Silver Cataphracts

"'Glorious'? 'Magnificent'? 'Heroic'? That is how you would describe those poor bastards final moments? Do not waste my time with these words!"

Quote attributed to a Silver Cataphract

Silver Cataphracts
Battle Cry	"Let us finish this!"
Number	XV
Founding	First Founding
Successor Chapters	True Sons of the Regent, Seers of Winter
Chapter Master	Kharikov
Primarch	Alexandri
Homeworld	Rosskar
Strength	150,000(officially), over 250,000(likely), probably even more
Specialty	Attrition Warfare
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Silver, Light Grey, Light Blue

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.

The Silver Cataphracts are a Loyalist Space Marine Legion and Chapter. Led by the ambitious Primarch Alexandri, they have and will always remain ever dour. Oddly somber for Marines, they hold pessimistic views on subjects of glory, morality, and battle. In the Great Crusade they were famed for their slow methodical armored advances, which saw countless systems receive minimal losses - if you only counted the Astartes casualties. No matter what the cost though, they will achieve victory regardless of the controversy afterwards.

Summary of Legion XXIII

Numeration: The XXIIIth Legion

Primogenator: Alexandri (also known as "The Regent")

Cognomen (Prior): The Argent

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Armored Warfare, Attrition Strategy, Human-Astartes Joint Tactics

Noteworthy Domains: The Rosskar System (Primary), nineteen other systems held in tributary fiefdom at the closure of the Great Crusade.

Alliegence: Fidelitas Constantus

"I ask you this, brother of my Legion. What good is honor compared to one's sworn duty? No man can truly commit himself when obsessed with such a petty notion."

First Battle Company Captain Sergei, Grand Officer of the Legion, M.30

History of the Silver Cataphracts

Many Legions wear their honors on their sleeves, but not the soldiers of Alexandri. There are no halls of heroes upon Rosskar, there are no weapons named after dead Marines who had heroic deeds in the past. They are a stoic, solemn breed of Astartes. In the past they were warriors of justice, but after they joined with their Primarch's culture of Rosskar there was a stark change in attitude. War is reviled for what they perceive it as, never honoring the deeds of fools who couldn't retreat or think a way out of a last stand. All that matters is victory. Even your own life is nothing compared to that singular goal.

For whatever reason the Silver Cataphract are what they are, stepping towards the front line with stern determination.

Glory of the Argent

"Let all those who doubt the resolve of my kin face me now, for I shall not allow trespass against them!"

Benjan Torie, responding to criticism towards the Argent's decision to defend a convoy of refugees

The Illustrious Beginnings of the 15th Legion, the 15th Squad of the Sacred Band

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The Fifteenth Squad of the Sacred Band under Hektor Cincinnatus was given some of the first armored vehicles available to the Space Marines, along with the Ninth. The unit was entrusted during the Pacification of the Merican Hives to subdue the Hive Neya'yrk. The Imperial Forces had been all but stalled by the defenses of Man Island, until the Fifteen arrived. They displayed the gallant behavior their future Legion would be renowned for throughout their history, driving determined into the battle with little regard for their own lives. Losses were suffered due to this selfless charge but the siege was broken, saving untold lives of their fellow soldiers. The rest of the campaign was marked by similar actions of the Fifteenth.

The members of the Fifteenth Squad.

• [Donal Acesson], The Unyielding. (Executed by Alexandri)
• [Basil Zereth], Bringer of Devastation. (Died in Neya'yrk Charge)
• [Barotius Maksson], The First of the Argent. (Executed by Alexandri)
• Byk[Benjen Torie], Strongest of The 15th. (Died on Terra)
• Galash[Herbant Rell], the Witch Without Guidance. (Survived to be Master of Covens)
• Mikhail[Callandar Kan], The Render of Neya-'yrk Hive. (Died in Lenard Depths Campaign)
• Nomenir[Art Toune], Poet of the Resolved. (Executed for High Treason)
• [Bertran Guesclion], the Dreaded Wraith. (Executed by Bohemond)
• [Randil], Brother to Hektor. (Executed by Alexandri)
• Veshnyak[Varc Sarr], the Remorseless Raider. (Died in the Heresy)

Some names are those the Marines were born with or had taken up before coming to Rosskar. Non-Rosskan names are listed in brackets.

