Raptors (Chapter)
From Lexicanum
| This article is about the Space Marines chapter, for the Chaos jump infantry unit see Chaos Raptor |
The Raptors (also Raptor Legion) are a Successor Chapter of the Raven Guard created in the Second Founding. They specialize in surgical and jungle warfare.
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Basic Information
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Engagements
In 969 M41 they were taking part in the crusade against the Arch Maniac of Calverna by assaulting the Ork world of Gramnia Major in the Segmentum Solar. En-route, their ship was blown wildly off course while travelling through the warp and when they emerged, they were forced to crash land their battered ships on the nearest planet, which happened to be the Death World of Jemadal.
Jemadal was an orb of dense, slimy jungle, stagnant and dank to a suffocating degree, and teeming with voracious predators and carnivorous plants. The atmosphere of the planet was so heavily saturated with moisture that the air was literally suffocating. Previous attempts to terraform the planet by the Adeptus Mechanicus had been abandoned centuries before and to survive an hour on Jemadal was an achievement. The world was infested with predators and each day the Raptors came under attack from swarms of carnivorous beasts and bat-winged creatures that could kill an ordinary man with a single bite.
As the breathable air in the Raptors armour began to run out the Chapter's Techmarines desperately sought a solution to the problem of their dwindling oxygen supplies. The Techmarines were able to modify the breathing apparatus of the powered armour helmets to incorporate an osmotic gill that could filter the oxygen from the heavily moisturised air. This proved to be highly efficient and the Space Marines were able to survive for seven years on Jemadal, subsisting on a diet of indigenous plants and fungi before being rescued from the death world by the Ultramarine battle barge Rath's Honour.
Third War for Armageddon
The constant struggle on Jemadal had transformed the Chapter into jungle warfare specialists, and with the outbreak of the Third War for Armageddon the Chapter and their skills were quickly called upon. The Chapter was deployed throughout the equatorial jungle and vapour woods with the Armageddon Ork Hunters and Catachan Jungle Fighters where their deadly jungle warfare skills were put to best use.
Taros Campaign
The Raptors Chapter had also fought in the Taros Campaign versus the Tau. Captain Orelius was sent with a full company to support the Imperial Guard offensive. At the end, the Imperial forces retreated.
Other Engagements
- The 5th Company were deployed during the Origo Blockade1
- Used desert camouflage while deployed for the Angelis Campaign.1
Related articles
Sources
- Index Astartes: Raptors
- Armageddon Website - Details of the Third War for Armageddon Worldwide Campaign
- Imperial Armour: Volume Three - Taros Campaign
- White Dwarf 101 (May 1988) - reprinted in Warhammer 40,000: Compendium (1989), Badab Uprising Chapter colour schemes; Chapter is referred to as Raptor Legion
- Fire Warrior (Novel), p. 216
- 1Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pp. 17, 81, 91, 177
