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This article, Horned Machetes, was written by SunnyFan14. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
- "They will not stop, they will not rest, until the Horned System and all other Systems are purged of the Tyranids. Their hatred for the hivemind rivals even their loyalty to the Imperium itself."
- —Anonymous
The Horned Machetes are a fleet-based Space Marine Chapter of Adeptus Astartes, forged in the crucible of the 19th Founding from the gene-seed of Primarch Corvus Corax. Though their lineage lies with the Raven Guard, they are a distinct breed - brooding, merciless, and forged in isolation. Operating without the luxury of a homeworld, the Horned Machetes roam the void aboard a flotilla of battered strike vessels, ever vigilant over the war-torn Horned System, a frontier region assailed by Tyranid incursions, alien marauders, and the ever-creeping shadow of the warp. They regard the xenos as not merely a threat, but a sacrilege - an infestation upon the Emperor's sacred dominion that must be purged without hesitation or mercy.
Their name was earned in blood during the Tyrannic Crusade in M36. Their icon - the "Dual Impaler" (crossed machete) - became both a symbol of vengeance and a mark of sacrifice. It was during the aftermath of the campaign known as the Machete Massacre in M40, with the Chapter's numbers devastated and its gene-seed reserves perilously low, that the Horned Machetes forged a lasting bond with the Order of the Glowing Axe, a militant Order of the Adepta Sororitas. This alliance has endured, born not of diplomacy, but of shared hardship and blood spilled on alien soil.
Chapter Origins[]
Some time during the 36th Millennium, the Horned System was invaded by a Tyranid Hive Fleet. Because of the amount of planets and large amounts of biomass. The Raven Guard, alongside two Astra Militarum Regiments, were dispatched to the Horned System to prevent the large amount of biomass from being converted into Tyranids. After a large battle between the Imperium and Tyranid forces, the Tyranids retreated when a large Splinter Fleet was destroyed. However, one of the Astra Militarum regiments was destroyed in the battle and the Raven Guard suffered major casualties. Because of fears of another attack, the Horned Machetes were established as a fleet-based chapter to defend the Horned System.
Notable Battles and Campaigns[]
Tyrannic Crusade (Unknown Date.M36)[]
The Crusade was initiated when a Tyranid Hive Fleet attacked the Horned System. The Raven Guard, along with two Astra Militarum regiments, was dispatched onto the Horned System. The Raven Guard were to be dispatched onto one planet at a time to thoroughly exterminate the Xenos forces, while the Astra Militarum would be dispatched onto every planet to defend them. but the Astartes fleet were ambushed by a Splinter Fleet and only a quarter of the Raven Guard managed to land safely on the first planet. After a month of disbandment, the remaining Raven Guard fleet were able to regroup, but the Astra Militarum forces had been virtually wiped out, with one of the regiments being entirely destroyed. The Raven Guard exterminated 3 planets when they were ambushed again by the same Splinter Fleet. With the help of the Astra Militarum, the Raven Guard, led by Ghedorus Megolor, defeated the Splinter Fleet and caused the Tyranids to retreat when their most powerful warriors were killed in the ambush. The Raven Guard chased after the Tyranid hive fleet before they escaped the Horned System, and Megolor planted a virus into the fleet, killing them. The Horned Machetes were then created in the 19th founding to prevent any further Tyranid invasions.
Battle of Brancharia (Unknown Date.M38)[]
The Battle of Brancharia was a battle between the 2nd Company of the Horned Machetes and a Genestealer Cult on the planet Brancharia. The Horned Machetes achieved victory over the Genestealer Cult and gained the relic Tyrannical Wrath in the battle.
Battle of Darkness (Unknown Date.M40)[]
Following the Tyrannical Crusade and Battle of Brancharia, the Battle of Darkness ensued. Not much is known about this battle, other than that a large Splinter Fleet arrived in the Horned System to try to claim it a second time. The battle was a landslide victory with the help of 3 Deathwatch Kill-Teams. Following this enormous success, Megolor began to send most of the finest warriors of the chapter to the Deathwatch to honour both the Deathwatch’s aid and the achievements of the veterans.
