Iron Rangers

"Please understand. I know you wish to fight us. Consider our words. Should you decide on your futility, we shall not fall to your planet as formations of men and steel. We shall descend as wrathful ghosts in the night. To attack us is to strike at smoke and shadows. You will fail, and you will fall. And I know how. Your defenses will be systematically reduced to rubble. Your officers shall be woken in the night to our knives in their throats. Your peacekeepers shall be murdered by those they once stood to defend. Your palaces shall be torn asunder by those who once built them. But you will see none of it, for you shall be the first to know that our creed speaks true."

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.

Iron Rangers
Battle Cry	"No one is beyond our reach."
Number	XX
Founding	First Founding
Chapter Master	Cellweirwyr
Primarch	Rogerius Merrill
Homeworld	Profi Tiroedd
Strength	85,000 (estimated)
Specialty	Asymmetrical Warfare and assassination
Allegiance	Chaos Undivided
Colours	Green, Brown, and Black

Open up a new tab or window, and go to Wikipedia. Look up Psychopath and Sociopath, and just go ahead and read what exactly they are. Done? Okay, now imagine a of genetically modified, 8-foot tall super soldier in power armour with that diagnosis. Now make him an angry, vengeful anarchist. Once you've gotten that image visualized, go ahead and give him training as an assassin, and basically raised from birth to be the stealthiest motherfucker you've ever met. I'm talking this guy could get the drop on Batman in the right conditions. Or at least notice him leave the room. Now make an entire Legion of these guys. With bolters, jetpacks, and power spears. Remember that angry, vengeful anarchist bit? They live to destroy entire civilizations and all forms of social order. This isn't just something they do for fun. It's basically their entire philosophical outlook. Which justifies their actions. Which allows them to further break civilizations for fun, which is further justified. Starting to get the picture? These are some seriously deranged assholes you do not want to piss off. And they are very pissed off.

Culture

Homeworld

Profi Tiroedd Homeworld of the Iron Rangers. An M-Class Feral World, its continents almost completely covered in forests, its fate is unknown after the Heresy, its existence expunged from all navigational charts and Imperial records.

Yr Helfa Annherfynol The Warp Planet currently inhabited by the Iron Rangers

Recruiting Worlds

Lofrudaeth A Deathworld located in the Tiroedd system, utilizied by the Iron Rangers for training and indoctrination. A former aborted Hive World, it was abandoned due to the planet's flora adapting too aggressively for any formal structures to maintain integrity, while the fauna was considered too vicious for normal living conditions.

Notable Members

Dafydd "Slash" Slashworth

Rose up through the ranks from a recruit to a battalion commander. He was offered the position of Chapter Master, but turned it down. He now serves as the commanding officer overseeing the training of recruits, personally leading them in the field as part of their training. Very popular with the troops for his fairness and skills, they nicknamed him "Slash", and he wore that nickname with pride. He also has much respect in the legion as a whole as he rose up from the bottom. Distinguished himself on several occasions, most notably with the Grym Teigr, his battalion that, known for their brutality and skill, are as feared as the Milwyr Cwyn. In the end, though his morals were questionable, his loyalty to the Emperor was not. He was killed during The Culling, by none other than Cellweirwyr himself.

Cellweirwyr

Also known as "The Laughing Sniper,"the leader of the Milwyr Cwyn and Equerry to the Primarch, Cellweirwyr is as jovial as his Primarch is grim. Unlike the majority of his brethren, he prefers killing his enemies from afar and is widely considered one of the best shots in the Imperium. Most of the other Elders have mixed feelings about him. He keeps traditions important, is widely recognized as among the best fighters they have, and a natural leader and strategist, but his humor most often comes at the expense of others. His tongue and wit has gotten him in more than his fair share of arguments with his fellows, as well as earned the ire of other Primarchs. But he will continue with his methods until his death. And judging by his trophy rack, that will be a long time coming.

Robyn Auldmann

One of the few traitors hailing from Holy Terra, Auldmann is the head of the Lychlynwyr. He is an egotist, and not without good reason. The best pilot within the Iron Rangers is no small feat to accomplish, and to be one of the few members born on Terra and live long enough to be a part of the Heresy tells of his skill in the air. Although known to clash with his Primarch's views frequently, Merrill trusts his judgement and always considers his counsel. On Auldmann's part, it is no secret that he was next in line to become the Legion Commander before Merrill's discovery, and patiently awaits his chance to supplant Merrill and Cellweirwyr. Oddly, there is no animosity between himself and Cellweirwyr. Both enjoy the other's company, and have been known to work together quite well. For Auldmann's part, Cellweirwyr would just be a stepping stone to the head of the Legion. As with most things in the XX Legion, it is completely impersonal and professional.

