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Angron - Post-Heresy: Angron's sightings in the Materium have been mercifully rare in the millennia after the Horus Heresy, since it appears that the Daemon Primarch is busy either prosecuting his patron's wars with the other forces of Chaos or ruling his personal Daemon World within the Eye of Terror.There are, however, several well-documented occasions after the end of the Horus Heresy where Angron himself led the Blood God's forces against the Imperium. |
Angron - Dominion of Fire: In the mid-38th Millennium, Angron and 50,000 Chaos Space Marines and troops drawn from the other forces of Chaos slaughtered their way through a large swathe of Imperial space for over two standard centuries. They took control of over 70 sectors.In response, a combined force of four Space Marine Chapters, 2 Titan Legions and more than 30 Astra Militarum regiments participated in a massive Imperial Crusade to retake what the Imperium had lost to the Red Angel's assault.Ninety percent of the territory that had been lost to Angron's forces was eventually recovered by the Imperium's defenders. This protracted campaign is known in Imperial archives as the "Dominion of Fire." |
Angron - First War for Armageddon: The conflict later known as the First War for Armageddon began within the Eye of Terror. The forces within, being devoted to the service of Chaos and the Ruinous Powers, usually fought against each other as was their fractious nature, but occasionally and inexplicably they put aside their rivalries to launch an assault on their common enemy, the Imperium of Man.In this case, the unity of the Ruinous Powers was triggered by the arrival of the space hulk Devourer of Stars around a Daemon World within the Eye of Terror that was controlled by Angron and his World Eaters. Angron had spent much of the 10 millennia following the Horus Heresy attempting to restore some level of unity amongst the divided warbands of what had once been his XIIth Legion of Space Marines.The World Eaters' dedication to the Blood God Khorne during the Horus Heresy had reduced them for much of that time into a fractious force of Khornate Berserkers just as likely to kill each other as their true foes. The emergence of the Devourer of Stars into orbit around Angron's Daemon World provided just the opportunity he had been looking for to recreate some semblance of common purpose for his scattered Legion.The space hulk proved sufficiently large enough to carry large numbers of Chaos troops but only on an erratic course into realspace. This is how the forces of Chaos unexpectedly emerged from the Warp aboard the space hulk in the Armageddon System in 444.M41.The arrival of Angron at Armageddon probably had nothing to do with Angron's own desires, rather the location was determined by the chaotic currents of the Warp which sent his space hulk to that Hive World in the Segmentum Solar, possibly at the whim of one of the Chaos Gods, if there was any intent behind the Devourer of Stars' course at all.Meanwhile, on Armageddon, a series of strange events culminated in an armed rebellion breaking out in half a dozen of the world's large hive cities against the Imperium's authority at the same time that massive Warp Storms cut off the world from Imperial communications and commerce.The revolts, largely initiated by Chaos Cultists taking advantage of food shortages caused by the Warp Storms to stir up trouble, were quickly put down in the eastern region of the world's southern sub-continent of Armageddon Secundus, but amongst the more widely scattered hives of the western region of the northern sub-continent of Armageddon Prime the rebels proved more difficult to eradicate.As Armageddon's Planetary Defence Forces (PDF) and the few regiments of the Astra Militarum's Armageddon Steel Legion present on the world seemed capable of dealing with the revolt, no additional units were sent by the Imperium to handle the problem once the Warp Storms cleared. Armageddon was a very long way from the Eye of Terror in the galaxy's Segmentum Obscurus, and no one in the Imperium suspected any more sinister cause for the revolts than simple civil unrest.Busy containing the rebellion, the Imperial forces were caught by surprise when the Devourer of Stars suddenly emerged from the Warp in the Armageddon System. On board the Devourer of Stars was an enormous Chaos army led by the Daemon Primarch Angron, including millions of Chaos Cultists called the Children of Sanguinary Unholiness and the Twelve -- the Cruor Praetoria, the twelve strongest Daemons of Khorne whose lives and deeds most pleased their wretched Blood God.Chaos Space Marines from the World Eaters Legion and hordes of other Daemonic creatures dedicated to the Blood God also poured from the space hulk onto the surface of Armageddon and swept across the land.The insidious effects of Chaos were quickly felt as nearly half the Planetary Defence Force of Armageddon unexpectedly went over to the invaders, declaring their loyalty to the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. The few remaining Loyalist defenders were quickly routed from the sub-continent of Armageddon Prime.Falling back through the equatorial jungles in the south, the survivors joined up with the Armageddon PDF units that had been left on the sub-continent of Armageddon Secundus and prepared to make a last ditch defence along the banks of the Rivers Styx and Chaeron.But the expected Chaos attack did not manifest itself. The Warp Storm that had carried the Devourer of Stars to Armageddon had started dying out, cutting off the vital supply of Warp energy that allowed Angron and the other Daemons to remain in the Materium.Angron had reluctantly halted his advance on Armageddon Secundus and ordered his forces to build monuments to the Blood God in the equatorial jungles separating both continents. The Chaos army spent the following solar weeks erecting colossal piles comprised of the skulls of the fallen defenders, anointing them with the blood of sacrificed prisoners and slaves, as well as their own.The Imperial defenders gained valuable time while Angron raised bloody monuments to the Blood God. Many wondered why the monstrous primarch halted with victory in his grasp, but in truth, Angron had no choice: without the supply of raw Warp energy generated by the construction of the monuments and the sacrifices, the Daemonic components of his army would soon start to dissolve back into the Warp, unable to maintain their presence in the Materium.When his "supply lines" were finally secured, and his army emerged from the equatorial jungles that separated Armageddon Prime from Armageddon Secundus, Angron found the Imperial defenders ready and waiting -- and reinforced by the Space Wolves.Unknown to the forces of Chaos, the Great Company of Space Wolves Astartes led by the Chapter's Great Wolf (Chapter Master) Logan Grimnar had been assigned to the defence of this sector of the Imperium, and they moved quickly to provide aid to the beleaguered defenders as soon as they received the astropathic distress messages from Armageddon describing the Chaos invasion of the Hive World.Huge battles erupted along the entire front. In the east, along the Chaeron River, the Imperial forces held, but towards the west on the Styx River Angron led the way himself. He smashed through the Imperial lines and led his forces towards Hive Infernus and Hive Helsreach.But there Logan Grimnar unleashed his secret weapon. He had called for the assistance of the Grey Knights, the psychic Space Marine Chapter that served the Ordo Malleus of the Inquisition as its Chamber Militant, as soon as he had heard of the Daemonic nature of the attacking forces. Only the Grey Knights had the ability to truly defeat a Daemonic entity of such malevolent power as Angron.As the very existence of Chaos was one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Imperium of Man, few amongst even the Space Marines knew of the existence of the Grey Knights, the most elite Chapter of Astartes ever formed who were tasked specifically with combat against Daemons.But Grimnar had seen them in action on more than one occasion and as the lord of an Astartes Chapter he had never been forced to submit to the Inquisitorial mind-wipe that was required of nearly all witnesses to the Grey Knights in action.Amongst the Grey Knights units deployed for action on Armageddon was Squad Castian, which joined an ad hoc "Ragged Brotherhood" of Grey Knights under the command of Taremar Aurellian, the Brother-Captain of the 3rd Brotherhood.When the call came, the Grey Knights teleported directly into the midst of the advancing Chaos horde, surrounding the gigantic Daemon Primarch. Taking heavy losses from Angron's battle prowess, the Grey Knights inflicted their own punishment, and eventually Squad Castian engaged in melee with the Daemon Primarch.After Angron mangled the squad, the only Grey Knight left standing was the pyrokine (master of psychic flame) Hyperion. Trying to protect a still-surviving squad mate, in a tremendous display of faith, power, and effort, Hyperion used his psyker abilities to shatter the primarch's Daemonic sword, the hideous Khornate relic known as the Black Blade -- while he collapsed into unconsciousness from the sheer effort.Captain Aurellian then confronted the bladeless Daemon Prince of Khorne and managed to banish him back to the Warp, though at the cost of his own life.Hyperion was one of only 13 Grey Knights to survive the battle, out of the 109 Astartes of the 3rd Brotherhood who had been deployed for the campaign. Found alive but in terrible shape by the Space Wolves on the hellish field after the battle, Hyperion soon acquired the honorific "Bladebreaker" for his feat.He had to be put in temporary stasis in order to survive, and underwent surgery that replaced half his face and skull with augmetics. He eventually reported back to duty more than 4 solar months later.The Grey Knights had defeated the Daemon Prince, hurling his spirit back into the Warp from where he could not return for over one hundred Terran years. At the same time as the Grey Knights were teleporting directly into the centre of the Daemonic force to launch their attack on the Daemon Primarch, the Space Wolves launched their own massive counter-offensive all along the Imperial lines.The forces of Chaos were routed after they watched their leader defeated and only the World Eaters managed to retreat back to the space hulk and escape into the safety of the Warp. The Imperial victory was complete and overwhelming -- though it had come at a great and terrible cost. |
Angron - Era Indomitus: During the period of the Noctis Aeterna after the birth of the Great Rift, reinforcements were cut off for both sides in the ongoing Third War for Armageddon, and those en route to the system were swept into oblivion.Those combatants who remained on Armageddon were forced to face not just each other, but oncoming waves of Daemons. At times, so desperate were the defenders that Orks and Humans fought alongside each other against the greater threat. Such temporary ceasefires never lasted long.By the time the beacon of the Astronomican burned bright once more and easy travel through the Immaterium in the Imperium Sanctus was possible, an Imperial relief force arrived to find the landscape of Armageddon greatly changed. At the height of the Warp storms, the Daemonic forces of Tzeentch and Khorne had battled each other as part of their eternal competition in the Great Game.The Orks and Imperial defenders sought cover as titanic Greater Daemons duelled for supremacy. Fully half the planet was reshaped into a hellish landscape reminiscent of many Daemon Worlds -- a nightmare born of the Warp merged with the ruins of a war-torn Hive World.The Imperial reinforcements, led by elements of nine Space Marine Chapters with the Salamanders in overall command, succeeded in halting a Daemonic ritual that would have brought Angron back to the world that had defied him during the First War for Armageddon.In the Era Indomitus the World Eaters have reached heights of power not seen since the Great Crusade. The attemps of Angron to return to Imperial space is bad enough for the servants of the Emperor, but it now seems that he can no longer be truly banished back to the Warp for a long period of time. Inquisitors aware of this phenomenon tout many different theories for the Red Angel's terrifying new attachment to realspace, chief among them the amount of Warp energy now pouring from the Great Rift. But even voidship-class weapons will only slow the Daemon Primarch down while he re-manifests.Should Angron somehow still be cast back into the Warp, he re-emerges unscathed precisely eight weeks, eight days, and eight hours later, heralded by eight Crimson Omens that strike fear into the hearts of all who witness them.Behind him march the warbands of the World Eaters. Each of these warbands has operated independently since the events on Skalathrax that earned Khârn the Betrayer his epithet and tore the original XIIth Legion asunder -- but all are drawn by their fallen gene-father's call. Some, like Gladiator Cadre 331, still wear the blue-and-white power armour of the Legion's heyday in the Great Crusade, while others have adapted their skills to new theatres of war, like the shipbound Voidbutchers.Their differences even extend to the way they do battle, as not all World Eaters charge screaming into melee combat. The Bloodstalkers are known and often derided by their fellow World Eaters for their patience and gunnery, yet they reason that a warrior who lives longer claims more skulls for Khorne. The 66th Armoured Company have become one with their vehicles, and bulldoze through enemy positions safe within armoured hulls.With the World Eaters largely reunited behind their primarch, Angron promises to become an active participant in the Great Game and present an entirely new threat to the Imperium in the Era Indomitus. |
Angron - Appearance and Abilities: Khârn, when still the captain of the 8th Assault Company of the War Hounds, was struck by his first sight of his primarch's visage, a description which still rings down the millennia."Wiry, copper-red hair curled away from a high brow, pale eyes sat deep behind cheekbones that angled down like axe-strokes to an aquiline nose and a broad, thin-lipped mouth. It was the face of a general to follow unto death, the face of a teacher at whose feet the wise would fight to sit, the face of a king made for the adoration of worlds: the face of a primarch. And rage made it the face of a beast. Rage pulsed and distorted the features like a tumour breaking out from the skull beneath. It made the eyes into yellow, empty pits, debased the proud lines of brow and jaw, peeled the lips back from the teeth."According to the custom of the Nucerian gladiators he was raised among, Angron cut scars into his torso after each of his battles, in a continuing length known as the "Triumph Rope."For every victory, the scar would be left to heal normally, while for every defeat the warrior would work some dirt into the wound and cause the scar to turn black. Angron was the only gladiator in Nucerian history history to possess no black scars.Corvus Corax believed that no other primarch could have bested Angron in single combat save for Horus and perhaps Sanguinius.Leman Russ was often considered Angron's equal in physical combat; Rogal Dorn, on the other hand, believed that he could defeat Angron easily through the use of strategy and acumen, and feared him much less as an adversary than he did Horus, who was a strategic genius.Before being implanted with the Butcher's Nails, Angron displayed an inherent psychic ability which allowed him to not only feel but also somehow absorb the pain and negative emotions of others.He used this empathic power to calm the other child slaves in the caves of Nuceria before he was taken to the city of Desh'ea. |