Age of the Venerable and Honorable Argent

---

The 15th Legion served admirably under the command of both the Emperor and Hektor in the opening stages of the Great Crusade. It was not only their fearless attitude towards certain death, but a relentless tenacity to finish a battle. Human and xeno alike were shown no mercy beneath their treads. The Legion refused to be named until their Primarch was found, but when Barotius was given the name 'the Argent' by Hektor Cincinnatus the whole Legion adopted it at the behest of Sir Randil. Due to a stable gene-seed, the Legion grew at great rate when compared to other leaderless Legions. Their mighty tanks were in demand all across the early Great Crusade, usually heralding Imperial victory not long after making planetfall.

All was not well for the Legion. The entirety of the Sacred Band with the sole exception of Sir Benjan Torie became darkly paranoid about certain members of the Legion. A popular member brought up in their ranks was Bohemond, known by many as the Storm Bringer or the Judge. His leadership led towards a more fluid style of combat than the straightforward charges favored by his contemporaries. His Chapter of the Legion endorsed the first integral use of aircraft alongside armored advances. His renown skyrocketed upon an extremely successful mission alongside the Tempest Knights of the Xth Legion. But there was a hundred Bohemonds. Due to the democratic order in which leadership was decided, in a moment of unparalleled cowardice Lord Bertran Guesclion put forward a plan in secret to eliminate these threats to their authority. They were the chosen of Hektor, why move aside now?

For decades the leadership trusted the choice of commanders given to them by the Sun King. The Vote of Greymaile was merely to give Argent Legionnaires a sense of brotherhood with their officers for being able to choose them, even if they chose the same ten over and over. But now that may change, as new promising candidates arose among the ranks of recruits. Sending these men on suicide runs, silently eliminating them in their beds, arranging for training accidents killed a recorded fifty Marines all for the crime of being competent commanders. The killings were unknown until the reunion with the Primarch, and even then they were concealed between the highest echelons of the Legion.

The Argent Legion was famous for their good standing with the Tempest Knights, and their later incarnation as the Steel Marshals. They were well regarded by the War Scribes, the Wolves of Dawn, as well as the Eyes of the Emperor. Roman Albrecht even regarded the Argent Legion as kin to his own sons, and the Marshals themselves regarded them as brothers.

Discovery of Alexandri

"Imagine our disappointment when we learned this place was our home."

Grand Officer of the Legion, Sergei

The momentary joy of their Primarch's discovery died shortly upon arrival to Rosskar. The 15th Legion were not welcomed to this place with open arms but armed suspicion. Alexandri had not built up an empire of control without having caution close to his heart. No trust existed for these supposed sons wrought from his own genetic profile. The Legion was hastily split up in divisions of one hundred Marines each in secure locations all across the planet. They were told this was to help with an reorganization in their structure, but they could be held there for some time whilst the Primarch prepared the Legion for active duty again. At each holding area the Marines were outnumbered one to a thousand, to keep any possible rebellion from the Legion culled swiftly.

But some were broken apart in groups of ten, then interrogated or tested in horrific ways by Alexandri himself. These Marines found themselves preforming acts unimaginable before to prove their loyalty to him. The larger segments of the Legion were taught Rosskan culture and language, periodically being sent out into the snow to combat the mega-fauna of the planet as training. These outings would allow them to see how the common people regarded them, with little fascination or amazement totally unlike they had experienced before with ordinary humans. After a few months however, Alexandri learned that there could no hidden intention behind him being handed the Legion.

But his efforts had uncovered the Sacred Band's betrayal to the Legion. Using this to his advantage in rebuilding the Argent from their foundation, the information was used to destroy the image the 15th had constructed of themselves. Valiant defenders of humanity striding out to do battle with the beasts clawing at mankind's doorstep? No. They were soldiers, destined to serve. Any pretense to imagine themselves as anything but was pure folly.

Bohemond refused to treat his service so dimly, keeping the knightly tradition alive. His followers were the minority, numbering no more than a hundred. The rest of the Legion accepted their new reality. Alexandri renamed them after the ancient legend of Rosskar, the Star-Riders. Coming down mounted upon beams of silver starlight. The Cataphracts. Once the Legion had adopted the name, they were introduced to new systems placed by Alexandri. Every Marine would have an allowance of three mistakes. Losing equipment, accidentally killing friendlies, losing ground, failing an objective. Once you made a fourth mistake, you would be summarily executed. From the highest commander to the lowliest line Marine would be held by this.

