Sea Serpents

Sea Serpents
Battle Cry	Vis Per Mare!
Number	800
Founding	Unknown, Possibly a Chimeric Founding.
Successors of	Rumored to be Alpha Legion but known to emulate the tactics of multiple chapters.
Successor Chapters	None
Chapter Master	Julius Verne
Primarch	Unknown
Homeworld	Navis IV
Specialty	Amphibious Assault
Allegiance	Imperium
Colours	Aqua, Silver, & Brass

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"Better to die in the sea, than live in the dust."

– Chapter Master Julius Verne

Overview

The Sea Serpents are a Space Marine chapter from an unknown founding. They model their chapter Traditions on the nautical traditions of ancient Terra. Much of the traditions are pieced together from what’s known, so has a tendency to span a number of times and cultures from Terran Nautical tradition.

The preferred tactic of the chapter is the “Hammerhead Strike”. The strike that goes into a war zone quickly and loudly, only to disappear quickly before the enemy can react. Due to this, they make excellent shock troops and counters to Druhkari raiders; counter-deploying to match their raids in a very short amount of time.

Special Tactics

The Primary special tactic of the Sea Serpents is amphibious assault. They specialize in dropping onto a planet in mid-ocean and using their great submersible troop transports to strike quickly from the sea, causing as much collateral damage as possible before disappearing again beneath the waves.

Navis IV

The Sea Serpents are based out of the Navis system in the gothic sector. They make their home on the Penal Death World of Navis IV. This world is nearly entirely ocean apart from a few small landmasses one of which has their fortress-monetary upon it. “The Mount” as it’s referred is the fortress-monetary of the Sea Serpents and is cloaked in perpetual Thunderstorms & Rain.

The world’s oceans are home to numerous kinds of giant and dangerous sea life that is often harvested for food. The world is fished by the prisoners of the Penal Colony; Navis’ only non-space marine inhabitants. Only the most hardened criminals get sent to Navis IV to fish its oceans as punishment. Most don’t last but a couple of standard Teran years before meeting a terrible fate in the jaws of the sea going wildlife or falling overboard and being carried away by the storms.

Those that do manage to survive long enough to master the planet’s waves and storms, are often recruited by the Sea Serpents chapter that call the world home. These Sailors make up the bulk of the Sea Serpent’s recruits; this means the demeanor of most Sea Serpents Space Marines if often grim and dour.

Special Equipment

Upon the Founding of the Chapter, a number of Power-Tridents where forged for them by the Emperor’s Spears Chapter as a celebration of their founding. These Tridents are kept in the armory deep in the Mount and distributed to the Chapter’s Leaders as a reward for great deeds. An example of this is Librarian Maximus Nemo of the 10th company. After vanquishing a Farseer of the Ulthwe craftworld singlehandedly, one of the Power-Tridents was retrofitted as a Force-Trident for him to wield; one of only two force Tridents in the Adeptus Astartes.

Another special piece of equipment are the Chapters “Dive Helmet” inspired helmets. These helmets have specially designed auspexes that can see in environments with heavy rain and debris, as well as underwater. They are gifted to Astartes who show an unusual zeal that puts them on the front lines and in the vanguard.

Special Units

• The Lords of the Deep: The Cataphractii Terminator Bodyguards of the Chapter Master. Rumored to be the same original 5 from the founding of the chapter and the first chapter master. Though, they never remove their helmets so identification is impossible.

• The Tide Guard: The Sea Serpent’s elite unit of Guard Veterans. The Sea Serpents contain far less “Blade Guard” in their first company than other chapters. These Guards are deployed with their power tridents only in the presence of the First Captain, Gugleilmus Halsey.

The Tide Guard are rarely seen and rightly feared by the enemies of man.

The Ludum Locus Campaign

In M42, Sea Serpents Chapter Master Julius Verne got word of a Necron Awakening on the lush backwater Imperial world of Keeg’s Moore. The Serpent fleet was rerouted to come to their aid.

• The battle at Ludum River Valley - Chapter Master Verne Dispatched Captain Iocobus Hook and an element from the 10thCompany. They made planetfall just in time to clash with the Necrontir in the middle of an ancient xenos ritual. The Serpents succeeded in interrupting the ritual and taking minimal casualties before being forced to withdraw their forces. The 10th company constructed an outpost on Keeg’s Moore to coordinate their campaign from.

After the battle, the fleet received a signal from the mechanicum fleet of Forgeworld Stygies VIII. Comms where opened between Chapter Master Verne and the Mechanicum Fleet. Before He could express his relief at reinforcement, Stygies VIII fired upon them. In his last act before losing contact with the ground force, He sent reinforcements by teleporter; including first Captain Guglielmus Halsey to take command. This new force was deemed “Strike Force Hammerhead”.

• The Dropsite Massacre at Duncan Station - The Adeptus Mechanicum dropped on planet at the former space port, Duncan Station. They where hoping to take control of the relic teleport homer housed within it. The ground force of Sea Serpents moved into the station to prevent them from acquiring the relic. Orca squad of 10th company was able to take control of the teleport homer before being gunned down. They where forced to withdraw and leave it behind, giving control of Duncan Station to the mechanicus.