Angron - Wargear: Armour of Mars - During his mortal life, Angron wore Artificer Armour that was crafted by the Artificers of the XIIth Legion from the gladiatorial armour in which he fought as a Nucerian slave.Spinegrinder (Persiax's Folly) - In the Era Indomitus, Angron wields this titanic chainaxe, whose construction is far beyond most mortal craft. It is also known as Persiax's Folly -- named for the Traitor Forge World of the Dark Mechanicum that laboured for solar decades to construct it, only to become the axe's first victims when Angron scorned their supplication.Samni'arius - Samni'arius is a Daemonsword that Angron wields in the Era Indomitus alongside his chainaxe Spinegrinder. This Daemonic sword is of prodigious size and contains the essence of a powerful Slaaneshi Daemon named Samni'arius, whose gladiatorial posturing offended the Daemon Primarch enough for him to administer the beating of a lifetime using nothing more than an unworked iron bar -- forging the new blade in the process.Black Blade - Primarch Angron's personal runesword, this gigantic black sword, engraved with blasphemous runes, could cleave anything in two. The weapon was forged by the Dark Mechanicum shortly after Angron's ascension to Daemonhood during the Shadow Crusade. Wielded by Angron in the First War for Armageddon, the weapon was powerful enough to instantly annihilate five Grey Knights Terminators in a single stroke. However the Black Blade was stopped in mid-swing by the psychic might of the young Grey Knights recruit Hyperion. Hyperion managed to first snap, then finally shatter the blade by exerting an enormous amount of psychic force that nearly killed the young Grey Knight.Widowmaker - Widowmaker was the precursor to all of the other chainaxes that Angron would use throughout his life. This formidable weapon was destroyed when he was confronted and fought his brother primarch Leman Russ on the world of Ghenna, who had challenged him on behalf of the Emperor for allowing his World Eaters to be implanted with the Butcher's Nails and the continuing atrocities of his Legion.Brazentooth - Brazentooth was the massive two-handed chainaxe that Angron used before taking up Gorefather and Gorechild. Brazentooth was so large only a primarch could wield it with any result. It was forged of obsidian and brass, its haft wrapped in the skin of some monstrous lizard. Angron had wielded it to take the head of the queen of the Scandrane xenos, as well as to cleave through a horde of Greenskins serving the Warboss known as the Arch-Vandal of Pasiphae. A Feral World teeming with tribal psychopaths had rebelled against the Imperial Truth, and at the mere sight of Brazentooth in Angron’s hand they had given up their revolt and kneeled to the World Eaters. Brazentooth had been as much a symbol of Angron’s relentlessness and independence as it was a mere weapon. Brazentooth was later presented by Angron to Lorgar of the Word Bearers to cement the alliance between their two Legions at the time of the Horus Heresy. Brazentooth was apparently destroyed or lost in the vacuum of space after the destruction of the Word Bearers' Battleship Furious Abyss in the early days of the Heresy before the Battle of Calth.Gorefather and Gorechild - During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy these archaic chainaxes were amongst the most potent weapons known amongst the relics of the primarchs, made all the more deadly by Angron's consummate skill as a fighter. During the Horus Heresy Angron discarded both Chainaxes after they became irrevocably damaged upon the world of Armatura. Angron's Equerry Khârn retrieved the discarded Gorechild, had it repaired, and has used it ever since.The Spite Furnace - Angron also carried a master-crafted Plasma Pistol known as the Spite Furnace.The Butcher's Nails - The Butcher's Nails were bio-neural cybernetic implants which were surgically grafted directly into Angron's cerebral cortex. An archeotech relic device from the Dark Age of Technology, these implants could massively boost a warrior's ferocity, courage and production of adrenaline, resulting in greater strength and aggression in battle, transforming him into a nigh unstoppable berserker -- at the cost of the slow deterioration of all of his mental faculties and capacity for reasoned thought. |
Angron (Anthology) - Angron (Anthology): Angron is a short story anthology collection that was published exclusively on BlackLibrary.com. |
Angron (Anthology) - Synopsis: Many are the legends surrounding the wrathful Primarch of the XII Legion. From the bloody sands of the Desh'ean gladiatorial pits, to the battlefields of Isstvan and the farthest reaches of the Shadow Crusade, the name of Angron is a byword for carnage and berserk fury...The Primarch of the XII Legion, the feared gladiator-king Angron, is a force of nature, a warrior whose fame is built on bloody slaughter. And his future holds even more, as he falls to worship of the Ruinous Powers... |
Angron (Anthology) - Contents: Angron includes the following stories:After Desh'ea (Short Story) by Mattew FarrerButcher's Nails (Short Story) by Aaron Dembski-BowdonLord of the Red Sands (Short Story) by Aaron Dembski-BowdonAngron features the prose version of the audio drama Butcher's Nails. |
Angron - Slaves of Nuceria (Novella) - Angron - Slaves of Nuceria (Novella): Angron - Slave of Nuceria is the eleventh novella in the Horus Heresy-Primarchs series. The novella was released on June 11, 2019. |
Angron - Slaves of Nuceria (Novella) - Synopsis: As the Emperor travels the galaxy at the head of His Great Crusade, few events are as important as rediscovering His scattered sons, the primarchs, and bestowing them as the masters of their Legions. United, a Legion becomes a reflection of its primarch, both in his strengths and his flaws. For the XII Legion, once the War Hounds and now the World Eaters, the line between strength and flaw is almost impossible to separate.Placed in command of a Legion he does not want, in service to a father he cannot forgive, Angron gives an ultimatum to his children, one that will set them down a path that they can never return from. So desperate for his acknowledgement, will the World Eaters follow their father and cast themselves in his broken image or will they resist? And will any of them ever learn who their father was truly meant to be? |
Animus Speculum - Animus Speculum: The Animus Speculum is a unique battle-helm that is the Culexus Assassin's primary tool, as well as the apparatus by which these operatives of the Officio Assassinorum control their anti-psyker aura.Packed with sensors and techno-arcane circuitry designed to enhance and help control the Assassin's gifts, the Animus Speculum is an elongated helmet with a stylised skull-shaped faceplate.A bulky apparatus that appears to be an auspex array is connected to each side of the helmet via thick cables.The entire helmet is designed to look as monstrous as possible to strike fear into the hearts of the Assassin's enemies. The helmet also acts as a rebreather, and has a sophisticated built-in auspex system that mimics the abilities of an Omniscope.Along with these systems, the Animus Speculum possesses other notable functions, including:Psyocculum - The built-in Psyocculum allows the Assassin to clearly see individuals and objects obscured by psychic powers.Arcane Eye - The Animus Speculum enables the Culexus Assassin to focus his or her potent negative psychic energy through a single eye that is emitted as a powerful beam at the Assassin's will. Such a blast is capable of burning out a target's brain. While lethal to anyone, it inflicts particularly terrible damage on psykers, Daemons and psychically-active creatures, whose psychic defences crumble quickly before its onslaught. The Arcane Eye of the Animus Speculum can also draw power from nearby psykers who use the Warp as a power source. The weapon also serves as a form of psychic restraint, dampening the Culexus' own negative psychic aura and preventing it from affecting any nearby allies as strongly. |
Animus Speculum - Sources: Assassinorum Executioner Force: Rulebook (7th Edition), pg. 31Codex: Assassins (3rd Edition), pg. 5Codex: Assassins (2nd Edition), pp. 20-23Codex: Grey Knights (5th Edition), pg. 52Codex: Necrons (3rd Edition), pg. 8Rogue Trader: The Navis Primer (RPG), pg. 116Nemesis (Novel) by James Swallow |
Ankh-Heloth - Ankh-Heloth: Ankh-Heloth was a Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion and commander of its 11th Host.Ankh-Heloth rose to the high rank of Dark Apostle within the Legion under dubious circumstances. While it was the Dark Council of Sicarus that had instated Ankh-Heloth as the first acolyte of the 11th Host, this was only at Grand Apostle Ekodas' insistence.Less than a solar decade later Ankh-Heloth had ascended to the position of Dark Apostle after his predecessor was killed under circumstances engineered, many believed, by Ekodas.Ankh-Heloth did not garner much respect from his fellow Dark Apostles, many of whom regarded him as little more than "Ekodas' whipping boy." |
Ankh-Heloth - Appearance: Ankh-Heloth was described as a severe-looking warrior with a cruelly barbed, black metal Star of Chaos hammered into his forehead.Dark Apostle Ankh-Heloth's flesh was a living canvas upon which he had performed his grisly, sacred arts. He bore numerous cuts and welts, the angry disfigurements evidence of constant ritual flagellation.Ankh-Heloth more than likely rubbed poisonous balms and liniments into his self-inflicted cuts in order to hamper the regenerative qualities of his Astartes physiology, for many of his wounds were always open and raw.Such practices were not uncommon within the fanatical Word Bearers Legion. |
Annihilation Barge - Annihilation Barge: Not so much a tank as a mobile weapons platform, a Necron Annihilation Barge is so-named for its extreme destructive potential. Whilst slow moving and ponderous, mobility is not its purpose. It excels instead in its aptly named role -- annihilation.Using its devastating Tesla lightning weapons, an Annihilation Barge can eradicate entire formations of enemy infantry in mere moments; its bolts of electricity incinerating target after target.An Annihilation Barge is crescent shaped in appearance, with its main payload mounted atop its keel. Its open form is kept aloft by a sophisticated anti-gravitic engine, which allows the Barge to hover over any intervening terrain that might otherwise hamper its movement.It is difficult to imagine a vehicle more unlike those manufactured by the Imperium of Man. In many ways, an Annihilation Barge bears even less resemblance to an Imperial tank than the similar anti-gravitic vehicles of the T'au Empire.Like the Necrons themselves, the Annihilation Barge is merely a skeletal frame for supporting its weapons. While it may appear to lack armour, this is not quite true. The bulk of its protection takes the form of Quantum Shielding, which only exists at the moment of impact of enemy projectiles; thus leaving the vehicle light and manoeuvrable. |
Annihilation Barge - Role: Annihilation Barges are the Necrons' favoured anti-infantry support platforms. Each is armed with a twin-linked pair of Tesla Destructors -- enormous energy cannons that fire ferocious arcs of eldritch lightning.In their usual configurations, Annihilation Barges are set in fixed positions in the lowest and deepest sanctums of a Necron tomb. Should an intruder manage to circumvent the existing layers of traps, service robots and prowling Necron Warriors, they will then have to pass beneath the concealed alcove emplacements above cyclopean doorways in which the Annihilation Barges lie.An acrid discharge of emerald lightning later, and the interloper is naught but dust upon the tomb's stale breezes. Any collateral damage from the discharge of its weapons within the tomb structure can be repaired in short order by robotic Canoptek Spyders and Canoptek Wraiths, and is well worth the annihilation of any intruders.When a Necron Overlord goes to war, the ancient repulsor sleds which keep Annihilation Barges aloft are coaxed back into life so that the vehicles' powerful firepower may be added to a Tomb World’s army.In battle, Annihilation Barges lack the speed commonly associated with anti-gravitic vehicles and are seldom swift enough to keep pace with even the ponderous advance of a Necron army. Indeed, their movement is more akin to the slow progress of Imperial tanks.As such, they will often be deployed as defences for strategic locations instead. From there, they can counter enemy scout elements without facing the risk of being swept aside by a concerted enemy attack.Not only does this deployment render valuable sectors of the battlefield immune to all but the most determined of enemy assaults, it also ensures that the Annihilation Barges themselves are guaranteed to find bloody purpose. Additionally, most Necron Overlords will often task a squad of Immortals and Necron Warriors to act as guards, so as to better protect the valuable Annihilation Barges.Such a partnership can prove advantageous for both parties -- the Annihilation Barge gains a screen of allies to drive back incoming assaults, whilst its bodyguards benefit from the vehicle’s immense firepower.Nowhere are Annihilation Barges more commonly deployed than on the northern frontier planets of the Akannazad Dynasty. These Tomb Worlds are under perpetual assault from the Orks of Charadon, to whom the technology-rich and high ordered Necron planets present an irresistible lure -- both in terms of plunder and anarchic potential.Without the support of Annihilation Barges, many of these worlds would have long ago been overrun. Few other weapons can wreak as efficient havoc amongst an oncoming Ork horde. Primary blasts can shred the the armour from Trukks and Looted Wagons, while the wildly arcing lightning that follows will incinerate any Ork Boyz unfortunate enough to be advancing alongside.All Annihilation Barges are crewed by a pair of hard-wired Necron Immortals which are especially suited to their role. This is due to unique systems which allow for the direct interfacing between them and the vehicle.This connection surpasses that of even the most advanced MIUs available to the Imperium, and in many ways there is no meaningful distinction between the craft and its crew. |
Annihilation Barge - Armament: Twin-linked Tesla Destructor - An Annihilation Barge’s primary weapon is its Tesla Destructor, which is mainly an anti-personnel weapon though only the most heavily armed tanks can risk its wrath with utter impunity. The Tesla Destructor employs much the same lightning-arc technology as found in the smaller Tesla Cannons and Tesla Carbines. Its energy discharges of crackling lightning can wreak terrible harm on living targets; searing their flesh, melting their armour and boiling their blood. Furthermore, the Tesla bolts fired feed off energy released by the destruction they cause, often meaning that the lightning becomes more ferocious with each arc. So powerful are the blasts from a Tesla Destructor, and such is its shocking rapidity of fire, that the lightning fired is capable of leaping from target to target before they are finally grounded; leaving a trail of smouldering carnage across a broad swathe of the battlefield behind them.Tesla Cannon - Annihilation Barges commonly mount an underslung Tesla Cannon as a backup secondary weapon which, whilst less potent than the larger Tesla Destructor, is still capable of vaporising significant amounts of infantry.Necrodermis - The armour of Annihilation Barges is made up of the same living metal Necrodermis that makes up all Necron bodies and vehicles. Its remarkable regenerative properties allow it to automatically repair damage to itself; whether this is the regeneration of parts of its hull, the reknitting of metal plates, and the reconnection of circuits and other delicate systems to bring its weapon online again. Many a foe has celebrated prematurely after landing a solid hit on an Annihilation Barge only for it to exemplify its name later after a few moments or repair.Quantum Shielding - Annihilation Barges are also protected by a layer of Quantum Shielding which exists out of phase from the rest of the vehicle until the moment of deflection. It can deflect the first shot that would otherwise penetrate the Barge’s armour, after which it cannot be used again for some time. |
