This is a warning to all Imperial Fists players and anyone looking to get the Supplement Codex: Sentinels of Terra. It's one of the single worst Warhammer rulebooks I have seen in the last several years. While the rules are generally decent but unremarkable, the fluff manages to get everything wrong. It's to the point where the introduction is effectively describing the Fists as the Black Templars, and decrying the very idea they would act "just" in defence of worlds. It's not worth the money, don't make the same mistake others have.
They're all scattered across the galaxy, perpetually on multiple minor or greater crusades, show great amounts of "zeal". The introduction also makes a point of specifying they are not a chapter who helps defend worlds and the Emperor's realm from attacks, just assaults alien ones. The book is also littered with quotes like this: Also, according to this Lysander at the very least is a borderline sociopath who is more concerned about personal revenge than the lives of those under his command. Hell, he's more concerned about his group actually killing the Iron Warriors without helps from others than seeing them cut down to a man. It's effectively a really badly done retelling of the Iron Cage incident, with all meaning or sense stripped away along with quality. Also, the book retcons in a new chapter wide inherent flaw. As if being butchered for years wasn't enough, apparently the Fists' pride is so great, makes them so arrogant, that it's a flaw worthy of mentioning alongside the likes of the Black Rage. I'd go through it all but i've already listed most of the things wrong with the book here in semi-analytical rant form. It's just an amateurishly written book filled with bad ideas and even acts of blatant plagiarism where events and ideas have been stolen from other Black Library authors who worked on the Imperial Fists.
I'm scared for the Iron-Hands/Clan Raukaan supplement now. I want my favourite Chapter to be treated with respect but seeing what they did to YOUR favourite chapter makes me doubt.
I might have had a few to suggest, but this codex retcons them all. Some so the author can apparently steal their ideas for his own use. No, really. Endeavour of Will, a short story by Ben Counter, is completely contradicted and has Lysander specifically elsewhere at that time. Seventh Retribution, also by the same author, has the same problem with Lysander now being nowhere near the world he is supposed to be on. Phalanx, set on the warship and the conclusion to the lengthy Soul Drinkers series, is openly retconned in several ways and has its entire plot stolen so the villain can perform a plot hole ridden and lazier version of Daenyathos' gambit. Sons of Dorn, by Chris Robertson, has its protagonist turned into a non-person with a stranger in his place. the whole story arc which follows with the protagonist of that book being demoted due to losing those under his command and decreed to ensure the next batch of recruits survives, is copied and given to Lysander instead. The only novel focusing upon/with significant involvement by the Imperial Fists chapter I think which wasn't retconned was Ian Watson's Space Marine, and that was set in the second edition! Even Storm of Iron doesn't emerge completely unscathed from this mess, claiming the captain there had only earned his rank a single year prior to his death.
The next thing is that Matt Ward will do is that the Ultramarines rather want to see everyone dead instead of protecting their homeworlds. And that they only store Guilliman in the stasis because they "have to" but in reality they hate storing their primarch around who is useless.... I hope what happened to the Imperial Fists won't happen to many more chatpers. They were never my favorite (because of the yellow, I don't like it lol) but they always had a special place of strength and incredible defense tactics in my opinion.
