator" who is telepathically connected to the Servitor swarm. The second is the "Retriever" who gathers and reassembles new forces from fallen foes.

The Swarm also has an additional apothecary given the unassuming name of "Offensive Apothecary." This Apothecary is well versed in Xenobiology, and is equipped with the necessary poisons, toxins, and medical equipment to quickly subdue and convert opponents.

The Swarm excel in Human wave tactics, using the technologically enhanced soldiers to overwhelm their enemy while the Astartes attack from the rear. The Skill of the Administrator enables him to director his swarm in intricate patterns, and command hundreds to act in unison.

Each company will have at least 4 Administrators, who in turn will control anything from tens to hundreds of individual servitors. The favored pattern of the Swarm is to have half of the swarms focus on overwhelming the enemy's defenses, while the other focuses on retrieval. The Retrieval teams will then act to capture as many living soldiers as possible, preferably with their bodies and equipment intact. Should their equipment be unusable or ineffective, the retrievers will have primitive weapons prepared for the newly formed skitarri.

Following their fall from the Imperium, the Skill of the Offensive Apothecary grew only more obscene, to the point where they could force captured entities to develop weaponized mutations that would compensate for their lack of equipment.

====History====
====Religion====
====Relics and Equipment====

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===Plasma Cutters===
<!---Chaos Blood Angels--->
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
|Name = Plasma Cutters
|Heraldry 
|Founding = M36
|Successors of = Blood Angels
|Chapter Master = Tobias Baffory
|Homeworld = None (migratory)
|Specialty = Close quarters combat, Pacification
|Strength = Dwindling
|Allegiance = Imperium of Man (now Khorne)
|Colours = White and Cyan (they like to see the blood spatters)
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right: 10px;"
!colspan="2"|'''Basic information'''
|-
!colspan="2"| ''We will not waste a drop''
|-
|'''Founder'''
|"Thronos Salo"
|-
|'''Cult'''
|Imperial Truth
|-
|'''Index'''
|Phoenecian
|-
|'''Regula'''
|None
|}

Part of the infamous "Tau Founding" of M36. The Plasma Cutters were a blood angels chapter that defied Sanguinius in their revelry of the Red Thirst. They eventually fell to Khorne and raid the Ultima Segmentum seeking both human and Xenos blood to satiate their desires. They have developed a particular taste for Tau blood and many Tau planets have stories of the Red Demons who come to raid their citties, massacring all in their wake.

====Organization and Tactics====

The Plasma Cutters fused their Legion's history with Jumppacks with their love of Close quarters combat to devastating efficiency. They have modified their jump packs to allow for multiple jumps and will regularly hop around a the battle field. A favored tactic is to Jump into the midst of enemy seize some of the soldiers, and jump again, feasting on the blood of the soldiers while flying before landing to repeat the process.

====History====
====Religion====
Prior to the fall, the Plasma cutters viewed the red thirst as sacred. Believing that the Red Thirst was an Emperor-given gift and not a defect. When they are not in battle, they gather up the prisoners they have seized and force them into cattle pens. For a ceremony they would then have the prisoners sent naked save for a small knife in a arena built into their Flagship. Randomly Selected Astartes would then enter the arena as well with a similar knife. The battle would then commence until one marine was left standing, who would relish in the blood of all he killed there. In the event that one of the prisoners survives then he is made into a "Companion." These companions are treated very well for slaves so long as they serve and fight alongside the Chapter Master. Only he is permitted to consume their blood.
====Relics and Equipment====

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===Fortunate Sons===
<!--You've heard of Dorn's Angry Bois, well here's Vulkan's Crazy bois and why recruiting from Catachan is a terrible idea. Sort of a cross between the Black Templars and the Prodigal Sons--->
<!---The Heraldry is going to be some variation of US 198th Infantry Brigade--->
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
|Name = Fortunate Sons
|Heraldry = [[File:Fortunate sons icon.png|150px]]
|Founding = M37
|Successors of = Salamanders
|Chapter Master = Cam Duke Clemons
|Homeworld = None (migratory)
|Specialty = Genocide, Meltas, Disappointing their Dad
|Strength = Larger than Vulkan would like
|Allegiance = Imperium of Man
|Colours = Olive, Brown, Dark Green
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right: 10px;"
!colspan="2"|'''Basic information'''
|-
!colspan="2"| ''Uncle Bobby will find his own!''
|-
|'''Founder'''
|Pete TS Dirksen
|-
|'''Cult'''
|Impavidae (fmr Promethean Cult)
|-
|'''Holy Seat'''
|Laphis
|-
|'''Patron Saint'''
| The Aurelian (Uncle Bobby)
|-
|'''Index'''
|Phoenecian
|-
|'''Regula'''
| none
|-
|'''Specialties'''
| Orks, Tyrranids, Tau (debatably)
|}
====Chapter Influence and Behavior====
The Fortunate Sons are every single Call of Duty protagonist, Vietnam War "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning" movie warrior, Jarhead, Urah! American Military-wank, and joke about Marines eating Crayons rolled into a single suit of power armor. Their connection to Vulkan has given them a love of Protheium bombing opponents. Unlike a chapter like The Swarm of Locusts, who are callous and sinister, the Fortunate Sons are loud, arrogant, and obnoxious but sincere, jovial, and well-meaning. They are also incredibly reckless, and the carelessness in which they carry about their wars has resulted in a civilian death count equaling if not exceeding The Swarm.

