L-XIX-2223
| The Company |
L-XIX-2223
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 The First Axiom of Victory | |||
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Legio XIX |
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Legio Name: |
The Raven Guard Legion | ||
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L-XIX-2223 | ||
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Cognomen: |
Shattered 17th Company Raven Guard | ||
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History
Great Crusade
17 Reconnaissance Company was founded during the reforming of the XIX Legion under Lord Corax's command. The unit would be a mixture of Terran and Lycaeus born legionaries, under the command of Captain Rukol Ort. This would help the existing Raven Guard legionaries adapt to the new combat disciplines of the reformed legion and mentor the new initiates into a coherent fighting force. 17 Company prided itself on its skills at infiltration and execution missions.
The company made extensive use of Darkwing Pattern Storm Eagle Gunships in conjunction with Legion Reconnaissance Squads to deliver devastating assaults and airstrikes from deep behind the enemy’s lines.
The Compliance of Indra-sul
Lord Corax personally lead 17 Company to retake the Exploratory port on Indra-sul, utilizing the company's skills at infiltration and Darkwing gunship insertion. Entering the structures mid point undetected, Captain Rukol's 17 Company encountered the Khrave. The hulking xeno's took great effort to slay with the Raven Guard falling into instinctive guerrilla tactics, confusing and disorientating the foe until finally slain. Vigilator Calliditas earned battle honors for slaying two Khrave singlehandedly during the early stages of the mission. Lord Corax discovered the hibernation chambers and ordered the Raven Guard force to regroup and then make a tactical withdrawal. Elements of 17 Company where tasked with deploying a teleport beacon array while the rest of 17 Company assisted Lord Corax in providing a valiant rearguard action. Against overwhelming odds the legionaries held there ground in the ensuing slaughter for more than an hour before the arrival of the Deliverers' Terminator company. The concentrated mass firepower from the Deliverers' pushed the Khrave back and within hours the spire was cleared of all xeno life forms.
Indra-sul now secured for the Great Crusade to move further into the Ghoul Stars, 17 Company awarded a citation for their contribution to the success of the mission. Having suffered significant casualties during the compliance of Indra-sul the company was ordered to return to Deliverance and replenish its strength. Rejoined the 27th Expeditionary Fleet shortly after the Carinae Retribution, 17 Company was now largely made up of new Deliverance born legionaries. With the survivors of Indra-sul now formed into two Veteran Tactical Squads specifically trained in orbital Drop Pod assault. Unknown to the legionaries of 17 Company, Lord Corax had secretly placed a squad of Mor Deythan amongst the reconnaissance units in the company.
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 battle plan. Not willing to throw his legion on the sword, Lord Corax assembled his company commanders and asked for volunteers to make the frontal assault.
Captain Rukol volunteered his 17 Company to take part in the initial assault on Gate Forty-Two. Personally leading a jump pack equipped command squad, supported with the company’s two veteran squads mounted in Phobes Land Raiders. Following 17 Company's veterans would be the staggered advance of tactical squads equipped with boarding shields, the apothecary detachment assigned to the reconnaissance squads bringing up the rear.
The first part of the attack went as planned, XIX Legion's armored divisions advanced with the assault companies sustaining expected casualties.
Isstvan V Drop Sight Massacre
17 Company had been selected as part of Lord Corax's vanguard force to lead the offensive against Horus's own traitor legion. The Company deployed along the northern edge of the Urgall Depression, with the reconnaissance squads taking spotter 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. Captain Calliditas led 17 Company's tactical elements on a flank assault of the Sons of Horus northern defensive line. The Raven Guard vanguard further to the south had drawn most of the XVI legions strength and 17 Company had made steady gains, pushing the traitors back. The reconnaissance squads had reaped a heavy toll on Horus's forces with sniper rifles and coordinating Darkwing Gunship air strikes.
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. Captain Calliditas with two tactical squads provided a rearguard while the rest of 17 Company 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 17 Company could do little to defend themselves and where butchered.
