Red Corsairs
From Lexicanum
Contents |
Chapter Summary
| Marine | Basic Data | Warband Symbol | |
| Name: | Red Corsairs | 
|
| Founder/Leader: | Huron Blackheart, the Tyrant of Badab | ||
| Homeworld: | Formerly Badab, now somewhere in the Maelstrom | ||
| Chaos Dedication: | None | Model | |
| Colours: | Crimson & black with gold trim | 
| |
| Speciality: | Piracy, infiltration, boarding actions | ||
| Battle Cry: | transmit a tirade of expletives and threats across all vox-caster frequencies as they ambush enemy ships and settlements | ||
| Current Strength: | <200 Astral Claws an unknown number of other traitor marines | ||
Background
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The Astral Claws were Founded during the 35th millennium to guard against the numerous threats emerging from the Maelstrom warp rift.
The Astral Claws were originally referred to in the background as the Tiger Claws.
After rebelling against the Imperium and being defeated in the ensuing Badab War, the Chapter's survivors fled the world, becoming the core of the Red Corsairs.
The Astral Claws Chapter Master and Planetary Governor of Badab, Lufgt Huron is now known as Lord Huron Blackheart. In response to Badab's huge debt in planetary tithes and to the Chapter's tardiness in submitting its usual 5% tithe of gene-seed, an Imperial investigation fleet entered Badab's orbit. Huron's first overt act of rebellion was to order his own fleet to fire upon the intruders, starting the Badab War. The Imperial fleet was destroyed.
The Astral Claws found themselves outnumbered by Imperial forces and so called for aid from other chapters. They were joined by the Executioners, Lamenters and Mantis Warriors. Eventually, the weight of the Imperium crushed the rebels and Badab fell. The Executioners, Lamenters, and the Mantis Warriors were granted the Emperor's forgiveness, however the Astral Claws were declared Excommunicate Traitoris and became one of the Renegade chapters.
The surviving Astral Claws broke through the Imperial blockade and fled to the Maelstrom where they became the Red Corsairs. They had taken the broken body of Huron with them, and he is said to lead them in raids against the Imperium, although he is more machine than man now.
The intent of the Red Corsairs' raids are to build Huron's army with captives who turn traitor. Lord Huron is feared and despised by the Imperium as well as honoured by the other traitor legions. Huron Blackheart's empire within the Maelstrom has become a great threat and a power that rivals the legions within the Eye of Terror.
Combat doctrines
The Red Corsairs fight primarily as an expression of their twisted faith. In order to save what was left of his chapter and his hideously wounded body, Lufgt Huron made a terrible pact with the Ruinous Powers, pledging eternal service in return for the blessings and patronage of Chaos. With limited numbers at their disposal, the Red Corsairs spent much of their time as space pirates, but also launch brutal raids on Imperial shipping and outposts. These raids are not for plundering, but for the sheer pleasure of raiding the areas that they once swore to protect.
Organization
The Red Corsairs are organised into a large fleet, able to deploy small, elite forces of renegade space marines supported by larger groups of human reavers. The Space Marines among the force are supremely proficient at the boarding actions favoured by the chapter whose ship-to-ship fighting prowess is infamous. Huron Blackheart maintains a substantial fleet consisting of vessels captured over numerous engagements, ranging from a single Adeptus Astartes battle barge, a number of strike cruisers, many and varied escorts and a huge number of classes of interceptors and bombers. Rumours suggest that Huron's command ship, salvaged when it was drifting on the edge of the Maelstrom, was originally a Word Bearers Traitor Legion ship.
Sources
- 1Warhammer 40,000: Compendium
- 2White Dwarf 101(uk) "Index Astartes: The Badab Uprising" by Rick Priestley
- 3White Dwarf 303(uk) "Index Astartes: Rogue Sons" by Andy Hoare
