The Crusaders

The Crusaders
Number	X
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Primarch	Thomas Gaudin
Specialty	Armored Frontline Combat
Allegiance	Imperium of Man

This page details people, events, and organisations from The /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe.

Summary of Legion X

Peacekeeping Force Zealous, but tempered. They make a point of being fair and honorable where they can.

Legion Tactics

Infantry tactics are to continuously gain ground and to push the enemy back, and if the enemy does not give ground or is gaining ground then the Crusaders shall hold ground and call in for reinforcements. Opposing to the enemy a barrage of force shields and thunder hammers, the Crusaders are an armored front that no enemy can push back and whose relentless advance can only be stopped through the most gruesome of cost in lives.

Legion Equipment

Legion Doctrine

They make a point of being fair and honorable where they can. Were second most powerful legion after the Heresy. Offered a logical and well thought out alternative to the Codex offered by the Scions of Europa. The alternative is a change in the chain of command of the Chapter. This change included the new "Lieutenant" rank, who was given command over two squads which form a single "troop". Due to their strength, hardiness, and strong sense of justice, the Crusaders have taken the role of a peacekeeping force. Sending fleets out to patrol their section of the galaxy, they also keep a sizable force planet side to mobilize as a quick reaction force or to reinforce other Legions if needed.

Thomas Gaudin, Primarch of The Crusaders

Youth

Not much is known of Gaudin's early childhood once he landed on Sturmundrang, only that the planet was mired in a bloody and stagnant civil war. The use of chemical and nuclear weapons rendered the very air caustic to breath, so much so that it was impossible to survive for more than a few seconds on the scarred surface without a breathing apparatus and a body suit. All that is known of Gaudin's arrival on Sturmundrang is that he was raised in a neutral domain by it's ruling Lord. Due to Gaudin being able to survive on the surface of Sturmundrang without assistance thanks to his enhanced physiology, Gaudin was recognised by his surrogate family as a truly valuable individual.

Due the neutrality of his foster domain, Gaudin's home had a very small standing army of men but a fairly sizeable reserve of vehicles, mostly infantry fighting vehicles and tanks. These vehicles were a necessity for effective military movement as they were sealed from the caustic air, used a recycled air filtration system and were able to refill air tanks for ground troops. Noticing how stagnant the fighting was on his world, Gaudin used the little troops he had to revolutionise warfare on Sturmundrang. By having a small number of men, Gaudin was able to give them all specialised training and to establish nearly all of them into IFV's and tanks those who could not were placed in reserve or put in support roles i.e. artillery, supply, communication and medical care. Long since sickened by the seemingly endless and brutal war, Gaudin vowed to use his new army to unite the planet under one banner.

Using this small, well trained and highly mobile force, Gaudin set out beyond his lords borders and began his crusade across the war-torn, toxic surface. Having been taught that mercy is a necessary and sadly rare virtue among leaders by his adoptive father, Gaudin offered terms to all those who would listen. If they refused to listen to them or refused to obey them, Gaudins army would crush them under track and boot. In rare cases a pocket of resistance managed to halt the roaring advance of the crusaders, sometimes for days other times for weeks or even months. Impressed by the guile and courage shown by these men, Gaudin would allow any survivors who were willing to either join his army or to return home to their families. In most cases they joined his forces and were placed in veteran companies, acting as the spear tip in his advance.

Notable Successors

Thousand Swords

Thousand Swords
Battle Cry	No Mercy! No Surrender!
Founding	Second Founding
Successors of	The Crusaders
Homeworld	Crusade Fleet Rotbart
Specialty	Close Combat
Allegiance	Imperium of Man

Chapter History

While the Crusaders had redefined their role after the heresy, many within the legion vehemently disagreed with the new direction. They felt that to become peacekeepers and border guards was a violation of the original purpose of the Great Crusade, which had given them their name. The Imperium was battered, but not broken, and it was only right for them to push forward into the unknown and continue gaining ground for humanity, as the Emperor originally intended. Emboldened by their desire for revenge, they proposed to separate from the main force of the crusaders to continue pursuing the traitors towards the Eye of Terror, regaining the worlds despoiled by those that they once called brothers.