Raven's Flight
Captain Calliditas managed to survive the destruction of XIX Legion at the Drop Site Massacre, saving a dozen Raven Guard legionaries with a hand full from his company in the process of escaping the bloodshed. The days following the massacre Captain Calliditas divided the Legion Astartes into small squads to consolidate supplies, salvage munitions and search for surviving loyalist astartes. The Mor Deythan squad attached to the 17th Company avoided the massacre due partly to the Shadowmasters superior skills at evading detection and their preferred method of waging war. With their Darkwing Storm Eagle Gunship they performed multiple decapitation strikes and hit and run missions on traitor positions, while only receiving minimal causalities in the days following the massacre.
The company saw an opportunity to escape their fate on Isstvan V, twenty seven standard days after the massacre. Intercepting an encrypted message from a Death Guard fleet in high orbit, the survivors devised a plan to take control of one of the escort frigates and escape off system. Using the Darkwing Gunships stealth capabilities the under strength company would board one of the vessels initially with two small squads, followed by the rest of the Isstvan survivors to board after the primary objectives were secured.
The Venenum, Hunter-class destroyer patrolled the edges of the fleet would be the Raven Guard target. With a small crew of XIV astartes onboard the escort, it would not prove too difficult for a small strike unit to overpower. Captain Calliditas coordinated the Darkwing Gunship insertion using his company’s proven tactics. The squads boarded the destroyer without detection and moved quickly to capture their objectives. The Venenum’s bridge was secured by Captain Calliditas and first squad with minimal resistance. With second squad led by Veteran Sergeant Mundis; encountering heavier resistance in the engine room from the Death Guard legionaries and their mortal servants. The engagement proved costly for the loyalists losing six astartes before overpowering the defenders to claim the final objective. Control of the Venenum now in loyalist hands; disengaged from the Death Guard fleet and made their escape through the warp.
Notable Characters
Captain Calliditas Sev had commanded the 17 Company for only three years before the betrayal of Horus on the black sands of Isstvan V. Lycaeus born like most of the Astartes under his command, Calliditas had only been a young child when Corax had liberated the prison moon now known as Deliverance. He was part of the third wave of initiates from Deliverance to be indoctrinated into the Raven Guard Legion. Showing impressive skills at infiltration in the scouts, Calliditas selected to stay with the Legion Reconnaissance after receiving the Black Carapace. Harnessing his preferred way of war Calliditas was promoted to sergeant, with command of his own initiates. Having proved his ability to command it wasn’t long before Calliditas was selected to join the Legion Vigilator. He was assigned to 17 Company where he served his missions and duties with high distinction until the fateful assault of Gate Forty – Two left the 17 Company without a commander. After the battle Calliditas was appointed to Captain Delegatus by Lord Corax himself and transformed the company in that short time into an reconnaissance strike force.
Moritat-Prime Kaedes Nex, The Blood Crow. Of all the condemned that slaved on the moon of Lycaeus, none were more deserving than Kaedes Nex. The macabre serial killer was sent to the prison to rot for his cruel and hedonistic crimes on Kiavahr. When Corax asked him to join the rebellion in return for his life, Kaedes had spent nineteen years on Lycaeus with the last five under guarded solitary confinement for murders against prisoners. His dark obsession with the hunt and willingness to throw away his life in daring assaults, gained Kaedes favour in the eyes of the Raven Lord. But the other prisoners despised him. Against heavy opposition from the rebels of Deliverance, Kaedes was allowed to become an astartes of the Raven Guard.
Current Strength
XIX LEGION
Captain Delegatus Calliditas Sev
Moritat - Prime Kaedes Nex
17 Company
- 13 Astartes
- Darkwing Storm Eagle Gunship
29 Company
- 6 Astartes
42 Company
- 12 Astartes
X LEGION
- 3 Astartes
XVIII LEGION
- 5 Astartes
Combat Reports for L-XIX-2223
Campaigns
Imperial Search....No Result
Battles
Imperial Search....No Result
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