Night Guard

This article, Night Guard, was written by Primaris Hive Tyrant. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission.

This article, Night Guard, is currently under active construction. The author, Primaris Hive Tyrant, apologizes for the inconvenience.

Night Guard
Night Guard armorial with Chapter iconography.
Night Guard Primaris Intercessor of the 4th Company, 2nd Battleline Squad.
Space Marine Chapter
Allegiance	Imperium of Man (Fedelitas Totalis)
Founding	13th 'Dark' Founding
Successor of	Unknown (Suspected of being Chimeric)
Chapter Master	Arkhan Mannfred
Homeworld	N/A; Fleet-Based
Fortress-Monastery	Black Caiman (Battle Barge)
Allies	Corvus Claws Iron Drakes Mordekaisers
Number of Marines	~1,000 (Offically) Unofficially the Chapter may exceed what their true number is Under Investigation
Specialty	Void Warfare; Ship-Borne Assaults & Boarding Actions; Ship-Infiltration; Void Rescue
Battle Cry	Unknown
Colours	black & dark gray
Successor Chapter(s)	N/A

"The Void is our domain and our weapon! They die in it! The Void IS the perfect weapon!"

—A Night Guard Lieutenant explaining their ways of war

The Night Guard is a Loyalist Chapter, that is shrouded in mystery. Created during the mysterious 13^th Founding, the mysterious 'Dark Founding'. Little is known about this obscure Chapter, only when they were created and that they are formidable void warfare specialists and are almost unbeaten in this realm of conflict. They tend to go out in the void in special hardened armour and drift towards an unsuspecting enemy vessel. In this was they can infiltrate the enemy vessel undetected. Other Chapters might find this suicidal, but the Night Guard are masters at doing so. Going out in space without a vessel is their way of war.

To survive going out in the void, the Night Guard make extensive use of void-hardened armour, which is made at the Orion Star Fort. But being well-equipped is not enough, as these Astartes must train extensively in a special way, and after becoming Space Marines they can hold their breath up to one and a half hour. They train going out in the void often, which makes them more resilient than the average Space Marine.

History

"You don't know anything!"

— Night Guard Astartes to an Inquisitorial

Little is known about where this Chapter comes from, except they were founded somewhere during the 13^th "Dark" Founding. They were found drifting through space by the Iron Drakes, which created a bond between the two Chapters. After that they joined other Chapters on their crusades and helped them during Void Warfare. But after a while, they got their own fleet and now they are often tasked with rescuing civilians and bringing down enemy vessels in the void.

Nothing specific is know about what happen during the time the Chapter drifted through space. It is rumoured that they had found a Blackstone Fortress and decided to investigate it. Something must have happened, as the ships they were found in, were heavily damaged and out of use. Maybe they were attacked or an accident occurred, either way the Night Guard decided to keep it a secret.

Notable Campaigns

• The Cleansing of Patrux ( ---.M39)

The Cleansing of Patrux is an event in which the Night Guard assassinate an unnamed Chaos Warlord and destroy his fleet.

An unknown Chaos Warband was hunting down an imperial Battleship and had to be stopped. The fleet of The Unseen had been tasked with bringing the Warband down. They ambushed them in an asteroid field. Remaining out of sight, they sent out five Void Reapers. They infiltrated the main ship and assassinated the Leader. They managed to sent the message, but were killed after that, before they could leave the vessel. But it was done. With the enemy leaderless, the ships of The Unseen could move in and eradicate the enemy ships.

• The Caimans Ambush

The Caimans Ambush is the only known Campaign, inn witch the fleet The Caimans took part. The fleet ambushed a T'au fleet.

The Battleship The Black Caiman faced the fleet frontally, while the rest of the fleet slowly came up behind them. Distracted from the lone Battleship, the T'au didn't notice the Void Breachers infiltrating their ship. While mayhem went loos inside the T'aus ships, the rest of the Fleet showed themselves and lit the enemy vessels on fire.

• The Darkest Night

The Darkest Night is an event in witch the fleet The Black Sharks rescued imperial Inquisitors from a Chaos Warlord. It is called so, because during this event, no star shined light upon the ships.

The Void Breachers came from below and managed to get in unnoticed. But the Night Guards ships were noticed and a fight broke loose. The Night Guards Kill-Team found the Inquisitors, put their space suits on and got ready to go back. But because the ships were battling, there was the risk of getting hit and mid drift, two Space Marines, that were carrying Inquisitors were hit. And so two of the three Inquisitors were lost in the Void. But through unexpected events the Night Guards fleet managed to destroy the enemy ships.

• The Fall of Aruspex

---FILE LOST---

Chapter Homeworld

The Night Guard is a fleet-based Chapter and does not have a Homeworld.

Fortress-Monastery

The Black Caiman is a Battleship of the Oberon Class. This huge Battleship is completely pitch-black and is the HQ of the Night Guard. Their Chapter Master Arkhan Manfred resides there. The location is unknown, because it never stays at the same spot and the location is only known if the Night Guard intend it to be. The Battleship does not go to battle and is never seen, unless someone is allowed to go there.

