# The unluckiest chapter?



## A_fool_of_a_Took (Oct 28, 2012)

Simple thread, who do you think is the unluckiest Space Marine chapter? I do know there is that one succession chapter who always have bad luck, like planets being destroyed once they've finished defending them and have left. Include a list of examples to support your choice and play nice:biggrin:.


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## Lethiathan (Nov 11, 2011)

No Question. Lamenters. Basically they sided wrongly in the badab war, then got sent to deal with the tyranids and have generally had bad luck.


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## A_fool_of_a_Took (Oct 28, 2012)

Lethiathan said:


> No Question. Lamenters. Basically they sided wrongly in the badab war, then got sent to deal with the tyranids and have generally had bad luck.


Yeah, most of the 21st founding does seem to have had abominable luck, the Minotaurs and Sons of Antaeus seeming to have nothing but good luck from what we can see.


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## kavyanshrike (Sep 10, 2011)

the ultramarines for having matt ward write most of there fluff


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## Lord Commander Solus (Jul 26, 2012)

Not a Chapter as such, but it _has_ to be Thousand Sons. Come on! They were the most loyal legion out there, and when Magnus tried to warn the Big E he didn't believe him. Worse, he sent Russ to arrest him. Worse still, Horus intercepted Russ and told him the Big E just wanted Magnus straight-up killed.

That's what I call really bad luck.

EDIT: It doesn't even finish there! After their beautiful, perfect world is obliterated, they all get a Warp disease and start turning into mutants!

EDIT 2: Holy crap, it doesn't even stop there either! Trying to solve the mutants, some of the Sorcerers club together to create a spell to stop the disease... which goes on to turn the entire Legion into dust! The Thousand Sons have really had it bad.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

The Sons of Antaeus are mutants, their skeleton is extra strong and they had spontaneous "growth" spurts where the bones would rupture through skin and even the armour. This is from the old Crused Founding Index Astartes where each of the cursed chapters had special rules.


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## cegorach (Nov 29, 2010)

Lord Commander Solus said:


> Not a Chapter as such, but it _has_ to be Thousand Sons. Come on! They were the most loyal legion out there, and when Magnus tried to warn the Big E he didn't believe him. Worse, he sent Russ to arrest him. Worse still, Horus intercepted Russ and told him the Big E just wanted Magnus straight-up killed.
> 
> That's what I call really bad luck.
> 
> ...


Have you read "A Thousand Sons"? I'm just wondering because I am the most avid Thousand Sons fan and even I know that it was pretty much all Magnus's fault. And his poor judgement rather than bad luck. And Horus had very very little to do with it. 

Still, I've done a Magnus in my time, so I am more than sympathetic to him and were I in his shoes with none of the knowledge I have, would probably have gone and done the same stupid thing. 

But luck has nothing to do with that. It was all plots and schemes and broken dreams.


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## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

The Fire Hawks. 

They lost not one, but two, homeworlds. 

The action of the Mantis Warriors in firing on and capturing of the Fire Hawks' _Red Harbinger_ resulted in the Badab War.

The Fire Hawks were investigated by the Inquisition for their part in starting the war.

And then the entire Chapter was lost to the warp. 

Quite possibly, they are now the Legion of the Damned.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Lamenters are certainly the least lucky, that's their whole shindig.
Black Dragons, Sons of Antaeus, Space Wolves, Scythes of the Emperor, Blood Angels, BA successors (particularly Flesh Tearers), and Fire Hawks are probably in place after that, due to either genetic mutation, gene-seed flaws, or from destruction/near destruction. You may not view some of them as 'unlucky' though; from what I've read the Black Dragon's mutations just about balance out as the hostility from puritanicals they receive is balanced by the additional weapons they get.

Midnight


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## cragnes417 (Jul 22, 2010)

Scythes of the Emperor maybe ?


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## Hellados (Sep 16, 2009)

Poor Blood Angels, even Horus says that Sanguinius should of been Warmaster, one of the greatest legions. Now however they are bat shit mental, almost wiped out and even there sons (successors) are tainted and suffer from some of the worst luck possible. 

Not just the Lamenters but the but the Flesh Tearers are about one muck up away from being excommunicated, Angels Encarminen are so nuts they have to keep fighting 24/7, as for the Angels Sanguine they can't take there helmets off outside of there own company (gawd knows whats going on there), need I go on?