The Arkangel Crusade

After a great number of victories, here is where the Thousand Swords met their first great loss. In the heat of battle, their first chapter master, Peter Wrangel, was cut down by a turbo-penetrator round from behind. The shooter was never found, but the chapter still harbors a distrust of all assassins to this day.

Notable Members

Peter Wrangel – First Chapter Master

Chapter Combat Doctrine

The Thousand Swords prefer a more aggressive approach than their progenitors, preferring to charge head on towards the enemy. Throughout the years, they have developed a culture based around the honour of close combat, seeing it as cowardly to stand back and bombard their opponents from afar.

Chapter Beliefs

The Thousand Swords shun the use of psykers in any capacity outside of what is strictly necessary to guide their ships, and therefore make no use of librarians. They believe that meddling with the warp is what caused the Hektor Heresy in the first place, and want to have as little to do with it as possible.

Chapter Homeworld

The Thousand Swords have no fixed homeworld, stationing themselves on a fleet of ships, heading farther and farther out into the far reaches of the Imperium.

Nova Defenders

Nova Defenders
Battle Cry	We defend to the end!
Founding	Third Founding
Successors of	The Crusaders
Homeworld	Rylethon
Specialty	Static firepower (gun-line tactics)
Allegiance	Imperium of Man

The Nova Defenders were the proud guardians of an ancient relic in the Galactic South-East. While much of their history was obscure, they rose to some fame with the arrival of the Tyrannids.

Chapter History

After the defeat of Hektor, the Loyalists launched a great counter-offensive across the Galaxy. Thomas Gaudin's Crusaders, though bloodied in the Siege of Terra, were unbroken. They played a critical role in the fighting, sending forces to every Segmentum. Deep in the galactic South-East, elements of the Third Company discovered an ancient structure on the Feral World Rylethon. The precise nature of the Lighthouse of Rylethon was never determined, but the assessment of every inspecting Magos shared one common thread: the artefact was a potent relic of the Dark Age of Technology. Thomas Gaudin accepted the wisdom of the Adeptus Mechanicus as it was and moved to establish a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes to safeguard the Lighthouse.

Gaudin also took the opportunity to remove a thorn from his side. Captain Rook North was a superb warrior who had fought with great distinction on Terra and in the Scouring. However, he was also over-fond of his own looks and all too free with his opinions. Finding a place for such a warrior had been difficult enough during the dark days when the Loyalists had to hang together or hang separately. Finding a place for him during peace time was even worse. The opportunity to reward North with a far-off assignment was too good to pass up.

746.M41 Battle of First Night A splinter of Hive Fleet Behemoth attacked the Nova Defenders homeworld, causing great losses to the Chapter and devastating Rylethon. However, the arrival of other Imperial forces ensured the Nova Defenders' survival and gave the Imperium an early victory over the Tyrannid menace.

Notable Members

Chapter Master Rook North

Chapter Master Rook North

Rook North would be the first to tell others that he was a narcissist. He would also be the first to inform them of his courage, tactical brilliance, honourable nature, good looks, and as anything else about himself that he had time to impart. But if the man bragged, he certainly had plenty to brag about. He was one of the first intake of Terrans who had fought alongside Hektor in the Merican Hives. North had gone on to fight in all of the most illustrious campaigns of the Crusaders, even before they were reunited with Gaudin. Even when the Primarch carried the Emperor's broken body from the Sun Chariot, North was at his side, fiercely defending his lords.

He was the original Crusader, and he never let anyone forget about that.

Chapter Combat Doctrine

The Nova Defenders are known for their inexorable advance and heavy firepower. The Chapter possessed a surprising number of Land Raiders, no doubt a reward from the Priests of Mars for their ceaseless vigil. They also favoured carrying pavise combat shields.

Chapter Beliefs

Standing as Guardians over the Lighthouse shaped the Nova Defenders. The Marines regarded their charge as a symbol of man's once and future brilliance, and came to think that their duty would lead to a new golden age.

Chapter Homeworld

Rylethon was an ocean world, peopled by primitive fishermen. The Nova Defenders tended to recruit from more warlike planets elsewhere in the Sector.