Lions Rampant

Lions Rampant
Battle Cry	For valour, strike swift!
Number	IX
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Primarch	Cromwald Walgrun
Homeworld	Sommesgard
Strength	130,000 at start of Heresy
Allegiance	Slaaneshi
Colours	Red, Steel Grey and White

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.

The Lions Rampant once stood as stalwart defenders of mankind. Credited with brilliant leadership and numerous victories, their former glories are now forever stained by infamy. During the Hektor Heresy they cast their lot with the traitors rather than the Imperium, and are now among the greatest examples of the excesses of Chaos. Now they ride in an eternal quest to satisfy their dark master, the god of Chaos Slaanesh.

History of the Lions Rampant

Before the discover of Cromwald, the Lions Rampant were an understrength Legion known as the Highland Raiders. They were tasked with subjugating worlds that refused offers of peace, and as a result were often set against well-prepared foes. They lacked glorious campaigns in their formative years, especially in the wake of Legions more specialized, organized, or simply more brutal in their ways. It was not until the discovery of the lost Primarch that they would be catapulted to the role of a vaunted vanguard, earning their name and place in the Great Crusade.

The Highland Raiders

The early years of the Legion, starting with the Sacred Band and their leadership. Focus on the stoic, morbid demeanor not too unlike the Death Korps from the OU. Inglorious, with a hefty price to pay in blood and steel. Conquests here are brutal affairs and seldom are they celebrated.

Honored Vanguard

After Cromwald's restructuring of the legion, they press outwards with renewed purpose. The injection of fresh blood and wholesale embrace of the Iterator corps begins to reshape the legion's culture. Their early conquests are ambitious and bold maneuvers combining the full strength of the legion to test its might. After the first battle honors are granted, the divisions begin to split, forming multiple expeditionary fleets. These fleets become the standard for the Lions conquests, with each division operating in a truly independent fashion.

The Culling

The primarch's sickness begins to spread throughout the legion as he prepares to openly declare his treason. The legions recruitment and training division is quickly brought into the fold, while those who resist are reassigned to combat roles. The apothecarion is similarly subverted, where each of the legions medical officers either swear to the growing conspiracy, or die by Cromwald's hand. Hand in hand with advisors from the Eternal Zealots, they corrupt the genetic stock upon which the legion is built, cursing all new recruits and most veterans with the slow numbness of their primarch. Cromwald is confronted by the chief librarian, who he slays in single combat within his private quarters. So begins the culling, where loyalist troops are slowly weeded out of the legion by attrition through dangerous assignments or quiet assassination.

Eve of Damnation

On the eve of the Heresy, the IXth legion stood at almost 130,000 strong. Quietly they had been building their strength to lend to Hektor's ambitions. To his banner they brought several fleets of swift and brutal warships, large formations of highly skilled rapid assault troops, and a respectable array of auxiliary forces upon which the Lion could draw. Among these stood an army of the mechanized Cramalthian Dragoons, and the swift knights of House Borgias. These troops had fought alongside the Lions across several campaigns, and had long proven themselves skilled allies in the high-speed warfare Cromwald's children pursued. These forces and more rallied around the five great divisions of the IXth to await their orders. The betrayals at Istvaan and Ostium marked the beginning of the long march. Crom had already briefed the marshals commanding his forces; each was intimately familiar with their targets and forces. First came the Keldim sector, marked as the start of a long and bloody harvest of imperial space. Across it and other sectors rapid campaigns were waged to feed the warmaster's rebellion. Shipyards and armories offered a surplus of captured weapons, and subjugated populations were conscripted, pressed to labor, or sacrificed to the dark gods. The first months of the long march saw Hektor's forces gifted a rallying point. At Keldim his troops could resupply and prepare for future conquests. Cromwald could not linger to savor his victory. The warmaster's grand campaign required decisive action, lest the Emperor's defenders rally to match their foe force for force. Mustering his legion he plunged headlong into a protracted campaign to pave the road to Terra. At his side stood Merrill, the bloody primarch of the Iron Rangers. With their combined forces they plowed forward in a twin-pronged assault into the flat-footed loyalists. Those who did not surrender or convert were ruthlessly slaughtered. For the first year of the war it seemed as if they were to march unopposed.

