Editing Mastodontii (section)

===Recruitment and Training===

Though Tisenjoch was not a vastly populated world, its people were uniquely suited to the implantation of the Mastodontii gene-seed.  This genetic quirk encouraged the export of the Legion's headquarters from Titan to Ötztal's homeworld sometime in the fifth decade of the Great Crusade.  As in other Legions, the Eighth carried out semi-ritualised trials to determine the fitness of their Aspirants.  At first, these trials were in common with the traditions of old Terra, but over time the standard became the Test of Four Seasons.  Uniquely, Aspirants were paired together and succeeded or failed along with their partner.  It is believed that the Test re-enacted the hunting of Andugu, Orgolesh, and Huwadu by the Legion's Primarch, although the precise details were never disclosed to outsiders.

Another idiosyncracy of the Mastodontii training was special instruction in wrestling.  Their Primarch was a remarkable grappler and his gene-sons proved worthy heirs.  These skills were rarely used in field warfare but often helped the Mastodontii in tight environments, such as tunnel fighting or boarding operations.