White Scars The White Scars are one of the First Founding Legions of the Adeptus Astartes. Known and feared throughout the Imperium of Man for their highly mobile way of war, the White Scars are considered the masters of the lightning strike and hit-and-run attack and are particularly adapted to the use of the Astartes Assault Bike as their mechanical steeds. Bearing the ritual scars of bravery, these fierce warriors fight will all the tribal savagery that define the fierce steppe nomads of their homeworld Mundus Planus, bringing swift death to all of the enemies of the Imperium.

Home on the Steppes Mundus Planus is a fertile Feudal World of the Imperium that still exists in a semi-feudal state. When Jaghatai Khan departed on the Great Crusade, the unified empire he had carved from the nomadic peoples of his world dissolved back into the feuding tribes of horsemen that had existed before his arrival. This was believed by some in the White Scars Legion to be the intention of the Primarch, as the restoration of conflict between the tribes ensured that his Legion would have a supply of highly-skilled Neophytes drawn from the warring tribes in the future. The present-day White Scars Chapter is based in the Palace of Quan Zhou, which was built by Jaghatai Khan at the end of his quest to unify all the peoples of Mundus Planus under his rule and is located at the peak of the highest of the great Khum Katra Mountains on the planet. The Palace of Quan Zhou now serves as the Chapter's fortressmonastery. The Storm Seers of the White Scars venture down into the steppes every ten local years, observing the tribes at combat, and take the best of the young warriors to become Space Marine Aspirants.

Tribal and Free The predominant unit of social organisation among the nomadic people of the steppes of Mundus Planus is the tribe, a fact reflected in the organisation of the White Scars Chapter. Each squad of White Scars Astartes becomes part of a Brotherhood, a type of unit that is roughly equivalent to a standard, 100-Astartes Space Marines company. Each Brotherhood is led by an officer known as a Khan, who is essentially the White Scars' version of a standard Space Marine company captain The Chapter maintains a different order of battle than most Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters, due to the style of warfare favoured by the Chapter which deemphasizes the use of heavy armour in favour of light, fast-moving mechanised and airborne infantry formations. The White Scars have a propensity to maintain a disproportionate number of Bike Squads and Land Speeder squadrons. This lightningattack fighting style means the White Scars do not make use of as many heavy weapons as other Chapters. For instance, the White Scars possess no Devastator Squads. Due to their reliance on fast-moving fire support, most of the tanks used by the Chapter have had their armour stripped down so that they are able to keep up with the majority of the fast-moving White Scars forces.

Recruitment The Storm Seers of the White Scars venture down into the steppes every ten local years, observing the tribes at combat, and take the best of the young warriors to become Space Marine Aspirants. Once a young warrior is selected from the feuding tribes of the steppes, loyalty to his tribe is replaced by loyalty to the Chapter and the Emperor of Mankind. As their Primarch did during his campaign to unite the steppes, recruits from different tribes are mixed together in the White Scars' squads. Recruits are trained in everything from riding beasts, fixing their bike, tracking and even how to use a bow and arrow. Previous loyalties are discarded and any recruits carrying grudges against another due to past tribal history are allowed to fight in unarmed combat until the grudge is settled. The two are then paired together on many exercises so they come to rely on each other’s company. All White Scar neophytes are given the full history of the White Scars, they are expected to repeat key historical events and figures as well as their impact on the modern Chapter at any time during their training. From this, each

warrior becomes intimately familiar with the weight of the Chapter’s honour, and all debts that it still owes as well as any slight to their Chapter’s honour that must still be avenged. To the White Scars, the lightning bolt that serves as their Chapter badge is a potent and important symbol, representing both their style of warfare and echoing the warrior Honour Scars that they bear on their faces. It also represents the powers of the Storm Seers. The Chapter believes that as long as the elemental, animistic powers of air and land heed the call of the Storm Seers the White Scars will never falter on the field of battle. All White Scars bear the long, ritual facial scar that is called an Honour Scar and is the mark they receive when they are fully accepted into the Chapter as Neophytes.

