Index Astartes: Amber Vipers

by Mattwho81

From the ashes of destruction the Amber Vipers rise, leaving behind a past of dishonour and shame in favour of a glorious new future. Cold and ruthless in word and deed they fall upon the enemies of man with cunning and guile. Yet in their hearts they struggle to rise above their past and may well fall short of the noble ideals they aspire towards.

3. Chapter 3

Organisation

The Amber Vipers are but the smallest seed of a Chapter and so cannot operate as a normal Astartes force. This is exacerbated by their lack of resources and as such they have been forced to adopt a unique formation. In total disregard of the Codex Astartes they have spilt their forces into three separate cohorts, each with its own role and tactics. The Primus Cohort is formed exclusively of the first-generation recruits, who are fortunate enough to bear the limited supply of Power armour. These warriors are the closest the Chapter has to a Battle Company and they form a powerful, hard hitting assault force that is used to drive into the heart of the enemy.

The Tertius cohort is formed into a scout company, comprised entirely of second-generation recruits. These function as a traditional scouting force, acting to gather intelligence and engage in acts of sabotage behind the lines. Yet it is the Secundus Cohort that truly stands out, a force comprised of a mix of both generations, but who lack access to power armour. The Amber Vipers have formed these warriors into a fast-attack unit, gifting them with the available aerial assets and bikes. These warriors have proven their worth as a rapid response unit, reinforcing assaults or fending off flank attacks. They are also capable of acting independently and have garnered much success as rogue kill-teams, small squads sent out alone without support to complete an objective by any means necessary.

Higher ranks in the Chapter are sparse, yet a small selection of first-generation warriors have been assigned to study the rites of the Chaplaincy, Apothecaries and Techmarines. It is hoped that soon these warriors will form the core of new orders. Yet the most serious issue facing the Chapter is its lack of material support. To address this Chapter Master Coluber favours a policy of entering cooperative pacts and alliance with isolated Imperial worlds. The Amber Vipers lend their martial aid in exchange for arms, fuel and resupply and woe betide the Imperial Governor who thinks to renege on a deal once struck.

The Chapter has proven essential in defending helpless worlds, cast adrift to fight alone in the Noctis Aeterna. Regrettably not all in the Chapter are happy with this state of affairs for a few operations have been of dubious worth, having little to do with threats to the galaxy and more with eradicating political problems for venal Governors. Some even whisper that the Amber Vipers have become little more than mercenaries, guns for hire who sell their honour for material wealth. Rumours that the Masters fiercely stamp down upon, but no matter how much they preach of nobility the rumours simply will not die.