The Warpath

It was not until the Crusaders rose to meet the aggression head on that the wave of steel and madness was checked. At Troupo III Gaudin's finest clashed with the Lions Rampant in what would be remembered as one of the largest armored battles of the heresy. The brilliant maneuvers of the Lions 5th division were matched by the stubborn tenacity of the Crusaders as they battled for the fuel-rich sands of the scorched planet. In the end the world was reduced to a barren wasteland; Gaudin's strategy of denial robbed the Lions of the infrastructure needed to harvest the material wealth of the system. This became the template for a long and bitter clash of legions. The Crusaders waged a calculated withdrawal to bleed and slow the traitor advance. They defended what could be evacuated to their massing of troops on Terra, and fought to demolish what could not. Meanwhile the Lions pushed to capture war assets for their allies, using Merrill's hunters to decapitate enemy resistance while the swift riders pushed to outpace Gaudin's soldiers. The campaign would leave its scars on all legions involved; warbands drawn from the Lions' gene-seed would celebrate the destruction of a Crusader's successor for millennia to come.

Clash of Gods

The long march saw the Lions serving as Hektor's vanguard. Through their steady drive the traitors had captured hundreds of worlds bearing vital wartime assets. Men and materiel flocked to the warmaster's banner for the inevitable siege of the birthplace of man. All that lay between Hektor and Terra lay the Elume Elish sector. To this campaign the warmaster sent elements of three of his legions to wage war. Among them were the Lions Rampant, though Cromwald did not ride with them. His legion was to split, as the loyalists would soon be reinforced without direct action. His command battalion led three full divisions to Segmentum Pacificus to intercept the Steel Marshals. It was a bitter twist of fate that the two brothers, once close, now faced each other in a deadly struggle. Cromwald had spent years battling Thomas Gaudin's stalwart defense, and had taken to heart the lessons learned during the long march. Now it was his turn to fight a slow and steady withdrawal, using every trick and tool at his disposal to force Albrecht to lose time and momentum trying to battle past the Lions. The conflict became known as the Lions' Corridor, as the IXth held the swiftest stable warp route to Terra in their claws. With feints, ambushes and cunning ruses the smaller but nimbler legion bled the Marshals. To reach the Emperor Roman would have to sacrifice his legion and undo the strength the loyalists so badly needed. In an attempt to break the IXth and free his legion to move, he launched a daring assault on the Indomitable Sovereign, seeking to slay his brother in single combat. The venerable warship was low in anchor over the rocky fuel depots of Utaupa Tertius, and her forces ill prepared for the sudden strike. In a storm of vengeance the Marshals took to the field, swiftly proving their superior strength in battle. Yet as Cromwald and Roman squared off in a fateful duel, the Lion smiled. The embrace of Slaanesh had honed his skills and body both, making him much closer a match to his brother. They crossed swords in a climactic battle of skill and steel for a full hour, with no soldier from either side willing to intervene in the clash of two gods of war. Warp fueled power proved to be insufficient to best the Emperor's duelist. Roman gained the upper hand and slowly battered Cromwald back. The final blow was not destined to fall on Utaupa, though; Cromwald's mocking smile had hidden a base treachery that threatened Roman's legion. While he fought to behead the serpent his reserves had been pounced upon by the Lions in an ambush. Were he to fight on and slay his brother he would deny them his leadership with devastating consequences. Pressed between righteous vengeance and the preservation of his legion he called a full retreat. The bitter sting of defeat served as a deciding factor in the Marshal's strategy; Roman had realized that to reach Terra he would have to withdraw further and regroup. He withdrew his legion, leaving the Lions the uncontested masters of the corridor.

The Turning Tide

With the Elume Elish campaign ended, nearly the full strength of the Lions Rampant gathered at the stretch of space dubbed the Lions' Corridor. There they stood as a barrier for forces seeking to aid the Emperor's beleaguered defenders approaching from Segmentum Pacificus. The Steel Marshals were turned back, as were smaller battlegroups of both Imperial Army and Mechanicum forces. Any loyalists wishing to bypass the Lions would be forced to either brave the rough seas of the empyrean, or seek a safe passage weeks to months out of the way. To prevent this, Cromwald deployed each division across a vast swathe of space, where they would act as interdiction forces to all but the mightiest loyalist fleets. Combined with his auxilia, the legionaries proved to be a challenging roadblock. The holding action could not last, however. At Rosskar the Steel Marshals rallied ever greater numbers of men to their cause. Roman's return would be a tide of vengeance not easily resisted. Worse still, other legions were being drawn to the conflict as moths to the flame. A gathered assault spearheaded by the fifth had begun to press towards Terra from the galactic west, joined by elements of the Eyes of the Emperor. Cromwald was confident he could match any single legion, but to challenge three or more was suicide. In the final hours of the heresy his position had become untenable. Orders to retreat were issued to all troops under the Lions' command. They had done their duty to the warmaster; to waste their lives in a hopeless defense would deny them a galaxy at war to savor. They would regroup, and prepare to assault the loyalist rear flanks when they committed to battle.