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## Hellados (Sep 16, 2009)

Poor Blood Angels, even Horus says that Sanguinius should of been Warmaster, one of the greatest legions. Now however they are bat shit mental, almost wiped out and even there sons (successors) are tainted and suffer from some of the worst luck possible. 

Not just the Lamenters but the but the Flesh Tearers are about one muck up away from being excommunicated, Angels Encarminen are so nuts they have to keep fighting 24/7, as for the Angels Sanguine they can't take there helmets off outside of there own company (gawd knows whats going on there), need I go on?


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## mob16151 (Oct 20, 2011)

Im suprised noones mentioned the Celestial Lions yet

*During the event known as the Khattarn Insurrection, five companies of the Celestial Lions were attached to Inquisitor Apollyon in order to crush the ongoing revolt on the main planet, Khattar. Apparently the priesthood of Khattar had been corrupted and had led the leaders of the planet into the arms of Slaanesh. Local renegade Imperial Guard and Planetary Defence Force regiments were quickly defeated and within three months the rebellion was crushed. As the ships left orbit, the Imperial Navy, under orders of Inquisitor Apollyon, bombarded the planet, and obliterated the entire population of the planet. This action horrified the Celestial Lions who proceeded to condemn the Inquisitor. Captain Saul had attempted to halt the bombardment, but could not counter-order an Inquisitor. From then on, the Celestial Lions were highly vocal against the Inquisition, believing it had been unnecessary to destroy the planet.

So this is when things go bad.

*A delegation of senior Chapter officers left for Terra to further their cause, but the ship never arrived. It was blown wildly off course by a freak warp storm, far into Ork territory. The wreckage was eventually found two years later.

*With the outbreak of the Third War for Armageddon, the entire chapter of the Celestial Lions dispatched was deployed to defend Hive Volcanus. They suffered horrendous casualties within months of arriving. The intelligence they received was horribly inaccurate and often led them into ambushes where they were outnumbered and outgunned. Some of the higher ranking officials began to suspect this was intentional, a ploy to wipe out the entire chapter.

*One particularly devastating battle occurred when four entire companies were wiped out in the Mannheim Gap by the combined forces of Warlord Thogfang's Gargant mob and the Razor Speed Freeks. Losses mounted and ended with a very well-coordinated attack on the Celestial Lions' base camp.
This particular battle lasted for three hours. Hundreds of Marines fell to the overwhelming Ork forces. Sniper fire rained down from the mountain sides, relentlessly targeting the Apothecaries. Finally, a small company was able to break through the Ork lines and fight their way back to the Hive. Only ninety-six Marines survived and, to make matters worse, the last Apothecary was shot in the head within hours of arriving at the Hive. Their gene-seed lies unharvested on the surface of Armageddon and the remaining brothers have sworn to die alongside their fallen brothers, fighting to the last.
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Celestial_Lions#.ULsF4uT7LSg

Of course i don't know if turning yourself into an inquisitorial target is bad luck,stupidity, or both.


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## Sangriento (Dec 1, 2010)

Lord Commander Solus said:


> Not a Chapter as such, but it _has_ to be Thousand Sons. Come on! They were the most loyal legion out there, and when Magnus tried to warn the Big E he didn't believe him. Worse, he sent Russ to arrest him. Worse still, Horus intercepted Russ and told him the Big E just wanted Magnus straight-up killed.
> 
> That's what I call really bad luck.
> 
> ...


they already suffered from heavy mutations long before the heresy.


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## MontytheMighty (Jul 21, 2009)

A_fool_of_a_Took said:


> the Minotaurs and Sons of Antaeus seeming to have nothing but good luck from what we can see.


I would add Executioners and Carcharodons to that list


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## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

Oh, I'd forgotten about the Celestial Lions.


mob16151 said:


> Hundreds of Marines fell to the overwhelming Ork forces. Sniper fire rained down from the mountain sides, relentlessly targeting the Apothecaries. Finally, a small company was able to break through the Ork lines and fight their way back to the Hive.


Emphasis added. The Inquisition never missing an opportunity do they? Speaking as an Ork player, I'd just looove "Ork" snipers like these, I mean everyone who has taken the field opposite any Ork player knows that Orks are just renowned for their ballistic skill.


