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The Scale Bearers Adeptus Astartes Legion are fast attack specialists who fight alongside the reptilian warbeasts known as Sors (native to Solnhofen) and often use them as mounts. Led by the Primarch Tiran Osoros until his death during the Hektor Heresy. Their homeworld of Solnhofen is covered in vast jungles, and serves as their main source of recruits as they replenish their numbers, but other worlds have contributed Astartes to the Legion, including Kras Xenkoh and Necthan.
The Scale Bearers Adeptus Astartes Legion are fast attack specialists who have been known to fight alongside reptilian beasts known as Sors.
 
Their surprise defeat at the hands of the Iron Rangers early on in the Heresy left them scattered and devastated, and their efforts to rebuild since then have proven only moderately fruitful.


=Legion History=
=Legion History=
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The XVII Legion Astartes were noted to have served admirably-though without distinction-during the initial stages of the Merican Campaign. This would change during the fighting in the Merican Dustbowl. The center of the continent was a vast wasteland, home to countless numbers of 'Road Warrior' tribes fighting amongst one another for dwindling resources in the shadows of burned-out hives.
The XVII Legion Astartes were noted to have served admirably-though without distinction-during the initial stages of the Merican Campaign. This would change during the fighting in the Merican Dustbowl. The center of the continent was a vast wasteland, home to countless numbers of 'Road Warrior' tribes fighting amongst one another for dwindling resources in the shadows of burned-out hives.


As the armies of the Emperor moved inland they were fiercely opposed by these violent waste-dwellers, who cooperated for the first time in their history to face the invaders. They saw how the Imperium cleaved through the coast and were too clever to face the massed regiments of Thunder Warriors or the infantry of the Imperial Army in pitched battle. The nomads used the high mobility of their technicals and weapon-bikes to strike at supply convoys, isolated Imperial Army forces, and exposed flanks.  The actions of the 'Road Warrior' tribes slowed the Emperor’s advance to a crawl. Hektor Cincinnatus was ordered to defeat or subjugate the tribes so the advance across Merica could continue. Hektor permitted Rychad Owain of the XVII Sacred Band to copy the tribes' own 'bike' techniques for use against them. The XXVth heavily modified these captured bikes so that each could bear a Marine's weight and weaponry, and performed a series of successful counter-ambushes which destroyed the fighting strength of one prominent tribe and proved the XXV's use of 'fast attack bikes' as an effective tactic.
As the armies of the Emperor moved inland they were fiercely opposed by these violent waste-dwellers, who cooperated for the first time in their history to face the invaders. They saw how the Imperium cleaved through the coast and were too clever to face the massed regiments of Thunder Warriors or the infantry of the Imperial Army in pitched battle. The nomads used the high mobility of their technicals and weapon-bikes to strike at supply convoys, isolated Imperial Army forces, and exposed flanks.  The actions of the 'Road Warrior' tribes slowed the Emperor’s advance to a crawl. [[Hektor Cincinnatus]] was ordered to defeat or subjugate the tribes so the advance across Merica could continue. Hektor permitted Rychad Owain of the XVII Sacred Band to copy the tribes' own 'bike' techniques for use against them. The XVIIth heavily modified these captured bikes so that each could bear a Marine's weight and weaponry, and performed a series of successful counter-ambushes which destroyed the fighting strength of one prominent tribe and proved the XVII's use of 'fast attack bikes' as an effective tactic.
 
This pattern would be repeated and the XVII became the core of a bike-mounted force, sweeping behind enemy formations and striking at exposed flanks in lightning attacks. The Imperial armies finally saw progress after months of stagnation, as the tribes fell one by one to the advancing Imperial forces. At the conclusion of that campaign when Imperial Forces finally reached the other side of the dustbowl, the XVII Legion was granted the title ‘The Imperial Riders’ by Primarch Hektor, among the first of the fledgling legions to earn a name for themselves.


This pattern would be repeated and the XVII became the core of a bike-mounted force, sweeping behind enemy formations and striking at exposed flanks in lightning attacks. The Imperial armies finally saw progress after months of stagnation, as the tribes fell one by one to the advancing Imperial forces. At the conclusion of that campaign when Imperial Forces finally reached the other side of the dustbowl, the XVII Legion was granted the title ‘The Imperial Riders’ by Primarch Hektor, among the first of the fledgling legions to earn a name for themselves.
==Early Campaigns==
==Early Campaigns==
For the initial stages of the Great Crusade, the Imperial Riders were used as a fast attack force. Where others used stealth, subterfuge, or brute force, the XVII used speed and power. They reinforced flagging Imperial Army campaigns and struck at elusive foes. The Riders found worthy foes in Eldar Raiders, Dactyls and others who relied on speed and maneuverability to win battles. Bikes and mounted squads were at the heart of their formations and they fielded endless varieties of the design. While other Legions adopted bikes, none could equal the Imperial Riders in their mastery of the motorized mounts.
For the initial stages of the Great Crusade, the Imperial Riders were used as a fast attack force. Where others used stealth, subterfuge, or brute force, the XVII used speed and power. They reinforced flagging Imperial Army campaigns and struck at elusive foes. The Riders found worthy foes in Eldar Raiders, Dactyls and others who relied on speed and maneuverability to win battles. Bikes and mounted squads were at the heart of their formations and they fielded endless varieties of the design. While other Legions adopted bikes, none could equal the Imperial Riders in their mastery of the motorized mounts.


Worlds without number were taken by them. Many planets in a fraction of the time estimated. Few could match their speed. What they could not outfight, they outmaneuvered. They lived up to their name in full, quickly securing planets and moving on as soon as their Imperial Army replacements would arrive to bring the world fully into compliance. Where the early battles of the Merican campaigns saw them with little distinction, they shined like suns in the early battles of the Great Crusade.
Worlds without number were taken by them. Many planets in a fraction of the time estimated. Few could match their speed. What they could not outfight, they outmaneuvered. They lived up to their name in full, quickly securing planets and moving on as soon as their Imperial Army replacements would arrive to bring the world fully into compliance. Where the early battles of the Merican campaigns saw them with little distinction, they shined like suns in the early battles of the Great Crusade.
==Primarch Discovery==
==Primarch Discovery==


The Emperor arrived to Solnhofen as the Primarch of the Legion was waging war across the planet. He confronted the man, revealing himself and the Primarch's origins. The mighty warrior bent the knee to his father and was rewarded with the command of the XVII Legion. After completing the conquest of his world in a single fortnight, Primarch Tiran Osoros formally took command of his Legion.
The Emperor arrived to Solnhofen as the Primarch of the Legion was waging war against the Xenos inhabitants of the planet. He confronted the man, revealing himself and the Primarch's origins. The mighty warrior bent the knee to his father and was rewarded with the command of the XVII Legion. After completing the conquest of his world, Primarch [[Tiran Osoros]] formally took command of his Legion.
   
   
The secret to Tiran's successful conquest was his uncanny affinity for and influence over the Sors, the massive beasts of his native world. When the Primarch took his place at the head of his Legion, he resolved to use these creatures on the Crusade to fight the enemies of humanity. Osoros introduced the Legion to Sor-style warfare, making the creatures the center of tactical formations and utilizing battle-bikes as skirmishers and flanking forces in support of the Sor-mounted units. Tiran threw himself into his new position with zeal, learning everything he could of the Legion's history and methods of warfare. He required both the seasoned Terran Marines and the new Solnhofen recruits to cross-train on both Sors and bikes so as to better form a seamless Legion, skilled in either task.
After his education on Terra, Tiran Osoris opted to change the focus on the Legion. As opposed to its previous focus on repeated hit and run tactics, he opted for a method of fighting which saw success on his home planet. Speed and endurance were critical to this new discipline, but not in the same manner as before. Instead, they would focus on tiring an enemy before hitting them with a rapid force and overwhelming firepower.
 
The 'Imperial Riders' took quickly to both their Primarch and his odd way of war. They adopted  the name 'Scale Bearers' in homage to the title which Tiran had held on his homeworld and painted their armour in colors which evoked the jungles of Solnhofen and the skins of the Sors they now rode into battle. Battle-bikes were decorated with paint and animal bones, while the Astartes accented helms with raptor feathers and draped scaly cloaks across their bodies.
Above all, Tiran enforced a "humanization" of his forces. While on Solnhofen, Astartes were expected to aid the local citizens with a variety of tasks required for day-to-day survival. All his Marines were trained to have some skill in farming, construction, toolmaking, and other arts required for civilization to thrive. They were instructed to spend time learning from iterators and remembrancers, learning how to negotiate and become diplomats. As Tiran saw it, his men were individually responsible for upholding the ideals of the Legion, and by extension, the entirety of the Imperium of Man.


==Heresy==
==Heresy==
The Scale Bearers, in conjunction with the Iron Rangers, were sent to Diamat to put down the Mechanicus rebellion which had sided with Aubrey. While the Primarchs discussed their strategies, the Iron Rangers sent men to sabotage several vessels from the Scale Bearer fleet, discharging their ordnance into their own fleet. After a short but costly void battle, the Scale Bearers were forced to withdraw. They were able to start reconsolidating after a short jump in the warp around a small forested planet. Merrill, however, was not willing to give up his target and followed a short time later. With severe damage to the ships of the fleet, the Scale Bearers landed on the planet's surface in the hopes of either defeating the XX Legion in open battle or causing enough casualties to force Merrill to withdraw. This turned into a long running battle through the jungles of hit-and-run attacks, ambushes, and counter-ambushes. Eventually, Tiran was brought down by the villainous Primarch and his trusted beast Keratops killed by barrage after barrage of ordnance. With the Scale Bearers leaderless and scattered, the craven traitors abandoned the fight, leaving the Scale Bearers lost and attempting to reunite.
[[File:Scale_Bearers_Tactical_Marine.jpg|thumb]]
They get attacked by the [[Iron Rangers]]. They lose. Tiran dies. Very sad. Much confusion.


For most of the Heresy, the XVII Legion was left in such a state. Some managed to group together large enough to set out against the traitors, but it wasn't until late in the Scouring that they would be reunited as a Legion.
==Post-Heresy==


==Post-Heresy==
The Legion slowly pieced itself back together throughout the Heresy and into the Scouring. Though they fared better numerically than many of their fellow legions, the Iron Ranger's practice of targeting their leadership had taken its toll. The Legion was fragmented into numerous factions, each with different ideologies and interpretations of what would be necessary for the continuation of the Legion.  The primary dispute was over Tiran's legacy and vengeance. Some believed that it was imperative to immediately strike out and avenge their fallen Primarch. Ultimately a group of moderates, led by Rychad Owain. The group largely believed that it was important to stay true to Tiran's legacy, however they recognized the Legion as being in a state of crisis and pushed forward methods to boost their immediate numbers which were largely antithetical to their Primarchs teachings. None within the Legion were happy, as the radical sect became embittered that more was not being done, while the idealists were horrified a the turn of their own Legion. This divide was furthered by the failure at [[Battle of Rai|Rai]], when numerous, almost irreplaceable Sors were lost.
The Legion slowly pieced itself back together throughout the Heresy and into the Scouring. Though they fared better numerically than many of their fellow legions, the Iron Ranger's practice of targeting their leadership had taken its toll. Gaspard Lumey was required to assist in negotiating the level of leadership as they transferred from Legion to Chapter status. It is theorized that not all of the Scale Bearers were collected, and rumors persist to the 41st Millenium of a fleet of the Legion traversing the galaxy, still spreading the Imperial Truth and attempting to unite the lost planets of mankind.