Annihilation Barge - Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Technical Specifications: The technical specifications for this Necron unit have not been obtained or released by the Ordo Xenos. |
Annihilation Barge - Sources: Codex: Necrons (5th Edition), pp. 49, 95Codex: Necrons (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 176Imperial Armour - Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pg. 98Annihilation Barge |
Annihilator Beam - Annihilator Beam: An Annihilator Beam is a Necron weapon only unleashed when a Tesseract Vault is used as part of a Baleful Necropolis formation at the centre of a group of eight Monoliths.When the Baleful Necropolis formation is used, the Tesseract Vault is able to project this beam of potent force a short distance and smash aside or disintegrate almost anything in its way.Such is the Annihilator Beam's power that it poses a threat even to war machines as large as Titans. If a Tesseract Vault draws power from its surrounding Monoliths, it can increase the otherwise short range of the beam and fell targets from further away.Thus, a fully realised Baleful Necropolis formation is a potent threat to any foe at extreme ranges. |
Annihilators - Annihilators: The Annihilators were once a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown origin and Founding. After the unremitting violence of the xenocidal Quietus Campaign in 836.M36, the Annihilators Chapter finally succumbed to blood psychosis. Those of the Chapter still able to act rationally gathered at their fortress-monastery in the hope of finding absolution. Instead of redeeming their sins, however, their corrupted Chaplains led them in an ancient ritual, leaving their souls wide open to daemonic influence. Every member of the Chapter was possessed over the course of a single moonlit night, shifting form and devolving into armoured half-daemon monstrosities. This tragic event came to be known as The Great Degeneration. Calling themselves the Beasts of Annihilation, the brethren went to war again, though this time it was the Imperium of Man that felt their wrath. |
Annihilators - Chapter Colours: The Annihilators' Chapter colours are not listed in current Imperial records. |
Annihilators - Chapter Badge: The Annihilators' Chapter badge is not listed in current Imperial records. |
Anointed - Anointed: The Anointed were a warband of the World Eaters Traitor Legion. It was wiped out during the Cholercaust Blood Crusade in the 41st Millennium. |
Anointed - Notable Campaigns: Cholercaust Blood Crusade (Unknown Date.M41) - The Anointed was one of the warbands of World Eaters Heretic Astartes that took part in the Cholercaust Blood Crusade of Khorne's worshippers and participated in the invasion of the Cemetery World of Certus Minor. The warband was destroyed to the last Chaos Space Marine by the sudden intervention of the spectral Space Marines of the Legion of the Damned in that conflict. This earned a victory for the Imperial defenders, who were led by the 5th Company of the Excoriators Chapter. |
Anointed - Warband Colours: The colours of the Anointed are unknown, though as a warband of the World Eaters they most likely use that Traitor Legion's favoured colour scheme of blood red and brass. |
Anointed - Warband Badge: The badge of the Anointed, if it differed from the standard World Eaters' Legion badge, is unknown to Imperial records. |
Anrakyr - Anrakyr: Anrakyr, also called Anrakyr the Traveller, is a nomadic Necron Overlord who wanders from Tomb World to Tomb World across the galaxy, aiding the Necron cause wherever and however he can.Few Necrons awaken from stasis-sleep with a fully functioning consciousness. Most arise addled by the long slumber, their wits and reason slow to come fully online. Not so for Anrakyr -- he rose from dormancy during the Necrons' Great Sleep with his mind intact and a great purpose foremost in his mind to reunite the Necron dynasties.Embracing this as his destiny, Anrakyr the Traveller, as he came to be known amongst others of his kind, abdicated all responsibilities to his own Tomb World of Pyrrhia before leading an undying army into the stars to fulfil the self-appointed mission of rebuilding a united Necron realm that continues to this day. |
Anrakyr - History: Whilst his plan may have been glorious, the galaxy had changed much since Anrakyr last walked its worlds, and the maps of old no longer corresponded with the reality of the present. Planets had been destroyed, isolated by Warp Storms or even shifted through time and space.Even should a world itself remain in the position recorded of it, the stasis-tomb beneath its surface might well be gone, destroyed by tectonic upheaval, meteor strike or other unforseen disaster. Worst of all, however, is for Anrakyr to arrive upon a sleeping Tomb World to discover it infested with lesser life forms.Anrakyr has little desire to start war for its own sake -- his forces are too meagre for wanton hostility -- but to arrive on a slumbering Tomb World to discover its catacombs collapsed and its resources plundered is enough to drive him into an abiding rage that bodes ill for the perpetrators.Be the invaders a low-technology human colony, a sprawling WAAAGH! of Orks, a T'au expeditionary force or the planet-choking industries of the Adeptus Mechanicus, only one response is possible: swift and absolute war -- fighting alongside the Tomb World’s forces if any remain, battling to avenge them if not.Not all the Tomb Worlds Anrakyr arrives upon are in such dire throes -- some have gone entirely unnoticed by the younger races -- but in a galaxy burgeoning with inquisitive life, such planets are few and far between.From each Tomb World awoken or freed from invaders, Anrakyr requests a tithe of warriors and weaponry to be given over to his cause. If the supplication is refused, he seizes his prize through force or artifice instead. A newly awakened Tomb World is inevitably a confused and disordered place, and such acquisitions are easily engineered.This goes some way to explain Anrakyr's muddled repute amongst the Tomb Worlds he has encountered. To many Necron nobles he is considered the highest avatar of nobility, a warrior who has yielded all ties of personal rank and status for the benefit of his people.To others, notably those who do not willingly contribute to his forces, Anrakyr is the worst kind of masterless brigand, almost as severe a threat to the slumbering Tomb Worlds as any of the galaxy's other perils. For his part, Anrakyr would prefer to be supported willingly, yet need overrides all.His forces, worn down and ravaged by past campaigns, are always on the brink of complete collapse, and without reinforcements his great cause would come swiftly to an end.On the battlefield, Anrakyr is invariably accompanied by a cadre of Pyrrhian Eternals -- the remnant of the vast Immortal legion with which he began his great work. The ageless veterans are unswervingly loyal to their master and murderously efficient in furthering his goals.Yet even their threat pales beside that of Anrakyr himself. The same force of will that enables Anrakyr to maintain command over his forces can be refocussed temporarily to deceive enemy targeting systems, granting him control of the foe’s weaponry for brief periods of time. So it is that any foe who takes to the field against Anrakyr would be well-served to pay equal attention to the guns at their rear in addition to those at their front… |
Anrakyr - Notable Campaigns: 805.M41 The Ruin of Morrigar – A battle between the Hive City gangs on the planet of Morrigar inadvertently awakens the Necron Tomb hidden there. All contact with Morrigar is lost shortly thereafter. When the Cadian 207th makes planetfall six months later, there is no trace of any inhabitants, human or otherwise. Before the Imperial Guard can leave Morrigar, the nomadic Necron warlord Anrakyr the Traveller arrives. Assuming the humans are responsible for the apparent destruction of the Tomb World, he launches an attack that leaves his own forces decimated and the Cadian 207th utterly eliminated.859.M41 The Traveller has Come – Anrakyr the Traveller arrives in the embattled Lazar System, and immediately joins his forces to those Necrons defending against the onslaught of the Silver Skulls Astartes Chapter. Necron victory is finally assured at the Battle of Dreadpeak, when Anrakyr’s Pyrrhian Eternals spearhead an assault on the Silver Skulls’ downed Battle Barge Argent Hammer. Though the Space Marines battle hard against the veterans of Pyrrhia, their efforts are undone when Anrakyr seizes control over the Battle Barge’s still-functioning weapon batteries and turns their fury on the defenders. With their Chapter Master slain and their forces in disarray, the Silver Skulls are forced to withdraw their blockade of Lazar – though they take great care to ensure that word of their defeat does not spread. His duty done, Anrakyr takes ship and heads out into the galaxy once more.902.M41 The Harvest of Ka’mais – Possibly the first encounter between the Tau Empire and the Necrons, a dozen Hive Ships of Hive Fleet Gorgon assaulting the Tau colony of Ka’mais are destroyed as a fleet of Necron ships unexpectedly emerges from Ka’mais’ dead moon. Once the Tyranids are destroyed, Anrakyr lands upon the planet and is greeted with great celebration by the local Tau. Uncaring of this, Anrakyr orders the Harvest of Ka’mais, where most, if not all, of the Tau populace are killed or captured.999.M41 The Carnac Campaign – Anrakyr the Traveller arrives on a planet he supposes to be the Tomb World of Carnac, only to find it infested with Eldar Exodites. Realising that the tomb, if it remains, will be buried too deep for him to awaken before the Exodites can themselves summon aid, Anrakyr entreats the Necron Lords and Necron Overlords of other Tomb Worlds for aid. Reinforcements arrive from Mandragora, Gidrim and Trakonn, though the most unexpected of all is a contingent from Solemnace, led by Trazyn the Infinite himself. All this takes time, however, and by the time the Night Scythe fleets deploy the invading forces, the armies of the Alaitoc Craftworld stand side by side with the Exodites. Guided by the prophecies of Farseer Eldorath Starbane and the strategies of Illic Nightspear, the Eldar attempt to stall the Necron invasion with a series of hit-and-run attacks. Their aim is to sever the command structure by destroying Anrakyr and his closest allies, but the Pyrrhian Lord manages to subvert the prophecies of the Farseer through the astromantic analyses of Orikan the Diviner. Though Orikan’s divinations are by no means as focussed as those of Starbane, they are sufficient to tangle the skeins of fate and leave many details beyond the Farseer’s reach. So it is that Pathfinders arrive at what they thought to be Anrakyr’s location, only to find him long gone and squads of Deathmarks waiting in ambush. After several inconclusive battles on Carnac’s verdant plains, Anrakyr forces the Eldar to engage in a head-to-head confrontation by marching on the World Spirit shrine. As the tireless Necron legions advance upon its walls, Doom Scythes duel with Eldar fighters in the skies above, Deathmarks ply a deadly trade of ambush and counter-ambush with Alaitoc Pathfinders, and all the while Flayed Ones prowl on the flanks, pouncing on any Eldar foolish enough to show even a momentary sign of weakness. The sides are well matched, with the Necron hardiness countered by the precise strikes of the Eldar. Victory finally falls to the Necrons when Carnac’s tomb unexpectedly begins to awaken, stirred from dormancy by the tumult above. With Necron reinforcements now starting to constantly trickle into the campaign, the Eldar have little choice but to abandon Carnac and its World Spirit to their foes. Anrakyr is grimly jubilant in the campaign’s aftermath and gladly accedes when Trazyn requests the entire World Spirit shrine as spoils of war. For his part, Orikan requests no trophy or payment for victory, and merely hopes that when the flush of victory fades, no one thinks to question the convenient coincidence of Carnac’s awakening. |
Anrakyr - Wargear: Necrodermis - Like all Necrons, Anrakyr’s body is built from the self-repairing living metal known as Necrodermis. As befits one of his lofty rank, Anrakyr’s body is of superior craftsmanship and richly adorned, clearly announcing his status and allowing him to repair even the most grievous of wounds in a matter of moments.Warscythe – The traditional weapon of Necrontyr nobility and their bodyguards for eons, a Warscythe is an energy-bladed battle-staff. The energy field that encompasses the Warscythe allows it to cleave through almost anything with ease. Heavy and ungainly, these weapons are only effective in the hands of an untiring Necron combatant.Tachyon Arrow – A Tachyon Arrow is an intricate wrist-mounted energy weapon that, when activated, transmutes a sliver of inert metal into an unstoppable thunderbolt capable of piercing the heart of a mountain. Such a weapon has near-infinite range, and is able to penetrate almost any form of armour, including that of Titans. However, it can only be used once before the guardians of a Necron tomb must tend to its technologies and prepare it for another use. |
Antaro Chronus - Antaro Chronus: Antaro Chronus is a sergeant and the most gifted tank commander of the Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter.His tactical abilities extend to almost any tank or armoured vehicle in the Chapter's Armoury. Few other armour commanders within the Adeptus Astartes can match his strategic genius and tactical acumen on the battlefield when it comes to armoured warfare.In recognition of his superlative skills as the Chapter's preeminent tank commander, he was awarded the ancient title of "Spear of Macragge," the first since the time of the Great Crusade to bear that honour. |