One year after arriving to Rosskar, the Argent had been forever changed. The 15th Legion was firmly in the hands of Alexandri, who had made them in his own image. Not as his sons, but as his tempered soldiers.

The Great Crusade

The Silver Cataphracts launched out from Rosskar in all directions. Wherever they went, victory followed, regardless of the cost. The Imperial Army was utilized in new, unheard of ways being integrated into the Legion's planetary assaults heavily. While the Armymen were given a greater share of glory and battle than normally permitted, the Silver Cataphracts used them as buffer for their forces when facing the enemy. It would not be long until the Cataphracts garnered a reputation for the costly use of the Imperial Army leaving many generals to request service elsewhere, attempting to get away from them.

The whole Imperium was soon hearing of the infamous 15th Legion reborn anew. They did not stop conquering for an instant always moving from one target to the next. They would use anything within their means to achieve victory, no matter how cruel or vile it would appear. Once upon the world of Stephos II, the Legionnaires dragged civilians out from their homes to murder publicly. This was done in sight of an enemy fortress, done to compel it to surrender. On the bastion planet of Garait, the Silver Cataphracts strung children to the front of their tanks to cross a battlefield unmolested. Their reputation for slaughter grew beyond the borders of the Emperor's Realm. Some rulers threw down their authority the moment they heard the Silver Cataphracts were coming.

The Cataphracts associated themselves with Legions no one else would concern themselves with, including the Crimson Teeth, the Black Augurs, and the Eternal Zealots.

Due to the machinations of their Primarch, a constant supply of vehicles always allowed for the Legion not only to function but grow and expand. But there was always a shortage of other equipment because of this. Power Armor and boltshells were lacking for new recruits. A hierarchy grew soon from these shortages, with the Line Marines regulated with the poorer equipment. The mechanized forces would be comprised entirely of veterans, with newer and better gear than their comrades elsewhere.

Notable Engagements

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996.M30: The Campaign of Astral Woe. The Lenard Depths Campaign was a grand undertaking preformed by the Silver Cataphracts and the Eternal Zealots Legions. Beginning out strong the campaign ended with tensions running high between the Cataphracts and the Zealots.

Legion Doctrine

The Silver Cataphracts focused themselves on being an army of rapid mechanized assaults. Using a combination of mechanized infantry, armored vehicles, and aircraft they break through enemy lines to break them up. Once this has been achieved, mobile forces race deeper into enemy territory, disrupting the rear areas and threatening the front lines with encirclement.

The infantry tactics of the Cataphracts are to continuously gain ground and to push the enemy back. They are known for their modified Land Raider platforms each containing 10 marines. The Land Raider will advance towards an enemy position supported by artillery or gunship fire. Once it has reached its objective, the Land Raider will disgorge the Space Marines and fight alongside them. As this is happening, other Land Raiders will continue on to their own objectives in a leap frog tactic. This allows the Cataphracts to cover tremendous amounts of ground and completed multiple objective simultaneously. Once a squad completes it's objective it will return to the Land Raider and move on to other objectives.

This maintains a very rapid and disorientating assault. The Cataphracts disciplined resolve kept them utterly cool in the face of overwhelming odds, even with new hope for victory in sight. Few Legions could match their iron resolve when totally outmatched. This allowed them to never back down or cease advancing. If the battle turns against Imperial forces the Legion's troops were perfectly capable of digging in their heels and calling in support. The same rapid manoeuvres that deliver attacking troops can also bring up reserves, or fire support via artillery or Thunderhawks.

Within the combat philosophy of the Cataphracts, they hold success in the highest regard. Victory is the only justification necessary for them. They are willing to resort to any tactic, to adopt any stance they need to in order to achieve a lasting, meaningful victory. The major losses are avoided, and thus the Cataphracts usually guard themselves with a thick web of auxiliaries either in the form of the Imperial Army or the Strelky. A single Cataphract may even have a whole squad of mortal warriors at his beck and call, along with squad Sergeants directing whole companies.

