Agents of Liberty

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"Are you really willing to die for that heretical piece of parchment?"

"Somebody will."

— Exchange between an Inquisitor and an Agent of Liberty trooper about Independence: 776. M2.

The Agents of Liberty are a highly controversial regiment of the Astra Militarum thanks to their origins and choices. Every guard regiment fights for the Emperor, but the Agents of Liberty fight for something more. They die for the freedom of humanity, from tyrants both within & without. Their commitment to this goal was both their strength & nearly their undoing.

Regimental History[]

Blue Dawn[]

The Agents of Liberty are a highly controversial regiment thanks to their origins and choices. Every guard regiment fights for the Emperor, but the Agents fight for something more. They fight not just for the Emperor’s people, but for human liberty. Though the Agents know their war of freedom vs autocracy is a losing one, they will wage it at any cost, for better or worse...

A recently-settled world called Battlement resided in the Eastern Fringes, which resembled a 3rd Millennium Terra. Most would be forgiven for thinking Battlement didn’t have a chance when the Tau came. Ever the masters of subversion, the Tau exacerbated Battlment’s social, political, and economic issues. They turned people against each other to a point where civil war was one riot away. Their industrial sabotage devastated Battlement’s manufactorums and farms, forcing them to rely on the Tau for basic goods. Battlement’s democracy was rigged to allow the Exalted Ones, a pro-Tau political party, to win key elections. Accusations of election meddling were dismissed by the Water Caste, and those who came forward with said accusations mysteriously ‘committed suicide’ in the following months. The Exalted Ones branded themselves as the solution to Battlement’s problems, and functioned as a puppet government for the Tau’s interests. Over the next few years, the Exalted Ones persecuted any who refused to bend the knee, while giving a luxurious lifestyle to those who swore allegiance to the Greater Good. Battlement was trapped in a gilded cage.

A man named Chrispus Atticus, fed up with the Tau’s increasing lies and oppression, formed a group called the Agents of Liberty on the continent of Mericae. He opened them up to anyone who wished to be free from the Tau Empire, & planned a revolution. Tragically, he’d be killed by Fire Warriors at a rally he attended, but his death ignited their uprising. All of Mericae was consumed in rebellion. The Agents of Liberty attempted a coup & seized the planetary governor’s palace, the Pale Keep, in a costly siege. However, the Tau revealed their true strength that day. The Earth Caste broadcast a lightning Tau assault involving Battlesuits that annihilated the Agents. Across the world, these Battlesuits overran the Agents in minutes. In the rare instances of a hard-fought stalemate against Tau forces, Battlesuits would bring these struggles to an ignoble end. The Agents of Liberty were routed, & the Battlesuits seemed unstoppable.

Facing total collapse, General Gregory Nashton took command of the Agents & sent them underground to regroup. Instead of open warfare, they’d use guerrilla tactics to make the Tau bleed. Highly fanatical or trained Agents were sent on covert raids to conduct heists, sabotage, assassination, & more. Those who survived these risky missions became potent commandos for the rebellion. Ministorum priests fought Water Caste propaganda in hacked broadcasts to win back gue’vesa who had lost their way, enduring dangers from the robust Earth Caste surveillance system nicknamed ‘Big Aun’va’. Nashton himself made a distress call to a roaming Freeblade in the Eastern Fringes, as his graviton gun & lightning cannon would devastate Tau Battlesuits. He & his team arrived a month later, miraculously outrunning the Tau blockade. The amount of aircraft & AA units the Agents sacrificed to escort the Knight made it a costly battle in its own right. Fire Warriors and Drones relentlessly attacked airbases and AA sites.

Since the Agents of Liberty had inferior wargear, what they stole from the Tau made a noticeable difference. The Tau’s war effort was stunted, while the Agents grew in size & strength thanks to their recruitment drives. The newly arrived Knight demanded a hefty fee for his services, but his strength was worth its weight in gold. The Tau, though bloodied, were resourceful. They & the Exalted Ones increased nighttime raids to cripple the recruitment of additional rebels, while conducting search & destroy missions on rebel supply routes. The Exalted Ones were used by the Tau as spies so they could dismantle the Agents from within. The Agents were still losing control of Mericae, albeit at a slower pace than before. This period consisted of many fighting retreats.

By year 5, things were bleak. The Tau’s methods were taking its toll, & eventually they were routinely raiding bases & hideouts the Agents inhabited. Routed from their urban hideouts, the Agents had to inhabit a lethally frigid wasteland called Basin Forge. Even the Freeblade was severely damaged. All seemed lost, but one day an event transpired that every Agent of Liberty describes as the Emperor’s reward for their loyalty. A Battlebarge was shot down after an ill-fated space battle, which sent drop pods from orbit. The Tau & Agents raced to the crash site. When they found the wreckage, they found hundreds of warriors who made the Agents look short by comparison.

These Astartes had grey warplate with no insignias. Introductions were cut short when the Tau attacked the crash site. The Agents themselves were exhausted & dwindled, but given new vigor when put alongside the Astartes. The Tau knew the potency of the Astartes & sent many hunter cadres to overrun the crash site, but they were repelled. Impressed, the Astartes requested the youngest Agents undergo implantation to replace their losses. Those who survived to be Astartes would add their own culture & way of war to this Astartes chapter. The Agents & fresh Scout Marines infiltrated bombed-out urban areas to discover a potent psyker cult called the Harbingers of Intrigue. Together, they killed the ravenous Kroot & Vespid patrols, & the Harbingers pledged their aid. Thanks to the Astartes and a cult of potent psykers, the rebellion had an ace in the hole.

