Note - If you wish to skip the fluff, just scroll down until you see the long line go across my post.
The Emperor’s Dark Knights
The Dark Knights are successors of the Imperial Fists; they organise themselves and fight in an almost identical way to the Black Templars except that The Dark Knights favour Storm Shields and halberds. The key difference between the two (other than the slight change of colour scheme) is that The Dark Knights look every part the ‘heroic Knight’, as it is customary for all Initiates to have a shield, normally this shield is purely decorative, but the Dark Paladins (similar to the Black Templar Sword Brethrens) shields have all been modified to serve as Combat Shields, and the technology used to make Iron Halo’s is often incorporated into a Marshal’s shield. They are quick to judge heretics and will wipe out their own if they suspect in the slightest way they are tainted. This is also true if they see other chapters as corrupt in the slightest.
They, like the Black Templars, are mainly a crusading chapter but they have a permanent force operating at the edge of the Tau Empire that are constantly attacking and wiping out any Imperial ship they suspect of trading with the Xenos race. Because they tend to act in this way without being commanded to do so there have been accusations held against The Dark Knights for ‘leaping before they look’ so to speak, fortunately for The Dark Knights they have taken part in many bloody battles all over the Imperium e.g. the second and third war of Armageddon. Although they have wiped out many ships that were, in fact, not guilty of collaborating with the Tau.
The Dark Knights do not follow the Index Astarters fully, their ranking system is very different. They use neophytes like the Black Templars and also lack sergeants too, the reason for this is that the Dark Knights Squads aren’t changed often, each squad (bar any neophytes) has usually fought with each other on many occasions, very few ever become veterans. Wile in their squads they may be equal each type of unit has it’s own value. Normally terminator squads would be the most experienced veterans however the Dark Knights favour their Assault Squads to Terminators, as such it is considered a great honour for an initiate to be inducted into an Assault Squad.
Another strange practise of the Dark Knights is how each Dark Knight Squad has men added to it, when new recruits (neophytes) are brought in each squad elects a champion to represent them in a hand to hand tournament. The overall winner has first pick of neophytes, the second has second pick, and so on and so fourth. Each different unit type (Terminator Squads, Assault Squads Etc.) has a different way of initiating others into their squad. Assault Squads usually prepare some sort of gauntlet for new members, to test if they have what it takes.
Perhaps the strangest abnormality of the Dark Knights is how their higher ranking Marines are intiated. They must not only have vast amounts of experience but must prove themselves in three tests, for each test they pass they have the choice of going on or remaining. The first test is for the honour of accompanying a Marshal or High Marshal Amadeus Armand. This involves fighting your original squad one after the other, with little or no rest in-between. The second test is for the honour of learning from the present Marshal personally in the ways of war. This is usually held during the next battle, the Marine must separate from his squad and dispatch of a set number of enemies alone, the number depends on the race and what ‘ranks’ of that race are present. The third test is for the honour of becoming a Marshal, however this test is only held when a new Marshal is needed. To pass the test the Marine must better the Marshal that trained him however stipulations limit what he can do, these vary from crusade to crusade but a common one is barring the use of the hands (not elbows/arm). There are sometimes multiple stipulations. If the Marshal that trained them is no longer alive then the test is conducted in the same manner but with the Marines Squad fighting him one after another (the squad that accompanies the Marshal).
Their armour also has some abnormalities, as was mentioned before the members of the squads are considered equal (hence no ‘leader’), each squad also bears its own slightly different markings, ranging from strips/patterns on different body parts to an entire area being a different colour. However the overall armour isn’t changed to an extent that it would make them look ‘too’ different.
Their first High Marshal, Emil Corbett, was originally a Marshal of the Black Templars until he was chosen to lead The Dark Knights into their first battle. He fared so well that he was eventually declared their High Marshal, and remained so until he was killed, on battle barge, by a Tyranid fleet. Since then they have fought with unparalleled zealous and utter devotion and faith to the Emperor and the way of the Imperium in commiseration to their great leaders ways. (This is poorly worded but I don’t know how exactly a new chapter is started so any help is really appreciated)
By Imperium standards they are a young chapter, believed to have been established just over 500 years ago. Their current High Marshal, Amadeus Armand, is their most headstrong High Marsha; to date and is the main reason why The Dark Knights’ are so unforgiving and extreme. This has won them many powerful allies like Inquisitor Tyrus and many other members of the Mono Dominants. As such it is not uncommon for The Dark Knights to fight alongside Daemonhunters and Witch Hunters led by a member of the Mono Dominants.
