The Crusaders

The Crusaders
Battle Cry	strike and break through!
Number	X
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Successor Chapters	Crusaders Obscurus, Crusaders Pacificus, Crusaders Tempestuous, Mechanist Warriors, Nova Defenders, Thousand Swords, Ultima Crusaders
Primarch	Thomas Gaudin
Homeworld	Sturmundrang
Strength	105,000 at start of Heresy
Specialty	Mobile Frontline Combat
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Gunmetal Grey

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.

Summary of Legion X

Numeration: The 10th Legion

Primogenitor: Thomas Gaudin

Cognomen (Prior): None official, unofficially known as ‘The Emperor’s Sledgehammer’ pre-Primarch and ‘The Barbs’ afterwards.

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Combined Arms Warfare, Armoured Assault, Mechanized Infantry Assault, Maneuverer Warfare

Noteworthy Domains: Terra, Sturmundrang and the Solar Domains

Alliegence: Fidelitas Totalis

"The battlefront disappeared, and with it the illusion that there had ever been a battlefront. For this was no war of occupation, but a war of quick penetration and obliteration, a war where it was won before the enemy even knew they were in a war.”

Unnamed Remembrancer attached to the X Legion, on the battle tactics of the Crusaders

Once the hard-charging armoured spearhead of the Great Crusade, the Crusaders Chapter of the 41st millennium is a pale shadow of the glory they once had, still operating as a fast, mobile strikeforce to attack any who would threaten the Emperor’s domain. They are the template for the mobile chapter doctrine named after them; their systems, traditions, and organisation adopted and modified by successors from many other Legions. The chapter today is an aggressive and bold force that retains the unstoppable drive of their Primarch to continue the Great Crusade and avenge the treacheries committed by the Traitor Legions.

History of the Crusaders

‘The armoured thunderbolt of Unification’ is how the Tenth Legion was described, and this was a perfect moniker for their way of war after they were reunited with their Primarch. But They were a fast-moving force of mechanized infantry that used Blitzkrieg tactics to swiftly defeat foes, broinging words into the Imperium as fast as possible. Devoted to the spread of humanity and the cause of the Emperor, they made a point of being fair and honorable where they could, even against xenos foes. They were the shining example of the Great Crusade, but in the end they were broken in the defence of Terra and left disillusioned and distraught. after the death of their Primarch at the end of the Scouring the Legion was broken up by Gaspard Lumey who helped fill them with a new purpose: to continue the work of their Primarch and never end the Crusade started by the Emperor. So the Crusaders are now a mobile strike force spread out across the stars, endlessly fighting all who would threaten the Emperor’s domain.

Beginnings

When the sacred bands were united under Hektor’s command, the tenth had only recently entered service. Their gene-seed, while pure, was also slow to bond with an aspirant, meaning that they took nearly twice as long to become fully-fledged space marines. They had been drawn largely from across the planet, all from well-known martial cultures such as the Skandi and the Urallians. They became known for their bladework (second only to that of the future [[Steel Marshalls)] and their habit of duelling notable enemy commanders, as well as a penchant for rhino-mounted mobile strikes. Several Rhinos were lost by the X squad as they were destroyed in reckless strikes on enemy positions, and other Sacred Bands decried them for their waste of resources. Yet Hektor prised their courage and conviction, and pressed for the squad to be quickly raised to Legion strength after the close of the Unification Wars.

