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This article, Iron Harbingers, was written by Algrim Whitefang. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
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The Iron Harbingers is 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 dire 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.
Chapter History
The history of the Iron Harbingers hearkens back to the notorious Age of Darkness, during the dark and foreboding era of the galaxy-spanning conflict known as the Horus Heresy and the tragedy that befell their gene-sire. With the fall of the Emperor's most favoured son, Horus Lupercal, Primarch of the Sons of Horus and Warmaster of the Imperium's entirety of its military forces, to the corrupting influence of the Ruinous Powers and the subsequent massacre that occurred during the Isstvan III Atrocity, the Arch-Traitor's perfidy had been revealed. In retaliation, the Emperor dispatched a retribution force, comprised of seven Loyalist Space Marine Legions to the world of Isstvan V, where Horus' Traitor forces were currently staged. Unknown to the Iron Hands, Raven Guard and Salamanders Legions, four of their fellow allies had already been turned to the Warmaster's cause, and would suffer terribly at their hands. This campaign would become one of the most devastating defeats in the history of the Adeptus Astartes, which saw the three Loyalist Legions nearly annihilated as effective fighting forces for the rest of the Heresy. Tragically, their defeat was compounded by the death of the Iron Hands' gene-sire, Ferrus Manus, at the hands of his former brother Fulgrim, the daemon-corrupted Primarch of the Emperor's Children. The Iron Hands had been undone by their own hubris and rage as well as the blade of the Traitors and paid a heavy price in the death of their gene-sire and the near-crippling of their Legion's overall strength.
The aftermath of the Dropsite Massacre of Isstvan V, where the Iron Hands Legion was shattered. (Rare pict-capture of the Urgall Depression.)
While the Traitor Legion forces declared the Iron Hands' Primarch dead upon the blackened wastes of Isstvan V, many within the X Legion refused to accept this as the unvarnished truth, for there was no body ever recovered. However, the remaining survivors of Clan Kadoran held no such illusions, for they had witnessed the death of the Gorgon firsthand. Many of these legionaries quickly descended into grief and madness. Those few that managed to miraculously make it off the surface of Isstvan V and survived the calamitous void ambush of the Traitor Legions' fleet, broke away and scattered across the stars, with the Traitors in hot pursuit. The survivors of Kadoran formed an isolationist band that began to fight their own private war of vengeance against the bastard Traitors, throwing themselves wholesale into the crucible of war in order to absolve themselves of the loss of their father.
War of Vengeance
Great Scouring
Founding
Ironclad Brotherhood
Notable Campaigns
Chapter Homeworld
Fortress-Monastery
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 the 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 which is further divided of 200 Astartes each, rather than the standard division into 10 companies of 100 Astartes each. The five War Clans basically act as slightly larger Battle Companies that conform roughly to their Codex equivalents. This includes the incorporation of Primaris Space Marines comprised of a mixture of Intercessors, Hellblasters, Aggressors, Inceptors, and Reivers Squads into their standard specialist squad formations. 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. What is also unique, is that these Scout Marines and Reiver squads are comprised of hand-picked Veteran Marines rather than newly inducted Neophytes.
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 and Scout 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 on 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 utilised 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, these 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.
- Iron Champion - Champion of the Chapter or War Clan.
Line Ranks
- Dominus Primus Veteran Sergeant equivalent.
- Dominus - Sergeant equivalent.
- Clan-Brother - Battle-Brother equivalent.
- Forgeling - Neophyte equivalent.
Specialist Formations
- Myrmidons - Myrmidons are named for the legendary warlike people of Grecian mythology, native to the region of Thessaly. During the Trojan War, they were commanded by Achilles, as described in Homer's Iliad. Often these formidable warriors serve as part of the personal retinues of both the Iron Lord and the Iron Thanes of the Chapter, responsible for the safety of their commanders and carrying the Chapter's sacred battle standards into battle. This elite cadre of Veteran Space Marines has given many centuries of exceptionally courageous service to their Chapter. They have proven themselves in battle, having fulfilled many centuries of exceptionally courageous service, serving as living exemplars to their Clan-Brothers as truly chosen Scions of the Gorgon. Taciturn and solemn warriors in repose, they are also amongst the most ferocious and unyielding of the Chapter's warriors in battle. The Iron Harbingers' Chapter annals are filled with many of the heroic deeds of legend performed by these elite warriors.
