MidHammer 40,000: SM Chapters

Lotus Hearts
Founding	M36
Successors of	Ultramarines
Chapter Master	Dara Somsak
Homeworld	Assam Bay (Ultima Segmentum)
Strength	Normal Strength
Specialty	Psykers, Pacification
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Gold & Turqoise

The Lotus Hearts are Space Marine chapter located in the Ultima Segmentum. They are the first chapter of the Cordinelumbae Cult, a sect of the Aurelian cult that merges worship of The Aurelian with traditions of the Ancient Octavian religion.

Organisation and Tactics

Basic information
Founder	Truong Hongdao
Cult	Cordinlumbae
Spiritual Liege	Assam Bay
Patron Saint	The Queen Mother
Index	Aurelian
Regula	Prosperae
Specialties	Combined Arms, Psykers,

The Lotus Hearts are codex compliant under the use of Regula Prosperae, and as such they are heavily trained in the use of Librarius Marines. The Lotus Hearts prefer to fight in closely knit companies with an emphasis on mobilitym and close quarters. Due to this heavy psyker usage, The Lotus Hearts have no Devastator Squadrons, instead resorting to their Librarius. The Lotus Hearts can maneuver around the battlefield quickly to the detriment of the Tau, who often find their Ranged squadrons massacred by Lotus Heart Ambushes. When facing against the Tau, the Lotus Hearts prefer when possible to nudge the Battlefield into one favoring close or mid range combat.

In the eyes of the Lotus Hearts this quick but brutal form of war is the most merciful, as a rapidly crippled army is often a demoralized one, leading to more captures than deaths. The Tau have so far, been able to be reasoned with, and the Imperium has regained many elite units through prisoner exchanges. There have been exceptions to this.

Squadrons:

Champions

Experts in hand to hand, and melee combat

Special Forces

A generic categorization for Librarius, Apothecaries, Techmarines, and Heavy Weapons (when needed)

Eutenite

Those who have received The Great Sorrow, but have not chosen to join the Black Eutenites. They are the closest the Lotus have to a Devastator squad

Drop Squadrons

Mixed companies who specialize in rapid deployment and assault.

History

The Lotus Hearts are a Space Marine Chapter founded in response to the rapid expansion of The T'au Imperium. Fearing the loss of the Frontier, the High Lords of Terra despirately commissioned the Lotus Hearts along with several other chapters to aid Vulkan in securing the more far flung regions of the Imperium. So desperate, that they overruled both the Spiritual Liege of Terra and The Tribune of The Faithful's objections to granting a schismatic cult de facto admission. Admittedly, the Cordinelubmaens had never been found heretical, and the Cult had the crucial support of several other seats such as Konnor and San Leor, but it doesn't change the fact that the High Lords of Terra effectively put their thumb on the scales of Aurelian affairs.

The Founder, Truong Huongdi, was at the time a Librarius for

Relics & Wargear

The Pagoda of Mercy

For the most part, the Lotus Hearts are willing to negotiate with the T'au. The famous exception to this was during the 2nd Sphere of Expansion. Following The Battle of Targatus III, the defeated and embittered Tau General parlayed with The Lotus Hearts for half of his army back. Hoping to avenge his humilating defeat at the hands of the Lotus, he ordered his prisoners to be subject to brutal genetic experiments and tortured. Upon seeing the state of the Prisoners, HuongDao hearts turned against the parlayed forces turned against the parlaying army and massacred every single tau and guevasa except one, The General. The General was then brought as a prisoner and was forced to watch as the Lotus hearts single-handedly massacred the Neighboring tau planet of Ao'chido. The Tau Captain was then present for the grand opening of as well as observing the construction of the majestic "Pagoda to Mercy," a 10 story shrine to the Queen of Mercy ornately decorated with the bones of the millions of Tau and Auxillaries. The T'au Leader was promptly transformed into a Servitor. Now known as Bihoan or "the attendant" he attends to the Pagoda, constantly repeating his crimes against The Queen of Mercy and the Names of the Prisoners. Whenever possible, the Lotus prefer to negotiate with the T'au here.