With their newfound alliance & resources, the rebels began Operation Uprising. Aided by their new allies, the rebels were to retake every Tau-held city & force them off Battlement for good. The legitimacy of the Exalted Ones had to be eroded by exposing the Tau atrocities they facilitated, winning public favor for the rebellion in the process. But even if the Tau were forced off Battlement & their allies routed, their fleet could still wreak havoc from above. The defense lasers, and starship-grade Ion Cannon and Railgun emplacements had to be seized. The rebels made promising headway, but that came at a cost of collateral damage and civilian deaths, which nearly cost them public favor. The backlash forced them to protect civilians out of pragmatism, but this turned to genuine desire in the later years of the uprising. The Imperials also had deficiencies in their coordination, especially in the face of deadly Tau counter offensives. Luckily these challenges were overcome, and the rebellion gained momentum. They raided a gue’vesa city, destroying the HQ of the Exalted Ones in a 5-hour gunfight against many auxiliaries. Earth Caste facilities nearby were hacked to globally broadcast proof of Tau atrocities. Another Astartes Chapter named the Void Paladins covertly sent a venator kill-team to Battlement, to help the rebels while monitoring them for chaotic taint.

15 years later, victory was near. The Tau were unpopular, the Exalted Ones were illegitimate, and they lost control over most cities. A lone Ethereal had just 8 Hunter Cadres left, holed up in a fortress. Shas’O Yoon in his KX139 Supremacy Armor led this force. These desperate and surrounded Tau had a trump card: if defeated, their orbital fleet was to enact the Reset Protocol, a mass bombardment via Darkstar Warheads. The Tau could reclaim a lifeless Battlement with no resistance. Knowing the price of failure, the Freeblade Knight renamed himself Libertatum Primus and swore fealty to the rebels. He then helped to lead the most important campaign the rebellion ever made.

The Tau conceded the laser silos, since they knew those lacked the strength to deter their fleet. The gun drones were swept aside, handing the Imperials an easy victory. Their next objective, the Railgun batteries, faced heavier resistance. Battlesuits, Kroot, and Hammerheads were present. Even Terminators sent to absorb enemy fire couldn’t force a breach, and would’ve been wiped out if not for well-timed stealth attacks from the flanks. Only the Ion Cannons remained, and the Ethereal realized the enemy’s plan. The Reset Protocol would begin in 12 hours once his fleet got in range. The Imperials threw everything into the assault. The infantry faced massed drone swarms and the full wrath of the Fire Warriors and their allies. Battlesuits devastated enemy vehicles and Terminators. Libertatum Primus faced Shas’O Yoon in a titanic duel. The battle reaped an unimaginable toll for both sides, but Terminators and Commando teams broke through and seized the Ion Cannons. The Tau fleet was destroyed with seconds to spare. The surviving Tau and their allies were thrown from Valkyries thousands of feet in the sky, as Battlement celebrated its hard-won freedom.

Battlement saw 50 years of peace & prosperity. The Astartes, now mostly made up of former Agents of Liberty, called themselves the Emperor’s Liberators. General Gregory Nashton shaped the Agents into a fully professional force, whose tactics and organization reflected their experiences against the Tau. Their various infantry regiments would be trained in guerilla tactics. They’d be complemented by mechanized infantry, valkyries, and the occasional formation of heavy armor. This was due to their expertise in unconventional warfare, stealth, and mobility, but it made wars of attrition and sieges much harder unless they were on defense. The Agents wore red, white, and blue uniforms. Their wargear has unique appearances resembling ancient Terran armies, but functions like their Imperial counterparts. They also created an elite covert division called The Specters.

Battlement’s finest would face a grim test in the 13th Black Crusade’s aftermath, as the stars themselves were torn open. The Harbingers of Intrigue exposed their treachery and guided Heretic Astartes to Battlement, instead of contacting the Imperium. The invasion was swift and relentless, killing millions in its wake. The tide of corruption nearly overran Battlement’s defenders, until the Indomitus Crusade brought precious reinforcements.

The War Abroad[]

Guilliman’s arrival marked the day the Agents began their campaign to free the rest of the galaxy. The regiment had to be wary of their habit of investing too much in decisive, covert strikes. Unless on defense, grinding wars of attrition and sieges would be more difficult for the Agents. They were sent to the nearby Krang System, a system besieged by Chaos and the Tau’s spheres of expansion. Their first campaign was at the behest of the Ordo Hereticus. A planetary governor decided to secede from the Imperium, deciding that their tithes were destructive to her world. The Agents of Liberty weren’t just employed because they were the closest regiment, however. The very name the Agents made for themselves garnered suspicion of their loyalty in the Ordo Hereticus, and this task proved a sort of test. For their part, the Agents realized the implications of their mission and the price for disobedience, so they took as delicate an approach as possible. While the regiment’s main forces sought to engage the governor’s armies, they tried to evacuate the cities as much as they could. While some civilians complied, others turned hostile at their perceived oppressors and started a bloody urban conflict for a month. The collateral damage to buildings and civilians was severe. The Specters were ordered to storm the governor’s palace and force a surrender. The Operators swiftly killed her bodyguards, and the governor jumped to her death to avoid capture. When the war finally ended and the planet was reabsorbed, many of the Agents who were deployed questioned if they were liberators or subjugators...

Colonel Mitchell & a task force of Agents respond to distress calls from the icy, promethium-rich world of Aleut. The Tau 4th Sphere Expansion besieged it, & the uncharacteristically brutal force seized the capital city of Moor's Point in record speed. The auxiliaries were deployed in mass-wave assaults as a mask for sabotage missions by various stealthsuits that decimated Imperial defenses. The PDF would be overrun without Mitchell & his Agents of Liberty to hold the line. These Agents could only buy time against the inexorable Tau forces led by Shas'O Jing, as the promethium refineries & cities continued to fall. Evacuating all the civilians from the overzealous Tau was a costly endeavor. At the 11th hour, 400 Astartes from the Emperor's Liberators arrived alongside Freeblade Knight Libertatum Primus & a Titan Legion. With heavy firepower & the Astartes by his side, Mitchell begins an 11-year siege of Moor's Point to liberate the city from Tau hands. The siege is apocalyptic in scale, with both sides using biological & chemical weapons. Libertatum Primus alone slew over a dozen various Battlesuits before his Knight was heavily damaged & required extraction. The titans reaped a similarly vicious toll, but Manta gunships inflicted serious losses against them. Moor's Point was blasted to ruin by the time the Imperials retook the city. Aleut's people endured famine & frostbite, & began rioting to such a degree that the Agents of Liberty had to assume the unfamiliar role of occupier & enforce martial law. The Imperials launch a failed counterattack on the Tau-held world of Middle-Dominion, forcing the Tau to divert resources & stretch themselves thin. Facing defeat, Shas'O Jing fires Darkstar warheads at Aleut to cover his escape. A vengeful Colonel Mitchell pursues him & defeats the Shas'O in single combat with his Baneblade. Segmentum Command also authorizes the use of Deathstrike Missiles on Middle-Dominion, obliterating it. Aleut is secured, but most of its people & Promethium are burned away in the fires of war. Over 2/3 of the Agents & Liberators lay dead.