While the Legion had more than enough reason to form an animosity of the Iron Rangers, rumors and stories stoked the flames. While the two Primarchs were largely cordial to each other, and were known to converse from time to time, they were not the closest of brothers. As the history was told slightly differently with each telling, they became close allies, and eventually the closest of brothers in the view of the Scale Bearers. As they became closer, the betrayal of Rogerius Merrill became a deeper and deeper wound. In the 41st Millenium, Merrill is viewed by the Scale Bearers as the worst of the traitors, and any activities of the Iron Rangers is sure to bring as many men who carry Tiran's geneseed as can be mustered.
The divides soon vanished as they imparted on a massive expedition against Profi Tiroedd and the Iron Rangers. Though the victory was not as decisive as many would have liked, the majority of the Scale Bearers found peace in their actions. As they were broken down into Chapters in the aftermath of the Scouring, Owain stepped down from his position as Legion Master, vowing never to take such command again. Though he had always maintained guilt for the actions of his Legion's reconstruction, most within the Legion would come to accept his interim rulings as necessary for the betterment of the Legion. The largest chapters forged in the second founding were the Knights Saurian, Violet Serpents, Dawn Terrors, and Fire Breathers.


During the Great Crusade and the Battles of Diamat and Sorfall, many of the Sors were killed. The numbers on Solnhofen were depleted beyond what they were able to field. Between these losses and the divisions into chapters, few Sons of Tiran utilize the Sors in the modern age. Most return to the methods of the Imperial Riders, using bikes with motifs that recollect the beasts of their home planet.
While the Legion had more than enough reason to form an animosity of the Iron Rangers, rumors and stories stoked the flames. While the two Primarchs were largely cordial to each other, and were known to converse from time to time, they were not the closest of brothers. As the history was told slightly differently with each telling, they became close allies, and eventually the closest of brothers in the view of the Scale Bearers. As they became closer, the betrayal of [[Rogerius Merrill]] became a deeper and deeper wound. In the 41st Millenium, Merrill is viewed by the Scale Bearers as the worst of the traitors, and any activities of the Iron Rangers is sure to bring as many men who carry Tiran's geneseed as can be mustered.


=Culture=
=Culture=
Tiran Osoros, along with the recruits from the tribal peoples of Solnhofen, brought with them not only the ubiquitous Sors, but a number of artefacts of the planet's culture. The smoking of various herbs endemic to Solnhofen itself was echoed in the Legion's use of Lho sticks when meeting with friends, and even offering them to comrades when meeting before battle - a practice not normally found amongst Astartes. From the village of Yrash Pak, they brought the idea of the Victory Totem - a wooden monument erected in a defeated enemy's capital after the fighting had ended. Over time, the Terrans among the Legion were worn down by attrition and vastly outnumbered by the sons of Solnhofen.
Tiran Osoros, along with the recruits from the tribal peoples of Solnhofen, brought with them not only the ubiquitous Sors, but a number of artefacts of the planet's culture. The smoking of various herbs endemic to Solnhofen itself was echoed in the Legion's use of Lho sticks when meeting with friends, and even offering them to comrades when meeting before battle - a practice not normally found amongst Astartes. From the village of Yrash Pak, they brought the idea of the Victory Totem - a wooden monument erected in a defeated enemy's capital after the fighting had ended. Over time, the Terrans among the Legion were worn down by attrition and vastly outnumbered by the sons of Solnhofen.


The Legion holds to a tradition of painting their close combat weapons before the battle - a sort of stylized "splatter" pattern is painted in red onto the part of the weapon that will face or strike the enemy. This is believed to prepare the weapon's machine spirit for the blood it will inevitably be covered in during the fighting. This paint is, of course, removed during the cleaning of weapons after the fighting, unless another battle is imminent (that is, within three days).
The Legion holds to a tradition of painting their close combat weapons before the battle - a sort of stylized "splatter" pattern is painted in red onto the part of the weapon that will face or strike the enemy. This is believed to prepare the weapon's machine spirit for the blood it will inevitably be covered in during the fighting. This paint is, of course, removed during the cleaning of weapons after the fighting, unless another battle is imminent (that is, within three days).


Natives of Solnhofen also live a more nomadic lifestyle. Somehow, the geneseed shares this root, and many Sons of Tiran suffer from wanderlust. Scale Bearers and their successors grow uncomfortable when stationed in one place for too long. As a result, the Legion counts an incredibly high number of successors who prefer to become Crusade Chapters.
Solnhofen culture thoroughly integrated into the Legion not long after their Primarch's discovery. Among these were ideas of respect towards civilians, women and elders. The Scale Bearers have a long history of risking their own resources and men to ensure lowered civilian deaths. Until the Heresy started, the Scale Bearers were notable for being one of the few Legions without a dedicated fortress to guard themselves. They used a large complex of facilities to carry out the majority of a fortress's needs and their living quarters were intermingled with the surrounding civilian population. After this was exploited in the Hektor Heresy, it was decided to use a more traditional fortress monastery.
 
Also of note is the lack of Legion (and later Chapter) serfs. Instead, each Scale Bearer brought with him several friends and family members to assist and support him during his lifetime. Additionally they would gain men and women to help with the various tasks required to run a Legion through conquest. This happened on a number of circumstances. The most common were through orphans and prisoners. Legion doctrine stated that any child left orphaned by the Scale Bearers would be adopted by the men responsible for the action. In such a way, many of these children would be raised as though it was the Legionnaire's own blood. Second was through prisoners. The XVII Legion often treated prisoners of war better than their counterparts, and in many cases, better than their own home worlds. In some longer campaigns, prisoners would refuse to return to their homeworld, and would instead be included into the various noncombat support positions needed for the Legion to perform.


==Legion Colors==
==Legion Colors==


The colors of the Legion are a dark green (reflecting the color of the jungles of Solnhofen) with a gold trim. The pauldron on which the Legion's badge is painted, however, is a watery blue - perhaps reminiscent of Solnhofen's rivers.
The colors of the Legion are a dark green (reflecting the color of the plains of Solnhofen) with a gold trim. The pauldron on which the Legion's badge is painted, however, is a watery blue - perhaps reminiscent of Solnhofen's rivers.


==Recruiting and Notable Worlds==
==Homeworld==
===Homeworld: Solnhofen===
===Homeworld: Solnhofen===
{{Infobox 40k Planet
{{Infobox 40k Planet
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|fgcolor=white
|fgcolor=white
|image=[[File:Solnhofen.png|200px]]
|image=[[File:Solnhofen.png|200px]]
|type= Feral World/Space Marine Chapter Homeworld
|class= Feral World/Space Marine Chapter Homeworld
|orbdist= 1.25AU ± 0.23AU
|orbdist= 1.25AU ± 0.23AU
|gravity= 0.94G
|gravity= 0.94G
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}}
}}


Located somewhere in Segmentum Tempestus is the Mesazon system, containing the feral jungle world of Solnhofen. A primitive planet, it is home to a small population of humans who, by the 41st Millennium, adhere to the Imperial Cult in their own unsophisticated way. This second planet of the Mesozon system boasts vast jungles dotted by large but simple villages. On the planet's (still warm) northern pole rests the Cliffs of Tiran, the Fortress-Monastery of the Scale Bearers. Some 948 kilometers to the southeast sits the northernmost of the villages, Gand Wanunlen, which served as home to the young Tiran Osoros in the time he spent on the planet before the Great Crusade. Now the largest of the villages, Gand Wanunlen is the 'capital' of this Imperial World.
Located somewhere in Segmentum Tempestus is the Mesazon system, containing the feral plains world of Solnhofen. A primitive planet, it is home to a small population of humans who, by the 41st Millennium, adhere to the Imperial Cult in their own unsophisticated way. This second planet of the Mesozon system boasts vast plains and plateaus dotted by large but simple villages. On the planet's (still warm) northern pole rests the Cliffs of Tiran, the Fortress-Monastery of the Scale Bearers. One kilometer to the southeast sits the northernmost of the villages, Gand Wanunlen, which served as home to the young Tiran Osoros in the time he spent on the planet before the Great Crusade. Now the largest of the villages, Gand Wanunlen is the 'capital' of this Imperial World.




'''History'''
'''History'''


Evidence found on the planet's southern regions indicate that humanity first settled here sometime in M19, atop the ruins of a primitive xenos civilization. The nonsapient Sors had already been there by the time of the first Dark Age records that have been recovered so far - records that were perhaps made in M26. What little records remain indicate that the Sors were a constant threat to the early colonists, and that those leaving the M26 record were the most recent in a succession of colonial waves, all of which until then had failed to bring the planet to heel. By the time Tiran's genetor-pod arrived in M30, the planet had taken the full brunt of the Age of Strife. Reduced to mere tribes scrabbling about in the few clearings to be found with stone weapons and bone tools, the people of Solnhofen could not have expected ever to see visitors from another planet again. Not until, that is, the arrival of the Primarch of Legio XVII...
Evidence found on the planet's southern regions indicate that humanity first settled here sometime in M19, atop the ruins of a primitive xenos civilization. The nonsapient Sors had already been there by the time of the first Dark Age records that have been recovered so far - records that were perhaps made in M26. During this time the planet underwent massive terraforming in order to develop a large [[Imperial Worlds#Agri-World|Agri-World]] By the time Tiran's genetor-pod arrived in M30, the planet had taken the full brunt of the Age of Strife. It is unknown if the technological fall or xenos invasion was the cause of the planet's downfall. But humnity had been reduced to mere tribes with stone weapons and bone tools. The people of Solnhofen could not have expected ever to see visitors from another planet again. Not until, that is, the arrival of the Primarch of Legio XVII...
 
Landing on the planet, the son of the Emperor was found and raised by the Gand Wanunlen hunter Ayl Osoros, and soon earned his own name of Tiran after defeating a pack of such named Sors and taming his now-famous ally Keradops. As he grew and learned, the spark of conquest lit in his eyes, as it had in so many Solnhofen warriors before him. Speaking with the village's chief, the youth managed to persuade his people to rise in arms against their neighbors. For some half a standard year, Tiran developed the Sor-based tactics that he would pass on to his Legion, conquering and subjugating nearly half of the planet. He would later recount that his army claimed to have killed over 200,000 enemies by the time of the Emperor's arrival.