The Machete Massacre (Unknown Date.M40)[]
Five hundred years after Megolor's Deathwatch deployment spree, a massive Ork WAAAGH!!! crashed into the Horned System. The Ork Klan was particularly delusional, even for Ork standards, making their psycho-reality warping powers incredibly dangerous. The Machetes believed a fourth major victory was to soon arrive, but with many important warriors in the Deathwatch, the chapter was quickly failing. To quickly end the battle, a Horned Assassination was launched against Warboss Krumpakka, which successfully killed him. However, after examining the corpse, the Horned Machetes discovered that Krumpakka’s heart rate stopping had triggered an Attack Moon, one of the largest written within Imperial Records. The stupidity of the Ork Clan allowed them to make the Attack Moon incredibly fast in velocity, causing it to speed through the whole System, rendering 1 planet uninhabitable, inflicting catastrophic damage onto a further 3 planets before crashing into Brancharia, ironically killing the Astartes who had performed the Horned Assassination.
After Krumpakka’s death and the heavy assistance of Imperial Guard and Sisters of Battle, the Orkz were eventually pushed back enough to largely end the battle, but because of the damage done, it was considered a catastrophic defeat for the Horned Machetes. The Inquisition was called by the Chaplains, and Megolor was investigated for heresy. Though no mark was found on him, the Horned Machetes were dishonoured by the Raven Guard. As a response, a new Militant Order of the Adepta Sororita was declared to fight alongside the Machetes, known as the Order of the Glowing Axe, as the Imperium recognised Xenos incursions into the Horned System were too frequent for it to only be defended by a singular chapter of the Astartes. As well as this, records of the Battle of Darkness were redacted to make the Machetes forget the foolish pride that caused this horrific failure.
Tyrannic Purgatory (Unknown Date.M41)[]
The Tyrannic Purgatory began when Tyrannical Wrath, a relic seized during the Battle of Brancharia, emitted an ear-piercing high pitched shrieking noise that disabled nearby technology. The Adeptus Mechanicus of Forgeworld Rammaka investigated the device and found that it had alerted 5 separate massive Splinter Fleets of Tyranids to the Horned System, composing the Hive Fleet Charybdis. The Glowing Axe and Horned Machetes immediately prepared for one of their greatest wars yet, known as the Tyrannic Purgatory due to the sheer amount of Tyranid forces engaging in battle. During the purgatory, the Machetes faced the second and third splinter fleets, fighting some of the strongest Xenos of the Fleet while also fighting the quickly spreading Genestealer Cults amongst mortal soldiers, barely able to stomp them out quicker than them growing.
Eventually both the Glowing Axe and Horned Machetes discovered the location of the final Splinter Fleet on a moon of Rammaka. Combining their forces, the dual Imperial soldiers lead a crushing shock attack on the Splinter Fleet, fighting through void warfare, underwater combat and sheer rage, until a Swarmlord deployed onto the Forgeworld, the strongest Tyranid to ever roam the Horned System. It immediately massacred Sororitas and Astartes with ease, with the PDF nearly exhausting all of its resources just to keep the monstrosity at bay. Ghedorus Megolor personally attacked the Swarmlord and fought it with shameful determination, opposing not only the Xenos tides but his own shame after the Machete Massacre. Megolor, realising that the only being he was obligated to assist was the Emperor, tore off the Swarmlord’s brain from its skull, forcing Charybdis to retreat, before collapsing from his wounds in battle.
Chapter Organisation[]
Officer Ranks[]
- Chapter Master
- Captain
- Lieutenant
Specialist Ranks[]
- Reclusiarch
- Chaplain
- Chief Librarian
- Librarian
- Chief Apothecary
- Apothecary
- Master of the Forge
- Techmarine
- Chapter Champion
- Company Champion
- Chapter Ancient
- Company Ancient
Line Ranks[]
- Veteran Sergeant
- Veteran
- Sergeant
- Battle-Brother
- Scout Marine
- Neophyte
- Aspirant
Specialist Units & Formations[]
The Horned Assassination[]
In this formation, 10 snipers are scattered across the battlefield for every possible angle. They all aim at one target and fire at the exact same time, to do maximum damage and make the location of the snipers impossible to track.
This was used on Warboss Krumpakka, killing him; which resulted in the triggering of an Attack Moon that ravaged the Horned System. The Horned Assassination has since become rarer in usage.
Order of Battle[]
Headquarters[]
The Horned Fortress serves as both the Fortress-Monastery and as a Headquarters.
Companies[]
1st Company[]
Also known as the Horned Ones, this company nearly exclusively uses the Dual Impaler and other melee weapons. as well as this, the Horned Ones also wear unique helmets with horns fused on. The horns have the names of fallen brothers etched into them to remind them of the identities of the fallen as centuries of battle pass.
2nd Company[]
Formerly led by Dalrok, the company is mostly comprised of veterans and former Deathwatch members. They specialize in non-melee warfare and assassinations, and it is believed that this company is the origin of the Horned Assassination.