- Kratos Veteran Squads - Named after the ancient personified spirit of strength, might, and power, this aptly named formation consists of the elite veterans of the Iron Harbingers, including their formidable Terminator Squads. The Kratos is the bloody tip of the spear that drives hard into the vitals of the Iron Harbingers' foes. They are the deadliest and most experienced warriors of the Chapter, and whatever force is arrayed against these black-clad elites cannot hope to survive their wrath.
- Homados Tactical Squads - Named for the personification of the din of battle of ancient Grecian mythology, Homados Tactical Squads are the bedrock of the Chapter, equipped to fight using a variety of ranged weapons across a broad range of combat conditions as part of a ten-man Astartes Tactical Squad. Consisting of both standard Tactical Squads and Primaris Space Marine Intercessor Squads, these are the most common type of Space Marine squads that form the mainstay of the Chapter. Some of these squads are held in reserve and are unleashed once a weakness in an enemy line has been identified. Trained in fire saturation techniques and carrying additional close combat weaponry for use in overrunning enemy positions, the Homados Squads show the dominance of the Tactical Squad in accordance with the Iron Harbingers' preferred tactical strategies.
- Hybreos Assault Squads - Consisting of both standard Assault Squads and Primaris Space Marine Inceptor Squads, these elite assault formations are named for the goddess of ancient Grecian mythology that personified insolence and violence. Hybreos Assault Squads specialise in lightning-swift assaults which maim and disable a foe, striking down leaders, mercilessly cutting down any who are weak or isolated, and sowing panic and disorder in any who remain. Vicious and adaptable, the Hybreos can fight equally well in multiple theatres of warfare, from void-based boarding actions to battlefield shock-assaults, hit-and-run raids, and scouring operations.
- 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, offering no possibility of mercy or reprieve for their victims that inevitably fall to their cleansing flames. They are often shunned and deemed somehow tainted by many of their fellow Astartes of their fellow Iron Hands Successors, who consider such a disreputable formation as a necessary evil, although the effectiveness of the Raróg Breachers' relic weaponry in cracking especially difficult enemy defences and fortifications cannot be denied.
- Alastôr Destructor Squads - Named for the personification of the avenging spirit from ancient Grecian mythology, Alastôr Destructor Squads are powerful heavy weapons specialists of the Iron Harbingers. Specialising with all types of Astartes heavy weaponry, they can unleash a formidable salvo of withering fire, providing covering fire to their battleline and close support brethren. Through target selection, superior marksmanship, and the timely application of overwhelming firepower, they often play a pivotal role in the achievement of countless victories in service to their Chapter. As primarily long-range support units, Alastôr Destructor Squads stand ready with the promise of destruction at greater range than any of their fellow Clan-Brothers, able to assassinate prime targets, perform counter-battery volleys or destruction of enemy armour. These specialist squads consist of standard Devastator Squads as well as Primaris Space Marine Aggressor and Hellblaster Squads.
- Dolōs Scout Squads - Named for Dolōs, the personified spirit of trickery, cunning deception, and guile of ancient Grecian mythology, these specialist units consist of both standard Scout Marine Squads and Primaris Space Marine Reiver Squads. Unlike most conventional Codex-compliant Chapters, the Iron Harbingers prefer to utilise experienced warriors in the ranks of their Scout Marine Squads which are culled from Veteran Marines, not Neophytes, that are commonly used by other Chapters. Often these warriors shun the close-knit brotherhood of their fellow Clan-Brothers of a War Clan. They are often taciturn, fierce, and unforgiving warriors who possess a brooding demeanour and a murderous streak within their cold hearts. Despite their unsuitability for bonds of kinship, they are nevertheless an invaluable asset. Their cunning and grim, individualistic personality makes them superlative hunters and trackers of unsurpassed skill. They are also some of the best marksmen within the Chapter. Dolōs Squads are often deployed to seek out, identify and take out an enemy's command structure, and slay them with a single well-placed bolt round while the chaos of battle rages around them. These consummate killers can rapidly inflict targeted casualties at both long and close ranges, sowing destruction and chaos behind enemy lines and demoralising their foes.
- Medusan Immortals Squads -A specialist formation whose origins hearken back to the bygone era of the Great Crusade, these squads consist of Clan-Brothers who have failed their gene-sire's rigid standards and bleak code in battle, whether tasting defeat by the fickle whims of fate or whether laid low by a wound too terrible to bear. This formation is a collective of those Clan-Brothers who have been found wanting - a forlorn hope - a final chance at glory and redemption where the fighting is fiercest and risk of survival, even for an Astartes, is at its dimmest. Armed and armoured principally as Line Breacher assault units, many of these ostracised Astartes feature high levels of cybernetic replacements amongst them. They bear no symbols of their Clan or Chapter, save their numeration and the black-on-white death's head symbol which proclaims their mortal intent.
