Crimson Teeth

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

Crimson Teeth
Battle Cry	"THE PACK IS UPON YOU."
Number	XIX
Founding	First Founding
Primarch	Camaxtli
Homeworld	Chalchihuitl, Charadon Sector, Ultima Segmentum
Strength	180,000
Specialty	Ambush, Rapid Assault, terror tactics
Allegiance	Pre-Scouring:Chaos Undivided, Post-Scouring Heru, Lord of the Tides
Colours	Colors (pre-Camaxtli's death): Dependent on terrain/variety of Primary colors differentiated based on rank. Colors (post-Camaxtli's death): Dependent on terrain/quartered red and black with a light-white/blue helm. Prominent members covered in red and white carvings across armor.

The Crimson Teeth is a tightly organized close assault legion which relies on pre-battle intel, ambush, terror tactics, and numerical advantages to seize victory. They are an undeniably effective, if incredibly bloody, fighting force who excel against small, elite armies and disorganized mobs of troops. Their maneuverability, cohesion and superior numbers giving them the tactical advantage over better equipped and stronger foes. This doctrine further encouraged by a legion culture which revolves around trophy hunting, Oaths, sacrifice, and vengeance.

In the wake of the heresy, the legion would become infamous for its merciless assaults and terror tactics, particularly their fascination with ritual sacrifice and cannibalism. Where once the legion was known as Imperial Defenders and executors of the Emperor's Judgement against non-compliant peoples, they are now steeped in the grotesque mysteries of chaos periodically surging forth from the Eye to lay Imperial holdings to ruin. In the 41st millennium they are a by-word for the terror and bloodiness that typifies the Lost and the Damned.

The Unification Wars

During the Unification Wars the XIX were bloody minded linesmen tasked with being the spear point and enveloping their foes. As a result the Teeth became accustomed to high-risk deployments and objectives, their strategies and tactics evolving to accommodate. They became incredibly proficient as large tightly knit groups of close quarters specialists reliant on synchronized communication and cooperation enabling them to engage and eliminate more developed or numerous foes. Holding the line against armies of xenos and mutants, surrounding and eliminating enemy forces, or overwhelming them through a concert of blades.The Crimson Teeth were always stuck in where the fighting was thickest.

The following contains a series of the legions more colorful engagements as it would be impossible to record the full extent of their military actions on Terra in detail.

Siege of Mount Yerushabim

The high success at the earliest stages of the invasion on Mount Yerushabim are non-indicative of the later conflict within the Yerushabic tunnels as the narrow paths limited them largely to frontal assaults. Even with the Stone Men's support, the Crimson Teeth were totally unsuited to tunnel combat. They were pulled back alongside their cousins following Hektor's order to seal the Yerushabim tunnels. In later years the Yerushabim would become a byword for terrible undertakings or a dangerous foe amongst the legion culture, eventually abbreviated to Yerush. (Pronounced Ir-roosh.)

Siege of Caltaxa

The Siege of the Caltaxian Super-fortress remains a notable event in the legion's early history for being the first time in over a decade that the legion acted as one. Combating a foe largely immune to their primary strategies of misdirection and ambush, the legion was initially forced to engage the Caltaxian cyborgs directly and wage bloody battle on the automatons.

It was Captain Olakhol (link) determined the weakness in the Caltaxian military lay in their officers and directed the 19th's focus towards their capture and elimination. Four months into the conflict legion infiltrators planted the remains of these captured officers around the entrances of the fortress overnight, making sure to make their uniforms and insignias as visible as possible. Then proceeded to execute officers within sight of the walls on a twice daily basis, slitting their throats and burning the bodies for the defenders to see.

The arctic peoples replied with a major assault towards the Imperial lines, snow-capable vehicles, cyb-soldiers, and massive bionically enhanced ursines making the majority of the attackers ranks. Ready for their assault and eager to end the conflict, Olakhol led the counter charge against the Caltaxian army. By his actions the battle was a clear victory, allowing the Imperials to end the conflict within the next several weeks. The fortress was preserved, and later repurposed into an Imperial holding.

