Iron Harbingers

The Iron Harbingers are a particularly grim and ruthless Successor Chapter that hails from the tragic legacy of the unforgiving Iron Hands. They were created in the wake of the tragic events of the Horus Heresy and the subsequent Great Scouring that ended in 021.M31, during the 2nd Founding. With the adoption of the Codex Astartes and the reorganisation of the Imperium's military forces, this event saw the sundering of the Legiones Astartes into smaller, more manageable organisations known as Chapters.

The Iron Harbingers were founded from a portion of the Iron Hands' Clan Kadoran, one of the oldest Clan Companies of the Iron Hands Legion during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras, which incorporated many of the Legion's Terrans. This clan was also notable for being masters of scientific and technical pursuits as well as being cunning practitioners of siege warfare and the oft-misunderstood arcana of Cybertheurgy. Following their inception the Iron Harbingers, along with the Iron Gorgons, Templars of Iron and the Iron Invictors, formed an unofficial quadrumvirate of other Iron Hands Successor Chapters created during this Founding, known as the Frateris Firmitatis ("Ironclad Brotherhood"). The latter Chapter would fall from grace several millennia later and be cast out of both this brotherhood and the Imperium, becoming the infamous Chaos Warband known as the Brethren of Hel.

Most unusual for an Iron Hands Successor Chapter is that unlike their genetic forebears and their successors, the Iron Harbingers hold an entirely different outlook in regards to the fate of their gene-sire. Long ago, they came to accept the fate of Ferrus Manus - that he was slain at the hands of his former brother-Primarch Fulgrim and died on the blood-soaked, black sands of Istvaan V. The Iron Harbingers do not hold any foolish illusions that their Primarch will eventually return from beyond the veil. They've wholeheartedly accepted the truth of what occurred on that dark day, with the same cold logic borne by all sons of the Gorgon - that Ferrus Manus is truly dead. Instead of lamenting the loss of their gene-sire and wallowing in grief, they've instead learned to hone their bitterness and incandescent rage into a potent weapon that burns hotter than a neutron star. Focusing their righteous indignation, they've learn to hone their volatile hatred and channel it into a furious tempest of unstoppable destruction against their foes.

Another anomalous fact about the Iron Harbingers, is that unlike the Iron Hands and their fellow Successors, the Chapter has a tenuous, but oft-strained relationship with the Martian Priesthood of Mars. The Iron Harbingers' particular focus is on machine-craft; battle-automata - both in their construction and maintenance - and their employment in war. The Chapter exists in an uneasy alliance with the Adeptus Mechanicus, save those tech-priests who have long-served alongside the Iron Harbingers directly, and is often viewed with particular suspicion by elements of the Martian Priesthood, who see this Chapter not as a kindred group, but rather a rival to their monopoly on the arcane knowledge they hold. This distrust is not without merit, for the Iron Harbingers are not wholly selfless in their technological developments. The secrets of certain technology, other weapons and metallurgic and dark arcana of Cybertheurgy, they keep to themselves and their most trusted confidants within the Legio Cybernetica.

Chapter Organisation
Like their progenitors and many of their fellow Successor Chapters, the Iron Harbingers differ somewhat from the prescriptions of the Codex Astartes in command structure, while remaining true to its tenets at the tactical and squad level. The Chapter follows a unique organisational pattern derived in part from their genetic forebears. The Chapter is divided into five War Clans, each whis is further divided into two Battle Companies, Primaris Company, Reserve Company and Support Company of 200 Astartes each, rather than the standard division into 10 companies of 100 Astartes each. The two Battle Companies conform roughly to their Codex equivalents, while the Primaris Company comprises a mixture of Intercessors, Hellblasters, Aggressors, Inceptors and Reivers Squads. The Support Company comprises a mixture of Devastator, Assault and Veteran Squads. The Chapter also does not maintain a dedicated Scout Company as required by the dictates of the Codex. Instead, each of the War Clans maintains a body of Neophytes and Initiates which it considers to be an auxiliary force.

The Chapter does not maintain a standard Veteran Company, instead they disseminate these elite warriors amongst the various War Clans, who form their own Veteran Squads. Some of these consummate warriors are tasked to lead squads of five to ten Clan-Brothers (fully-fledged Iron Harbingers) with no more than an equal number of Neophytes (Clan-Brothers in-training). These squads have no sergeants, because the experienced members are quickly elevated to the rank of Dominus Primus, who take on the role of Veteran Sergeants (senior non-commissioned officer equivalents).

