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

The XX Legion, AKA the Iron Rangers, are the asymmetrical warfare specialists in the Imperium. They use infiltration, deep strike, and outflank like it's going out of style. Their primary goal in any war zone is the disruption of the enemy's supply lines, communications, and elimination of commanders. At the time of the Heresy, they sided with Hektor, believing the Emperor was leading humanity down a path towards stagnation. Since then, they've been in orbit around a warp planet full of daemons, where you hunt or be hunted until death. Occasionally, they like to leave to destroy a hive world or other bastion of what they believe to be bad for humanity, sowing chaos and disorder on a massive scale.

History

The XX Legion had a tumultuous and controversial history. Throughout their existence, they have been known as a Legion of outcasts and renegades. Often, their only supporter was Hektor himself. Though this bond greatly assisted their fall to Chaos, it has been stated that the Iron Rangers were doomed to that fate regardless of their side in the Heresy.

Sacred Band

The XX Squad of the Sacred Band began with an uncertain start. The few candidates who were able to accept the gene-seed were considered stubborn and anti-authoritarian at best. With the gene-seed implanted, they became much worse. Orders were routinely ignored, or simply followed to their own definitions. Laying out specific orders would result in them performing specifically what was asked, without adapting to changing ideas. They were passive-aggressive towards their authority figures, and The Emperor considered abandoning the XX altogether at several points, earning them the nickname "The Tarnished Ten." Ultimately, Hektor was given one last chance to prove their worth. Knowing what was at stake, he took a personal interest in the squad, learning their outlooks, how they thought, and why they acted the way they did. Eventually, the perfect mission to prove their worth as a fighting force. Early in the conquest of the Merican hives, intelligence reported a unique opportunity for the Imperial forces. A resort was located in which much of the Merican nobility and general officers frequented. A plan was hatched, led by Sergeant Jon McNally of the XX squad, to eliminate the resort and all officers located within. It was believed that the resort was night-inaccessible, to which the Ten took it as a challenge. In an elaborate and well-planned strike, the Squad infiltrated the resort, killing all within either with Volkite Carbines or explosive charges. The impact on the Merican resistance was immediate and noticeable. A large segment of their forces were left leaderless and without orders. Nobles started infighting over power vacuums created in the wake of the slaughter. With the successful mission, the XX Squad cemented their place in future legions. The Tarnished Ten became a term of endearment amongst the Sacred Band, and their purpose was realized as saboteurs, infiltrators, and unconventional warfare specialists.

Early Campaigns

Early Years

---

In the beginnings of the crusade the XX Legion (now called the Iron Rangers and led by Legion Commander Jon McNally) distinguished themselves for exceptional work in thoroughly spreading the Imperial Truth and were applauded for their efforts. Though their progress was significantly slower than many other Legions at the time, their methods were effective. Worlds taken by them were quick to follow the Imperium, and often with much of the infrastructure intact. Little reconstruction was ever needed to be made. Though many considered their time-consuming methods wasteful, Commander McNally was always quick to point out the lack of collateral damage and reduced Astartes and Imperial casualties. They were awarded numerous citations by the Mechanicum for successfully retrieving several STC's and other technological marvels long lost to time intact, and usually working.