As the Great Crusade progressed, the planet provided a number of recruits for the Scale Bearers Legion, and the technology of the people improved slightly. By the time of the Heresy, the people had at last discerned proper irrigation systems and began clearing jungle for small-scale agriculture. These advancements served to raise the planetary population, and thus increase the pool of available recruits for the Legion.
During the Great Crusade, the planet provided a number of recruits for the Scale Bearers Legion, and the technology of the people improved slightly. By the time of the Heresy, the people had at last discerned proper irrigation systems and begun developing a larger agricultural system. These advancements served to raise the planetary population, and thus increase the pool of available recruits for the Legion.


A Warp storm over the system during the Heresy prevented the Scale Bearers from returning to defend their homeworld. In the aftermath of the Heresy, Solnhofen was scrutinized for any possible taint--  how had the populace fared during the Warp storm? Why had the Ruinous Powers spared the defenseless world in their grasp? The investigation, however, found the planet free of Chaotic taint and Solnhofen remained as it always had been-- a Feral world, beneath the notice of all save the sons of the Primarch who had called it his home.
In the aftermath of the Heresy, Solnhofen underwent a myriad of changes in order to facilitate a much faster recruitment drive and rapidly increase the Legion numbers. Among these changes were the building of a Fortress Monastary proper and a severe decrease to the population as almost all who were capable of accepting a gene-seed were recruited into the Legion. Eventually, the planet normalized and became what it had always been, a nondescript [[Imperial Worlds#Feral World|Feral World]]


Little has changed on Solnhofen in the last ten thousand years, save for the adoption of primitive metallurgy and notable improvements in pottery. In M36, the planet very nearly came under threat in the war against WAAAGH! Da Beast, which to this day remains the largest Ork WAAAGH! ever recorded. Da Beast's forces sought to descend upon the planet, though fortunately they never made planetfall on Solnhofen-- a combined fleet of the Imperial Navy and the Scale Bearers' own Chapter Fleet laid waste to the voidfaring Orks before they could reach the planet's orbit.
Little has changed on Solnhofen in the last ten thousand years, save for the adoption of primitive metallurgy and notable improvements in pottery. In M36, the planet very nearly came under threat in the war against WAAAGH! Da Beast, which to this day remains the largest Ork WAAAGH! ever recorded. Da Beast's forces sought to descend upon the planet, though fortunately they never made planetfall on Solnhofen-- a combined fleet of the Imperial Navy and the Scale Bearers' own Chapter Fleet laid waste to the voidfaring Orks before they could reach the planet's orbit.
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'''Culture'''
'''Culture'''


The people of Solnhofen are a primitive folk,  tending towards simplicity of thought and life. Their general character is that of tribes competing for vital resources - conflicts are short, but vary between highly ritualized (in matters of honor) or bloody and frantic (in matters of sustenance or potable water). With the work subdivided relatively evenly among the members of the community, women and children have a greater degree of political power among the tribes of Solnhofen than on many other worlds of such a developmental level. This, of course, is not saying much. What does hold interest is the superstition the locals hold about the pre-Imperial ruins that dot the planet, often containing statues of the sail-backed lizard xenos thought to have gone extinct millennia prior to human arrival. The planet's natives think the ruins to be haunted by the spirits of the ancient xenos that once called Solnhofen home, and are often blamed for everything from a death in childbirth to milk spoilage.
The people of Solnhofen are a primitive folk,  tending towards simplicity of thought and life. Their general character is that of tribes competing for vital resources - conflicts are short, but vary between highly ritualized (in matters of honor) or bloody and frantic (in matters of sustenance or potable water). With the work subdivided relatively evenly among the members of the community, women and children have a greater degree of political power among the tribes of Solnhofen than on many other worlds of such a developmental level. What does hold interest is the superstition the locals hold about the pre-Imperial ruins that dot the planet, often containing statues of the sail-backed lizard xenos thought to have gone extinct millennia prior to human arrival. The planet's natives think the ruins to be haunted by the spirits of the ancient xenos that once called Solnhofen home, and are often blamed for everything from a death in childbirth to milk spoilage.


==Notable Members==
''Come, traitors! Come, damned ones! Break yourselves on the horns of my hatred!''


===Other Notable Worlds===
- Ancient Dreadnought Kratei Shias 'The Tyrant King', during the Relief of Cadia, 999.M41


*'''Elsinor Secundus''' An icy world in Segmentum Tempestus, most of the planet lives either in subterranean caverns or in massive hives. A temperate belt at the equator is the domain of the ruling nobles, surrounded by the harsh tundra inhabited by tribesmen from whom the Scale Bearers recruit.


*'''Palia Ceen Worlds'''  Of the inhabited planets in this system liberated by the Scale Bearers during the Great Crusade, only two provide recruits for the Chapter.  '''Belor''' is a harsh, rocky world with only one sea, home to proud tribal peoples who eke out a living either along the coastline or in the barren boulder-strewn wastelands.  '''Necthan''' is a greener world, covered in hot, lush jungles.  Stone cities dot the main continent, surrounded by endless green. Deadly beasts prowl its dark interior, preying on both the unwary and the weak. To prove themselves, the greatest warriors of Necthan will sally forth into the jungles, seeking to slay these terrible animals. If they survive-- and if they are found worthy by the strange 'Sky Men' during their annual visits to Necthan-- these warriors are taken to fight among the stars for the God-Emperor.
*'''Kras Xenkoh'''. More like ancient Terra than any other world which the Scale Bearers recruit from, Kras Xenkoh contains multiple biospheres— tundra near the poles, broad forests and grasslands in the southern hemisphere, and plains on the northern continent. After cleansing the world of its mutant infestation during the Great Crusade, the Legion declared the northern plains 'off limits' for colonization from the southern continent, so that the tribal way of life for the 'Grass People' would be preserved and the newly-seeded Sors could reach survivable population size. The Scale Bearers recruit from both the medieval city-states of the South Continent and from among the 'Grass People' of the North.
*'''Sorfall'''.  The location of the darkest stain on Legion history. A forested moon orbiting a gas giant, the world now known as Sorfall was where the Scale Bearers finally faced the Iron Rangers in head-on combat. By the end of the battle, the Legion had lost their Primarch, and with him, their heart. Eventually the Scale Bearers would recover their fighting strength, but they would never be the same. Though the bodies of Tiran Osoros and Keradops were returned to Solnhofen, a massive fortress of white stone was raised to mark the spot where they fell. Inside the shrine stands row upon row of statues, one for each Astarte that met his fate on Sorfall. The bones of the fallen Sors were assembled into skeletons and placed on display. At the eastern end, the likeness of Primarch Osoros, carved out of gleaming marble, is seated on a throne typical for Solnhofen chieftains. The opposite end of the main hall holds a monument to Keradops. The Scale Bearers and their successor Chapters maintain a continuous honor guard here, and it has become an oft-visited world along the pilgrimage routes of the Segmentum Tempestus.
==Notable Members==
*'''Kratei Shias the 'Tyrant King''''  Tribal Warrior on Solnhofen; followed his friend and leader Tiran Osoros when the Primarch took command of the Scale Bearers Legion. Made Chief of the 'Spear-Bearers', an elite Squad of Marines who served as Primarch's personal guard.  Present through Palia Ceen and WAAGH! Sarkus Campaigns, and on Sorfall when Primarch Rogerius Merrill slew Tiran. Kratei swore a bloodoath to avenge his friend and Primarch. Served as first Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers after reorganization into a Chapter. Fell in battle 598.M31 and interred into a dreadnought sarcophagus.  Still serving the Chapter in M41, Kratei Shias is only awakened to lead contingents of Scale Bearers during the successive Black Crusades, in the hope that he might yet be able to make good on his oath to spill the blood of Iron Rangers and Rogerius Merrill.  
*'''Kratei Shias the 'Tyrant King''''  Tribal Warrior on Solnhofen; followed his friend and leader Tiran Osoros when the Primarch took command of the Scale Bearers Legion. Made Chief of the 'Spear-Bearers', an elite Squad of Marines who served as Primarch's personal guard.  Present through Palia Ceen and WAAGH! Sarkus Campaigns, and on Sorfall when Primarch Rogerius Merrill slew Tiran. Kratei swore a bloodoath to avenge his friend and Primarch. Served as first Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers after reorganization into a Chapter. Fell in battle 598.M31 and interred into a dreadnought sarcophagus.  Still serving the Chapter in M41, Kratei Shias is only awakened to lead contingents of Scale Bearers during the successive Black Crusades, in the hope that he might yet be able to make good on his oath to spill the blood of Iron Rangers and Rogerius Merrill.  


* '''Rychad Owain'''  A member of Squad XVII of the Sacred Band, pledged from the Legion during their time as the Imperial Riders. Commander of the Second Company. One of the oldest Astartes in the Scale Bearers, and still alive as of the End of the Hektor Heresy. After the defeat on Sorfall, Rychad had the Scale Bearers regroup at the Mechanicus Forgeworld of Tigris, using the defenses of that world as cover for the battered Legion's fleets. Second Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers after Krate Shias's interrment into a dreadnought sarcophagus.
* '''Rychad Owain'''  A member of Squad XVII of the Sacred Band, pledged from the Legion during their time as the Imperial Riders. Commander of the Second Company. One of the oldest Astartes in the Scale Bearers, and still alive as of the End of the Hektor Heresy. After the defeat on Sorfall, Rychad had the Scale Bearers regroup at the Mechanicus Forgeworld of Tigris, using the defenses of that world as cover for the battered Legion's fleets. First Chapter Master of the Knights Saurian at the Second Founding.


* '''Parris Rolfis'''  Warrior recruited from Solnhofen when Tiran Osoros took command of Scale Bearers Legion. Made Commander of battle-bike Marines after death of Brother-Captain Karles Onatel during campaign against WAAGH! Sarkus. Survived Hektor Heresy; Eventually being made Captain of 4th Company after Reorganization into Chapter. Fell in Battle against Chaos Forces 363.M31.
* '''Parris Rolfis'''  Warrior recruited from Solnhofen when Tiran Osoros took command of Scale Bearers Legion. Made Commander of battle-bike Marines after death of Brother-Captain Karles Onatel during campaign against WAAGH! Sarkus. Survived Hektor Heresy; Eventually being made Captain of 4th Company after Reorganization into Chapter. Fell in Battle against Chaos Forces 363.M31.
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* '''Olit Okirus''' Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers as of 999.M41.
* '''Olit Okirus''' Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers as of 999.M41.


=Task and Organization=
*'''Heyoka Gand''' Chief Librarian of the Scale Bearers as of 999.M41. From the village of Gand Wanunlen; his tribe claims Kratei Shias as an ancestor.
While the Scale Bearers differ little from the norm in their system of ranks, there are certain special positions that exist within the Legion to facilitate its way of life and style of operation.