Flight

The order to flank march never came. Hektor was slain in mortal combat with the Emperor, and his armies broken and forced to retreat. The loyalists hounded the routed traitors until Terra was safe, then turned inward to lick their wounds and muster their strength. It was reported that when the news reached the Sovereign, Cromwald broke into fell laughter that terrified even his greatest champion.

"Fickle are the whims of spurned gods. Hektor should have known better than to serve no master."

And with that, the order was given: the Lions were to flee. With so many fresh legionaries mustering at Terra, there could be no option but to escape the inevitable scouring of the galaxy. Most of his brethren fled north, to the Eye of Terror. Cromwald's pride would not allow him to be so easily trapped and caged by the loyalist march. He commanded his legion to flee east, into the far reaches of Ultima Segmentum. They would split, giving the loyalist hounds more rabbits to chase than they could catch. Much of his legion would be lost, but the Lions would not be exterminated or confined so long as the war could continue. Each division struck its path to the eastern fringe, trusting in their swift vessels to ferry them to safety. That which could not keep up was left behind to fight and stall the loyalists for as long as possible. Hundreds of thousands of auxilia troops found themselves abandoned by their masters and left to be slaughtered by the vengeful legionaries of the loyalist scouring. The titans that accompanied the IXth were similarly cast aside; there simply was no means of maintaining such powerful and complex machines during the flight. Many of the Legio Martyax (the Man-Eaters) were destroyed as they fled to the maelstrom for safety, leaving a grudge against the Lions that would last for thousands of years to come. Despite casting off the slower Mechanicum and auxilia battlegroups, the Lions did not escape unbloodied. In a bitter stand at Hundis the entirety of the 4th division was surrounded and isolated by a joint strike force of both Crusaders and Void Angels. The Lions fought tooth and nail, but could not stand against the combined might of their former brethren. Hundis was reduced to a cinder once the last of the Lions' fleet had been destroyed, leaving a barren rock surrounded by burnt out husks. Other battles were waged in smaller scale as battalions were hounded by the vengeful Imperials. Thomas Gaudin himself commanded the destruction of the infamous Lionhearts, and in doing so avenged the Crusaders' defeat at the agri-world of Sepnoy Terius some fifteen years before. In all, the Lions lost roughly half of the legion. When they finally reached the relative safety of the galactic rim to regroup Cromwald held command over a single reinforced division, stripped of much of its supporting forces.

Frontier, Conquest

With the Scouring ended, the Lions begin to move. Acting as a twisted parody of their efforts in the Great Crusade, they begin to raid the fringe systems of the outermost sectors of Imperial space. Originally treated as a minor threat, it is not until they begin to conquer systems aggressively that their low priority begins to scale up. In the meantime, they subjugate worlds in the name of Slaanesh, and Cromwald ascends to daemonhood for the debasement of whole populations billions strong.

Downfall

A crusade is put together to push back the tide of darkness sweeping along the outer edge of Imperial space, backed by numerous chapters of Astartes and regiments of Imperial Guard. In the end the conquest was too ambitious; the Lions are defeated, scattered and their primarch banished to the warp. As a legion the Lions are no more; they scatter and break up into warbands, many finding refuge in the immaterium. It is a blow they never fully recover from, even on the great black crusades.

Culture

The Lions fall took a finely tuned, highly disciplined machine and set it to run amok in the galaxy. Before the embrace of chaos forever tainted the legion, it gained a reputation as a keen, strategically minded engine of war. They engaged their foes with an eye for delivering their strength to the correct place at the correct time to leverage the maximum effect on the enemy. Their forethought and strategic cunning led to numerous victories over numerically or technologically superior foes. To do so, they formed tactics and doctrine that manifested as a highly mobile, heavily mechanized legion. By rhino or land raider, thunderhawk or bike, the Lions would deliver swift, measured aggression to their foes where they are weakest.

