Crimson Warhawks

The Crimson Warhawks
Battle Cry	Second to None!
Number	II
Successor Chapters	Is this a thing?
Primarch	Raydon Neratos - The Hawk, Lord of the Skies, Master of Descents, The Red Hunter
Homeworld	Port Indefatigable
Specialty	Masters of the sky & Peerless void combatants
Allegiance	Fallen Imperium of Man
Colours	Crimson armor with brass trim. Pauldron on the right all yellow, with legion mark.

"Battles are won through manoeuvre and slaughter - the more you commit to the first, the less you need to commit the second."

- Debate between Raydon and Balthasar

The Warhawks are dedicated warriors of the God Emperor of Mankind. In battle they descend from the skies in shadowhawks, stormbirds, darkwings, and fireraptors - targeting identified critical capabilities, seeking to neutralise the enemies battle-plan rather than achieve outright destruction of his forces. The chapter specialises in covert insertion and direct actions such as ambushes, sabotage, assassination, and raiding.

In order to maximise their mobility on the ground they largely forgo the use of heavy weapons instead relying on firepower providing by their close air support or by precise long range artillery called in by hidden observers.

Their expertise with fliers and penchant for covert operations makes them masters of void combat, unparalleled masters of the 3D battle-space they launch their strike teams onto enemy vessels and to ply their trade: elimination of command and control nodes and disrupting key systems such as weapons, shields, engines, and radars.

In the Dark future of the 40th Millennium, unlike many of their Brother legions they have not settled a Crusade State, instead continuing the fight against the Dark Imperium and the Traitor Primarchs - their war unending.

With the loss of their Primarch's leadership and presence, the Legion fell back on its roots as hunters and pirates, maintaining only small independent fleets to avoid detection and maintain mobility in hostile territory. But staying true to the mission. Death to the False Emperor!

Summary of Legion II

Numeration: The II Legion

Primogenitor: Raydon Neratos - The Hawk

Cognomen (Prior): None

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Air-mobile strike teams, air superiority, and direct action.

Noteworthy Domains: Star Forts Dominos, Invictus, Hydros and "Ravenloft"

Allegiance: Imperium

Homeworld

Port Indefatigable was an artificial planet-port built during the ages before the Great Crusade, and was a rapidly converted into a second-line defence as well as a mustering point for the crusader fleets. With the outbreak of the Heresy, it was one of the initial targets for the War Master, he had saboteurs destroy vital graviton belts that held the planets-ports internal structure together and within hours it had collapsed in on itself.

Yet another plot in the Warmasters schemes, uncertain of which side the Hawk would take in the Heresy he ensured that the destruction of Port Indefatigable was attributed to the Loyalists, hoping to tip the scales of decision.

Legion Tactics

The Hawks practice a way of war, quite unlike their brothers - economy of action. Committing no more than necessary to achieve their missions. They work quickly, quietly, and efficiently. They drop from the skies in small strike teams, often in tandem with other teams fighting elsewhere. Eliminating the critical aspects of the enemies resistance.

They see war as a great hunt, the enemies as their prey. That is not to say they think of their enemies as lesser, indeed they acknowledge a certain nobility in some prey, those who fight well, those who are skilled at evasion, those who show conviction in the face of certain death.

All this changes however in relation to their fallen brothers, they revile the traitors - having a reserved a special undying hatred that few can truly fathom. Indeed if it was not for their unbridled loyalty to the Emperors light, it is likely their hatred would consume them entirely.

Legion Organization

The legion practises a dispersed organisation in order to best practice their role as outriders.

The Legions basic building block is the Talon and the Wing, Talons being a team of operatives - roughly equivalent to a combat team in size. A Wing likewise is a grouping of like-vehicles whether they be Fire Raptors, Storm Eagles, or Shadowhawks.

The Legions organisation is around Strike Teams, a case-by-case assortment of various Wings and Talons - purpose built and armed for the tasks at hand.