A major driving force for cooperation with other Legions is to copy what works for those Legions and what doesn't, applying it to their own strategies. The Cataphracts abhor the idea of glory, as they solemnly march on to the taxing duty of warfare. Honor is a fool's word to their minds, the notion having no place on the battlefield. Never are the Cataphracts malicious or cruel for no reason. The belief of killing for killing's sake is the worst crime in their eyes, as is the pointless waste of human lives. The key word in that sentence though is pointless, as they will happily sacrifice a few for the many.

Most often the Cataphracts will paint themselves in camouflage, using their normal colors only when such measures would be pointless. Constantly they assault the enemy, but in their own measured way. On the squad level, there are several ways in which they pick off their foes. Taking out a few sentries here, or making a night raid upon a camp to sow panic there. On a broader scale, these attacks are done to cause cumulative losses to the enemy, wearing down their combat effectiveness one chip at a time. When acting as a larger whole the Cataphracts normally they focus on cutting off supply and enemy isolating forces to allow them to be attacked piecemeal and at their leisure.

Legion Organization

Due to the nature the Silver Cataphracts prided themselves on being organized and orderly in warfare. Several formations deviating from the normal layout were produced, based on actual effectiveness rather than neat division. The main fighting unit was the Army, led by an Army Commander. Army Commanders had to prove themselves personally to the Primarch in games of skill and intelligence, showing they had the capabilities to think ahead and prove they could comprehend complex manoeuvres. Army Commanders who would further prove themselves would then be reevaluated again, and if they were found worthy, would be promoted to Group Commander who would sometimes have to manage two campaigns at once with an Army split among two different expedition fleets.

There was only ever two Overseers of Operation, but towards the beginning of the Heresy rumor was of a third planned to be promoted but never was. They would coordinate the Legion, keeping them connected and in as close to near constant communication as possible among galactic distances. Helping them in this task was the Grand Officer of the Legion, of which there was only one for the entire history of the Legion. This rank utterly invalidated all others both in the Strelky and in the Legion, and the word of the Grand Officer could only be matched by the Primarch alone. This was to allow decisive action be taken in case the Primarch was unavailable somewhere else for any reason.

The main unit fighting beside the Expedition Fleets was the Army. In the Dierex campaign, the Heresy, and Scouring however Battlegroups were deployed throughout to face considerable areas of resistance then break up into several parts to strike out at any number of planets. This allowed for the Silver Cataphracts to sweep over entire Sectors as if they were a tide. An endless sea of armored grey which crushed its foes under the boots of their advance.

The Strelky were also closely integral to how the Legion operated with the Rosskan mortals filling in gaps between the formations, giving them additional support and firepower. Every Marine held the rank of Sergeant in the Strelky, Sergeants of the Legion held the position of Captain, and Captains themselves were Colonels in the Strelky. An Overseer of Operations held equivalency with the Marshal-General of the Strelky too. The highest position available was Grand Officer of the Legion, which could be held in addition to another rank within the Legion.

Specialist Ranks

The Witchborn

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The Huscarls

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Due to the lack of Assault Marines in the Legion, to a large swelling of melee enthusiasm among the ranks, Byk of the Sacred Band took it upon himself to forge ahead with an elite core of capable close combatants. Wielding massive adamantium tower shields and crackling power axes, the Huscarls saved the Legion many times when their usual tactics would fail them. Rigorously would the Huscarls train, battling themselves in sometimes day long sparing matches in which they would use fake practicing axes but wear full equipment otherwise. They were both the backbone of the Legion and its spear. Either rushing out of a rhino to break their foes or being unbreakable in the face of a stunning route.

The Huscarls preformed best when using mechanized transport, either airborne or armored. Without this their combat effectiveness greatly diminishes. In void-operations their use was reliably the sole reason for several ships being able to stave off boarding takeovers by Traitors in the Hektor Heresy.

Organization Breakdown

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The following is an overview of all Legionary divisions during the Great Crusade and Heresy. These formations acted mostly independent of one another during the Great Scouring, however.