The Agents faced some setbacks. In Operation Crimson Wings, the Agents of Liberty deployed a 4-man team of Specters for deep reconnaissance on the world of Afga. Tasked with locating & disrupting Chaos cult activity, they were detected by local citizens & attacked from all sides by chaos cults on the mountainous planet. All but 1 Specter was killed, & the Valkyrie full of Specters sent to rescue them was shot down with no survivors. The wider Agents of Liberty deployed to the world to recover their dead & destroy the local chaos cults in force, enduring heavy losses in the subsequent battles. Luckily, one surviving Specter named Marcus was found seriously wounded in a nearby village. After Marcus was recovered, the Agents launched multiple offensives in the mountains where cult activity was found, spending the next 3 months engaging these elusive foes until Afga was finally secured from the Chaos cults. The Specters took the lead in said offensives, eager for vengeance against the cults.

In the disastrous battle known as Fallen Valkyrie, The Specters were deployed to the world of Mogad on a routine mission to covertly dismantle a chaos cult. While en-route, a Valkyrie was shot down by rockets. Another valkyrie sent in to rescue the downed Operators was also shot down. The 1st crash site had 2 survivors who held their positions until the wider Agents of Liberty extracted them, but the 2nd crash site witnessed disaster. The group there was overrun after hours of repelling cultist mobs, leaving only 1 surviving Operator that was taken prisoner. His comrades were paraded on the streets, while the prisoner was sacrificed in a ritual. The Agents fought in an engagement dubbed 'The Malicious Mile' which saw them battling through a mile of roads to rescue their troops & later evacuate Mogad entirely. The Specters & the Agents took severe casualties, while several Chaos warlords took over Mogad for themselves.

Lastly, the Jungle World of Vetahm saw its population highly receptive to the Water Caste, rebelling against the Imperium. The Agents were deployed against the Vetahm gue’vesa, but the two sides employed similar tactics. Neither side would give in, but the tide turned when the Air Caste destroyed the nearby Imperial fleet and blockaded Vetahm. The Agents there held out for 15 years before finally being wiped out by the local gue’vesa and Tau reinforcements.

Despite these losses, the Agents refused to leave the Sector at the mercy of the Water Caste and Chaos Cults. The opportunity for payback presented itself on the world of Cafract, a world besieged by Chaos. Upon arrival, the Agents found a ragtag army of soldiers already engaging the traitors. This army was unusually efficient, & fought highly conservatively. However, they were extremely anxious & uneasy around the Agents, insisting that the Agents identify themselves. When the Agents complied, the unknown army felt relief. If any Imperial force would show them mercy & clemency, it would be a regiment called the Agents of Liberty. The army said they came from a region called the Severan Dominate, & ended up in the Eastern Fringes thanks to a warp rift. They were secessionists from the Imperium, fed up with its tyranny. They questioned why the Agents, a regiment of freedom fighters, served a tyrannical Imperium. The Agents retorted by asking why the Severans served Duke Severus, a dictator who betrayed all his promises. Arguments over who truly fought for freedom were interrupted by a renewed Chaos offensive that threatened multiple hives. The Agents & Severans agreed to a truce, fighting tooth and nail to repel the siege. The Agents led decapitation strikes while the Severans mounted a stalwart defense against the Chaos hordes, & both units staged raids against the enemy’s rear lines. Libertatum Primus was deployed, and together with dug-in anti-tank infantry, formed bulwark against traitor baneblades. The Chaos offensive was halted until Imperial reinforcements arrived. The Agents & Severans had a newfound respect for each other, reaching an understanding that both armies fought for human liberty. Such a bond was cut short when the Inquisition arrived and arrested the Severans for treason. The loss of such allies embittered the Agents, but the incident made certain parties suspicious of the regiment...

The New Kid on the Block[]

As the war for the Krang system intensified, the High Lords sent the Death Korps of Krieg, Mordian Iron Guard, Catachan Jungle Fighters, and Valhallan Ice Warriors as reinforcements. The Death Korps were deployed alongside the Agents of Liberty on the world of Drasus against the Orks, and it was nearly a disaster. When commanding troops from the Agents, worrisome numbers of Krieg officers were fragged. The Orks that Krieg Commissars had killed were outnumbered by the amount of Agents they’d executed. The Death Korps condemned the lax discipline, seditious beliefs in ‘freedom’, and anti-authoritarianism of the Agents, branding them Chaos Cultists with Aquilas. The Agents in turn dismissed the Death Korps as a callous and wasteful regiment devoid of common sense. They couldn’t agree on tactics or objectives in battle either. The Agents employed feints and unconventional warfare to preserve lives, while the Death Korps were unyielding despite their losses. While the Death Korps relentlessly sought to break even the most fortified positions, the Agents had a single-minded desire to evacuate & save civilians. Ironically, this doubled the length of the campaign and led to more deaths among soldiers and civilians. It took 5 years amid dysfunction and hostility among the 2 regiments before Drasus was secure from the Orks. Similar incidents plagued the Agents when serving alongside the Mordians and Valhallans on other worlds. The inability of the Agents to overcome differences with other regiments proved disastrous.