Legion Relationships

Pre-Heresy

Primarch	Legion	Opinion
Graha'nak	Void Lords	Have close bonds, both legions being primer void combatants. Friendly rivalry most likely. Disagreed with his fondness of Orbital bombardment.
Samson	Hekatonkires	Worked well with but never grew close to.
Xun Tohilcoatl	Sky Serpents	A close friend, both vocal proponents of the Librium Project.
Alexios the White	Angels of Light	Envious of his ability to build empires, but knows that his is the soul of a wanderer, and would hate being 'trapped' in a single place for too long.
[Master of Mars]	Fists of Mars	Don't quite understand the fondness of machines but definitely a fan of the results.
Sarco Funerus	Undying Scions	The legion sees being trapped in dreadnoughts as a fate far worse than death, having a strong ancestor honouring culture. They would pity them, but also most likely hold them in high regard for the sacrifice they would have made to be incarcerated within the dreadnoughts armour
Engerand	Storm Hammers	Respected, but only worked with on a few occasions.
Klaus Staffel	Knights Exemplar	Close bonds, most likely Falx's closest ally.
REDACTED	Eyes of the Warmaster	Most hated enemy, having fallen prey to the traitorus tournament. To this day hunting these traitors is always considered a top priority. A step or two below the devotion that DA hunt the fallen, the Warhawks definately hold the a grudge.
Enoch the Relentless	Judgement Bringers	Worked with extensively, never got along with.
Rubinek	Iron Hearts	Up until the Heresy they worked closely together, and shared many battle honours. Was devastated by their betrayal.
Balthasar the Bloody	Bloodhounds	Disapprove of methodology, and think they are shameful "hunters". A Barbarian.
Kashaln	Silver Spears	Disapproved of utilisation of mass infantry assaults, thinking them a waste of resources - and callous, but mostly a waste.
Saul Sheridan	Second Sons	Felt comfortable around, worked with rarely.
Gengrat Vannevar	Behemoth Guard	Avoided whenever possible, disagreed with tactics, mentality, and personality.
Oramar	Warp Raiders	TBC
Anders Kor	Paladins of Kor	Respected his humanitarian outlook but thought him overfond of Xenos. Lost his respect when he turned Renegade, seeing no divide between the traitors actions and his.
Faustus Ascelpious	Oathsworn	Lost his respect when he turned Renegade, seeing no divide between the traitors actions and his. Hates him for preaching 'neutrality' a pointless and empty gesture in a galaxy at war.

Post-Heresy

Loyalties	Summary	Description
Traitors	++EXCOMMUNICATE TRAITORIS++	The prey for the Great Hunt. No Mercy, No Remorse.
"Independents"	++EXCOMMUNICATE TRAITORIS++	During the Heresy there were those who fought for the Emperor, and those who didn't. These Independents may claim neutrality but there absence was noted from the final battle, their inaction causing the deaths of many loyal brothers.
Crusader States	Desperate Allies	While still loyalists, tensions are vary from Legion to Legion, the Hawks having closer ties with some Legions than others. Ultimately though, they resent those with the power to retake the Imperium and continue the Emperors vision.
The "True Blades"	Battle Brothers	A covenant of those that have remained committed to the Eternal War and defending teh Emperors vision.

Legion History

Great Crusade

Second Legion found.

Volunteered as outrider for the crusade.

[// BATTLES YET UNWRITTEN //]

Returned for council of Nikeae.

Sent away by Warmaster [on task X]

Part of the Warhawks return for the Tournament.

News of the bloody tournament & the civil war reaches the Primarch.

He returns and sees his Legion base (Port World) destroyed, supposedly by the instigators of the civil war (loyalists).

He moves towards Terra to get answers for the civil war.

Runs into Enoch who attemps to sway him to the Warmasters side, but comes across creepy and evil.

Begins a delaying action but fails miserably, instead opts to reconstitute his scattered legion.

Flees with other loyalists to the Eastern Imperium, and calls the Council of Primarchs to rally the Legions in an attempt to take back Terra. They reference the fall of Klaus, and put forth the idea of stabilising the Eastern Imperium (and cannot agree on how best leading to the Crusader States) - The idea infuriates the Hawk and he storms out, to launch his own crusade.

The Red Road to Terra

The forces attached to the Bloodhounds were executed wholesale.

The forces attached to the "prey" Legions fled with them.

The Eastern Imperium

Flees with other loyalists to the Eastern Imperium

Calls the Council of Primarchs to rally the Legions in an attempt to take back Terra.

They reference the fall of Klaus, and put forth the idea of stabilising the Eastern Imperium

The idea infuriates the Hawk and he storms out.