Hailing from ignoble origins, the Lions Rampant became an esteemed legion amongst their peers. The return of their primarch injected noble blood into the legion, drawn from Sommesgard's military elite. Youths drawn from the armed forces across the planet brought the values of their homeworld, introducing the ideals of nobility, valor, and etiquette to the legion. The brotherhood became a refined organization, led by marines groomed to standards both in war and in matters of state.

This grooming of noble born recruits led to a sharp contrast in the ranks. The ranks of officers were swiftly filled by promising candidates from the noble children of Sommesgard. Each peer was given the best training the Lion could offer, and those who excelled would swiftly find themselves in command over their brothers. Terran-born marines endured the prejudice favoring their younger kin with the same thankless stoicism that they had held before Cromwald's return, knowing full well that the greatest leaders of the legion were still those most exceptional marines that had endured the crucible of war and been forged into a lethal instrument of the Primarch's will. This mixture of fresh blood and aged experience blended together to make a cadre of soldiers that were the face of the legion. Each was a highly educated, highly disciplined, well spoken man. As an officer such marines carried themselves to exacting standards, and would in turn act as liaison to the greater Imperium with measured words and sharp intellect.

Below the officer corps stood the rank and file. These warriors were the backbone of the Lions, and carried a far larger percentage of the original Highland Raiders among their number. The unflinching stoicism of the old guard met with the exuberance of the new blood to form a culture of resolve in the face of all the galaxy's horrors. While not held to the same standards of conduct as the officer corps, the rank and file mimicked the culture of appearances; each man felt duty bound to present a collected, controlled face to their peers. In battle this often would translate to channeling stress and suffering as righteous anger or disdain for the enemy, which acted as a focus for the marines to cleave to when fighting. To falter, despair, or demonstrate a breach in the mannerisms core to the Lions' creed is to invite shame from one's peers. Those marines who do so suffer under a terrible stigma, as they become marginalized by their brothers in arms for their inability to keep a grip upon themselves. Only a demonstration of true valor will overcome this stain on such a blighted marine's honor, and most who seek to absolve themselves die in the attempt. For those who do not strive to save face in the wake of such matters, all that lay ahead is an ignoble career with no hope for promotion or glory. Even the loftiest of officers can suffer so, as to prove less than unflinching in the face of the most terrifying of fates is to be stripped of command. There is no room among the Lions' elite for men who lack resolve.

While decorum is of tantamount importance to the Lions Rampant, it is not to say that as a legion they strictly cleave to a dour, restrained lifestyle. The men of legion IX adopt a "work hard, play hard" mentality toward their campaigns. In the halls of diplomacy and upon the field of battle they present the dignified front for the galaxy to see. Upon claiming victory over a foe, however, it is customary to celebrate the conclusion of hostilities. Here the legionaries and officers both demonstrate a hedonistic aspect that is otherwise kept very discreet. Among the rank and file feasting and revelry is commonplace, with wine, women and song being the order of the day. As they party as they once had as mortal men, the officers watch on, celebrating in a more refined (but no less indulgent) fashion among their own ranks. Field marshals and senior staff will often show solidarity with their men by joining the riotous celebrations for a brief appearance, but ultimately the segregation of the ranks is retained.

In this way the Lions Rampant have become something of a legend to the human auxilia they fight alongside. To the eyes of mortal men the marines of legion IX are the pinnacle of decorum, embodying the traits every soldier and gentleman aspires to be. Among nobles they are skilled hosts and capable courtiers; among soldiers they are bold, stalwart and able to relieve the psychological strain of war with rallying words and the time honored soldier's tradition of revelry. By both virtue and vice they are an example to the large auxilia forces that fight under their banner.

Recruitment

In the early days of the crusade, the Highland Raiders were drawn from the conquered warriors of northern Albyon and stretches of Franc. The men chosen to become astartes were selected on account of their hardiness and indomitable spirit. As part of the recruitment rites, applicants were subjected to numerous tests of will and fortitude by their people. These culminated in a sojourn across the wintry wastes of the Albyon highlands to the transports responsible for claiming the tithe of men. Only those who could brave the bitter cold and savage fauna to reach their new masters would become the Emperor's warriors.

