Cursed Legion: The Legion of the Damned

Beginning here, I will begin to detail different chapter that I think should use the cursed founding traits that I've designed. Some of these chapter will be GW origin, such as the Legion of the Damned and the Black Dragons, while others will be of my own creation for the purpose of utalizing different traits. I will en devour to give some back ground on each chapter in addition to the traits each chapter will use.

Of all the legends of the Imperium, one of the strangest is that of
the Legion of the Damned. The Inquisitors of Terra have amassed
dozens of reports describing the inexplicable manifestation of these otherworldly warriors upon battlefields were the warriors of Mankind battle without hope against impossible odds. By all
accounts their aspect is frightening and bizarre, a ghostly
apparition of warriors from some bygone era or a time yet to come when all is lost.
They appear in the guise of the Emperor's finest, Space Marines, like and yet unlike the proud chapters which guard Humanity from the ravages of heretics and alien invaders.
Their armour is black as midnight and marked with symbols of death and damnation; skulls grin cheerlessly from helm and boltgun, bones twist amidst the flames of purgatory.

The Legion comes unannounced and unlooked for. Wreathed in spectral fury they descend upon the foes of Mankind, battling them without outcry or war shout until the enemy is scattered and the day is saved. Equally mysteriously they vanish again once the victory is won, disappearing back to whatever hellish realm they come from. Are they the Emperor's will made manifest, or some dire creation of a more mysterious force? None can say.

By the Emperor's wisdom, the truth has been revealed to me! They are the lost ones, the spirits of the Fire Hawks lost in the Warp. They are back from the dead to wreak vengeance on the enemies of Mankind!

- From the diary of Scribe Historicus Malary, charged with heresy, awaiting execution.

Chapter traits:
Stuff of Legend, No Matter the Cost.

Minor Disadvantages:
Random Phasing.

Major Drawback
Vanish into the Morning Mist

Major Drawback: Bring Death to them

Some chapters scorn the use of heavy weapon squads as they prefer to kill the enemy personally. Hence the chapter trains fewer marines in the use of heavy weapons. The chapter may not take devastator squads.

Major Drawback: The Machine can not be trusted

while many space marine chapters place great value on great machines of war such as Predators and land raiders, there are some chapters that scorn the reliance on the adepts of the Machine god or has simply been with out the aide of Tanks and Machines for so long they no longer utilize them. Predators, Land raiders, Vindicators and Whirlwinds all have a 0-1 limitation (this includes the Predator Variants and the Land Raider Variants).

Major Drawback: Vanish into the Morning Mist

Some lost Chapters exhibit strange abilities and even stranger tactics, suddenly retreating from the battle with out achieving any discernible objective. Beginning with the Fourth turn, roll a D6. On a result of 1, the Lost chapter vanishes into the ether leaving their opponent bewildered. This can effectively end the game with an automatic defeat for the lost chapter and an automatic victory for the opponent.

Disadvantage: Random Phasing

the range of abilities encountered with reference to lost chapters is a staggering and bewildering list. Some reports show some chapters having an aversion to close combat. If a unit is broken in close combat and forced to run, but is not caught make a leadership test on this unit (normal modifiers apply). If the unit fails, the unit counts as pinned for the next turn.

Major Drawback: Legendary Luck, the bad kind

Some chapters are swathed in a aura of bad luck, the Lamenters being a prime example. Any Leadership based tests any unit in the army needs to make, suffers a –1 modifier. May not be taken with “By the Lords’ Will”

Disadvantage: Over-Amplification

While many chapters would consider being stronger a advantage, there is a point where it becomes too much of a Good thing. The body structure of the Marines with in the chapters has grown out of proportion and is now an inhibitor to the Marines combat capabilities. All units suffer –1 to the their Initiative.

Disadvantage: The Dragon Will Not join with us

For a lost chapter, the ability to maintain trained Techmarines and apothecaries that specialize in Bionics becomes difficult at best and impossible at worst. The Army may not take Techmarines.

Disadvantage: Degeneration

mutation is a constant threat to all Space Marines. While mutants such as Librarians, and specific mutations such as the Ossific Blades of the Black Dragons, offer specific advantages these are not typical of mutants and mutations. All units in the army suffer a –1 to their Strength stat.

Trait: Heed your Commander

The chapters’ self-reliance has given rise to extremely adept and capable squad commanders. For a cost of +15 points, tactical squads may upgrade their Sergeant to a Veteran Sergeant with the following profile:

	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
Vet Sergeant.	4	4	4	4	1	4	1(2)	9	3+
	Equipment: Vet. Sergeants come equipped with a Close combat weapon and a bolt pistol. They may take additional purchases from the Space Marine Armory. Note that they already have Terminator Honors and may not purchase it again

Any tactical squad lead by a Veteran Sergeant may take one of the following special skill at a cost of +3 points per model: Hit and Run, Tank Hunters, infiltrate (may only take infiltrate if a transport is not purchased.)

