Crimson Fists
From Warhammer 40k
| Crimson Fists | |
|---|---|
| |
| Warcry |
Chaplain: "There is only the Emperor!" |
| Founding | |
| Successors of | |
| Successor Chapters | |
| Number |
<500 |
| Primarch | |
| Chapter Master | |
| Homeworld | |
| Allegiance | |
| Colours |
Dark Blue and Crimson |
The Crimson Fists are a Space Marines Chapter. They are one of the Chapters created during the Second Founding, drawn from the Imperial Fists Legion.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Foundation and Crusade
Although initially resistant to the ideals of the Codex Astartes, the Primarch, Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists Legion eventually relented, and allowed for his Legion to be split into three, one thousand marine strong, Chapters. The Crimson Fists were made up primarily of the Space Marines who had only recently been initiated into the Legion.
- It should be noted that there was a Fourth Chapter Created from this Legion called the Soul Drinkers but they were declared Excommunicate Traitoris, and were struck from the annals of history, the chapter's name deleted from the scrolls of honour in the Halls of Heroes and wiped from the memories of the Archivum Imperialis. This is disputed by some see Soul Drinkers Contradiction
The Crimson Fists were a crusading chapter for nine thousand years, like their brother Chapter the Black Templars. Unlike the Black Templars, the Crimson Fists showed a more rigid adherence to the Codex Astartes, and tended to maintain close ties with the Loki sector. It wasn't until almost eight hundred years into the 40th millennium that the Crimson Fists were granted rights to a homeworld, Rynn's World in the Loki sector. The proximity of Rynn's World to one of the Crimson Fists primary recruiting worlds was ideal, and the Chapter constructed their fortress-monastery in the middle of an inhospitable mountain range.
[edit] The Rynn's World Incident
In the 989th year of the 41st millennium, an Ork Warlord known as Snagrod, the Arch-Arsonist of Charadon, united many of the warring Ork factions surrounding the Loki sector and began a massive Waaagh! Taking several colonies with minimal resistance, Snagrod boasted that his next conquest would be Rynn's World.
In response, the Fourth Company of the Crimson Fists was sent to stall the Waaagh! and gauge its strength. The size of Snagrod's forces had been significantly underestimated, and only a few Space Marines escaped to relay vital intelligence back to Chapter Master Kantor. Kantor ordered the immediate recall of all Crimson Fists, and set about organising the defences of Rynn's World.
When Snagrod's Waaagh! hit Rynn's World, it was with a force unseen since the Second War for Armageddon. During the initial invasion of Rynn's World, a great tragedy befell the Crimson Fists.
A single missile, launched by one of the planetary defence installations, faltered in its trajectory and struck the Crimson Fists fortress monastery. The missile managed to strike an unknown weak point in the fortress' design, detonating the Chapter's entire arsenal of weapons. The resultant explosion levelled the monastery, the mountain it rested on, and wiped out everything within a half mile's radius. Of the forces stationed around and within the monastery, there were just over a dozen survivors, Kantor among them.
The survivors, forced to move stealthily through territory captured by the Orks, were able to link up with a detachment of Crimson Fists assigned to defend Rynn's World's capital, New Rynn City, in the prcoess remainng awake for 328.7 standard hours (Space Marine Codex 3rd ed). Taking command of the Imperial forces, Kantor was able to eventually repulse the Orks from Rynn's World, although the siege of New Rynn City lasted eighteen months, and the effort to cleanse the planet took many years.
[edit] The Aftermath
The Rynn's World Incident resulted in many losses by the Crimson Fists, with the Chapter almost wiped out completely. As a result, Kantor's primary focus is rebuilding the Chapter. Though always famous Ork fighters, Snagrod's Waaagh! has induced a deep hatred of Orks within the Chapter, and it is said that Crimson Fists Marines will go to any lengths to defeat any Ork forces they encounter. The Crimson Fists are often on the move, having no true home base. They often return to Rynn's World to mourn their brothers who died so heroically in it's defence.
[edit] Organization
The Crimson Fists are classified as a Codex Chapter, because they are strict followers of the holy tome with only a few minor variants. At the end of the Crusade of Righteous Liberation in M36 only 128 Marines were left. Since that time the Crusade Company (First Company) has always numbered 128 Space Marines.
Since the Crimson Fists started as a crusading Chapter, they always had access to a large, well maintained fleet of starships. Although many vessels were lost over Rynn's World, the surviving fleet was more than capable of entangling the Orks space force until the Imperial Navy was able to reinforce the system.
After Rynn's World, the Crimson fists found themselves in the interesting position of having more specialists than battle-brothers. The Chapter's Apothecaries and Techmarines have been forced to take on roles not normally assigned to them, although without their skills the Chapter would have dwindled beyond repair within a few years.
