The true origins of the Lament of Angels are straight forward - the project started as a 30k army, but was transformed into a 40k project shortly after the start of 8th Edition, and the launch of the Primaris Range. With a small collection of Firstborn painted in Heresy-era colours, and a new Ultima-Founding (aka Primaris Only!) chapter also bearing the same colours I was left with a choice - repaint the army, or create new background.
I opted for the latter.
As a player I've always preferred the freedom of using my own Chapter/ Sept/ Coven/ Chamber/ etc. I like the concept of the existing factions, but I feel a little restricted creating characters that override the existing Characters/ lore. For example... I can't very well create a brand new Blood Angels Primaris Chapter Master can I?! Dante is iconic, and it would be an insult to his character to sweep him under the rug!
These same restrictions don't apply to home-brew sub-factions, and I find it really fulfilling creating Characters and Lore for my own factions.
I recently wrote a post for another home-brew Chapter; the Celestial Serpents. Writing that post was more fun than I expected and it inspired me to revisit the lore for the Lament of Angels, juggling the different models I have along with the existing Blood Angels/ Space Marine lore to create something bespoke, something unique.
So if you're interested in discovering the TRUE history of the Lament of Angels, read on...
As with my previous post of this genre, I'll be borrowing from good old White Dwarf 453 (an invaluable read if you plan on making your own Chapter... seriously... go buy it...) and moving our way through a list of Chapter attributes.
Chapter Name
The Chapters High Gothic name is "Angelus Lamentari", translated to the Lament of Angels in Low Gothic. The Chapter owes it's name to an obscure tale told of Sanguinius about the day of his death...
All of Sanguinius' offspring know the tale of their Fathers death, slain in battle by the Arch-Traitor Horus at the climax of the Siege of Terra. It is also well known that Sanguinius went to fight his wayward brother knowing he would die; his prophetic gifts forewarning him of his end. The Great Angel fought his Brother, knowing his sacrifice was necessary for his Father, The Emperor, to ultimately slay Horus and end the Civil War.
What is less well known among the Legions of Sanguinius' sons is that what Sanguinius first set eyes on Horus, or the foul creature Horus had become, he wept a single tear.
He wept not for Horus, for his brother had fallen too far to be forgiven.
He wept not for himself, for he knew his sword would wound the beast, allowing his Father to slay it.
He wept for his sons, and for the Imperium. He foresaw the frightful impact his death would have on his sons and knew that in sacrificing himself he was condemning his sons to an eternity of suffering.
He knew it was a sacrifice they would gladly pay if given the choice, but still he wept for them; a tear they would never shed themselves.
The Lament of Angels name themselves for this tear, for the sorrow felt by their father on the eve of his death, and they mourn his selflessness and sacrifice ten thousands years on.
Chapter Symbol
The Lament of Angels use a Chapter Symbol very similar to their primogenitors; a winged teardrop. However, where the Blood Angels wear their symbol in a few different ways (solid black upon a field of red for line infantry, yellow on a field of black for their sergeants and white wings with a red blood drop for the Death Company) the Lament of Angels all bear the same Symbol - white wings flanking a blue teardrop, representing Sangunius' single tear.
Primogenitor
If it wasn't obvious by now... it's the Blood Angels!
Origins
Origins is something I've been thinking about for a while.
I have a pretty sizable selection of Firstborn models in the collection already, so it can't really be Ultima Founding.
By the same token, however, I don't want them to be too old - they are, after all, a home-brew chapter and don't have the millennia-spanning narrative of many other Chapters.
As a compromise, I thought they'd suit as a Chapter founded during the 23rd Founding, the so-called "Sentinel" founding, during late M37/ early M38.
As a response to the rising threat of the Necrons, Orks and Chaos, and as replacements for many chapters either lost, turned renegade, or subject to mishap (the unfortunate legacy of the Cursed Founding in M35) a series of small founding's were launch during the end of the M37 and early M38 - one of which was known as the Sentinel Founding.
Like many of the Chapters founded during this time the Lament of Angels Chapter started their life predominantly fleet-based, tasked with guarding a region of Space to south of Baal, operating between the Gates of Vaul and the Maelstom.
They were rewarded with a Chapter planet of their own in M39, known as Meddigo, following their fierce defense of the planet against a Word Bearers invasion.
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| Meddigo was here... |
Unfortunately, their home world was lost when the Citrix Maledictum tore the galaxy in half, it's proximity to the Maelstrom putting it directly in the path of the Warp storms.
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| ...not anymore, swallowed my the Maelstrom |
The Chapter was spared annihilation at the hands of Warp only by virtue of their loyalty to the Blood Angels; the majority of the Chapter having garrisoned Baal against the threat of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Despite avoiding assured destruction at the hands of the Citrix Maledictum the Chapter was crippled by the Tyranids, losing the best part of nine companies of Space Marines in the defense of Baal. Were it not for the timely intervention of Guilliman and the Greyshield reinforcements the Lament of Angels would surely have been lost.
