Eyes of the Emperor

Eyes of the Emperor
Battle Cry	"His Eyes are upon you!"
Number	XIX
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Successor Chapters	Wraith Corps
Primarch	Octullus Tyran
Homeworld	Illobian
Specialty	Ranged specialists
Allegiance	Loyalist
Colours	Red and gold

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 Eyes of the Emperor were one of the great Legiones Astartes, once led by the Primarch Octullus Tyran. They were known for peerless marksmanship, technical acumen and secretive ways - but their secrets were more than even their Primarch knew.

History

Much of the Legion's history is clouded in shadow. Its leaders rarely kept written records and filed only those reports which were demanded of them. Journalists were unwelcome on their Expedition Fleets. Despite the lack of evidence, some key episodes could be reconstructed from the histories of other formations.

Culture

Although the Council of Ten and Octullus Tyran would be at odds politically, they had surprisingly similar cultural values. The Eyes of the Emperor prized ritual and contemplation. Their fortresses and warships were places of restorative beauty, adorned with silks, fine metalwork, and decorative plants.

Homeworld

Illobian
Segmentum	Ultima Segmentum
Sub Sector	Sorga
System	Illobian
Population	120,000,000
Orbital radius	0.125 ± 0.03AU
Gravity	0.83G
Temperature	warm

Illobian is an unusual world, nestled close to the dim light of a red dwarf star. Although the planet is similar in size to Holy Terra, it has a low core density and a thick atmosphere. This combination allows for large native animals - pauslangit in the local dialect - to float through the air, grazing on microscopic wind-borne planet and animal life. Arachnid-analogues build prodigious webs to prey upon these grazers.

Human settlement prior to Pacification was sparse and primitive, similar to old Terra in the first millennium. Most of the population lived on terraced settlements built on the sides of mountains or other natural elevations, seeking thinner and healthier air. Growing up on Illobian leaves its natives tall and slender, with relatively low bone density. However, the rustic lifestyle and gentle gravity encourages athleticism and Illobian complaints of "moving slowly" on other worlds are often met with disbelief or a wry smile. The same low bone density makes Illobians naturally averse to brawling and heavy armour. They favour light ranged weapons, being particularly fond of the sling.

Culture on this primitive world is not remarkable. Although early Imperial visitors remarked on its serenity and the high standard of living of its people, later historical investigation found that Illobian's era of peace had been achieved by Octullus Tyran, rather than a naturally serene population, while the silks worn by the poor were just a sign of the fabric's ready availability. Illobian's temples and monasteries, however, continue draw a certain amount of anthropological interest. Unlike many of the pre-Imperial religions, these meditative sects were atheistic and, far from being a conduit for the Ruinous Powers, appear to have protected the natives from the perils of awakening psykers.

Recruitment and training

As a secretive and highly ritualised Legion, the Eyes preferred to gather their Aspirants at a very young age. By the time that Octullus Tyran was rediscovered, the age of induction had dropped to 6, with the boys gathered up and given religious and physical instruction ahead of final physical, psychological and genetic screening. Those that failed at this stage were inducted into one of the various meditant orders that provided the Eyes with their support staff. The successful aspirants undertook a final ordeal to test their spiritual purity. The precise details of the ordeal were a closely-guarded secret, with failed aspirants and neophytes converted into Servitors. It is clear that there were many degrees of achievement in the final aspirant trial, allowing the Eyes of the Emperor to separate the recruits into different castes.

Spiritual indoctrination accompanied the process of an aspirant becoming one of the Legion. There were seven vows of purity that each neophyte must take to become a full fledged space marine. Each vow was the result of a long period of spiritual education and meditation and precedes the implantation of new Space Marine organs. Ahead of the first surgeries, the neophyte took the vow of Rapture, affirming his joy at undertaking the path of the Emperor. Once the Secondary Heart, Ossmodula, and Biscopea have been successfully implanted, a vow of Determination corresponded to the Haemastanen and Larraman's Organ. The third vow of Concentration commenced the Neophyte's hypnotherapy courses and the implantation of the Catalepsean Node, Preomnor, Omaphagea, and Multi-Lung. Next, the vow of Investigation came with the enhanced perception of the Occulobe and Lyman's Ear. Neophytes who survived to the next stage took a vow of Tranquility, finally setting the disturbances of their past life behind them as they accepted the Sus-an Membrance, Melancrhoma, and Oolotic Kidney into their bodies. In what would typically be the Neophyte's tenth year in the care of the Legion, he must take a Vow of Mindfullness ahead of the implantation of the Neuroglottis, Mucranoid, and Betcher's Gland. The final vow of Equanimity is a declaration of the Neophyte's dedication to the Legion and the Emperor and his indifference to his own singular fate. Following this vow, the Progenoid Glands, and later the Black Carapace, are implanted.