• Joint Strategic Battlegroup (Entire Legion, all Imperial Army Regiments Available), led by a Grand Officer of the Legion.
• Battlegroup (60,000 Marines, Fourteen Hundred Regiments of Imperial Armymen), led an Overseer of Operations.
• Assaultgroup (30,000 Marines, Seven Hundred Regiments of Imperial Armymen), led by a Group Commander.
• Army (15,000 Marines, Three to Four Hundred Regiments of Imperial Armymen), led by an Army Commander
• Battalion (7,500 Marines, One to Four Hundred Regiments of Imperial Armymen), led by a Junior Army Commander.
• Battle Company (1,000 Marines, One Hundred Regiments of Imperial Armymen), led by a Captain.
• Company(500 Marines, Four Companies of Imperial Armymen), led by a Lieutenant.
• Assault Squad(50 Marines, Ten Platoons of Imperial Armymen), led by a Praporshchik(Senior Sergeant).
• Battle Squad(10-20 Marines, Five Platoons of Imperial Armymen), led by a Sergeant.

Note that only to the Army Command are permanent formations. Beyond that, such as Group Command are temporary formations. For example, Your typical Assaultgroups are composed of two Army and led by more senior/prestigious Army Commander, with less senior/prestigious Commander relegated to aide-de-camp. Each and every larger formations(Company and beyond) are completely self-sufficient and are able to sustain themselves indefinitely without any outside supply, as intended by Alexandri.

Legion Equipment

The Silver Cataphracts have always had an enormous amount of Marines, growing well beyond their ability to arm them sufficiently. Some Marines had to make do with outdated equipment such as lesser grades of power armor even. Having no concept of the term 'conservation', the Cataphracts have been recorded to use twice the amount of projectiles than other Legions in the field. Bolt shells are extremely time consuming to replace, leading many in the Legion to prefer wielding heavy stubbers or other ammunition effective solutions. Even after the breaking of the Legion in the Second Founding, many use special patterns of tri-linked lasguns or heavy stubbers to help lighten the load on their Techmarines who work tirelessly to produce more munitions.

Squad Sergeants of the Silver Cataphracts prefer to forgo the usual armament of melee weaponry, choosing instead to use a simple bolter or even use a plasma gun. The Captains almost never engage their foes in pitted close combat either, focusing all their attention on leading and directing the Marines under their charge. Huge vox-modules can be seen attached to each Captain, along with a vast array of grenades and pistols. The pistols are of many kinds and types, all for different purposes if the Captain needs to pull them out in a flash. Specialized auto-stubbers for the unamored, plasma pistols for heavy foes, and Inferno pistols for the truly remarkable opponents.

The Cataphracts maintain much of their equipment, making small modifications with the overseeing of a Techmarine. Many have small improvements, usually pertaining to the individual themselves. Famously Silver Cataphracts successors loot equipment from the battlefield in accordance to their old Legionary traditions. This usually leads to minor amounts of xeno-tech to be added to the armoury, which is only tolerated because normally the Cataphracts can be trusted to always hand them over if the Inquisition desires so. As long as this unspoken understanding exists, they are able to keep their spoils. For a time.

Notable Members

Bohemond, the Storm Bringer

---

"

Bohemond came from the techno-barbarian territory of where Europa boarded Francia. In the mountain hideouts of that land lie the fertile realm of Hydegate kept hidden from all. His father, Malphas, taught the young lad their ways earlier than most. The bright youth absorbed it all learning fast. The Knight-Errants of Hydegate had kept the realm of forgotten technology and verdant life defended from those who would plunder it. The land surrounding Hydegate was plagued by Psykers, their sorcerer ways always trying to claw a way into the promised land.

Bohemond always placed an importance on the concept of a universal sense of justice not defined by laws even at a young age. He showed unparalleled martial promise among the youth of Hydegate. That is why, when the greatest hope for humanity appeared, it was the ten year old Bohemond sent to join the ranks of his growing armies. Due to the seclusion of the hidden valley, genetic purity was at an all time high. In just another decade Bohemond was part of the Fifteenth Legion, training under his knightly brothers. It did not take long for him to assume the rank of Sir, leading a squad of his fellows into battle.

Bohemond rose to the rank of Lord, leading a whole company in little time beneath Benjan Torie. Bohemond was an ingenious military planner, as well as charismatic. Soon he was able to have the whole Chapter following his ideas for combat, adapting their doctrine to include air-support and void-born assistance. He had unrivaled success with the introduction of these tactics that would later become his hallmark. After the death of the Argent, Alexandri was intimidated by him but trusted him to be loyal. Bohemond given command over an Army, entrusted to perfect his art of aerial warfare.