The discussion turns to how best stabilise the East and obviously turns to shit, leading to the development of the crusader states.

Raydon Neratos

Neratos holds himself to an incredibly high standard, a standard extremely few could meet – even among his Brother Primarchs, to the point that he found his existence lonely, having few he could truly relate with. He had a distinct tendency to brood, rarely sharing his thoughts with anyone without encouragement. He preferred to keep to himself unless called upon, finding peace in isolation – his mind constantly abuzz when in the presence of others.

He found himself constantly embattled with his dark and sometimes savage thoughts, in order to temper this, he sought out isolation, and when that was not possible, the thrill of the hunt and the Emperors Vision.

One of his most defining traits is his loyalty, despite being questioned by both sides during the Heresy and even the Great Crusade before that. Indeed it has been postulated by many scholars in the ages since that should the loyalty to the Emperor be known prior to the Heresy, the Warmaster would have committed more to disrupting their consolidation rather than attempting to sway them.

It was in fact his inner savagery that ensured his loyalty, for in order to control it fully - he needed to anchor himself to a single, solid ideal. The ideal he chose was that the Emperor was the only power truly worthy of sitting on the Throne of Terra, stating clearly he would bend the knee to no other.

It was said that the Hawk had never been anything other than his own master. And despite his ego, he never attempted to be anything other than what he was. He understood his role in the crusade – and knew he would never be a central figure of it, unlike his Brothers [[TBC]]. Instead he embraced his role, and that of his Legion.

Among the Legions he had few friends, his role putting him far forward of the main action and so he rarely interacted with many of them, and those he did often disturbed him – the callousness and brutality with which they waged war. Notable allies during the Great Crusade being Xun, the Warmaster, Rubinek, Klaus, and Saul.

Always the pragmatist the Hawk would never throw away an advantage when it came his way, a lesson he tried to pass onto his sons.

The Hawk was also a superlative swordsman, he fought with clinical motion, his movements precise. His every muscle and motion the pinnacle of economy, each thrust and parry executed to perfection, no strength wasted in striking, no stamina wasted in the defence. At times on-lookers would think he was in far greater danger than he was, for his dodges and parries were often only JUST in time, only JUST wide enough to avoid a lethal blow. What they didn’t understand was this was the pinnacle of his control and skill.

The Hawk was also rumoured to be a low-level psyker, having several remarkable abilities according to remembrancers, among which were his ability to shield his thoughts from psykers, and even conceal his physical presence for periods of time. Likewise he had an uncanny knack for sensing his surroundings, both being able to identify the location of otherwise concealed enemies and being able to instinctively react to threats that even his Demi-God Brothers could not perceive. All of which is in addition to his prophetic dreams which led him to the Emperor, and implored him to dispatch his Vigilator Primus to the Tournament of Blades in secret – a defining moment for the Legion in determining the truth of the event.

Quotes

"Whilst even one of my sons still draws breath, this war isn't over, the Imperium still stands, for now and forever."

- Last words of Raydon Neratos, Primarch of the Crimson Warhawks, the Emperors Shadow.

++ TRANSMISSION BEGINS ++

Enoch: Join us Brother, we can give you the freedom you seek. Freedom from Father’s foolishness, freedom to roam wherever you want, freedom! True freedom! Or would you rather be His slave forever?

Raydon: Freedom granted can be taken away, the only true freedom is choice. And I have chosen brother, as have you.

Enoch: You cannot hope to be victorious against us, don’t be foolish – to stand against the Warmaster is to die, you must know this – The Warmaster makes for Terra as we speak. Victory is imminent, mere months away.

Raydon: My Brother, there are two principles that must be adhered to in order to achieve victory; the first is never tell others everything you know.

>> Explosions wrack the Judgement Bringer vessel <<

++ TRANSMISSION ENDS ++

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Bloodhound Captain: "Camouflage is the colour of fear... I have no need to hide from my foes... I have no fear of death. My colours I wear openly, they proclaim louder than any words, "I am proud to live - I am proud to die"."

Warhawk Strike Commander: "Die then, and do so proudly."

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Judgement Bringer Commander "Raise the flag high. Let those degenerates know who comes to claim their lives this day!"

War Hawk Vigilator "I've got him in my sights now, firing in 3... 2... 1..."