DIY SMC: The White Lions

I've played Dawn of War and watched countless hours as my boyfriend played in tons of tournaments (this makes for one very bored girlfriend who wanders about the store reading things). I know enough to know about foundings, and chapters, and the basics (I've even played once or twice).

So since I've been bored in class, I thought to write my own fluff, and I looked at other's threads for reference and I'd love to get some comments and critique as I'd love to make this a playable chapter for myself, and if this goes well I may just bring out my DoW Chapter.

So here goes!

++ The White Lions ++

+++ Origins +++
Felid, a feral world where one contends against the wild, the elements, and rivals there is a stronghold here among several lands, calling themselves simply the Pride Lands. Here you will find a Space Marine Chapter known as the White Lions.

No one knows where they take their geneseed, the only knowledge is that they are a relatively new chapter and were founded in late M40.

+++ Background +++

To understand the White Lions you must understand their way of life and how they are raised. They live together in various groups known as Prides, each Pride is at minimum forty in number and can be at what has been counted as a maximum of a hundred. All reside on what they call the Pride Lands.

Children born to these Prides, are known as Cubs and are raised by the Caretakers. The Caretakers are a group of former warriors, farmers, shamans and the like who raise the cubs until they reach the age of seven. During these first seven years, the cubs are put through grueling tests to determine their fate as an adult.

At the end of their seventh year, the cubs are exiled to become Nomads. Nomads roam the Pride Lands and are usually between the ages of seven and fourteen. Nomads travel in groups of two-six, here they test all that they had learned during their cubhood. The girls generally become well co-ordinated with each other and form their own Prides, the boys compete with each other and sometimes kill each other for a chance at joining and potentionally leading a Pride, should his potentional mates find him worthy, on occassion there may be a coalition (two-three males).

Should a male and/or female be banned from their Pride they are exiled.
It is here as Nomads, that the former cubs become better warriors, leaders, and shamans and when the Nomads return they are accepted back into society and their Pride is acknowledged.

At their fifteenth year and extended through to their twenty-first year these former Nomads become Residents of the Pride Lands. Here they answer to the Krugeri, Krugeri are chosen leaders from various Prides to watch, advise and discipline these new Prides.

[It should be noted that the Krugeri answer to the Grand Council of Ancients, the Grand Council are responsible for all on the Pride Lands]

At the end of their twenty-first year, the acknowledged Prides become accepted, if they have not failed, should a Pride fail the members are sent out to the Pride Lands to roam as the Exiled, it is very hard for males to return from Exile and extremely rare that a female should return for acceptance into another Pride is very difficult.

For the next four years, the goal of these newly accepted Prides is to breed the next generation, once the males have bred they have a choice to stay with their pride or move on to serve in the Space Marines as part of the White Lions Chapter; provided they have found a successor to their role in the pride.

+++ Recruitment +++

The White Lions recruit from their homeworld Felid. All recruits are taken to their Fortress-Monestary, Smilodon Hall. Both Men and Women are recruited, more often than not this is where the Exiles come.

Recruitment age begins at sixteen, and upon recruitment they are to take the Sworn Oath of the Pride Land and for females they have additional standards to meet.

Women are accepted into the Chapter but are not allowed into the following: Honour Guards, Terminator Squads, Terminator Assault Squads, Sternguard/Vanguard, Tactical Squads, Devastetor Squads, Assault Squads, Techmarines, or Servitors. Women can only be accepted if they are without child and have taken the Szabo Oath, and must undergo operations to remove their femininity. Afterward they go completely bald and undergo extreme conditioning and training.

Meanwhile, their male counterparts undergo the transformation from human, to superhuman, to Space Marine.

The Sworn Oath of the Pride Land is as followed:

I ______________, do hereby swear that I am to serve the Pride Lands first and foremost. I am a soldier of the Pride Lands, and I will defend her and the Great Lioness' honor to the death. I am to stand tall next to my kin and uphold our traditions and in death glorify the Creator. I swear to upload our laws, and values to the utmost.

The Szabo Oath:

We are the Women of the Pride, we are one and act as one, there is nothing but service. We give our lives to the Pride Lands, and her glorious the Great Lioness and the Holy Creator. We are quiet and deadly, we the best of our sex, will die in the glory of battle and no where else. Our duties are to the Pride Lands, and we will defend her to all our honor. We give our femininity to show our loyalty that it is not our body that makes us Women, but it is our hearts and minds. May the Great Lioness and her Beloved Creator give us strength.

[Note the Szabo Oath is a blood oath, in which the women give a vial of blood.]

