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This article, Brimstone Brotherhood, is currently under active construction. The author, Phoenix Arcanum, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
The 42nd Grand Battalion, also known simply as the Brimstone Brotherhood, is a grand battalion of the cold and callous Iron Warriors Traitor Legion. Unlike many other Chaos Warbands, the Brimstone Brotherhood remains an integral part of the Traitor Legion it spawned from and consistently maintains loyalty to the Daemon Primarch Perturabo. Many members of the Brimstone Brotherhood are ancient, having fought in the bygone days of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. Among these veterans is Warsmith Ferrox, who has led the Grand Battalion for more than ten millennia. Like many Iron Warriors, the Brimstone Brotherhood shows little to no veneration for the Dark Gods of Chaos. Instead, they view Chaos as a tool fit to be subjugated and bent to their will. After the Horus Heresy, the Brimstone Brotherhood made a home for itself on the Daemon World of Medrengard and now operate out of the towering fortress known as the Arx Tenebrous.
History
Great Crusade and Horus Heresy
The 42nd Grand Battalion of the Iron Warriors Legion is an ancient formation originating during the closing days of the Unification War. The 42nd Company was, like the rest of the IVth Legion, decimated after being reunited with its Primarch Perturabo. After one-tenth of the Company had been executed, the empty positions were filled by newly-recruited Astartes drawn from Perturabo's homeworld of Olympia. Ferrox, one of the earliest Iron Warriors Astartes to be recruited from the population of Olympia, was given command of the 42nd Company after its previous commanding officer was killed during the legion's decimation.
As the Great Crusade progressed, the 42nd "Hellfire" Company found itself partaking in many decisive conflicts, including the Fall of the Black Judges, the Pacification of Schravaan, WAAAGH! Mashogg, the Compliance of the Araaki Spiral, the Nove Shendak Campaign, the Vulpa Straits Hrud Migration, and the Olympian Genocide
The Astartes of the 42nd Grand Battalion have always loyal to Perturabo and unquestionably followed their Primarch into heresy. The Company saw deployment in the Dropsite Massacre of Isstvan V, the first official battle of the Horus Heresy. After the Horus Heresy officially began, the Iron Warriors began carving out an "Empire of Iron" by taking over several Imperial worlds in close proximity to their homeworld of Olympia. Warsmith Ferrox and the 42nd Grand Battalion conquered the Loyalist world of Othrys and annexed it into the growing Empire of Iron.
As one part of the 42nd Grand Battalion was dedicated to fortifying the newly conquered Othrys, another was dedicated to fighting alongside the rest of the Iron Warriors Legion during the Horus Heresy. The aspects of the 42nd Grand Battalion that actively partook in the fighting of the Horus Heresy were recorded as partaking in the First and Second Siege of Hydra Cordatus, the Battle of Phall, the Assault on Iydris, the Battle of Tallarn, and eventually the Siege of Terra.
Post-Heresy
Following the death of Horus and the routing of the Traitor forces in the aftermath of the Siege of Terra, those Astartes of the 42nd Grand Battalion that survived the battle fled to the fortress world of Othrys were the other half of the 42nd Grand Battalion had been busy constructing impenetrable bastions. As the Iron Warriors of the 42nd Grand Battalion settled into defensive positions across Othrys, the planet was assaulted by Loyalist Imperial forces seeking to drive out the Traitor Legions from their hiding places. While the defenses of Othrys initially held strong, the fortresses of the Iorn Warriors were eventually torn asunder by their old and hated rivals, the Imperial Fists Legion. In the end, the Iron Warriors were forced to abandon Othrys and flee to the Eye of Terror.
Upon reaching the Eye of Terror, the 42nd Grand Battalion was reunited with the rest of the Iron Warriors Legion and quickly stepped in line. Their loyalty to the Daemon Primarch Perturabo was absolute, a cold and unwavering fealty demonstrated through their relentless industriousness and pursuit of mechanical perfection and brutal efficiency. As the Iron Warriors settle into their new homeworld of Medrengard, the 42nd Grand Battalion constructed the towering fortress known as the Arx Tenebrous.
At some point in time after the conclusion of the Horus Heresy, the 42nd Grand Battalion began using the new cognomen "Brimstone Brotherhood." Their new name reflects the sulfurous forges and hellish foundries they operate on Medrengard and across the Eye of Terror.
Black Crusade of Warsmith Ferrox (914.M40–945.M40)
Among the most notable campaigns waged by the Brimstone Brotherhood following the Horus Heresy was the Black Crusade of Warsmith Ferrox. In 914.M40, a vast force of Heretics and Daemons spilled forth from the Eye of Terror. Their first target was the Imperial Angador Sector, which quickly fell to the Traitor onslaught. The former Imperial Fortress World of Ozymandias was chosen by Warsmith Ferrox as his headquarters within Realspace, adopting the title "Tyrant of Ozymandias." There were rumors that the Daemon Primarch Perturabo orchestrated and engineered this Black Crusade.