Cysgodol Dawnsiwr

Formerly or currently the Chief Librarian, then Lord of Sorcery, of the Iron Rangers. His continued existence is unclear, though the name and a sorcerer wielding his weapon does appear from time to time. Whether he lives or died is debatable, as no body has ever been found, but if he is still alive, he went almost completely off the grid. It is known that one individual still occasionally uses that alias, along with Siaradwr Gwynt, Lefel, and Choyote most prominently. What is known about him is that he uses the same weapon Cysgodol used, an extremely rare Force Halberd. The idea it is him is supported by the fact that he is the head of recruitment and chief priest of the Cult of Merrill, bears a mark of Tzeentch, and is in charge of locating targets, gathering intelligence, and finding ripe hunting grounds for the Iron Rangers and Merrill. He spent time being trained in intelligence gathering and social skills under the Children of Armok, and then trained in the use of the warp further under the tutelage of the Black Augurs. He is believed to have taken part in a small mission to assisst the traitors on Mars, and is further believed to have survived. The reason behind the question of identity is that no face recognition can be positively made. Each eyewitness sees someone completely different, and some only see a hooded figure, or no facial details at all. Vid feeds show him as an error, requiring Inquisitors to question eyewitnesses. Regardless, he is considered one of the highest targets of the Iron Rangers, second only to Merrill himself for his connections and leadership of the cult.

Arth Codital

Arth is an Uncle in the 4th Chapter, and his personal preference is to be a big game hunter. Though he doesn't have the largest trophy rack of the Legion, his does boast of some of the most impressive specimens of monstrous xenos, genetically engineered mutants, and even the scalp of a Warlord-Class Titan Princep. His preferred weapon is an extremely rare Powerfist variant, dubbed the PF-38 by the Mechanicus. Though others do exist, most men have turned them down, as the method of use is extremely bizarre and complicated. Though Arth would never be dubbed as an intellectual, his grasp of the weapon was both masterful and immediate. The combination of his use of the weapon and deep love and knowledge of explosives is what he attributes to most of his kills, and why he was chosen for the small team on Mars.

Organisation

Arms, Armour and Equipment

Close Combat Weapons

The Iron Rangers prefer fighting in assault. That being said, they have a small selection of preferred options. The most well known famous is the Power Spear. When placed on its butt, the tip should be even with the wielder's eye. Some incorporate minor refractor fields into the shaft in order to improve their ability to parry. Following that, they have been known to use short swords or long knives, often incorporating chain or power blades. Dedicated assault units prefer custom chain and power axes. The major difference between IR variants and some of the more common examples found is a smaller, lighter head. The design change is to make them slightly faster, at the expense of power, often used as a hooking implement to disarm, trip, and otherwise grab and manipulate an opponent.

Ranged Weapons

The Astartes of the XX Legion have a varied selection of preferred ranged weapons. Insofar as Bolt weapons are concerned, they have a preference for the Phobos pattern for Bolt Pistols, and Phobos, Tigrus, and Perinetus pattern for Boltguns. These models are preferred for their accuracy, reliability, and extended barrels. Many have been seen to be modified with the bayonet lugs removed, extended barrels for increased accuracy, and threaded barrels to accept a suppressor.

Insofar as squad and team weapons are concerned, the marines prefer assault weapons over heavy, as they better fit the high-mobility nature of the Rangers. Meltaguns and shotguns are the most prolific amongst the marines. Though their preference for close combat would make most assume a high use of Flamers, the XX dislike using them. They have ben noted to be used, but almost exclusively in locations such as caverns, mountains, and cities built out of mostly non-flammable materials. Many attribute this to the Rangers' preference of fighting in the forest, where firing such weapons welcomes the possibility of igniting their surroundings. Plasma weaponry is almost never seen, as the Legion distrusts their tendency to overheat.

Although less often used, heavy weapons do see use amongst the Iron Rangers. By far the most common, the Tigrus-Exitus pattern Boltgun/sniper rifle is often utilized for it's increased range and ability to eliminate single targets. Following that, missile launchers and Autoguns are often deployed for their versatile nature. Heavy Bolters are common where the Legion expects to encounter large formations of less-armored troops.