+++ Military Service +++

After basic training, each soldier is then sent to a specific school based on their scores from basic, as each individual is graded to ensure that they are placed correctly, in their Advanced Training facilities.

Women go on to make up the Attack Bike Squads, Bike Squads, Bike Scout Squads, Scout Squads, Land Speeder Squads, and Pilots. The Men go on to make up the rest of the Chapter, the White Lions combine their Apothecaries and Chaplains, into one discipline known as Shamanism. Their Librarians are known as Psions, and are trained with the Shamans together at the Guild Tower. Techmarines and Servitors are referred to as Mechanics and Specialists.

+++ Religion & Beliefs +++

Those in the Pride Lands are not fully convinced of this God-Emperor, and the White Lions most certainly do not praise him they are indeed inspired by his actions but nothing further. They believe in the Great Lioness, and the Creator.

The Great Lioness was as is told the Creators most beloved daughter of all his creations, he gave to her the Mighty Panthera Leo and with him she bore the First Cubs. The First Cubs are said to have created the Pride Lands, and the Ancient Krugeri and from the Ancient Krugeri life sprang forth.

Adeptus Mechanicus, the Cult of the Machine as of recent has begun to spread all over the Pride Lands. Mother Leona, a Krugeri is keen on working with those part of the Cult, whereas Father Rawshal wishes them banned.

+++ Mutations +++

A flaw with their geneseed, as some become completely feral and turn into Werecats. Those that turn feral are killed on site, as none have ever been kept stable enough to utilize in battle, and have been known to turn on their brethern.

Visi Nocturnus, a mutation in which the White Lions are capable of seeing in the night. With this mutation it is much more likely you will find the White Lions prowling the night, rather than the day.

[Other mutations are being studied]

+++ Colors +++



Shamans & Psions bare a more grizzled look, with the colors reversed, and black markings added in. Designations are marked on the right knee pad, and on the shoulder pauldron, the mark of a lion bearing a sword.

+++ Organization & Combat Doctrine +++

For the most part, their ranks mirror the Codex Astartes, names may be different but their make-up of companies is different.

The White Lions, break down into two Battalions, the Battalions comprise of two troop companies, one close combat company, one command company, and one weapons company (heavy weapons/support) and these companies are lead by a Captain, and each company is made of three platoons, these platoons are lead by Lieutenants, and each platoon is made up of three squadrons and an HQ, the HQ is made up of a Shaman, Platoon Leader, and a Platoon Sergeant (SGT). Platoons are further broken down into squads, squads are at max nine marines, and the very least five (this inclues their Sergeant).

The two battalions designations are, Tsavo and Katanga. They both answer to the Brigadier (Chapter Master) Ixion Raquiel.

Like any lion, they will quietly stalk their prey watching behavior and monitoring patterns. Driving their prey into a corner the lions will launch an ambush; having a preference for guerilla warfare, and psychological warfare.

The White Lions maintain their own set of heavy support, from Rhinos, Razorbacks and Predators, to Whirlwinds, and Thunderhawks.

+++ Formations +++

Troop companies consist of scout and tactical squads, command companies consist of headquarters and services (services includes dedicated transport, mechanics and specialists), the close combat companies consist of elite and fast attack squads, and the weapons companies consist of air support, heavy weapons, and heavy support

White Lions Chapter
-- Brigadier Ixion Raquiel, Chapter Master
-- Ishmael Forrix, Commander Psion
-- Capria Kruznik, Commander Shaman
-- Julius Ranulf, Master Mechanic

Tsavo Battalion
- Led by Colonel Antenor

1st Company (Troop)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

2nd Company (Troop)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

3rd Company (Command)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

4th Company (Weapons)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

5th Company (Close Combat)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

Katanga Battalion
-Led by Colonel Rankar

6th Company (Troop)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

7th Company (Troop)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

8th Company (Command)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

9th Company (Weapons)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

10th Company (Close Combat)
-- Platoon
-- Platoon
-- Platoon

++ Local Military Forces ++

Before the official formation of the Chapter, the local militant forces had been largely caring for themselves. After the formation of the Chapter, the local forces have scaled back if only to allow the Space Marines room to grow. At max chapter strength of a thousand men, the Chapter and local forces whose numbers are largely more than the Chapter could measure to, combined themselves to ensure the Space Marines could focus more at the battles ahead rather than administrative duties.

The Command Company is supplemented with an additional at minimum 175 personnel, to at maximum 225, these men as stated come from the local Territorial Armies. The Pride Lands have a national army known as the United Armies of the Pride Lands, or simply the Pride Army.

I will continue to edit this once I get my own codex(s)