Astartes Husbandry - Tumblr Posts

I've been in the Astartes Husbandry scene for a long time and have even earned my degree in Astartes Behavioral Science, with a minor in Gene-seed Speculation. I actually did my thesis on Flesh Tearers domestication and rehabilitation! And let me tell you, Blood Angels are not for the faint of heart! I'm a proud owner of three wonderful Angels--one of which is a Lamenter (I know, right?!), and I couldn't be happier. But, only because I put in the effort! They get a bad reputation due to their predisposition to Prion disease and HIGH maintenance--something people usually only find out AFTER they've adopted a scout for a Sanguinala gift. I run a charity reassigning Blood Angels, and I can't tell you how many Deathwatch companies I've visited and found that these poor marines have been abandoned right after the holidays--which is when they need the most support from their handlers. It's difficult, but I and my volunteers have dispatched marines to dozens of forever command posts, and we're only growing!

Most people are drawn to Blood Angels because of their stunning pedigree, excellent manners, psychic aptitude and nigh-effortless training. They make wonderful guards and are very docile around children, but these are about as far from family-marines as Iron Warriors! It's a common misconception, so as a little PSA, I'll let you know what to expect from Blood Angels, so you can decide if they're the right breed for you!

First thing's first: the Arch-Traitor in the room. They are all susceptible to a Prion disease scientifically known as B74CK-RG. It's tragic, but it can be delayed for as long as you are willing to put in the effort! Know the signs, and take action as soon as you can! They won't always let you know that they are suffering, so it's up to you as their handler to take initiative for their health! It sounds daunting, I know, but the secret is stress management! Blood Angels are highly susceptible to certain kinds of stress, so I've listed my top 3 Husbandry Hacks--guaranteed to ease behavioral issues in your Blood Angel! 1) Adopt in pairs! Blood Angels thrive on brotherhood, and they need each other for support, competition, inspiration and companionship. If you have the resources, I would encourage trios! Having at least one other Blood Angel in the home will make your new forever-marine feel accepted and understood. After all, there are some burdens us mortals aren't equipped to bear! 2) Grooming! As fun as braiding your Blood Angel's lovely golden hair is, their grooming habits get expensive! They are very clean and hypoallergenic, but require a stringent hair-and-skincare routine that MUST be maintained! If you plan on taking your marine to shows, you have already prepared for this, but if you are just looking for a casual adoption, add another category to your budget!

And speaking of your budget, to truly have a happy, healthy Blood Angel with a full lifespan, get ready to break your bank with: 3) Artistic expression! My Blood Angels spend hours at a time writing and reciting poetry, painting, drafting, singing and playing music, and a wide spectrum of other interests. Every Blood Angel is different, but all of them decompress through art. After battles, long missions, or even after a sleepless night, your Blood Angel will cope with stress through a hobby. But regular trips to JoAnn's, Michaels or Hobby Lobby won't do. Be prepared to contact professional suppliers or attend auctions to fund your marine's interests--otherwise they will often obtain "inspiring mediums" themselves. Just ask my neighbor what happened when my Chaptermaster ran out of supplies!

Blood Angels are a misunderstood legion, but I assure you, there are no bad Blood Angels, only bad owners! If you have any doubts or questions, sign up for one of my seminars or volunteer with us to make sure every Blood Angel has a purpose and a home. They are just as deserving of love as any Ultramarine-mix or pedigree Imperial Fist, and together we can create the homes they deserve!

post your astarteskeeping takes that will have you like this

I'll go first: I don't think it's possible to ethically keep thousand sons as pets. I know they're popular for their beauty and intense hobbies but their social needs are incredibly complex and hard to meet even for professional keepers, not to mention the psychic aspect

A pamphlet featured in our last seminar! Make sure that you know the signs so that you and your Blood Angel can live a happy, harmonious life!

That's a great question, and even if it hurts to hear, it's a question worth asking!

The answer is definitely not! I only bring up their drawbacks in the name of education, but a well-maintained Blood Angel can last centuries without an episode!

They're wonderful marines and they do an incredible amount of good for the Imperium. I've made it my life's goal to inform prospective handlers so that we can prevent accidents in the future.

Remember! No bad Blood Angels, only bad handlers!

A pamphlet featured in our last seminar! Make sure that you know the signs so that you and your Blood Angel can live a happy, harmonious life!

I'm inclined to agree!

Even a marine as well rounded as an Ultramarine needs constant exercise and a working schedule. They're a big responsibility!