Once the implantation process is complete, the new member of the Legion is granted the rank of Shishya, or disciple. He is paired up with an experienced battle brother of the same caste, his Guru, who will train and monitor him for seven years before the Shishya is considered a regular battle brother. During this time, Shishya are not exempt from battle duties, but accompany their Guru in the campaigns of the Imperium. As a sign of his wisdom, a Guru bears a veteran bolt implanted in his forehead for each Shishya he has trained.

Most marines spend their time in the firing range during their free time or working on their equipment, although a few do spend their time practicing in the fighting cages. Those are mostly assault marines, but rarely, you might see another battle brother there as well. All members of the Legion spend time in the Meditation chambers, where marines spend time to relax, meditate and recover from injuries of war.

Notable Members

• The memory of the Eyes of the Void is the Venerable Dreadnought Occhio, formerly a member of the Wesias caste who fought alongside the Fallen Angel himself. Occhio particularly distinguished himself by leading the assault on a Relic Imperator Traitor Titan via teleporting to the gun turrets on the back of the vile War machine. There, he led his squad deep into the machine itself, fighting wave after wave of cultists and traitor brethren. Eventually, he made it into the control command throne room, and fought the Arch Heretic in a brutal duel. Occhio overwhelmed the traitor and smashed his Assault Cannon's barrel into the Traitors face to deliver him unto the wrath of the Emperor. But this did not end the threat, as the rogue Machine spirit of the titan lashed out at Occhio, casting the warrior out of the main view ports. He was recovered, badly wounded but alive, and placed into a Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought. Occhio's great machine frame is fitted with a Emperor's Gaze, a relic Conversion Beamer.

The Sacred Band

Few could recall the deeds of XIX Squad in the Pacification of the Merican Hives, but Hektor Cincinnatus trusted them as he did few others. For over a century this band of warriors, recruited from the Yndonesian Bloc, would rule the Radiant Warriors as the Council of Ten and spoke with one voice. Their influence was spread their their gene-descendants, the Acharya caste of officers and techpriests. Though they claimed the Primarch as one of their own, the rediscovery of Octullus Tyran greatly disrupted Nineteenth Legion and even the fulsome praise of Hektor could not soothe the discontent.

• Kamal Kulkarni or Master Scroll was the leader of Nineteenth Squad and the spokesman of the Council. His soft voice and languid manner in civilian settings belied a cold cunning.

• Surya Narang or Master Scalpel served the Legion as the head of the Legion's medicae. He was known to be close to Aubrey the Grey and was the first of the Eyes of the Emperor to be corrupted.

• Shresth Nibhanupudi or Master Forge held dominion over the many Techmarines of the Eyes of the Emperor. He and his direct gene descendants were not members of the Wesias caste, but claimed responsibility for "guiding" their younger brothers. Shresth was considered by many Magoi to not only have an extraordinary understanding of the Machine Spirits but also to have gone far on the Quest for Knowledge. By the time of the Heresy, he had become almost entirely mechanical in form and fused his body with a suit of Terminator armour.

• Madhukar Jain or Master Moonlight supervised the Legion's activity in the Segmentum Tempestus, and the southern halves of Segmentum Solar and Segmentum Pacificus.

• Bala Misra or Master Cloud took command of the Legion's operations in the Segmentum Obscurus, together with the northern halves of the Segmentum Solar and Segmentum Pacificus. He was famed for his bloodless victory in the Battle of Rice and Water.

• Nilam Tamboli or Master Brush supervised the intake of new Aspirants into the Legion. He was pitiless but rarely raised his voice in anger.

• Damodara Mhasalkar or Master Rat was charged with overseeing the Legion's intelligence-gathering activities. He maintained close ties with the Rogue Traders Militant who preceded the Great Crusade.