Things finally changed for the better when the Agents met the Catachans on Drygon V. Drygon V was occupied by the Dark Mechanicum, and its adamantium couldn’t fall to their hands. While there was some distrust between the 2 regiments at first, they’d end up getting along famously. The Catachans were pleasantly surprised when these ‘newcomers in tactical gear’ were adept at stealth and ambush tactics. Both armies fought like ghosts, an unseen menace that struck without warning or remorse. Entire armies of traitor guardsmen were methodically wiped out. Drygon V was retaken in 2 weeks, such was the ruthless efficiency & synergy that they possessed. The Catachans would nickname the Agents the ‘Candy Caned Killers’, as a jest at their color scheme & a sign of respect. They’d serve alongside each other again on the world of Avalon against a Tau incursion. While the Tau were delayed by ambushes in Avalon’s cities, the Agents and Catachans seized Water Caste broadcast hubs. The Agents broadcast their ideology on a vox-program called ‘Information Warrior’. The populace then rose up in arms against Tau forces. It was enough to fully repel the Tau while proofing Avalon’s people against Water Caste subversion. It would work a little too well…

The Ordo Hereticus followed the drama unfolding in the Krang Sector closely. An Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor named Jackson Dorsic was fond of regiments like the Death Korps, and took great exception to those who had slighted them. He also took the accusations of heresy against the Agents of Liberty seriously, as Dorsic had a similar distrust of the regiment. As the years went on, he became an outspoken critic of both the Agents and their Astartes counterparts, the Emperor’s Liberators. Things finally reached a head when the Avalon Sector was suddenly plunged into rebellion. The rebel leaders sought to break free from the tyranny of the Imperium, and this movement rapidly gathered recruits. Jackson Dorsic had studied the Agents of Liberty enough to know that it was them who inspired this rebellion, and he had enough to build his case. In the meantime, he ordered the Destroyers of Worlds to crush the rebellion. The rebels adopted many aspects of the Agents of Liberty like their naming conventions and tactics. The Astartes were brutally efficient in their assaults, employing terror raids to frighten any would-be rebels into compliance. The rebellion was vanquished in 3 weeks, and the suppression efforts were so effective that the populace turned against the rebels just to stay the wrath of the Destroyers of Worlds.

The Ultimate Test[]

This led to the Inquisition charging the Agents of Liberty with heresy, citing numerous complaints against the regiment and the Avalon Rebellion that the Agents inspired. Jackson Dorsic represented the many monodominant Inquisitors who wanted the Agents excommunicated and destroyed. Fresh outrage came when the Ordo Hereticus obtained copies of Independence: M2.776, and M2.984, texts that the Agents of Liberty studied religiously. Radical Inquisitors ridiculed the idea that the Agents could be heretics. They pointed out how the Agents went great lengths to save civilians. They named Chaos ‘The Great Tyrant’ and the Tau ‘The Blue Menace’. They also claimed that their experience against the Tau was essential. Their beliefs were peculiar, not heretical, and the Agents could be a great asset if used properly. Their Specter division in particular, aided the Ordo Xenos in many assassinations of high-ranking Tau. The Puritans however would not be denied, claiming that the temporary usefulness of the Agents would be outweighed if they were allowed to survive & inevitably turn traitor.

Informed of the charges against them, many Agents of Liberty were enraged. They questioned why the Imperium spat upon their sacrifices with false accusations. Feeling betrayed, a Colonel named Robert Edward gathered ⅓ of the Agents to secede from the Imperium. They hijacked nearby voidships before fleeing to the Novem Sector to start anew. When the Inquisition received news of this secession, they gave the Agents an ultimatum: destroy their traitorous comrades or be excommunicated. Colonel Edward sent his newly captured fleet to the Agri-world of Briggs, eager to create a new and truly free domain for humanity. He absorbed the local PDF and repelled attacks by the arbites and Tempestus Scions. Another Agents of Liberty Colonel nicknamed ‘The Snapping Turtle’ was ordered to lead a detachment to put down the rogue guardsmen. Upon arrival, Colonel Snapping Turtle begged Colonel Edward to stand down. He’d make it look like the rebellion was crushed to satisfy the Inquisition, but in reality Edward’s troops would be peacefully returned to the Agents and given full clemency. Colonel Edward refused. Citing an unknown source, Edward claimed that the Inquisition massacred hundreds of Astartes on Armageddon for simply questioning an exterminatus decision. Even their Chapter Master was assassinated years later. Edward pointed out that if the Inquisition murdered Astartes for petty grudges, then guardsmen accused of sedition fared no better. Edward finished by proclaiming that if the Agents of Liberty were to keep their name, they could no longer serve the Imperium. The Inquisition could not be trusted or placated, only distracted.

Diplomacy broke down, and trusted comrades turned on each other in a horrific war. The secessionists initially made great headway, especially against many Agents who were still reluctant to kill their former comrades. Secessionist Major George, confident of imminent victory, ordered his forces to charge against a supposed weak point against the Agents of Liberty. The assault, infamously known as George’s Charge, was a disastrous advance into a ridge that killed most of his forces in a single day. The Agents capitalized on the enemy’s misfortune, destroying them in short order. Bonds that lasted for decades were burned away in a war that killed 900,000 Agents and Secessionists. Scarred by this internecine war, the survivors left the war-torn world of Briggs. Even still, the Inquisition was unconvinced that the Agents could be trusted...

Hypocrites No More...[]

The detachment of Agents who’d just survived the war barely had time to rest and process what had just happened, when they were called to war yet again. They were once again tasked by the Inquisition with bringing a secessionist world to heel, to prove their loyalty. At this point, the force of Agents had snapped. To them, their secessionist comrades were right the entire time. They’d been the puppets of a dictatorship, and were unworthy of their name as long as they served the Imperium. Upon landing onto the planet of Indari, the Agents went rogue and supported the rebels. The Inquisitorial forces who deployed with the Agents were quickly slaughtered. The Agents on the ground tried and failed to contact the Emperor’s Liberators chapter, for they were busy elsewhere. The only other force in the galaxy supposedly sympathetic to the values of freedom and independence were the traitorous Blood Gorgons warband. They accepted the call, eager to expand their warband and territory. The invading Mordian Iron Guard were mauled by vicious guerilla attacks from the Agents and Blood Gorgons. When faced with little progress after 10 years, the Imperials called in the brutal Graven Souls chapter. These White Scar successors employed terror tactics that disintegrated the rebellion in mere weeks. Most evacuation attempts were shut down by the Imperial blockade. Only a few dozen Blood Gorgons and a thousand rogue Agents of Liberty escaped; the rest were wiped out.

