Eyes of the Emperor

Eyes of the Emperor
Number	XIX
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Successor Chapters	Eyes of the Void
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.

The Eyes of the Emperor were one of the great Legiones Astartes, once led by the Primarch Octullus Tyran. They were known for their peerless marksmanship, skilled craftsmanship and secretive ways - and their secrets would destroy them in the end.

Legion Organisation

The Eyes developed a strict caste system, with their geneseed indicating their rank and role in the chapter.

• 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.

Neophytes are paired up with a regular battle brother of the appropriate caste. For each such neophyte trained, they implanted a veteran bolt in their forehead. (The Eyes of the Void Successor Chapter uses Purity Seals instead.) They are seven vows of purity that each neophyte must take to become a full fledged space marine. Each one coincides with a organ except the last, the bonding of the suit, neophyte and optic eye.

• 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.

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.

• 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

• 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.

• They are very focused on ranged combat, due to their hyper sensitive Occulobes that focuses on distant sights and faulty catalepsean nodes that make them sleep much less. Due to their resistance to brain washing, the anti fear programming generally doesn't take root too well. They rely on ranged combat and mechanized warfare, but have a few select assault squads to allow units to redeploy.

Equipment

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. 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. It is more often that a Dreadnought is awoken to remind the chapter of their legendary exploits or to pass on wisdom. If the situation is pressing enough that the Eyes need to call their ancients to war, they are armed with missile launchers to prevent them from being damaged.

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.

Culture

Homeworld

Illobian
Segmentum	Ultima Segmentum
Sub Sector	Sorga
System	Illobian
Gravity	0.83G

Illobian is an unusual world. Though earth-like in size, 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.

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

• Madhukar Jain or Master Moonlight

• Bala Misra or Master Cloud

• 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

• Sanjit Chowdhury

• Somchai Metharom

• 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.

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)

SPECIAL CHARACTER Venerable Dreadnought Occhio Cost 250 Stats: Armor WS4 BS7 S7 F14 s12 r10 I2 A1

Unit • 1 Contemptor Dreadnought Occhio 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..................... +20 points • The Occhio may also have a Searchlight..........................+3 point • The Occhio may also have a carapace-mounted Cyclone Missile Launcher.............................................................................+45 points