• Sanjit Chowdhury or Master Leopard had overall operational control of the Legion. Although he deferred to the other Council members on overall strategy, Chowdhury was a gifted planner and military leader who could be relied upon to achieve the goals of the Legion. It was his genius that organised the coup against Octullus Tyrannis.

• Somchai Metharom or Master Owl commanded the Legion's operations in the vast Ultima Segmentum.

• Phirun Soun or Master Silence was one of the most mysterious and powerful individuals in all of the Legiones Astartes. He served as Chief Librarian for the Eyes of the Emperor, and he was one of the most powerful psykers in all of the vast Imperium. Yet he is said to have only spoken twice in his life: once to acknowledge the Emperor's edicts at the Council of Nikaea, and one again to pledge the loyalty of the former Librarians to Octullus Tyrannis. In the years between those statements, he bore the indignity of being thrown down from the height of his Legion to the rank of ordinary battle brother with a stoic silence. Afterwards, his grim presence was a terror to the Traitors and a rallying point for Loyalists.

Legion Organisation

The Eyes developed a strict caste system, with their geneseed indicating their rank and role in the chapter. Gene-seed harvested from the smaller Progenoid Gland in a marine's neck would bind its recipient to the same caste as the donor. However, the Legion's medicae would carefully inspect the gene-seed of fallen Brothers to determine whether the gene-seed was destined for a higher or lower caste.

• The Satria, the lowest caste, had three orders. The lowest were equipped as ordinary marines. The middle order went into battle bearing the light armour and stealth equipment of Reconnaissance squads. Heavy Support were the most highly-regarded of the three Satria orders.
• The Wesias, the middle caste, were the most technically able part of the Legion. They trained as vehicle crews, with their best being indoctrinated into the mysteries of the Adeptus Mechanicus or the Terminator Brotherhood.
• At the peak of the Eyes of the Emperor were the Acharya. Among this caste were the officers, priests, and adepts of the Legion. Some were indoctrinated as Apothecaries or Librarians but the majority were warriors, entrusted with all leadership positions above sergeant. After his rediscovery, Octullus Tyran himself was claimed as part of the Acharya caste, contributing to its prestige.

Unusually, the Legion had no serfs. All of their menial work was conducted by the many servitors of the Wesias caste.

Tactics

The Eyes of the Emperor favored engaging their enemies at range, mostly focusing on heavy artillery, mechanical warfare and sharpshooting. As a result, they developed very close ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus. When presented with a foe, they strove to maneuver the battlefield to capitalize on their advantages in ranged combat. They were ridiculed by some close combat oriented legions and little trusted by any of their Astartes brethren. Many Imperial Army commanders bore deep grudges against the Eyes, as they often seemed to treat human auxilliares as a "meat shield".

They were renowned for their use of Reconnaissance Squads, Heavy Support Squads and Whirlwind Missile Launchers, along with a impressive parking lot of Rhinos. The ideal Eyes of the Emperor attack worked in a three layer format. Reconnaissance squads would infiltrate through the enemy lines to attack high value targets in their rear, such as commanders and supply dumps. Next, fast-moving Tactical squads would isolate enemy strongpoints and eliminate weaker forces. Finally, the Heavy Support would reduce the strongpoints. Artillery was deployed lavishly to assist the forward elements. This formation was known as the Tītana starita dīvāra, or the Layered walls of the Titan.

Brothers are encouraged to consult every other marine under and above their command for advice on upcoming campaigns and other actions. Every decision is meditated upon, every deployment carefully considered to ensure maximum success. When fighting a opponent, they will usually plan days, weeks and months ahead to the very last second, and will base their plans on specifically how the enemy reacts. They are so well timed, there is cases of them firing with such timing, aim and precision, that they were able to kill entire flanks of enemy. They are famous for their saturation attacks as well, leading enemies into death traps of heavy weaponry.

Equipment

The Eyes were an exceptionally well-equipped force, long favoured by Mars. The signature skill of their medicae was bionic replacement. It was a testament to their prowess that so many battle brothers bore bionic parts, rather than being among the honoured dead. Similarly, the Eyes possessed many Dreadnoughts, although these hallowed warriors served more of a spiritual than martial role.

The sniper rifle was almost synonymous with the Legion, but the expert marksmen of the Satria employed a wide variety of weapons. If they were limited in any regard, it was their reluctance to use bolt- and auto-weapons, preferring the quiet efficiency of the lascannon and the deadly hail of their advanced plasma guns.