Portions of the Agents of Liberty and Emperor’s Liberators were returning to Battlement to resupply and spend time with their families, as per their custom. These detachments were tragically unaware of many things: whether it was the recent events that marked them as renegades, the presence of a Word Bearer cult summoning demons on-world, or the existence of the Grey Knights who noticed the invasion and arrived to assist. The demonic incursion was difficult to suppress, but it was nothing compared to when the Grey Knights began purging the population after the demons were banished. To the Grey Knights, it was a standard purging operation following a campaign. To the Agents and Liberators on the ground, it was a psychic Astartes chapter murdering their people. A brief but bloody skirmish erupted before the Grey Knights left Battlement, reporting the incident to the Inquisition. Battlement’s finest had now incurred the wrath of the Inquisition. They’d be repaid with a relentless invasion by 750 marines from multiple chapters, thousands of sororitas, and 3 million vostroyan firstborn. Multiple Inquisitors, who were longtime rivals of the Liberators and Agents, would lead the charge. Battlement’s cities were burned to the ground along with its inhabitants. The Liberators and the Agents were slaughtered in countless ambushes as they tried to evacuate even a fraction of the population. A brief respite in the fighting allowed the Inquisitors to lay out their terms: the Emperor’s Liberators would forsake their treacherous values and endure a 500-year penitent crusade, while the Agents of Liberty became a penal legion. Battlement’s defenders chose death instead of servitude to a cause they no longer believed in. Specter teams defended an underground bunker that housed Battlement’s leadership. They held their own against waves of Tempestus Scions, but the intervention of Sororitas and Astartes soon overwhelmed the Specters. Only the capital city remained, and defeat seemed inevitable. But the Agents and Liberators off-world got word of the invasion, and ships from the Liberators brought reinforcements. Freeblade Libertatum Primus led a desperate push to relieve their besieged comrades, despite the fierce rearguard by the Inquisition’s forces. When the dust settled, it was revealed that the lead Inquisitor was possessed by a demon and persuaded to act on his disdain for the Liberators and Agents. Unfortunately, they weren’t blameless in their excommunication, thanks to their prior actions.

Battlement would have little time to recover from their invasion. The Bloodborn Wolves warband capitalized on Battlement’s weakened state and launched an all-out raid to secure the Liberators’ gene-seed. The Agents and Liberators stopped some of the gene-seed from being stolen, but their fleet was too damaged to pursue the rest. Luckily, the nearby Stormbreakers chapter was tracking this warband and managed to retrieve the gene-seed after multiple vicious boarding actions. They returned the gene-seed as a sign of trust and friendship. The Agents of Liberty, despite recent losses, would never relent in the war for Mankind’s freedom. They’d risk all for the people of the Eastern Fringes, especially in the face of the encroaching darkness. But their enemy now included a vengeful Inquisition. The Emperor’s Liberators and Agents of Liberty would have to fight together from now on, but they would have it no other way.

The Vanishing[]

At some point in M42, a massive invasion by an unknown foe was launched against Battlement that required every single Liberator and Agent to fight for their home once more. It was during this time that a massive warp rift appeared and sucked Battlement into it, along with its entire armed forces and population. All contact with the planet was lost shortly thereafter. The current location of Battlement, and its status is unknown.

Other Campaigns[]

Culture[]

The Agents of Liberty are freedom-fighters at heart, and descend from citizens of an ancient Terran nation who brought their traditions with them. Both lineage and circumstance led to an insubordinate mindset distrustful of authority. They also place great value on the lives of civilians, initially a pragmatic decision that turned to genuine desire to protect innocent life. Controversially, the Agents are highly tolerant of abhumans and mutants who stay loyal to the Imperium, a view which led to serious consequences. Even the idealistic Agents of Liberty have limits, thanks to the Harbingers of Intrigue. This cult of unsanctioned psykers went from trusted revolutionary allies to vile traitors, ensuring the Agents never served alongside unsanctioned psykers again. Also highly notable is their interpretation of the Imperial Creed. They believed the Emperor was a divine freedom fighter for Mankind, with both the Unification Wars and Great Crusade being wars to free humanity. The forces of chaos are referred to as 'The Great Tyrant', and the various xenos species are similarly hated. Most consider such views as peculiar, others consider them near-heretical.

The Agents of Liberty and their patron astartes chapter, the Emperor's Liberators, are largely of the same mind. However, having an astartes chapter by their side led to some Agents being arrogant and conceited. These Agents think they've been truly favored by the Emperor, and are above their peers. When possible, the wider Agents of Liberty seek to beat this mentality out of those who have it. Otherwise, this mindset will die with an Agent on the battlefield or at the hands of a particularly irritated servant of the Emperor.

The SPECTERs[]

In 999.M41, President Phillip Pierre made an announcement regarding the creation of a special forces unit under the direct purview of the Agents of Liberty. The finest weapons and armor a guardsman could wear would be granted to them, and the most elite Agents who survived the Blue Dawn uprising would make up the unit's first members. Additional aspiring recruits would be trained by Scout Sergeants from the Emperor's Liberators and retired Agents of Liberty who had seen action. Later that same year, senior leaders in The Hexagon finalized the details and created the Specially Trained Expedition/Reconnaissance teams, or the SPECTERs. One Colonel known for his characteristic bluntness spoke on the record about the SPECTERs, saying: "We needed people who could do the job of an Astartes while being more replaceable than one." Another Colonel who saw them in action claimed: "If they were any better, they'd be Space Marines."

