Backstory:
on the imperial forge world 'Illumination' located on the far edge of Raven guard territory is where it all began.
The Raven Guard were informed of an ork warboss (da bigg foot) who was stirring up trouble on local planets. The imperial guard emplacements were worried that da bigg foot would start a new Waaag! However despite the reports Forces were not mobilized and sent to snuff out the problem.
Da Bigg Foot rallied the ork tribes and started pressing into the Reductas Sector of space. Not fearing the orks, the Raven guard sent warning of Da Bigg Foot to the chapters in the Reductas Sector but did not prepare defences of their own.
This was a mistake. The ork warboss changed his direction and launched his attack on Raven guard space. The first 3 planets (stromfell, Esbern, and Forthom) fell to the Da Bigg Foot in less then a week. Raven guard space was at a standstill, space ports under lock down and shipping lanes closed save for relief supplies. The bulk of the raven guard forces were out of range for another month, cut off by a space storm that the astropaths dared not venture through.
All that stood between the orks and total destruction of Raven guard space was a few Imperial Guard companies and the raven guard Chapter master with his veteran company. The chapter master gathered the imperial strategists and commanders and with them in at his disposal he layer down his plan.
All Imperial forces were to gather on the forge world of Illumination. The imperial fleet was too funnel the orks down upon the planets surface. The orbital defence grid and the surface space guns were to allow the war boss to land his soldiers in the badlands outside the city. the Imperial guardsmen were to take the bulk of the attack with the space marines backing up the lines were needed. The plan was clear. They had 3 days before the orks would arrive. They didn't waist time. Every member of the Imperial forces went to work, building a trench system around the entire city, it was from within these trenches the orks would be stopped and defeated. With the defences finished and the request for the planets forge 'fires of the purge' to continue operation granted, the planet was quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with.
At first the plan was succeeding and the orks were stuck in the badlands outside the city. But as the fighting wore on the situation began to deteriorate. Valuable ground was being lost and many marines and guardsmen killed. The orks now had a foothold in the trenches. The chapter master over the next 2 days realized his own marines were at fault for the lost ground. When the fighting grew fierce and the orks numerous instead of working with the guardsmen the marines charged into combat seeking glory and honour. but all they received was death. and with the number of marines dwindling the chance of victory seemed less and less. The chapter master ordered the remainder of his veteran company to fall back and leave the fighting to the guardsmen for a day. Each marine he separated and gave command of his own imperial guard task force, 32 individual squads each with one space marine as its leader. Their orders were to keep these men alive no matter what the cost. These men were their responsibility. With new orders and renewed vigour the space marines returned the front lines of the combat each leading their special units. at this point in time the raven guard fleet was 1 week away all they needed was too survive until their arrival. The battle over the next 7 days was fiercer and bloodier than ever before. The orks came in greater numbers and more frequently. but hold the line they did. The space marines and their units became known as the Raven Shield. So effective was the chapter masters idea of combining the guardsmen and space marine squads that the scribes within the city recorded it as a permanent piece of Raven Guard tactics. When the fleet had arrived, the orks were in such small force that they were easily routed and destroyed. and when the conflict had ended and the Raven Guard had once again separated from the guardsmen the chapter master issued the creation of a new company of Raven Guard, 'Trench Company' They were to be trained in selfless combat, taught that only through protecting each other could gain glory and honour. The Trench Company replaced the Veteran Company which was incorporated into the rest of the chapter.
as years went by and the war again and again reared it's ugly head to the face of the Raven guard, the trench company grew more and more prestigious. Aquiring new methods and better tactics, the trench company became known throughout the Reductas Sector. The Selfless marines were, unlike other chapters and marines, not too proud to fight along side and with the imperial guard. And as their victories and battle prowess grew they became known not as the trench company of the Raven Guard but as a their own Chapter.
They were the Trench Guard
Home world - Destiny
Chapter Master Sigmund Von Forane
Chapter Organization -
-Chapter Command: Sigmund Von Forane Lord Destiny Master of the Trench Guard, Achillies Noble Master of Sanctity, 12 honour guard.
-Armory: Davian Chard master of the forge, 5 tech marines, 22 Tech Servitors, 8 predators, 5 Vindicators, 1 landraider.
-Apthecarion: Shindel Darm chief apothecary, 5 apothecaries.
-Fleet Command: 3 strike cruisers, 1 Battle barge (Fire of Justice), 5 rapid strike vessels, 8 thunder hawk gunships.
-Librarius: Chief Librarian Hector Fromage, 2 Epostilaries, 4 Codiciers, 2 Lexicaniums, 1 Acolytum.
1st Company - Veteran Company, Captain Lucius Lord of the plains, 54 space marine veterans, 5 dreadnoughts.
2nd Company - Storm Company, Captain Terry June, 40 tactical marines, 10 devastator marines, 1 dreadnought.
3rd Company - Storm Company, Captain Thule, 40 tactical Marines, 10 devastator marines, 3 dreadnoughts.
4th Company - Reserve, Spear Head Company, Captain Grude, 50 tactical marines, 30 assault marines, 20 devastator marines, 2 dreadnoughts.
5th Company - Scout Company, Captain Gabriel, 54 scout marines
and that's the history and the current status of my chapter, I currently own all of 1st and 2nd companies save for a few dreadnoughts, but I plan to change that.
This colour scheme is based off of a more practical battlefield camo theme. I wanted them to be more battlefield practical rather than the colourful 'we are awesome, we no need cover' space marine chapters. So I went with a more subtle colour scheme with the addition of a some what subtle chapter colour.
I now present the first five painted models of the Trench Guard.
"Born in the Trenches you were, tested through mud, bathed in blood, resurrected through Victory, we are Trench Guard" - Chief Librarian Hector Fromage
as for the bases, yes that is the completed version. On these models i didn't want to get to complicated and so these simple bases will do for now. Though i think on future models I'll be putting more into them.
C@C welcome as usual, unless you them.
cheers.