Mayasaron - Drawn from the ranks of the Apothecaries, these veteran Marines serve as the biological equivalent of Techmarines, attending to the injuries and growth of the Legion's Sors. They are often assisted by specialized Chapter Clerks known as Veterinarii. This rank disappears some time in M35, after the Sor population drops low enough that it is little warranted.
=Organization=


Dainonikon - Drawn from the ranks of the Librarium, they use their psychic powers to bolster the combat effectiveness of Sors by driving them into violent frenzies or making their skin less penetrable by various weapons. Like the Mayasaron, these disappear sometime in M35, though the rank can still be found in the Violet Serpents successor Chapter.
==Tactics and Strategy==
==Tactics and Strategy==
[[File:Scale_Bearers_MK_II.png|thumb]]
The Scale Bearers' main focus, that of mounted warfare, is a tradition that began with the larger-than-usual contingent of bikes the Legion was granted from Terra. This carried on through the Great Crusade until the fateful day when the Legion's Primarch was discovered on the primitive world of Solnhofen.


The result was a steady shift from more pragmatic Terran methods to the perhaps more boisterous warfare of the Solnhofens. Tiran himself introduced several maneuvers to his Marines that his old tribal army had applied during his youth. The most notable of these being the "Pouncing Ceeloh." In this formation, scouts, smaller Sors, or Imperial Army forces charge and shatter the unity of an enemy formation. A Scale Bearers bike unit then approaches in a file. In the confusion the line unfolds into an encirclement, which then peppers the enemy from without. These opposing forces must also continue to fend off the Imperial elements that have already pushed into their lines. This tactic, obviously, proves more useful against tightly-packed and numerous armies. Against such tactless enemies as the Orks, the Legion has been more than willing to bring brute force to bear.
Upon taking his place as the Primarch of the XVII Legion, Tiran Osoris sought to completely reform the methods of fighting employed by the Legion. Hit-and-Run attacks are effective but time-consuming. Tiran refocused his Legion's methods of fighting to one of a more direct combat in open terrain. He introduced his own "Three Legs of Warfare," a philosophy that idealized Strength, Speed, and Endurance as the pillars upon which a successful campaign was built.
===Equipment===
 
The Scale Bearers and their successors have been generally known to use normal, codex approved weapons in standard form. They believe that speed and skill are the key to winning battles, and the weapons only have as much impact as the user himself.
Strength is used at the beginning of every campaign and the end of any action. During the opening of an offensive campaign, the Scale Bearers perform massive orbital bombardments and air strikes on any military fortifications present on a target planet. This forces their opponents from their defensive positions and puts them on the move, where the Legion is superior. Any attempt to build new fortifications will be met by further strikes to prevent their opponent from being able to become stationary. Every action ends with some form of massive, multidirectional attack. The Legion always brings more men and bolters to bear than are necessary for the attack, preventing the enemy from ever gaining the upper hand or the ability to regroup and counterattack.
 
Speed is as vital as strength. In an attack, striking suddenly and without warning turns pure strength into overwhelming power. In all other facets, being faster than your opponents allow you to control their movements and determine how an attack will play out. It is used to outmaneuver and outrun the foes of the Imperium until their exhausted troops find themselves in the perfect killing grounds of a Scale Bearers Ambush.
 
Endurance is required throughout. Running faster is not enough to outlast a foe. You must also run longer and further. Endurance defines the entire ethos of a Scale Bearer's assault. Tiring their foes does nothing if the Legion itself is too exhausted to fight.
 
These three pillars come together to define the overall strategy of a Scale Bearer war. The Legion draws the enemy from their defensive positions through various means, exhaust their foes, and ambush them with massive surprise attacks. In this way, massive battles are fought and won quickly and efficiently.
 
This strategy has been largely successful for a number of reasons. Attacking an exhausted foe with overwhelming firepower causes far more enemy troops to surrender. Few men will flee from such a force. Higher ranking enemy officials see massive battles lost in a number of hours with little to no Legion casualties and quickly begin to contemplate the Imperium's terms of surrender. Keeping such battles away from civilian populations means less damage to planetary infrastructure. This reduces the time required for the planet to finish its reconstruction and become a productive member of the Imperium. Tiran's compassion for the people drove him to take greater efforts in appeasing the civilian populations. He was also known for giving planets longer "grace periods" from Imperial tithes to ensure that a planet could truly become more self-sufficient before the Emperor needed fresh troops and supplies.
 
As effective as his overall strategies were; there were times where the Legion could not employ them to their fullest. Many Hive Worlds had their military fortifications intermingled with civilian populations and little to no space to maneuver large forces away from population centers. To combat this, the Legion would often employ propaganda and other psychological tactics to encourage evacuations from military targets combined with his signature sudden and overwhelming surgical strikes. These would often be deployed in such a way as to keep the majority of the fire (both friendly and enemy) directed away from civilians.
 
==Arms, Armor, and Equipment==


By the 41st Millenium, Sons of Tiran tend to be outfitted mostly in Mk. 6 power armor. Though it is rumored they wear the helms as a symbol of the Sors, most individuals simply agree that the expanded sensors are a great assistance on the battlefield.
===Weapons===
===Sors===
Massive, scaled beasts native to Solnhofen. Named Sors by the natives, these animals come in a multitude of shapes and sizes-- from the tiny fowl-like creatures who dart through the underbrush to the gargantuan longnecked behemoths which roam the equatorial swamps to the mysterious leviathans which lurk in the depths of Solnhofen's wine-dark seas. Sors inhabit every level of the ecosystem of Solnhofen, and are respected by the natives, who use breeds of them as pets, clothing, and food sources.Though the Sors are rarely seen in the 41st Millennium, they were once prosperous and widespread. There are many annotations of some of the most legendary and common Sors.


* '''Keradops''' The oldest, largest, and perhaps most well-remembered Sor ever to live, this white-scaled beast was Tiran Osoros' friend and ally from childhood. Living up to its name (meaning "hard-headed"), this stubborn creature used the great horns on its head to gore a great many enemies. By the time of its death during the battle against the Iron Rangers that cost Tiran his life, Keradops had grown so massive as to outsize a Gargantuan Squiggoth - no easy feat, to be sure. It would be entirely correct to assume that this beast was a closer friend, and perhaps a closer brother, to Tiran Osoros than even his fellow Primarchs. Its favorite food, apparently, was the leaves of a sort of large tree known only to grow on Solnhofen itself, but it would also gladly partake of Amasec or recaf.
In close combat, the Scale Bearers Legion showed a preference for chain and power axes, as well as power maces and mauls. In the 40k era, Scale Bearers with chain axes and power maces are incredibly rare, as production on these items ceased shortly after the Heresy.


* '''Aleph''' This quadrupedal, purple-scaled Sor belonged to Lukas Ilion before the Hektor Heresy. It was this creature that led the pack of Sors that vanquished Warboss Sarkus on Henom IX, and the beast took great pleasure in crushing the Warboss' skull in its jaws.
===Vehicles and Special Equipment===


===Allies===
The sons of Tiran always boasted a large contingent of vehicles. Early in the Great Crusade, the Legion adapted bikes to their own use. As Tiran took command, he saw the abilities of the bikers, and how their use reflected his own personal tactics and strategies. Yet more was still needed. He brought in ever more armored vehicles. Most of which traded weaponry and heavy sponsons used in other Legions for increased speed. When interspersed among his troops, they acted as heavy fire support and mobile bunkers.
The Scale Bearers largely kept to themselves during the Great Crusade. The few times they did work with other Legions usually found their preference for speed and power to be of great assistance. They were most commonly found working with The Entombed and Stone Men, where they used their speed to flank and corral the enemies of the Imperium into the heavily armored fronts of their allies. They were noted to have worked extraordinarily well alongside the Iron Rangers, who would use their stealth to scout out future targets, weak points in enemy defenses, and eliminate hardened obstacles that would normally cause problems within the Scale Bearer lines.


*'''[[Elsinor Favored Sons]]''' - The 201st Favored Sons' professionalism and willingness to undertake risky or impossible missions made them stand out among the Imperial Army forces tasked to aid the Scale Bearers.
The base of Tiran's planning was always the basic Outrider Squad. Early in Tiran's redesign of his Legion, he discovered the initial design could not be produced in large enough numbers to supplement his entire force. Faced with this obstacle, he worked with his own Techmarines and members of the Mechanicum to find a working solution. The answer was within the Attack Bike design that had already been in use. Though heavier, it was also more robust, easier to maintain, and both cheaper and easier to mass produce. Initially dubbed the "Tiran-Pattern Bike," the name was dropped after the Heresy, where the Chapters as a whole adopted the design for the same reasons Tiran helped create it.


*'''[[23rd Vaartes Fated]]'''- Attached to the 49th Expeditionary Fleet, the 23rd Vaartes quickly gained a working affinity with the Scale Bearers, a friendship which would last through successive regiments down to M41.
The Legion outfitted the bulk of their troops with the new Space Marine Bikes, and deployed them in squadrons much larger than most other Legions. As his military lines would move much faster than the standard line troops in other Legions, he replaced the bulk of his Heavy Support Squads with a combination of Attack Bikes, Jetbike Squadrons, and Land Speeders. Something which stands out among their deployments is the use of unusual Heavy Weapons on their Jetbikes and Attack Bikes. Multiple Missile Launchers have been seen on both chassis. Attack Bikes with Volkite Culverins and Jetbikes with Autocannons have been seen as well.


*'''Legio XVIII Venator''' - Based on the Mechanicus Forgeworld of Graia, Legio XVIII served alongside the Scale Bearers Adeptus Astartes, most notably in the campaign to halt the WAAAGH! of OrkBoss Sarkus.
Supporting his line Bikers are the Predators, Sicarans, and Malcadors. They were often seen covering gaps in his own troops' movements and providing heavy fire to support the main effort. Against especially heavy fortifications, the usage of Breacher Squads delivered via Mastodon was not unheard of.


==Unique Units==
All of this would be considered impossible were it not for dedicated and resourceful Orbital, Sub-Orbital, and artillery support. Tiran always considered an artillery or orbital strike the linchpin in his major battles. This tactic worked excellently well during the Great Crusade, and Merrill's strike at them during the early days of the Heresy showed how important these strikes were to Tiran's overall strategy.
===Heavy Sors===
Unseen since the Heresy, Heavy Sors were simply that. The Scale Bearers would seek out the largest, sturdiest beasts of Solnheim. They would then cover them in ceramite plating and augment them with neural interfaces to mesh with a pilot and place heavy weapons platforms on the animal's back and sides. Though they were all killed off, they were known for their ability to destroy almost every target they came across with heavy guns, teeth, horn, and trampling foot.
===Blackboot Riders===
Considered the best Sor riders in the Legion, the Blackboots were the elite of the Scale Bearers. They were unmatched in speed or ability, often armed with a variety of close combat weapons. On the battlefield, it was their job to lead the charge into assault and harass the flanks with deadly hit-and-run attacks. Post-Heresy, these are the non-command units most regularly seen with Sors. Though most are no longer large enough to ride, many operate mixed with a pack of the beasts.