The Specters are an elite corps of veterans, armed with the tools and knowledge to frustrate any tyrant in perpetuity. Though they can wage war virtually anywhere, they prefer to fight in the shadows. A member of the Specters is called an Operator regardless of rank, with such distinctions only being made by those in the unit themselves. Specter Operators are highly individualistic, but even they have some consistent aspects. All Operators have a Bolt or Plasma pistol and 'Tier 1' pattern Carapace Armor with various camouflage options. Their suits have a set of tools meant for infiltration and combat, while their armored helmets have quad-lensed optics. Every Operator is a grizzled veteran who also received direct training alongside the scout marines of the Emperor's Liberators, thanks to their close ties with the chapter. Most Operators had already fought in Battlement's revolution. The standardization of an Operator ends here, as their individualistic nature can be seen in various modifications to their weapons, armor, and uniform.

SpecialWarfareDetachment2 — A member of the Specters buys time for the evacuation of civilians against Battlement's invaders.

In regards to cosmetics, Operators usually opt to include a cloth or ballistic mask meant for both intimidation and possibly utilitarian purposes. An Operator has access to the same potent arsenal as Veteran Guardsmen, like Bolters and flamers. Battlement produces unique patterns of these weapons, all of whom are highly modular to enhance flexibility. They have the Colt pattern autogun and 'Pig' pattern heavy stubber, 'Bushmaster' pattern bolter, and 'Hellbringer' Pattern Hellgun as mainstay infantry weapons. All ballistic weapons have access to special ammo types. For heavier engagements, they wield plasma weaponry, the 'Hawk' pattern 12-round grenade launcher, and the quad-barreled 'FLASH' pattern missile launcher.

SpectrePose2 — 3 Specter Operators, including a Juggernaut

Anyone who exceeds the stringent marksmanship standards of the Specters can wield the 'Barrett' Pattern sniper rifle, or a much stronger long-las. Those with an affinity for close quarters can wield the full-auto 'Atchisson' pattern shotgun with a 32 round drum, flamers, or melta guns. An Operator can also brandish a variety of melee weapons from the utilitarian and stealthy combat knife to the far less subtle battle axe or chainsword, beat the enemy to death with spiked brass knuckles, or wield power swords. The Operators have a unique formation called 'Juggernauts', who wear heavier versions of 'Tier 1' armor and always use heavy weapons. Juggernauts are physically imposing, and strong enough to carry weapons that usually need multiple men to use.

SpectrePose1 — Operators from the Agents of Liberty's Specter Division armed with various autoguns

The Specters prevent situations from spiraling out of control or ensure the success of particularly important missions and campaigns. Assassination, deep reconnaissance, raids, and other high-stakes missions are within their purview. They fight secret wars across the galaxy wherever needed. When stealth and subtlety can't stop a foe, pure destruction at the hands of elite soldiers is always an option. A Specter is defined as something widely feared and dangerous. It's only fitting that the leaders of mankind's enemies both within and without speak of them in whispered curses.

Regimental Appearance[]

AoL Banner Upgraded — The badge of the Agents of Liberty.

Regimental Colors[]

Members are clad in red, white, and blue. For those skilled enough to earn the 'Tier 1' Pattern of Carapace Armor, they have the choice of using these colors or all-black.

Regimental Badge[]

An Ace of Spades with the stars and stripes of an ancient Terran nation, complete with a bald eagle at the bottom of the spade. 5 Golden stars are at the top and 3 golden stars are at the bottom of the spade, which is flanked by golden-brown wreaths. The words 'Sic Semper Tyrannis' are placed below the spade, translated from High Gothic to mean 'Thus Always To Tyrants'. It's a warning to dictators and a regimental rallying cry. The badge also represents the Agents of Liberty being humanity's ace up its sleeve. The Specters have a pin referred to as 'The Spade', a golden ace of spades made from adamantium. Aesthetics aside, it's saved countless Operators from stray shots.

Regimental Organization[]

Regiment: Composed of 3 battalions totaling 3000-5000 soldiers, an HQ company, and led by a Colonel who’s assisted by a Lt. Colonel.
Battalion: Normally composed of 3 companies totaling 300-1000 soldiers and led by a battalion commander, usually a lieutenant colonel supported by a command sergeant major and a staff in a headquarters and headquarters company.
Company: Composed of 3 platoons totaling 62-190 soldiers, led by a company commander typically ranked 1^st Lieutenant, Captain, or Major and supported by a 1^st Sergeant.
Platoon: Composed of a platoon HQ and 3 squads, led by a platoon leader, typically a second lieutenant supported by a platoon sergeant (sergeant first class). 42 soldiers in total.
Section: Typically led by a sergeant and supported by 1-2 corporals who guide junior NCO squad leads, sections consist of 12-24 soldiers.
Squad: Composed of two fireteams, usually led by a staff sergeant or sergeant. 9 soldiers total.
Fireteam: The smallest unit. A fire team consists of a team leader (usually a sergeant or corporal), and 3 other soldiers.

Regimental Rank Structure[]

Private
Private 1st Class
Specialist
Corporal
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Sergeant 1st Class
Master Sergeant
1st Sergeant
Sergeant Major

Warrant Officer Ranks[]

Warrant Officer 1
Chief Warrant Officer 1-5

Officer Ranks[]

2nd Lieutenant
1st Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Brigadier General
Major General
Lieutenant General
General
General of the Agents of Liberty

Homeworld[]

Battlement is where the Agents Of Liberty call home, and the wars waged for it have all radically shaped them for better or worse. It is many things: besieged, advanced, battle-scarred, self-sufficient, and cut off. Opportunistic pirates, subversive demons, and a vengeful Inquisition are Battlement's most dire threats.

HQ[]

The Hexagon isn't just the HQ for the Agents of Liberty. After Battlement's uprising, it was built on hallowed ground- the crash site of their astartes saviors. It symbolizes the united front in the fight for freedom. Thousands of civilian and military employees make a living in this superstructure, utilizing the finest machinery and cogitators to make it a potent center for command and control. Underground is a battle-room where high-ranking personnel coordinate operations, and even further down are highly classified areas. Only a select few know of its contents, and even fewer have access to it. Its contents were compelling enough for the Inquisition to violently pursue them. The Albus Domus can also serve as an HQ for the Agents. It's both the fortress monastery for the Emperor's Liberators and the palace for Battlement's president. These structures can shrug off entire armies. They've done so once before, but required extensive reconstruction.