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## kavyanshrike (Sep 10, 2011)

Sangriento said:


> they already suffered from heavy mutations long before the heresy.


 so that's got to be unlucky


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## Tawa (Jan 10, 2010)

Dicrel Seijin said:


> Oh, I'd forgotten about the Celestial Lions.
> 
> Emphasis added. The Inquisition never missing an opportunity do they? Speaking as an Ork player, I'd just looove "Ork" snipers like these, I mean everyone who has taken the field opposite any Ork player knows that Orks are just renowned for their ballistic skill.


Bloody CIA get everywhere.....


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## Durant (Aug 24, 2011)

> as for the Angels Sanguine they can't take there helmets off outside of there own company (gawd knows whats going on there),


Perma bad hair days?

Suprised no one has mentioned the loyalist legions present at Istvaan V who got fist fooked to high heaven by their brother legions at the start of the Heresy and lost their Primarchs first (Salamanders, Iron Hands)


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## Over Two Meters Tall! (Nov 1, 2010)

I think Fool of a Took nailed why this is the grimdark. "Good luck" is having a geneseed mutation that can be hid behind your armor while losing one arm, but thankfully it wasn't the one with your bolter; then having the Inquisition issue a Traitorus Extremis decree on your chapter, but finding out that the Inquisitor initiating such was really corrupted by Chaos; then your homeworld has been invaded by Chaos, but thankfully a Nid Hive Fleet has now created a shadow in the warp around your planet.


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## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

Over Two Meters Tall! said:


> "Good luck" is having a geneseed mutation that can be hid behind your armor while losing one arm, but thankfully it wasn't the one with your bolter; then having the Inquisition issue a Traitorus Extremis decree on your chapter, but finding out that the Inquisitor initiating such was really corrupted by Chaos; then your homeworld has been invaded by Chaos, but thankfully a Nid Hive Fleet has now created a shadow in the warp around your planet.


I see an epic fanfic in the making....


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## Over Two Meters Tall! (Nov 1, 2010)

Featuring the loyalist SM Chapter "The Emperor's Luck" with a large gold and red bullseye for the heraldry and a chapter motto, "If the Emperor Didn't Have Bad Luck, He Wouldn't Have Any Luck At All!!"


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## Archon Dan (Feb 6, 2012)

You've all mentioned some good choices but for me, it falls to the Emperor's Swords. Not one, but two chapters bore this name and both were destroyed. Perhaps the name is cursed. 
The first was destroyed by the Alpha Legion who had spent generations corrupting the Swords recruiting grounds. They implanted hypnotic triggers in potential aspirants. When the Alpha Legion finally attacked many Swords were rendered incapable of fighting. But even worse, some turned traitor, joining Alpha Legion. The Sworlds were destroyed, their gene-seed harvested for Chaos. 
The second chapter was destroyed by Necrons. It turned out the foundations of their fortress monastery were sunk deep into a Necron tomb world. When they Necrons awoke, they were able to shut off power to the monastery, trapping the Swords inside. The Necrons then ran raids into the fortress, actually hunting the Marines for sport. The Necron Lords devised a scoring system to jockey for position within the tomb world's hierarchy. None of the Swords survived.


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## Tawa (Jan 10, 2010)

Archon Dan said:


> The Necron Lords devised a scoring system to jockey for position within the tomb world's hierarchy.


All I can think of there is a bunch of Necron's taking part in Takeshi's Castle..... 
:laugh:


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## Caratacos (Aug 26, 2008)

I'd say Legion II and XI.


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## SoL Berzerker (May 5, 2009)

I'd say The Grey Knights. Sure, they are all bad ass and everything, but think about it, they are the chapter tasked with fighting a war that literally cannot be won. They are forever trapped in a war with infinite enemies to fight. It mentions in the Grey Knights codex that once the Grey Knights have accomplished destroying a daemon city, the chaos gods can rebuild the city instantly and undo everything the Grey Knights have done.