Battle-Automata Maniples
Iron Harbingers Consul-Praevium, Erastas Klauth, of the 2nd War Clan (Morta).
Since the bygone era of the Great Crusade, the Iron Harbingers have been masters of all things automaton-related. Possessing the innate technological genius and aptitude of their gene-sire, the Astartes ancestors of this Chapter formed strong bonds with their Legio Cybernetica allies, who taught the Legionaries of Clan Kadoran some of the deepest mysteries of the dark arts of Cybertheurgy and the techno-arcana of their relic battle-automata assigned to them. In return, the Iron Harbingers willingly share any newly re-discovered Standard Template Constructs, recovered archaeotech, or unknown xenos technology they might uncover during their many sojourns across the galaxy, while out on campaign. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties involved - the Legio Cybernetica are able to study these highly prized, ancient, and potent relics from the Dark Age of Technology while providing the Iron Harbingers with the most potent battle-automata and weapons available in their vast arsenal.
A rare example of a Castellax-class Battle-Automata, Thetis-Epsilon-3445-Mu, of the Iron Harbingers' Cybernetica Cohort. Assigned to War Clan Moirai (4th War Clan).
Even after their Founding, the Iron Harbingers still continued to maintain a small Cohort of battle-automata who could be called upon to unleash the wrath of the Omnissiah upon the enemies of Mankind. Highly valued by their Astartes masters, many battle-automata bear an Iron Harbingers banner over their shoulders, their armour plating etched with unique tech-glyphs forms associated with their assigned Chapter and its Medusan lineage. A few rare units of the Chapter's automata Cohorts have oath parchments and scrolls of tech prayers bound to their armour plating, marking them as particularly accomplished in battle. These battle-automata, from a variety of classes and designs, are enrolled in the Chapter's archives as honourary members of the Iron Harbingers. Thus recognised, these few robots bear the Chapter's cog-chain/Cog-Mechanicum iconography of the Chapter. Such an honour is tantamount to the highest accolades in the Legio Cybernetica, and evidence of the commanding Consul-Praevium's mastery - such a machine clearly possesses a spirit of fierce intensity and is worthy of recognition.
Despite the usual cold indifference paid by the Astartes outside the Chapter towards the Adepts of the Imperial Robot Cohort, these honoured battle-automata are sincerely respected by the Iron Harbingers, who reverently refer to them, as 'Brother'. Sadly, though once a common sight amongst the ranks of the Imperium's military forces during the Great Crusade era, a great many battle-automata have been lost to the ravages of time, the secrets of their construction all but forgotten, making them quite rare in the modern era. Due to these circumstances and their extreme rarity, only a Techmarine of surpassing rank and a senior Tech-Priest of the Chapter's Legio Cybernetica Cohort can sanction their use, and absurd lengths are taken to retrieve those that fall in battle.
Notable Battle-Automata
Pict-File of Battle-Automata Thanatos-Sigma-0226-Rho.
- Thanatos-Sigma-0226-Rho - Iron Harbingers Domitar Ferrum pattern Battle-Automata Thanatos-Sigma-0226-Rho, assigned to War Clan Morta (2nd War Clan. This rare pattern was created from the Domitar-class and extensively modified by Perturabo, traitor Primarch of the Iron Warriors sometime during the Horus Heresy. This ancient machine was said to have been captured by the Iron Hands Legion during one of their many campaigns of vengeance against the hated traitors (a rare prize) and re-programmed to serve their Legion. It was later passed down to the Iron Harbingers upon their inception.
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 are 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 is 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 masters 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 its 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 remain 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.
Order of Battle
The following is the current disposition of the Iron Harbingers' Chapter organisation as it stood in 999.M41:
Ferrum Cubiculum (Headquarters)
| Chapter Command | ||||
|
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| Ferrum Cubiculum | Reclusium | Apothecarion | Librarius | Armoury |
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Iron Clans (Companies)
| War Clans | |
| 1st War Clan (Gorgos) |
2nd War Clan (Morta) |
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| War Clans | ||||
| 3rd War Clan (Clotho) |
4th War Clan (Moirai) |
5th War Clan (Algol) | ||
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Chapter Armorium
Chapter Wargear
As inheritors of Ferrus Manus' technological genius and superior engineering acumen, the Iron Harbingers possess a level of technology and weaponry that is higher than the Imperial average utilised by other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. Their armoury is particularly extensive and diverse, offering Clan-Brothers of the Chapter a wide array of relic weapons and technologies of great potency, but in the modern era, are all but impossible to replicate and even considered treacherous. The Iron Harbingers have retained many of these ancient and potent relics, as well as the techno-arcana that resides within them. These they continue to employ solely within the Chapter, weapons whose secrets were never fully yielded to Mars or their fellow Space Marine brethren.