Operation Wakiya

---

843.M30: The 76th Imperial Army Expeditionary Fleet discovered the Lucius system. It already possessed a developed society, Forge World, and manufacturing capabilities for interstellar ships. Contact was made, and negotiations attempted, however the system unified against the Imperium. After several crushing defeats, the commander of the fleet made an official request for assistance. It was answered by no less than 4 Astartes Legions, including the XI, XX, XXIII, and XXIV, led by the Emperor himself. Fighting was difficult and intense, the locals unleashing numerous weapons from the Dark Age, Titans, and the collected might of a Forge World enabled system. To further complicate the fight, any territory conquered was immediately answered with guerrilla warfare and insurgencies. The Iron Rangers were initially tasked with what was becoming their standard role in conflicts. That of eliminating high-ranking leaders, disrupting communications and supply lines, infiltrating and demolishing fortified emplacements, and disruptive attacks behind enemy lines. However it soon became clear that the standard methodology for dealing with insurgencies and rebellions were not going to work. The enemy were too scattered, too methodical, and the territory and skills too valuable to be simply destroyed. With this in mind the XX were called for their stealth and hunting skills to help hunt down and eliminate enemies behind the lines. Over time, the Iron Rangers were sent increasingly behind their own lines to deal with the insurgents. Struggling for a solution that would allow the Iron Rangers back on the front lines, Imperial Intelligence received the go-ahead, signed by the Emperor Himself, to begin with a plan titled Operation Wakiya. The outline given to the Emperor was vaguely worded, but allowed them to tap into Astartes forces for the duration. With His signature on the paper, IMINT started issuing missions to the XX Legion. What was supposed to be a short operation of a few weeks wound up taking the duration of the campaign. The XX were tasked to kidnap, torture, and eliminate numerous targets within the battlezone. Targets were selected both from behind enemy lines and in captured territory. The intent of the mission was to decrease insurgent support, supply, and resistance by exploiting supporters and suppliers of the insurgents. As the campaign came to a close, the governing body of Lucius pushed for a conditional surrender to the Imperium. One of the listed conditions was the return of civilians captured as part of Operation Wakiya, and reparations be made to the families and surviving victims. Confused, the Emperor looked into the matter and found that almost all of the targets captured in the operation were civilian. Almost none of them had any connection whatsoever to insurgencies or fighters, and were purely political opponents who could have been swayed with diplomacy or silenced with money and resources. Outraged, he called the XX Legion to answer these accusations. The Legion, confused by the call, claimed that Imperial Intelligence had handed them the target list, and believed they were selected by the Emperor. By the time the Emperor talked to the local director of IMINT, almost all the evidence of their involvement had been destroyed. To further redirect blame, the director had limited knowledge of the operation, and simply was dictating the basic mission parameters. As a result, the blame for the atrocities fell squarely on the shoulders of the Iron Rangers. They would have been disbanded, had Hektor not stepped in to plead for them personally, and were given the label “assassins” by numerous other Legions. Disheartened and disgraced, the XX Legion faced harsh censure. In the eyes of the Legion, the largest injury was that they were no longer allowed to conquer worlds (until the reintegration of their Primarch and his successful plea to the Emperor to regain their honor). They were only allowed to support other forces. Further, they were openly antagonized by several other Legions for their part in the crimes. After the Heresy, some notable historians point to this event as what started the Iron Rangers' path towards rebellion and Chaos.

Primarch Discovery

Rogerius Merrill was discovered in 870.M30. After a brief stay with The Emperor to learn of the advances in technology and officially handing the planet of Profi Tiroedd to the Tribal Council and the X Chapter (Recruits), Merrill was awarded command of the XX Legion in a small ceremony. The official statement described throngs of Marines cheering for the return of their beloved Primarch and a myriad of celebrations for the auspicious occasion that it was. Firsthand accounts tell a different story. One of a disheartened Legion stoically and dispassionately accepting a new commander while a quiet and subdued Primarch reluctantly and falteringly accepted command.

For the first few months, Merrill almost never appeared on the bridge nor did he take command. He would rarely make or answer communications. Most of his time was spent locked in his private chambers. It is believed that this is when the close relationships with Hektor and Uriel developed. The two fellow Primarchs were the only two who he would truly communicate with. Eventually he started to take command. Some believe it started with a personal visit from Hektor and Uriel to force him into leading his troops. Regardless of the reason, he took increasingly greater interest in his Legion. He learned their tactics and techniques, and taught them those he himself learned. Over a period of a few months, he changed from the reluctant isolationist to comrade-in-arms, to trusted leader. As he and his men worked, planned, and fought together a strong bond grew. Many Primarchs could be described as a patriarch figure to their Legions. Merrill was the trusted older brother. In a private ceremony with the entire Legion present, he took command to his men in 872.M30. Many Iron Rangers cite this date as the year their Primarch was found. Following his official taking of command, he sat down with his most experienced leaders to thoroughly and completely reorganize the Legion.