'The Sledgehammer’

As the Crusade set out beyond the light of Sol, the X Legion was now at chapter strength, and swiftly entered the line alongside their brothers. In these first glorious campaigns the X Legion did not show and particular specialities, such as the mass-warfare of the Wolves of Dawn, the armoured thrusts of the Steel Wing or the rapid assaults of the Emerald Doom. They in fact became infamous for how unremarkable they were, as if they were the perfect exemplar of the standard Legion organisation. Infantry assaults with armoured support was the norm, their campaigns measured affairs that did not win worlds quickly or efficiently, but did not leave them smoking ruins either. They showed a certain flair for technological ability, and were in high demand by the Mechanicum to assist them in pacifying recalcitrant Forgeworlds and Knight Worlds. But the slow speed of their gene-seed bonding meant that casualties could only be slowly replaced, and the Legion because highly casualty-conscious as a result. Larger campaigns often crippled the Tenth Legion’s combat abilities for years, and their battle-roll of honours remained very small compared to their peers. This bred a sense that the Legion was an underdog, struggling against both the foe and their own brothers, who they felt looked down upon them.

One thing that became noted of the early Legion was that once oathed to a battle, they would push on regardless, determined to secure victory at any cost. This meant that some campaigns would grind on for many months and the legion would suffer unnecessary casualties in finally pressing a win. The Legion's victories were often far between and no matter what, the price was always high. The Legion became known as ‘The Emperor’s Sledgehammer’ for they were a blunt, unwieldy instrument that bashed worlds into the Imperium, slowly but surely and with a great deal of effort. The Legion might have eventually ground itself to nothing had this trend continued, but it was very timely that their Father was to be found early into the Great Crusade, and he would completely remake the Legion in his own image and thus save it.

A father found, a Legion reforged

Thomas Gaudin had come to manhood fighting battles on the polluted surface of Sturmundrang, leading mighty armies of armoured vehicles in rapid, high-speed strikes to swiftly end wars with the minimum bloodshed. He was already planning to create his own empire in the stars when the Imperium found him, and he was completely sold on the Emperor’s vision for a united Galaxy. The Legion he found however was not the rapier he desired, and so mustering his Legion he met with the survivors of the Sacred Band and told them of his vision of a Legion rebuilt to spearhead the Great Crusade, one that by its very way or warfare be spared heavy casualties and be able to swiftly bring worlds into the fold. Swayed by his words, the Sacred Band helped him spread his wish across the Legion, so when he began to remake it few voices were raised in protest. What Gaudin did was remake the Legion to a greater extent than almost any other Primarch. Large infantry formations were broken up, Chapters made to be self-sufficient and mobile armoured warfare with mechanized infantry with fast armour support the Legion’s doctrine. For nearly three years the Legion was out of the Crusade as thousands from Sturmundrang swelled the Legion’s ranks and Gaudin retrained the Terrans to follow his vision of warfare. When the Legion departed Sturmundrang, it was a Legion transformed.

Before the Legion left, Gaudin mustered the entire Legion, over 60,000 Marines, and together they swore a mighty oath. They would be the great drivers of the Crusade, they would make up for their earlier tardiness by reclaiming more worlds than any other Legion, a tall order at the time but a challenge the Legion was willing to take. They would be the true inheritors of the Emperor’s Great Crusade, his Crusaders. Thus the legion became the Crusaders, the visual embodiment of the Emperor’s dream. Almost immediately they were pitched into the forefront of the Crusade at Keskastine, but now they excelled. Gaudin’s Mobile Warfare tactics allowed them to strike swiftly and throw their enemies off balance, cutting their armies to pieces and swiftly forcing them to surrender. Fast spearheads of Rhinos and Predators were let loose in the enemy’s rear areas, spreading panic and confusion.

After the first few Campaigns, Gaudin began to divide his Legion, sending detachments off to spearhead advances in areas where they had bogged down. Soon most of the Legion was spread out across the stars, operating far from their Father’s eye. Gaudin was pleased to see his sons bringing in more and more worlds for the Emperor and encouraged their autonomy. He himself along with his elite veterans moved from Crusader fleet to Crusader fleet, joining them for a hard-fought campaign only to move on to the next one. Like the Legion itself, the Primarch was restless and could never stay in one place for long.