The Iron Rangers also see some of the most use of Combi-weapons for their number amongst the Legions. Greatly preferred by the Milwyr Cwyn for their adaptability in changing environments and allowing individual members to perform more versatile, almost all official reports of the Iron Rangers fighting mentions their use. The vast majority seen are Combi-meltas and -grenade launchers, however Combi-flamers and -plasma guns are not unheard of. When asked about their use of normally unseen weapons on Combi platforms, the common answer is that reduced charges and fuel makes the user less susceptible to the dangers of the weapons.

Armor

While some Legions believe camouflage to be a sign of weakness or cowardice, the Iron Rangers harbor no such ideals. Their Armor is painted in the shades of the forest as soon as they don it, and will often further add native shades, soil, and patches of flora to better disguise themselves. They had a great disdain for Mk I and II Power Armour, and were known to discard them whenever possible for lighter armours. Whatever protected them whilst allowing them to move freely. The Mk II was especially loathed, as it had the detriments of Mk I, without allowing them to turn their heads in combat. Mk III was not much better. Their preferences are towards Mk IV, V and VI. As Hektor was moving the Mk VI armors from Mars, he ensured a large detachment of it made its way into Iron Ranger hands. The enhanced auto-senses were the main reason for such a preference, and the XX Legion is fairly well renowned for keeping a large number of the helms in their possession. When they have engaged other Space Marines after the Heresy, they would take time after the battle to scavenge for them, to corrupt the Machine Spirit and add it to their own armour.

Special Equipment

The XX have very few ground vehicles, finding them largely ineffective in their native forests. In cities and hives, they fare little better. What vehicles they do keep are usually maintained for those times where it is necessary to support a regular human force, often purely to add a little more firepower to their defenses. The same cannot be said for their bikes, jetbikes, landspeeders, and aircraft, however. The maneuverability and speed is often desired, and their Llychlynwyr squadrons make the maximum use of them. Trained endlessly by perfectionist Robyn Auldmann, they excel at hit and run attacks, strafing runs, air-to-air, and air-to-ground. Though neither the absolute best nor largest of the Imperium, their skill is not to be underestimated, and was proven time and again during the fighting on and around Terra.

Jetpacks are another common sight, as the increased speed and ability to literally jump into the middle of an enemy formation and leave just as quickly is a must for their tactics. Milwyr Cwyn and Gwaed both make extensive use of them, often in conjunction with Heliwr locating and ambushing their targets.

To aid in stealth, many units utilize suppressors on their boltguns, which effectively silent the shots from afar, and make it difficult to pinpoint the point of origin at closer distances. Combined with the longer, more accurate barrels they often employ, the impact on the enemy and morale can be drastic.

Lastly, the Milwyr Cwyn are known for their bizarre array of special equipment. From modified neural links to allow them to commandeer most (if not all) vessels they discover, to bizarre communications arrays designed to intercept and jam enemy communications and teleportation, they seem to be equipped for anything. Most infamous are their array of demolitions. Members trained as Demolitions Specialists have been making and working with their own unique cocktails of charges and explosives, and often create some on commission, trade, or favors to be used by the "regular" line troops. The use of many of these has been known to make up for their otherwise lack of anti-materiel long range weaponry, as they have even been noted to eliminate Titans with the explosives, when properly employed.

Task and Organisation

Due to the fractal nature of the Iron Rangers' fighting methods, a much more detailed Chain of Command was required. All Chapters are commanded by an Elder. Each Chapter is broken down into roughly 1,000 man fighting units, called Tribes, led by a Grandfather. Each Tribe is divided into 10 Troupes, each led by an Uncle. Troupes are then split into 3 Raids, led by a Huntsman. Raids are split into several 11-man units, roughly equivalent to a squad, called Hunts. Though the leadership of a hunt has no official title, it is considered a slightly higher rank than an average Space Marine Sergeant. Hunts are divided into 2 5-man Teams. Teams consist of one leader, with two individual pairings.

The reason behind such an extensive command structure is ease of use. As opposed to one Company Commander managing 10 squads, he can simply manage 3 Raids. He issues orders to the Huntsmen, who follow his orders in a manner they see necessary, often delegating some authority to leaders of the Hunts, and so on down the line.

The exception to this rule is the Milwyr Cŵyn and the XI Chapter (Recruits). The Milwyr Cŵyn are led by their Elder, Cellweirwyr, and all considered roughly equal in rank to an Uncle. They are rotated during campaigns to keep the number of units being actively used to a minimum. The rank issued is to both allow them to utilize assets from other Chapters as well as to remind them of their responsibilities, as they are largely left to perform their rotations themselves, only communicating with Cellweirwyr or the Primarch only during a crisis or if they cannot perform in a rotation (example: combat losses).