Antaro Chronus - History: Antaro Chronus is the most gifted of all the Ultramarines' tank commanders. While most such warriors dedicate themselves to the mastery of a particular type of armoured vehicle, Chronus' abilities extend to almost any tank in the Armoury of the Adeptus Astartes.Few other commanders can match the precision of his bombardments when at the helm of a Whirlwind or a Vindicator. No living man can hope to be as coldly precise when unleashing the baleful weaponry of a mighty Predator.For a Space Marine to be assigned to serve in the Armoury is an honour indeed, and to do so is to be entrusted with command of the Chapter's most valuable weapons of war. It is a transition that few Battle-Brothers are able to make, for the crew must suppress their physical self and adopt the adamantium behemoth's form as their own.An armoured vehicle crewman must act as decisively and instinctively with the tank as he would with his own limbs. The tank's sensors and viewfinders become the commander's eyes and ears, its weapons his fists and rage, and its armour his skin.Chronus takes such skill one step further. He knows the capabilities and limits of every weapon system in every tank, and is cognisant of which of those mechanisms can be bypassed or jury-rigged in the event of damage.So it was that Chronus kept the Predator designated Rage of Antonius battleworthy during the closing actions of the Damnos Incident, despite suffering several broadside hits from Necron Gauss Cannons. That the Rage survived at all was the cause of much wonderment for the Techmarines who repaired the tank's extensive damage at the campaign's end.That Chronus not only managed to complete his mission goal of destroying the Necron phase generator, but also forced the Necron war cell into full retreat before the Rage of Antonius ' systems went into shutdown, was seen as nothing short of miraculous. Such a feat has often been imitated by other Ultramarines tank crews, but never bettered.For his actions on Damnos and a hundred other worlds, Sergeant Chronus was anointed as the "Spear of Macragge" -- an ancient, pre-Horus Heresy title awarded to the Ultramarines' preeminent tank commander.As the Spear, it is Chronus' duty to lead the Chapter's armoured assaults, and his privilege to choose the chariot of war in which he rides to battle.It is a unique position of authority within the Ultramarines, for it means that although Sergeant Chronus has command over some fifty Brother-Marines, he himself is not subject to the orders of a Captain and answers in all things only to his Primarch Roboute Guilliman and Marneus Calgar, the Lord Macragge and Chapter Master of the Ultramarines.On the blazing fields of the world of Ironblood in 822.M41, the combined might of Chronus' Ultramarine armour and scores of Cadian Shock Troop tank regiments engaged the mech-horrors of Warpsmith Grathax and his Masters of Possession.Across battlefronts hundreds of kilometres long, Chronus directed every feint and thrust, every assault and withdrawal, all while his personal Land Raider, Gladius II, claimed foe after foe.It was the sergeant's peerless skill as a tank commander and armoured strategist that swiftly won the Cadian officers' absolute loyalty, cementing the Imperial forces into a coherent whole.Hellhounds and Bane Wolves swept trenches clear of enemy infantry as Predators sped into battle against enemy engines; Basilisks engaged in area-denial bombardments, funnelling Defilers, Maulerfiends and Venomcrawlers into Vindicator kill zones.So many tanks and engines were destroyed that the wreckage-fields were visible from space, yet at last Sergeant Chronus' leadership saw the Chaos forces defeated.In recognition of his Cadian allies' fortitude and skill, which had impressed him deeply, Chronus had the Ironblood campaign badge awarded to all who had fought there, cementing forever a bond of brotherhood and loyalty with the Cadians he had battled alongside.During the Invasion of Ultramar led by the Daemon Prince M'kar and the Iron Warriors Warsmith Honsou in 854.999.M41, Chronus was deployed to the Agri-world of Quintarn, alongside the 5th and 6th Companies of the Ultramarines.Faced with the apparently inexhaustible machine armies of the Dark Mechanicum warlord Votheer Tark, Chronus led his armoured division and the tanks of the Ultramar Auxilia in a vital delaying action. Together they delayed the Chaos war machines long enough for the city of Idrisia to be successfully fortified before their next offensive. |
Antaro Chronus - Spear of Macragge Formation: Under the leadership of Antaro Chronus, the vehicle formation known as the "Spear of Macragge" – bearing its commander's honorific -- took a great toll on the Necron forces during the Second Damnosian War.Deployed via orbital lander in the first few solar minutes of the campaign, the tank squadron played a critical role in the fierce battles that followed.Though Chronus found his initial assault stymied by powerful energy fields, and though his Land Raider Terminus Ultra Pride of Talassar was destroyed by the Necron Tesseract Vault, the Spear of Macragge crippled several Monoliths and destroyed dozens of lesser xenos war constructs before the war had run its course. |
Antaro Chronus - Wargear: Mark III Iron Power ArmourBolt PistolFrag GrenadesKrak GrenadesServo-Arm |
Antaro Chronus - Sources: Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (8th Edition), pp. 100, 134Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pp. 80, 89, 122Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pg. 110Codex Supplement: Ultramarines (8th Edition), pp. 23, 46Eye of Vengeance (Audio Book) by Graham McNeillImperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition: War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pg. 62 |
Antax - Antax: AntaxImperialForge WorldVidar SectorEastern FringeUltima SegmentumsectorarcheotechAstra MilitarumSpace MarineChaptersIn 927.M41, Antax fell to the Orks of WAAAGH! Gutstompa. The Blood Angels quickly mobilised and assembled Strike Force Aphael, to battle the invading Greenskins. Though weary from their part in the war against the Necron World Engine, Captain Donatos Aphael turned his 2nd Company aside from its homeward path, and set course for beleaguered Antax. Just as the battle looked likely to go against the Blood Angels, they unleashed the fury of their Death Company.Led into battle by the ancient Death Company Dreadnought Moriar the Chosen, Captain Aphael and his surviving battle-brothers crushed the reeling WAAAGH! Gutstompa. At the climax of the battle Moriar ripped the Warboss Gutstompa and his bodyguard of Nobz to shreds, ending the threat to the Forge World amid the fire and blood of the campaign remembered as the Battle for Antax. |
Anthony Reynolds - Anthony Reynolds: Anthony Reynolds is an author for Games Workshop's Black Library imprint. |
Anthony Reynolds - Deathwatch: The Infinite Tableu (Short Story) (Collected in Deathwatch: The Omnibus) |
Anthony Reynolds - The Horus Heresy: The Purge (2014, ISBN 1-84970-772-3)Scions of the Storm (Short Story) (Collected in Tales of Heresy (Anthology))Dark Heart (Short Story) (Collected in Mark of Calth (Anthology)) |
Anthony Reynolds - Khârn the Betrayer: Khârn: Eater of Worlds (2014, ISBN 1-78496-166-3) |
Anthony Reynolds - Word Bearers: Word Bearers: The Omnibus (2012, ISBN 1-84970-105-9) contains the following:Dark Apostle (2007, ISBN 1-84416-507-8)Dark Disciple (2008, ISBN 1-84416-607-4)Dark Creed (2010, ISBN 1-84416-787-9)Torment (Short Story) (Also collected in There is Only War (Anthology))Vox Dominus (Short Story) (Collected in Treacheries of the Space Marines (Anthology)) |
Anthrazods - Anthrazods: The Anthrazods are a sturdy, if dim-witted, xenos species that was annexed to the T'au Empire during its First Sphere Expansion.Due to the shortage of T'au that affected the empire at the end of this period, the Water Caste assigned the Anthrazods to the arduous toils of asteroid mining, which the Anthrazods proved very well suited for. |
Antiquarti - Antiquarti: The Antiquarti is a secret group within the Inquisition. Indeed, it is comprised of Radicals and their servants and allies who broadly co-align with the goals of the mysterious Inquisitor Thaddeus Hakk. |
Antiquarti - History: Thaddeus Hakk is an outcast of the Ordos Calixis, the Inquisition of the Calixis Sector, and an erstwhile courtier of the Ocularians, a Radical faction of the Inquisition outlawed on pain of death.Hakk has scoured the Koronus Expanse in search of some unknown fate, and it is said that he and the other Antiquarti seek to unravel the secrets of the past in the belief that in doing so they will gain prescience of future events.Far from a philosophical matter of learning from past mistakes, the Antiquarti hold that the universe is governed by an underlying pattern, and all that transpires must adhere to this unseen scheme.Inquisitor Hakk and his peers are reported to have delved into the very darkest places of the Jericho Reach, and because many of them bear the Inquisitorial Seal, they have often done so alongside the Deathwatch and other forces of the Imperium.However, it appears that there are certain missions and certain places that the Antiquarti prefer to undertake alone, lest others denounce them as Heretics, or worse.Whatever secrets Inquisitor Hakk and his allies might be seeking in the depths of the Outer Reach, it is clear that he has earned the enmity of a number of other factions in the process.There is no shortage of Inquisitors of the Ordos Calixis ready to denounce him, though to date he has somehow managed to fend off the overt censure of his peers. Perhaps far more dangerous even than the enmity of other Inquisitors is the fact that the Antiquarti have made an enemy in the form of the Aeldari Harlequins.These utterly lethal alien war-dancers only rarely become involved in the affairs of Humanity, but when they do it is almost never for the benefit of anyone but the Aeldari. That the Antiquarti have earned such a foe suggests they have delved deep indeed into places barred to mortals since the dawn of creation itself.Such intrusions bring Inquisitor Hakk and his Antiquarti compatriots into conflict with other factions in the Inquisition, not least of which is the Dead Cabal. |
Anton Narvaez - Anton Narvaez: Lieutenant Commander Anton Narvaez was the young commander of the Marines Errant Space Marine Chapter's 4th Company and Captain of the Strike Cruiser Star Jackal at the time of the Badab War. Through unforeseen and tragic circumstances, greatness was thrust upon him by the dark tide of history during the Badab War. In the aftermath of this conflict, he would be the only surviving commander of his Chapter's contingent and serve as the Marines Errant's de facto Chapter Master. |
Anton Narvaez - History: Although a seasoned warrior, Narvaez was young for his rank and considered by some to be an untried leader when he was given command of the Marines Errant 4th Company, which also brought with it the flag-captaincy of the Strike Cruiser Star Jackal. Narvaez would show his mettle as a newly anointed officer during the disastrous ambush of convoy Urdaneta 1-213 by Secessionist forces. The convoy was surrounded and overwhelmed by the Renegade Space Marines from the Astral Claws Chapter and their allies in brutal ship-to-ship combat. Convoy Urdaneta 1-213 was woefully outnumbered and vastly outgunned, and its total seizing or destruction was prevented only by the decisive leadership of Narvaez and the effective tactics he had honed through years of experience battling among unknown stars as part of his Chapter's pact with the Rogue Trader House of Ecale.Narvaez succeeded in repelling the boarders, allowing the Star Jackal to escape the trap and break free -- the only Loyalist capital ship able to do so. By a twist of fate, the damage sustained in this battle caused the Star Jackal and its brilliant commander to fall behind in the Marine Errant's pursuit of the Mantis Warriors to Bellerophon's Fall. It would be there that many of the Chapter's commanders and senior officers were to die.After the deadly battle, it fell to Narvaez to mount a rescue mission, in which he succeeded in saving the besieged survivors in a daring counter-raid. In the aftermath of this tragedy, it fell to Narvaez to take the reigns of leadership as the Chapter's last surviving senior officer in the war. Anton Narvaez somehow managed to reform the Marines Errant contingent into an effective fighting force again, although they were a mere shadow of their former strength. |
Anton Narvaez - Wargear: Void Hardened ArmourPower SwordBolt PistolThundershock - A pre-Imperial artefact, the master-crafted Plasma Gun known as Thundershock was acquired when Narvaez was fighting as a Veteran Sergeant under the banner of Rogue Trader Ecale.The Actinic Halo - Narvaez has a more potent version of the standard Iron Halo. Its Conversion Field is more potent than normal and is capable of providing more protection.Frag GrenadesKrak Grenades |
Anton Zerbe - Anton Zerbe: Anton Zerbe is an Inquisitor Lord and the commissioned leader of the Tyrantine Cabal of Inquisitors of the Calixis Sector, a position he was granted by Lord Inquisitor Caidin, the leader of the Calixian Conclave himself. He does not take his duties lightly, as he believes the black doctrine of the Tyrant Star to be very real indeed.He rarely leaves the Inquisition's Bastion Serpentis in the sector, and chairs the frequent meetings of the Cabal's Inquisitors. Zerbe once roamed the Imperium seeking out corruption and incompetence amongst the Adepta but he is now dedicated to his role.Zerbe is never seen without his impassive golden mask and magnificent gilded armour, and he seems perfectly at home on the throne of the Bastion's audience chamber. He is not an easily approachable man and always remains distant from those around him.Zerbe is even-handed to a fault, refusing in all cases to support one Inquisitor over another, no matter how grave an accusation may have been brought. His principal motivation is preventing strife within the Tyrantine Cabal, so that the group can do its holy work. He believes that if any one Inquisitorial faction within the Cabal was to prevail, the sector -- and likely the Imperium itself -- would be doomed.If the Recongregators got what they wanted, the Cabal would devolve into anarchy. If the Xanthites prevailed, Chaos would corrupt the work of the Inquisition in the Calixis Sector. Even the Amalathians, if they succeeded in their aims, would drag the Cabal into a miserable, stagnant malaise.Zerbe's objective is to prevent any one of these factions from overcoming the others in the Calixis Sector, so that the Hereticus Tenebrae prophecy might be averted. Nothing else matters. He will even go as far as to recruit new Acolytes of his own to foil one of his Inquisitors' plans.In addition to his political skills, Zerbe is a powerful psyker, although this fact is not generally known within the Cabal. Zerbe keeps his psychic talents in reserve should he be forced to vanquish a particularly dangerous foe personally. |
Antor Delassio - Antor Delassio: Antor Delassio is a Deathwatch Assault Marine Sergeant originally drawn from the Blood Angels Chapter. With his features as fair as any of his beatific Chapter, Blood Angels Space Marine Delassio's countenance conceals his dark secret.Within him, the Black Rage simmers and in the heat of battle he struggles to keep it at bay, a fury that manifests itself as he battles the foe with Hand Flamer and Chainsword. Delassio's armour is hung with blood-drop gems that remind him of his heritage, while a stylised sculpture of Sanguinius adorns his Jump Pack's chest harness.In the late 41st Millennium, Delassio was a part of the contingent of the Deathwatch sent to deal with a Genestealer infestation on the world of Ghosar Quintus. |
Anuaris - Anuaris: Anuaris is a major Forge World of the Adeptus Mechanicus located in the Ultima Segmentum. It was established within the fledgling Realm of Ultramar sometime during the Great Crusade in the mid-800s.M30, following the discovery of Primarch Roboute Guilliman on Macragge. At that time, there were as yet no Forge Worlds of the magnitude of ancient Accatran, with only Anuaris, still tied both in tribute and loyalty to distant Accatran as much as Macragge, and the reclusive Magi of the iron-bound moon of Gantz ranked as true Forge Worlds within the boundaries of Guilliman's fiefdom.For unknown reasons, there was much animosity and acrimony between Anuaris and the Forge World of Konor, Gantz's sister world, in the form of an ancient feud between their Mechanicum hosts. This was most likely due to the favour and status Konor was shown by Guilliman as the seat of one of the five ruling Tetrarchs of Ultramar, such that it had ceded some part of its own authority to that of Guilliman on Macragge. |