Their relentless drive was not without cost though. The Crusaders are known to have moved swiftly on from planet to planet the moment that their enemies surrendered, leaving others to mop up any final pockets of resistance and establish garrisons on the conquered worlds. Many worlds flared up after the Crusaders had moved on, requiring others to complete their pacification. Several Primarchs complained that Gaudin’s zeal blinded him to the true needs of the Crusade, that worlds needed to be pacified, not just conquered. But the sheer number of new worlds the Crusaders brought into the fold, among the top three Primarchs silenced most of his critics, and the Emperor’s unwavering support of him also helped ease tensions.

The Crusaders saw service alongside many of their Brother Legions, and often ensured that victories could be won far in advance of campaign projections. The Legion never sought to antagonize any of their fellows by their actions, though when pressed too hard many honour duels were arranged. Gaudin is known to have laughed off suggestions of tensions with the Winged Victory after they conquered a thousand. “We need a challenger to spur us onward. If all my brothers can show the drive of Lumey, this Crusade will be over quickly,” He is reported to have said.

Gaudin came to Ullanor to find the battle already over, much to his dismay. However at the triumph there he was honoured highly by the Emperor, and asked to return to Terra along with his Legion as a ‘guard of honour’. Privately he was deeply discomforted by this. His only desire was to prosecute the Crusade, and if his legion was recalled to Terra it could easily miss out on the Great Crusade. However he could not speak out against his Father, and so he ordered as much of the Legion as possible to break from their campaigns and muster on Terra, the first time the entire Legion would be mustered together since they left Sturmundrang.

Heresy and the breaking of a Legion

Gaudin himself had only barely arrived on Terra when news of the Warmaster’s fall reached him. Shocked beyond measure, it took him a few days to process this, and when he had done so his usual jovial nature was gone and he was a mountain of anger, his booming voice rolling with thunder. He desired more than anything else to take his Legion off and strike back against the traitor, but his was the only Legion in the Solar System, and he could not leave Terra unguarded. However Mars had fallen into bitter civil war, the Fabricator General besieged in the great forge of Olympus Mons by renegade Magos loyal to Hektor. Here was a war he could fight, and so leaving two chapters on Terra as guards, he led his Legion to Mars to break the Siege and destroy the Traitor Mechanicum. For over five years the Legion ground itself down on the red deserts of Mars, fighting first the Mechanicum, and later on infiltrated Iron Rangers and Justicars. Eventually the Legion was forced to withdraw with the arrival of Hektor Himself and his mighty Warhost, ready to bring war to Terra itself.

The Legion’s scattering meant that many elements, ranging from Company to Chapter sized were unable to reach Terra and join their Primarch in the defence of Sol. Instead they linked up with whatever loyalists were in the vicinity and as per their ways took the fight to the enemy. An entire Chapter would come to Zhuko V and take part in the tank battle there, the biggest Tank Battle in all human History. Other Crusader forces fought alongside the Thunder Kings, War Scribes and Steel Marshalls as they struggled valiantly against Hektor’s might. Some of these forces were destroyed and vanished from the pages of history, their stories never to be told. Others earned new Battle Honours, though not ones with the same glory as those won in the Great Crusade. For this was a New Crusade, a crusade against Hektor and the nightmares he had sided with.

The Scouring and the birth of the new Crusaders

The War for Mars and the Siege of Terra together left the Crusaders nearly broken. Barely a fifth of the Legion was still combat capable, and Gaudin was deeply shaken by what he had experienced, his usual bombast gone. Piece by piece the other elements of the Legion that had been scattered by the winds of War came together, until for the first time since their Primarch had reunited with them the Legion was one. He and his legion threw themselves into the Scouring with the same vigour they once had shown to the Great Crusade but now they were grim and dour.