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## spanner94ezekiel (Jan 6, 2011)

Tawa said:


> All I can think of there is a bunch of Necron's taking part in Takeshi's Castle.....
> :laugh:


Pfft, more like Hole in the Wall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNrt7_DbLG0


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

SoL Berzerker said:


> I'd say The Grey Knights. Sure, they are all bad ass and everything, but think about it, they are the chapter tasked with fighting a war that literally cannot be won. They are forever trapped in a war with infinite enemies to fight. It mentions in the Grey Knights codex that once the Grey Knights have accomplished destroying a daemon city, the chaos gods can rebuild the city instantly and undo everything the Grey Knights have done.


I see your point, but I think having a futile mission is a bit different than having bad luck.


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

There's also the part where they get the best armour, best weapons, best holy relics, and can tell other Marines to jog on pretty much whenever they want. I wouldn't exactly call that "bad luck".


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## SoL Berzerker (May 5, 2009)

Yeah, maybe not bad luck, but definitely have the worst job.


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## cheeto (Apr 1, 2011)

I think that it is without a doubt Thousand Sons who were just ahead of their time. What could be more effective against chaos than the psycher only to be met with fear and distrust for being a psycher in the first place. 

The Council of Nikaea... what a sham. To be a psycher in the first place and then have to be ambushed not by people who hate psychers but your own psycher father who happens to be mankind's greatest psycher and condemned to stop acting like a psycher by that guy... talk about the pot calling hte kettle black.

Fast forward to the end of the Great Crusade where Magnus is the one guy trying to talk Horus off the cliff and then when that fails being the guy who can and does warn the Emperor of the heresy only to get annihilate for it...


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## Braakbal (Aug 18, 2011)

I recall reading somewhere that the Lamenters (being a descendant of the Blood Angels) had found a cure for the red thirst/black rage but the chapter was pretty much dead.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Cheeto; Magnus was ignorant and inquisitive. Daemons favourite flavours, they go together like Strawberries and Cream. Rather than risk having an entire legion possessed by Daemons (ironically; their tutelaries/familiars already had), he ordered them to stop. Now, this was a fairly stupid gesture, but he could not risk losing Magnus; someone who he possibly intended to use in a manner like he himself is now doing on the Throne. The legion was essentially ten a penny; he could make a new one from scratch and if all things had gone
to plan, he could have sent several legions to bring them to heel.

As for Nikaea; Mortarion and Russ hate sorcery; the former exposed to chaotic
manipulated xenos early in life, and as such seeing a brother "go over to the dark side" was enough to see Mortarion (who had never been the most empathatic of the primarchs) happy at the humilation and locking of psychic powers. In other words; imagine your brother going to fight for the Taliban, or the Nazis, or the AmerIndian Scouts aiding the cavalry, etc. I would rather see my brother humiliated and imprisoned than fight for them. 

When he contacted the Emperor; he undid all his hard work in the Throne room, potentially causing breaching through which Daemons could rampage around "Humanities home". Imagine building a house. Its finished. And then your kid comes along, finds himself in a digger, and in inquisitive and ignorant 3 year old
baby mind starts pushing buttons; suddenly a great big bucket swings over, takes the roof off. You'd be pissed off; only this time, taking the roof off could have lead to the destruction of humanity.

Too many bleeding heart liberals here.


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## cheeto (Apr 1, 2011)

Vaz said:


> Cheeto; Magnus was ignorant and inquisitive. Daemons favourite flavours, they go together like Strawberries and Cream. Rather than risk having an entire legion possessed by Daemons (ironically; their tutelaries/familiars already had), he ordered them to stop. Now, this was a fairly stupid gesture, but he could not risk losing Magnus; someone who he possibly intended to use in a manner like he himself is now doing on the Throne. The legion was essentially ten a penny; he could make a new one from scratch and if all things had gone
> to plan, he could have sent several legions to bring them to heel.
> 
> As for Nikaea; Mortarion and Russ hate sorcery; the former exposed to chaotic
> ...


I totally understand all of that, but look at how it was all handled. Rather than a father deciding that his enormously powerful and talented loving son needed mentoring and coaching he put him on trial. Rather than understanding that it was hugely important to know as soon as possible that one of his sons actually did sign up with chaos he stuck his wolves on Magnus. The Thousand Sons went to chaos for their survival because they were under a coordinated attack from the emperor. Imagine how the difference of a legion of psychers not turning to chaos could have tipped the balance of the heresy. 

I think it's just unlucky that it all got handled like it did.


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