Where other Chapters receive their arms and equipment, which are easily replicated on Forge across the Imperium, the Iron Harbingers are able to salvage, repair and produce a wide variety of wargear. Their range of technology is believed to include the extremely rare capability to construct new Dreadnought chassis, rarer variants of several types of armoured vehicles and aerial gunships as well as several patterns of Terminator Armour, including the superior Tartaros pattern and the now, near-extinct Gorgon pattern.
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 with 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 with the Gorgon's wishes, each Clan possesses its very own distinct identities and traditions, each vying against the 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 bloody affairs, 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. Failure to the Iron Harbingers is not countenanced, and affronts to the Chapter's honour, real or perceived, are met with brutal and deadly force, while defeat is viewed as a problem to be rectified and avenged. To a Clan-Brother of the Iron Harbingers, doing otherwise would be to show weakness, and weakness in any form means death.
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 toward 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.
It is clear that even from their inception, the Iron Harbingers see themselves not as a collective of individual warriors but as a cohesive and unified whole. A consummate force that works flawlessly as if guided by a single gestalt consciousness, working in almost perfect synchronisation, like the parts of a machine. They believe in overwhelming their foes with the most efficient and direct methods as possible, destroying the enemy's ability to resist and, where needed, utterly exterminating them wholesale. They do not seek to attain personal glory or honour as it belongs to the Chapter as a whole, not to the individual warrior. Therefore, ostentatious decoration or personal marks of honour is usually frowned upon by the dour Astartes of this Chapter.
While honourifics and commendations, in general, mean little to the Iron Harbingers at an individual level, technological skill and the ability to wage warfare in the manner that the Chapter favors are recognised and rewarded. This is most evident in the rank of Iron Thane within the Chapter. An Iron Thane is required to fashion and mould a battlefield to their will, not simply to excel at fighting or indeed leading those who fight. They are expected to have a complete mastery of logistics, and tactics and a superior comprehension of all aspects of war, including - the planning of campaigns, and planetary conquests, to the rapid calculation of tactical fire zones.
Mere martial ability is not enough to measure a Clan-Brother's fitness to serve, as each Iron Harbinger is required to be an artisan of metal and machine, just as they are a line fighter, close-quarter killer, and tactician. In this, the gene-seed of the Gorgon is evidenced, as well as the superior technological aptitude displayed by many Iron Harbingers, especially their extraordinary skill at rapid data-analysis, comprehension, and abstract reasoning. Although, they are likewise psychologically marked by a tendency towards suspicion, distrust, and even maliciousness of temper, even amongst their own.
The Chapter's strength of its pseudo-feudal system of organisation creates a highly disciplined and motivated force that both despises and punished failure and weakness, and rewards and glorifies strength, accomplishment, and success. This creates an environment in which the most competent and strongest-willed rise quickly within their ranks, and those who do not make the measure are quickly weeded out. It also provides a strict set of boundaries and strictures that channels the raw aggression and adversarial tendencies of the Iron Harbingers themselves, many of whom share their Primarch's volatile temperament, kept in check through a mixture of coldly-imposed Chapter discipline and bloody-minded pragmatism which are taken as the Chapter's creed - survival of the fittest and adaptation. Either continue to grow strong and overcome or fail and wither to destruction.
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 regard 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 on their righteous indignation, they've learned 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 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, metallurgy, other weapons, and the dark arcana of cybertheurgy, they keep to themselves and their most trusted confidants within the Legio Cybernetica.
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 the single-minded pursuit of its starting objectives. In battle, the Iron Harbingers is a ferocious opponent, always advancing in a relentless, automaton-like manner no matter the odds, throwing themselves wholesale at the enemy as they unleash their bitter anima and righteous anger upon those who would defy the will of the Emperor and the Omnissiah.