==Fleet==
==Task and Organization==
The Fleet of the XVII Legion was amongst the fastest in the Imperium. Though not the fastest, they boasted armor much heavier than their speed belied. The high speed and armor came at a cost, and they did not boast the same level of firepower many other Legions could.
The warriors of the XVII Legion were organized into a Company centered model. Each company supported itself with ten full combat squads and several staff squads. Six of these squads were dedicated Bike squads, each with fifteen riders. For heavier firepower, two Attack Bike squads with twenty Astartes manning ten bikes. Two more squads are smaller, lighter dedicated Outrider squads optimized for speed and to be used for scouting, drawing enemies into an ambush, or running down an enemy.


'''Imperious Rex'''
The Company Commander will always have a small personal command squad. Though many deploy on bikes as the squads they are commanding, some commanders have been known to deploy inside Rhino or Razorback transports as a way to increase their communication and/or firepower in combat. Outside of combat, their duties are to assist the Commander in administrative tasks. Also in support is a squad of at least 5 Apothecaries. Several are often issued bikes and assigned to the regular line squads. At least two are always left to travel alongside the Commander. One of which will command the rest and direct Casualty support. The other assumes normal Apothecary duties and watches for surviving enemy casualties to be healed and taken prisoner. After Aubrey's discovery and implementation of the Rhino Apothecarium, many Scale Bearers saw the value of the decision and ordered the use of similar, if not as effective, variants. The last squad to be mentioned is the Armorium squad, which consisted of one Techmarine with an average of 3-5 apprentices and various amounts of Servitors. Usually seen deployed from a Rhino or multiple Razorbacks, the squad was largely detailed with recovering and repairing damaged bikes and other vehicles.
-----
 
The ''Imperious Rex'' was the ''Gloriana''-class flagship of the Scale Bearers. Though it survived the Battles of Diamat and Sorfall, it ultimately met its end in the 5th Black Crusade.
Scale Bearers Battalions consist of 6 Bike Companies as prescribed above and labeled II-VII, a Command Company, and four Support Companies. Two of said Support Companies (often VIII and IX) consist of 6 Squadrons of Armored Support Vehicles, 4 Artillery teams, 2 Heavy Siege Squads, a full Ordinatus Squad, and Command Squad. X and XI Companies each consist of the Battalion's Sub-Orbital assets of 10 Thunderhawks, 5 Storm Eagles, 6 Land Speeder Squadrons, and 2 Assault Squads. Finally, I Company is the Battalion Command, and contains the Battalion Orbital assets, Senior Ordinatus and Apothecary squads, and several squads of Veteran Astartes serving under the Battalion Commander.
===Void Strategies and Tactics===
 
The Scale Bearers preferred speed and durability in the void. They had fewer guns than most Legions, however the guns they did use were amongst the most powerful the Imperium could equip them with. They preferred hit-and-run attacks, trusting their speed and armor to keep them safe while whittling their opponents down with long series of lance attacks and broadsides.
In a combat deployment, the squads of the Support Companies are separated, and assigned to the Bike Companies as additional assets, depending on the needs of their own battlespace and greater campaign. In such cases, the remaining Support formations often fall directly under Battalion Command for the duration of the mission to perform specialized missions as needed by the Battalion or higher command.
 
All but the 1st and 7th Chapters of the Scale Bearers consist of 5 Battalions as prescribed above, plus a dedicated Support Battalion which houses the Librarium, Apothecarium, and Ordinatus Companies which determine the methodology and makeup of all such assets within the Battalion. The Chapter Commander operates out of said Battalion's Command Company, which is entirely made up of the Chapter senior staff, veteran astartes, and at least one company of the Sorhandlers of N'Rep.
 
The First Chapter consists of 4 Battalions who are unexceptional save that their bike squads purely consist of the Sorhandlers of N'Rep, 2 Support Battalions consisting of various Chapter assets, and one Battalion devoted purely to Legion Assets, commanding the 1st Chapter and Legion by Tiran himself.
 
The Seventh Chapter consists of few examples of prior structure. This is the recruiting Chapter, and while it does technically house Battalions, Companies, and Squads, the various roles are largely filled out with aspirants to the Legion. Though all report to their chain of command as normal, the transient nature of the status of aspirant mixed with the rate at which boys are entered into the Chapter and exit translates to a more amorphous structure than seen elsewhere within the Legion.
 
The uniqueness of the command structure lies within the roles of commanders. Squad leaders are chosen from among the squad by its members. Between campaigns, the squad shares all responsibilities and trains as a whole, sometimes cycling its members through the position of squad leader so that all members gain more experience leading. Company through Chapter commanders are more unusual. Each commander is voted in place by all they will command and approved by the next level of command from among the command squad and the list of approved squad leaders. Each commander is also, in turn, entered into the pool of optional commanders for the next level of leadership. As casualties remove Legionnaires from the command pool, the command squad will elect for veteran members of the immediately lower units to replace them. Sometimes concessions may be made for acts of exceptional gallantry or wisdom, and a lower ranking Scale Bearer may jump up several places within the line of succession.
 
Dedicated support units should be noted for existing slightly outside of this arrangement. Due to naturally requiring a more rigid command pattern, they will often have a set commander. Most times the Legionnaire chosen for the task is known to be skilled and able enough at war to be promoted to the next higher pool but is lacking when it comes to logistic and administrative abilities. As such, their time as a support commander will both teach them the more rote tasks of command and allow them to view the battlefield from a multitude of different perspectives. The end result is a higher rate of promotion among support commanders and large numbers of volunteers to fill said roles. Instead of a pool of possible commanders, the support command squad is made up of advisers and assistants to inform and keep the commander educated on the various needs of the unit.
 
The command structure eventually ends at the Chapter level of command. Tiran Osoros himself approves or disapproves all elections to Chapter commanders. He traveled with a company-sized element of advisors who were hand-picked for their roles and understanding the needs of the Legion. This overall structure helped create an effective chain of command during campaigns, but suffered during extended or particularly bloody campaigns. Though it often ensured the most talented men were commanding the battlefield, leaders who were lost would often leave positions vacant for some time without a clear line of succession. This ultimately led to the majority of their problems after suffering at the hands of the Iron Rangers, as the campaign enacted of removing effective leaders left the Scale Bearers with little or no leaders in place during the latter parts of the battle and often troops had to deal with conflicting reports and orders from different members of their command. This carried issues throughout the Heresy and into the Scouring. As the Legion was forced to condense its forces and fill the gaps left in command positions, the Legion began to split into a variety of factions and infighting over who was to take command and how the Legion was to proceed.


=Successors=
=Successors=
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|Colours = Ivory and Green
|Colours = Ivory and Green
}}
}}
The beginnings of the Ivory Lances were shaky ones indeed - not even a century after the Chapter's foundation did the Astartes an enemy within. The Captain of the Fifth Company had been subverted by the foul workings of Chaos and dedicated himself to Khorne, with nearly half the Chapter falling with him. By the time the loyal Astartes were able to put down their fallen brothers, they had already been declared Excommunicate Traitoris. Now, the Lances continue their work from planet to planet, refusing to turn their backs on mankind, but refusing to subject themselves to the whims of the Inquisition. Such is the fate of the Ivory Lances, their numbers falling by the day and their quest never ending.
The beginnings of the Ivory Lances were shaky ones indeed - not even a century after the Chapter's foundation did the Astartes find an enemy within. The Captain of the Fifth Company had been subverted by the foul workings of Chaos and dedicated himself to Khorne, with nearly half the Chapter falling with him. By the time the loyal Astartes were able to put down their fallen brothers, they had already been declared Excommunicate Traitoris. Now, the Lances continue their work from planet to planet, refusing to turn their backs on mankind, but refusing to subject themselves to the whims of the Inquisition. Such is the fate of the Ivory Lances, their numbers falling by the day and their quest never ending.
 
==Beastmasters==
==Beastmasters==
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
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|Colours = Mahogany, silver, and ginger
|Colours = Mahogany, silver, and ginger
}}
}}
Among the most promising of the Sons of Tiran at first, this chapter was laid to waste during the Sixth Black Crusade of Chaos, having met its end valiantly in the Eye of Terror. The combat against the Gorgers and Black Augurs was especially furious - it was noted, for instance, that the Beastmasters would spend extra time after the engagements destroying the equipment and remains of their fallen foes. Curiously among extinct Chapters, many of their Chapter Fleet's ships survive to this day, the ''Pax Plateo'' in particular serving as the ship of a small-time Rogue Trader operating in Segmentum Pacificus.  
Among the most promising of the Sons of Tiran at first, this chapter was laid to waste during the Sixth Black Crusade of Chaos, having met its end valiantly in the Eye of Terror. The combat against the Gorgers and Black Augurs was especially furious - it was noted, for instance, that the Beastmasters would spend extra time after the engagements destroying the equipment and remains of their fallen foes. Curiously among extinct Chapters, many of their Chapter Fleet's ships survive to this day, the ''Pax Plateo'' in particular serving as the ship of a small-time [[Rogue Traders (Hektor Heresy)|Rogue Trader]] operating in Segmentum Pacificus.
 
==Knights Cambrian==
==Knights Cambrian==
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
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'''{{Main|Fire Breathers}}'''
'''{{Main|Fire Breathers}}'''
The Fire Breathers Adeptus Astartes are a Third Founding Successor Chapter to the Scale Bearers. Headquartered on the primitive world of Tarak, the Fire Breathers utilize flying, fire breathing beasts native to that world in the mounted style of combat inherited from the Founding Chapter.  
The Fire Breathers Adeptus Astartes are a Third Founding Successor Chapter to the Scale Bearers. Headquartered on the primitive world of Tarak, the Fire Breathers utilize flying, fire breathing beasts native to that world in the mounted style of combat inherited from the Founding Chapter.  


{{Template:/tg/-Heresy-Legions}}
{{Template:/tg/-Heresy-Legions}}
[[Category:The /tg/ Heresy]]
[[Category:The /tg/ Heresy]]

Latest revision as of 10:53, 22 June 2023

"We will have this world, Sarkus. Whatever force your WAAAGH may bring, we will smash it into the ground. Our Sors shall make meals of your Squiggoths. Our tanks will make scrap of your machines. Our Bolters will make a thin green paste of your Orks, and mighty Thagomizer will make a fine white powder of your skull. All that you are will be trampled beneath the might of the Imperium, and all that you have burned shall be avenged. So ask yourself one question, Sarkus - do you fear death? Death has come for you."

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.


Scale Bearers
Battle Cry "Imperator Rex!"
Number XVII
Founding First Founding
Successors of N/A
Successor Chapters A number, including the Beastmasters, Violet Serpents, and Knights Saurian
Chapter Master Olit Okirus
Primarch Tiran Osoros
Homeworld Solnhofen
Strength 91,000 at the beginning of the Heresy, 1,000 as of M41
Specialty Fast attack (both bikes and Sors)
Allegiance Imperium of Man
Colours Forest Green and Gold


The Scale Bearers Adeptus Astartes Legion are fast attack specialists who have been known to fight alongside reptilian beasts known as Sors.