Chapter Gene-Seed[]
The Horned Machetes gene-seed come from the Raven Guard.
Primarch's Curse: Lure of the Shadows[]
Like the Raven Guard, the Horned Machetes demeanor will heavily reflect their Combat Doctrine.
- Stage 1 - The Battle-Brother is used to working in his small Horned Machete strike team, and finds the direct tactics used by the Horned Machetes to be brutish and ineffective. When commanded into a direct attack that he finds violent, the Battle-Brother is resistant, almost to the level of disobedience.
- Stage 2 - Becoming increasingly intractable, the Battle-Brother becomes angry and begins to despise the melee tactics of the Horned Machetes almost as much as the Tyranids.
- Stage 3 - The Battle-Brother actively ignores orders and argues against his fellow Battle-Brothers. On rare occasions, the Battle-Brother may turn to Chaos to leave the Horned Machetes behind.
Chapter Recruitment[]
Like the Raven Guard, the Horned Machetes are forced to face harsh trials with little resources, such as slaying monsters that have been mutated by the effects of spores. The Machetes take special interest in those who have experienced the wrath of the Tyranids firsthand.
Combat Doctrine[]
The Horned Machetes' combat doctrine is brutally direct. When they strike, they do so as a single blade - concentrated force at a single point, overwhelming even the most entrenched foes. They favor shock assaults and close-quarters execution, cleaving through limbs and skulls with mono-edged machetes and relic chainblades. But they are not without precision; having inherited the Raven Guard's discipline in marksmanship, they employ long-range eliminators and stalker-bolter marksmen when the foe's strength or mutation renders close combat untenable.
Chapter Size[]
The Horned Machetes are estimated to have from 800-900 men in it's ranks. Because of frequent and large attacks from the Tyranids, they have not been able to dramatically increase their numbers.
Deathwatch Service[]
Deathwatch Service is seen as the greatest honour a Horned Machete can have, not only slaying Tyranids but handfuls of other Xenos forces as well. After the Battle of Darkness, Ghedorus Megolor recklessly deployed some of the most important Horned Machetes into the Deathwatch, which played a key factor in the Machete Massacre.
Notable Horned Machetes[]
- Ghedorus Megolor - Current Chapter Master of the Horned Machetes. He destroyed the Tyranid Hive Fleet during the Tyrannic Crusade and was appointed Chapter Master because of his heroism. He is known for his love of the Deathwatch which as mentioned in the above paragraph, led to the Machete Massacre. Due to this, Megolor was investigated for heresy. While no mark of the Ruinous Powers was found, Megolor’s reputation was forever ruined.
- Dalrok - Also known as the Tyrannic Purger, is a Dreadnought and member of the Horned Machetes. He was the captain of the 2nd Company during the Battle of Brancharia and was the first of many veterans to be deployed onto the Deathwatch after the Battle of Darkness, where he fought for 3 centuries, and supposedly fought a Carnifex with only a Chainsword and Boltgun. During the aftermath of the Machete Massacre, Dalrok was brought back to the Horned Machetes. After a fierce battle against a Neurothrope, a group of heretical Imperial Guards were able to ambush the off-guard Dalrok and destroy both his legs and part of his brain. The Astartes was quickly evacuated by a squad of Sisters of Battle. The corrupted Guards were interrogated by the Inquisition, and the organization discovered a large underground Chaos group within the Horned System, composed of nearly a quarter of Astra Militarum forces, whom were executed within a decade. Dalrok was put into a Dreadnought, and has been fighting since despite no longer being the Captain..
Chapter Fleet[]
The Chapter fleet of the Horned Machetes is known to contain the following starships:
- Xenocrusher (Battle Barge) - It is the personal flagship of the Horned Machetes and serves essentially as the Chapter's mobile secondary Fortress-Monastery, alongside the Horned Fortress.
- Machete Bringer (Battle Barge)
- Toxic Wrath (Battle Barge)
Chapter Relics[]
- Tyrannical Wrath - A strange Bioweapon found in the Battle of Brancharia that turned out to be an organic tracking device.
Chapter Appearance[]
The Horned Machetes possess a distinct and fearsome visual identity that reflects their grim ethos and brutal battlefield methods. The overall appearance of this Chapter is one of lethal elegance and ceremonial brutality, clearly identifying them as Sons of Corax while embracing a darker, more totemic war culture forged in isolation and honed through relentless, silent retribution.