But, high maintenance legions can be destructive if they're understimulated, stressed or mishandled; it's taken me years of study to master their care. I think a license and a number of classes would prevent a lot of damage in the future!

A pamphlet featured in our last seminar! Make sure that you know the signs so that you and your Blood Angel can live a happy, harmonious life!

How to care for iron warrior breed help he is making a machine

Great question with a simple answer!

Your darling Iron Warrior is bored! Don't worry, they're even harder to keep entertained than White Scars or Imperial Fists, so it's a common mistake to make!

There's no way to stop him tinkering, but it can be directed. Give him a goal--preferrably something interesting and make sure to keep the details vague. They're a surprisingly creative breed, so rather than say "I would like you to fix my car", tell him "I need transportation." Then, provide him with a selection of materials (like an unpleasant neighbor's truck, or the unpleasant neighbor himself) and watch your little soldier work his magic! Be prepared for a wide range of results, and have a cover story ready in case someone hears your poor neighbor's screams of agony when they open the hood of your sweet new ride.

Hope this helps!

Night Lords, astonishingly, do well as solitary guards in family homes! They're strangely good with small children and will remain fairly tame as long as they get their usual Astartes exercise! They can be socialized towards adults, teenagers, and occasionally other space marines (particularly Death Guard), and your home will NEVER face a robbery! EVER!

A little info for first-time Night Lords husbandry enthusiasts, just because they are called Chaos Marines does not mean you should put them with other breeds of Chaos Marines. Many Night Lords have a strong annoyance with chaos and chaos-related objects. Not all feel this way about chaos but always check before introducing them to chaos marines.

Ave Dominus Nox

My Iron warrior got into a fight with my neighbors word bearer and my friends thousand son is cheering them on pls help they already broke a window

Not the first time I've heard about these situations!

It sounds a bit harsh, but Traitor Legions require a firm hand when they're neophytes. Training them is intense, and socializing is a delicate balance that you have to maintain for your whole career as a handler. It's just part of the job description when you adopt a Traitor Legion!

Diffuse the fight as best you can. Prioritize your safety and try to mitigate damage--its tricky when the Iron Warrior busts out the demon engine and the Word Bearer calls down the wrath of the gods, and it only gets worse if the Thousand Son has Rubric! A hectic Monday for sure! If you or your property is in genuine danger, the right thing to do is to call a professional!

However, if you can safely disengage your darling Marines, follow up as best you can with discipline. Traitors need to know who's the Alpha! You don't have to go full decimation (I think it's unnecessary and outdated), but take care that your Marine knows he need to be on his best behavior!

I managed to get my hands on a grey knight but I can’t find any information on them, any tips?

Haha! I'm an expert in my field, and I can tell you that grey knights aren't a recognized breed! You, my friend have an Ultramarine. Yep! An old fashioned Ultramarine from good ole Ultramar! Nothing else! Haha! Truly the everymans marine! Haha!

You sure? He keeps saying he’s a grey knight and looks taller than my brothers salamander

Yep!!!! Ultramarines come in a variety of heights and builds! I've met a few in the community that were as large or larger than salamanders! It's rare, but he's an Ultramarine!!! Haha thanks for the question hope this helps!!!

But aren’t Ultra marines blue? He’s wearing silver and has this weird spear thingy

Hobbies are critical to space marine health, and boy howdy your little ULTRAMARINE from ULTRAMAR has some neat pastimes! I'm a highly qualified individual and I assure you! That's Guilliman's boy! I guarantee it!!!!!

hey! i know this is a controversial topic within the community so i apologise but i'd really love some advice; i own two sons of horus and my partner owns a black legion astartes (a terminator specifically) - can you recommend safe ways to introduce them to each other? everywhere i look there seems to be quite a bias against owning chaos legions, the poor things are demonised to the high throne and everyone acts like the terminator will 'corrupt' the sons :/

Ooh another great question with a fascinating answer!

We all know that I believe that there are no bad marines! I hope this helps to shed some positive light on the Black Legion; someone could be missing out on their forever-marine just because of a bad reputation!

Now, since you and your partner have two Legions with pack inclinations and a strong sense of pecking order, the trick is respect! Start with introductions, (names, rank, the whole kit and kaboodle) in a safe place where they all feel like equals! The last thing you want is for your Black Legionnaire to feel outnumbered and nervous, so pick neutral territory. As their handlers, I recommend that you and your partner interact like allies. Stay close to your Marines: the Sons of Horus will look to you for emotional advice! If you are comfortable, eventually they will be. As for your Legionnaire, keep a close watch on him. See if he's a Leader-type Astartes, or a Follower-type. Sons of Horus tend to be Followers, and your Legionary may want to be the Alpha! Put a pin in that for a moment!