The process of rebuilding the Chapter has been slow and arduous, although any rush would result in complications that would corrupt or destroy the Chapter at a later date. A number of Scout squads have been inducted into a newly formed Tenth Company, and are said to be forging the future of the Chapter with their every action.
Various sources seem to conflict over the actual number of battle brothers who survived the Rynn's world campaign. In one supplement, it is explained that just after the destruction of their fortress monestary -but before the battle for Rynn City began in earnest- the Crimson Fists numbered 400 battle brothers, mostly those stationed in Rynn City, the Fleet and outlying settlements. However, given the length of the Battle for Rynn's World, it is unlikely that anything even approaching that number of marines were still alive at the end of the campaign. One quote made in reference to the Crimson Fists mentions the fact that a Chapter reduced to less than a company of battle brothers is unlikely to recover. However, an additional source mentions that the Crimson Fists field four "reduced companies" at the turning of the millenium. Given that this is less than a decade after the end of the Rynn's World campaign, it is unlikely that the chapter has managed to "graduate" many new battle-brothers froms it's reduced scout cadre. While the actual number of marines who survived the Rynn's World campaign is unknown, it seems fair to assume that, by the end of the millenium, the Chapter is unlikely to field more than 200 battle brothers {References for these last few statements will be provided].
[edit] Combat Doctrine
During the nine thousand years of their crusade, the Crimson Fists became skilled at combating many alien species, most notably the Orks. These skills have been valuable to the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition, with many members of the Chapter serving terms with the elite Deathwatch. In the novel Deathwatch by C.S. Goto, Captain Octavius, an Imperial Fist seconded to the Deathwatch; comments that no other Chapter has provided as many Deathwatch marines as the Crimson Fists. This and other cannon sources seem to suggest that the Crimson Fists are amoung the most highly regarded Xenos Fighters in the Imperium. Captain Octavius also ruminates on the loyalty and sense of duty possessed by the Chapter and it's marines. Despite their severe losses the Crimson Fists continue to second battle brothers to the DeathWatch. In fact, no less than one quarter of the Captain's eight man kill squad in the novel were marines of this Chapter.
Though previously famous for stubborn, intractable defensive actions (much like their progenitors, the Imperial Fists), after the Rynn's World Incident, the sheer amount of casualties has prevented the Chapter from fighting in the way prescribed by the Codex Astartes. Instead, Kantor has fielded his surviving Marines as infiltrators and guerrilla troops, attacking specific, high-value targets in an attempt to minimise casualties as opposed to engaging enemies in open battle.
[edit] Battlecry
Before battle, the Chaplains will call out "There is only the Emperor". The Crimson Fists will respond "He is our shield and protector".
[edit] Historic Battles/Campaigns
- The Declates Crusade
- Battle for Rynn's World
- Rynn's World Reclamation
- Battle of the Steel Cross
- The Crusade of Righteous Liberation
[edit] Appearance
The Chapters' main color is deep blue, with red decoration. The Chapter's symbol is a direct copy of the Imperial Fists, with the alternate colors.
When an initiate joins the ranks of the Chapter his left glove is painted Crimson, symbolic of Rogal Dorn's tradition of cutting the palms of new recruits and sharing his blood with them directly, creating a bond between them, upon reaching veteran status his right glove is also painted Crimson.
[edit] Notable Crimson Fists
Rogal Dorn - Crimson Fists Primarch (via the Imperial Fists)
Chapter Master Alexis Polux - The Crimson Fists first Chapter Master
Chapter Master Pedro Kantor - The current Crimson Fists Chapter Master
Captain Cortez - Nigh-invulnerable Captain of the 4th Company
Rynn's Might - A Land Raider with a fierce machine spirit
Captain Drakken - Captain of the 3rd Company
Veteran Sergeant Huron Grimm - commander of the Crimson Fists force stationed at New Rynn city during the Orkish invasion of Rynn's World
[edit] References
- Priestley, Rick (1992). Rogue Trader. Eastwood: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-872372-27-9.
- Chambers, Andy (2004). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Space Marines, 4th Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-526-0.
- McNeil, Graham; Hoare, Andy, and Haines, Pete (2003). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Witchhunters, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-485-X.
- (December 2003) "Index Astartes – Crimson Fists". White Dwarf: Australian Edition (288). ISSN 0265-8712.
- Counter, Ben (2005). Crimson Tears. Nottingham: Black Library. ISBN 1-84416-160-9.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It was imported from the Wikipedia article "Crimson Fists". The previous authors can be seen on this page's history.