No pict files of the Monastery exist. The only thing known about the Black Caiman are the reports of the Chapters that saw the ship themselves. The better known Chapters that saw it are the Iron Drakes and the Mordekaisers. They describe it more like a huge, black rock, drifting through space, rather than a ship. They say it is massive, around 12 kilometers long. It has no decorations on the outside. Just black metal and some glass windows. Nevertheless it's sheer humongous size makes it still a breathtaking sight.

Chapter Organisation

Command Ranks

• Chapter Master - Arkhan Mannfred
• Captain
• Lieutenant

Specialist Ranks

• Apothecary
• Techmarines
• Chief Librarian
• Librarian

Line Ranks

• Sergeant

• Battle-brothers

Specialist Formations

• Void Breachers - The Void Breachers are specialised Space Marines, that are comprised of Tactical Marines, Intercessors and Reavers. These are the Astartes that breach the Void and are what makes the Chapter stand out.

Companies

Not much is known about the companies of the Night Guard Chapter. There are only four official companies, but the Inquisition believes that there are more, which still hide in the depths of the galaxy.

The companies known to the Imperium are:

• The Caimans
• The Great Eagles
• The Black Sharks
• The Unseen

Very little is known about these companies, neither how many Marines they have, neither where they are located. It is known that 'The Caimans' is the Chapter Masters own company.

Unique Chapter Equipment

The Night Guard which are seen by other Chapters have normal armour. Nothing special. But it is in battle when they really suit up.

The special armour made at the Orion Star Fort has a special O2-tank. These are actually many little tanks, distributed all over the armour. These tanks are hard to break, but they are many, instead of one, so that the O2 of the Soldiers can't be cut of by a single shot.

The tanks are all connected to breathing mask. Many tubes merge to a single one, on the inside of the armour. This tube connects to the breathing mask. This masks allows the Night Guard to breath in space and talk at the same time. Once in the enemy vessel, they cut of the O2 of the tanks and breath normally, if the resident gas is breathable.

The armour it self is heavy and thick. It is to withstand the Void and protect the Space Marines from the deadly outside.

Chapter Behaviour

"You'll never find us. You can try, if you're really so keen on failing."

—Vox-transmission by the Night Guard, sent to an Inquisitor tasked with tracking them.

The Night Guard as a Chapter isn't very united. They all answer to the Chapter Masters call, but the company themselves work more like separate factions. Each company has their own fleet. These fleet are constantly on the move and their location is never truly known. Only the Chapter Master knows the exact locations. This all undermines the general disliking of the Inquisition and High Lords of Terra. Because of the fact, that the location of the Chapter Master is unknown and that only the Chapter Master knows the locations of each fleet, the actual number of the Marines is unknown. This secrecy makes the Inquisition believe that the Chapter has way more Marines than allowed.

The Night Guard is a very mysterious Chapter, which prefers to act in the shadows and let other Chapters take the glory. It is confirmed that each company works alone and has their own culture. What these respective cultures are is unknown. This secrecy has its uses, as it allows the Night Guards to be relative safe, as no enemy forces can make a planned attack, as they don't know where the fleets are.

Chapter Traditions

The Night Guard are a radical and extreme chapter. This is reflected in their traditions. It is unknown if the Night Guard believe in the God-Emperor, but the traditions that are known to the Imperium, don't seem to be ritualistic. Theses traditions are extremely important to the Chapter.

• The Breaking - After a neophyte fully becomes an Astartes he undergoes something called the Breaking. The new Marine has no armour and will stand in a sort of arena. Then three other Astartes enter the arena, all armed with wooden sticks. These sticks are reinforced, but not unbreakable. In a ritualistic way the other Astartes will attack the new Marine. They will beat him until their sticks break. After all three sticks break the Astartes will finally be introduced into the Chapter.

Chapter Recruitment

If someone is to go into the deadly cold of the void, one must be trained under the harshest conditions. Each company of the Night Guard exclusively recruits for themselves. The Chapter recruits candidates from all around the galaxy. During their endless crusade, the Night Guards fleets come across many different planets. This means that the Chapter recruits many different people, which can lead to different advantages, depending on how the grew up. Plus, it makes it harder to track them.

These neophytes undergo some of the harshest training known to the Imperium. This training has several stages to test and improve the physical and mental resistance of the neophytes. Firstly, they are left on a icy death planet for several days, to train their resistance to the deadly cold of the void. Secondly, they are left on a planet, whose air is not breathable, for a week. Each neophyte has their own gas tank from which they can breath. The tank will last them for the week, if they can manage to control their breathing enough to not waste any precious gas. Thirdly, they are left on a jungle death world, were there are dangers around every corner. This trains the neophytes in basic survival training.

If all these stages are completed, the neophytes partake in the 'Trail of the Abyss'. Every fleet has one ship in which there is placed an artificially created underwater cavern. This cavern is massive, pitch-black and an all-around mace. And the fact that it is fully submerged underwater, adds the deadlines factor. Before the trail, each neophyte is appointed one loot chest, which is placed at the bottom of the cavern. This chest is locked by a secret code which is changed every time. Before the neophytes dive into the cavern, they breathe in a mixture of different gases, which allows them to hold their breath especially long. This is the same gas used for the Void Breachers tanks. The neophytes get one breath of this and then they dive under. The recruits have to find their way through the mace in complete darkness and they only have a small flashlight. Once they find their respective loot-chest, they have to crack the code and retrieve the loot inside. Then they have to find their way back. Only those who succeed this extreme trail are accepted into the Chapter.