On the first session, I wouldn't expect too many results. Both will be wary, but if tension breaks out, stop the introduction immediately and wait. Try again later in a different space and see what happens. A two-versus-one introduction MAY seem counterintuitive, but trust me when I say you want your Legionnaire to know exactly what he's getting into--the poor darlings are expecting betrayal around every corner.

If, after a few sessions, they begin to develop that signature Astartes synergy we all love so much, feel free to let them spar or exercise together! The dynamic will emerge naturally over a period of a few weeks to a few months, and--remember that pin I mentioned?--your Legionnaire will likely integrate into the pack as a Follower-type (submitting to the strongest combatant) or, sometimes as a Leader-type (where your Sons of Horus are subordinate!) Either of these results is your goal, and if your Astartes dig their heels in and simply won't get along, I would consider another relationship. Astartes are a big responsibility! As unfortunate as it is, there are other fish in the sea, and your space marine needs you!

I ask your humble opinion on space marine expert, would you say the deathwatch is distinct enough to consider it's own breed? Or that it's more like traits that can be selected for in any breed of chapter? And is there any special care the astartes of the long vigil require?

Ooo I love this question! The answer might surprise you (it certainly surprised me!)

Deathwatch is actually a form of training pedigree! Historically, Deathwatch was a group of highly efficient handlers that prioritized certain traits across a wide variety of breeds, and trained them to the highest possible standard in the field of hunting and killing Xenos! A friend of mine is a Deathwatch testing official, and I had the honor of watching a few of these tests, and let me tell you that they are ruthless! I would call them harsh for the days and times, but I can respect their methods--they certainly get results!

So, no, Deathwatch isn't a "breed" but they are all pitted against the same standards of strength, tracking, endurance, gene seed purity and so on. You're very lucky to have one! Make sure to check his papers before you go shouting that from the rooftops, though! Deathwatch pedigree is taken very seriously, and I'd hate for you to get in trouble!

As for long vigil care, encouragement is key. Keep him inspired and appreciated, but take care not to smother him--they do have their pride! You should see great results, and you and your Marine will go wonderful places!

He’s now angry I called him an ultra marine and is pouting in my room

Just between you and me, download DOOM: Eternal and let him decompress. I have a feeling that it will help

Aside from the obvious difference of being better at protecting me from Xenos, how does deathwatch affect my marine? I want to know if it’s good for me (I have a Lamenter I hold dear)

Great question! Most marines are amazing for Xenos prevention, control and trophy hunting, but the Deathwatch can't be beat! I'm also preparing a seminar for the care of Lamenters, which I'm sure you'll enjoy when I post highlights!

Aside from the glowing pros, there are some aspects of Deathwatch training that I consider cons.

It's very stringent, sometimes harsh. It's also a very prestigious clique that requires plenty of funding (the Administratum actually gives out grants, but don't tell them I said that!) Not to mention, I own two Blood Angels Successors and one Lamenter, and marines that heavily rely on their brothers may feel isolated and lonely. For Blood Angels, this can have negative consequences and even aggravate symptoms of Prion disease. In others, there is a chance of heightened aggression, restlessness, separation-anxiety and self-isolation as they reintegrate into more domestic assignments.

In a more positive light, I've seen some incredibly difficult marines flourish under Deathwatch, even marines with "problematic behavior." Something about the routine and a clear direction to channel any pent-up aggression just makes them come alive!

If you're willing to put in the months of 24/7 training, Deathwatch may be an excellent opportunity to join a historic community! The people there are wonderful, and they never turn away a marine that shows the spark for gunning down the alien threats of the galaxy!

So I have a thousand son, best thing that has happened to me, but my neighbor has a small pack of space wolves and I’m worried they will eventually fight. Is there any preventative action I can take?

Ooh this one is tricky. I would recommend collaborating with your neighbor on routines and schedules. Take care that your marines spend as little time as possible around each other! Thousand Sons do NOT get along with Space Wolves, and I have rarely seen a meeting that didn't eventually turn violent.

There ARE loopholes though! Space Wolves have an adorably brief short term memory, and very little object permanence. In a span of about three to seven days, those lovely Wolves likely won't remember ever encountering your Thousand Son, and are thus returned to square one!

The opposite is true for the Thousand Son, however. They have a frightening memory, and the trick to avoiding outbursts is--as much as it pains me to say--propaganda. Enforce in your Thousand Son that Space Wolves are beneath them (they aren't!!!) and that by interacting with them at all, even in thought, the Thousand Son are put at risk for corruption and mange.