Unique Units

Heliwr Squads The precursor to the role of scouts being more than just reconnaissance, the Heliwyr are highly skilled, many of their members ending up in the Milwyr Cwn. They undertake reconnaissance, deep-infiltration sabotage and guerrilla missions, setting up forward rally points and suitable positions for future forward bases, and even often take part in assassinations, either themselves directly or in support of the Milwyr Cwyn. The Heliwyr are lead and trained by Samwell Bysgotwyr

Ceidwad Squads The Ceidwad are the direct-action units within the Iron Rangers. While outwardly very similar to the common Tactical and Devastator Squads, they are more compartmentalized in order to be able to work in smaller teams. While most commonly seen working with, training, and generally alongside allied Imperial Army units, they are perfectly capable of fighting on their own, and are most often the ones directing and leading any large offensive maneuver. Trained and lead by Rhysart Winters

Gwaed Squads The Gwaed are the most common units in the Iron Rangers' forces. Often seen using jump packs, they are assault troops designed and trained for two purposes: Elimination of hardened positions and disruption of enemy movements. They are also known for taking on lower risk assassination missions. Although not as skilled in stealth as the Heliwr or Milwyr Cwyn, they are still more than capable of getting to within striking range without being seen or heard. Trained and lead by Wilhelm Benavidez

Llychlynwyr Squads The Llychlynwyr are the heavier and faster attack squads of the Iron Rangers forces. They specialise in using their jetbikes and skimmers in conjunction with air support to strike the enemy hard and fast, and support the other elements of the Iron Ranger forces. Operating separate from other forces, they undertake their raids in a roaming support role, often using specialist light transport vehicles to help other formations deploy quickly, catching the enemy unaware in the flank or rear while the Llychlynwyr raid the enemy lines. They tend to attract the more aggressive or bold Iron Ranger legionnaires, not as capable of stealth as the other legionnaires, the Llychlynwyr focus on using the surprise and speed afforded by the nature of their vehicles to catch enemies unaware deep in their own lines.

Milwyr Cwyn

These are the elite of the Iron Rangers. Ruthless and shrewd hunters, hardened to the point of fearlessness, the Milwyr Cwyn are the unstoppable knife in the dark, and the eyes that are always watching. Veterans of uncountable campaigns, and having weathered more daunting odds than any other in the legion and won, these marines are the pinnacle of stealth and tactical skill in the XXth Legion. Featuring the XXth Legions Terminators, as well as some of the best tactical thinkers the Imperium has to offer, the Milwyr Cwyn's name is known to half the Imperium, most shuddering at the thought.

Having an unmatched reputation in being able to reach anyone, the Milwyr Cwyn have never failed to achieve their campaign or operational targets, so impressive are their talents. They epitomise the Iron Rangers doctrine of stealth, assassination, ambush, and hit-and-fade tactics.

Grym Teigr

The Grym Teigr may just be a battalion, but their reputation far precedes them. Under the command of Dafydd "Slash" Slashworth, the Grym Teigr out-insurgent insurgents.

Having spent time fighting alongside the Children of Armok, Slashworth adopted their counter-insurgency and insurgent tactics and strategies, combining them with the Iron Rangers' own areas of expertise to take his battalion of green recruits and turn them into the much feared formation they are today.

With a reputation for ruthless and brutal efficiency, they strike fear into the hearts of their enemies. However, there are also numerous unconfirmed or sketchy reports of the Grym Teigr being involved in various activities deemed ruthlessly abhorrent or unnecessarily brutal, including but not limited to massacres and torture of civilians believed to be helping the enemy and a prolific number of headhunting trophies.

Their skill at arms was also notable, and despite heavy casualties due to the length of time the Grym Teigr would spend in the field, their reputation and skill always attracted more recruits to their ranks. As time progressed, the Grym Teigr received more and more autonomy in the prosecution of their operations, which fostered a meritocratic and open planning process. This caused a shift from their strictly counter-insurgency role to function more as commandos, undertaking daring raids and infiltration missions.

Eventually, the Grym Teigr would rival the Milwyr Cwyn for most elite formation in the legion, with a friendly inter-legionary rivalry pushing each other to even higher levels of skill and excellence. The Grym Teiger is now under the command of Bedwyr "Knight" Rimau, a former right hand man and captain under Dafydd Slashworth.