If the succeed, their actual Void-breaching training begins. After becoming Astartes they are trained in the deadly cold of the void.

Chapter Gene-Seed

--UKNOWN--

Chapter Combat Doctrine

Void Warfare

The Night Guard are known for their unusual way of warfare, in that they leave their ships and enter the void with only their armour. They do so, because the enemy never sees it coming and the Space Marines can enter the enemy vessel, without them noticing.

Drift through Space

The "Drift through Space" tactic is the one, that makes this Chapter special. Their vessels have special launchers, that throw the Astartes into space. After that they drift slowly towards the enemy vessel. The Night Guard has special grappling guns, which they use to hang on to the enemy ship and then pull themselves towards it.

After getting to the vessel they hang on to it and place special mines on to the ship. In this way they can blow an entrance to the inside. This goes undetected, because of the ongoing battle between the ships. After entering the ships, the Space Marines move in Kill-teams. They exterminate enemies and complete the mission.

After the mission a second batch of Space Marines are ejected, but these remain attached to their vessel. These are to grab the returning Soldiers. And so the battle is won.

Cold Death

The "Cold Death" tactic is a gruesome way of combat. It is very risky. It is used if the battle is near a opening to the Void. An exit or a point where a missile hit the ship. The Night Guard run at the enemy, grab him and throw themselves with the enemy into the Void.

The enemy dies in the Void, while the Night Guard can survive. They tend to punch their adversaries in the face one last time, while they're still alive. Then the Astartes are brought back to the ship or grapple themselves to the vessel.

Notable Night Guard Members

• Arkhan Mannfred - Arkhan is the Chapter Master of the Night Guard and is a formidable tactician and soldier. Very little is known about him.
• --UNKNOWN--
• --UNKNOWN--
• --UNKNOWN--
• --UNKNOWN--

Chapter Fleet

Every company on the Night Guards has it's own small fleet.

The Caimans

This fleet is the one that protects the Fortress Monastery Black Caiman. The fleet moves like crocodiles around a prey.

• 1 Battle-ship - The Black Caiman
• 2 Grand Cruisers ( Avenger Class )
• 3 Battle Cruisers ( Chalice Class)
• 5 Light Cruisers ( Dauntless Class )

The Great Eagles

This is the biggest and most powerful attack-fleet.

Tactic: This fleet surrounds its enemy and then sends Void Breachers out. The enemy is attacked and infiltrated from all sides and is overwhelmed

• 1 Battle-ship - Darkness Rises
• 2 Battle Cruisers - ( Chalice Class )
• 3 Cruisers - ( Dictator Class )
• 5 Light Cruisers - ( Dauntless Class )
• 7 Frigates - ( Tempest Frigate )

The Black Sharks

This fleet is the second biggest fleet and is the most famous one.

Tactic: The Black Sharks always work with other fleets. While the other fleet distracts the enemy and The Black Sharks attacks and launches its Void Breachers from below. Like sharks. This takes the enemy by surprise.

• 1 Grand Cruiser - Great Black
• 5 Cruisers - ( Dictator Class )

The Unseen

This fleet is the third biggest fleet and is the most mysterious one. It works best in asteroid fields.

Tactic: The Unseen ambush and outnumber their opponents.

• 1 Cruiser - The Ambusher
• 3 Frigates - ( Tempest Frigate)
• 10 Destroyers - ( Cobra Destroyer )

Chapter Appearance

Chapter Colours

The Chapters colours are black and grey, to not be noticed in the void.

Chapter Badge

The Badge are two grey dragon-wings.

Relations

Allies

• Iron Drakes

After the Iron Drakes rescued the Night Guard, while they where drifting through space, the Guard has been indebted to the Drakes. Even if by the Guards own will. Since then they work very well together.

• Mordekaisers

Just as brutal and fearless as the Night Guard and just as skilled in Void-Warfare, the Mordekaisers are one of the Night Guards closer allies. Their brutal, jet efficient ways of combat make them feared and respected all across the galaxy. When the Night Guard spot an enemy too big to be taken down alone, they will call the Kaisers most of the time. Attacked by two different Chapters, both equally brutal and cold-hearted mostly overwhelms the enemy.

Notable Quotes

By the Night Guard

"I could see the fear in his eyes, before he froze to death and drifted of, into the dark infinity. "

—Veteran Night Guard talking about a "Cold Death"

About the Night Guard

"What do you mean, they're going into the Void?"

—Moonlight Stalker to a another Stalker

"Crazy! Efficient, but crazy! "

—Commissioned Officer to a Warrant Officer

"To walk into the void is no small feat. Honour to the Night Guard whose void-march is strong like ours."

—Fabian Alric, of the Mordekaisers

Gallery

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