Sanguine Shields

"You will fight as our ancestors fought. You will fight as the men of the Imperial Guard fight. Remember, pride cometh before the fall. Only after you have learned to respect the men you will command, only after you have learned to value their sacrifice, will you, in the name of the Emperor, become a Space Marine." - Polemarch Aleksander the Magnificent.

Introduction:

Sanguine Shields
Battle Cry	"Mártyras mou!"
Number	4,000 (Minimum)
Founding	22nd Founding
Successors of	Blood Angels
Chapter Master	Aleksander
Primarch	Sanguinius
Homeworld	Aleksandria
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Red/Tan

The Sanguine Shields are a successor chapter of the Blood Angels based on the planet Aleksandria, located in the Borea system, in the Ultima Segmentum. The chapter was founded in M37 during the 22nd Founding by Brother Aleksander the Magnificent, a former member of the Sanguinary Guard, upon the orders of the Senatorum Imperialis. The chapter took part in the Great Culling, where it established links with the Officio Assassinorum and the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Sanguine Shields are a non-Codex Astartes complaint chapter, and maintain their own unique culture, chapter structure, and series of ranks. The population of Aleksandria is divided between several hundred city states, termed demoi, which are nominally independent of the chapter. The chapter master of the Sanguine Shields rules Aleksandria as the Hegemon of the Aleksandrian League, but generally does not interfere in the affairs of the city states. The leaders of the city states are required to take an oath of loyalty to the chapter master upon their ascension.

The city states of Aleksandria maintain their own Imperial Guard regiments, termed Dune Riders, which favour hit-and-run tactics using light vehicles. As part of Aleksandria's tithe, the city states are required to send their best Dune Riders to the chapter. Most do not return, but those who survive are given the honour of becoming Neophytes. The chapter is based in the Kleisoura, an orbital battle station that acts as the chapter's fortress-monastery. The day-to-day running of the chapter is mainly done by the individual tagmata commanders, the archontes, due to injuries Polemarch Aleksander received during a skirmish with an Ork warband.

History:

Add me.

Chapter Heroes:

Icarius - Genestealer's Bane: Icarius was a powerful Librarian of the Sanguine Shields, and was among the first of his chapter to investigate an unnamed space hulk in the Aleksandria sector. While investigating the space hulk, it appeared all but empty, which led to his Neophytes complaining about their being a lack of targets against which they could test their mettle. Icarius pointed out to the Neophytes that this space hulk may be the domain of the genestealers, which the Officio Assassinorum had warned them about. After twelve hours of searching the massive space hulk, Icarius noticed something gruesome. A dead body of an Officio assassin, slashed and mangled beyond recognition. Before he could give the word to retreat, some fifteen Genestealers appeared and attacked the Astartes. The nine Neophytes and their Sergeant managed to slay eight of them before the Sergeant was killed. Using his potent psyker powers, Icarius managed to slay two of the Genestealers, but was unable to save his Neophytes. Taking his bolter and two melta bombs, the enraged Astartes managed to kill the remaining Genestealers. Realising he was now alone, Icarius retreated back to base, consumed by the Black Rage, but not fully lost to the chapter. Icarius demanded of his comrades his Terminator armour, and a squad of the chapters Wild Men. Not much is known of what happened, next, except that Icarius returned to the space hulk. After two days of silence, his brothers sent an investigation force to the space hulk. Shortly after teleporting in, the terminators found the corpes of Icarius and his Wild Men, dead, amid heaps of Genestealer corpses. The Genestealer Broodlord lay dead on the ground, in front of Icarius, his hands still clasping his bolter. Icarius and the rest of the Wild Men's hearts were taken, and are now considered holy Relics among the chapter, said to bring luck and skill of untold reaches. Icarius was forever immortalized as the "Genestealer's Bane."

Organisation:

• Chapter Master (Polemarch)
• Archontes (Tagma Captains)
• Tindanotai (Death Company)
• 9th Tagma (Scouts/Recruits)
• 8th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 7th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 6th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 5th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 4th Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)
• 3th Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)
• 2nd Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)
• 1st Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)

Rank Structure:

Officers:

• Polemarch (Master)
• Navarchos (Admiral)
• Konostaulos (PDF/IG)
• Archon (Line Captain)
• Lochagos (Sergeant)

Marines:

• Heitaeros (Honour Guard)
• Phalanges (Elite Marine)
• Thorakites (Devastator)
• Hypaspist (Line Marine)
• Peltast (Scout/Recruit)

Specialists:

• Athanatos (Dreadnought)
• Tindanotes (Rage/Thirst)

Chapter Fleet:

• Kleisoura
• Battle Barge
• Strike Cruisers
• Gladius Frigates