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Steel Dragoons
"Let these Astartes be considered Mechanicus Excommunicatus, forever stricken from the favored of the Omnissiah. Speak not their names nor their deeds after they have been erased by the true followers of the Machine God."
- Arch Magos Tyron Krun, moments before the Mechan IV Debacle.
The Steel Dragoons are a chapter forever trapped in the past. Due to a millennia old feud with the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Steel Dragoons are forced to use technologies long since abandoned by other chapters. The Chapter has adapted by teaching its marines the care and manufacture of what vehicles, weapons and armors they possessed at the time of the schism. The Steel Dragoons have adapted their tactics to maximize their well maintained vehicle fleet, focusing on blitzkrieg tactics and massed armor assaults.
HISTORY:
The Steel Dragoons were created in the 4th Founding from Iron Hands stock. Their history was not particularly eventful compared to other chapters until the discovery of the planet Mechan IV. A lost forge world, Mechan IV welcomed their discovery by the Marines with open arms. A treasure trove of archeotech, the world offered a wealth of knowledge of existing STC patterns. The Adeptus Mechanicus grew jealous of the Steel Dragoons' find and demanded the Chapter surrender the planet entirely. The Dragoons, knowing they had a rare and valuable find, refused to even acknowledge the demand. Normally this dispute would be handled by the Lords of Terra, but the Mechanicus were not to be denied. A vast fleet arrived over the planet and began to disgorge legions of Skitarii to take the planet by force. The Dragoons, well entrenched and backed by the planet's vast population, were waiting for the assault. Orbital defenses blasted the fleet to oblivion. The ground forces that landed were beset on all sides by Marines and loyalists and slaughtered. Entire Tech Guard legions were wiped out to a man, the Dragoon losses were minimal at best.
The Adeptus Mechanicus demanded the chapter's destruction as punishment for the Tech Guard's defeat. The Skitarii were being massed for another assault when the High Lords of Terra informed them a full dozen Space Marine Chapters had offered succor to the Steel Dragoons as a sign of brotherhood. The Tech Priests backed down. Instead the chapter was cut off from all advances of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The chapter was cut off from the technologies of jump packs, dreadnoughts and other more specialized knowledge. While other Marines upgraded their power armor, the Steel Dragoons were restricted to the Maximus suit from the Horus Heresy. The Dragoons adapted by teaching all their recruits to maintain what equipment they did have. Each marine became responsible for the care of their own gear, vehicles and armor. While technological regressed, the chapter does have some of the best maintained vehicles in the Imperium.
MECHAN IV
Mechan IV is Forge World outside the control of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The world is now considered the adopted home of the Steel Dragoons, their previous world of Orom turned over to other space marine chapters in appreciation for their help in the Mechan IV battle. The planet is entirely focused on building ships, vehicles and weapons for the chapter, within the limits of the STC patterns the chapter still possesses. Initiates are taken from the masses of the factories, boys that have shown themselves to be mentally and physically superior to their peers. The Steel Dragoons trade vehicles and armament to other chapters in exchange for food and luxuries for the populous of the planet.
COMBAT DOCTRINE
The Steel Dragoons have focused their entire doctrine around the armored assault. With their choice of vehicles limited to the most classic designs, the Dragoons' attack patterns are classic Codex Astartes. Assault marines attack from fast moving Rhinos, Razorbacks deploy Devastator Squads at strategic points. The Steel Dragoons are without infantry without some sort of vehicular transport. Of special note their first company is entirely clad in their well maintained Terminator Armor.
Steel Dragoon Characters:
Steel Dragoons are focused on armored assault more than any other chapter. Any one of their marines is capable of driving a transport, fighting from within a vehicle, or performing field repairs in the middle of a battle. Other marines find the Dragoons obsessed with maintaining their wargear. Instead of prayers, meditation or hymns you will find a Steel Dragoon in his downtime stripping and cleaning his weapons to the point of obsession.
A Steel Dragoon's profile is adjusted as follows: +5 Intelligence, +5 Agility, Rival: Adeptus Mechanicus, and the Well Maintained solo mode. All Dragoons start with Mk4 Maximus Armor. Steel Dragoons have no Techmarines.
Rote Perfection
: this is a solo mode ability of the same type as those set out on page 217 of the DW Core Rulebook. It is only available to Steel Dragoons. Marines of that Chapter, in order to even enter its ranks, have had the importance of keeping their gear in top shape drilled into their very psyche. They are perfectionists who can repair any of their wargear from rote memory. Before the start of a mission a Steel Dragoon may spend a Fate Point to upgrade one weapon, armor or wargear. Weapons gain the Balanced or Reliable trait, Armor reduces weapon penetration by 1, and wargear allows you to reroll failed tests. A Dragoon may upgrade as many pieces of equipment as he has Fate Points.