Colour Scheme, including Unit Markings
As one of the younger Blood Angels successors the Lament of Angels draw their colours and heraldry from a mix of the Codex and their Primogenitors legacy. In some ways they cling fiercely to the legacy of their parent Chapter, proudly wearing the colours, markings and honorifics of the Blood Angels (even where the markings aren't strictly Codex compliant). Their armor is the same blood red as their parent Chapter, replacing the trim colours for black. Sergeants paint their shoulders completely black. Battlefield roles are denoted by the same red, yellow, blue and gold helmets as their parent chapter.
Commanders and Veterans wear black shoulders trimmed with gold in addition to the golden helms they wear, although this tradition seems to be eschewed within the Third Company, who wear red shoulders with a golden trim.
Individual units wear the same squad markings as their parent chapter, their right knee or lower leg plates baring the squad symbol over the numerals worn by other Chapters.
Company markings are depicted using a single coloured tear drop on the right shoulder, the colour denoting company. Each company also has their own heraldry.
Company colours and heraldic designs are influenced more by the standard Codex template than the Blood Angels idiosyncrasies. Company heraldry is usually a simple geometric pattern using a mix of Royal Blue and Company colour, the shapes/ design based on the standard Codex illustrations. Individual commanders are then free to further embellish the design based on their battlefield successes/ notable campaigns
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| Sometimes you gotta go old school and draw stuff out! |
Home World
The Chapters former home-world, Meddigo, was lost when the great rift tore the Imperium in half. With the full force of 9 Companies sent to reinforce the Blood Angels on Baal (the equivalent of one Company was occupied elsewhere) the Angels were spared complete annihilation at the hands of fate, only to be almost annihilated by the Tyranids.
Since that day the Lament of Angels have been a principally fleet based Chapter again, operating throughout the Red Scar and adjacent systems.
Combat Doctrine
Before the devastation of the Chapter on Baal, the chapter operated like most Blood Angels successors. Codex compliant for the most part, with the notable exceptions of the Sanguinary Guard and their Death Company, the Lament of Angels fought aggressively whether in a firefight or melee. Even though most combat operations ended with the Astartes getting their blades bloodied, the Lament of Angels were not as bloodthirsty as some of Sanguinius' other sons (the Flesh Tearers being the obvious example)
The arrival of the Greyshields, coupled to the heavy losses the chapter took during the Devestation of Baal, changed the way the Chapter fought. Whilst many of the Firstborn still showed a preference for close combat, the Primaris fought like sons of Guiliman - disciplined overlapping fire-lines supporting a slow and controlled advance.
Over time, as the chapter regrew it's strength, the two fighting styles converged. The newer Primaris Marines learned temper the aggression of the firstborn, and ignite the passions of the Greyshields; the blending of the two bringing more balance to the Lament of Angels than they'd had in the past.
Beliefs
Many of the Chapters beliefs have already been covered - the fable of Sanguinius' tear, their staunch commitment to Sanguinius's legacy and their brotherhood with the First Founding chapter.
Words/ Motto
"For the Emperor" and "For the Angel" are two of the most common battlecries of the chapter.
"Shed (or weep) your final tear" is a phrase often used by the Chapter to refer to the end of an Astartes life, or their final battle.
For instance, when stood atop the Ark Angellicum on Baal staring at the millions strong horde of Tyranids, Captain Dumah turned to his Company and said "Shed your last tear brothers. The enemy comes."
Idiosyncrasies
Whether by quirk of their upbringing, or some minor genetic imbalance, the Lament of Angels tend towards the more melencholic and phlegmatic humours. They draw their inspiration from the inevitability of Sanguninus' death, and the (believed) sorrow he felt for his sons, and as such have a more bleak outlook than many.
As Sons of the Angel they suffer the twin curses of the Black Rage and the Red thirst, both of which they bear with grim pragmatism. When needed they drink the blood of friend or foe, but they do so with solemnity and dispassion; they do not resist it, rage against it, nor revel in it. It simply is.
The Black Rage, however, is dealt with differently.
Astartes that fall to the rage mid-battle do so like many of their brothers in other Chapters - howling at the foe, spitting curses and launching themselves on suicidal assault.
Astartes that fall to the rage on the eve of battle do so with an eerie calm. Their body relaxes and they release a long and mournful sigh, before shedding a single tear. In no other chapter is their such an obvious, non-violent, sign of the change. As such, the final battle cants of the chapter (a funeral dirge in any other brotherhood) are completed bare-headed to allow the Chaplaincy to better scrutinise their charges.
Once these "placid" Astartes see an enemy, however, they're gripped with the same murderous rage as all their kind; capable of great and terrible carnage.
That's all for now!
No models to accompany this post, but I've been working on a lot of Lament of Angels behind the scenes in January and hope to have some more to show you all in my next hobby update!
Thanks all,
Until next time, stay safe and happy hobby!
Medge
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