Legio Crucius
This article is about the the Titan Legion. For other uses of Crucius, see Crucius (disambiguation). |
This article is about the the Titan Legion. For other uses of Warmongers, see Warmongers (disambiguation). |
Colour Scheme | Legion Info | Symbol | |
---|---|---|---|
Name: | Legio Crucius | ||
Alternative name: | Warmongers[1] | ||
Affiliation: | Imperium[1] | ||
Founded: | Possibly pre-Great Crusade | ||
Forge World: | Ryza[1] | ||
Colours: | Black & White | ||
Strength: | 152 Titans (pre-Heresy) (potentially inaccurate)[7] |
The Legio Crucius (Low Gothic: Warmongers) are a Titan Legion based on the Forge World of Ryza.[1]
Contents
Overview
The Legio Crucius are known as planners and forward thinkers, renowned even among the logical Mechanicum. Long before the Horus Heresy, they were one of the first Legions to study Titan vs. Titan combat.[6c] They are also one of the most well-equipped Titan Legions and maintain a garrison on several Forge Worlds and Adeptus Mechanicus outposts allied to Ryza, including Angstrom in the Maelstrom Zone. They have a long-standing reputation as savage city-breakers and world burners.[8]
History
Age of Strife & Great Crusade
Founded on the mighty world of Ryza, the Legio Crucius weathered the Age of Strife under a Cult Mechanicus sect known as the Omnissiah Igvita or "Life Blood of the Omnissiah". This orientated Ryza towards the belief that plasma was the lifeblood of the Omnissiah, and through its usage the people of Ryza were given a measure of his power. As such, over time the Legio Crucius came to wield large amounts of plasma technology. Due to some tension between Ryza and Mars before the Horus Heresy over issues of the former's growing power and hoarding of plasma technology, the Legio Crucius was strengthened in preparation for conflict. This proved to be fortuitous due to the outbreak of the Heresy.[7]
Horus Heresy
At the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, the Legio Crucius fielded some 152 Titans, though this may be misleading as they may have concealed their true strength. It found itself based in a series of heavily fortified and well-prepared outposts on the road to Ryza. This proved to be essential to their victory in the Defence of Ryza campaign.[7]
The Legion was part of the loyalist defences at the Battle of Molech.[6a] Its stronghold on Molech was the Iron Fist Mountain, situated at the rear of the planet's capital, Lupercalia.[6b] During this battle, Legio Crucius Titans were deployed to the coastal city of Leosta alongside the Knights of Houses Indra and Kaushik and to the capital Lupercalia alongside the Legio Gryphonicus, with a smaller force kept as tactical reserves in Iron Fist Mountain. By the time Lupercalia fell and the battle was won by the Traitor forces loyal to Horus Lupercal the Legio had suffered heavy losses, including the Imperator Titan Paragon of Terra.[6a]
Maniples of the Legio Crucius fought alongside maniples of Legio Destructor and Legio Ignatum during the Siege of Travo'anor.[10]
Post-Heresy
Badab War
Due to their allegiance with Angstrom, the Legio Crucius fought in the later stages of the Badab War. Fifteen Titans were deployed in three full maniples on Badab during the siege, commanded by High Princeps Cadmon Krom. Their primary task was to lay waste to the heavy defence points in Badab Primaris's hive cities and industrial areas, as well as crush any pockets of heavy resistance encountered along the way. Despite heavy resistance the Legio lost only three Titans, two of which were recovered during the chaotic retreat from the planet.[8]
Other Conflicts
- 925.M41: The Legio saw heavy action during the defence of Ryza against Waaagh! Grax, fighting Ork forces off the planet numerous times.[3]
- 998.M41: The Third War for Armageddon — The Legio Crucius was one of the Titan Legions to fight in the Third War for Armageddon. Two weeks after the first Ork landings the Legio clashed with two Gargant mobs commanded by Warlord Burzuruk and Warlord Skarfang over control of the Diabolus Complex. After ten days of fighting, 6 Titans, 8 Gargants and much of the Complex were destroyed. Many of the surviving warmachines needed months of repair before they could be deemed battle-worthy again.[2]
- M42: The Octarius War — The Legio supported the Adeptus Mechanicus of Ryza, led by Archmagos Prime Farthidya Kantum, in the conflicts in the Pankallis Sub-sector. They committed eight Titans, along with six regiments of Secutarii in support.[9]
- Date Unknown: The Battle of Kado — The Legio took heavy losses defending the capital Hive of Kado from the forces of Chaos when a hundred Slaanesh Hell-Knights infiltrated the Hive and attacked them from behind. Among the Titans destroyed was the Imperator Praeco Deictus.[4]
Assets
Titans
Imperator Class
- Paragon of Terra — Piloted by Princeps Etana Kalonice. Destroyed by traitorous Knights of House Devine during the Battle of Molech.[5][6a]
- Praeco Deictus — Destroyed during the defense of Hive World Kado.[4]
Warlord Class
- Deus Praesitor — Deployed during the Battle of Molech.[6c]
- Hell's Daughter — Deployed during the Siege of Badab.[8]
Reaver Class
- Astramos Mortis Æternem — Deployed during the Battle of Molech[6c] and the Siege of Badab.[8] Prime Engine of War Maniple Secutar.[8]
- Primus Secutar — Deployed during the Siege of Badab.[8]
Warhound Class
- Black Strider — Deployed during the Siege of Badab.[8]
- Blood of Caldos — Deployed during the Siege of Badab.[8]
- Wolfshead — Deployed during the Siege of Badab.[8]
Personnel
Images
Warlord Titan and Reaver Titan at the Battle of Molech
See also
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, pg. 8
- 2: The 3rd War for Armageddon (saved archive page, dated Dec 2014, last accessed 6 August 2015)
- 3: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook, pg. 202
- 4: White Dwarf 190 (UK), pg. 29
- 5: Vengeful Spirit (Novel) [Needs Citation]
- 6: Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech:
- 7: Adeptus Titanicus: Loyalist Legios, pgs. 118-123
- 8: Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pgs. 50–51
- 9: War Zone Octarius - Book 1: Rising Tide, pg. 31
- 10: White Dwarf 462, pg. 130