Legion History[edit]

Sacred Band[edit]

The XVII Legion Astartes were noted to have served admirably-though without distinction-during the initial stages of the Merican Campaign. This would change during the fighting in the Merican Dustbowl. The center of the continent was a vast wasteland, home to countless numbers of 'Road Warrior' tribes fighting amongst one another for dwindling resources in the shadows of burned-out hives.

As the armies of the Emperor moved inland they were fiercely opposed by these violent waste-dwellers, who cooperated for the first time in their history to face the invaders. They saw how the Imperium cleaved through the coast and were too clever to face the massed regiments of Thunder Warriors or the infantry of the Imperial Army in pitched battle. The nomads used the high mobility of their technicals and weapon-bikes to strike at supply convoys, isolated Imperial Army forces, and exposed flanks. The actions of the 'Road Warrior' tribes slowed the Emperor’s advance to a crawl. Hektor Cincinnatus was ordered to defeat or subjugate the tribes so the advance across Merica could continue. Hektor permitted Rychad Owain of the XVII Sacred Band to copy the tribes' own 'bike' techniques for use against them. The XVIIth heavily modified these captured bikes so that each could bear a Marine's weight and weaponry, and performed a series of successful counter-ambushes which destroyed the fighting strength of one prominent tribe and proved the XVII's use of 'fast attack bikes' as an effective tactic.

This pattern would be repeated and the XVII became the core of a bike-mounted force, sweeping behind enemy formations and striking at exposed flanks in lightning attacks. The Imperial armies finally saw progress after months of stagnation, as the tribes fell one by one to the advancing Imperial forces. At the conclusion of that campaign when Imperial Forces finally reached the other side of the dustbowl, the XVII Legion was granted the title ‘The Imperial Riders’ by Primarch Hektor, among the first of the fledgling legions to earn a name for themselves.

Early Campaigns[edit]

For the initial stages of the Great Crusade, the Imperial Riders were used as a fast attack force. Where others used stealth, subterfuge, or brute force, the XVII used speed and power. They reinforced flagging Imperial Army campaigns and struck at elusive foes. The Riders found worthy foes in Eldar Raiders, Dactyls and others who relied on speed and maneuverability to win battles. Bikes and mounted squads were at the heart of their formations and they fielded endless varieties of the design. While other Legions adopted bikes, none could equal the Imperial Riders in their mastery of the motorized mounts.

Worlds without number were taken by them. Many planets in a fraction of the time estimated. Few could match their speed. What they could not outfight, they outmaneuvered. They lived up to their name in full, quickly securing planets and moving on as soon as their Imperial Army replacements would arrive to bring the world fully into compliance. Where the early battles of the Merican campaigns saw them with little distinction, they shined like suns in the early battles of the Great Crusade.

Primarch Discovery[edit]

The Emperor arrived to Solnhofen as the Primarch of the Legion was waging war against the Xenos inhabitants of the planet. He confronted the man, revealing himself and the Primarch's origins. The mighty warrior bent the knee to his father and was rewarded with the command of the XVII Legion. After completing the conquest of his world, Primarch Tiran Osoros formally took command of his Legion.

After his education on Terra, Tiran Osoris opted to change the focus on the Legion. As opposed to its previous focus on repeated hit and run tactics, he opted for a method of fighting which saw success on his home planet. Speed and endurance were critical to this new discipline, but not in the same manner as before. Instead, they would focus on tiring an enemy before hitting them with a rapid force and overwhelming firepower.

Above all, Tiran enforced a "humanization" of his forces. While on Solnhofen, Astartes were expected to aid the local citizens with a variety of tasks required for day-to-day survival. All his Marines were trained to have some skill in farming, construction, toolmaking, and other arts required for civilization to thrive. They were instructed to spend time learning from iterators and remembrancers, learning how to negotiate and become diplomats. As Tiran saw it, his men were individually responsible for upholding the ideals of the Legion, and by extension, the entirety of the Imperium of Man.

Heresy[edit]

They get attacked by the Iron Rangers. They lose. Tiran dies. Very sad. Much confusion.

Post-Heresy[edit]

The Legion slowly pieced itself back together throughout the Heresy and into the Scouring. Though they fared better numerically than many of their fellow legions, the Iron Ranger's practice of targeting their leadership had taken its toll. The Legion was fragmented into numerous factions, each with different ideologies and interpretations of what would be necessary for the continuation of the Legion. The primary dispute was over Tiran's legacy and vengeance. Some believed that it was imperative to immediately strike out and avenge their fallen Primarch. Ultimately a group of moderates, led by Rychad Owain. The group largely believed that it was important to stay true to Tiran's legacy, however they recognized the Legion as being in a state of crisis and pushed forward methods to boost their immediate numbers which were largely antithetical to their Primarchs teachings. None within the Legion were happy, as the radical sect became embittered that more was not being done, while the idealists were horrified a the turn of their own Legion. This divide was furthered by the failure at Rai, when numerous, almost irreplaceable Sors were lost.

The divides soon vanished as they imparted on a massive expedition against Profi Tiroedd and the Iron Rangers. Though the victory was not as decisive as many would have liked, the majority of the Scale Bearers found peace in their actions. As they were broken down into Chapters in the aftermath of the Scouring, Owain stepped down from his position as Legion Master, vowing never to take such command again. Though he had always maintained guilt for the actions of his Legion's reconstruction, most within the Legion would come to accept his interim rulings as necessary for the betterment of the Legion. The largest chapters forged in the second founding were the Knights Saurian, Violet Serpents, Dawn Terrors, and Fire Breathers.

While the Legion had more than enough reason to form an animosity of the Iron Rangers, rumors and stories stoked the flames. While the two Primarchs were largely cordial to each other, and were known to converse from time to time, they were not the closest of brothers. As the history was told slightly differently with each telling, they became close allies, and eventually the closest of brothers in the view of the Scale Bearers. As they became closer, the betrayal of Rogerius Merrill became a deeper and deeper wound. In the 41st Millenium, Merrill is viewed by the Scale Bearers as the worst of the traitors, and any activities of the Iron Rangers is sure to bring as many men who carry Tiran's geneseed as can be mustered.

Culture[edit]

Tiran Osoros, along with the recruits from the tribal peoples of Solnhofen, brought with them not only the ubiquitous Sors, but a number of artefacts of the planet's culture. The smoking of various herbs endemic to Solnhofen itself was echoed in the Legion's use of Lho sticks when meeting with friends, and even offering them to comrades when meeting before battle - a practice not normally found amongst Astartes. From the village of Yrash Pak, they brought the idea of the Victory Totem - a wooden monument erected in a defeated enemy's capital after the fighting had ended. Over time, the Terrans among the Legion were worn down by attrition and vastly outnumbered by the sons of Solnhofen.

The Legion holds to a tradition of painting their close combat weapons before the battle - a sort of stylized "splatter" pattern is painted in red onto the part of the weapon that will face or strike the enemy. This is believed to prepare the weapon's machine spirit for the blood it will inevitably be covered in during the fighting. This paint is, of course, removed during the cleaning of weapons after the fighting, unless another battle is imminent (that is, within three days).

Solnhofen culture thoroughly integrated into the Legion not long after their Primarch's discovery. Among these were ideas of respect towards civilians, women and elders. The Scale Bearers have a long history of risking their own resources and men to ensure lowered civilian deaths. Until the Heresy started, the Scale Bearers were notable for being one of the few Legions without a dedicated fortress to guard themselves. They used a large complex of facilities to carry out the majority of a fortress's needs and their living quarters were intermingled with the surrounding civilian population. After this was exploited in the Hektor Heresy, it was decided to use a more traditional fortress monastery.

Also of note is the lack of Legion (and later Chapter) serfs. Instead, each Scale Bearer brought with him several friends and family members to assist and support him during his lifetime. Additionally they would gain men and women to help with the various tasks required to run a Legion through conquest. This happened on a number of circumstances. The most common were through orphans and prisoners. Legion doctrine stated that any child left orphaned by the Scale Bearers would be adopted by the men responsible for the action. In such a way, many of these children would be raised as though it was the Legionnaire's own blood. Second was through prisoners. The XVII Legion often treated prisoners of war better than their counterparts, and in many cases, better than their own home worlds. In some longer campaigns, prisoners would refuse to return to their homeworld, and would instead be included into the various noncombat support positions needed for the Legion to perform.

Legion Colors[edit]

The colors of the Legion are a dark green (reflecting the color of the plains of Solnhofen) with a gold trim. The pauldron on which the Legion's badge is painted, however, is a watery blue - perhaps reminiscent of Solnhofen's rivers.

Homeworld[edit]

Homeworld: Solnhofen[edit]

Solnhofen
Segmentum

Segmentum Tempestus

Sector

Uhulis Sector

System

Mesazon System

Population

8,738,903

Class

Feral World/Space Marine Chapter Homeworld

Orbital radius

1.25AU ± 0.23AU

Gravity

0.94G

Temperature

Tropical


Located somewhere in Segmentum Tempestus is the Mesazon system, containing the feral plains world of Solnhofen. A primitive planet, it is home to a small population of humans who, by the 41st Millennium, adhere to the Imperial Cult in their own unsophisticated way. This second planet of the Mesozon system boasts vast plains and plateaus dotted by large but simple villages. On the planet's (still warm) northern pole rests the Cliffs of Tiran, the Fortress-Monastery of the Scale Bearers. One kilometer to the southeast sits the northernmost of the villages, Gand Wanunlen, which served as home to the young Tiran Osoros in the time he spent on the planet before the Great Crusade. Now the largest of the villages, Gand Wanunlen is the 'capital' of this Imperial World.


History

Evidence found on the planet's southern regions indicate that humanity first settled here sometime in M19, atop the ruins of a primitive xenos civilization. The nonsapient Sors had already been there by the time of the first Dark Age records that have been recovered so far - records that were perhaps made in M26. During this time the planet underwent massive terraforming in order to develop a large Agri-World By the time Tiran's genetor-pod arrived in M30, the planet had taken the full brunt of the Age of Strife. It is unknown if the technological fall or xenos invasion was the cause of the planet's downfall. But humnity had been reduced to mere tribes with stone weapons and bone tools. The people of Solnhofen could not have expected ever to see visitors from another planet again. Not until, that is, the arrival of the Primarch of Legio XVII...

During the Great Crusade, the planet provided a number of recruits for the Scale Bearers Legion, and the technology of the people improved slightly. By the time of the Heresy, the people had at last discerned proper irrigation systems and begun developing a larger agricultural system. These advancements served to raise the planetary population, and thus increase the pool of available recruits for the Legion.