Combat Doctrine The method of war taught to the steppe tribes of Mundus Planus by Jaghatai Khan has served the White Scars well in the millennia that followed. Their modus operandi consists of lightning-fast hit-and-run attacks conducted by highly mobile forces, destroying the enemy piece by piece and never allowing the enemy to force a decisive or static engagement. Being a highly mobile Astartes force, the White Scars have a higher proportion of Bike Squads and Land Speeder squadrons than almost all other Chapters. This means that every White Scars Astartes will rarely take to battle on foot and must have some mechanized deployment to the battlefield even if they eventually dismount to fight as infantry. As such, every White Scars Space Marine makes use of a Jump Pack (for White Scars Assault Marines), Assault Bike, Rhino, Razorback, Land Raider, Land Speeder, Thunderhawk Gunship, or Drop Pods. The Chapter's combat doctrine is to deliver their forces to the battlefield in a single swift blow; thus, when Drop Pods are used, the entire force of the Chapter committed to the assault deploys in them in order to avoid the possibility of parts of the force arriving in reserve. Also, the majority of heavy weapons normally used by Space Marine forces such as the Heavy Bolter, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun or Heavy Flamer are frowned upon by the Chapter, and any tank that cannot keep up with the rest of the army is avoided in the order of battle. For instance, the White Scars have no Devastator Squads, and their few Predator tanks may not carry sponson weapons. The White Scars also do not field any Dreadnoughts, not only because of the slowness of those cyborgs, but also because every White Scars Astartes does not want to be crippled to the point that they must be entombed in a Dreadnought's cybernetic sarcophagus. Far better to die and allow their spirits to pass into the afterlife where they may roam free. Overall, the White Scars are considered a powerful and effective Chapter when undertaking direct, rapid assaults or carrying out surgical strikes intended to achieve specific operational objectives. However, their lack of units with a great deal of staying power such as heavy weapons-equipped Tactical Marines, Devastator Marines, Dreadnoughts or the heavier Astartes main battle tanks means that their detachments are more fragile if not used at a tactically appropriate moment or if forced to face prolonged, static combat, particularly against well-defended enemy strongholds.

Pasts 1 – Sabbat Campaign: You fought shoulder to shoulder against the Ruinous Powers of Chaos that had claimed the Sabbat System as their own. Working under the Warmaster Slaydo was grating at times for his strictly-regimented thinking kept you and your warriors from the freedom in combat you enjoy. The campaign was won after much bloodshed. 2 – The Malahat Fortress: The Orks had taken the Imperial world of Malahat from under the Imperium’s very noses in a sneak attack unlike their species. While the Imperial Fists wore their defences down slowly, your squad took to the open plains of the planet, hitting the Ork’s resupply camps and keeping the enemy too unstable to counter the Imperial Fists. The Imperial Fists got the glory of the campaign victory, but you brought your clan honour in knowing that without your efforts, your fellow Astartes would’ve been out-flanked and over-run. 3 – Tau Hunt: The Tau insulted you and your squad when they snuck past your defences and sabotaged your base’s defence systems before an attack. It took you 12 years to hunt down the Shas’O responsible and gut him like a fish, restoring your honour. 4 – Death Race: You and the Eldar became aware of an ancient artefact recently uncovered by a mining expedition in the Galactic fringes. Due to anomalies in the area, teleportation was out of the question, so it resorted to an run-and-gun race between your squad and the deadly xenos all the way to the artefact. Your squad’s mobility matched that of the Eldar, coming down to a final assault on the icy plains where the enemy farseer retreated empty-handed. 5 – Face the Scourge: A Storm Seer’s visions of death and destruction lead you to an unexplored planet on the fringe of Ultimar Obscurus. This planet showed signs of life stripped away without mercy. You could find no active enemies except from what appeared to have been unpowered humanoid skeleton made of metal. Instead of investigating further, you ordered the planet blasted from orbit. Better safe than sorry.