The newly augmented marines then faced the crucible of war with only a basic indoctrination period. Training and discipline were instilled rapidly over a scant handful of years before feeding the men into the furnace of battle. This made for a high rate of attrition to the Raider's forces, but also forged a core body of seasoned warriors from those who endured, and reinforced the culture of unbreakable will and grim resolve.

With the coming of Cromwald, this practice changed dramatically. During the restructuring of the legion he shifted recruitment from the wastes of Terra to the now flourishing world of Sommesgard, and instated new methods of drawing troops from their human stock. At first, the mandate came that his marines would be built from the children of officers who served in the planetary defense corps, given their pedigree and training from youth. This worked for a time, but the needs of the crusade would mandate before the decade was out that more recruits be trained. So the edict was passed that all young men of viable age born to the military arm of the Lions' homeworld would be registered for conscription. Academies were raised to train the youth of the world to meet the needs of the legion; they offered education in tactics, sciences, humanities and the arts. These schools became some of the most prestigious institutions across the face of the planet, and acceptance was a high honor. They were expensive to enroll in, ensuring that most of the students held a pedigree own renown. These children were groomed to one day become leaders among Lions, serving to guide their brothers drawn from lesser classes by means of draft lotteries and mass conscription.

On the day of conscription, every prospective recruit faces his first taste of life among the Emperor's vanguard. The young men are grouped together and subjected to a week of constant trial, pitting them against their peers. Each group must complete several objectives, scattered across a broad stretch of land cultivated to be difficult to navigate, all while knowing that those who fail lose their chance to become space marines. Dubbed the Crucible, it weeds out those who lack the spirit to become more than men, and is judged by a panel of captains in command of the recruiting companies. They choose candidates to fill out fresh platoons to replace those already graduated to one of the crusading fleets using not the success of the mission as their measure, but of the performance of the men as they face a task meant to be nearly impossible. Those who falter, despair or break in the face of insurmountable odds are seldom given a chance to be any more than a legion serf or servitor. Meanwhile, those who exhibit fortitude of will, cunning, and an indomitable spirit are taken to the vast training grounds surrounding the legion fortress to begin their implantation and training.

Organizational Structure

The Lions Rampant form a legion that seldom fights as one. Instead, the legion is split into six divisions, each numbering over 20,000 marines apiece. These divisions are autonomous; each forms the heart of a crusade fleet with its own array of capital ships, logistical support, and administrative backing to prosecute protracted campaigns with little outside influence from the rest of the legion. These divisions are commanded from above by a dedicated headquarters battalion formed by the Primarch, his hand-picked advisors and his elite guard. This command group attaches itself to a division for a period of time (usually the length of a campaign), providing the host division with the Primarch's leadership and the might of most illustrious warriors the legion has to offer. For the duration of his presence, Cromwald commands the division directly. Once it is time to move on, the Field Marshal reclaims control over his men and returns the crusade under his own authority while the Sovereign departs for the next division in need of guidance.

Each division is further broken up into a quintet of brigades, which nominally number between 4-5 thousand marines. The first brigade is a dedicated heavy armor brigade, while the rest are predominantly infantry. Each brigade is then broken into multiple battalions of roughly a thousand marines, which are in turn broken into companies of one hundred, then sections of thirty, down to the base squads of ten men.

Specialist Units

• Goshawk Squads

Unlike their contemporaries, the Lions refrain from outfitting jump packs to assault squads. Instead the mobility such equipment affords are given to teams dubbed Goshawk squads, which are equipped to act as forward observers and recon assets. The field gear each marine is issued for such duties varies wildly with the theater of war, but emphasis is placed on targeting and communications equipment. With such specialized gear these teams advance to high ground or infiltrate by air into enemy territory and mark targets for their allies. Through their guidance friendly artillery, air support, and even orbital bombardments can be wielded with uncanny precision. Should their position become untenable, the Goshawk teams rely on their mobility and friendly air/speeder support to escape to safety. Even so, their mortality rate is high, though volunteers are in abundance for the glories earned from such a perilous duty.

• Warden Counter-Assault Squads

Lions' doctrine affords hand to hand combat as an essential skill of every marine, but advises against charging into the enemy's guns. Instead, a doctrine of marines equipped for and tasked with counter-assault was developed. These formations are equipped with combat shields and power blades in addition to their standard kit, and form a reserve that deploy where the enemy has gathered strength for a charge. Should the foe brave the storm of bolter fire laid down by the tactical squads, the Wardens surge forward to check the enemy's momentum and shatter their cohesion in close quarters.