The idea in here, was basically what it states in the trait itself. The upper command structure as laid down in the Codex has been broken or lost for one reason or another. So the sergeants have been forced to step up and become leaders while still remaining sergeants.

Disadvantage: Face the Enemy

Some chapters of Space Marines scorn any form of sneaking and scouting or have some ability, such as perpetual flames around their bodies, that render them unable to perform such actions that require stealth. May not use Infiltrators or scouts.

Trait: By the Lord's Will

Chapters that have suffered major losses in man-power develop tactics and abilities that allow them to minimize losses during combat. At a cost of +25 points per model, all HQ units (Commanders, Librarians, and Chaplains) gain the ability to choose weather they (and any squad they have joined) pass or fail any moral or pinning check they are called on to make. This applies even if failure would normally be automatic.

Trait: The Ends Justify the Means

Some chapters believe that to combat the enemy, you must fight fire with fire. Some Chapters such as the Relictors openly seek to gather and utilize chaotic weapons to battle chaos entities, while other Chapters such as the Mantic or Warriors seek to utilize mutations to battle the likes of the Tyranids. Select one of the options below:

Damnation for Victory: The Chapter may not take Veteran Squads and all Sergeants are replaced with the following Unit:

	Pts.	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
Sergeant Adept	30	4	4	4	4	1	4	2	8	3
	Power of the warp: Once per turn any squad containing a sergeant adept must roll a D6 and consult the chart below: 1-2 Blessing of the Emperor: until the end of the current turn, all attacks made in close combat by this squad count as being made with power weapons. 3-4 What was that?: nothing notable happens. 5-6 Curse of the Immateram: Roll 2D6 and subtract 2. That number of member of the unit immediately take a S 6 hit, normal saves allowed. If any member of the unit is killed due to this attack, the unit must immediately take a pinning test.

See the Enemy out: For a cost of +10 pts per model, all tactical squad members
may exchange their bolter for a Bolt Pistol and a close combat weapon and gain
the Furious charge ability.

This trait was an idea barrowed from the concept of Radical inquisitors. Use whatever you can to defeat the enemy.

Trait: Damned in Action

Some Space Chapters have delved so deeply into the warp or forbidden sciences, that their constitution has reached super levels even by normal space Marine Standards. For +10pt per model, all models in the army gain +1 wound.

This trait is basically a re-write of the Chaos Space Marines Daemonic Essence upgrade. Just a little less daemonic.

Trait: Strike from the Darkness

The Chapter is superbly trained in stealth or in possession of some ability that allows its’ members to hide even while in the open. For a cost of +6 points per model, any enemy unit that wishes to shoot at any unit in the Legion army must test as if the Night Fighting rules were in effect. If this test is taken by a vehicle with a spotlight, and it is passed, the rest of the enemy army may choose to fire at the targeted Legion Unit with out needing to test on the Night Fighting Rules.

My idea for this was something along the line of Ghost in the Shell's Therm-optic Camo. It makes them invisible but not imperceptible.

Trait: Stuff of Legend

Many of the Space Marine chapters are old and well known to their enemies. Others specialize in Terror tactics or maintain some tradition that makes them seem super-natural in some way. This trait costs +2 pts per single wound model and +5 pts per multi-wound model. Any unit that is charged by any unit from an army with this trait must pass a leadership test with -1 modifier or the unit that is being charged will only hit the charging unit on 6s.

Come on, who doesn't like the idea of a chapter of Marines who specialize in Terror Tactics? Kinda loyalist Night Lords legion

Trait: Ghostly Apparition

Some Chapters that have been lost for centuries have returned with some unexplainable ability to simply appear where their additional fire power would be of use. At a cost of +2 pts per infantry model, and +10 per Vehicle model, all models in the army may enter play using the reserves and Deep Strike rules.

Nothing to say here. This one was directly lifted from the Chapter approved Legion of the Damned.

Trait: Use your Hatred

For a cost of +6 points for single wound models and +10 points for multi-wound models, all units in the army gain +1 I.

This trait is very much a rage kinda trait. The Marines get so freaking pissed off, that they actually move faster then normally. Or they have some ability that allows them to act faster. Maybe some form of time travel?

Trait: Faith in the Men

The chapter used an organizational structure that predates the establishment of the codex: Astartes. All Tactical squads now contain 10-20 marines. (may not be taken with By your arms)

This trait was kinda inspired by the idea of the Space Wolves 13th company. The marines have been isolated or cut off for so long that the codex has been forgotten and instead of squads, they now fight in bands or groups. These groups are typically larger then a normal squad.

