THE ELEVEN COMPONENTS OF A HOMEGROWN CHAPTER

From the Grey Hammers' Page

So you want to take the plunge and build your own army? Before you jump into the fray, there are some things you might want to ponder.

Here's a list of some of the components of a characterful army. Keep in mind that these aspects interact, so they should complement and reinforce each other.

1. THE THEME
What is the underlying idea that holds your chapter together? A thirst for blood? Vikings in space? The embodiment of dragon lizards? You will probably never overtly state the theme, but it should be evident in the other components. The best way to ensure that your theme does not become too vague is to write it down in one sentence--or better yet, a few words. For the GreyHammers, the theme is the Australian/American convict society melting pot, done up in the dark vision of the WH40K future. See, it does not have to be a really great theme--just defined.

2. THE DESCRIPTION
Ideally expressed in one sentence, a description covers what the casual observer should know when glancing over your army. These are generally listed on the back cover of the codices. "Disgraced marines are given a chance to redeem themselves and become full members of the GreyHammers," for example. I didn't have a good, short description before, and had to launch into a jumbled multi-sentence explanation when people asked about the GreyHammers. Since many who inquire about chapters are just being polite, why make them sit through a history lesson? Also, a concise statement will draw the curious into more questions; then you can give them both barrels of a detailed explanation.

3. THE NAME
Some chapters can neatly tie their components together with just their name. Black Templars and Salamanders are two examples. For the rest of us, the name can draw attention or "hook" into some other component so that the chapter is memorable. GreyHammers is not particularly memorable in and of itself, but it ties into the chapter symbol. (Let's face it, the GreyHammer symbol and name are a novice painter's Scythes of the Emperor.) While the name may not seem important, everyone will ask what it is before they ask for details about your chapter.

4. THE PAINT SCHEME
This is the first thing that will visually identify your chapter. The painting does not have to be all that good, just so long as you have a definite scheme. Note that heraldry can also tie into organization (squad and company), so you may want to list out, in detail, what rank and organization symbols and colors your chapter will use. You can cook up an organization, history, and scheme that will not hinder painting but still keep things characterful.

5. THE LOOK
Isn't this the paint scheme? Not entirely. Keep in mind that marines tend to look pretty similar--especially with regards to weapons. Your paint scheme will give your marines uniforms and uniformity, but their armor, poses, and weapons can, and probably should, vary. You can either mix the weapons up (there are at least two kinds of bolters out there, and all sorts of close combat weapons), or go for a theme. Are your troops partial to Nordic battle axes like the Space Wolves, or do they go for monofilament knives? Note that two rules in 3rd Edition free your hands with regards to modeling close combat weapons: knives, axes, swords, clubs, etc. all count as generic "close combat weapons", and adding a close combat weapon to a model with a two-handed weapon (like a bolter) does absolutely nothing to their gameplay effects. (OK, OK, Space Wolves are exception.) This means that your average troop can have close combat weapons "just for looks". Better yet, marines that come with close combat weapons can choose any close combat weapon they want. Just so long as you do not give them power weapons, you can go crazy. And all this without even getting into the unbounded possibilities you get from large-scale conversions. The idea is that between paint and plastic you have an army that looks themed, but still has plenty of room to vary the individual models.

6. ORGANIZATION
Does your chapter follow the Codex Astartes like the Ultramarines, or is it a free-flowing mob like the Space Wolves? Organization may not seem that important, but it can really support the other components.

7. ARMY LIST AND TACTICS
Here's where the rubber meets the road. Often, your themed army will incur additional troop selection and tactical restrictions to stay in character. So take care that what you create is playable--especially if you are new! The GreyHammer lack of mobility is a good example of what to avoid. Note that if done properly, your restrictions should force you into characterful strategies that are still viable. Note how the Salamanders' low initative is mitigated by an increased number of thunder hammers that would negate higher initative, and how the Blood Angels' Black Rage becomes an advantage when their army is characterfully designed to charge. Troop selection can also add character without special rules, as with a highly mobile White Scars force.