Unit Organisation and Structure within the Legion

Like all the Legions, the Xth started out with the standard Terran Pattern of Legion organisation, though with a bias towards massed infantry and armoured formations only equalled by the VIIIth. However it wasn’t very long into the Crusade when their Primarch was found, and he would re-create the Legion from top to bottom along the lines of flexibility and a combined arms approach to warfare that would leave it by the time of the Heresy very different from its brother Legions. Though the basic structure of the Chapter, Battalion and Company remained, they were completely restructured by Gaudin. Every Chapter was organised as a completely self-sufficient formation capable of prosecuting campaigns entirely independently. When multiple Chapters were deployed to a single warzone, each was treated as a separate entity. This allowed the Legion to spread itself out and separate formations could be found in almost every segmentum, pushing the boundaries of the Imperium. Within the chapters, each battalion were heavily reinforced and became the main battle formation of the Legion, each itself designed to operate alone. One of the most notable changes within the Legion was the decline in the use of large sized squads. Twenty Man Squads, the building block of almost every other Legion could only fit into the larger Spartan Transports, which were always in short supply within the Legion due to battlefield losses. And with the Rhino and Lucifer Engined Land Raider being foremost in use, ten man squads grew to dominate Legion formations save only in exceptional circumstances. To further the flexibility of these mechanized squads, they often carried special and heavy weapons with them instead of relying on Tactical and Heavy Support squads, a precursor to the all arms tactical squads of the post-Heresy era. Along with the lack of larger squads was a corresponding lack in specialized formations that were not effective in mobile warfare. Breacher Siege Squads were rare within the Legion due to their disdain for urban conflict, and Assault Squads were also in the minority, principally employed as the vanguard for the main mechanized assaults. Like most Legions the Crusaders maintained a Destroyer cadre, though they were mainly used with Jump Packs in advance of the armoured thrusts.

Legion Command Hierarchy.

Thomas Gaudin was the undisputed lord and master of his Legion. His men adored him, and would gladly follow him into the most hellish warzones at his command. Beneath the Primarch, the foremost member of the Legion was the Hochmeister, who was the First Chapter Master and the Primarch’s chosen champion and representative. At the time of the Heresy, the Hochmeister was Anton Kantner, formerly the Head of the X Legion’s Sacred Band. The Chapter Master equivalent was the Ordensmarschall, each tasked with the command of a single Chapter formation. Beneath them were the Battalion-Level Commanders known as Komturs, who orchestrated the bulk of the operational tactics and were the main formation commanders. Beneath the Komtur was the Captains of the Mechanized Line Companies and Armoured Companies of the Legion, which operated together and thus were required to exhibit a large degree of co-operation and co-ordination between them. Inter-Company rivalries were almost unheard of in the Crusaders, with smooth bonds of comradeship between the various captains greatly aiding the effectiveness of the combined arms armoured warfare that so characterized the Legion. Merit was the foremost judge of competency in command for the Legion, and all promotions within the Legion were based on the martial record and ability of the prospective commanders.

Legion Tactics

Once they became the Crusaders, their tactics changed drastically. No longer a Legion of slow-moving mixed assault formations, the new Crusaders were an army of rapid mechanized assaults. Using Land Raiders and tanks on the ground and Thunderhawks and Fire Raptors in the air, they used speed, shock and surprise to break through enemy lines. Once this has been achieved, mobile forces raced deeper into enemy territory, disrupting the rear areas and threatening the front lines with encirclement.

The infantry tactics of the Crusaders are to continuously gain ground and to push the enemy back. They are known for their use of massed Land Raiders or Rhinos, each containing 10 marines, forming a single "troop". Each company would comprise at least ten troops if not more. The Land Raider would advance towards an enemy position supported by artillery or gunship fire. Once it has reached its objective, the Land Raider will disgorge the Space Marines and fight alongside them. As this is happening, other Land Raiders will continue on to their own objectives in a leap frog tactic. This allows the Crusaders to cover tremendous amounts of ground and completed multiple objective simultaneously. Once a "troop" completes its objective it will return to the Land Raider and move on to other objectives. This maintains a very rapid and disorientating assault

If the enemy does not give ground or manages a counter-attack, a Crusaders troops is perfectly capable of digging in their heels and calling in support. The same rapid manoeuvres that deliver attacking troops can also bring up reserves, or fire support via artillery or Thunderhawks. The Crusaders are a fast-moving, multi-pronged spear. Their tactics, and the difficulty to dislodge them from any position, has earned the Legion an unofficial nickname; "The Barbs."