The Fall of Orioc

The city of Orioc was the last non-compliant state to face the XIX in the arctic. The ancient city-state was a mountain bound fortress located in the icebound south. Virtually impregnable within their frozen abode, the people of Orioc had weathered the nightmare of Old Night and been engendered with a powerful fanaticism making them immune to polite Imperial diplomacy. Thus the Emperor decreed that the XIX would force their compliance, or death.

Captain Olakohl ignored all pretext of diplomacy and initiated an orbital barrage in the surrounding mountain range, within moments a massive avalanche of stone and ice crashed into the perimeter's of the city. Though their walls and energy shields were sufficient in protecting against the worst of the debris the city became enveloped in a massive cloud of snow. Soon Imperial aircraft cut through the smoke, dropping squads of assault marines on the city below.

In the maelstrom the XIX sowed confusion, destroying Cannons along the walls, disabling their shields, and breaking down the gates. Then, just as quickly, they left. Seemingly disappearing into the mountain side. For a brief moment the Orioc populace waited, terrified and hidden.

Then the fire came.

Using a combination of whirlwinds and Fire Raptors by the advisement of the (Sons of Fire Numeral designation) the XIX immolated the city. Starting from it's center point and slowly expanding towards the walls, the XIX forced the populace to flee their homes in order to escape the firestorm. As they ran through the broken gates they passed the piled corpses of their defenders. Piked, disemboweled, and decapitated, along the entrances and trailing out beyond the walls. As they fled into the world beyond they were beset by the XIX, blood soaked behemoths whose voxes keened as they flew. The population was slowly hunted down, toyed with, and systematically slaughtered. Their bodies lining the outskirts of the city in long rings of severed limbs and flesh to freeze in the polar climate.

By Imperial Decree, the city would remain untouched as a warning for others who opposed the Emperor's will.

Conquest of the Jovian Shipyards

Following the Treaty of Mars the Legions embarked upon the final stages of the Unification wars and began to reunite the Sol Systems disparate colonies. Some were more peaceful than others and brought new allies into the Imperial fold, most notably Pallas Eugenisis, and the Iron King of Mercury. But others refused the Emperor's beneficence and faced the XIX's wrath, such as the Jovian Shipyards.

The Jovian Shipyards were a confederation of ports and constructs that covered Jupiter's many moons. They sustained themselves by providing one another protection, information, and trade thus surviving the worst of the Old Night. Despite the destruction and steady degradation of their facilities the Jovians still maintained a sizeable fleet of vessels. Initially the First legion had been chosen to bring the Emperor's light to Jupiter, but heavy resistance on Mercury made this infeasible. Thus, Knowing the capabilities of the yards and boon they could provide for future conquests the Emperor instead tasked the XIX to bring them to heel.

The man-made satellites orbiting Jupiter contained all manner of horror and mystery, from haunted places filled with gibbering voices and murderous shadows, to vast networks of organic abominations patrolled by mutant slaves. The XIX cleansed these places with fire and blood. What they could not salvage or rebuild they destroyed and set adrift towards Jupiter's raging storms. But even amongst the weird monsters the XIX encountered there are some notable events.

Orbital Station Vesta

Orbital station Vesta was the first of many satellites the XIX would encounter as the spread across the Jovian Sub-system. The powerful relay station was now a derelict, only notable due to the disappearance of several salvage teams and their astartes escorts. Legion Breacher squads would discover a powerful machine creature that controlled the station and invaded their armor systems. The ancient intelligence was destroyed along with Orbital Station Vesta when the fleet opened fire on the satellite, rather than allow the machine-thing to spread to the fleet.

The Ionian Fortress Array

The Ionian Fortress array was an ancient defense system that covered most of the moon of Io. Largely abandoned, the defense network had become an abode for shape shifting pirates and mutant abominations. For several weeks the legion battled them across Io's rusted wastes unable to draw down and destroy the ghost-like vessels whose weapons could cut easily punch through a landraider's hull. The legion forced the pirates hand by attacking the pirates base directly with Typhons, Scorpius Whirlwinds, Vindicators. When the raiders attempted to destroy the siege weapons the legion strafed them with Fire Raptors and dropped squads of Assault Marines into their ships leading to a quick and grisly conclusion to the conflict.

The Battle of Ganymede 2

The Jovian Confederation did not appreciate the Emperor's demands or the terms of integration into the Imperium.