Byk, the Tall

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"Be just and fear not!"

Byk was a member of the Sacred Band, famed for his stature above his brothers standing a full five inches higher than the standard Marine. His amazing strength was due to a gene-seed mutation, perhaps an early sign of the strain's future instability. Despite this he proved utterly loyal to the Emperor and devoted to his cause in all his conduct. The son of a prominent mercenary family from Europa who had joined the Emperor's armies without compensation. He was known as Benjan Torie upon his ascendance to be a member of the 15th Squad of the Sacred Band. But he would later change it precisely because of the shame of being a part of that group.

He was considered a brother to Bohemond, fostering the same kindness and nobility found in the Storm Bringer but refusing to follow his ways of keeping the old traditions of the Argent alive. They had failed, and could only hope in Alexandri to lead them forward. He was fiercely loyal to his brothers, having both his arms replaced due to leaping into the fray to rescue his comrades. He was regarded as having the face of Arelex but the bulk of Onyx, with heart of Roman. He was forever immortalized in memory for his exceptional actions during the Heresy on Terra. Byk's last exemplary act was resolving himself after being disemboweled to tackle a Bloodletter off a cliff-face.

Sergei, the Regent's Hand

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"I never wanted for anything. Because I seized it."

This crucial Legionnaire to the Silver Cataphracts was originally born as an orphan named Jak, on Terra. His parents had been killed fighting for the Emperor's armies in the Unification Wars, leaving him to roam the urban sprawl alone. Despite not having anyone in life, he fought hard to succeed even at a young age. Using guile, cunning, and his abnormal adolescent strength he cheated his way to a relatively happy life. His youthful life of crime led him to being arrested after sneaking into an Imperial Army encampment to loot their stores of food. Before being sent to a penal colony, his musculature brought the attention of an officer who sent the boy to be tested for gene-seed compatibility.

After being inducted into the 15th Legion, Jak's combat history along with many others is a total mystery as all the time between the Unification Wars and the arrival of Alexandri went unrecorded. He was secluded from the rest of the Legion being put in a room of ten Marines, all with their equipment stripped from them. The doors opened to reveal the Primarch, who threw a combat knife into the enclosure. Alexandri then explained that only one of them would leave the room alive. Jak rushed for the knife first. Emerging from the room bloodied, the two had a long conversation on matters concerning the Legion. This would begin the legendary rise to power for Jak.

Unlike many Marines of the Argent, Sergei fully embraced the ideals of hard reason and cold calculation demanded by their Rosskan home. Alexandri entrusted him above all other Marines, choosing him to train the first generation of Rosskan recruits which added a full ten thousand to the Legion's ranks. He was later placed as both the Captain of the First Company and Grand Officer of the Legion for his spectacular tactical insight.

Sergei was above all things, a pragmatist. His harsh live conditioned him to only value strength, but his Marine training had instilled within him certain ideals. He made most other Silver Cataphracts see that their actions were necessary to the overall benefit of all mankind. His decision to follow Alexandri was not out of blind loyalty but of understanding that his strong rule brought much needed stability to the regions governed by him.

Secretly, Sergei was responsible for the death of his Primarch. Perhaps being the only Marine in history to personally execute his own gene-father.

Nomenir, the Sorrowful Poet

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"We are all killers. The Emperor is a killer, Hektor is a killer, I am a killer. Will this Imperium we are making always have a use for killers?"

Art Toune was a kind soul before being trained up on Terra into the ranks of the first Astartes. He had come from an enclave of citizens who lived in the northern slavic wastes free from war for some time. As a result of the genetic purity, he proved the perfect candidate for the Emperor's program. He accepted his training dutifully, being assigned into the fifteenth squad of the Sacred Band on Hektor's own behest. Art had an affinity for the arts unlike any other, and made lyrical ballads for his comrades before and after battle was met during the Pacification of the Merica Hives.

Galash, the Witch

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"I never enjoyed others of my kind. Rarely can they take a joke well."

Herbant Rell was plagued by migraines throughout his life, but they increased in severity after he was implanted with the gene-seed of the 15th Legion. He was chosen by Hektor himself to be groomed for command due to his natural wisdom and affinity for learning. It appeared much later that he was a latent Psyker, his abilities only manifesting long after he had matured. Even then, his strength was limited and his finesse was abysmal leading him to never use his powers. He continued to shun his warp-affiliated side up until he was examined by Alexandri who sensed his psychic pain. The two immediately struck a dialogue, not a verbal one but a mental connection. The Primarch saw an ally in Galash, choosing to train him as a Witch in the tradition of Rosskar's Covens.