Many Astartes' particular focus within the Iron Harbingers is on machine-craft; battle-automata - both in their construction and maintenance - and their employment in war. It is said by the Chapter's detractors, that their mastery of Cybertheurgy goes well beyond what is permissible to the doctrine of the Martian Omnissian Cult, or indeed the pronouncements of the Imperium. Despite evidence to the contrary, some within the Adeptus Mechanicus have even come to believe that the Iron Harbingers have, through some unknown means - either through discovery or experimentation - able to somehow create certain programming protocols that allow for those automata under their command to behave not as machine-creatures but more like predators. When unleashed against their foes, these battle-automata under their command are somehow imbued with preternatural animalism, driving them into a maddened frenzy like tortured beasts against their enemies, when they will it so.
Chapter Gene-Seed
Primarch's Curse:
Deathwatch Service
Notable Members
- Iron Lord (Add Name) - First Chapter Master of the Iron Harbingers.
- Iron Lord Kyberos Gorgosian - Current Chapter Master of the Iron Harbingers and Lord of the Chamer of the Ferrum Cubiculum.
- Iron Thane Algos N'mesis - Current commander of the 1st War Clan (Clan Gorgos).
- Iron Thane Kol Akr'ron - Current commander of the 2nd War Clan (Clan Morta).
- Iron Thane Kothar Gogalus - Current commander of the 3rd War Clan (Clan Clotho).
- Iron Thane Vik'tor Ak'talos - Current commander of the 4th War Clan (Clan Moirai).
- Iron Thane Ly'nus Krystos - Current commander of the 5th War Clan (Clan Algol).
- Lord Anvilar Relius Kurr'gan - Current Lord of the Anvil (Reclusium).
- Medicae Primus Solon H'dolkin - Current Chief Apothecary.
- Augur Primus Aedan Kronos - Current Chief Librarian.
- Iron Champion Konn Themos - Current company champion of the 1st War Clan (Clan Gorgos).
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The Iron Harbingers primarily wear black coloured battle-plate trimmed with areas of dark, gunmetal gray. Each of the War Clans maintaining their own distinctive insignias and heraldry, which varies somewhat from one another. The Gorgos War Clan utilises the 'purest' form of the Chapter's sable and dark grey heraldry, the Morta incorporates further elements of gold in their heraldry, while the Clotho prefers portions of their battle-plate to be unadorned storm-grey. The Moirai incorporates silver-steel and the Algol utilises gold trim.
Chapter Badge
The Iron Harbingers Chapter badge takes the form of the Cog Mechanicum, also called the Opus Machina, the ancient symbol used to represent the Adeptus Mechanicus and their religious faith, the Cult Mechanicus. This symbol is prominently displayed, denoting the Iron Harbingers close ties with both the Omnissiah and his most loyal adherents. This central symbol is centered within a half-cog/half-chain symbol, indicating their close association with the Legio Cybernetica, one of the oldest sub-branches of the Adeptus Mechanicus that is responsible for deploying fully autonomous Battle-Automata.
Chapter Fleet
- Mortis Metallus (Ironclad-class Battle Barge)
- Gorgon's Glory (Odysseus-class Galleass of War)
- Triton (Warspite-class Battle Barge)
- Hammer of Ogun (Warspite-class Battle Barge)
- Gloriam Ferrum (Legate-class Battle Barge)
- Blade of DuCaine (Armiger-class Lance Cruiser )
- Ironclad (Crusade-class Strike Cruiser)
- Ironwrought (Crusade-class Strike Cruiser)
- Ironforged (Olympia-class Strike Cruiser)
- Iustus Indignatio (Olympia-class Strike Cruiser)
- Meduson's Wrath (Gladius-class Frigate)
- Mordant Metallica (Hunter-class Destroyer)
- Oath of Iron (Hunter-class Destroyer)
- Unknown Number of Attack and Support Craft
The Iron Harbingers also possess a variety of Sword and Thunderbolt-class Heavy Frigates, Sceptre and Havoc-class Minkeepers, Cobra-class Destroyers, Vigil-class Siege Frigates, Spectre-class Warp Runners and Thor-class Ordinancers.