The Sud Merica Liberation Campaign

Opening stages of the Sud Merica Liberation Campaign

In the closing days of the Unification Wars the legion had become renowned for their uncompromising violence against traitors and opposition. Through their actions the Emperor's final judgement was prosecuted upon the mutant and the traitor, thus they were deployed in the decayed mega hives of Sud Merica.

The XIX were well familiar with Sud Merica, the majority of their combat operations occurred within the continent's rusted underhives. Perhaps by design, or mere happenstance, the legion's future proficiency in terror tactics, feint attack and retreat, and general jungle combat originated here. Rightly so, for the native peoples used all manner of scheme and device to waylay, cripple, and destroy the Imperial invaders. While initially the legion found success by engaging in ruthless frontal assaults against the periphery cities, they quickly discovered the military nightmare of embedded guerillas within dense terrain.

Hundreds of marines would die as they encountered a host of hidden devices: Sink holes lined with explosives, trip-wire traps, proximity mines, short burst chemical weapons, and more. All the while harassed and abused by super predators, forgotten biological experiments, and virulent strains that could incapacitate an astartes for weeks. The guerrillas took full advantage of the Imperial's confusion and disorganization with snipers, concealed machine-weapons, rocket fire, and more. Their attacks were unpredictable, either at dawn or in the dead of night. Even when the marines travelled through population centers they faced danger from suicidal zealots armed with explosives. It became so common that Captain Olakohl ordered ruthless purges of the more violent sections of the under-hives.

Facing dishonor and a slow death from faceless foes, the legion adapted to their environment. Soon their analysis of the Sud Merican's strategies and tactics proved beneficial, the Astartes beginning to reach an equal footing with their attackers. Training, technology, and enhanced physiology making up for their unfamiliarity with the local terrain. The legion began to make slow but grinding progress into the Hives.

It was after the Siege of Caltaxa that the legion began to implement terror tactics and psychological manipulation in order to force their enemies into the field. They accomplished this by pinning the mutilated bodies of captured civilians throughout the concrete jungle. Not intended to elicit fear alone, the crucifixions were aimed at enraging and antagonizing the guerilla fighters. The tactics were effective, in several cases causing large swathes of enemy soldiers to commit against seemingly isolated Imperial forces. Their desire for revenge blinding them to their vulnerability, which the legion readily exploited.

It was determined, through watching and questioning the natives, that a variety of activities were considered taboo by the majority of the Guerilla forces. Thus, within sight of the city of Gosumo the legion tested their findings. The event began as routine, a long range vox was set up at the edge of the city's territory and the standard call for surrender and Imperial hospitality took place. Some small arms fire was directed at the vox and it withdrew, at which point Captain Olakohl announced himself to the defenders.

"Sud Mericans, I am Captain Olakohl, I have crossed this continent destroying and conquering the cities of your neighbors for these past two years. This is my gift for your hospitality."

With that a group of people were pushed into the clearing, naked save for the crusted layers of feces and blood lathered onto their bodies. Encouraged at the end of a series of bolters, the crowd stumbled towards the city until they were cut apart by bolt rounds from the XIX, the remains then obliterated by a volley of missile fire. The XIX then withdrew, leaving behind a token force of Imperial regulars to bait the hook, and awaited the city's response. For the first two days it was silent, no war horns, no cries of rage or the roar of tanks, nothing. Then on the third day the Imperial Regulars were attacked along their flanks by lines of automatic weapons and artillery fire from the city while fast moving walkers sped towards the floundering regiment.

It was then that the XIX struck, rising from the detritus and crashing through the wires and walls, the warriors grey armor was quickly stained with blood as they closed upon the attackers. The guerillas, were annihilated as the astartes encircled and destroyed their forces piecemeal. That night the city of Gosumo burned.

The Great Crusade

With the end of the Unification Wars the XIX found themselves engaged in the greatest act of expansion since the Dark Age of technology.