In the aftermath of the Heresy, Solnhofen underwent a myriad of changes in order to facilitate a much faster recruitment drive and rapidly increase the Legion numbers. Among these changes were the building of a Fortress Monastary proper and a severe decrease to the population as almost all who were capable of accepting a gene-seed were recruited into the Legion. Eventually, the planet normalized and became what it had always been, a nondescript Feral World

Little has changed on Solnhofen in the last ten thousand years, save for the adoption of primitive metallurgy and notable improvements in pottery. In M36, the planet very nearly came under threat in the war against WAAAGH! Da Beast, which to this day remains the largest Ork WAAAGH! ever recorded. Da Beast's forces sought to descend upon the planet, though fortunately they never made planetfall on Solnhofen-- a combined fleet of the Imperial Navy and the Scale Bearers' own Chapter Fleet laid waste to the voidfaring Orks before they could reach the planet's orbit.


Culture

The people of Solnhofen are a primitive folk, tending towards simplicity of thought and life. Their general character is that of tribes competing for vital resources - conflicts are short, but vary between highly ritualized (in matters of honor) or bloody and frantic (in matters of sustenance or potable water). With the work subdivided relatively evenly among the members of the community, women and children have a greater degree of political power among the tribes of Solnhofen than on many other worlds of such a developmental level. What does hold interest is the superstition the locals hold about the pre-Imperial ruins that dot the planet, often containing statues of the sail-backed lizard xenos thought to have gone extinct millennia prior to human arrival. The planet's natives think the ruins to be haunted by the spirits of the ancient xenos that once called Solnhofen home, and are often blamed for everything from a death in childbirth to milk spoilage.

Notable Members[edit]

Come, traitors! Come, damned ones! Break yourselves on the horns of my hatred!

- Ancient Dreadnought Kratei Shias 'The Tyrant King', during the Relief of Cadia, 999.M41


  • Kratei Shias the 'Tyrant King' Tribal Warrior on Solnhofen; followed his friend and leader Tiran Osoros when the Primarch took command of the Scale Bearers Legion. Made Chief of the 'Spear-Bearers', an elite Squad of Marines who served as Primarch's personal guard. Present through Palia Ceen and WAAGH! Sarkus Campaigns, and on Sorfall when Primarch Rogerius Merrill slew Tiran. Kratei swore a bloodoath to avenge his friend and Primarch. Served as first Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers after reorganization into a Chapter. Fell in battle 598.M31 and interred into a dreadnought sarcophagus. Still serving the Chapter in M41, Kratei Shias is only awakened to lead contingents of Scale Bearers during the successive Black Crusades, in the hope that he might yet be able to make good on his oath to spill the blood of Iron Rangers and Rogerius Merrill.
  • Rychad Owain A member of Squad XVII of the Sacred Band, pledged from the Legion during their time as the Imperial Riders. Commander of the Second Company. One of the oldest Astartes in the Scale Bearers, and still alive as of the End of the Hektor Heresy. After the defeat on Sorfall, Rychad had the Scale Bearers regroup at the Mechanicus Forgeworld of Tigris, using the defenses of that world as cover for the battered Legion's fleets. First Chapter Master of the Knights Saurian at the Second Founding.
  • Parris Rolfis Warrior recruited from Solnhofen when Tiran Osoros took command of Scale Bearers Legion. Made Commander of battle-bike Marines after death of Brother-Captain Karles Onatel during campaign against WAAGH! Sarkus. Survived Hektor Heresy; Eventually being made Captain of 4th Company after Reorganization into Chapter. Fell in Battle against Chaos Forces 363.M31.
  • Karles Onatel A member of Squad XVII of the Sacred Band, pledged from the Legion during their time as the Imperial Riders. Known for a rivalry with Adwaer Kopp, fellow battle-bike Marine from 'Imperial Rider' days. Died in battle against Orks, M30.
  • Adwaer Kopp A member of Squad XVII of the Sacred Band, pledged from the Legion during their time as the Imperial Riders. Known for a rivalry with Karles Onatel, fellow battle-bike Marine from 'Imperial Rider' days. Eventually made Commander of 5th Company after reorganization into Chapter. Slain in battle, M31.
  • Lukas Ilion Astartes Recruit from Kras Xenkoh, notable mainly for sending his serpentine Sor Aleph to kill Warboss Sarkus on Henom IX.
  • Dylo Phoso Tribal Warrior from Solnhofen; Promoted from Scout to full Battle-Brother just as Hektor Heresy occurs. Present at Sorfall. Long and notable career, promoted to Champion alongside his Sor 'Acid-Spitter' after victorious single combat with Khornate Champion. Interred in dreadnought sarcophagus, 710.M31
  • Olit Okirus Chapter Master of the Scale Bearers as of 999.M41.
  • Heyoka Gand Chief Librarian of the Scale Bearers as of 999.M41. From the village of Gand Wanunlen; his tribe claims Kratei Shias as an ancestor.

Organization[edit]

Tactics and Strategy[edit]

Upon taking his place as the Primarch of the XVII Legion, Tiran Osoris sought to completely reform the methods of fighting employed by the Legion. Hit-and-Run attacks are effective but time-consuming. Tiran refocused his Legion's methods of fighting to one of a more direct combat in open terrain. He introduced his own "Three Legs of Warfare," a philosophy that idealized Strength, Speed, and Endurance as the pillars upon which a successful campaign was built.

Strength is used at the beginning of every campaign and the end of any action. During the opening of an offensive campaign, the Scale Bearers perform massive orbital bombardments and air strikes on any military fortifications present on a target planet. This forces their opponents from their defensive positions and puts them on the move, where the Legion is superior. Any attempt to build new fortifications will be met by further strikes to prevent their opponent from being able to become stationary. Every action ends with some form of massive, multidirectional attack. The Legion always brings more men and bolters to bear than are necessary for the attack, preventing the enemy from ever gaining the upper hand or the ability to regroup and counterattack.

Speed is as vital as strength. In an attack, striking suddenly and without warning turns pure strength into overwhelming power. In all other facets, being faster than your opponents allow you to control their movements and determine how an attack will play out. It is used to outmaneuver and outrun the foes of the Imperium until their exhausted troops find themselves in the perfect killing grounds of a Scale Bearers Ambush.

Endurance is required throughout. Running faster is not enough to outlast a foe. You must also run longer and further. Endurance defines the entire ethos of a Scale Bearer's assault. Tiring their foes does nothing if the Legion itself is too exhausted to fight.

These three pillars come together to define the overall strategy of a Scale Bearer war. The Legion draws the enemy from their defensive positions through various means, exhaust their foes, and ambush them with massive surprise attacks. In this way, massive battles are fought and won quickly and efficiently.

This strategy has been largely successful for a number of reasons. Attacking an exhausted foe with overwhelming firepower causes far more enemy troops to surrender. Few men will flee from such a force. Higher ranking enemy officials see massive battles lost in a number of hours with little to no Legion casualties and quickly begin to contemplate the Imperium's terms of surrender. Keeping such battles away from civilian populations means less damage to planetary infrastructure. This reduces the time required for the planet to finish its reconstruction and become a productive member of the Imperium. Tiran's compassion for the people drove him to take greater efforts in appeasing the civilian populations. He was also known for giving planets longer "grace periods" from Imperial tithes to ensure that a planet could truly become more self-sufficient before the Emperor needed fresh troops and supplies.

As effective as his overall strategies were; there were times where the Legion could not employ them to their fullest. Many Hive Worlds had their military fortifications intermingled with civilian populations and little to no space to maneuver large forces away from population centers. To combat this, the Legion would often employ propaganda and other psychological tactics to encourage evacuations from military targets combined with his signature sudden and overwhelming surgical strikes. These would often be deployed in such a way as to keep the majority of the fire (both friendly and enemy) directed away from civilians.

Arms, Armor, and Equipment[edit]

Weapons[edit]

In close combat, the Scale Bearers Legion showed a preference for chain and power axes, as well as power maces and mauls. In the 40k era, Scale Bearers with chain axes and power maces are incredibly rare, as production on these items ceased shortly after the Heresy.

Vehicles and Special Equipment[edit]

The sons of Tiran always boasted a large contingent of vehicles. Early in the Great Crusade, the Legion adapted bikes to their own use. As Tiran took command, he saw the abilities of the bikers, and how their use reflected his own personal tactics and strategies. Yet more was still needed. He brought in ever more armored vehicles. Most of which traded weaponry and heavy sponsons used in other Legions for increased speed. When interspersed among his troops, they acted as heavy fire support and mobile bunkers.

The base of Tiran's planning was always the basic Outrider Squad. Early in Tiran's redesign of his Legion, he discovered the initial design could not be produced in large enough numbers to supplement his entire force. Faced with this obstacle, he worked with his own Techmarines and members of the Mechanicum to find a working solution. The answer was within the Attack Bike design that had already been in use. Though heavier, it was also more robust, easier to maintain, and both cheaper and easier to mass produce. Initially dubbed the "Tiran-Pattern Bike," the name was dropped after the Heresy, where the Chapters as a whole adopted the design for the same reasons Tiran helped create it.

The Legion outfitted the bulk of their troops with the new Space Marine Bikes, and deployed them in squadrons much larger than most other Legions. As his military lines would move much faster than the standard line troops in other Legions, he replaced the bulk of his Heavy Support Squads with a combination of Attack Bikes, Jetbike Squadrons, and Land Speeders. Something which stands out among their deployments is the use of unusual Heavy Weapons on their Jetbikes and Attack Bikes. Multiple Missile Launchers have been seen on both chassis. Attack Bikes with Volkite Culverins and Jetbikes with Autocannons have been seen as well.

Supporting his line Bikers are the Predators, Sicarans, and Malcadors. They were often seen covering gaps in his own troops' movements and providing heavy fire to support the main effort. Against especially heavy fortifications, the usage of Breacher Squads delivered via Mastodon was not unheard of.

All of this would be considered impossible were it not for dedicated and resourceful Orbital, Sub-Orbital, and artillery support. Tiran always considered an artillery or orbital strike the linchpin in his major battles. This tactic worked excellently well during the Great Crusade, and Merrill's strike at them during the early days of the Heresy showed how important these strikes were to Tiran's overall strategy.

Task and Organization[edit]

The warriors of the XVII Legion were organized into a Company centered model. Each company supported itself with ten full combat squads and several staff squads. Six of these squads were dedicated Bike squads, each with fifteen riders. For heavier firepower, two Attack Bike squads with twenty Astartes manning ten bikes. Two more squads are smaller, lighter dedicated Outrider squads optimized for speed and to be used for scouting, drawing enemies into an ambush, or running down an enemy.