Combined with coordinated, controlled distance, things should be kept civil. Hope this helps!

@nightbug08 That's true! I own a Blood Angels Successor Chaptermaster (adopted alongside a Second Captain) and a lovely Lamenter I rescued from a Space Hulk! They're among the most difficult to take care of, but once you earn their trust, you'll never find a more loyal space marine.

They're incredibly low maintenance. Soft spoken, emotional, honest, disciplined, clean, organized and startlingly resourceful, these Marines seem like the perfect match for anyone looking for a first time Astartes, but heads up! Your life will irrevocably change. Don't be discouraged by what I'm about to tell you, but I'm an educator first and I wouldn't put you or your Lamenter in a bad situation.

You will have to change everything. Or, there's a very real risk of injury, maybe even death.

There's something in their pedigree that makes them...different. Other Astartes are mistrustful at best, outright hostile at worst. You can't take a Lamenter to the sparring yard, and training cages should be booked beforehand. Lamenters are quite tame, but do keep in mind that they are subject to the same Prion disease as their parent chapter! It's best to keep them calm and happy as often as you can--a Herculean effort sometimes given their abnormally high melancholy!

Of course, I'll admit that their cousins have a good reason, and this is where the death part comes in. Misfortune sticks to them like flour to a wet cat, and this bleeds over to those around them. I make light of this, but had to move to the city after I crashed my car, lost my job and nearly got hit with a falling piano all in the same day! Even now, I take very few risks, though the occasional banana peel appears behind me at the bus stop.

I'm fortunate to have the resources for frequent visits to the Apothecary. My poor baby was was mauled by an unsupervised Minotaur just yesterday--no one got hurt too badly, but I've been reading him John Steinbeck books while he recovers!

I can't tell you how worth it he has been. I've never owned a marine that was so loving and loyal, and he certainly does his part to protect me from the strange bouts of woe that plague me like magpies to my box of french fries!

I'm actually working on getting him registered as a service Marine--for both our benefit. If you feel up to the challenge, your Lamenter will be a marine for life!

Alright I might need some help with this one. I found the scraggliest looking astartes hiding in my shed just now (we've been having a lot of snow so I'm not surprised). I got them in the garage at least and started checking for chaos icons, but I'm not sure I recognize the poor little guy coloring? He's mostly yellow with black and white checkerboards on the pauldrons?

Gotta try and get the lil guy cleaned up and fed, he seems young or underweight or something.

My darling Iron hand seems to be quite uncomfortable despite my best efforts, even going so far as to self-harm. I've heard of some trainers avoid this issue by allowing theirs to replace parts with bionics, but is this ethical?

Iron Hands have a tragic history, and I believe that it should be respected! It may seem frightening, but if bionics are ethically sourced and made by local businesses, there is nothing wrong with it! I'm sure he will thank you!

Ah!!! You have truly seen something wonderful! Wild noise marines are as elusive as they are rare! The domestic ones are illegal after many cities put a noise ordinance in place, but my aunt has a lovely special needs specimen living on her farm (lost an arm and a leg to a Drukhari raid, poor thing). Fun fact, he's actually how I got into Astartes Husbandry!

He loves to sing with the coyotes, and once, when I was a little girl, I heard something strange singing along with him! It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard, and I wish I could begin to describe it. When I asked, my aunt told me about wild Kakophoni and that's the reason I should always be home when the wind whistles in the pine trees. I've tried to hear it again, but no matter how many nights I spent in duck blinds or tree stands, I've never heard a peep!

I knew after that first day that I wanted to work with Astartes professionally, and boy did I make the right choice!

We woke up to Screech singing this morning. It was the cutest thing.

Then we realized who he was singing to.

There was an entire colony of adult Noise Marines on our lawn.

And my sweet boy Citronus just handed the baby over to them, no hostilities at all! The pack leader, who appears to be Screech's sire, just gave him a gentle nod and they left. It was amazing, I've never seen Loyalist and Chaos breeds be so cordial to each other.

In spite of myself I kinda miss the little fella, he was loud as all hell but just as cute.

@vvictuss

Ultramarine owners: This is Brother-Seargant Neronius Commodias of the 5th Company, we purchased him for 100000 thrones

Death Guard owners: This is Stinkus McFuckface we found him in the dumpster

We still doing Space marine pets?

Always! I'm a trained and certified Astarteskeeper, and like I always say: "There are no bad Space Marines, just bad handlers!"