Like all Chapters, the actual strength of the Iron Harbingers can vary greatly based upon current levels of attrition in the ranks and status of its Scout force. This Scout force in particular can vary in size, as the Chapter is notoriously harsh on its Neophytes, brooking no sign of weakness or failure in them. For those who do not live up to the harsh, militant standards of the Chapter, those that falter or fail in the judgment of their masters, the best that can be hoped for is the fate of being turned into a mindless cybernetic servitor to serve in the Chapter's forges.

Command Ranks

 * Iron Lord - Chapter Master equivalent.
 * Iron Thane - Captain equivalent.
 * Iron Centurion - Lieutenant equivalent.

Specialist Ranks

 * Lord Anvilar - Known unofficially as the 'Lord of the Anvil', this senior specialist rank is equivalent to a Reclusiarch/Master of the Forge.
 * Iron Wrought - Chaplain/Techmarine equivalent.
 * Consul-Praevium - This bygone rank of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras is still within the rank structure of the Iron Harbingers. These chosen Iron Wroughts specialise in leading Maniples of battle-automata into battle. By grafting a cortex controller directly into their nervous system, they are able to control automata of iron and ceramite; walking engines of death forged by the Legio Cybernetica and bonded in service to the Iron Harbingers. Often, this dour and grim warriors tend to favour the company of their unliving charges rather than the camaraderie of battle-brothers of flesh and blood.
 * Medicae Primus - Chief Apothecary equivalent, Master of the Medicarum.
 * Medicae - Apothecary equivalent.
 * Augur Primus - Chief Librarian equivalent.
 * Augur - Librarian equivalent.

Line Ranks

 * Dominus Primus Veteran Sergeant equivalent.
 * Dominus - Sergeant equivalent.
 * Clan-Brother - Battle-Brother equivalent.
 * Forgeling - Neophyte equivalent.

Specialist Formations

 * Myrmidons - Honour Guard equivalent.
 * Raróg Breacher Assault Squads - Named after a mythological fire demon from the ancient, long forgotten legends of the lands of Ursh, these small elite cadres are infamous even amongst the ranks of this unforgiving Chapter. Utilising advanced and extremely powerful thermal/incendiary weapons of the Chapter's own devising, these formidable warriors fulfill the role of bringers of utter destruction. In battle, Raróg Breacher Assault Squads are relentless and remorseless, offing no possibility of mercy or reprieve for their victims that inevitably fall to their cleansing flames.
 * Medusan Immortals -

War Clans
The Iron Harbingers maintain a non-standard 'Clan' structure, similar in pattern to their forebears, which overlays the more traditional patterns of Space Marine organisation found in more Codex-oriented Chapters. Whereas the Iron Hands are formed of ten 'Clan Companies' associated with their Chapter homeworld of Medusa and it's nomadic city-caravans, the Iron Harbingers instead maintain five 'War Clans; the Gorgos, Morta, Clotho, Moirai and Algol, which were established by the Chapter's founder, Demophon Gorgoson, during the 2nd Founding. In the spirit of the original Medusan clans, the doctrine and hierarchy within the Chapter's War Clans is largely independent of the others, but all owe fealty to the larger Chapter command structure and the Iron Lord and the Ferrum Cubiculum. These War Clans act, more or less, as 'pocket chapters' - fully self-sufficient and self-supplied, with each having a single officer with the title of Iron Thane (Captain equivalent).

Each of the five War Clans' commanders are attended by a subordinate Iron Centurion (Lieutenant equivalent) that acts as a sub-commander. Meanwhile, the Dominus Primii (Dominus Primus; singular form) acts as Veteran Sergeants and are master of doctrine and training. The Iron Thane is also attended in a subordinate role by a dedicated Iron Wrought (Chaplain/Techmarine) who acts in the dual role of discipline master and a War Clan's primary technician and engineer.

The Iron Thanes act in concert to help maintain command and control of the Chapter, acting as the Iron Lord's sub-commanders. They are often tasked with specific missions by the Iron Lord and formally dispatched to act in all matters with the full weight of their Chapter Master's authority. As such, they can mobilise their War Clan's resources in the full, deploying its assets independently and, if performing a mission of vital strategic worth, assemble a strike force of chosen warriors.