8. THE SPECIALS
Obviously, your HQ choices heavily influence your overall theme. But characters like sergeants and command squad members can set the tone as well. By employing conversions and spending extra time on painting leaders, you can emphasize all the hard work you put into your chapter's back story. Characters directly tie into the chapter's history, but also can tie into a characterful strategy through wargear selection. What might be less obvious is that you can further reinforce the your chapter theme through squads and vehicles. Is that a run-of-the-mill tactical squad or are they Brother Bartleby's Butchers? By nature, marines will name anything and everything in their chapter, and this alone can add some zest to your army.

9. THE HISTORY
Your chapter history can be largely in your head, but sometimes it helps to write it down so you spell out the details for yourself. It doesn't have to be published, and can consist of a few notes on a 3x5" card. But having a back story is a convenient way to tie other components together. And don't forget to include details like homeworlds; just look how the Space Wolves' and Salamanders' characters are reinforced by their environments.

10. THE NEW RULES
The thing about new rules (aside from the obvious problem with play balance) is that few will follow them. Personally, I think they're a crutch. There are 5 chapter rules out there into which you could work your chapter, so there's no real reason to come up with more. If you take the time, almost all ideas can be represented with legal wargear and other methods mentioned here. If you want an exotic weapon like a halbred, count it as power fist or lightning claw. If your character has a "really cool" weapon, mastercraft it. Good armor? Artificer armor. Even war trophies can be represented with stock marine wargear; after all, your character may not fully understand captured alien technology. Are your troopers masters of close combat? Then make them Space Wolf, Templar, or Blood Angel successor chapters. (Just make sure you stick with exactly one Codex!) All this goes double for special characters with their own special rules.

11. EMPHASIS
More than likely, one of the above components will become the impetus for creating your chapter. An idea for a name, a theme, a new organization, or a look will just get under your skin until you have to try it out. Don't feel like you absolutely need a killer paint and conversion scheme to accompany a cool name and theme you've cooked up. The additional components can be a good way to expand on your core idea and support it enough to warrant all the time you are going to spend putting together your new chapter. You will also make a bigger impression if you have one outstanding component rather than several mediocre ones.

It's a big galaxy, and maybe you have some non-marine ideas. The same concepts apply to other races and armies. Just keep in mind that you want an army that either epitomizes a known force (like a craftworld) or has something that sets it apart from other armies using the same codex. So if you want to start your own Dark Eldar Kabal (or just a section of a known Kabal), it's given that your army consists of depraved, self-serving maniacs; add your own ideas to differentiate between your troops and the rest of the equally depraved, spikey-armored inhabitants of Commorragh.

Everything old is new again. Just because you're fielding a known chapter doesn't mean that you have no creative control. For example, you could add a few conversions to make your Blood Angels look even more blood-thirsty and combat-crazed. Or you could come up with unique story lines for your particular force. Were they thought lost in a warp storm? Are they a specialized branch of the chapter? And don't forget the endless possibilities of successor chapters and splinter groups.

The world turned upside down. Don't be afraid to deliberately break one of these "rules" to get a gimmick for your chapter. Maybe all your marines stand rigidly at attention and move in unison like 19th century Red Coats, so all squad mates have identical poses or even armor. Or maybe your chapter is shrouded in mystery like the Legion of the Damned and has no real history. If you know you have a weak component, turn that weakness into an advantage by pretending that it is deliberate and thereby working it into your stronger components. (Document it and it's a feature!)

In Conclusion... As you can see, there's quite a bit to consider when putting together a comprehensive home-grown army. Note that depending on whether you are using a stock army (ie, Ultramarines, Blood Angels, etc.), a totally new concept, or something in between, you may have some or all of the above components already defined. To keep your army characterful, you just need to know what these components are, and try to make them reinforce each other.