Tactics[]

Despite efforts by the President and his subordinate commanders to make the Agents of Liberty adept in all aspects of warfare, logistical and manufacturing limitations along with past strategic tendencies have made such initiatives very difficult. During the anti-Tau uprising, the nascent rebellion was forced to rely on guerrilla tactics and high speed operations. Decisive action, strategy, and proper positioning was the name of the game. Heavy armor was a rare luxury, and infantry had to be well armed and trained for the missions they conducted. After the Imperium arrived, the Agents had access to more manufacturing capabilities and access to the full armory of the Imperial Guard. Additional types of regiments were created and fielded, but the Agents were still vastly overrepresented by Mechanized Infantry, and well-armed soldiers trained in asymmetrical warfare. These troops would be carried in Valkyries and the indigenously designed 'Brad' and 'Striker' (an indigenously designed wheeled) variants of the Chimera. Luckily, armored and artillery support could be relied upon with greater frequency either from their own regiments or from other regiments.

In the field, this manifests as the Agents punching well above their weight in locations with access to cover. Their ability to conceal themselves and bring man-portable firepower to bear has constantly frustrated attempts to dislodge them from defensible positions. The Agents have also been seen being able to launch surprise attacks and ambushes that've left seemingly superior enemy forces crippled, as their major formations and critical assets have been left in ruin. Their Specter Division have perfected these tactics, waging wars like the elite forces of ancient Terra. Unfortunately, this has left the Agents ill-suited to attrition wars and besieging enemies. They're also less capable of handling forces with vastly superior numbers and armor, though defeat against such enemies is far from a guaranteed prospect.

One aspect that has troubled some outside observers is the tendency of the Agents to instigate anti-authoritarian rebellions and cripple hostile regimes by strength of persuasion and propaganda. This makes them adept against the Tau, rogue (and/or tyrannical) governors, and especially large chaos or genestealer cults. Unfortunately, it has also been the catalyst of anti-Imperial uprisings. This has led to dire political consequences. After The Reckoning, the Agents and Emperor's Liberators chapter fight alongside each other to combine their strengths against all manner of foes while compensating for inherent weaknesses.

Notable Personnel[]

Libertatum Primus: Originally from Tarnis, this Freeblade fought Orks and Chaos alongside the Dark Angels. He took up mercenary work on Battlement, but grew sympathetic to its desperate resistance fighters and eventually swore fealty to the Agents of Liberty and its Astartes allies. He is now among the most indispensable warriors in the fight for freedom, and he will be tested like never before.

Relations[]

The unorthodox and arguably heretical values that the Agents of Liberty live and die by has made them many enemies and few friends. Regiments of iron discipline like the Mordian Iron Guard will quickly make an enemy out of the Agents, since the Agents are notorious for their lax discipline and anti-authoritarianism. Unsurprisingly, no Imperial bureaucratic organization was fond of the Agents even before their excommunication. The many enemies the Agents made has resulted in serious consequences for them. Limited common ground can be reached with Imperial warriors who fervently worship the Emperor, and close relations can be forged with humanitarian warriors like the Blood Angels, Salamanders, Space Wolves, Lamenters, and Celestial Lions. Other warriors of a more practical nature are likely to overlook the Agents' cultural quirks so long as results are produced, and bonds could possibly be formed. In the rare instance that a similarly laid-back group of warriors like the Space Wolves and Catachan Jungle Fighters are encountered, relations will be mutually amicable. Factions like these have been rare, and make up the precious few allies the Agents can turn towards.

Allies[]

Add your own homebrew here.

Cadian Shock Troops
Elysian Drop Troops
Catachan Jungle Fighters
Emperor's Liberators
Harkakoni Warhawks

The Agents of Liberty fight alongside Executive Davidius Clarkeson.
Salamanders
Celestial Lions
Lamenters
Space Wolves
Gulf Hawks
Holy Hospitallers
Blood Angels
Ordo Xenos
Teutonicus Korps of Steel- A previously thought-lost regiment that recently returned to the fold. Despite contrasting cultures, they're united in a mutual hatred of the Tau.
The Bronze Bastion: The Bastion have a shaky relationship with them, considering the Agent's sheer amount of enemies in the Imperium, but that won't stop the Bronze Bastion from helping them when they can, sending task forces to assist them when they need aid.
Ultramarines and successors

The Axis of Evil[]

Add your own homebrew here.

The controversy the Agents made for themselves ensured they have many enemies. Though most were made after The Reckoning, quite a few were made in the past. Many detractors have alleged that the Agents were simply Chaos Cultists with an Aquila. Many people seek their pound of flesh from this seemingly traitorous regiment, ensuring they too are bitter foes. Also notable is their bad blood with the Tau Empire. Anyone on the Axis of Evil is a mortal enemy to be killed on sight. When they engage the Agents of Liberty, they'd better not miss.

