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A custom chapter that build their own equipment. Feasible in-universe or no?

988 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  friar76 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi. I have an idea for a custom chapter but wanted to check with the loremasters on here to see if the idea is viable in-universe or if I should try something else.https://gbp.mconvert.net/usd/1000

I'll work out the fine details later but the rough idea is that the chapter lost its homeworld (I've yet to decide what to) so are now completely fleet-based. They lost their world because they for some reason had troubles with resupply so now their fortress-monastery, a heavily modified and particularly large battle barge, has had much of its combat-oriented systems replaced with what is basically a massive foundry where they make all their own equipment, only taking on outside help for raw materials and some mass goods like ammunition or specialized goods they can't make themselves but are too valuable to pass up like terminator armour. They will have pretty close ties with the mechanicus to make this possible and have a very high amount of mechanicus staff and techmarines to man the various foundry systems. But since equipping an entire chapter from one battle barge, even a quite large one is impossible I imagine that the chapter will be very low on numbers. Half strength or less. Probably losing a lot of their forces in the fight for the homeworld and since they now don't have a place to draw new initiates the number of initiates is lower than ever, only picking up the occasional particularly promising aspirant. I imagine much of the art in making new Astartes has been lost with their homeworld as well, so making new ones is even harder than it was before. As such, every brother is valued much higher than in "standard" chapters, since even a single loss may be impossible to replace. My initial idea for progenitor is the Iron Hands since I think it fits pretty well with them being fleet-based and building their own stuff, as well as the close tie with the mechanicus, though ideas on this are also welcome.

That is the rough cut. As I said, I'll work out the finer details later but if I were to summarize the most important qualities I'm building this on it would be: They're fleet-based, have low numbers and they build the vast majority of equipment themselves.

Posting this here to, as mentioned, get the opinion of some of the loremasters out there. I'm not new to 40k but I know there are lots of things I don't know, and as the thing I love most about 40k is the universe I want my custom chapter to be feasible in said universe. Criticism and ideas are, as such, very welcome. Thanks in advance!
 
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#2 ·
The Mechanicus jealously guards its secrets and will not lightly give this sort of direct aid to an astartes chapter. You could call it a joint venture where the chapter agrees to a semi permanent state of protecting a newly established facility, and in exchange receives the arms and armaments it needs to undertake its own missions.

Also keep in mind that knowledge of how technology works and how to build and maintain it is the guarded responsibility of the Mechanicus, and only techmarines will come close to having a similar level of expertise.
 
#3 ·
If I'm not mistaken I'm pretty sure a certain SM chapter has some Technology that they were entrusted with the secrets to and told to guard it just as jealously as the mechanicus if not more so. I forget what chapter exactly, might have been grey knights, might have been raven guard. I can't recall properly.
 
#5 ·
Well there are merits to that theory for your homebrew chapter. Examples include the Scythes of the Emperor, prior to the reinforcement by the Indomitus Crusade, or the Crinsom Fists. Both lost their respective home worlds to invasion ( tyranids and orks, respectively) and so are purely fleet-based now. I am unsure as to the most recent lore regarding both, but a certain amount of material could be maintained via forges on a large battle barge, such as dreadnought sarcophagi and bolt gun maintenance, alongside some, more exotic weapons.

However, given the clandestine nature of the Mechanicus regarding some of their rarer STC's, they would again probably compromise, give access to certain forge worlds in return for astartes support. It has always been so, since the Great Crusade.

Overall it is a nice lore to write up about, and I can see a short story delving into some of the politics behind such a decision taking shape as a result, possibly even leading to a local internecine feud ( a lose/lose scenario) for both parties. Not quite full heresy, but a schism forming due to the unwillingness for the Mechanicus to provide armoured support to the weakened astartes chapter.
 
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