Chapter Colours[]
Their power armour is predominantly a cold, metallic silver, lending them a stark, austere presence well-suited to both stealth warfare and psychological intimidation. This is offset by gold trim, particularly evident on their pauldrons and chest accents, conveying both nobility and deathly finality. A flowing black tabard, affixed with purity seals and relics, adds to their funerary aesthetic.
The left pauldron prominently bears the Chapter icon - a pair of black crossed machete, a brutal emblem that reflects both their name and doctrine - blending the precision of surgical strikes with savage, close-range violence. Their right pauldron features a black squad specialty symbol, indicating a battle-brother's assigned combat role (Close Support, Fire Support, Battleline, Veteran and Command). A small white Gothic numeral stencilled on the center of this symbol indicates squad assignment. Alternatively, the squad specialty symbol can also be displayed on the right poleyn (knee guard) or the right vambrace.
The helmet is particularly unique - sleek, featureless, and silvered, with blue warpaint that looks like tears running down from glowing optics, giving each battle-brother an emotionless, executioner-like visage. Ornamental studs and death symbols across the armor, along with knee markings and personal heraldry, enhance the appearance of a warrior cult that reveres death as both a weapon and a rite.
Chapter Badge[]
The Chapter icon of the Horned Machetes is a stark and brutal design, perfectly embodying the savage precision and ritualistic violence that defines this Raven Guard successor. Set against a weathered, silver background, the central motif features two large black machetes crossed in an "X"-shape, known collectively as the "Dual Impaler." These formidable weapons are more than symbolic - they are real and revered relics, wielded exclusively by the elite warriors of the 1st Company, marking them as the Chapter's most feared executioners. This savage icon serves not only as a badge of identity but as a declaration: those who bear the Dual Impaler are not merely warriors - they are consecrated butchers - selected to deliver the Chapter's most lethal judgments.
Relations[]
Allies[]
| Name | Iconography | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raven Guard |  |
The Raven Guard often assist the Horned Machetes in their missions. |
| Astra Militarum |  |
The Horned Machetes see the Imperial Guard as brave warriors who have the courage to protect humanity even without the power of a Space Marine. |
| Deathwatch |   |
Several Deathwatch Killteams assisted in the Battle of Darkness, and Ghedorus Megolor, the Chapter Master, is known for his love of the Deathwatch. Several important veterans, such as Dalrok, were deployed onto the Deathwatch, which cause the Machete Massacre. Since then, Horned Machetes have only been deployed onto the Deathwatch when asked to, but it is still considered a great honour. |
| Order of the Glowing Axe |   |
The largest ally of the Horned Machetes are by far the Order of the Glowing Axe. Following the disastrous Machete Massacre, a raid by Orkz that resulted in the decimation of several planets in the Horned System, this Order was founded to assist the Horned Machetes. |
Enemies[]
| Name | Iconography | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tyranids |   |
The Tyranids are the sworn enemy of the Horned Machetes, being the very reason the Chapter was created. The Xenos hivemind is viewed as an insult to the God-Emperor, and that they should be purged from the galaxy. |
| Genestealer Cults |   |
Genestealer Cults are seen by the Horned Machetes as a disgusting mix of mortal and Xenos, and a freakish cult that should be eradicated from the galaxy. Genestealers were the main enemy of the Horned Machetes in the Battle of Brancharia. |
Notable Quotes[]
By: Horned Machetes[]
- "Brothers, a great threat to the Horned System awaits us. But we must not let them win, for we fight for humanity, we fight for the Emperor and for the Imperium, because if we do not fight against the alien horde, who will?"
- —Megolor
About: Horned Machetes[]
- "Ghedorus Megolor, your reckless obsession with the Deathwatch has nearly ravaged the Horned System, and the damage has been so great I believe you have been corrupted by Chaos."
- —Inquisitor D’lark
| Nineteenth Founding Space Marine Chapters | |
|---|---|
| Dark Angels Successors | • |
| White Scars Successors | Voidborne • |
| Space Wolves Successors | N/A |
| Imperial Fists Successors | Charnel Hammers • Knights of Sol • |
| Blood Angels Successors | Ashen Angels (Wardens of Ash) • Auricblood Knights • |
| Iron Hands Successors | • |
| Ultramarines Successors | Knights of the Silver Blade • |
| Salamanders Successors | Ashborne Drakes • |
| Raven Guard Successors | Ashen Crows • Horned Machetes • |
| Unknown Lineage | Sin Seekers • Storm Knights • |
| Renegades | War Lions • |