• Headquarters Support

Additionally, it is of great note that on each level of command there are multiple attachments to the unit headquarters that help expand upon its capabilities. Signals companies, medical units, librarian detachments and reconnaissance companies are often held separate from the standard organizational table, and regularly report directly to brigade or division command rather than following the conventional hierarchy. These forces are even further supplemented by maintenance and recovery units, auxilia forces and other assets that form the extensive infrastructure of war. Though each division on paper numbers roughly 25,000 marines, in practice this number is highly flexible and does not account for the small legion of serfs, technicians, servitors, orderlies, administrators and other necessary forces to ensure the engine of war is well maintained.

Fleet Assets

Given the legion's division of forces, the Lions Rampant maintain an extensive fleet to support their independent operations. The heart of this fleet is the Primarch's own flagship, the Gloriana class Indomitable Sovereign. This vessel is a highly modified warship rebuilt to Cromwald's tastes, with an emphasis on high-speed firepower. This ship is the heart of the primarch's personal fleet, surrounded by no less than ten other ships of the line and numerous escorts. Beneath this command fleet lay the numerous crusading fleets that fall under the Lion's authority. Each of these expeditions is built around a single division, borne on a fleet of between 10 to 20 ships of the line, and supported by assets from both the legion's fleet and the Imperial Army. Aboard the flagship vessel is the Master of Ships, an officer serving as a counterpart to the marshal in command of the division the fleet serves to transport.

Aside from the crusading fleets, the Lions possess one additional battlegroup: the Praetorian Flotilla. It is an honored collection of relic warships of all sizes and classifications. These venerable vessels stand vigil over Sommesgard and the legion's primary source of new men and materiel. While not as powerful as any of the expeditionary fleets, the numerous orbital fortresses, defense monitors, and other static engines of destruction give the Lions' homeworld a potent ward against enemy action.

At the onset of the Heresy, the combined force of the Lions Rampant fleet assets totaled over 90 capital ships, with an extensive number of escorts of cruiser class or lighter. Though outnumbered by the larger legions in terms of raw firepower, battlegroups under the Lions' banner form a highly mobile strike force that focus on outmaneuvering their enemies.

The Dauntless, Indomitable Class Cruiser

The Dauntless was one of the handful of Indomitable class vessels laid down in the late years of the Great Crusade. Designed originally to be a fast, heavily armed escort, its role was to deliver punishing salvos of lance and macrocannon strikes on the flanks of an enemy formation while the larger vessels form a clash of the line. Chosen for its strengths by the Lions Rampant, the Dauntless joined the second division fleet on the crusade. She remained a relatively unknown element of the fleet for decades, engaging in several battles but never playing a decisive role in any. It was not until the outbreak of the Hektor Heresy that the crew of the Dauntless would make their mark on history. On the fringes of the Wendol Drifts the master of the 2nd division was given council that all was not right in the legion. Braving the threat of death or worse, the apothecary Antonin Gagnon brought the warning of Cromwald's treachery, and of his corruption of the legion's gene-stock. Using his own numbing body as evidence the apothecary made his case, and awakened Marshal Venetus to the truth. Venetus gathered the meager handful of men he could trust and boarded the Dauntless under the ruse of an inspection of the vessel's aging arsenal. Personally he took command of the ship, sparking a full blown battle in the void as loyalist elements aboard no less than four other vessels attempted to seize control of the helm and break from the traitor's formation. Of these Venetus led three ships to a successful coup and used their speed to take flight from the enemy now in pursuit. Only the Dauntless successfully ran the gauntlet of the traitors' guns. Her flanks were raked by salvos of fire from enemy cruisers, but her speed allowed the last loyalists of the 2nd division to break free from the fleet and begin a weeks-long flight from the hounds at their heels. Only by destroying the Storm of Wrath and her escorts was the Dauntless able to finally make good an escape into the warp. The traitors, believing the ship to be lost, ended their pursuit. Adrift, crippled, and with only a skeleton crew of a few hundred men, the Dauntless was at the mercy of the warp. The ship's navigator died shortly after the flight, leaving the crew adrift and only capable of short jumps through the immaterium. In this fashion, the vessel missed the majority of the Heresy; unable to warn the Imperium and left to question its fate the loyalists began to lose faith.

