The Crusaders

The Crusaders
Number	X
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Successor Chapters	Crusaders Obscurus, Crusaders Pacificus, Crusaders Tempestuous, Nova Defenders, Thousand Swords, Ultima Crusaders
Primarch	Thomas Gaudin
Homeworld	Sturmundrang
Strength	105,000 at start of Heresy
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. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

Summary of Legion X

Numeration: The 10th Legion

Primogenitor: Thomas Gaudin

Cognomen (Prior): None

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Combined Arms Warfare, Armoured Assault, Mechanized Infantry Assault, Maneuverer Warfare

Noteworthy Domains: Terra, Sturmundrang and the Solar Domains

Alliegence: Fidelitas Totalis

"The battlefront disappeared, and with it the illusion that there had ever been a battlefront. For this was no war of occupation, but a war of quick penetration and obliteration, a war where it was won before the enemy even knew they were in a war.”

Unnamed Remembrancer attached to the X Legion, on the battle tactics of the Crusaders

Mechanized infantry that uses Blitzkrieg tactics. Commonly operates as a peacekeeping force. Aggressive, but tempered. They make a point of being fair and honorable where they can.

Legion Tactics

The Crusaders are an army of rapid mechanized assaults. Using Land Raiders and tanks on the ground and Thunderhawks in the air, they break through enemy lines. Once this has been achieved, mobile forces race deeper into enemy territory, disrupting the rear areas and threatening the front lines with encirclement.

The infantry tactics of the Crusaders are to continuously gain ground and to push the enemy back. They are known for their modified Land Raider platforms each containing 10 marines, forming a single "troop". The Land Raider will advance towards an enemy position supported by artillery or gunship fire. Once it has reached its objective, the Land Raider will disgorge the Space Marines and fight alongside them. As this is happening, other Land Raiders will continue on to their own objectives in a leap frog tactic. This allows the Crusaders to cover tremendous amounts of ground and completed multiple objective simultaneously. Once a "troop" completes it's objective it will return to the Land Raider and move on to other objectives. This maintains a very rapid and disorientating assault

If the enemy does not give ground or manages a counter-attack, a Crusaders troops is perfectly capable of digging in their heels and calling in support. The same rapid manoeuvres that deliver attacking troops can also bring up reserves, or fire support via artillery or Thunderhawks. The Crusaders are a fast-moving, multi-pronged spear. Their tactics, and the difficulty to dislodge them from any position, has earned the Legion an unofficial nickname; "The Barbs."

Legion Equipment

Legion Doctrine

The Crusaders make a point of being fair and honorable where they can. They were the second most powerful legion after the Heresy. Thomas Gaudin offered a logical and well thought out alternative to the military organisation of Gaspard Lumey presented in the Institutorum Astartes. The Crusaders accepted much of the Institorum, but made a change in the chain of command of the Chapter. They included the new "Lieutenant" rank, given command over two squads of five marines, 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.

Notable Crusaders

Leon Heldt was serving as Gaudin's page when the Emperor came to Sturmundrang. Still young enough to be inducted into the Adeptus Astartes, Heldt graduated as a fine Space Marine. Despite many offers of promotion to command, his highest aspiration was to serve as the Primarch's bodyguard. Heldt laid down in life for Gaudin and the Emperor during the fateful assault on Hektor's flagship.

The Sacred Band

Anton Kantner led Tenth Squad during the battles of the Merican Hives. Kantner took pride in always accomplishing his tasks ahead of schedule. Although this zeal sometimes offended other members of the Sacred Band, it also established the Tenth Legion's tradition of letting nothing slow, let alone stop, their advance. After Gaudin was rediscovered, Kantner laid down his command without ill-feeling, and was rewarded with a place as the Primarch's Equerry.

Erik Faas was a much-feared commander. His weapon of choice in the Merican Hive campaign was the flamer, and it was well-suited to his temperament. Though Faas could be jovial and kind to his men, he is best-remembered for his declaration to the Legion at the start of the Great Crusade:

Do not be swayed by the false virtues of compassion or mercy. No carelessness, driven by warm feelings, should dissuade you from utter loyalty to the cause of Mankind. We go to the stars to destroy the Alien, the mutant, and all who would endanger the human race!

Marcus Drag is often forgotten by outsiders who recount the history of The Crusaders, for he had few great victories associated with his name. But for the Legion and their many successors his name is highly honoured. Drag was a skilled tank driver and commander, and he certainly contributed to some of The Crusaders finest hours - especially their lightning strike during the Siege of Terra, when he laid down his life fighting against the Traitors. Yet it was his role behind the scenes that truly defined this warrior's role. He worked tirelessly to plan and establish The Crusader's network of fortresses throughout the interior of the Imperium. Drag's achievement allowed the Legion, and later their association of Successor Chapters, to rapidly redeploy across the Galaxy to confront the Imperium's direst foes. It is for this that he is remembered as The Peacemaker.

Max Toten, on the other hand, was the best-known of the Crusaders outside of their Primarch. Toten's tall, bearded figure stood out among his peers, and his great voice and charisma could rally the forces of the Imperium like few others. Though not the most skilled general of Gaudin's inner council, he was regularly entrusted with critical commands because of the effect he had on morale. Thankfully for the Crusaders, Toten was humble enough to take advice from better planners. Max Toten's final battle was the massive naval engagement at the beginning of the Traitors' attack on the Solar System. He volunteered to take command of the point ship in the Imperial forces, understanding that this duty was a death sentence. Though Toten and his command were lost early in the engagement, his selfless courage would continue to inspire the Crusaders through the dark days of the Siege of Terra. He is venerated as a saint in many parts of the Imperium. Void-farers, especially sailors in the Imperial Navy, often carry medals bearing a likeness of "Saint Max" to invoke his protection.

Gabriel Bain was initially groomed for duty as an Apothecary in the embryonic Space Marine Legions, but his combat and leadership skills improved much more quickly than his peers. A sober and stiff-mannered Marine, his cool demeanour masked a tendency for daring in both personal combat and command. Bain was Tenth Squad's point-man throughout the Pacification of the Merican Hives, and tanks under his command would reprise the role during many of The Crusader's armoured actions.

Severin Hahn A highly skilled warrior with a flair for command, Severin Hahn was the first Legion Champion of the X Legion. Throughout the Crusade he would continue to stand for his legion, eventually meeting his end on the blasted plains of Zhuko V, fighting the traitor Primarch Tollund Otztal in single combat.

Elias Selig

Walter Blum

Lucas Braun

Rook North was an exemplary warrior. He was also something of a blowhard, composing and performing many fine songs - about his own heroic exploits. His bragging did not endear him to his peers. However, The Crusaders prize results more than personality and North certainly got his results. He would fight in every great campaign of the Legion, from its origins in the Merican Hives to the pyrrhic victory at the Siege of Terra. North would eventually be dispatched to guard an ancient relic in the Galactic South-East as the Master of the Nova Defenders Chapter.

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.