Legion Equipment

The Crusaders were largely re-equipped by Gaudin after he came to the Legion, and this radically changed what weaponry the Legion relied upon. Gaudin's first requirement was for enough transports to ensure the entire Legion could be mounted up for mobile actions, and reserves of armoured vehicles from Mars, Voss and Phaeton were diverted to fill the gap. The Legion's newfound focus on armored warfare also saw heavy support squads become rarer as armored vehicles like Predators filled in the gap. Consequently more Tactical support squads entered the ranks of the Legion, offering more portable firepower to augment the swift armored strikes.

Cataphractii Armour was also largely phased out, save for the elite Crusader Aedassan Canons and some higher-ranking officers. Tartaros Armour was in high demand for its enhanced mobility, and Tartaros squads in Land Raiders were often used as the tip of the spear for heavy assaults.

The Crusaders were never among the most numerous of the Legions, with the most conservative estimate of the Legion around the time of the Heresy giving them around 105,000 line Astartes, with a considerable armored reserve, second only to the Mastodontii Legion, though while the Mastodontii favored heavier vehicles like the Fellblade and Typhon, the Crusaders preferred faster vehicles such as the Predator and Sicaran. The Crusaders also used a specially modified pattern of Rhino fitted with ‘Lucifer’ pattern engines to increase its speed, vital for the type of warfare the Legion espoused.

Legion Doctrine

The Crusaders make a point of being fair and honorable where they can. Thomas Gaudin offered a logical and well thought out alternative to the military organization of Gaspard Lumey presented in the Institutorum Astartes, based on his decentralized legion structure and the smaller, more flexible squads his legion had pioneered. The Crusaders accepted much of the Institorum, but made a change in the chain of command of the Chapter. They included the new "Lieutenant" rank, given command over two squads of five marines, which form a single "troop". Due to their strength, hardiness, and strong sense of justice, the Crusaders have taken the role of a peacekeeping force. Sending fleets out to patrol their section of the galaxy, they also keep a sizable force planet side to mobilize as a quick reaction force or to reinforce other Legions if needed.

Allies and Auxilia

Techno-feudal auxilia, typical of those deployed by the Crusaders

Thomas Gaudin often employed Auxilia to perform roles that his own Space Marines were less interested in. The Crusaders tended to favour heavy infantry regiments, and if these formations rarely proved themselves as an "anvil" to the Marines' hammer, they were still a valuable addition in the field.

Following the Crusaders' conquest of Ardito in 831.M30, Thomas Gaudin visited this mountainous world to inspect its newly-tithed troops. Impressed by what he found, he ordered that half of the Ardito Highwatch regiments be attached to his Legion. Although the Highwatch struggle in the open country favoured by the Crusaders, their skills in rough country often helped to screen the Astartes' flanks.

Culture

Homeworld

Thomas Gaudin's homeworld was the brutal Death World Sturmundrang. Ancient weapons and pollution had scoured the skies and soil of this populous planet, making its atmosphere lethal to an unprotected man. But these atrocities did not end the planet's wars, as the bloodshed of centuries called down to each new generation. Only the Primarch was able to end the violence of Sturmundrang, through conquest. The fierce sons of this scarred world made superb recruits to the Crusaders, taking especially well to the implant of the Black Carapace.

Notable Crusaders

Leon Heldt was serving as Gaudin's page when the Emperor came to Sturmundrang. Still young enough to be inducted into the Adeptus Astartes, Heldt graduated as a fine Space Marine. Despite many offers of promotion to command, his highest aspiration was to serve as the Primarch's bodyguard. Heldt laid down in life for Gaudin and the Emperor during the fateful assault on Hektor's flagship.