The Company Commander will always have a small personal command squad. Though many deploy on bikes as the squads they are commanding, some commanders have been known to deploy inside Rhino or Razorback transports as a way to increase their communication and/or firepower in combat. Outside of combat, their duties are to assist the Commander in administrative tasks. Also in support is a squad of at least 5 Apothecaries. Several are often issued bikes and assigned to the regular line squads. At least two are always left to travel alongside the Commander. One of which will command the rest and direct Casualty support. The other assumes normal Apothecary duties and watches for surviving enemy casualties to be healed and taken prisoner. After Aubrey's discovery and implementation of the Rhino Apothecarium, many Scale Bearers saw the value of the decision and ordered the use of similar, if not as effective, variants. The last squad to be mentioned is the Armorium squad, which consisted of one Techmarine with an average of 3-5 apprentices and various amounts of Servitors. Usually seen deployed from a Rhino or multiple Razorbacks, the squad was largely detailed with recovering and repairing damaged bikes and other vehicles.

Scale Bearers Battalions consist of 6 Bike Companies as prescribed above and labeled II-VII, a Command Company, and four Support Companies. Two of said Support Companies (often VIII and IX) consist of 6 Squadrons of Armored Support Vehicles, 4 Artillery teams, 2 Heavy Siege Squads, a full Ordinatus Squad, and Command Squad. X and XI Companies each consist of the Battalion's Sub-Orbital assets of 10 Thunderhawks, 5 Storm Eagles, 6 Land Speeder Squadrons, and 2 Assault Squads. Finally, I Company is the Battalion Command, and contains the Battalion Orbital assets, Senior Ordinatus and Apothecary squads, and several squads of Veteran Astartes serving under the Battalion Commander.

In a combat deployment, the squads of the Support Companies are separated, and assigned to the Bike Companies as additional assets, depending on the needs of their own battlespace and greater campaign. In such cases, the remaining Support formations often fall directly under Battalion Command for the duration of the mission to perform specialized missions as needed by the Battalion or higher command.

All but the 1st and 7th Chapters of the Scale Bearers consist of 5 Battalions as prescribed above, plus a dedicated Support Battalion which houses the Librarium, Apothecarium, and Ordinatus Companies which determine the methodology and makeup of all such assets within the Battalion. The Chapter Commander operates out of said Battalion's Command Company, which is entirely made up of the Chapter senior staff, veteran astartes, and at least one company of the Sorhandlers of N'Rep.

The First Chapter consists of 4 Battalions who are unexceptional save that their bike squads purely consist of the Sorhandlers of N'Rep, 2 Support Battalions consisting of various Chapter assets, and one Battalion devoted purely to Legion Assets, commanding the 1st Chapter and Legion by Tiran himself.

The Seventh Chapter consists of few examples of prior structure. This is the recruiting Chapter, and while it does technically house Battalions, Companies, and Squads, the various roles are largely filled out with aspirants to the Legion. Though all report to their chain of command as normal, the transient nature of the status of aspirant mixed with the rate at which boys are entered into the Chapter and exit translates to a more amorphous structure than seen elsewhere within the Legion.

The uniqueness of the command structure lies within the roles of commanders. Squad leaders are chosen from among the squad by its members. Between campaigns, the squad shares all responsibilities and trains as a whole, sometimes cycling its members through the position of squad leader so that all members gain more experience leading. Company through Chapter commanders are more unusual. Each commander is voted in place by all they will command and approved by the next level of command from among the command squad and the list of approved squad leaders. Each commander is also, in turn, entered into the pool of optional commanders for the next level of leadership. As casualties remove Legionnaires from the command pool, the command squad will elect for veteran members of the immediately lower units to replace them. Sometimes concessions may be made for acts of exceptional gallantry or wisdom, and a lower ranking Scale Bearer may jump up several places within the line of succession.

Dedicated support units should be noted for existing slightly outside of this arrangement. Due to naturally requiring a more rigid command pattern, they will often have a set commander. Most times the Legionnaire chosen for the task is known to be skilled and able enough at war to be promoted to the next higher pool but is lacking when it comes to logistic and administrative abilities. As such, their time as a support commander will both teach them the more rote tasks of command and allow them to view the battlefield from a multitude of different perspectives. The end result is a higher rate of promotion among support commanders and large numbers of volunteers to fill said roles. Instead of a pool of possible commanders, the support command squad is made up of advisers and assistants to inform and keep the commander educated on the various needs of the unit.

The command structure eventually ends at the Chapter level of command. Tiran Osoros himself approves or disapproves all elections to Chapter commanders. He traveled with a company-sized element of advisors who were hand-picked for their roles and understanding the needs of the Legion. This overall structure helped create an effective chain of command during campaigns, but suffered during extended or particularly bloody campaigns. Though it often ensured the most talented men were commanding the battlefield, leaders who were lost would often leave positions vacant for some time without a clear line of succession. This ultimately led to the majority of their problems after suffering at the hands of the Iron Rangers, as the campaign enacted of removing effective leaders left the Scale Bearers with little or no leaders in place during the latter parts of the battle and often troops had to deal with conflicting reports and orders from different members of their command. This carried issues throughout the Heresy and into the Scouring. As the Legion was forced to condense its forces and fill the gaps left in command positions, the Legion began to split into a variety of factions and infighting over who was to take command and how the Legion was to proceed.

Successors[edit]

Knights Saurian[edit]

Knights Saurian
Battle Cry "Forward, Sons of Tiran!"
Number N/A
Founding Second Founding
Successors of Scale Bearers
Successor Chapters Unknown
Primarch Tiran Osoros
Homeworld Hael Krek
Strength 967
Specialty Fast Attack
Allegiance Imperium of Man
Colours Blue and Gold

As one of the splinters of the Scale Bearers formed during the Second Founding, the Knights Saurian retained much of the character of their parent Legion. However, their homeworld lying so far away from Solnhofen, they have returned, in a sense, to the tactics of the Imperial Riders as they were before Tiran was brought to them. They share the gene-seed mutation of sporting green scales upon portions of their bodies that the Scale Bearers themselves inherit from their progenitor. Their ability to bring devastation upon the enemies of the Imperium from atop their speeding bikes is not to be underestimated - their campaigns against the Rak'Gol in mid-M39 saved several subsectors from the full force of a raid.

Violet Serpents[edit]

Violet Serpents
Battle Cry "Ssstrike swiftly!"
Number N/A
Founding Second Founding
Successors of Scale Bearers
Successor Chapters Unknown
Chapter Master Dytan Oboam (M31), Anel Codar (M41)
Primarch Tiran Osoros
Homeworld Ophiuchus
Strength 1,000 at establishment, slightly understrength since M38
Specialty Ambush and encirclement
Allegiance Imperium of Man
Colours Violet, Gold, and Green

While the Violet Serpents have always served with valor and devotion, the Chapter seems to have inherited its parent Legion's penchant for phyrric victories and devastating losses. Even the mass recruitment from Ophiuchus, their homeworld since M38, has not fully alleviated the losses taken in the Fifth Black Crusade and the subsequent action against WAAAGH! 'Otguts, which led directly into an engagement with the forces of Craftworld Thuyelsa. By the end of that fateful march against the Eldar, fewer than 100 Marines remained within the Chapter, and among them, not one was a Dreadnought or even a Terminator.

Ivory Lances[edit]

Ivory Lances
Battle Cry "The Lance does not break!"
Number N/A
Founding Fourth Founding
Successors of Scale Bearers
Successor Chapters Unknown
Primarch Tiran Osoros
Homeworld Fleet-based
Strength 224
Specialty Ambush and bike charges
Allegiance Renegade
Colours Ivory and Green

The beginnings of the Ivory Lances were shaky ones indeed - not even a century after the Chapter's foundation did the Astartes find an enemy within. The Captain of the Fifth Company had been subverted by the foul workings of Chaos and dedicated himself to Khorne, with nearly half the Chapter falling with him. By the time the loyal Astartes were able to put down their fallen brothers, they had already been declared Excommunicate Traitoris. Now, the Lances continue their work from planet to planet, refusing to turn their backs on mankind, but refusing to subject themselves to the whims of the Inquisition. Such is the fate of the Ivory Lances, their numbers falling by the day and their quest never ending.

Beastmasters[edit]

Beastmasters
Battle Cry "Bay now, the hounds!"
Number N/A
Founding Tenth Founding
Successors of Scale Bearers
Successor Chapters Unknown
Primarch Tiran Osoros
Homeworld Fleet-based
Strength Destroyed during the Sixth Black Crusade
Allegiance Imperium of Man
Colours Mahogany, silver, and ginger

Among the most promising of the Sons of Tiran at first, this chapter was laid to waste during the Sixth Black Crusade of Chaos, having met its end valiantly in the Eye of Terror. The combat against the Gorgers and Black Augurs was especially furious - it was noted, for instance, that the Beastmasters would spend extra time after the engagements destroying the equipment and remains of their fallen foes. Curiously among extinct Chapters, many of their Chapter Fleet's ships survive to this day, the Pax Plateo in particular serving as the ship of a small-time Rogue Trader operating in Segmentum Pacificus.

Knights Cambrian[edit]

Knights Cambrian
Battle Cry "From the depths, rise!"
Number N/A
Founding Unknown
Successors of Scale Bearers
Successor Chapters Unknown
Primarch Tiran Osoros
Homeworld Panthalassa (destroyed)
Strength Destroyed in M36 by the Necrons
Specialty Amphibious warfare
Allegiance Imperium of Man
Colours Sea-green and jade

How ironic it was that a Chapter dedicated to amphibious warfare and possessed of aquatic warbeasts, serving a role much like those of its parent Legion's companions, met its end upon its own ocean homeworld. When the ancient and hateful Necrons rose from its depths, the Chapter immediately withdrew from combat against the Eldar to defend its stocks of gene-seed. Unfortunately, not only the gene-seed, but the Chapter itself was lost, brought down by a Necron horde of untold size - many of which were the dreaded Flayed Ones. So dense was the infestation, and so active these Necrons, that evacuation was impossible - the planet itself had to be purged in the flames of Exterminatus. Though the oceans returned with time, they sit empty of all life now, the silent seas of a dead world.

Fire Breathers[edit]

Fire Breathers
Battle Cry Burn in the Flames of our Faith!
Founding Third Founding
Successors of Scale Bearers
Successor Chapters N/A
Chapter Master Smarag Ajdar
Homeworld Tarak
Strength 900
Specialty Warbeasts and Fast Attack.
Allegiance Imperium of Man
Colours Red and Orange
Main article: Fire Breathers

The Fire Breathers Adeptus Astartes are a Third Founding Successor Chapter to the Scale Bearers. Headquartered on the primitive world of Tarak, the Fire Breathers utilize flying, fire breathing beasts native to that world in the mounted style of combat inherited from the Founding Chapter.















The Space Marine Legions of the /tg/ Heresy
Loyalist: The Entombed - Eyes of the Emperor - Scale Bearers - Silver Cataphracts
Steel Marshals - Stone Men - Thunder Kings - Void Angels - War Scribes
Traitor: Black Augurs - The Justiciars - Eternal Zealots - Heralds of Hektor
Iron Rangers - Life Bringers - Lions Rampant - Mastodontii - Sons of Fire
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