Galash led the Witchborn into combat, the Librarians of the Silver Cataphracts. After the Heresy, upon Alexandri's orders out of fear of what Gaspard Lumey would do to the order once he realized the Legion had refused the Nikeae Decree disappeared into the galaxy. He has yet to be discovered to this day, but it is said that he and his Witchborn appear randomly to aid the Imperium's armies in times of need.

Kharikov, Chapter Master

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"Has it been so long that people forget what an even hand feels like?"

The Kuzgeta Sector is rife with problems. Heretic cults arise every month on the many horrid planets. Rosskar itself in a state of semi-civil war between the few holdouts of the Imperial Truth, the maddened crows of zealous Imperial Faithests, and the mutated hordes that arise from the Heresy Zones. At the center of this mayhem is Kharikov, the two thousand year old Chapter Master of the Silver Cataphracts.

Despite his age, Kharikov still appears lively and spirited. This is believed to be due to a beneficial gene-seed mutation, which perhaps has given him some form of extreme longevity. However, Kharikov produces no gene-seed himself, and thus it can never be passed down the ranks. As he is a later generation Cataphract, he bears all the same loss of organs as many of the successors to the fateful Legion do.

Kharikov studied those who came before him, choosing to find a balance between Sergei's at times benevolent style, and Alexandri's soul crushingly brutal doctrine. He acts fair but just in all his dealings. As Chapter Master of the Cataphracts, he is solely responsible for nearly the entirety of the Kuzgeta Sector as many of his predecessors were before him. He is the one who maintains the area, checking on the various Planetary Governors and Lords. He deals with the Mechanicus, ensuring a steady balance is maintained between them and the Imperial Guard units. While his Chapter's level of micro-management in sector politics is worrisome, it has kept the section of space as a beacon of stability in an otherwise turbulent storm of Heresy, Aliens, and Chaos.

Culture

In the days of the Argent, the Legion was founded on the ideals of brotherhood, fraternity, and sacrifice. Following knightly ideals, the Legion prided themselves on bringing quick victories through armored assault crushing all opposition in their wake. Celebrations of mighty achievements were the norm with feasts and parties to add to them. The effectiveness of the Legion was marred by a compelling sense to race to the defense of citizens and hold back when striking at civilians. Even respect was given to Xenos enemies who could prove themselves worthy opponents. All of this passed into faded memory for the majority of the Legion once the Argent met their Primarch.

The way of the Silver Cataphracts is to accept the loss of one's self. Not an elimination of an individual, but the acceptance that death is inevitable. At any time, any one can die. Even the Emperor. This leads many of the Legion to become dour, self-reflected, and somber. This process is done by heavy indoctrination, but not psycho-indoctrination instead it is accomplished by a series of debates and speeches that last months. The Neophyte once properly demoralized is then told of the various failings of humanity, and is taught the darker parts of the species's history. But then hope is sparked by telling them the simplicity of life. That there is nothing better than the normal person, fulfilling their lives without ambition, malice, but modest cares such as food and family. It is the place of the Cataphracts to ensure these people live, that as many people can live in this humble way.

This produces Marines not swallowed up with pride or with delusions of glory, but instead creates hard soldiers who are willing to do anything to achieve victory for humanity's betterment. While some may say it is for the good of all they do this, others are simply here to complete a job. Many within the ranks of the Cataphracts consume themselves with Rosskan culture to help cope with the terrifying training they've received. Again, no memory wiping or psycho-indoctrination exists, leading many to still remember what it was to be human. A few even take part in drinking rotgut brews to forget their troubles when in between campaigns. Or to celebrate victories with their comrades, human and Astartes.

Commonly viewed as fatalistic, a Cataphract Legionnaire simply has accepted his death as an inevitability. Without the illusion of a glorious demise or an honorable life, this leaves them reclusive and quiet individuals. A precious few among their number have a unique spark within them. The desire to either make things better for themselves, or for everyone. These members usually possess qualities of their Primarch, being gifted with skills in leadership and wisdom. Sometimes they are admired, other times they are looked down upon. No matter what, they rise to positions of power within the Legion in little time.

