Hawk Lords Space Marines - Help Wanted!!

[bighairyferret]

Ok good folks of LO I have a request. I am currently in the process of getting back into GW and more specifically Space Marines (see previous posts). I am collecting Hawk Lords Space Marines and so far there isn't a lot of fluff about them. The only fluff there is (on Lexicanum or otherwise) states they don't like drop pods, but prefer Thunderhawk gunships.
So my request is this....I am writing some fluff about the Hawk Lords, but would like ideas from the good people of LO. This fluff is mostly for my own army, however I intend to post it on here at intervals to get peoples reactions and if people want to use it then so be it. I will give credit for any ideas that I use.
I have a little writers block and as this is also the 1st time I've done this I hope people with far more experience will lend a hand. Oh I don't want to go down a Dark Angels/Ravenwing/Blood Angels route (as that defeats the object of doing my own Chapter, also less fun!!) so any ideas outside of their fluff would be more than appreciated.
Thank you for your time!

[Adahn]

Well I can help you out if you like, I know 10th Lyran would as well though he's no doubt busy at the moment. I'm quite a good writer if I do say so myself, and even the masterful 'Ze_Poodle' said I was an 'above average writer' so coming from him I think I have the right to gloat Muahaha!

Still - one thing, you mind using a different colour font? I know you probably like it and feel like it stands out, and it does - but it sort of bothers my eyes to read it. You don't have to remove it, but it would just be nice if you used a slightly darker colour.

Regardless, I have experience with writing aerial battles, space battles and atmospheric re-entrance scenarios, so any aid you might need with that feel free to ask away. My advice to you is to wet your nib by reading up on some areal lingo, if they're a 'flight heavy' chapter you'll want to get all your stuff right as far as how they speak, what they say and how they say it in the moment they need to say it. By that I mean, let's say they're prepping the birds for an air-to-ground assault but they need to do so quickly and can't do the usual 100% maintenance, they'll say:

'Kick the tires and light the fires'.

Or let's say they're having communication problems, and they just fixed them. The superior officer up on the Battle Barge wouldn't ask:

'Can you hear me now?'

But rather he'll say,

'Lightning Three, [Insert Battle Barge Name], How do you read me? Over.'

to be answered not by:

'I can hear you okay, the problem has been fixed'

But by:

'[Insert Battle Barge Name], Lightning Three, Reading you five by five. Over.'

Things like this help to really flesh out the realism of the moment, and immerse the reader in a serious aerial combat experience. So that's something to think about for one. On the off-chance that I'm misinterpreting what type of help you need, I hope this was useful to you anyway.

[bighairyferret]

Sorry for late reply, been super busy. Thanks for the reply. Not exactly what I wanted per se, however it was good stuff and I take on board what you have said. Wanted more to go down Hawk Lords possible history/organisation, however thats not to say that what you have suggested isnt what I want. You have given me a few ideas to include in a possible 'uniofficial' codex, like they do in proper codex's, so if you have any more suggestions keep them coming.

[Marius the Possessed]

Looking at the Lexicanum entry, this is what I can come up with on the spur of the moment, some basic background fluff and stuff for fluff-based tactics (at least ones that wouldn't impact gameplay too much):

According to L., the Hawk Lords specialise with low-altitude insertions, which is why they use Thunderhawks instead of drop pods. In fact their 'Hawk skills are so good, other Chapters send guys over to work with their 'Talon Wing'. This is what I get from these tidbits of info:

-Hawk Lords prefer stealth attacks and catching their foe unawares. Therefore, they don't use drop pods, which can be prepared for, if you know you face Space Marines and a Strike Cruiser/Battle Barge decides to sit in orbit over your troops. Instead, a low level insertion by Thunderhawks comes in, too low for radar and able to unleash jetpacked Assault Marines, or land troops close by undetected.

-This stealthy approach leads me to believe that they are a Chapter founded from the original Raven Guard Legion under the Primarch Corax, who used stealth and guerilla tactics.

-The Talon Wing could include any flying vehicles, so there would be a lot of Landspeeder variants as well. Sounds a little like Ravenwing, I know, but you could switch it up slightly by saying there are NO bikes/attack bikes. Even use Ravenwing rules and only take Landspeeders.

-Using that, you could theoretically make your army mostly/entirely Assault Marines/use jetpacks, or use a lot of Scout-packed Landspeeder Storms. If you do the Assault Marines, the Blood Angels codex could be used for rules.

-As for specific characters, I'd suggest using the Kayvan Shrike character, and give him a new paintjob and a new name. Maybe Hierax Peregrine (Greek word for hawk + peregrine is a type of falcon, fastest animal on Earth). For names, always find a translation for a description or word in another language; heck, Abbadon is Hebrew for 'to despoil'!

If you like what I've come up with so far, let me know and I can brainstorm so more.

[Tzar_Katztic]

I have an idea for you. Roleplay it with some friends. A short narrative RPG campaign about how the Chapter was created etc. ? That's what I did with my Raven Angels. We included Gothic & Epic battles and Dark Heresy skirmishes. It was fun, and the players added a lot of fluff which made the whole experience even more interesting.

[bighairyferret]

Thank you to you both. One practical and one theoretical suggestion and both equally valid. I had read the lexicanum but hadnt gone down that route you had brainstorming everything so thank you, as that is brilliant.
And the practical playing side is again something i hadnt thought of. I have a friend at work who wants to game so he would possibly be the best person as we both started 40k again at the same time.
So loving all the ideas so far keep them coming!!