Cyllyll Fawr

The Cyllyll Fawr is the most decorated unit of the Heliwr. The Battalion only recruits from amongst a specific tribe on Profi Tiroedd, the Fwbach. They were the only tribe able to escape from Merrill during his conquest, and only kneeling to the Emperor himself upon his arrival, under the condition that they could fight for him, to accrue glory and honor for their tribe. Having a strict hunter and warrior culture, the Fwbach have a coming of age ceremony at 12, and almost all who survive go on to join the Rangers. As they are a singular tribe, there are set allowances in place to prevent them from being killed if they fail during Yr Helfa, allowing them to return and continue to proliferate the tribe.

They Cyllyll Fawr are renowned for their tracking, hunting, and fieldcraft, setting aside the Legion's preferred Power Spear for their own tribal weapon. The large, forward-curved knife, known as the Chuchry, is symbolic of their tribal roots, as well as a formidable weapon, capable of severing limbs in single swings even before the power field is added.

When Merrill fell from grace, the vast majority of the Cyllyll Fawr stayed true to the Emperor, whom they bowed to generations ago. It was they who fought hardest and gave the most resistance to Merrill during what is known as "The Culling."

Fleet

In an unusual turn of events, the XX Legion has among the numerically largest fleets of Astartes. The drawback is that they are almost entirely much smaller craft than most traditional fleets use as a main force. Merrill saw to it, however, that the armor was stripped to reduce weight, almost all unnecessary or superfluous items in the design were removed, both to reduce mass and increase the space inside for engines and armament that would normally be found on much larger vessels.

Major Vessels

The Emperor's Shadow

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The flagship of the Iron Rangers' fleet is the Emperor's Shadow. A Gloriana class battleship, it is a sleek, black shape in the void. When Merrill was asked for input, his request was simple. "I want every gun the enemy has to fire on it, and I want it to be able to survive such punishment." With this in mind, the ship is by far one of the most well-armored of the class, however lacks some of the firepower of its sisters. The reason behind the design is simple. With a much larger fleet of much smaller ships, the Shadow acts as a decoy, floating through the void and absorbing damage that would be dealt to Merrill's main attacks and strikes. It is one of the few Gloriana ships still in existence, floating in orbit above Yr Helfa Annherfynol, patiently stalking and occasionally feasting on ships lost in the warp, destroying them in its massive maw.

Suicide Ships

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One of Merrill's favorite tactics, suicide ships are simply that. Automated weapons systems and remote controlling allow him to empty them of crew and fighting compliment. When he uses them, he has them set on a collision course with an enemy vessel, usually the flagship, and fires the guns continuously until their impact. Usually, they are filled with explosives to assist the destruction of the target vessel.

Void Strategies and Tactics

Merrill discovered a problem with his tactics when it came to the void. Though he could paint his ships black to blend with the surroundings and occasionally hide in an asteroid field, he could not truly hide and ambush in a wide open area. To this extent, he came up with several solutions.

The first came with the realization that the majority of the armaments were located on the sides of the ship. With that in mind, he created a new formation for movement. As most fleets move through the void in an arrowhead, Merrill moves in more of a cone, with each ship at apparently haphazard angles. The purpose behind such an arrangement is to ensure that his fleet could deliver full broadsides to any angle at any given time, allowing him a much greater defensive posture.

Second, he substituted the standard Battle Barge with much smaller Cruisers and Escorts. All of which sacrificed armor and internal comfort for speed and firepower. This allowed him the ability to perform maneuvers much faster than his opponents, sometimes delivering crippling amounts of firepower before they could properly get their weapons to bear.

Third, in a discussion with several members of the Mechanicus, he discovered that it could be possible to jam weapons targeting and communications systems from afar. He ensured that this new development was explored in detail, giving rewards to those who managed to outfit every single ship with these capabilities.

Lastly, his favored tactic is what he calls the "Lotus Maneuver," named after a flower on old Terra. He approaches his target in a small, tightly-knit formation until they get into weapons range. At this point, his fleet all engage their jamming systems while exploding outward into a much larger area before diving around and through the enemy formation, firing broadsides into their ships before passing through, and repeating this tactic multiple times over until their force is either destroyed, too scattered to offer resistance, or surrenders. However, due to communications systems being jammed, he has rarely received an offer of surrender from his opponents.

Warbands

Images

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  I AM WATCHING YOU SLEEP
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  Early design of Pre-Heresy insignia
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  One of the Chapter Banners. Grim. Also, dark.
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  Armor Colour, Pre- and Post-Heresy