It wasn't long before the armies of the Tyrant of Ozymandias spread across the stars, assaulting and conquering key systems across the Segmentum Solar and Obscurus. The Imperial response was swift and remorseless. At the forefront of the Imperial defense were Astartes from the Sentinels of Dorn and Steel Crusaders Chapter, Imperial Guardsmen from Krieg, Praetoria, and Vostroya, Imperial Knights from House Bretonnia, a few Imperial Battlefleets, and at least one Titan Legion.
Despite their rapid initial victories, the Imperium was eventually able to put the Traitors on the defensive. By 918.40, the Traitors were confined to the Angador Sector. What followed was a grueling 21 year-long stalemate. During this time, Traitor forces across the Angador Sector began rearming for a renewed offensive against the Loyalist. This long awaited offensive finally came in 939.M40, when Traitor forces suddenly swelled and broke the Imperial siege of the Angador Sector. Just as before, Traitor forces spewed forth across the Imperium, renewing their assault upon the followers of the Corpse-Emperor.
The second stage of Ferrox's Black Crusade ultimately proved to be a repeat of the first - initial Traitor victories followed by an effective Loyalist counteroffensive. The true turning point of the war came in 943.M40 when the Imperium mustered a full Crusade Force to crush the Brimstone Brotherhood once and for all. The Loyalist counteroffensive managed to route Traitors and once again push them back to the Angador Sector. While the Brimstone Brotherhood planned to dig in and rearm just as they did before, the Imperial Crusade succeeded in breaking through the Iron Warriors' outer defenses.
The final stage of the war was a lengthy battle for control over the Fortress World of Ozymandias. By 945.M40, Imperial forces broke through the Iron Warriors' last line of defenses and reconquered Ozymandias. Unfortunately, neither Warsmith Ferrox nor his elite officer cadre were found on Ozymandias, presumably having fled back to the Eye of Terror.
The Imperial victory ultimately proved to be a pyrrhic one as most planets across the Angador Sector were left in ruins after the war. It would take more than a century for the worlds attacked by the Brimstone Brotherhood to recover from the brutal occupation.
Notable Post-Heresy Campaigns
- Dispute of Iron (ca. 600 - 730.M34): Its cause hidden to the eyes of the Imperium, a vast civil war erupts on the Daemon World of Medrengard and rapidly spreads to the other domains of the Iron Warriors. Ancient pacts of fealty and alliance are called upon and scores of Chaos Space Marine warbands, daemons and Traitor Titan Legions are drawn into the maelstrom of relentless battle. While many Warbands split off from the Iron Warriors to operate independently, the Brimstone Brotherhood maintains its loyalty to the Primarch.
Organization
The 42nd "Hellfire" Grand Battalion maintains the same organization it has possessed since the days of the Great Crusade. It is a unit consisting of one-thousand Heretic Astartes under the command of Warsmith Ferrox. Other than Ferrox himself, other notable officers of the Hellfire Brotherhood include Tarvax, Sargoth, Gargorath, Zyost, Thul, Kaas, Tund, and Estraan. Like many other great companies of the Iron Warriors, the Hellfire Brotherhood is divided into component warband detachments led by lesser Chaos Champions and has a tendency to operate in multiples of three. The ranks of the Brimstone Brotherhood are significantly bolstered by a horde of mortal followers and slaves and unending tides of summoned Daemons.
Mutations
Tactics
As with the rest of the Iron Warriors Legion, the Astartes of the Brimstone Brotherhood consider themselves to be unparalleled masters of siege warfare. An assault waged by the Brimstone Brotherhood is slow and methodical, with significant support from allied forces including Traitor Guard Regiments, Dark Mechanicum Hereteks, and Chaos Titan Legions. The Brimstone Brethren are also expert sappers and engineers, having acquired a variety of siege engines over the years, including Termites, Dreadclaws, Leviathans, monstrous Daemon Engines, and a large assortment of devestating artillery.
Demeanor
Just like their Primarch, many members of the Brimstone Brotherhood are grim, dour, and bitter, prone to jealousy and petiness. Brimstone Brethren are not unknown for having fits of spite, waging devastating conflicts to tear down mighty bastions of the Imperium, all to reaffirm their own self-worth.
Relics
- Foehammer - Foehammer is a mighty power hammer wielded by Warsmith Torvax. It is rumored that Foehammer was forged by the Daemon Primarch Perturabo himself, who bound a Greater Daemon to the weapon to boost its potency exponentially.
Notable Members
Renegade Chapter Appearance
Pre-Heresy Appearance
Post-Heresy Appearance
Relations
Allies
- Hereteks of Ur-Geddon - Ur-Geddon is a major Hell-Forge of the Dark Mechanicum located in the heart of the Eye of Terror. The Hereteks of Ur-Geddon sell their services to many Chaos Warbands, including the Brimstone Brotherhood. Many weapons crafted by the Dark Mechanicum of Ur-Geddon, including mighty Chaos Titans, have been seen deployed alongside elements of the Brimstone Brotherhood. It is said that the Hereteks of Ur-Geddon are the closest allies the Brimstone Brotherhood possesses outside of their own legion.
Enemies
Notable Quotes
By Brimstone Brotherhood
About Brimstone Brotherhood
Gallery