Demeanour - Honour Before All: Honour before all is a Demeanour (pg 32 DW) unique to the White Scars Chapter. The White Scars place a high currency on honour, it doesn’t matter if it is the honour of the warrior, squad or Chapter; if one part has no honour, then it affects the entire Chapter. Many warriors maintain lists several metres long containing names and deeds that must be avenged to restore long-lost honour. To be honourable is to carry oneself with an air of authority. Many see the White Scars as oafish and boastful in a holier-than-thou method. Unlike the Space Wolves who tell grand tales of their own adventures, the White Scars tell tales of past deeds, interjecting with “And the most honourable way to perform it…” They mean this harmlessly, but many have taken it the wrong way. The White Scars fight for the Imperium, but will not fight for those that they do not see as upstanding citizens. For example if the choice must be made, they may place a higher priority on the slum-dwellers who seek an honest day’s wage while leaving the wealthy and affluent to fall to the Xenos.

Attribute Bonuses +5 BS, +5 Agility

Restrictions Cannot be a Devastator or Dreadnaught

Skills and Talents Advance

Cost

Type

Acrobatics Acrobatics +10 Awareness Awareness +10 Awareness +20 Climb Climb +10 Drive (Assault Bike or Land Speeder) Drive (Assault Bike or Land Speeder) +10 Drive (Assault Bike or Land Speeder) +20 Berzerk Charge Frenzy Exemplar of Honour Hip Shooting

300 300 300 300 300 200 200 400 400 400 800 600 500 600

Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Talent Talent Talent Talent

Prerequisites Acrobatics Awareness Awareness +10 Climb Drive (Assault Bike or Land Speeder Drive (Assault Bike or Land Speeder +10

Hard Target Master Orator

800 500

Talent Talent

Ag 45 Fel 40

Chapter Trappings Horse Hair Ornamentation The White Scars, despite their preferences for bikes, still have a bond with the wildlife on their home planet. This horse-tail ornament is sacred to you and will grant a +2 bonus to either WS or BS to your next roll (choose at character creation) if you have moved up to your Agility Bonus in metres this turn. Talisman These small talismans are often worn around the neck or attached to the shoulder-plate. They are intricately carved with a vista from their homeworld. Of the Night Sky: +2 on all Awareness Checks Of the Rolling Plains: Enemies do not get the Standard Attack against you if you are Jumping or Leaping Of the Mountain’s Peak: +1 Movement if Charging

Relic Longbow of the Great Hunt This plasma gun has been heavily modified to look like a Longbow, and has been wielded by Brothers from the White Scars for well over 3 millennia. The markings of the weapon are carved with the names of those who have wounded the wielder’s pride, followed by inscribed tales on how the wound was avenged with this weapon. The Plasma Gun has the following statistics: Longbow: Range: 150m – S/2/- – 1d10+10 E – Pen 8 – Clip 40 – Accurate, Volatile – Req 60 - Hero

Solo Mode Agile Offense The White Scars are masters of mobile combat, able to move between cover with ease. True veterans are able to ghost around the battlefield with little regard for foes or terrain. Rank 1 – If he has spent a half action to move at least half of his Agility bonus, until his next turn, if the character needs to make a Pinning Test, the test is only made with a -10 penalty instead of a -20. Rank 3 – The character increases in speed while travelling on foot as if his Agility Bonus was 1 higher than it is. Rank 5 – Difficult Terrain does not affect the character’s movement speed. Also when the character disengages from melee, the enemy may still make a Standard Attack, but incurs a -10 penalty to the attack roll. Rank 7 – The character’s mobility is such that he ignores all difficult terrain and low obstacles such as boxes and barricades may be freely vaulted across without impedance.

Squad Mode Attack Hit and Run Action: Free Cost: 3 Sustained: No All battle-brothers in support range may immediately take a Half Move. They can make one Standard attack at any point before, during, or after their move before the end of the turn. No enemy may make a Standard Attack as a reaction to moves triggered by this ability Improvement: At Rank 4, the battle-brothers may ignore difficult terrain and Suppressive Fire.