They are commonly seen fighting alongside members of the Ordo’s as all Dark Knights hold members of the Inquisition has the greatest beings in the Imperium, bar the Emperor and the Primarchs of course, in particular, for such a young Chapter they have fought with and for the Grey Knights on many occasion, even more than some much older Chapters have. As such they will not only almost blindly follow orders from them but will also overdo it, as with the example above. However they hold the same views as the Mono Dominants and have a special affiliation with Inquisitor Tyrus, they therefore have ‘extreme’ views of heretics and will act immediately against anyone if ordered to do so by an Inquisitor, or high ranking member of the Ordo’s, especially if they are associated with the Mono Dominants.
The Dark Knights hate any non-Imperial race but none so much as the Tyranids; this is due to one of hive fleet leviathans splinter fleets wiping out an entire force of Dark Knights including their current (at the time) and first High Marshal, Emil Corbett. This was considered a massive insult to The Dark Knights and they are often the first and fastest to respond to any Tyranid threat to exact their zealous revenge on the great devourer. Because of this it is not uncommon for The Dark Knights to have Xenos trophies, ranging from heads impaled on spikes to small creatures or large body parts on their tanks (this is especially true with Tyranids).
They also have a feud with the Steel Dragons, although The Dark Knights and Steel Dragons’ clashes have rarely been full blown fights they nevertheless are opposed to each other. The Steel Dragons detest The Dark Knights wasting Imperial lives in such excessive amounts whereas The Dark Knights see The Steel Dragons as sentimental old fools.
There is a company of Dark Knights that solely hunts down a chaos force that call themselves ‘The Knights of Corbett’. The Dark Knights consider this a great insult to their greatest leaders name and refer to them as the ‘Traitor Knights’. ‘The Knights of Corbett’ were once a company of Dark Knights that bordered on fanatical devotion to Emil Corbett, such a thing was strictly forbidden by The Dark Knights, the Emperor and the Emperor only is to be praised so highly. The Knights of Corbett are known Slaaneshi worshippers, believer Corbett to have been ‘perfect’ they sought out Slaanesh in the hopes that they too could reach his perfection.
When Amadeus Armand heard of this he launched an all out assault on the company, unfortunately the majority of them, including their Marshal, Victor Silas, escaped and have since then launched attacks against any Imperial forces they come across. They have honed their skills are now very adept at infiltration but they still retain their fears ness and their savagery in close combat.
2k Dark Knights w/ Grey Knight AlliesNote - I am primarily a fluff driven gamer, and I’ve used some different wording than traditional Smurfs, ergo, you may want to bear these in mind:
* - This is in name only, he follows the Marshal rules
*
2 - Power Halberds are Power Weapons
*
3 - Dark Paladins are simply Sword Brethren that have to have Combat Shields
*
4 - Power Glaives are simply very large and more damaging versions of Power Halberds and are the equivalent of Power Fists (I will likely be modelling them as large two-handed staff weapons, with the pistols holstered)
HQThe Emperors Champion; Valerian
Uphold The Honour Of The Emperor
=
100ptsHigh* Marshal Amadeus Armand
Master Crafted Power Halberd*
2Bolt Pistol
Frag Grenades
Terminator Honours
=
142ptsGrey Knight Terminator Squad; Scorpio
Brother-Captain Kato Elias, w/ Master Crafted Nemesis Force Weapon, Psycannon & Psychic Hood
3 Grey Knight Terminators, 1w/ Psycannon
=
289ptsHQ=
531pts (289pts of GK, 242pts of DK)
ElitesDark Paladin Squad*
3; Taurus
8 Dark Paladins
Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Crusader Seals, Frag Grenades, Terminator Honours, Combat Shields & Furious Charge
1 w/ Power Glaive*
41 w/ Power Halberd*
2=
284ptsElites=
284ptsTroopsDark Knight Crusader Squads; Leo & Sagittarius
(x2) 8 Initiates
Bolt Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Frag Grenades & Crusader Seals
1w/ Power Glaive*
41w/ Meltagun
4 Neophytes w/ Bolt Pistols & Close Combat Weapons
=
434pts (217/Squad)
Dark Knight Crusader Squads; Cancer & Pisces
(x2) 8 Initiates
Bolt Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Frag Grenades & Crusader Seals
1 w/ Power Halberd*
21w/ Flamer
8 Neophytes w/ Bolt Pistols & Close Combat Weapons
=
496pts (248/Squad)
Troops=
930ptsFast AttackGrey Knight Teleport Attack Squad; Gemini
1 Justicar w/ Daemonhammer
7 Grey Knights
=
255ptsFast Attack=
255ptsTotal=
2000pts (544 GK, 1456 DK)
Model Count=
110 (12 Grey Knights, 98 Dark Knights)
Opinions?
~MTWC