The Sacred Band: Tenth Squad

The ten most promising warriors of what would become the Tenth Legion were first led into battle by Hektor Cincinnatus as part of his Sacred Band. The Sacred Band's Tenth Squad would all make significant contributions to the history and traditions of the Crusaders, and together their influence is second only to that of Thomas Gaudin.

Anton Kantner led Tenth Squad during the battles of the Merican Hives. Kantner took pride in always accomplishing his tasks ahead of schedule. Although this zeal sometimes offended other members of the Sacred Band, it also established the Tenth Legion's tradition of letting nothing slow, let alone stop, their advance. After Thomas Gaudin was rediscovered, Kantner laid down his command without ill-feeling. His competence and humility would be recognised with a place as the Legion's Hochmeister, the Primarch's second-in-command. He he would later take up the task of building the Ultima Crusaders Chapter as their first commander.

Erik Faas was a much-feared commander. His weapon of choice in the Merican Hive campaign was the flamer, and it was well-suited to his temperament. Though Faas could be jovial and kind to his men, he is best-remembered for his declaration to the Legion at the start of the Great Crusade, Do not be swayed by the false virtues of compassion or mercy. No carelessness, driven by warm feelings, should dissuade you from utter loyalty to the cause of Mankind. We go to the stars to destroy the Alien, the mutant, and all who would endanger the human race! Faas was chosen by Thomas Gaudin to lead the Crusaders Obscurus Chapter and he instilled them with his fierce spirit.

Marcus Drag is often forgotten by outsiders who recount the history of The Crusaders, for he had few great victories associated with his name. But for the Legion and their many successors his name is highly honoured. Drag was a skilled tank driver and commander, and he certainly contributed to some of The Crusaders finest hours - especially their lightning strike during the Siege of Terra, when he laid down his life fighting against the Traitors. Yet it was his role behind the scenes that truly defined this warrior's role. He worked tirelessly to plan and establish The Crusader's network of motor-pools throughout the interior of the Imperium. Drag's achievement allowed the Legion, and later their association of Successor Chapters, to rapidly rearm and redeploy across the Galaxy to confront the Imperium's direst foes. It is for this that he is remembered as The Peacemaker.

Max Toten, on the other hand, was the best-known of the Crusaders outside of their Primarch. Toten's tall, bearded figure stood out among his peers, and his great voice and charisma could rally the forces of the Imperium like few others. Though not the most skilled general of Gaudin's inner council, he was regularly entrusted with critical commands because of the effect he had on morale. Thankfully for the Crusaders, Toten was humble enough to take advice from better planners. Max Toten's final battle was the massive naval engagement at the beginning of the Traitors' attack on the Solar System. He volunteered to take command of the point ship in the Imperial forces, understanding that this duty was a death sentence. Though Toten and his command were lost early in the engagement, his selfless courage would continue to inspire the Crusaders through the dark days of the Siege of Terra. He is venerated as a saint in many parts of the Imperium. Void-farers, especially sailors in the Imperial Navy, often carry medals bearing a likeness of "Saint Max" to invoke his protection. Toten was posthumously honoured as the first Chapter Master of the Crusaders Tempestus.

Gabriel Bain was initially groomed for duty as an Apothecary in the embryonic Space Marine Legions, but his combat and leadership skills improved much more quickly than his peers. A sober and stiff-mannered Marine, his cool demeanour masked a tendency for daring in both personal combat and command. Bain was Tenth Squad's point-man throughout the Pacification of the Merican Hives, and tanks under his command would reprise the role during many of The Crusader's armoured actions. In the Second Founding he was assigned to lead the Crusaders Pacificus, a sign of how seriously Thomas Gaudin took the threat of the resurgent Harakien Eldar Empire.