Trait: Victory is Life

The members of the chapter have become adept at close combat and understand how to step in and out of combat to maximize their attacks. All members of a squad get their full compliment of attacks regardless of being with in the “kill zone” or not.

This trait was inspired by any number of martial arts films where the hero is so good at avoiding attacks, that he looks like he's dancing with his opponent more then fighting them. So basically, the marines train so much with close combat, they have learned how to weave in and out, and between both their fellow marines and the enemy to deliver attacks and killing blows.

Trait: Strength no matter the form

Many space marine chapters utilize Librarians in their combat tactics. But for some reason, some chapters have a higher number of marines with the psychic gene then others. At a cost of +10 pts per model in a squad, tactical squads, and Veteran Squads may replace Sergeants with Librarian Nexiums as detailed below.

	PTS	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
Nexium	75	5	4	4	4	1	4	3	9	3+
	Weapons: A Nexium is armed with a Power Weapon and wears a Psychic hood. Options: The Nexium may be given Terminator Honors for +15 points. If given terminator Honors, he may select additional Equipment from the Space Marine armory. Psychic Power: The Nexium has the power “Storm of the Emperor’s Wrath” as described in Codex: Space Marines

In additional, any squad lead by a Nexium benefits from a +1 WS.

This trait came to me out an article in White Dwarf. I forget which issue it was now, but a staff member was doing a Space Marine chapter that, in the fluff anyways, had more librarians then normal. I wanted a way to put that on the board. But having four top level Libies running around? Um, can we say uber broken?!?! I wasn't sure how to deal with it till one day I was flipping through the old 3rd Edition Space marine codex, and I read the Librarian entry. There were three levels of librarian. So I thought about making a new unit that was a squad leader, and a low level librarian. Presto! Librarian Nexium was born.

Trait: No Matter the cost

Some Space Marine Chapters seek victory no matter the danger or the cost in man power it may require. At a cost of +5 pts for single wounds models, and +10 points for multiple-wound models, the entire army gains the ‘feel no Pain’ special rule.

Not that this one needs much explanation, but my idea behind this one was marines who are so stubborn that they can have an arm blown off and still fight.

Trait: By your arms

The chapter has undergone some sort of physical mutation such as razor sharp claws, or super dense skull plating. All Tactical squads, Assault Squads, and Command squads (Not terminator command squads) gain +1 attack at +5 pts per model.

This trait was designed based on the Black Dragons. I know in the Chapter Approved, the Black Dragons got the rending ability, but it just seems way too much for such a simple concept. So they get +1 attack instead. But that means +1 in addition to +1 for a CC weapon and Pistol. And that adds into the +1 for charging. So that means you get 3 extra attacks per marine!!

Trait: We never die

Many of the members of the Chapter have some physical mutation that makes them exceedingly difficult to kill. Any Command Squad (not terminator) Independent character not on a Bike or in Terminator Armor, Veteran squad, and Sergeants gain +1 toughness for +7pts.

Pretty much as it is stated in the trait itself, I designed this trait to represent a chapter with an unusually thick bone structure or other similar trait. Perhaps the chapter found some form of metal that their artificers are now using in their armor that's stronger or denser then adamantium.

The Traits as they stand now...

Over the next 23 posts, (yes that says 23 posts) I will be posting a single trait, disadvantage or major drawback and explaining it. I will also talk about what my ideas behind it it and other material as needed on that trait. Once I've completed the posts, you will be able to go to any specific trait by click on it on the side bar over there.

Welcome the Cursed Legions!

This is a Blog that I have set up to develop and work on a personal project I started some months back. That project is the creation of Chapter trait system for the Space Marines that will enable a player to field cursed legion Space Marine Chapters.

What are cursed Legion Space Marines?
Well, with out going into a list, Cursed Legion Space Marine Chapters are those chapters that fall into the gray area between Codex chapters and non-codex Chapters. Codex Chapters being represented by the likes of Ultramarines, Raven Guard, Imperial Fists, Crimson fists, and basically any chapter you can make out of Codex Space Marines, where as Non-codex Chapters would be like the Space wolves who flat out refuse to follow the Codex. An example of cursed Marine chapters would be the Blood angles, who follow the Codex but have some reason that prevents them from adhering to the letter of the Codex. In the Blood Angles case it's the Black Rage. When their marines are afflicted with it, the chapter really has no choice but to field as death companies. Cursed legions are a similar concept. There's some quirk that make them different enough that they can't be truely represented out of Codex Space Marines.

Are these rules offical?
Not yet. For the present time, these rules should be considered house rules only. Meaning, if you wish to use them, you must get your opponent's permission. I do however have every intention of working these rules up to the point that they can be submitted to Games Workshop, though that point is several years down the line.