Improvement: At rank 3 and above, the Steel Dragoon's equipment is treated as Exceptional quality. At rank 7 and above the equipment is treated as Master quality.
The Machine Knows His Own
: Steel Dragoons Demeanor
The Machine Knows His Own is a Demeanor (see page 32) unique to the Steel Dragoons.
The Steel Dragoons are in a word focused. They do not have the blessing of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and because of this have to supply their own weapons of war. In the thousands of years since their schism the chapter has become extremely self sufficient and their marines reflect this.
Other chapters consider the Dragoons withdrawn and obsessed, but each Dragoon knows that lack of preparation is an invitation to defeat and death. Their Chaplains recite blessings of repair, Librarians commune with machine spirits, and the brothers themselves make sure that not only their gear is without flaw, but the gear of his brothers beside him.
Dragoons individually are sticklers for detail. They do not allow themselves to deviate from accepted schematics, and they are loathe to see others do so. Many a Dragoon has grabbed a malfunctioning weapon from another Battle Brother and quickly restored the weapon to service, chiding his companion for his lack of preparedness. It is your personal mission to make sure your team does not fail because someone did not respect the equipment given to him.
Chapter Attack Pattern:
Armored Assault
Chapter: Steel Dragoons
Action: Full
Cost: 2
Sustained: No
Steel Dragoons disembark their vehicles in a hail of gunfire. Enemies than expect an easy target are often torn to shreds by the sudden bursts of bolter fire that precede the assault. The turn a marine disembarks a vehicle he gains +10 to hit that round.
Improvement: If the Battle Brother is rank 4 or more he gains another +10 to hit if targeting an enemy already targeted by the vehicle's weapons.
Chapter Defensive Pattern
Mount Up
Chapter: Steel Dragoons
Action: Free Action
Cost: 1
Sustained: No
The Steel Dragoons lightning assaults are matched only by their ability to redeploy in the battle quickly. Squads are renowned for their ability to enter moving vehicles almost effortlessly to be moved to a more favorable location. Battle Brothers can mount any adjacent vehicle moving at its tactical speed as a free action.
Improvement: If the Battle Brother is rank 4 or more attempts to target him in an open topped vehicle suffer a -20 penalty.
Steel Dragoons Chapter Advances:
Drive/Skill/200/-
Drive +10/Skill/200/Drive
Drive +20/Skill/200/Drive +10
Trade Technomat/Skill/200/-
Trade Technomat +10/Skill/Trade Technomat
Trade Technomat +20/Skill/Trade Technomat
Tech Use/Skill/400/-
Tech Use +10/Skill/400/Tech Use
Tech Use +20/Skill/400/Tech Use +10
Talented (Drive)/Talent/400
Technical Knock/Talent/400
Steel Dragoon Relic
The Steel Dragoons are a chapter locked in the Imperium's past. All the technology they possess are from the STC templates of Mechan IV or taken on the field of battle. Due to their Chapter world's status as a forge world they do possess an unusual amount of archeotech. The marines cherish equipment from before the schism, the older the item the more the marines spend tending to it.
Mecron Auger Helm
A ornate helmet with crystalline optics and sensors adorning it, the Auger links with the Marine's suit to identify and direct him to his enemies. The marine can see the battlefield as his gun would see it, and is alerted to enemies, hidden or otherwise.
The Auger Helm is treated as an Auspex, Preysense Sight and Motion Predictor.
Trappings
Maximus Interface Link
Steel Dragoons have modified their armor to link with their vehicles. The Interface Link is standard issue for any vehicle operator in the Chapter. The Steel Dragoon employing the Interface Link is considered to have an MIU.
Archeotech:
Steel Dragoons possess more archeotech systems for their armor than other chapters. Benefiting from their STC template, they make minor adjustments to their suits to help them succeed in their tasks. The Adeptus Mechanicus claims the devices border on tech heresy, but the Dragoons have long since stopped caring about the Tech Priest accusations.
Micro Manipulators: Add +3 to Tech Use tests
Hi-Res Optics: Add +2 to Perception checks
Momentum Compensators: Add +3 to Drive tests.
Instability:
Lost in the Details (Steel Dragoons)
Steel Dragoons are known for the meticulous attention to detail. Where another chapter might bless a bolter with sacred unguents across its surface, the Dragoons will dissemble the weapon and address each round of ammunition before declaring it ready for battle. Sometimes a veteran marine will become obsessed with minutia, performing needless ritual instead of dealing with the situation at hand. Ceremony and ritual can take precedent over action and decisiveness.
