L-XIX-0553

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2nd Battalion, 9th Chapter - The Talons of the Emperor
L-XIX-0553
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Legio

Legio XIX

Legio Name:

The Raven Guard Legion

Designation:

L-XIX-0553

Cognomen:

The Talons of the Emperor, The 9th, The Shadow of Corax

Allegiance:

Loyalist

Owner:

User:Erik 30k Sweden

Loyalist.png


Officer in Charge

Vordin Solari
First Talon Captain  
XIXth Legion 
9th Chapter
Allegiance: Fedelitas Constantus

History

Great Crusade

The 9th Chapter can trace its founding back to the unification wars on ancient Terra where it took part in some of the most notable actions, like the cleansing of the Technomutants from Silaris 17, a derelict gigantic space station orbiting Neptune in the Sol system. Once the Legion was reunited with its Primarch the whole Legion underwent extensive reforms of its unit structures under Lord Corax's command. One of the changes was that chapters would be a mixture of Terran and Lycaeus born legionaries. The plan with this reform was that it would help the existing Raven Guard legionaries adapt to the new combat reform while still retaining the experience of the Terran Veterans, thus providing a solid form with to build the future of the Legion on. The 9th Chapter would fall under the under the command of First Talon Captain Vordin Solari, a Lycaeus born Astartes who served with Corax during the rebellion to free Deliverance from its cruel overseers. Taking the reform to heart Vordin reorganized the chapter, focusing of a mix of Terran Veterans with support and tactical weaponary and Lycaeus Assault Squads to deliver devastating hit-and-run strikes from deep behind the enemy’s lines.

The Compliance of Baras

Lord Corax personally led the 9th Chapter, as part of the 27th Expeditionary Fleet, to retake the Mining world of Baras which had fallen into Xenos hands. Utilizing the company's skills at infiltration and hit-and-run tactics, the chapter got inserted on the planets fare side undetected. Establishing hidden supply points and forward infiltration bases, First Talon Captain Vordin Solari proceeded to conduct guerrilla tactics, confusing and disorientating the foe. During one Ambush against a Xenos slave convoy, Lord Corax discovered the entrance to a Portal in which the Xenos reinforcements and supplies where brought to the planet. Under the command by the Primarch himself elements of 9th Chapter Assault Squads where tasked with deploying a teleport beacon array within the Portal while the rest of the Chapter assisted Lord Corax in providing a valiant rearguard action. Against overwhelming odds the legionaries held their ground in the ensuing slaughter for more than an hour until finally the Portal exploded in a mighty whirlwind of destruction, ripping a the fabrics of real-space as it imploded onto itself as the thermal nuclear vortex bomb teleported into the Portal went critical. Without any possibility to retreat and cutoff from further reinforcements the concentrated mass firepower from the Raven Guard pushed the vile Xenos back and within hours the planet was cleared of all xeno life forms.

Battle of Gate Forty-Two

The XIX Legion was recalled from operations to the Aukum-Sothos Cluster where a xenos parasite had taken control of the Imperial population. Horus the Warmaster had called the Raven Guard, Iron Warriors, Space Wolves and his own legion the Sons of Horus to commence a lightning war against the ‘Unsighted King.’ Bringing the outer worlds of the cluster into compliance in just a few solar weeks, the Warmaster now needed the Raven Guard to make a direct assault at Gate Forty-Two. The frontal assault directly opposed the Raven Guard way of waging war, and Lord Corax unable to sway his brother Primarch grudgingly committed his Legion to the attack. First Talon Captain Vordin Solari volunteered his Chapter to take part in the initial assault on Gate Forty-Two. Personally leading a jump pack equipped command squad, supported by two tactical squads, a tactical support squads, a rapier weapon battery and the whole force spearheaded by Legion Sicarans Battle Tanks. The assault that followed was hailed as the Legion's darkest hour, a grim honour that, tragically, would be displaced just a few years later at Istvaan V. At the height of the battle, the assault companies decimated and the attack faltering in the face of overwhelming fire, Corax himself led the forlorn hope, his battle cry firing the XIXth Legion to such efforts that the breach was carried and Gate Forty-Two taken. The honour of slaying the Unsighted Kings was claimed by Horus as Warmaster and at the moment of their execution, the xenos' hold over the population was dispelled. The Akum-Sothos Cluster was delivered and the Warmaster's prize was reclaimed. The cost was terrible however, for not only had countless millions of hosts been crippled in mind and body, but thousands of Raven Guard, the bulk of them Terran-born, had given their lives before the shattered walls. Though the Battle of Gate Forty-Two was counted a victory by (and indeed for) Horus, its effects were far-reaching. The XIXth Legion was sorely depleted, leaving only 80,000 Legionaries under the Primarch's command and making it the smallest of the Legiones Astartes. Corax removed himself and his Legion from his brother's command, swearing bitterly never to serve alongside Horus again. One last consequence of the Battle of Gate Forty-Two lingers still. In its aftermath, those line officers who, before the coming of the Primarch, had served for so long under Horus' command were gone, and so the Warmaster was able to exert little in the way of influence over the Raven Lord's Legion. Many of these Terrans had been inducted into the Warrior Lodges, and with their deaths these unseen bodies all but vanished from the Raven Guard. It has been claimed by his detractors that in assigning the Terran-born Legionaries to the assault wave that would suffer the greatest losses, Corax did his Legion a service, consolidating his power and paving the way for a future more in line with his own vision. As a result, the Legion was largely spared the wave of insurrection that was transmitted through so many of the Legions by the hidden auspices of the lodges. It would two years until the 9th Chapter was a battle worthy formation again

