Star Phantoms
| Star Phantoms | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Founding | ||
| Successors of | ||
| Chapter Master | Unknown | |
| Homeworld | Jahga, in the Badab sector. | |
| Strength | Post-Badab War: Around 400 | |
| Specialty | First strike assaults, collateral damage | |
| Allegiance | Imperium of Man | |
| Colours | Ash-white with black trim | |
"Totally unsuitable for tactical close support of other Imperial units" - Lord Solar Macharius
History
The Star Phantoms are a Chapter whose many victories remain unsung because of its own penchant for secrecy and isolationism. Apparently part of the Sentinel Founding early in the 38th millenium, the Chapter was founded to shore up the defenses of the Imperium in many vulnerable parts of its vast domain.
Their heritage is unknown however; though the Adeptus Terra supposedly has evidence that they are descendents of the Dark Angels, but that first founding chapter denies all links to the Star Phantoms because of course they do THE DARK ANGELS TELL THE TRUTH ALL THE TIME, while the Star Phantoms themselves aren't telling. Further evidence of their origins also comes from the fact that their skull-in-hourglass iconography is the same as the First Legion's "Dreadwing" before the legions were broken down into chapters. Furthermore, the Star Phantoms fought alongside the Flesh Tearers WAY back in M31, so either the canon is broken or there is secrecy and misdirection afoot.
Initially based in the Mausoleum world of Haakoneth, the Chapter became fleet-based by necessity upon the destruction of the planet in 120.M40, and since that time had been grimly plying the space lanes of Segmentum Obscurus. The Chapter was counted as one of those who participated in the Macharian Crusade, and was also one of the Chapters that brought back order to the worlds conquered in the crusade when the Macharian Heresy erupted after the Lord Solar's death.
They got themselves involved in the Badab War in M41, but mostly stayed on the sidelines because of their aptitude for blowing shit up that they shouldn't. However towards the end of the war, they got stuck right in and got shit done, being the ones to break the orbital defences around the Astral Claws homeworld and laying siege to Lugft Huron's fortress of thorns and defeating him, though costing themselves most of the chapter in the process.
For this the High Lords of Terra awarded them lordship over the Astral Claws former domains, so they set their damaged battle barge down on the ice world of Jahga to serve as their new fortress monastery.
Organisation
Though some NO evidence points towards descent from the Dark Angels, the Star Phantoms are NOT counted amongst the Unforgiven (OR ARE THEY?) and so broadly conform to the standards laid down in the Codex Astartes.
Despite this, they have displayed a marked preference for first strike tactics, exemplified by drop pod assaults. The Chapter also seemed to prefer long-ranged bombardment using heavy weaponry over the chaos of melee combat, though it is capable of the latter when it is tactically expedient to do so. For the battle-brothers of the Chapter no one mode of combat holds more glory than the other; all that matters is that their enemy is disposed of.
Instead of having two Devastator Squads per Battle Company as per Codex norm, the Star Phantoms instead have three. These warriors have gained a reputation for being indiscriminate in their use of the firepower at their disposal, inflicting massive collateral damage, but unlike certain other chapters known for friendly fire, the Star Phantoms are not regarded as particularly aggressive or free spirited, instead they are pretty much emo marines (like the Mortifactors), with an unhealthy obsession with death where they regard the dead with more respect than they do the living.
The Chapter's armoury maintains an abundance of Plasma and Melta-based weaponry, and indeed it is a mark of honour among the Chapter's leaders to go into battle using a combi-plasma or combi-melta wrought by the Chapter's Techmarines.
Chapter Tactics
Forgeworld has free rules for the Star Phantoms available for download which separate them from other Codex Space Marines.
- First, their chapter tactic allows them to reroll reserve rolls of 1 for anything that deep strikes, and also they get a one-use ability where all weapons in the army become twin-linked for one turn. So pretty much these guys are the SURPRISE FUCKERS who turn up and blow your shit up in one go.
- Also, to represent the Star Phantoms particular lust for firepower, their one special character allows you to take Devastators as Elites choices as well as Heavy, allowing you a total of SIX devastator squads to BLOW THE FUCKERS AWAY.