Level 1 (Mechaphilia) The marine constantly checks his gear for any sign of flaw, often oblivious to his surroundings. The marine must pass a Challenging (+0) Tech Use test at the start of each combat or suffer -2 to Initiative and -20 to perception.
Level 2 (In a Shell) The Dragoon becomes obsessed with vehicles entrusted in his care. He must pass a Hard (-20) WP test or treat vehicles as squad members, demanding they be repaired before continuing with the mission or refusing to leave them behind.
Level 3 (Perfectionist) The marine refuses to work with any equipment less than Masterwork level. The Dragoon will use Rote Perfection and his Requisition to upgrade or purchase only masterwork equipment. The Dragoon will not take or use wargear he considers inferior.
Steel Dragoons Pasts:
Roll 1d5:
1: Blitzkrieg!: You were part of a Rhino assault squad during the Attilan-Zoat wars. The rush of vehicles attacking at full speed in the middle of a swirling melee still makes you long for the long flat plains.
2: No Stone on Stone: Assigned to man a Whirlwind during the siege of the Grand Heretic of Ashtos's twisted palace, you rained death on the traitors. You kept firing as ordered, even when the battle turned into a brutal melee.
3: FREEM!: During a Necron assault you were assigned to man a Predator sponson. Until that day you had never burned out a Lascannon power source, you to never do it again.
4: Drive Me Closer: You had the honor of driving a 1st Company Land Raider and saw firsthand the destruction brought by the Terminators.
5: I want to hit them with my sword!: With your Razorback disabled you were beset by Orks and kept the foul creatures from despoiling the sacred vehicle.
Steel Dragoon Psychic Powers
Only Steel Dragoons have access to Steel Dragoon Psychic Powers. These powers may be purchased with Experience Points, provided the Librarian meets the power's Prerequisites and XP Cost.
Buttress
Actions: Full
Opposed: No
Range: Touch
Sustained: Yes
Cost: 1000 xp
Prerequisites: None
The Librarian reaches out and extends a psychic shield over his vehicle, strengthening its resistance to enemy attacks. While the power is in effect any vehicle the Librarian is in, either as crew or a passenger, gains a bonus to its armor equal to the PR. The power does not affect anything larger than a Land Raider.
Commune with the Machine Spirit
Actions: Full
Opposed: No
Range: Touch
Sustained: Yes
Cost: 1500 xp
Prerequisites: Rank 5
This ability allows the Librarian to feel through the machine and react to its every need. Guns shoot straighter, jams clear easier, vehicles turn smoother and repairs are faster while the Librarian maintains this power. This ability borders on tech-blasphemy to the Adeptus Mechanicus and they react accordingly. While this power is active the Librarian gains +20 to all Tech-Use, Drive, Pilot and Ballistic Skill Checks.
Lightning War
Actions: Full
Opposed: No
Range: 10 metre radius x PR from Librarian
Sustained: Yes
Cost: 1500 xp
Prerequisites: Rank 3, WP40
The Librarian enhances his fellow marines ability to quickly engage the enemy. Steel Dragoons under the power's influence gain an unexpected quickness of pace, allowing them to close to assault on enemies unprepared for the charge. While this power is active allies in its range gains the Unnatural Speed trait.
Mend Machine
Actions: Full
Opposed: No
Range: Touch
Sustained: No
Cost: 1500 xp
Prerequisites:WP40
The Steel Dragoons treat their vehicles as fellow battle brothers, and take special care to restore them to working order. With this power the Librarian can heal a wounded vehicle with just his mind. Broken metal bends back to position, cogitators function again and tracks and trends straighten back to working order. This ability borders on tech-blasphemy to the Adeptus Mechanicus and they react accordingly. This power restores 1d5xPR Structural Integrity to a vehicle, or restores armor to its original AP, or completely repairs a non-functional weapon. This power is very draining and the Librarian suffers a point of fatigue after its use.
Metal Storm
Actions: Half
Opposed: No
Range: 10 meters x PR
Sustained: No
Cost: 1000 xp
Prerequisites: None
The Librarian uses his powers to make a swirling whirlwind of shrapnel and debris in a targeted area. Enemies in the area are sliced to pieces by the jagged metal. The enemy suffers a 2d10 + PR PEN2 Blast PR attack on a successful use.
Scramble
Actions: Half
Opposed: No
Range: 10 meters x PR
Sustained: No
Cost: 1000 xp
Prerequisites: WP40
The Steel Dragoons Librarian sends out his will to the enemy's machine spirits and riles them into rebellion. The Librarian can stop an enemy assault cold when their weapons fail and their vehicles refuse to advance. This ability borders on tech-blasphemy to the Adeptus Mechanicus and they react accordingly. The Librarian hits his target with a Haywire (5) attack.