Gene-seed and Successors

The gene-seed of the Silver Cataphracts was once considered one of the most stable and reliable among the Space Marines. But due to the demands made by Alexandri during the Scouring, it was forever damaged beyond repair. The Haemastamen, Larraman's Organ, the Sus-an Membrane, the Omophagea Implant, the Catalepsean Node, and the Belcher's Gland all suffer severe mutation that follows through the Cataphracts or their successors.

The Larraman's Organ fails to release Larraman Cells at times. The Haemastamen can sometimes suck nutrients from blood, requiring immediate medical intervention by an Apothecary. The Catalepsean Node can malfunction during use, rendering a Marine braindead unless an electric shock is delivered immediately to the brain. Use of the Omophagea to recover memories can result in a Marine believing he is the person that the memories come from, leading to friendly fire in some situations. The Sus-an Membrane does work as intended, but Marines revived after a period of sleep suffer from extreme amnesia that never abates.

Despite this, no further mutation has appeared under normal conditions confirming this degeneration is a result of rapid harvesting.

From the days of the Argent, to the end of the Silver Cataphracts as a Legion and onto the the forty-first millennium through their successors one mutation has remained apart from all the rest. That is, the Marines of the Silver Cataphracts age apart from the rest of their brethren. Rather than keeping youthful appearances for centuries, they rapidly age until a certain point where they will remain appearing so until they die even from natural causes. Marines of this gene-stock resemble human males around the age of fifty, or sixty. It is a common practice across all successor Chapters to foster long facial hair.

The Silver Cataphract Successors are notable for keeping in contact with the worlds surrounding their fortress-monasteries and recruiting worlds. Imperial Organizations have been assisted multiple times by Chapters hailing from the Silver Cataphracts, keeping good relations for the purposes of executing their duties in defense of the Imperium. The Inquisition in particular shares many views with the dour descendants of Alexandri. This has the sons of other lineages regarding them as lap-dogs for the dreaded organization. Necessity dictates cooperation with them, disregarding the opinions of more honorable Astartes.

Notable Successors

• Mechanist Warriors were created from a Chapter sized formation relying primarily on bikes. These Marines were known by the Legion as some of the wildest soldiers of Alexandri. Not wishing to break apart such a phenomenal group, Sergei ensured they would all be put into the same Chapter during the Second Founding.
• True Sons of the Regent were established from of the most loyal Marines to the Primarch. Made to contain these zealous, irrational souls from contaminating the other Chapters. The Marines would encapsulate an almost worship of Alexandri, leading them to becoming renegade as they waged open war on the Ecclesiarchy.
• Storm Bringers were formed up from those remaining from the Argent, this Chapter dedicated themselves to the path set down by their spiritual liege Bohemond. Taking his doctrine to heart, they bring thunder from the heavens upon their enemies.
• Waste Walkers were made from those in the Silver Cataphracts who could no longer function as they once did due to the horrific atrocities of the Hektor Heresy. They numbered only a hundred Marines during the Second Founding but still survive into the Forty-First Millennium.

Colors of Select Silver Cataphracts Successors

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  Mechanist Warriors

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  Storm Bringers

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  True Sons of the Regent

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  Waste Walkers

Alexandri, Primarch of The Silver Cataphracts

In summing up the life of Alexandri of Rosskar, it is right to judge him by his own standards - not out of sentiment, but because he viewed the galaxy soberly and correctly. Alexandri was not concerned with the love of the people, nor with gentleness and compassion. His whole existence was bound up with the struggle for Order, the only hope for mankind. Those who fret over the casualties of his campaigns miss the point. For every death caused by Alexandri's commands, a thousand more were saved.

If every general had done so much, we could lay down our arms and live in peace.

(Excerpt from Gaspard Lumey's Alexandri of Rosskar)

Alexandri of Rosskar was the ambitious primogenitor of the Silver Cataphracts. He came from the nobility of early Rosskar, eventually using his intelligence and cunning to lead a peoples' revolution against the upper class that had fostered him. In action he focuses on an pragmatic approach to life, always favoring the many over the few. He met his end by an assassin's bullet, after being weakened by a warp-bomb detonated by Sebastion Rex.