Exemplary Formations

Throughout the Crusade the marines of the Lions Rampant have earned countless battle honors. These merits, issued for valor and victory, have helped shape the name and legend of several formations within the legion.

The Lionhearts

The first brigade, third division have borne the title of their first and greatest lord marshal in the wake of the victory over the hulking Tsulkik xenos. When faced with the terrifying alien juggernauts, the lord marshal gathered his armored assets to meet the lumbering enemy armor on the field of battle. It was here that the first "Lancer" formation of vanquisher equipped predator and vindicator tanks was fielded. With mobility on their side, they harried the xeno war machines at extreme range, driving the enemy forces into disarray. What followed was a bold assault to finish the disorganized xeno armor, with the marshal's land raider "Indomitable" forming a mailed fist that hammered through the enemy guns. Lauded for their victory, the armored might of the 3rd division have since proven time and again that their courage will not be broken. Since the initial christening, the Lionhearts have refined the armored doctrine further. The Lancer formation now forms the backbone of their strength, with other patterns of tank supporting the vanquishers when enemy armor is engaged. Always the Lionhearts pursue aggressive, direct tactics; their penchant for focused aggression and dauntless courage continues under the command of marshal Basil Heart, who leads in the wake of his mentor.

The Duke's Own

Attached to the headquarters of 3rd brigade, 2nd division, the Duke's Own are a recon unit named for their parent vessel, the Duke Vanderoy. The marines of the brigade reconnaissance detachment are experts in their specialization; each is a veteran of numerous drops and an artist with the jump packs they take wing upon. Present for the scouring of the moons of Anhorath, they acted as the eyes and ears of a blinded brigade. Where auspex and augur arrays failed, they took flight and positioned precariously close to the enemy warrens where heathen men gathered in strength. Braving the threat of imminent death, they relied on visual signaling to coordinate legion artillery onto their own positions. They relied on their jump packs to escape to safety as the shells began to fall. This, among other operations, highlights the recon group as elite among their brethren and courageous to the point of insanity. Only volunteers are ever assigned to the team, and of those volunteers only those skilled in flight, evasion and gifted with preternatural situational awareness are gifted the wings upon their armor marking them as one of the Duke's Own.

Renowned Figures

The Sacred Band

Squad IX of the sacred band was chosen from the newly developed Highland Raiders, whose human stock had been drawn from the wastes of what had once been the western stretches of old Europe. They were a hardy group whose powers of endurance and stalwart hearts had made them excellent Astartes candidates. From this legion the ten marines chosen to join Hektor in his subjugation of the broad Merican wastes were not the strongest, the most skilled, or the greatest champions. Those men chosen to ride with the warmaster possessed a far greater quality: intellect and leadership. They were the best examples of scholarship and integrity, of cunning and of charisma necessary to spur their marines to ever greater feats of military excellence. When the legion reached for the stars at the onset of the Great Crusade, it would be under the command of the survivors of the band and wielding their tactics across the stars.

Eight of the ten survived to take the reigns of their legion. Of those eight, only six lived to see their primarch restored. Four of these six were given mastery over a division of the legion. The remaining pair would serve alongside the primarch as advisers and specialists whose talents and understanding would prove utterly invaluable.

• Geoffrey Calisth - The Lionheart, a warrior whose aggressive tactics would help shape the core of the Lions armored might. Mentor to Basil Heart, who would succeed him. Died in battle as master of the 3rd division, leading the brigade that shared his title.

• Callidan Taylor - Shrewd, cunning, and gifted in deception and subterfuge. His contributions would be marginalized in his later years as too underhanded and indirect. Slain in battle shortly before the discovery of their primarch.

• Frederick of Lomstead - A simple, down to earth individual whose plain manner hides a very keen intellect. A good anchor for his peers, he was often chosen the broker of peace between astartes for his level head. Joined Cromwald's command company upon discovering the primarch.

• Isaac Venetus - A tactician and capable fighter, he was renowned for his stubbornness and eye for positioning and deployment. A good shot with heavy weapons, he would go on to lead the 2nd division.

• Ricard Leminway - An expert marksman with a cheerful demeanor, he never ceased to show pride at being chosen as one of the legions best and brightest. His jovial ways helped morale, as no horror of war ever seemed to phase him. Died on the crusade before Cromwald was found.