Organization (Post progenitor)

There are twenty Tahnut subordinate to an Uhau, each are responsible for a Pact of ten thousand marines. The pact is further divided into twenty Kama of five hundred marines which are controlled by Toa'Tahnut and are specialized for particular combat roles. A full nine kama are dedicated to assault troops, the rest make up the pact's medical, aerial, and armored support. Of the four hundred kama, a mere forty of them contain the legion's veteran elements and of these twenty thousand marines only five hundred of them bear the honor of Mihini and have unrestricted access to the legion's armory.

Orut - To facilitate the legion's rapid mobilization and assault tactics, its military structure is tightly organized into Orut or 'War Parties'. The unit consistency is structured at two thousand individuals and requisite auxiliary forces including technical staff, psykers, and chaplains. By Camaxtli's command four of the nine Orut maintain a state of constant battle readiness, three are delegated to be ready to replace losses as necessary, and the final two are held in reserves. Thus the legion maintains a regular rotation of battle ready War Parties at all times.

Uhau - Praetors, a single Uhau commands each of the nine Oruts and acts as commander and voice of the legion. Uhau are expected to serve alongside their brothers and participate in major engagements wherever possible. Both to prove their worth as leaders, and to lend their extensive battle field experience where it is most needed. Wherever an Uhau strides worlds break and cities burn as the Crimson Teeth enact his will moving as a tumultuous mass of synchronized chaos killing anything that stands in their way. Uhau armor is a bright white to symbolize the purity of their rank and make clear evidence of their dedication in battle. The more bloody the armor by the conflict's end the greater an Uhau's glory.

Tahnut Responsible for the organization and delegation of the Uhaus commands the Tahnut are sub-commanders answerable only to the praetors and Camaxtli himself. Tahnut are experienced warriors and experts in close quarters battle fully capable of leading their men from the front though this does not prevent them from holding back to dictate the larger conflict or support more ranged-centric elements of their forces.

Tiparu - Logisticians and strategists, Tiparu fulfill numerous roles too specialized for the Tahnut to reasonably accomplish alone. From Masters of the Signal and Forge Lords, to Vigilators and Siege Breakers, Tiparu are called upon ensure victory in specific conflicts often within strange environs from ice worlds to airless moons.

Curdero - Curdero is a catch all term for the librarians and chaplains of the Crimson teeth. Curdero are vital to sustaining the legion's moral and aiding them in battle. Either through the weird powers of the "Men of Wind" or by the exhortations of the "Blood Priests" many battles have been won thanks to their service. The ubiquitous label is due to the similarity of their ritual functions during the legion's post battle celebrations. Both positions are heavily involved in the preparation, organization, and guidance of the legion's ceremonies as they eat the dead. This is not to say the two groups are identical. Both go to great effort to maintain a clear difference between their sub-sects.

Toa'tai - Sergeants and field officers, the Toatai maintain discipline and control over the Crimson Teeth. Though the Uhau is commander of the campaign and will even fight alongside his brothers it is the Toa'tai that keeps them leashed.

Toa'Tere - Toa Tere, or "Pack Men" are the legion's assault marines and synonymous with legion battlefield doctrine. Jump packs alight as they fall from the sky like creatures of legend, Toa Tere launch towards the enemy in great hosts of warriors to fall upon their enemies with violent abandon. It is through the massed assault of the Toa'Tere that the legion enacts Camaxtli's will.

Toa - Toa is a broad term detailing those ranged elements within the legion that usually do not participate in the initial assault. The individual classifications of these astartes are many. Toa march in the wake of the Toa'Tere cleaning out resistance and holding conquered territory. While not as numerous as their airborne brothers the Toa ensure the legion keeps the ground it has gained without slowing its relentless advance.

Mihini - The Shorn - Veterans of the Crimson Teeth, these merciless killers accompany the legion's officers to war. Hand picked from the veteran companies, Shorn Ones are masters of hand to hand combat and bear the legion or pact standard into battle cutting down anyone that crosses their path. Due to their experience and status, Shorn bear the armament the legion to make the most of their abilities. It is the duty and honor of the Shorn to find and kill the best the enemy can offer and present it to their Uhau as a mark of service.

Cote'Mak' - Are the mechanized divisions and heavy support of the Crimson Teeth. Where airborne and lightning assault is infeasible or too costly the Cote'Mak enter the fray with siege weaponry and heavy armor, smashing fortress walls and emplacements to open a path for their brethren.