====Organization and Tactics====

The Fortunate Sons have carried the Salamander's love of Fire and Fire weaponry with them into exile. Despite Vulkan's insistence that they have carried none of his ideals. The Fortunate Sons are some of the best companions IG and SG could have. The Fortunate sons believe deeply in the bonds forged in war, and as such treat all of their squadmates and comrades as battle-brothers, and will just as willingly give their lives for a Ratling Private, Ultramar Trilileur, or Kroot soldier as they would their own brothers. Even those few T'au who are part of the Imperium in the Wuni Enclaves have enjoyed the comradeship and protection of the fortunate sons. So long as the planet itself is never fully occupied, and they aren't anywhere near the blast radius, they have found a friend in the Fortunate Sons.

====History====
Captain Pete "Tyrannid Stomper" Dirkson was the Seargent of the 134th Company of The Salamanders Legion in M36. While he and his company were part of "Catachan's First," (or ''Catachan's Last'' as the Salamanders now call them) part of three companies that were recruited exclusively from the Planet Catachan, a death world under Vulkan's jurisdiction whose tenacity and survivability impressed him. Catachan's First quickly gained renown for their impressive victories against Orks and Tyrannid incursions. Their fortunes quickly turned when they applied their successful strategies of indiscriminate application of fire against a Tau vassal world, incinerating the T'au, their Guevassa subjects, the flora, and the atmosphere. 

Catachan's First likely would have seen their end by Vulkan's Hammer if it hadn't be for the Captain-General of The Adeptus Astartes. The Fortunate Sons were part of what future Imperial historians called The "Tau Founding"  alongside of chapters such as The "Lotus Hearts," The "Sledgehammers," The "Plasma Cutters," The "Swarm of Locusts," and "The Crimson Skulls," in which panic over the T'au's Rapid Expansion overrode the High Lords of Terra's normal judgement. The now infamous Captain-General Justinian "The Butcher" Vendee, offered Dirksen and his company a successor chapter. Vulkan, enraged, almost resigned as Segmentarch. After his brothers were able to calm Vulkan, he cut the Fortunate Sons from the Promethean cult, and refuses to coordinate with them. They are guests of Royum Ultramar, where they are given free reign so long as they are fighting on Ultramari worlds. 

====Religion====
The Fortunate Sons are part of the wide collection of Promethean/Syncretic cults called "The Cult of The Dauntless Few" or "Impavidae Cult." Unlike the other Gullimanders who are usually Ultramarines pretending to act like Salamanders, the Fortunate Sons are Salamanders pretending to be Ultramarines.

Despite being cut off from the Promethean cult, the Fortunate Sons felt a close tie to their estranged Genefather. They were able to find a supportive Spiritual Liege in the infamous "Rubber Stamp" Holy Seat of Laphis when joining the Aurelian Cult. They are still not very religious and their specific order is effectively Vulkan's promethean cult with a thin Ultramarine overcoat. 

The Fortunate Sons refer to The Aurelian as "Uncle Bobby," Uncle being an honorific for Thamhyusden, an ancient diety that was worshiped by Catachan's Ancestors. Likewise The Queen Mother is referred to as "Miz Blue Mam," and The Emperor of Mankind is "Mister Bossman," and is sometimes given the honorrific of their ancient diety Thamhyusden (Lord of Earth). Vulkan is still referred to as "Papa Vulkan," despite him wanting nothing to do with his wayward children.

====Relics and Wargear====

The Fortunate Sons have kept most of their relics from their days as Salamanders, including a large and  impressive variety of meltas, firebombs, and heavy flamers.