Their Wesias caste frequently deployed prototype equipment. Although it is a fact largely lost on history, this brotherhood of warriors were the first Astartes to deploy the Tactical Dreadnought, or Terminator armour. The Wesias prized the Terminator as a fire platform,

Specialist Ranks

• Assault marines were gathered on a volunteer basis. Upon joining an Assault Squad, a Battle Brother was considered dead until they finished their period of service. They must take up a vow of silence, and either take a regular bolter or wield twin chain hooks. Chaplains are drawn from those who find their calling among the Assault Squads. These warrior-ascetics meditate in isolation for hours upon hours trying to commune with the Emperor. In a Legion not known for personal bravery, Chaplains are a rare exception.

• Due to the large amount of Bionics in the Eyes of the Emperor, the legion's medicae were members of the Acharya caste. Their special sect in their ranks known as the Steel Eyed, with the Master Scalpel at their head.

• Dreadnoughts are more akin to walking altars that rarely enter combat. It is more often that a Dreadnought is awoken to remind the chapter of their legendary exploits or to pass on wisdom. The interred have their former visage carved onto the front of the dreadnought so that all may look upon the machine and see the glory of those who are said to have found their jivanmukti, or perfected state.

Fleet

The Eyes of the Emperor were unusual in fielding no battleships at all. It is unknown whether the Legion was ever issued with large vessels, but whenever they required heavy firepower the Nineteenth Legion turned to their allies in the Adeptus Mechanicum. That close relationship also led to the Eyes fielding some of the most modern and experimental cruiser designs, including the stealthy Echo class.

When the Hektor Heresy began, the Eyes' fleet numbered 32 grand cruisers, 141 heavy cruisers, 182 light cruisers, 395 frigates, 206 destroyers, and 167 auxiliary military vessels. During Octullus Tyran's brief civil war against the Council of Ten, the majority of the Legion's Strike Cruisers and Battle Barges - the warships with large complements of Marines - were seized by the Loyalists. However, more specialized vessels were often crewed by auxilia and remained at the disposal of the Traitor camp.

Rules

Expeditionary Fleets (Battlefleet Gothic)

Echo-class Strike Cruiser (190 points)

The Eyes of the Emperor had little taste for fighting their enemies eye-to-eye and toe-to-toe. Their preference was to strike precisely from a distance, emulating their great founder's marksmanship. This posed certain difficulties for the Legion in space combat. The shipyards of Mars mainly turned out vessels suitable for a close-in fight, prizing heavy armour and great batteries of relatively inaccurate weapons. It would only be late in the Great Crusade that the Adeptus Mechanicum began to manufacture a light cruiser specifically suited to the doctrine of the Nineteenth Legion, but the Echo was fielded in surprisingly large numbers by the time of the Hektor Heresy.

TYPE/HITS	SPEED	TURNS	SHIELDS	ARMOUR	TURRETS
Cruiser/6	35cm	90°	2	5+	2
ARMAMENT	RANGE	FIREPOWER/STRENGTH			FIRE ARC
Prow Lances	60cm	4			Front
Port Launch Bays	Thunderhawks:20cm	1			N/A
Starboard Launch Bays	Thunderhawks:20cm	1			N/A

Notes: The Echo class was a technological marvel. Its advanced engine design gives it +1D6 movement on All Ahead Full orders. In addition, enemy vessels further than 15cm away must make a Leadership check to target an Echo class.

Nineteenth Legion (Warhammer 40,000 using Forge World's Horus Heresy supplements)

Venerable Dreadnought Occhio (HQ:CCL Points)

	WS	BS	S	F	S	R	I	A
Occhio	4	7	7	14	12	10	2	1

Unit Composition

• 1 (Unique)

Unit Type

• Vehicle, Walker

Special Rules

• Atomantic Shielding
• Fleet

WEAPONRY

Heavy Conversion Beamer

Range		Str	AP	Type
Up to 18”	7	-	Heavy 1, 5” Blast, Firing Calibration
18” to 42”	9	4	Heavy 1, 5” Blast, Firing Calibration
42” to 72”	10	1	Heavy 1, 5” Blast, Firing Calibration

• Occhio may also have Extra Armour for +20 points
• Occhio may also have a Searchlight for +3 point
• The Occhio may also have a carapace-mounted Cyclone Missile Launcher for +45 points