Editing Eternal Zealots (section)

==The Great Crusade==

<span style="font-size:110%">'''The Zealots and the Victory'''</span>

As the Eternal Zealots prepared to take the stars on mankind’s Great Crusade, they received new orders, directly from Hektor himself. The [[Expedition_Fleets_(Hektor_Heresy)|71st Expedition Fleet]] was deemed to be understrength and was ordered to conduct joint operations with the 25th Expedition Fleet, led by the famed primarch, [[Gaspard_Lumey|Gaspard Lumey]] and his legion, the [[Void_Angels|Winged Victory]]. Aubrey himself was tasked with learning from the astounding success of his brother primarch. This was done according to the will of the Emperor, who feared that Aubrey’s compassion for xenos would blind him to the dangers that humanity faced amongst the stars. He hoped that Aubrey would learn from his brother’s hatred of xenos, becoming the hardened primarch that was essential for prosecuting the Great Crusade.

The beginnings of the Joint Expedition Fleet were an uncomfortable time for both legions. The Eternal Zealots overcompensated for their lack of numbers by relentlessly charging their objectives, leaving their Winged Victory allies defensively compromised. Tensions ran high amongst squads and Aubrey himself had to intervene several times to pacify his wayward sons.

It was during this tumultuous period that Captain Zachery Irisus first made his mark. Unusually calm and collected for an Astartes of the XVIth legion, Captain Irisus would be instrumental in helping his genefather in developing tactical plans and formations that would use the Eternal Zealots in measured and effective ways. Slowly, the role of the Zealots changed to conducting surgical strikes, slicing through the heaviest defences to neutralise important enemy targets. Aubrey realised the importance of men like Captain Irisus and so created a new role with the Zealots, the Mentors. The Mentors would be accomplished battle-brothers that were able to inspire their fellow Astartes while maintaining squad cohesion. Gone were the days of the '''Emerald Doom''' where squads would scatter into a frenzy of destruction, the Mentors would lead their squads as a single unit, keeping even the most frenzied battle-brothers focused on the mission.

Now focused and cohesive, the Eternal Zealots worked hard to gain the respect of their honoured cousins. Many battles were won through fearless deep strikes from Eternal Zealot assault squads, channeling their destructive talents into the eradication of key enemy targets. In stark contrast to the vicious combat style of the Zealots, Aubrey focused heavily on protecting infrastructure and encouraging the surrender of enemies. His gene-sons would often spend time after battles assisting in the reconstruction process, or searching for trapped civilians. To his brother, Aubrey explained that it was his way of ensuring that his legion would not lose sight of the true purpose of the Great Crusade, that they were creators of a better future for humanity, not just butchers and destroyers.

By the end of 911.M30, the influx of new recruits to the Eternal Zealots meant that the legion was now strong enough to prosecute campaigns on their own. Many of the Eternal Zealots would leave with the addition of wings to their heraldry, a sign of the brotherhood with the Winged Victory. Likewise, the battle-brothers of the Vth legion would carry the standard of Aubrey as markings on their armour. Gaspard Lumey himself would briefly visit Lazarus before the two legions separated, penning several essays about Aubrey’s homeworld.

Unfortunately, even after numerous battles against hostile xenos, Aubrey’s views on cooperation with xenos could not be changed. He argued that not all xenos should be judged to be hostile, just as not all humans were judged as hostile. Gaspard Lumey eventually supported his brother in petitioning the Emperor for the formation of an Edict of Toleration. This would allow human trade with selected species of xenos deemed to be non-hostile, such as the Lazarites of Lazarus. This edict would come to be abused by the Eternal Zealots in the coming years of their crusade.

<span style="font-size:110%">'''The Crusade'''</span>

Following their separation from the 25th Expedition Fleet, the Eternal Zealots would go on to prosecute the Emperor’s Great Crusade with ferocious zeal. For over 60 years the expedition fleets of the XVIth legion claimed new worlds for mankind, with Aubrey’s 71st Expedition Fleet leading the way forward. The Eternal Zealots were famed for both their relentless aggression and their work in assisting the rebuilding of now-compliant worlds.

Due to their relentless crusade, the Eternal Zealots would often find themselves with precariously thin supply lines, short of the necessary manpower and materials needed. This problem was only exacerbated by Aubrey’s insistence to leave resources for planetary redevelopment with every system reclaimed. While advised to adopt a more conservative strategy in his conquest, Aubrey believed that his Zealots were capable of the challenge and constantly pushed them forward, spreading the light of the the Imperium of Man to the darkest corners of the galaxy.

To resolve this strategic flaw, Aubrey turned to an unexpected source – the Rogue Traders. Secretive deals were struck with the Rogue Trader '''Hober Isaacs''' and his '''Isaacs Consortium''', to strengthen Eternal Zealot supply chains and provide manpower is the form of mercenaries. While initially the mercenaries were humans recruited off backwater planets, by 942.M30 reports began to arise regarding the presence of Lazarite warships accompanying Eternal Zealot Expedition Fleets. Mostly isolated from their brother legions and protected by the Edict of Toleration, the Imperium would turn a blind eye towards the usage of Lazarite auxiliaries by the Eternal Zealots, a mistake that would come to have devastating consequences.

Aubrey was also keen to extend the branch of peace to minor xenos races that were deemed non-threatening to the Imperium. Through the Edict of Toleration, entire star systems were allowed to remain under xenos control, sometimes even with human support, so long as they respected the laws of Humanity and stayed peaceful. Through the actions of the Zealots, the cancer of the xenos begun to fester within the Imperium.

===Notable Campaigns===

*'''The Compliance of Massalia'''. In a rare occurrence for the Zealots, the forge world of [[Massalia]] is brought back into Imperial compliance through peaceful discussion and negotiation.
*'''The Cleman Decapitation'''. The compliance actions of the Eternal Zealots end with the death of over 92% of the ruling priests of Hive World Cleman.  The populace turns to worship of the Astartes, forming the [[Cleman_Enduring|Cleman Enduring]] to serve as the Imperial Army unit for the Compliance Fleets of the Zealots. Aubrey allows this practice in the hope that the Imperial Truth can be gradually introduced over generations to the people of Cleman.
*'''Vermillion II'''. The name of a former human world brought back into compliance by the Eternal Zealots. The people of Vermillion fought aggressively against attempted Imperial assaults, to the point that Aubrey requested a cease-fire. The meeting took place in a holy site with Vermillion's highest cleric upon the delegation, after negotiations soured the cleric cursed Aubreys name and invoked the "Black Guardians of the Underworld to take him as they had taken all other would be conquerors". The Zealots hadn't been the first legion to make first contact with the species that would be called "Necrons.", but they were the first to meet them in combat outside of their supposed territory. After a swift retreat the Legion decided to liberate the planet from their puppet masters, The Necron tomb was destroyed by Varus Tithonus with assistance from an Eldar farseer.
*'''The Paros Devastation'''. Nine hundred and ninety-nine Astartes of the Eternal Zealots' Third Order are killed over heavy fighting in the rad-fields of Paros, with only Aubrey himself left standing at the end of the battle. Commander Fenrich Veiss is permanently interred into a dreadnought following the battle, and Aubrey painstakingly rebuilds the Third Order over the next decade. The faces of the men lost during the campaign were immortalised, death masks being placed upon the helms of the legionaries who replaced them, thus giving the third order the title of; "The Immortals."
*'''The Fall of Valshada'''.