Anuaris - The Calth Conjunction and the Battle of Calth: When the call to arms for the Ghaslakh Campaign reached the Mechanicum enclaves of Ultramar sometime in 007.M31, the various magi were quick to see the logical advantage of combining their forces. Alone they would be subsumed into one or other of the Imperium's other formations and likely employed with minimal efficiency; together, acting as one body, they would operate at optimum capacity and prove a valuable military tool for the coming Crusade and the advancement of their own enclaves. Amongst the ranks of the Imperial Army or certain of the Legiones Astartes, such a decision would have prompted many solar months of posturing and political conflict as the various leaders sought one amongst them to lead, but this was not so among the warriors of the Mechanicum.Yet the various Magi held on Macragge state that the resulting debate lasted for exactly fourteen solar seconds. Conducted entirely in the binary cant of the Machine Cult, the fraught negotiations granted primacy within the Taghmata Omnissiah to Archmagos Cronn Barbarel, due both to his eminent seniority and fealty to the lords of Gantz who remained neutral in the ancient feud between Konor and Anuaris. Only by deft compromise were the contingents of both Konor and Anuaris kept within the ranks of the combined Taghmata and even so, the Magi of Konor were to delay their arrival at Calth by several solar weeks over supposed disagreements that the muster order favoured the taghma of Anuaris over their own. Indeed, the forces of the Taghmata assembled from the various enclaves was amongst the last of the formations to arrive at Calth, with detachments from over a dozen individual worlds, moons and Monolith-class factory hulks from across Ultramar. When arrive they did, each was assigned a muster site as space became available amongst the teeming horde of Imperial military might assembled upon the surface of Calth, with taghma from the greater Taghmata scattered across the planet's surface.The vast flesh-thrall hordes of Konor's lacyraemarta Adepts were assembled on the rolling plains of Barrtor alongside the Ultramarines 2nd and 16th Chapters and the armoured autokrator squadrons of the Anuaris taghma, the Magi at the head of those taghma being at pains to ensure that their old rivals would not seem more efficient than their own vassals as they stood in flawless ranks alongside the cobalt blue files of the Ultramarines. When the Battle of Calth began with the Word Bearers Legion's betrayal of the Loyalists and the revelation that it had sided with the Warmaster Horus, it was on the plains of Barrtor that the sacrifice of Anuaris armoured units engaging the onrushing Word Bearers allowed the remnants of the Ultramarines 2nd and 16th Chapters to pull back without being annihilated. |
Anval Thawn - Anval Thawn: Anval Thawn is a Justicar of some renown within the ranks of the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter. The many notable deeds performed by Thawn earned him the esteemed rank of Justicar not long after he entered the Grey Knights' ranks, and his name has come to rival those of the Chapter's greatest and most honoured heroes.Thawn was eventually slain upon the unholy spear of a foul daemon. When he was to be interred within the sacred crypts on the Grey Knights' homeworld of Titan, he was miraculously resurrected from death by unknown means.Since that time, Thawn has died several times, but on each occasion, he somehow returns to life, ready to continue to battle the enemies of Mankind.Some believe he is an agent of destiny, the promised immortal warrior of prophecy who, at the last, will die surrounded by enemies at the foot of the Golden Throne itself.Whether this prophecy will come to pass remains to be seen.Anval Thawn has been identified by the Aeldari as "the last Perpetual." |
Anval Thawn - History: The young Anval Thawn was found by the Grey Knights' Gatherers aboard one of the many Black Ships that continuously scour the galaxy to bring powerful human psykers to Terra. He was waiting for them at the airlock, a picture of calm amidst the muted terror of the doomed passengers aboard the Black Ship.He stated to them with surety that he had been "waiting to leave with them." The Gatherers took note of the Imperial Aquila upon the boy's brow and the halo of psychic energy that surrounded him.The Gatherers deemed the youth a suitable recruit and brought him to Titan, anticipating great deeds to come from their newest recruit.When he ascended to the rank of Knight, Thawn swiftly fulfilled these expectations. On the world of Vartos, Thawn struck a deathblow on the Bloodthirster Kor'agar'and. On Ghon, he stood guard over the fallen Grand Master Leorac, fending off two score Bloodletters until reinforcements arrived.On the Daemon World of Halkin VI, Thawn was the lone survivor when all his comrades were slain, lost amongst the hellgates of that world for solar weeks on end. Even though the population of the entire damned planet sought his death, Thawn refused to yield.Thawn's knowledge was invaluable, for he had learned much during his travels across the Hellgates of Halkin and when reinforcements arrived, he directed his battle-brothers to where they could maximise their damage. For this deed, Anval Thawn earned the rank of Justicar.Thawn performed many more deeds and notable feats -- so many in fact that his personal legend soon came to rival those of the Chapter's greatest heroes. But then the unthinkable occurred.While scouring daemons from the deserted halls of the Aeldari Craftworld Malan'tai, Justicar Thawn was slain by the unholy spear of the daemon N'Kari. When his body was returned to Titan to be interred into the catacombs of the Dead Fields, a miracle occurred.The cortège that bore Thawn was halted as a clamour arose from within the sarcophagus. With great haste and confusion, the bearers cracked the casket's seal to find Thawn alive and apparently unharmed.This miraculous resurrection was greeted with suspicion by his battle-brothers -- though glad to have the Justicar amongst their number once again, they feared there was something sinister about his unexpected return to life. No matter how hard or long the Chapter's Librarians searched for a trace of explanation or Chaos taint, none could be found.After long standard years of exhaustive and painful examination, Anval Thawn was returned to duty. In the solar decades since, Thawn has continued to battle the enemies of Mankind and has died several times, but on each occasion he has somehow returned to full life and vigour after his passing.In 927.M41, on the planet Curwen, Justicar Thawn led the charge against the daemonic forces of the Great Unclean One, Ku'Gath. Although Thawn was swallowed whole by Ku'Gath at the climax of the battle, he carved his way out and in doing so destroyed the daemon from within and banished it back to the Warp.The majority of the Grey Knights no longer question Justicar Thawn's seeming immortality. A few of his battle-brothers even believe that Thawn is an agent of destiny, the promised immortal warrior of prophecy who, at the last, will die surrounded by enemies at the foot of the Golden Throne itself.Whether this prophecy will come to pass or not remains a question that will remain unanswered for the time being.For Thawn, his immortality is a curse. For over his long life he has seen the destiny of Mankind grow ever darker and the state of the Imperium more desperate. He knows that humanity's doom cannot be meaningfully altered through his actions, or even of those of his fellow Grey Knights.For in the end, the Dark Gods will have their inevitable victory and humanity will fall. Despite this foreboding destiny Thawn fights on, determined to stand fast between the Emperor's realm and the hosts of daemons and Heretics that would assail it.Anval Thawn has sworn to perform this duty even beyond death, and is determined to never be found wanting. |
Anval Thawn - Canon Conflict: In Codex: Grey Knights (5th Edition), Anval Thawn displayed the ability to die any number of times and revive back to perfect health within solar days, hours or even minutes of death.In Codex: Grey Knights (7th Edition), Thawn no longer has in-game statistics and his background has been restricted to a single passage in the Grey Knights' faction chronology, retlling the battle against N'kari on Craftworld Malan'tai.In this version of the battle, Thawn does sacrifice himself for his brother-captain, and is killed by N'kari. However, the short passage describes no resurrection as in the previous Codex and Thawn is not mentioned again.It is logical to conclude that Thawn's immortality and status as a Perpetual may have been removed in the 7th Edition and he simply died on Malan'tai. It is also reasonable to assume that Thawn was a member of the Grey Knights' 1st Brotherhood, as the leader of the force sent to Malan'tai was Brother-Captain Pelanas of the same brotherhood. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw: The Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod, also known as the Anvillus Dreadclaw, or simply the Dreadclaw, is a unique type of Drop Pod that was used by the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. The Anvillus Dreadclaw differs from other older Drop Pod types in that it is able to take off again after landing under its own power. The Anvillus Dreadclaw was designed to return to orbit after its initial landing to move units from battlefield to battlefield or even to extract troops from a planet's surface.The Anvillus Dreadclaw is also able to board enemy voidcraft by attaching itself to the hull and then burning a breach with its melta-cutters, allowing the infantry within to assault the enemy voidship directly. The Anvillus Dreadclaw, and all the other types of Dreadclaws, are no longer used by the military forces of the Imperium in the 41st Millennium.They are, however, still deployed by the Chaos Space Marines of the dreaded Traitor Legions. The Dreadclaw is known within some Imperial Navy circles as "The Touch of Death," and the talon-like shape of the Dreadclaw assault boat is greatly feared. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - History: The Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw was first used by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade, predominantly by the Sons of Horus Legion to land assault troops during the heat of battle, but with the outbreak of the Horus Heresy the Dreadclaw saw increased use amongst other Legions.The Dreadclaw is recorded in the Balthus Apocrypha as one of the last combat craft to be commissioned by the Imperium before the outbreak of the Horus Heresy. The Apocrypha also states that its deployment was a troubled one and not universally accepted, leading to the Forge World of its origin being erased from all record. During these dark times it was found to be one of the most effective ways of deploying Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought Talons directly into the thick of battle. Near the end of the Horus Heresy, the use of the Dreadclaw Drop Pod became more widespread, especially within those Legions that favoured the highly aggressive nature of its Machine Spirit.The degree of self-awareness shown by the Dreadclaw's cogitators was a source of controversy from its very first deployment, and matters only worsened over time. Such was the ill-feeling these Dreadclaws created that rumours soon spread that they were somehow corrupted with a machine curse not seen since the Dark Age of Technology. During the Horus Heresy itself, it appears that many malign incidents involving the Dreadclaw reached almost epidemic levels amongst the Loyalist Legions.After a particularly devastating incident aboard the Loyalist battleship Legate Peracles during the apocalyptic Siege of Terra, there was no more room for argument and Loyalist Mechanicum magi presided over the formal decommissioning of all Dreadclaws in Imperial service. Since that day, the Dreadclaw has only been encountered in the ranks of Traitor forces. These vehicles were retained in the Traitor Legions' arsenals as they fled towards the Eye of Terror following their defeat on Terra, and can still be seen today at the forefront of many Chaos Space Marine assaults as the aptly-named Chaos Dreadclaw.The Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw, and all other Dreadclaw Drop Pod patterns are no longer used by the Imperium due to the violent nature of their Machine Spirits, and its dark past as a tool favoured by the Traitors. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Notable Campaigns: The following is a list of notable campaigns the Anvillus Dreadclaw Drop Pod has been used in:Great Crusade - The Anvillus Dreadclaw was widely used by the Sons of Horus Legion during the Great Crusade and in smaller numbers by other Legions.Horus Heresy - The Anvillus Dreadclaw's usage saw a marked increase during the Horus Heresy, with most Space Marine Legions on both sides of the conflict making use of them for boarding actions and ground assaults, although Dreadclaws used by the Loyalist Legions were prone to devastating accidents, and eventually the Imperium discontinued their use.Fall of Bellona - The Chaos Space Marine warband known as the Tainted made use of Dreadclaws during the Fall of Bellona in 230.M39. Having landed in the central plaza of the capital city of Bellona, a Dreadclaw opened its iris hatch and released a viral agent so potent that the city's defenders were rendered completely unable to defend themselves against the full-scale Chaos invasion force that followed.13th Black Crusade - Dreadclaws were widely used by the forces of the Traitor Legions during the 13th Black Crusade of Abaddon the Despoiler in 999.M41.Invasion of Saint Josmane's Hope - During the 13th Black Crusade the Violators Renegade Space Marine warband launched a devastating Dreadclaw assault against the Penal World of Saint Josmane's Hope in the Cadian System. The world quickly fell to Chaos, and was later destroyed. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Design: The Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod was amongst the most advanced assault craft ever constructed for use by the Imperium, and before its introduction ship-to-ship assaults in void combat were seen as one-way operations, with few means for the boarders to retreat if needed, only being recovered in the event of their victory. The Anvillus Dreadclaw Drop Pod was originally designed to insert Astartes boarding forces onto enemy voidcraft during battle. As such they feature a minimalistic profile and heavily armoured hulls that are capable of surviving fire from smaller, ship-based close defence weaponry.When the Dreadclaw gets close to its target a series of melta-cutters allow it to slice through a voidship's outer hull and deliver its cargo into the heart of a vessel. Unlike earlier boarding craft, which were incapable of extracting their cargo from the enemy ship to return to a friendly ship, the Dreadclaw is fully capable of acting as an independent dropship, both delivering and extracting its cargo without need of assistance.When the Dreadclaw was used as a planetary dropship many of the Space Marine Legions favoured the Dreadclaw in this role over the more common Storm Eagle, dropping from the sky like a regular Drop Pod and then using the craft's thermal jets and melta-cutters to scour the landing zone clean before disembarking its Astartes assault troops or Dreadnoughts. Though this tactic lacked any subtlety or elegance, it is undeniably effective, and many crews developed dark notoriety for their skill at reckless low-altitude strafing runs that left great swathes of the enemy's lines aflame with each pass. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Armament: The Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod was equipped with several forward-facing melta-cutters and Cyclic Thermal Jets that were used to cut breaches into the outer hulls of enemy voidcraft, but could also be used for dangerous low-altitude strafing runs and for burning clear a landing zone before touchdown. The Dreadclaw was capable of carrying up to ten Space Marines, five Terminators, or a single Castraferrum or Contemptor Dreadnought.The Dreadclaws used by the Heretic Astartes in the 41st Millennium are also able to carry a single Helbrute. The Dreadclaw is capable of being outfitted with external Frag Assault Launchers, which will fire a blast of fragmentation charges to protect itself from any enemy infantry that gets too close while the Dreadclaw is on a planet's surface. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Unit Composition: 1 Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Wargear: Frag Assault LaunchersMelta-Cutters (forward facing) - These melta emitters fire an intense beam of thermal energy that can cut through even adamantium plate to allow boarding action of an enemy voidcraft.Cyclic Thermal Jets - The cyclic thermal jets are torches that cut a circular hole into a voidcraft's hull so that the Dreadclaw's Astartes passengers can exit into its interior safely. These are used in conjunction with the more powerful melta-cutters to breach the hulls of enemy starships.Inertial Guaidance System - The Dreadclaw's Inertial Guidance System is an on-board flight-control system that helps safely guide the Dreadclaw to its target, avoiding enemy fire and obstacles. This automated system controls the descent so that the Space Marines onboard are able to use the time to prepare for the coming battle. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: The technical specifications of this heretical craft are no longer publicly available in Imperial records. |
Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw - Sources: The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 235The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 24-25The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Crusade Army List, pg. 45The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List, pg. 55Imperial Armour: Volume 13 - Warmachines of the Lost and the Damned, pp. 88-91 |
Anvilus Autocannon Battery - Anvilus Autocannon Battery: The Anvilus Autocannon Battery, also known as the Anvilus Pattern Autocannon Battery, was the main ballistic weapon system used by the ancient Deredeo Pattern Dreadnoughts of the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery was a set of two Anvilus Pattern Autocannons that shared a mount and firing system.The Deredeo Dreadnoughts were armed with two such batteries that were then twin-linked together. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery was a fearsome development of the Autocannon that was able to engage and destroy enemy armoured targets with a punishing salvo of fire. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery is still found in use by the various Space Marine Chapters and possibly the Traitor Legions that still maintain functioning Deredeo Dreadnoughts in the 41st Millennium. |
Apharan - Apharan: Apharan is the current Warden of the Rock for the Dark Angels Chapter of Space Marines.He oversees the garrison forces known as the "Knights of the Rock" who defend the Dark Angels' mobile fortress-monastery, The Rock. |
Aphotic Blade - Aphotic Blade: The Aphotic Blade, known as the "Bringers of Despair" among their enemies, are the Chaos Terminators of the Black Legion who serve as the elite bodyguard of Abaddon the Despoiler, the Warmaster of Chaos and ruling Chaos Lord of their Traitor Legion.After he assumed full control over the Traitor Legion that had once been the Sons of Horus in the wake of the Horus Heresy, Ezekyle Abaddon formed from the newborn Black Legion's ranks a personal bodyguard, known as the Bringers of Despair, among other dark titles.Selected from the strongest and most vicious of his Chaos Terminators, these fearsome warriors would become a terrifying sight, their arrival announcing the presence of the Despoiler himself upon the battlefield. |
APM Launcher - APM Launcher: An APM Launcher, officially an Adaptive Payload Missile Launcher, is a type of Kin-portable missile launcher used by the warriors of the Leagues of Votann, particularly by Hernkyn Yaegir Gunners.These advanced weapons can recalibrate the chemical nature of their missile's warhead, enabling widespread anti-infantry destruction with a large shrapnel spread or an armour-piercing capability as required by the tactical situation or the nature of the target. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Apocalypse-class Battleship: The Apocalypse-class Battleship is a rare but extremely powerful battleship currently in service to the Imperial Navy. The Apocalypse-class is no longer produced at Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World shipyards due to the aging design and lost technical specifications over the millennia.The Apocalypse-class is an ancient design that is generally believed to have been the precursor of the Retribution-class Battleship millennia ago. The superior technologies used to construct the multiple Lance turrets on the Apocalypse have now all but been forgotten and so the small number of examples of this warship can never be replaced. The loss of even one will always be keenly felt.It has been theorised by naval strategists that the vessel was specifically created to counter the ever-growing numbers of battleships and grand cruisers that attempted to lead Chaos raiding fleets from within the Eye of Terror. In this duty, the Apocalypse has proved itself to be everything the Imperial Navy could have wished for.The rows of fearsome Lance armament along the broadsides of the Apocalypse are its most distinctive feature. It has been noted that these Lance arrays are fully capable of operating at much greater ranges by an engineering process that greatly increases the load-bearing capabilities of their main power relays.However, the array conduits themselves become notoriously unreliable when stressed this far and runaway power drains can easily start to sap energy from the ship's main drives, making the Apocalypse sluggish in the midst of battle.Thus, almost all existing Apocalypse-class Battleships keep their Lance armament limited to medium ranges unless under duress. Most Segmentum fleets have at least a few examples of the Apocalypse still in battleworthy condition, though their numbers are gradually dwindling.The vessels now in service with the Imperial Navy have either been in service since they were built or were recovered as Space Hulks and retrofitted back into working order so as to continue the fight for the Imperium. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - History: The Apocalypse-class is a vessel worthy of such a title. Carrying enough firepower to rival that of a Retribution-class Battleship, it is a vessel much sought after throughout all of the Segmentum battlefleets, particularly those that face the fiercest of space combat, and is also much feared by the Imperium's enemies.The firepower it brings to battle is one for any admiral to relish, but the technology is so ancient that few can operate it and fewer still can maintain it.These shortcomings mean that because of the lack of knowledge and technology to replicate these warships, the Apocalypse-class is a precious gem of the Imperial Navy and the loss of any one of them is deeply felt throughout the Navy and also by the Adeptus Mechanicus -- who revere the battleship's ancient technology as especially sacred to the Machine God.However, the sacrifice of these vessels is rare and so the battle records of the Apocalypse become legendary with vessels like His Will and Triumph carving out impressive war records that are remembered and spoken about across the Imperium of Man in countless campaigns from one end of the galaxy to the other.However, despite Imperial admirals and captains alike treasuring these relics and keeping them in fighting condition, their numbers continue to dwindle. Though most Segmentum battlefleets have several examples of the Apocalypse-class worthy of combat, they cannot be replaced. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Design: The Apocalypse-class is a truly ancient class of human spacefaring vessel which predates the more common Retribution-class Battleship by a millennium.This dates the design to around the 30th Millennium, most likely during the early days of the Emperor's Great Crusade. The arcane technologies used in its construction have been all but lost in the millennia since they were first introduced.Nevertheless, the technology remains as does the ship class itself, but the Apocalypse-class is far too valuable and too complex to simply reverse-engineer into a new vessel. Of the little knowledge concerning the vessel that has been gained by the tech-priests of the present, the ability to operate it efficiently is the most important and thus it is still able to participate in the defence of Mankind. But the exact details of its construction are still unknown.Apart from the obvious, the Apocalypse-class is still a mystery to the Imperial Navy and the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Apocalypse is modestly-sized for a battleship, as the Emperor and Retribution-class Battleships are larger in size. It is also shorter in height than its fellow battleship classes. The prowess of this vessel visibly emulates but a fraction of the power of the Emperor-class.The most notable feature of the Apocalypse-class is the prow. Its distinctive armoured "Aquila" prow gleams white with adamantium armour designed to protect the ship when ramming.However, it also houses and protects the delicate and formidable Nova Cannon bombardment weapon. Unlike the Emperor and Retribution-class Battleships, the Apocalypse-class does not have a huge, Imperial golden monument atop its bridge (the Emperor-class has a cloaked angel with a sword and shield and the Retribution-class has an Imperial Aquila).The Apocalypse-class and its sister class, the Oberon-class Battleship, do not possess this ornamental feature. It is not known why Apocalypse or Oberon-class Battleships are built without such ornaments but in keeping with tradition they continue to operate without unless used as a way of decorating the vessel.Finally, the Emperor and Retribution-classes both have long fins to the port and starboard sides of the main engines sitting vertically with some additional thrusters built into them with a third vertical fin sitting in the middle between the engines.However this is not the case with the Apocalypse-class. It does have the central vertical fin between the engines but the side tail fins are horizontal instead of vertical with no built-in thrusters.Why this is the case is not known, but the ship is still as sluggish as its fellow battleships so the fins play no role in enhancing maneuverability. It may have to do with the vessel's use as a Lance-firing platform and thus improved stability while moving and turning. However no one can be sure and there is no detailed record of the Apocalypse-class Battleship's construction or design to cross reference all the theories. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Armament: The armament is the most impressive aspect of this class of battleship. Banks upon banks of Lance batteries provide the battleship, and the Imperial fleet within which it is present, a stable, accurate and lethal firing platform that can accurately "snipe" enemy vessels from a distance.The Lance batteries are all mounted along the broadsides of the Apocalypse and have an impressive range. They can bring huge amounts of laser energy to bear on enemy targets.Such weapons effortlessly cleave apart enemy escort vessels and can cripple or destroy enemy capital ships with just a single broadside. But what makes these weapons even more dangerous is the Apocalypse-class' advanced tracking and firing sensors and the ability to engineer the power relays within the ship to funnel more energy to the Lances.This ability vastly increases the Lances' range, so much so that the process effectively doubles the range of the Lance batteries. However the ship and its internal workings are very delicate and when the array conduits of the Lances are reengineered in this way, it places unimaginable stress on the load-bearing capabilities of these relays.The conduits powering the Lances and other sectors of the ship have become extremely unreliable over the millennia and in order to prevent a complete loss of power to the weapons, the power relays start to drain the ship of power and have to tap into the vessel's main Plasma Reactors to keep everything operating. This makes an already sluggish battleship more ponderous, giving it even less chance of changing course -- which is dangerous when in battle.Thus, the Apocalypse-class Battleships usually keep their Lance batteries firing at a range that does not damage the ship or its fighting ability. The Apocalypse-class also has a very long range and quite formidable weapons battery running along the dorsal "spine" of the ship.This is a common sight on many Imperial capital ships but makes this class much more flexible with multiple firing arcs, increased weapons range and the ability to engage smaller and weaker targets with ordinary weaponry without wasting powerful Lance blasts better suited for heavier targets.The battleship is also home to a Nova Cannon. More commonly found on Mars-class Battlecruisers, the Nova Cannon fits perfectly with the Apocalypse's role as a bombardment battleship. The cannon is massive and mounted on the prow of the vessel so that the battleship's drives can better brace the ship against the recoil when it fires.When fired, a huge ballistic projectile is flung by a potent mass accelerator towards the target at nearly the speed of light and explodes at a distance set by the tactical officer on board the battleship before it was fired. The impact of a Nova Cannon shell is capable of destroying almost all Escorts in a given area of space and crippling enemy cruisers and battleships alike.Turrets are the final weapon mounted on the Apocalypse-class worthy of mention. They are used as a final defence against enemy fighters and torpedoes and the starship houses four turrets that are mounted on the "wings" of the Battleship. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Void Shields: Void Shields on Imperial vessels are larger and more powerful versions than those found on Titans and other ground-based Imperial war machines.A Void Shield is created by a single generator that creates a sphere of Warp-based energy around the starship that protects it from direct and indirect enemy fire by subtly distorting the localised space-time around the point of impact.It prevents damage from energy weapons and prevents actual critical structural damage occurring to the ship.Heavy and concentrated fire from directed energy weapons can overload the Void Shield generators, so once enough fire has been absorbed, the Void Shield will collapse.The shield regenerates several solar minutes later, assuming the ship is not attacked again and that subsequent attacks do not damage the shield generator.Ordnance like torpedoes and the missiles carried by fighters/bombers are not affected by Void Shields and can do direct damage to the ship unless engaged by its turrets. The Apocalypse-class has four Void Shield generators. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Propulsion: The Apocalypse-class Battleship has sub-light Plasma Drive engines for space travel and Warp-Drive engines for entering the Immaterium for faster-than-light travel.The ship also has a handful of trained psychic Navigators to guide the ship through both the material realm and in the hazardous alternate dimension of the Warp using the blinding psychic light of the Astronomican on Terra as a reference point to travel vast distances across space.All Imperial vessels capable of space travel are equipped with Plasma Drives. The engine rooms of Imperial vessels are filled with huge and very delicate plasma coils which convert energy and fuel into plasma which is then funnelled through the engine drives and out of the back of the warship to propel it forward.However, the plasma coils are very susceptible to damage and if a ship is damaged enough for weapons fire to breach the coils, they overload and blazing white plasma envelopes the vessel before it explodes.The Apocalypse-class also has a complex and incredibly dangerous Warp-Drive that allows the vessel to open a portal into the Warp and enter it to travel unimaginable distances. This is not without risk, because entering the Warp leaves the crew at the mercy of the Navigator to guide them to safety through the perils of the Warp.A Gellar Field protects the starship from attacks by creatures in the Immaterium.The Warp-Drive is surrounded by physical shielding and religious runes of protection, but in the unlikely event that the drive is hit by weapons fire while in operation it implodes in a colossal fireball even as a new Warp Storm is born that sucks all of the surrounding shipping within a certain range into the Immaterium. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Application in the Imperial Fleet: The Apocalypse-class Battleship has been best employed in the Imperial Navy when fighting from afar. The battleship's Lance batteries can make short work of most vessels known to the Imperium, especially escorts, light cruisers and some types of cruiser.If no other real threat presents itself to the Apocalypse-class, then it is best used for directly engaging enemy capital ships like battleships, battlecruisers or high concentrations of cruisers at varying ranges.The Lances can be configured to fire at long ranges but this damages the ship's engines as explained above. However, this change does make it possible for the vessel to "snipe" at long-ranged targets when locked on.However if and when the situation arises, it is then prudent for the Apocalypse to close the distance to the target to use its Lance batteries at a closer and more deadly range to prevent the energy of the Lance shot from dissipating.Closing on the enemy, however, is not without risk as this particular battleship is not unlike the Emperor-class which relies heavily on escorts and fighter-bombers to provide protection, while the Retribution-class Battleship can hold its own against most threats with sustained firepower from its weapons batteries.The Apocalypse-class requires a screen of escorts to make sure the vessel is not out-flanked and out-manoeuvred by smaller enemy ships that can expose the vulnerable rear of the battleship and exploit the fact that its weapons, while plentiful, do not provide enough firepower to sufficiently combat all threats at close range. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Third War for Armageddon: The second Ork invasion of the Hive World of Armageddon and the surrounding star systems in the Segmentum Solar in 998.M41 that unleashed the Third War for Armageddon was the scene of many titanic space battles between the forces of the Imperium and the Ork WAAAGH! of Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.The initial assault on Armageddon was made by a small vanguard of Ork Kroozers, escorts and a handful of the very rare Ork Battleships.Battlefleet Armageddon responded in force with the Apocalypse-class Battleships His Will and Triumph acting as the Imperial fleet's flagships. These vessels led an ultimately successful defence against the crude Ork vessels. Orbital weapons platforms and ground-based defence installations aided the effort.By the end of the main conflict when Ghazghkull fled the planet, the Imperium had destroyed fourteen Ork starships, a further eight probables with only moderate losses to Battlefleet Armageddon.Eventually the Imperial fleet was battered back on several occasions throughout the system by the sheer number of Greenskin ships, but both His Will and Triumph ultimately survived the conflict. |
Apocalypse-class Battleship - Notable Apocalypse-class Battleships: Arica Dominus - The Arica Dominus was, and perhaps still is, a relic ship of the Imperial Navy with strong ties to the former Orpheus Sector. The flagship of Lord Tempestus Hal Orpheus -- direct descendant of the famed Rogue Trader Lady Arica Orpheus -- this venerable Apocalypse-class Battleship was at the forefront of the Dark Marches Crusade of the 36th Millennium that would eventually give birth to the Orpheus Sector. Following its formal ratification by the authorities of Terra, the Arica Dominus would become the flagship of Battlefleet Orpheus, a position it would hold until 0266.999.M41 and the dissolution of Battlefleet Orpheus and the Orpheus Sector itself in the wake of the Orphean War. Heavily damaged by Necron Dirge-class Raiders, it is unclear if the Arica Dominus was salvaged after the hard-fought Battle of Amarah Prime or was abandoned.Duke Helbrecht - The Duke Helbrecht is an Apocalypse-class Battleship that was the first Imperial warship to respond when the Carnage-class Cruiser Anarchic Vendetta turned to Chaos and broke from its dock, then attacked Station 26/A following a mutiny. The Duke Helbrecht drove off the smaller vessel, but not before the void station had suffered heavy damage.Farsider - The Farsider was an Apocalypse-class Battleship which found its way into the service of the infamous Chaos Lord Huron Blackheart, the Tyrant of Badab. Blackheart gifted the vessel to Warsmith Honsou of the Iron Warriors, following his victory as the Champion of the annual Skull Harvest, and just before Honsou's Invasion of Ultramar in 854.999.M41.Godefroy Magnificat - Godefroy Magnificat was an Apocalypse-class Battleship that served during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. It was destroyed in 760.M41.His Will - His Will was an Apocalypse-class Battleship that served as Admiral Parol's flagship during the Third War for Armageddon. As a flagship, it was at the forefront of most of the fleet actions fought throughout the Armageddon System. It was ultimately lost with all hands when it was dragged into the Warp shortly after desperately ramming and boarding an Ork Space Hulk that had been teleporting Greenskin reinforcements to the surface of the Hive World Armageddon.Triumph- The Triumph was an Apocalypse-class Battleship that fought in the Third War for Armageddon. Originally assigned to Battlefleet Armageddon in 951.M41, the Triumph served as the flagship of the Imperial defence fleet under the command of Captain Honyaeger. It would amass an impressive record against the pirates and raiders that plagued the Armageddon Sector during that time. |
Apocalypse-class Titan - Apocalypse-class Titan: The Apocalypse-class Titan is a rare type of Battle Titan of the Collegia Titanica that was deployed during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. It was noted to have fought during the battles of the Thramas Crusade with the Legio Victorum I. |
Apocalypse Company - Apocalypse Company: The Apocalypse Company is a warband of Chaos Space Marines. Their allegiance to a particular Chaos God is unknown, but it is presumed that they worship Chaos in its Undivided form. |
Apocalypse Company - Warband Colours: The Apocalypse Company wears jet-black coloured Power Armour with light green flames. |
Apocalypse Company - Warband Badge: The badge of the Apocalypse Company is a green outline of a locust's head on a black background. |
Apocalypse Company - Canon Note: The Apocalypse Company possesses the same badge and colours as the Chaos Space Marine warband called the Bleak Brotherhood. It is unknown whether this is meant to signal that both warbands possess a prior relationship or whether it was just a mistake on the part of Games Workshop. |
Apocalypse Missile Launcher - Apocalypse Missile Launcher: The Apocalypse Missile Launcher is a multiple launch rocket system (essentially a rocket artillery system) that is commonly mounted on the carapace of Reaver-class Titans or the carapace hard points of a Warlord-class or Imperator-class Titans. This weapon can fire guided and unguided projectiles and can hit a target a substantial distance away. The Apocalypse Missile Launcher is often employed using "shoot-and-scoot" tactics -- firing its rockets rapidly, then moving away to avoid counter fire. |
Apocalypse Missile Launcher - Operation: The Apocalypse Missile Launcher unit is comprised of the Apocalypse Launcher loaded with 20 rockets, packaged in two 10-rocket pods. The launcher, mounted on a Titan's chassis, is a highly automated self-loading and self-aiming system. It contains a fire control computer that integrates the vehicle and rocket-launching operations. The rockets can be fired individually or in ripples of 2 to 20. Accuracy is maintained in all firing modes because the launcher's computer re-aims the launcher between rounds.The launcher's fire control Auspex allows firing missions to be carried out either manually or automatically. In a typical fire mission, a command post transmits the selected target data directly to the fire control computer which aims the launcher and prompts the crew to arm and fire a pre-selected number of rounds. Multiple mission sequences can be pre-programmed and stored in the fire control computer by the Titan's attendant Moderati. |
Apocrypha of Davio - Apocrypha of Davio: The Apocrypha of Davio was a great and holy document created in the 33rd Millennium in an attempt to list all of the Space Marine Chapters of the Second Founding, though it was never completed. It is unknown how many Second Founding Successor Chapters were created -- some Second Founding Chapters in the past 10,000 years have been destroyed (such as the Dark Angels' Successor Chapter, the Lions Sable), leaving no records of their histories in the often incomplete archives of the Imperial Adeptus Administratum.Other Second Founding Chapters have been lost in more recent times and their names in the records of the fallen heroes of the Imperium are all that remain of them. Some survive to this day, the proud inheritors of their Legions' histories and the traditions of their Primarch.Though no comprehensive list has ever been assembled, the current known Chapters of the Second Founding include the following:ChapterProgenitor ChapterLegion NumberChapter MasterAngels of AbsolutionDark AngelsIUnknownAngels of RedemptionDark AngelsIUnknownAngels of VengeanceDark AngelsIUnknownAngels of Vigilance(Suspected, unconfirmed)Dark AngelsIUnknownLions Sable(Destroyed and forgotten)Dark AngelsIUnknownDestroyersWhite ScarsVUnknownMaraudersWhite ScarsVUnknownRampagersWhite ScarsVUnknownStorm LordsWhite ScarsVUnknownWolf BrothersSpace WolvesVIBeor Arjac GrimmaessonBlack TemplarsImperial FistsVIISigismundCrimson FistsImperial FistsVIIAlexis PoluxExcoriatorsImperial FistsVIIDemetrius KatafalqueFists ExemplarImperial FistsVIIOriax DantalionIron KnightsImperial FistsVIIUnknownSoul Drinkers(Excommunicate Traitoris)Unknown (Currently) /Imperial Fists (Formerly)Unknown (Currently) /VII (Formerly)UnknownAngels EncarmineBlood AngelsIXUnknownAngels SanguineBlood AngelsIXUnknownAngels VermillionBlood AngelsIXUnknownBlood DrinkersBlood AngelsIXUnknownFlesh TearersBlood AngelsIXNassir AmitBrazen ClawsIron HandsXUnknownRed TalonsIron HandsXAutek MorAurora ChapterUltramarinesXIIIUnknownBlack ConsulsUltramarinesXIIIArrias CordosDoom EaglesUltramarinesXIIITulian AquilaEagle WarriorsUltramarinesXIIIUnknownGenesis ChapterUltramarinesXIIIUnknownInceptorsUltramarinesXIIIUnknownIron SnakesUltramarinesXIIIUnknownLibatorsUltramarinesXIIIUnknownMortifactorsUltramarinesXIIISasebo TezukaNemesisUltramarinesXIIIUnknownNovamarinesUltramarinesXIIILucretius CorvoObsidian GlaivesUltramarinesXIIIFulminosPatriarchs of UlixisUltramarinesXIIIUnknownPraetors of OrpheusUltramarinesXIIIUnknownSilver EaglesUltramarinesXIIIUnknownSilver SkullsUltramarinesXIIIUnknownWhite ConsulsUltramarinesXIIIUnknownBlack GuardRaven GuardXIXGherith ArendiRaptorsRaven GuardXIXUnknownRevilersRaven GuardXIXUnknownIron RavensRaven GuardXIXUnknownDesert LionsUnknownUnknownUnknownRed HuntersUnknownUnknownUnknownYellow JacketsUnknownUnknownUnknown |
Apocrypha of Skaros - Apocrypha of Skaros: The Apocrypha of Skaros is the oldest-known surviving copy of the Codex Astartes written by Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, as a guide to the organisation, battle order and combat tactics of the Adeptus Astartes. The Apocrypha has been frequently copied and cited religiously amongst the Imperium's Codex-compliant Space Marine Chapters.This crumbling tome claims that the Ultramarines Legion sired twenty-three Primogenitor Chapters, but famously omitted to list them all. Other sources do not necessarily agree with this number.The Apocrypha of Skaros also lists the number of Second Founding Chapters created from the Space Wolves as two, the current Space Wolves Chapter and a Successor Chapter called the Wolf Brothers, who were disbanded due to the corruption of their gene-seed and rampant mutation into Wulfen. Furthermore, no version of the Codex Astartes lists Second Founding Successor Chapters as having been raised from the Salamanders Chapter, though this does not mean that none ever were.Though no comprehensive list has ever been assembled, the current known Primogenitor Chapters sired from the Ultramarines during the Second Founding include the following:ChapterProgenitor ChapterLegion NumberAurora ChapterUltramarinesXIIIBlack ConsulsUltramarinesXIIIDoom EaglesUltramarinesXIIIEagle WarriorsUltramarinesXIIIGenesis ChapterUltramarinesXIIIInceptorsUltramarinesXIIIIron SnakesUltramarinesXIIILibatorsUltramarinesXIIIMortifactorsUltramarinesXIIINemesisUltramarinesXIIINovamarinesUltramarinesXIIIObsidian GlaivesUltramarinesXIIIPatriarchs of UlixisUltramarinesXIIIPraetors of OrpheusUltramarinesXIIISilver EaglesUltramarinesXIIISilver SkullsUltramarinesXIIIViridian ConsulsUltramarinesXIIIWhite ConsulsUltramarinesXIII |
Apollo Diomedes - Apollo Diomedes: Apollo Diomedes was the former Captain of the Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter Honour Guard and the right-hand man of the Chapter's former Chapter Master and Chief Librarian, Azariah Kyras.He eventually became one of the Chapter's Chaplains in the wake of Kyras' corruption by Chaos and death during the Third Aurelian Crusade at the hands of Gabriel Angelos and his uncorrupted brethren. |
Apollo Diomedes - Early History: Diomedes successfully commanded the Blood Ravens' Veteran 1st Company for almost two standard centuries. His most famous victory came on the ravaged Penal World of Obscurus where he and his brothers defeated the Ork Warboss Manstompa Megakilla and the Chaos Sorcerer Anupharis the Cruel.During the battle, Anupharis laid a curse upon a Combat Shotgun owned by the Chapter which would later cause the deaths of many civilians whenever the weapon was wielded in battle. After that victory, Diomedes was elevated to the command of the Chapter Master's own Honour Guard and became Azariah Kyras' most public supporter and right hand. |
Apollo Diomedes - The Aurelian Crusades: During the Second Aurelian Crusade, Diomedes arrived in Sub-sector Aurelia and ordered all Blood Ravens forces in the region to stand down in their operations against the Forces of Chaos, an order that the Aurelian Force Commander Aramus and Captain Gabriel Angelos ignored. As Diomedes grew increasingly sterner in his orders, Force Commander Aramus and Angelos continued to resist the forces of the Black Legion, with whom the Chapter had recently avoided open conflict for an unknown reason.As his investigation continued, Aramus discovered to his horror that the source of the Chaotic corruption within the Chapter was none other than Azariah Kyras himself, who had fallen under the sway of the Greater Daemon of Nurgle named Ulkair on the ancient world of Aurelia over a millennium before and spread his taint to Galan aboard the Space Hulk Judgement of Carrion.Kyras had escaped the doomed planet Aurelia when it was consumed by a Warp Storm aboard the Space Hulk with the aid of Ulkair and had returned to the Chapter with his dark seed of corruption when he met with a Blood Ravens expedition exploring the Hulk that included Galan.During open conflict with Captain Diomedes' forces in their base-camp on Calderis, Sergeant Aramus attacked Apothecary Galan, slaying the Traitor and his Chaos-tainted bodyguard of Terminators, a battle which ended in a confrontation with Captain Diomedes himself. Reluctant to accept the corruption of his political patron within the Chapter, Diomedes found himself torn but let Sergeant Aramus and his comrades leave Calderis and continue their operations against the Black Legion warband of Araghast the Pillager.Captain Diomedes, joined by Cyrus, Martellus and unknowingly Tarkus, led the uncorrupted portions of the Blood Ravens Chapter during the Cleansing of Aurelia that eventually lead to the death of Azariah Kyras and the appointment of Gabriel Angelos as the new Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens.Named by Kyras as the greatest warrior the Blood Ravens had ever known, Diomedes did possess a fatal flaw: pride. Because of this, as well as his long service under Kyras, it took a long time for Diomedes to accept Kyras' betrayal of the Emperor and his Battle-Brothers, much to the annoyance of the irascible Veteran Scout Sergeant Cyrus as well as Techmarine Martellus.In fact, these obstacles nearly brought him to ruin when he was finally faced with the truth. On the Space Hulk Judgement of Carron, Diomedes began to fall to despair when he realised that he had been serving a Traitor for many standard years. It was the intervention of the Ancient who had taken a vow of silence that prevented his fall to Chaos.The Ancient revealed himself to be Tarkus who explained he had to slay his friend Avitus who fell to Chaos, and that he now saw the same signs in Diomedes and would kill him as well if he had to and stop the corrupt Chapter Master by himself if necessary. Tarkus reminded Diomedes that though they had served a Traitor these many years, even Kyras could not take away their duty to the Emperor. Emboldened by this speech, Diomedes led his men off of the Space Hulk and defeated Kyras, saving the sector as well as the Chapter from destruction.Apollo Diomedes continued to serve for a time as the Captain of the Blood Ravens Honour Guard, which now protected the new Chapter Master, Gabriel Angelos. |