Death Korps of Krieg
Chaos
Tau
Dark Eldar
Marines Malevolent
Ordo Hereticus
Grey Knights
Maoshi Hive Grinders
Order of the Bloody Rose

The Agents of Liberty battle the Adepta Sororitas in Battlement's capital.
Murdering Sons- Even before The Reckoning, the Agents of Liberty had nothing but disdain for the Murdering Sons. Recent events have only exacerbated everything the Agents hated and feared about them.
Sable Lions- Their disregard for civilian casualties and extreme brutality ensured the Agents would never be friends with the chapter. Significant portions of the regiment outright feared they'd find a reason to turn on Battlement next. Recent events have confirmed these fears, with the results being worse than they imagined. While eager for vengeance, the Agents and Liberators are weary of what vengeance against this unyielding chapter could cost them in irreplaceable lives.
Imperius Ravagers- These Ultramarine successors are unusually brutal and murderous in their campaigns, especially against rebels. Many of their victims have been innocent civilians to the chagrin of the Agents. Many troops in the regiment and countless citizens of Battlement have now been included in the Ravagers' endless tally. It's a debt the Agents are eager to repay, but it'll be dangerous.
Destroyers of Worlds- The Destroyers see the Agents of Liberty as a wayward regiment responsible for many crimes against the Imperium and the Emperor. The truth is far different, but is now buried along with every Agent and Liberator they killed during The Reckoning. While the current situation prohibits the Agents and Liberators from actively seeking vengeance for the near-destruction of Battlement, they will not back down from an engagement should the situation present itself.
Vostroyan Firstborn
Valhallan Ice Warriors
Mordian Iron Guard

Regimental Wargear[]

(Made in collaboration with KaiserPanzer)

The exact wargear that an Agent of Liberty employs depends on their specialty, as all members have their own wargear to bolster their personal effectiveness in the field. Though a majority of Agents don't use autoguns for logistics reasons, a significant portion of them use the Bushmaster or Colt pattern autogun. These workhorse autoguns can have many rails and modifications to bolster its potency, and are iconic firearms for the regiment. The Colt pattern auto-pistol is a standard issue sidearm as well, available with modifications. For most Agents, they will use the Hellbringer-Pattern Lasgun and laspistol. Most Agents will bring two No. 67-pattern frag grenades, a Krak Grenade, and a smoke grenade. In terms of their uniform, a typical Agent will wear the Liberation pattern helmet and Interceptor pattern flak armor.

To negotiate various battlefield conditions, an Agent can use an M40 pattern gas mask and an L3-18 pattern photo-visors with a 105 degree horizontal field of view, affixed to the mounting brackets on their helmets. Each soldier has a TTH pattern micro-bead, a Goober pattern entrenching tool, 'MOLLE' pattern rucksack, poor weather gear, survival kit, basic toolkit, 2 weeks' rations, mess kit, water canteen, sleeping bag and blanket, rechargeable lamp packs, a grooming kit, and dog tags. Most controversially, every Agent has the following debatably heretical texts: 984.M2; Independence: 776.M2; and Celsius 232.778. These ancient texts of ancient Terran origin preach the values of freedom and warn against tyranny. Every Agent must have a solid grasp of its values, and the Oro Hereticus (among other groups in the Imperium) condemn these texts. The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer is also carried as a symbolic show of loyalty to the Imperium and the Emperor.

Quotes[]

(Feel free to add your own)

By:[]

"The 'Greater Good' is a lie! Whose greater good is it really for, and at what cost is it to everyone else?!"

— Crispus Attuckus, Founder of the Agents of Liberty.

"Obstruction detected. Composition Iridium alloy supplemented by photonic resonance barrier. Probability of mission hinderance? Zero percent."

— Libertatum Primus

"Death is a preferable alternative to the Greater Good."

— Libertatum Primus

"As time went on, we began to wonder if we truly belonged in this era of human history, or if we were warriors of a bygone age..."

— Sgt Harrison of the Agents of Liberty

"Heh. Cognitive dissonance is a helluva drug, ain't it?"

—An Agents of Liberty secessionist taunting his former comrades.

About:[]

"Them? I hate them. Self-righteous traitors I hated them both then when I served with them and now. These ingrates denigrate our Imperium, hold it to a standard higher than what the Emperor Himself has forged. I refuse to speak their names out of disgust, reducing the imperium to merely an oversimplified label of evil, and now spit upon its benevolence to humanity. The Imperium, however flawed, it is humanity’s lifeline, I loyally serve with pride. Ironically, their fight for total freedom and knowledge leads to greater tyranny & ignorance if left unchecked. These traitors are unimaginably stupid, naïve. Others still hold high opinions of them, but this forgets one simple truth. Now we fight secessionists, secessionists are traitors, traitors are heretics, heretics burn."

— Unknown Maoshi Hive Grinders

"Those Liberty guys have some funny ideas on government but at least they fight well."

— Ishtar Rangers Sniper in conversation at base camp.

"They don't understand the benefits of Neural Programmed Learning, they called it Mind Wiping for some reason but I remember everything."

— Cogger Hive Guard Private said in confusion

"They fight commendably and I would give them due honours had this been any other occasion. Alas, they are our opponents and the best we may grant them is an honourable death."

— Brother Haradesh of the Destroyers of Worlds during The Reckoning

"I have seen too many exemplary regiments fall to the lure of Chaos. And yet, these raucous, unruly soldiers do not let the ashes of heresy taint the flame of freedom in their hearts"

— Moiros Mikaelou of the Forge Templars Chapter

"Freedom...a interesting concept, so rarely executed justly. The Agents of Liberty have a idealistic vision of Freedom, a vision that simply cannot be achieved today. They are destined to fail. My truth of freedom, is that in this era one can only truly be free once he forfeits his fate. Ah, I hate to do it to them, but...mark them for Crusade. Clearly they must be taught a lesson in loyalty, and none better to teach it then the Emperors Champion!"

—Chaplain Mortigar of the Red Crusaders to a scribe on his quarters, responding to the suggestion that war may come with the agents, and as a result of his study of them.

"The defense of Tyrolis V from the Tau will always be the day we were reunited with our freedom-loving komraden. Despite our short time together, we both gave a smackdown to those blue freaks that they will not soon forget."

— Captain Heinrich Vögt of Macharius Vanquisher 714 from the Teutonicus Korps of Steel.

"The road to freedom has been stalked by death, and now you've turned renegade, when you're at his doorsteps don't expect anyone to save you from your own failures. "

—Seeker of the void Paxillos of the Ember Sharks chapter

"Tyranny is a necessary evil for the human species' prolonged survival. Harbingers of extinction lurk within and without the Imperium, waiting for an opening that they may exploit. Leniency in our vigil brought about by freedom is one such opening that will wipe our race from the galaxy."

—Unknown Lightning Wraiths Magister