Istvaan V Drop Sight Massacre

The 9th Chapter status as a battle proven and reliable unit led it to be bestowed the honor of being part of Lord Corax's vanguard force to lead the offensive against Horus's own traitor legion. The Chapter deployed with drop pods and landers along the northern edge of the Urgall Depression, with supportive elements taking up fire positions on the cliffs. The rugged terrain was difficult to maneuver in but provided superior cover to protect the Raven Guard from incoming fire and ordinance. First Talon Captain Vordin Solari led the tactical and assault elements on a flank attack of the Sons of Horus northern defensive line. The Raven Guard vanguard further to the south had drawn most of the XVI legions strength leading Vordin’s force to make steady gains, pushing the traitors back. The support squads reaped a heavy toll on Horus's forces with Volkite and bolter fire. The battle had entered its third hour when the reinforcing legions arrived to relieve the battle weary Raven Guard. Lord Corax ordered a staggered withdrawal of his forces for resupply, as the battle was quickly becoming a stalemate. First Talon Captain Vordin Solari, his command squad and two tactical squads provided a rearguard while the rest of 9th fell back to the drop site to be relieved. Upon arriving at the drop site the returning Raven Guard where gunned down by the traitorous Word Bearers and Night Lords. Exhausted, low on ammo the members of 9th Chapter could do little to defend themselves and where butchered.

Raven's Flight

First Talon Captain Vordin Solari managed to survive the destruction of XIX Legion at the Drop Site Massacre, saving what forces he could and fought together with his Primarch to escape the trap set by the Traitors. The days following the massacre Vordin divided his forces into small squads to consolidate supplies, salvage munitions, conduct guerilla attacks on the traitor and search for surviving loyalist astartes. What little remained of the 9th Chapter saw an opportunity to escape their fate on Istvaan V, twenty seven standard days after the massacre. Intercepting an encrypted message from a Sons of Horus Cruiser in high orbit, the survivors devised a plan to take control of one of the escort frigates and escape off system. Using a captured and salvaged Sons of Horus Storm Eagle the Raven Guards would use it to board the escort frigate and once secured they would ferry as many of their fellow Istvaan survivors onboard board before departing the system.

The Sword class frigate the Dagger of Cthonia patrolled the edges of the planet would be the Raven Guard target. With a small crew of XVI astartes onboard the escort, it would not prove too difficult for a small strike unit to overpower. First Talon Captain Vordin Solari coordinated insertion using captured bits of armour to mask their true identity his squads boarded the frigate without detection and moved quickly to capture their objectives. The frigate’s bridge was secured with minimal resistance but the second squad led by Veteran Sergeant Vykar Krevaan encountered heavy resistance in the engine room from the Sons of Horus legionaries and their mortal servants. The engagement proved costly for the loyalists with the Traitors managing to sabotage the engines before being overpowered. Hasty repairs were made and while survivors where hurriedly transported to the frigate. This however did not go unnoticed and alarms where soon flashing across the traitor fleet and ships started to move to intercept the Dagger of Cthonia. Vordin had no choice but to withdraw and make their escape through the warp while they still could, leaving what few remaining loyalist still down on the planet trapped. This was not a decision done lightly by First Talon Captain Vordin Solari and in remembrance for those fellow loyalist warriors that they could not save Vordina issued an order that the scavenged pieces of armour now adoring his rag tag band of legionnaires would still be worn by members of the 9th. Proclaiming: “ - Never forgive the Warmaster - Never forget the treachery. This armour will be worn until our brothers have been avenged!”

"From the darkness we strike: fast and lethal, and by the time our foes can react... darkness there and nothing more."


Combat Reports for L-XIX-0553

Campaigns

The Burning of Scandus Prime
Scandus bar.png 790.008.M31 System Wide Unresolved

The Emperors dreams and hope are in ruin, his trust proved false, and his brightest son fallen to ..→

The Lincon Heresy
Lincon Ribbon.jpg

In the wake of Horus' treachery on Istvaan III and the galaxy plunged into civil war, confusion ..→


Battles

Battle Name Date Planet Battle Outcome Battle Summary
The Lincon Heresy~Decent of Raven 910.007.M31 Hells Reach Traitor

The fabrics of real space was torn asunder and a myriad of lights played across the region of space where a gaping maw into the warp open to reveal the vanguard of the Warmasters fleet as it ..→

The Lincon Heresy~The Dreamless and the Ravens 158.008.M31 Hells Reach Loyalist

Prelude to battle

Yaris Dock; Mooring Point Gamma-Ypsilon 2B2

Bridge; Cybernetica Cruiser Hemera

-Lord, we have located Cybernetic signals on Hells Reach, the Tech-Priest ..→

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