Severin Hahn A highly skilled warrior with a flair for command, Severin Hahn was the first Legion Champion of the X Legion. Although the Crusaders mainly won their battles through the combination of arms and men, Severin Hahn was the protector their honour. His individual prowess led to the Pacification of several feudal worlds, where Hahn bested a chosen champion as a proxy for open warfare. This noble warrior met his end on the blasted plains of Zhuko V, slain by the traitor Primarch Tollund Ötztal in single combat.

Elias Selig. He fought with distinction throughout the Great Crusade, ever at the fore-front of the Imperium's armies. When the Heresy began, Selig's 83rd Battalion was caught on the far edge of the vast Ultima Segmentum. Taking stock of the reports of treachery and atrocity, the Crusader determined that his task was to tie down as many Traitor troops as possible. Targeting Bunyoro, a strategically-located world that Selig had helped pacify, the 83rd made a rapid insertion and sent their supporting naval assets on to the Atalantos Worlds to link up with the War Scribes. Arelex Orannis was not greatly succoured by a few extra warships, but Selig's long guerilla campaign on Bunyoro tied up large numbers of traitor Imperial Army and eventually drew in Sons of Fire marines. Though this heroic commander would fall in the course of his campaign, his memory and tactics would be preserved by the Askaris Chapter.

Walter Blum was the Tenth Legion's first combat casualty. A promising, gregarious warrior inducted into the Sacred Band as a candidate for high command, he was struck down in the bitter fight for Atl'Ntar Hive. Even thousands of years later, his name is well-remembered and is awarded to any aspirant who meets an honourable death in training.

Lucas Braun is officially forgotten and his name stricken from the records. He was turned by the many Traitors in the Sacred Band and attempted to spread corruption through the Legion. Slain by Severin Hahn, he is only remembered as "the Serpent" in the legends of the Crusaders and their Successor Chapters.

Rook North was an exemplary warrior. He was also something of a blowhard, composing and performing many fine songs - about his own heroic exploits. His bragging did not endear him to his peers. However, The Crusaders prize results more than personality and North certainly got his results. He would fight in every great campaign of the Legion, from its origins in the Merican Hives to the pyrrhic victory at the Siege of Terra. Unlike his peers, North was particularly able in void combat, setting up specialist Sturmtruppen squads for boarding actions. The expertise and heavy equipment of these troops would be invaluable in the brutal slugging match of the Siege of Terra. For all of his skill, North's unpopularity saw him passed over for command of a Second Founding Chapter. He would eventually be dispatched to guard an ancient relic in the far Galactic South-East as the Master of the Nova Defenders Chapter.

Geneseed and Successors

Thomas Gaudin had resisted the Codex reforms, feeling that the Imperium needed the unitary commands of the Legions in order to resist external threats, also noting that his Legion’s decentralized structure meant it did not need any further dividing. Although he was particularly anxious about a resurgence of the Traitors, Gaudin also noted that the Astartes would face many Xenos invaders, including the Harakien Eldar Empire and the ever-present Orks. As a compromise with the other Primarchs, he agreed to break up his Legion but maintained lines of communication and organisation. The first Chapter would retain the Crusaders name and be led by Gaudin in the Segmentum Solar. Four more Chapters were assigned to watch the remaining segmenta and named accordingly: the Crusaders Obscurus, Crusaders Pacificus, Crusaders Tempestus, and the Ultima Crusaders. These five senior Chapters were to be based on strategically-significant homeworlds and serve as reserve forces while coordinating the efforts of the remaining Second Founding Chapters of the Crusaders.

Notable Successors

• Thomas Gaudin established the Mechanist Warriors in the Second Founding to draw off his surplus bikers.
• The Nova Defenders were a Third Founding Chapter tasked with defending an ancient technological facility at the edge of the Ultima Segmentum.
• During the Second Founding, the fiercest members of the Crusaders were gathered together in the Thousand Swords

Colours of Notable Crusaders Successors

• 
  Mechanist Warriors
• 
  Nova Defenders
• 
  Thousand Swords