The Long Hunt

---

In 873.M30 the Iron Rangers had finally settled their conflicts within the new organization and roles. New squads and formations had been created as a result, and the long-standing offer for a flagship had been decided. A Gloriana class flagship, titled The Emperor's Shadow was in construction. The first test of the new command structure came in the form of an aid request from a nearby Imperial Army Expeditionary fleet. They had discovered a system inhabited by Eldar, where every planet and moon capable of sustaining life had been fully terraformed and was ready to be included in the Imperium. Though the initial surveys reported only one or two small and isolated colonies, their numbers seemed to multiply overnight. It was decided that Astartes would be required to deal with the numbers and scope of the conflict, and the XX Legion were the closest to answer the call. From Merrill's perspective, this seemed the perfect proving grounds for his ideas.

The resulting battle was longer and more drawn out than what was initially expected. As opposed to fighting the xenos in force and outright annihilating them, the Iron Rangers fought them on their own turf and almost by their own rules. The following weeks were a drawn-out series of hit-and-run fighting, infiltration, and sabotage. Each force trying to sneak past the other and eliminate their strong points. In the end it was the XX Legion that stood victorious. Rogerius Merrill walked his men out of the conflict, handed the Imperial Army their system, and promptly contacted his father with a full battle report and a statement that bordered on demanding the return of the Legion's Rite of Conquest. After some thought and inflection, The Emperor agreed and the honor of the Iron Rangers was restored, if only in writing.

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.

Unique Weapons

The Imperial Talon

---

The spear wielded by Rogerius Merrill while he remained loyal to The Emperor. It was crafted by the greatest artificers on Mars, to his exacting ideas. The weight, balance, length, even the shaft diameter were all designed based on his specifications. It is as much a piece of art as it is a weapon, with elegant, golden designs and inlays along its silver length. In addition to its regular power field, it incorporates a formidable refractor field along the length of the shaft and a teleportation device from the Dark Age of Technology which allows the wielder to recall it instantly back to their hand. In the battle with Tiran Osoris, the Primarch of the Scale Bearers broke the haft in two, forcing Merrill to find another weapon suitable to his needs. Rumors persist of its continued existence, and questions abound whether it was corrupted by its wielder or remains pure, if it does still exist.

Hollti O Penglogau and Bywyd-Yfwr

---

The names translate to "Splitter of Skulls" and "Life-Drinker," they are the twin weapons of Rogerius Merrill after his fall to Chaos. Hollti O Penglogau is a tomahawk, originally a bearded axe for a normal man, possessed by a Bloodthirster. Bywyd-Yfwr is a dagger, and possessed by a Keeper of Secrets. The tomahawk is an ugly, savage weapon. It's design is ragged and crude, an item clearly built with one purpose in mind. The dagger, on the other hand, is sleek and fine, and appears more a work of art than anything. Many have commented that it doesn't look sturdy enough to last a battle, only to find out the opposite is true.

The Last Laugh

---

Cellweirwyr's rifle, it is truly one of a kind. The long, heavy barreled bolter fires a special bolt round. Though normal sized, it is fit into a modified Heavy Bolter casing, giving it better muzzle velocity, energy, and range than even some sniper rifles. Combined with it's user's renowned skill with a firearm and a scope with numerous long-forgotten technical marvels, it is both a symbol of both skill and hubris.

PF-38

---

The PF-38 was a short-run production of Powerfists created by the Mechanicum during the later days of the Crusades. The model incorporates series of moving, hooked blades in the fingers and palm, designed to help cut and tear through armor plating. Though successful in its design, controlling the blades proved difficult for most who attempted to use it. One exception to that rule was Arth Codital of the Iron Rangers, dubbing his own the "can opener," who excelled with the weapon to the point of refusing his more traditional power spear.

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 and Training). 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).

This is further complicated by the Iron Rangers' war footing. Whilst the Chapters are divided based on common skills, training requirements, and combat doctrine, they are not completely self-sufficient in their own rights. With this in mind, the War Tribes were founded by Merrill. Each War Tribe is led by an Elder, Though not an Elder of the existing Chapters, into combat. Each War Tribe consists of roughly an entire Chapter's worth of Iron Rangers, made up of samples of Tribes and Troupes from the 2nd through 9th Chapters, blended together in order to make each War Tribe a balanced force. For example, the 2nd War Tribe is made up of the 3rd Tribes of the II and III(Ceidwad) Chapters, the IV-VI (Gwaed) Chapters, and the VII-VIII (Heliwr) Chapters. For naval and aerial support, they also contain the 3rd Troupe of the first 6 Tribes of the IX Chapter.

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

---

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

---

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

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