Steel Tigers

The chapter, while processing stable gene-seed, had struggled to maintain numbers above 800 brothers due to attritional nature of warfare the chapter finds itself engaged in throughout the stream. Since the Ultima Founding, the Steel Tigers have taken well to the reinforcements of the new Primaris and have seen their chapter reinvigorated with fresh blood bringing them almost to full chapter strength.

Much of the Steel Tigers equipment and arms are supplied by the Forge Worlds of the Hephaestus system. Oaths of fealty and support dating back millennia with the Fabricator General of the system to keep the mighty arms of the chapter in exemplary condition. As such the chapter has notedly high amounts of vehicles, dreadnoughts, and esoteric wargear at their disposal. This in turn explains high amount of augmented astartes and a fairly robust tech marine contingent.   The single exception of this is the blade that each brother carries on their person at all times. The knife they forged in order to prove their worthy induction into the chapter stays with them until death. Upon their death the knife is taken with the gene-seed and the knife is thrust into the Wall of Steel to be forever remembered by his brothers.

The Steel Tigers do not follow the Codex Astartes in favor of their homeworld's traditions. The chapter thus has been broken into nine Bands with each Band comprised of nine Streaks. A Streak can be divided anywhere from one to three groups known as claws, fangs, or ambushes depending on their combat role. Each Band is expected to operate independent of each other and thus are largely similar in composition with exemption of the last. The Ninth Band, or "the Steel Band", is home to the chapters largest and most valuable war machines.   The chapter master of the Steel Tigers upon receiving the mantel also becomes the recognized high king of Tanju and ruler of the warring city states of that world, thus earning the title of Taewang. The Taewang then entrusts his bands to his Band Captains who in turn trust their Streak Sergeants. Unlike more codex compliant chapters in which the first company is recognized with veterancy status, and in mirror to their homeworld, the Taewang upon elevation also will elevate the Band of his origin to the fore of the Bands. This is seen as crucial to ensure each Band stay sharp as at any moment it could be they who are tasked to set the example for their brothers.

The Steel Tigers have perfected the art of siege warfare and the utilization of its Steel Band to wrought devastation through precise armored and dreadnought shock assaults punching their way through breaches caused by massed precision orbital and artillery strikes. Their experience has seen the containment of several heretical and xenos threats confined or repelled throughout the sub-sector.   This expert use of heavy ordinance has lead to the additional aspect of its experienced infiltration "Ambush" squads as spotters and infiltration teams. These units not only excel in stealth but due to their chapter worlds mountainous terrain have become the the foremost experts in climbing, whether it be battlements or sheer mountain surfaces.

The Steel Tigers recruit from the waring feudal city states on the fractious world of Tanju. Candidates are pulled annually in a ritual known as "The Iron Path", in which each cities promising youth are tasked with bringing a pack of iron ore to one of the nine highest peaks. If the youth survives the perilous journey with his ore he will then be taken by the chapter and tasked with turning his ore into a blade. This blade is then tested by the candidate against the supervising battle brother in combat. If the candidate is able to land a blow and the blade is found to be sufficient quality to mark the astartes armor he will be inducted an initiate. If not the candidate will be given steel bands twice the weight of his ore to return to his city on foot. The initiated however will begin their induction immediately and taken to the monastery.   Similar to other less codex compliant chapters, the Steel Tigers incorporate their neophytes, known as whelps, into their Streaks rather than having a dedicated Band for them. There the neophytes learn from their elevated brothers both the ways of the chapter and indoctrination into the Adeptus Astartes. The training of these neophytes follows three pillars of siegecraft, infiltration, and self reliance, in reflection of the strength, stealth, and solitude of the Spine Tigers native to Tanju's isolated mountain ranges.