Editing Helios Angels (section)

=History of the First Legion=
''The greatest honor I can award to you, my sons, is remembrance. Never shall history forget your names!''

'''-Hektor Cincinnatus, at the conclusion of the [[Unification Wars (Hektor Heresy)|Unification Wars]]



Truly blessed for the presence of their Primarch, the Helios Angels had his guiding hand since their inception. Known by some as the ''Angels of the Dawn'', the First Legion carried with them a small army of record keepers and remembrancers. In addition to this, every Marine kept a meticulous personal record as to allow future generations never to forget their experiences or to allow some to gleam information on individuals lost to the tides of war. This record keeping also allowed neophytes part of the Scholae Astartes born three generations into the Great Crusade to understand their forebears. 

==The Unification Wars==
[[File:Space Marines by The First Magelord.jpg|250px|thumb|The Space Marines]]
''Legionnaires, form ranks! To the front! For Hektor's glory!''

'''-Ajax Camillus, during the Merican Campaign'''



Before being named as the Helios Angels, Legio I was given the highest priority of genestock and weaponry. Their armor was the finest among all the other Legions. Their Primarch, Hektor, was still a child at the onset of the Unification Wars. It would be sixteen years until he took the reins of command. '''Ajax Camillus''' would lead his brothers in the opening moves of the Unification Wars, working in conjuction with thousands of techno-barbarian levies and Thunder Warriors armies. His subcommanders, '''Hephaestion Horatius''', and '''Leonidas Manisicus''', would later aid him leading the Sacred Band under the direct control of Hektor Cincinnatus himself. After the conclusion of that experiment, and the conquering of the Merican Hives the '''Outragos''' was formed. The First Legion took up the name of Helios Angels shortly before the Pacification of Luna. 

===Notable Campaigns===
{{See also|Unification Wars (Hektor Heresy)}}

*'''Pacification of the Merican Hives''': The Sacred Band's contribution to victory in the Merican campaign was small but significant. Even more important was the leadership of Hektor and his gene-sons, which would establish a precedent for the First Legion being at the head of the Legiones Astartes.
*'''First Pacification of Luna''': Thanks to their Primarch's unexpected alliance with the Eclipse Queen, [[Pallas Eugenesis]], the First Legion spearheaded an unexpectedly easy conquest of Terra's satellite.  Their victory secured valuable genetic laboratories and the Hektor's political marriage to Pallas would have a lasting impact on the Legion.

==The Great Crusade==
[[File:Helios_16_With_Equipment.jpg|200px|thumb|The color scheme of the Helios Angels.]]
''Our pride made us feel invincible. Humility was a lesson dealt too many times yet never learned.''

'''-Sebastion Rex, Legionary Equerry'''



The first laurels of the [[Great Crusade (Hektor Heresy)|Great Crusade]] fell to the Helios Angels. Moving out as a swift storm, the wings of the Legion brought numerous systems into Compliance. Imperial records have been heavily redacted after the Heresy, with only fragmentary evidence to support theories of the era. However there are signs that nearly half the Segmentum Solar was brought in by the Legion. These victories won immense resources for the nascent Imperium of Mankind. Hektor's likeness was engraved on countless frescoes and statues across the Segmentum, preserved by the Imperium's grateful new citizens. Yet the mark of the First Legion would be more deeply made by the ''Scholae Astartes'' that they established to train new Imperial administrators and Space Marine recruits. 

The Helios Angel made their presence known through conduct and action. Gracious in peaceful Compliance, violent to resisters, and utterly destructive to foes. Serving as a flawless standard to live up to, the Great Crusade benefited mightily due to the image projected by the First Legion. Hektor in particular enjoyed fostering good relations between Marine and Man, having his Marines deal with subjects with the utmost respect. This formal reverence to citizens made newly christened members welcomed, received, and protected. Often times first worlds to join the Imperium would see the First Legion come to their rescue too. Ork Raiders, Eldar Corsairs, and other outside threats came to fear the blue, gold, and red of the Helios. 

Hektor grew greatly proud of his sons, especially in the great names that would shape them; [[Maranthos Egille]], [[Sebastion Rex]], [[Cassandor Honorious]], and [[Daedalus Appius]]. However as the first Century of the Great Crusade came towards its end, the First Legion's star was challenged by new-comers. [[Roman Albrecht]]'s valiant [[Steel Marshals]] showed that they were perhaps even more courageous and noble than the Helios Angels. [[Gaspard Lumey]] and his once-forgotten Fifth Legion achieved the impossible and won the Imperium a thousand sectors in a single year. Through grim resolve and ruthless efficiency, [[Alexandri of Rosskar|Alexandri Ibirien]] and the [[Silver Cataphracts]] became the Emperor's first choice for the most daunting assignments. Although Hektor pushed his even men harder, the vigor that had once accompanied their campaigns could not be recaptured. Some even whispered that the decline of the greatest champions of Imperium meant that the Great Crusade would be a fleeting achievement.

In the following century, Hektor made a series of reforms intended to restore the cutting edge of his Legion. Five '''Ephors''' were appointed with the authority to break up the patterns of patronage and influence-peddling that Hektor feared were eroding the Legion's strength.  Pallas Eugenesis and her gene-wrights were commanded to purify the gene-seed, replicating the best samples and purging mediocrity. New allies were sought, such as the Knights of '''House Drăcul''', a once mighty Household that had resisted the Imperium and been ruined because of it. These pacts would have dire consequences, but they did restore something of the Legion's fortunes. Towards the end of the 900s, the First Legion played the pivotal role in the immense struggle with the Orks of Ullanor and their triumph was crowned by the appointment of Hektor Cincinnatus as Warmaster.

This marked a rebirth of the Angels. A new name was needed to mark this change in fortunes. Due to a peerless attitude towards the Crusade and an ingenious cadre of commanders, the Legion's original gravitas began to return. To signify this, they would rename themselves to the [[Heralds of Hektor]] in honor of the Primarch who had led them so far. The Helios Angels became synonymous in their time with impeccable service and loyalty. Their next form as the Heralds, would earn them an entirely different form of renown.


===Notable Campaigns===
{{See also|Great Crusade (Hektor Heresy)}}

*'''[[The Ullanor War]]'''