Apollo Diomedes - Cyprus Ultima and Acheron Campaigns: During the conflict on the Imperial planet of Cyprus Ultima, and later the world of Acheron, it was revealed that Diomedes had relinquished his position within the Chapter Honour Guard and taken up the role of a Chaplain. When the Blood Ravens relieved the siege of Varlock Keep, Gabriel Angelos gave Diomedes orders to reinforce the battered garrison.Together with the Imperial Knights' House Varlock and its leader Lady Solaria, Chaplain Diomedes led a joint offensive against the besieging Ork forces, forcing them from Imperial territory and into the Cyprus Badlands. Diomedes was later redeployed to Starfort Helios where he and his forces tried to fend off Gorgutz's WAAAGH! from breaching the Imperial blockade, but the starfort was destroyed when the planet Acheron reemerged from the Warp and collided with Helios.When Helios fell, Gabriel Angelos believed Diomedes and his brothers lost. In honour of his memory and to give him his last rites, Angelos ventured to the world of Acheron, where pieces of Starfort Helios had fused with the planet's crust. It was only after investigating the crash site that Angelos and the Blood Ravens discovered evidence indicating some of their brethren had survived the starfort's destruction.With a small team of Terminators, Angelos managed to locate Diomedes and save him from the Eldar. Together they proceeded to destroy a nearby Eldar staging ground, discovering that the Eldar had used the Webway to bypass Inquisitor Holt's blockade of Acheron in the process. |
Apollo Diomedes - Trivia: In the Dawn of War series of games, Diomedes is voiced by Keith Szarabajka. |
Apostate-class Heavy Raider - Apostate-class Heavy Raider: The Apostate-class Heavy Raider is something of a mystery to Imperial captains. As a Heavy Escort, it is anathema to the strategic thinking within the Imperium, but it has been used with great success by leading Chaos Warmasters. In the frontline of battle, it is just as vulnerable to incoming fire as any Escort-sized ship, but employed far out on the flanks in battle, or on its own in raiding expeditions, the Apostate is a fearsome opponent. Based on the Infidel-class Raider hull, the Apostate packs far heavier firepower with its medium ranged turret-mounted Lance, though the power requirements of this weaponry greatly reduces the overall speed of the vessel. Against Imperial shipping, squadrons of these ships have proved to be the ultimate foe, though Escorts protecting vulnerable Imperial convoys have little trouble catching up with the raiders as they leave the target area. Each Apostate represents a large percentage of dedicated resources for an individual band of Renegade pirates and as such each has to be used carefully if they are not to be wasted. In the hands of a master tactician, however, they are positively lethal. |
Apostate Cardinal - Apostate Cardinal: An apostate cardinal is a heretical demagogue who is often dedicated to the service of Chaos. Apostate cardinals preach resistance against the advance of the Imperial Achilus Crusade within the Jericho Reach and seek to convert the faithful to the service of the Ruinous Powers elsewhere in the galaxy.The term can also refer to a true cardinal of the Adeptus Ministorum who has been corrupted by Chaos and now uses their temporal and religious power to serve the designs of the Dark Gods in their diocese. |
Apostate Cardinal - Role: The Ecclesiarchy is a vast, galaxy-spanning state church that unites the faithful of over a million Human-settled worlds in the veneration of the God-Emperor of Mankind. Its cathedrals tower high above the cities of Humanity. Every settlement has at least one chapel dedicated to a local saint and even the most ramshackle hab contains a small shrine at which the occupants offer daily praise for the continued beneficence and protection of their masters.While the Adeptus Ministorum operates on a very high level indeed, gathering tithes from entire sectors, it is in fact a vast conglomeration of individual religious cults, creeds and local sects, none of which are in total doctrinal harmony with its neighbours. Ordinarily, theological divergence is contained by the strong leadership of regional figures, and rarely escalates beyond heated debate. So long as the essentials of the overarching Imperial Creed are maintained, then a huge range of local variation is tolerated.While the high offices of the Ecclesiarchy appear homogenous, this is little more than a veneer that disguises a sprawling mass of variation in modes of worship, social mores, doctrinal points and teachings. Despite the inherent variation within the Ecclesiarchy, on occasion a local sect diverges sufficiently far from the core tenets of the Imperial Creed that the higher offices declare it heretical. Such an event is comparatively rare, and is most likely to occur when a formerly cut-off world is opened up to the greater Imperium once again, perhaps having suffered Terran centuries or even millennia of isolation.During this time, local teachings and modes of worship come to prevail over those passed down from higher authorities, and ancient, half-forgotten, pre-Imperial beliefs resurface after countless generations festering on the outskirts of society.When such a world is welcomed back into the fold of the Imperium, the Ecclesiarchy dispatches purity purges, often headed by the zealous warrior-women of the Adepta Sororitas' Orders Militant. Those deemed to have turned their faces from the light of the Ecclesiarchy's true creed are ruthlessly suppressed, entire populations of unrepentant Heretics sometimes burning on the pyres.The Jericho Reach, having been isolated from the Imperium for so long during its Age of Shadow, is beset by countless such heresies, and following in the wake of every crusade advance is an army of Preachers, Confessors and missionaries, backed up by the Sisters of Battle ready to purge the Heretic with bolter, flamer and meltagun.Yet the Jericho Reach is vast and only a portion of its worlds has been brought under the iron-shod heel of Imperial rule. Dozens of worlds, each host to countless heresies, are yet to be returned to the fold, and even on those planets that have been occupied by the crusade's forces, old beliefs refuse to die.Apostate cardinals, a general term for any one of many thousands of the religious demagogues active in the Reach, preach resistance to the crusade and the enforced conversion that follows close behind it. They whip their followers into a frenzy of hate, sometimes literally, sometimes with words of bile and sometimes with promises of a blessed afterlife for those that die in defence of their faith.Apostate cardinals rule over a staggering range of cults and sects. Some are warrior-brotherhoods preaching martial virtues, while others are mendicant or penitent. Many are a bizarre hybrid of pre-Imperial religions, merged in the 31st Millennium with the Imperial Creed, and then diverging throughout the Jericho Reach's Age of Shadow.Some have all the outward appearance of a respectable arm of the Ecclesiarchy but upon closer study indulge in forms of worship abhorrent to right-minded Imperial subjects. Some worship the God-Emperor, but make all manner of wild claims about His godhead, or even deny it entirely.Others worship a range of gods, from a small pantheon to thousands. A few believe that the Emperor long ago turned His face from the galaxy and those who claim to rule in His name are evil or deluded. Others venerate figures that may in fact have their roots in the long dead primarchs of the Space Marine Legions, including some that worship gods that may in fact be derived from those primarchs who turned to Chaos.Some devote themselves to xenos gods, knowingly or not, and at least one appears to welcome the coming of Hive Fleet Dagon to the Reach as if they themselves are its long-lost children who will soon be swept up in glorious union with their creator.The Ecclesiarchy preaches that the ultimate end of all of these heresies can only be the worship of the Ruinous Powers. It is certainly true that the Chaos Gods are well able to plant the seeds of heresy in the souls of the followers of these outcast cults, and watch them grow into something twisted and perverted.Warrior creeds are easily turned to the worship of Khorne, while those that seek ancient religious truths are led astray by Tzeentch. Those who preach liberty and the casting off of oppressive social laws and restrictions are rich pickings for Slaanesh, while Nurgle is all too willing to answer the prayers of those who seek deliverance from the inevitability of death.While the followers of the apostate cardinals of the Jericho Reach might not yet have fallen prey to the depredation of Chaos, the Ruinous Powers ever hunger for their souls. |
Apostle's Creed (Anthology Short Story) - Apostle's Creed (Anthology Short Story): Apostle's Creed is a short story published in the Gaunt's Ghosts series that was originally part of an anthology. Apostle's Creed was published as part of the Sabbat Worlds anthology in October 2010, and was later re-published as a stand-alone e-book. |
Apostle's Creed (Anthology Short Story) - Synopsis: On the world of Amedeo, Chaos fliers appear as if from nowhere, inflicting grievous casualties and disappearing without a trace. Imperial tacticians are convinced that there is a hidden enemy base in friendly territory, but it remains elusive. Outnumbered, outgunned and outmanoeuvred, the "Apostles", the Sabbat Worlds Crusade's most elite pilots, must find the enemy stronghold and destroy it before the war on Amedeo is lost. |
Apostles of Contagion - Apostles of Contagion: The Apostles of Contagion are a warband or vectorium of Chaos Space Marines drawn from the Death Guard Traitor Legion that dedicate themselves to the service of the Plague Lord Nurgle. They are a vectorium of the 4th Plague Company, favouring viral bombardment and sorcerous saturation before the battle begins.They march from amidst billowing clouds of corrosive spores and infectious vapours, their enemies screaming and putrefying even as they struggle to fight back. As the Apostles chant the praise of Nurgle, packs of Daemons rise from the organic slurry to join the fight, overrunning the enemy with a tide of bloated bodies.The Apostles of Contagion are led by the vile and infamous Death Guard Lord Necrosius, the self-proclaimed "Hand of Nurgle."The Apostles are thought to be responsible for Zombie Plague infestations that broke out across the Imperial Armoury World of Vraks during the Siege of Vraks in 813.M41. |
Apostles of Contagion - Warband History: The Apostles of Contagion can trace their origins back to the dark days of the Horus Heresy that occurred in the early 31st Millennium. They were once Space Marines of the resilient Death Guard Legion. When their Legion fell to the vile temptations of Nurgle, Necrosius, a former Death Guard Apothecary, cast aside his former profession as a healer and gave himself over whole-heartedly to the predations of the Plague Lord. He soon discovered that he excelled at the daemonic arts.As a zealous convert of Nurgle, Necrosius rapidly gathered a loyal following amongst his fellows who had followed their dark master into corruption. Believing in the promise of eternal "life" brought to Mankind through the agency of Nurgle, these disciples would become the first Apostles of Contagion.Bending his knee to no master save for Grandfather Nurgle, Necrosius' resentment of the Death Guard's First Captain Typhus, whose betrayal sent the Death Guard to its final damnation, festered into a bitter rivalry and open conflict down the years between Necrosius' Apostles and the Death Guard warband led by Typhus, now the Herald of Nurgle and the host of the Plague Lord's Destroyer Hive.Parting company from their fellows in the Death Guard, the Apostles of Contagion chose to go their own way, spreading disease and Nurgle's greatest "gift," the Zombie Plague of walking death, wherever they went.The Apostles were heedless to whom they brought this unholy blight, whether they were the loyal servants of the Corpse Emperor or even followers of the other Ruinous Powers. As a result of their actions, Necrosius and his Apostles have made many enemies and participated in a number of great atrocities over the millennia since the Heresy. |
Apostles of Contagion - Notable Campaigns: Siege of Vraks (813.M41) - When Necrosius and his warband arrived on the Imperial Armoury World of Vraks as part of the counter-assault of the Forces of Chaos against the Imperial besiegers, his presence was at first unsuspected and unlooked for by ally and foe alike. Although he would accept no master, least of all the Apostate Cardinal Xaphan nor indeed the mighty Lord Zhufor who garnered the allegiance of the bulk of the Chaos Space Marines operating on Vraks, Necrosius and his followers soon busied themselves with their own nightmarish work. The Apostles of Contagion passed among the ranks of the heretics of Vraks, spreading their bleak and unholy creed and raising legions of the walking dead to unleash on friend and foe alike.Third Battle for Tarran's Pass (Unknown Date.M42) - When the Scourge Stars arose, Death Guard vectoriums, including the Apostles of Contagion, launched strikes against nearby worlds, ensuring that no enemy was in a position to disrupt Mortarion's muster for the Ultramar invasion. On the planet of Daxar, the Apostles of Contagion met stiff resistance from an Astra Militarum force built around the 56th Cadian Heavy Infantry. Though the Death Guard drove the Cadians back from the defences of Haldyon City before harrying them across the sulphur deserts beyond, at the mouth of Tarran's Pass the Imperial Guard dug in and resisted all conventional attacks. Conscious that his enemies were mustering their reserves for a concerted counter-strike, and that the will remained upon Daxar to disrupt Mortarion's plans, Death Guard Lord Thelugh Poxmaw commanded that a mighty summoning ritual be performed. As dark clouds spiralled overhead and the moons crawled backwards in the sky, several hundred Beasts of Nurgle were conjured into being and sent gambolling towards the Imperial defence lines. Dozens were blown apart by Cadian fire, dozens more hacked and blasted apart at close range, but the remaining Beasts ploughed on regardless, and the depleted Death Guard followed in their wake. With the barricades smashed, the pass ran red with Imperial blood, and Daxar fell soon after. |
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