Squad Mode Defense Evasive Patterns Action: Half Cost: 3 Sustained: Yes While this ability in effect, all Battle Brothers within support range are targeted by foes at -10 BS/WS, so long as they move 3 metres or more during their turn. Any vehicle driven by a character affected by the Pattern is also targeted with the same modifiers. Improvement: At Rank 4, ranged fire aimed at those under the effects of this ability (and their vehicles) are treated as firing at 1 range category greater. If already at extreme range, the weapon may not target the battle-brother.

Primarch’s Curse – Battle Rage Every White Scar encounters a bestial-like rage if he is not careful. The warning signs are clear to the warrior, but his pride often prevents others from helping him until it is too late Level 1 – A Taste for Combat When combat begins, the Battle-brother must make an easy (+10) Willpower test. If he fails, then regardless of specialization training, the Battle-Brother will attempt to close into melee range with a foe as often as possible, usually ignoring his better judgement or orders from a superior. Outside of combat he appears normal, but cannot remember the fight that had just occurred Level 2 – Out of My Way You become gruff and rude, suffering a -10 penalty on a Persuasion Tests. In addition you must spend requisition points on a melee weapon and use it in combat. The test made at level 1 is now Challenging (+0) Level 3 – Fall by my Blade! The Battle-Brother’s combat lust becomes such that he will pick a fight with anyone who crosses him. Anyone wishing to convince the Battle-Brother of a different plan must succeed a Hard (-20) Charm Test or risk being attacked by the battle-brother.

Psychic Powers Arc Lightning Cost: 1000 XP Prerequisites: WP 45+ Action: Full Opposed: No Range: 20 meters x PR Sustained: No Description: Living up to his title, the Storm Seer calls forth a bright bolt of lightning and arcs it towards a target. It does not stop there though, and will bounce from one target to the next, dealing 1d10 + PR energy damage to each. Armour of Toughness does not reduce this damage. Each creature cannot be hit by the same bolt more than once and each target can be no further away than the distance value of the power. Fleet of Foot Cost: 500 XP Prerequisites: None Action: Half Opposed: No Range: 20 meters x PR Sustained: No Description: The Storm Seer calls forth images of running on the open plains of his homeland and enables the targeted allies a bonus to their movement equal to 2 + PR for a full move action, half (round up) for a half move action. The Storm Seer may select a number of allies equal to his PR. Hunter’s Gaze Cost: 500 XP Prerequisites: None Action: Half Opposed: No Range: 150 meters Sustained: Yes Description: While a Space Marine’s eyesight has been honed to perfection, the Storm Seer manipulates the target to see precisely what he is looking for. The Storm Seer may target one ally with this ability. While the power is sustained, the target gains +5 + PR bonus to Awareness Checks and the Aim action in combat is now a free action.

Storm Front Cost: 2000 XP Prerequisites: Rank 3, WP 50+ Action: Full Opposed: No Range: Special Sustained: No Description: With a clap that could split the Heavens, the Storm Seer unleashes the worst of the storms ever seen on Chokogin’s steppes. The Storm Seer makes a straight line up to PR meters. He must be adjacent to this line when it is created. He then moves the storm line in one direction up to 5 x PR meters. All creatures caught in the storm take 3d10 + PR x 2 Energy damage and must make a Toughness test opposed by the Storm Seer’s WP test or be knocked prone. Once the storm reaches the maximum distance, or the Storm Seer chooses to end it early, or the Storm Seer’s turn is ended, the power disperses. Tempest Field Cost: 1500 XP Prerequisites: WP 40+ Action: Full Opposed: Yes Range: Self Sustained: No Description: Regardless of the weather, or even if there is air around, the Storm Seer whips up clouds of dust and clouds to conceal himself. The clouds move with the Storm Seer and force enemies to take a -5 x PR penalty to all melee or ranged attacks against the Storm Seer. Sorcery and Psychic powers are unaffected. The Storm Seer can see out of the clouds unhindered. This ability lasts for a number of turns equal to the Storm Seer’s PR.