Each of the War Clans maintains their own distinctive insignias and heraldry, which varies somewhat from one another, with the Gorgos War Clan utilising the 'purest' form of the Chapter's sable and dark grey heraldry, the Morta incorporating further elements of gold in their heraldry, the Clotho preferring portions of their battle-plate to be unadorned storm-grey. The Moirai incorporates silver-steel and the Algol utilising gold trim. Beyond these visual signs of differences between the War Clans, it is unknown what dogmatic and strategic variance between them exists, as well as the true interplay and seniority of the officers within the Chapter remains utterly impenetrable to outsiders.

Ferrum Cubiculum ('Iron Chamber')
The Ferrum Cubiculum or ' Iron Chamber ', acts as both the official Chapter command and advisory council to the Iron Harbingers' Chapter Master. The Ferrum Cubiculum exists outside the structure of the five War Clans, and its purpose is to enforce unity, cementing the Chapter into a unified whole, like the synchronous gears of a machine moving in perfect synchonisation. This allows the Iron Lord to lead the component War Clans of his Chapter in such a way that all the various units' functions are combined together to form a gestalt whole whose tactical and strategic capabilities are of actions that are outweighed by the sum of their parts.

Chapter Culture
The Iron Harbingers are strongly influenced by the Legion they were once a part of, and by the scars they still bear from the dark days of the Horus Heresy. They are true inheritors of the Gorgon's teachings, continuing to act in accordance to the traditions of their progenitors. They possess the same distinct character as all Scions of Ferrus Manus do - being patterned to the same feudal system of their progenitor's unforgiving homeworld of Medusa. They are fully self-sufficient and self-supplied, commanded by a singular warrior, known as an 'Iron Lord' (Chapter Master), who rules them by Primarch-given right. In accordance to the Gorgon's wishes, each Clan possesses their very own distinct identities and traditions, each vying against each other to claim the most enemy kills and the neverending pursuit and attainment of knowledge.

Within the Chapter, command carries with it a heavy burden, including the power of both life and death. Each Iron Thane who commands a War Clan is empowered to act as he sees fit and is expected to enact - at will - both reward and punishment on any Clan-Brother under his command. This includes the right of 'expeditious sanctions' (immediate punishment) - including summary execution - over any Clan-Brother beneath them, without recourse, hearing or trial. At the higher echelons of the Chapter, an Iron Lord has the same rights over their Iron Thanes and other subordinate officers within the Chapter.

However, should a superior allow it, a subordinate accused of faltering in their duties or showing any signs of weakness, may be allowed to claim the right of 'trial by combat' in the old Medusan tradition. These deadly trials by combat are often a bloody affair, resulting in both parties sustaining horrendous wounds or loss of limbs, which are later replaced with cybernetic replacements. But oftentimes these deadly contents are conducted 'in extremis' (to the death). Should the accused manage to emerge victorious, even if it results in the death of their superior, the matter will be considered closed and the victor will not face censure. Overarching this structure, the Iron Lord is the single judge, ruler and master over all in his Chapter without contest or gainsay.

Chapter Beliefs
As befitting true Scions of Ferrus Manus, the Iron Harbingers also display an extreme intolerance of physical or mental weaknesses in others and least of all, in themselves. This inherent obsession to replace their flesh with the mechanical often results in a high level of extensive cybernetic replacements amongst the Astartes of this Chapter. Those who have fought alongside the Chapter remark that these Astartes possess a frigid manner and seemingly emotionless response, taking little pleasure in success. Many of their detractors have likened them to no better than automatons, marching relentlessly forward towards the foe, moving as an unstoppable and inexorable juggernaut of destruction. Considering their affinity for technology and cybernetic augmentation, this comment is more than likely taken as an unintended compliment by the Iron Harbingers.

Combat Doctrine
Like the Iron Hands Legion of old, the Iron Harbingers are like a crushing leviathan when in action; extraordinarily difficult to stop, but also at times brutally intractable and slow to change course through its single-minded pursuit of its starting objectives.

Relations
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Allies
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Notable Quotes
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By the Iron Harbingers
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