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===Lotus Hearts===
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
|Name = Lotus Hearts
|Heraldry = [[File:Lotus_Hearts_Insignia.png|150px]]
|Founding = M36
|Successors of = Ultramarines
|Chapter Master = Dara Somsak
|Homeworld = Chamuay (Fmrly. Assam Bay) Ultima Segmentum
|Specialty = Psykers, Pacification
|Strength = Normal Strength
|Allegiance = Imperium of Man
|Colours = Gold & Turqoise
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right: 10px;"
!colspan="2"|'''Basic information'''
|-
!colspan="2"| ''Mercy in Life, Courage in Battle, Honnor in Death''
|-
|'''Founder'''
|Truong Hongdao
|-
|'''Cult'''
|Cordinlumbae
|-
|'''Spiritual Liege'''
|Assam Bay
|-
|'''Patron Saint'''
| The Queen Mother
|-
|'''Index'''
|Aurelian
|-
|'''Regula'''
|Prosperae 
|-
|'''Specialties'''
| Combined Arms, Psykers,
|}
The Lotus Hearts are Space Marine chapter located in the Ultima Segmentum. They are the first chapter of the Cordinelumbae Cult, a sect of the Aurelian cult that merges worship of The Aurelian with traditions of the Ancient Octavian religion. 

====Chapter Personality====
The Lotus Hearts are mishmash of Medeival Vietnamese, Champa, and Khmer Culture. Their version of the Aurelian cult draws heavily from Mahayana buddhism.

====Organisation and Tactics====

The Lotus Hearts are codex compliant under the use of Regula Prosperae, and as such they are heavily trained in the use of Librarius Marines. The Lotus Hearts prefer to fight in closely knit companies with an emphasis on mobilitym and close quarters. Due to this heavy psyker usage, The Lotus Hearts have no Devastator Squadrons, instead resorting to their Librarius. The Lotus Hearts can maneuver around the battlefield quickly to the detriment of the Tau, who often find their Ranged squadrons massacred by Lotus Heart Ambushes. When facing against the Tau, the Lotus Hearts prefer when possible to nudge the Battlefield into one favoring close or mid range combat.

In the eyes of the Lotus Hearts this quick but brutal form of war is the most merciful, as a rapidly crippled army is often a demoralized one, leading to more captures than deaths. The Tau have so far, been able to be reasoned with, and the Imperium has regained many elite units through prisoner exchanges. There have been exceptions to [[#The_Pagoda_of Mercy | this]. 

Squadrons:
;Champions
:Experts in hand to hand, and melee combat
;Special Forces
:A generic categorization for Librarius, Apothecaries, Techmarines, and Heavy Weapons (when needed)
;Eutenite
:Those who have received The Great Sorrow, but have not chosen to join the Black Eutenites. They are the closest the Lotus have to a Devastator squad
;Drop Squadrons
:Mixed companies who specialize in rapid deployment and assault.

====History====

The Lotus Hearts are a Space Marine Chapter founded in response to the rapid expansion of The T'au Imperium. Fearing the loss of the Frontier, the High Lords of Terra desperately commissioned the Lotus Hearts along with several other chapters to aid Vulkan in securing the more far flung regions of the Imperium. So desperate, that they overruled both the Spiritual Liege of Terra and The Tribune of The Faithful's objections to granting a schismatic cult de facto admission. Admittedly, the Cordinelubmaens had never been found heretical, and the Cult had the crucial support of several other seats such as Konnor and San Leor, but it doesn't change the fact that the High Lords of Terra effectively put their thumb on the scales of Aurelian affairs.

The Founder, Truong Huongdi, was at the time a Librarius for the Knights of St Aeonid Chapter.

====Relics & Wargear====
[[File:Lotus_hearts_sm_table.png|thumb|And the greatest of them all, are the Aquamarines]]
====The Pagoda of Mercy====
For the most part, the Lotus Hearts are willing to negotiate with the T'au. The famous exception to this was during the 2nd Sphere of Expansion. Following The Battle of Targatus III, the defeated and embittered Tau General parlayed with The Lotus Hearts for half of his army back. Hoping to avenge his humilating defeat at the hands of the Lotus, he ordered his prisoners to be subject to brutal genetic experiments and tortured. Upon seeing the state of the Prisoners, HuongDao hearts turned against the parlayed forces turned against the parlaying army and massacred every single tau and guevasa except one, The General. The General was then brought as a prisoner and was forced to watch as the Lotus hearts single-handedly massacred the Neighboring tau planet of Ao'chido. The Tau Captain was then present for the grand opening of as well as observing the construction of the majestic "Pagoda to Mercy," a 10 story shrine to the Queen of Mercy ornately decorated with the bones of the millions of Tau and Auxillaries. The T'au Leader was promptly transformed into a Servitor. Now known as Bihoan or "the attendant" he attends to the Pagoda, constantly repeating his crimes against The Queen of Mercy and the Names of the Prisoners. Whenever possible, the Lotus prefer to negotiate with the T'au here.


[[Category:Midhammer 40.000]][[Category:Homebrew Settings]]