• Russel Brennenburg - A heavyset, somber man who bore the names of slain brothers and battles branded upon his skin. He would never forget a defeat, and would avenge his fallen brothers as a grim reaper upon his enemies. Slain in the final days of Unification.

• Carloff Everts - Faced with the wisdom and knowledge of the Warmaster, he demonstrated an insatiable craving for more. He threw himself at theory and was always keen to adapt his academic understanding of tactics to practical ends. Mastered the 6th division.

• Vincent Klienes - Psychically gifted and in possession of an iron will, he was a noble soul who fought brilliantly no matter the danger. He would be the first and greatest of the legion's librarians, who proved a dauntless explorer of the powers he wielded and the source of their might.

• The Bear - Drawn from an annexed barbarian tribe and uplifted to the Imperial Truth, Bear was a surprisingly intelligent man. Built like his namesake and possessing a fearsome nature, he would become a legend among his brothers as a champion, and master of the 4th division.

• Gabriel Belimond - A moody, dark man whose even temper restrained a slowly smoldering rage within. Died during unification.

Victor Chesly of the Crusader Host

Chesly stands apart from his legion as a brave, loyal soul whose career remains untarnished by the stain on his legion's honor. He was an esteemed officer in the late years of the crusade given command of the 1st division. From this lofty position he was chosen to join the Emperor's side as one of the Crusader Host. Taken aback by the peerless honor such a position entailed, he humbly resigned his post as marshal and prepared himself for the long separation from his brethren.

Victor embodies the very best of his legion. (to be continued)

A Legion Fallen and Fragmented

The already divided organization of the Lions Rampant did little to prevent the splintering of the legion. Before his banishment to the warp, Cromwald maintained supreme control as the chosen of Slaanesh. Upon losing their leader, however, the Lions fragmented under lesser warlords. Their armies and warbands began to build their own infamy across the centuries.

The Tyrants Legion

Warriors of the Whispering Tyrant, a Chaos Lord of Slaanesh that is reported to draw from the souls of those he faces their darkest secrets, and whisper terrible things to their mind. A generalist warband with a high concentration of sorcerors, they are based on a small stronghold near the Maelstrom, where the tides of the warp hide them from Imperial Justice.

The Lions Claws

Formed around an armored brigade that split from the legion, they are a horde of vehicle mounted marines that delight in the thunder of treads and the roar of big guns. Praising Slaanesh from their iron steeds, they raid for slaves and victims to satisfy their need for violence, flesh and souls. Their master reportedly feeds his Vanquisher pattern Predator tank the blood and souls of his victims to bring the daemon within to compliance. Where the tank rides, it is accompanied by the tortured screams and ecstatic howls of those condemned to the daemon's clutches.

Writefaggotry in progress

The Trial of General Betroval

--/Pict feed begins./-- Subject (identified General Griffon Betroval, age 98) is seated in center of wide chamber, stripped to only trousers and shackles. Pict focuses on Betroval. Blurred human figure in ornate long coat (Subject (i)) crosses pict source. Sudden light fixes on Betroval, causing him to flinch and squint.

Voice(i?): General Betroval. What has it been, three days? Three days, bound before this court. Three days denying the truth of your crimes before the Imperium.

BETROVAL: I have told you! I told you I am no traitor! You have the evidence for yourself!

Voice(i?): You deny still, then, the charges leveled before you?

BETROVAL: Yes! I do!

Voice(i?): In spite of the evidence to the contrary, to your cowardice and treachery?

BETROVAL: I have told you, I am no traitor! Your evidence shows that I have done nothing but my duty!

Subject (i) crosses pict source again, stepping into the light. Still pict capture identifies Subject (i) as Inquisitor Thaddeus Kranz. Kranz strikes Betroval with an open backhand.

KRANZ: Duty? You are unfit to have such a word on your tongue. Perhaps, though, if not I...perhaps you could say such things to your own men? Lie to them as you do to me, general.

BETROVAL: My men? You bastard, they died in the Emperor's name! How dare you...

Kranz cuts Betroval off with a second strike to the face. Betroval begins to speak, but falls silent, growing visibly pale (Poss anemia? Consult Medicae log). Kranz turns and gestures beyond scope of pict-feed in direction of Betroval's gaze.