Chapter Relics
Relations
Allies
| Name | Iconography | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frateris Firmitatis |  |
Since early M32, the collective known as the Ironclad Brotherhood has remained inviolable and resolute in their eternal quest to wage an eternal war against the Traitor Legions and those who would make truck with the Ruinous Powers. But in M34, this brotherhood was shattered when the Iron Invictors let their obsessions with certain forbidden mysteries and nightmare sciences saw them excommunicated and declared as Traitors to the Imperium. Since that time, the three remaining Chapters - the Iron Harbingers, alongside the Templars of Iron and the Iron Gorgons, have continued to fight for a common cause or come to one another's aid during times of crisis, achieving great victories in the name of the Emperor and their gene-sire, Ferrus Manus. Yet their secondary goal continues to remain elusive, as the Brotherhood continues to seek out their erstwhile former brethren, now known as the notorious Chaos Warband - the Brethren of Hel - to finally eradicate this stain upon their brotherhood's honour once and for all. |
| Sons of Iron |  |
Though a young Chapter by the standards of the triumvirate Chapters that make up the Ironclad Brotherhood, the Sons of Iron have nevertheless continued to proudly carry on the traditions of their genetic forebears. Like their elder brethren, the Sons of Iron loathe heretics and traitors and go to great lengths to mercilessly eradicate their foul presence from the galaxy wherever they encounter them. Like their elder brethren, this Chapter also displays the propensity for replacing the organic with bionic components, which they believe helps expunges the weakness of the flesh. This is in keeping with the core beliefs of most Chapters that hail from the lineage of Ferrus Manus. Although there are no official records of any of the Chapters of the Ironclad Brotherhood having operated alongside the Sons of Iron, mainly due to their crusading nature as they often operate on the fringes of Imperial space, the young Chapter have compensated for their lack of helping their elder brethren directly. They have opened, at all times, secret and well-protected communications, warning the Ironclad Brotherhood of any sightings from the hated Chaos Warband, known as the Brethren of Hel, that they may discover, either during the Chapter's missions or when a Battle-Brother undergoes his Vigil. Even if the beliefs of their home world of Suami sometimes clash with the core beliefs of the Templars of Iron, the young Chapter truly wishes to supplement as best it can the strength of these ancient Chapters. |
| Warmachines |  |
Although an aloof Chapter and one that prefers to lead a solitary existence, the Warmachines have crossed paths and have collaborated with the Iron Harbingers on a number of occasions. In general, the Warmachines distrust most outsiders, but the Iron Harbingers are one of the few Chapters that have proven to be as cold and calculating in their destruction of the enemies of Mankind. Down the millennia, a strong bond of kinship has formed between these two resolute Chapters of the Gorgon. They have ended the lives of many heretics, apostates, and xenos that have made the unfortunate mistake of crossing their paths. |
Enemies
| Name | Iconography | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brethren of Hel |  |
The Brethren of Hel are a notorious Renegade Space Marine Chapter that is known for raiding multiple Imperial systems near the hellish Warp rift known as the Eye of Terror. Formerly known as the Iron Invictors this Chapter, along with the Iron Harbingers, Iron Gorgons and the Templars of Iron, formerly made up a quadrumvirate of 2nd Founding Iron Hands Successors, collectively known as the Frateris Firmitatis ("The Ironclad Brotherhood"). This Chapter was once counted amongst the most stalwart defenders of mankind. But like their Progenitors, the Invictors were obsessed with strength and the elimination of physical and mental weakness, which is subject to decay and temptation, and believed to have been a contributing factor to the failure of the Loyalist Legions during the Dropsite Massacre at Isstvan V. This led the Iron Hands to revere the machine and distrust the failings inherent in flesh. But the Iron Invictors' obsession with certain forbidden mysteries and nightmare sciences of the Dark Age of Technology eventually saw them being declared Excommunicate Traitoris, and cast out of the Imperium. For millennia, the fleet-bound Brethren of Hel periodically raid Forge Worlds and far-flung Adeptus Mechanicus outposts near the Eye of Terror - obsessed with obtaining rare standard template constructs and the secrets of archaeo-technology forbidden by Imperial dictates and the edicts of the Martian Priesthood. They are relentlessly pursued by their erstwhile brethren, who will stop at nothing to eradicate this Renegade Chapter of hereteks. |
Notable Quotes
By the Iron Harbingers
About the Iron Harbingers
- "Those Automata you possess are quite impressive, Thane, I have not seen their likeness but for within the pages of the ancient histories. I pray today, I get to see them in action."
- —Warmachines Siege Master Yermin Kelvic
- "I don't know exactly what that gun they just fired was, but I am most certain both it, and that Cybernetica carrying it are prohibited by the Priests of Mars... Ensure they are not seen."
- — Lophess Ovair, First Captain of the Obsidian Blades
- "Hmph, where's the sport in having those soulless gear golems take all the kills? They can't even appreciate it. Make sure we ride ahead of our cousins, I don't want them wasting all the good hunting grounds on these heret-... Ahem...'questionable constructs'."
- — Chapter Master of the Wings of Salvaxes Eulitus Ephrain
Gallery
