Red Hunters, any additional info?

[Loyalist]

My guess that Red Hunters would be used in major conflicts such as the Siege of Vraks was correct. The latest Forge World bulletin states the third Imperial Armour book about the Siege of Vraks includes sections on Red Hunter Terminator and Tactical squads, and the latest FW transfer sheet includes Red Hunter decals for troops and vehicles. Presumably there will be detailed background information about the Red Hunters chapter in Siege of Vraks III.

[Daedalus Templarius]

Yea I saw that too, I am looking forward to seeing it. Might be a while before I can afford that book though...

[Loyalist]

The Siege of Vraks - Part Three arrived today and was scanned for information on the Red Hunters Chapter. I was eagerly awaiting the book and hoping there would be information about the chapter and its background. Here's what I found:

 

Background/History: Nothing

 

Reason(s) for close association with the Inquisition: Nothing

 

Compliance with Codex Astartes: Nothing

 

Red Hunters Order of Battle on Vraks: Unclear

 

Unit Types Deployed: Tactical Squads, Terminator Squads, Devastator Squads, Dreadnoughts (Mk IV), Whirlwinds, Land Raiders, Landspeeders, Rhinos

 

Note that all Red Hunter units described as present on Vraks comply with the Witch Hunter Codex rules for inducted Space Marines in the page 26 sidebar, but no RH Assault or Scout Squads are mentioned.

 

So what do we find out about the Red Hunters?

 

The backbone of the Red Hunters deployed on Vraks is said to have been the Third Company, supported by First Company Terminators (some in Land Raiders and some underground), a single battery of 3 Whirlwinds, and unknown numbers of Predators and Dreadnoughts (a Mk IV being illustrated). In the scenarios (refights of parts of the siege) we find Tactical Squads deployed in Land Raiders or Rhinos and from the text we know they used Drop Pods too.

 

The description of a disastrous Red Hunters drop pod assault raises the question of consistancy and accuracy in the text of Vraks III. We're told the backbone of the deployed force was the Third Company, with various supports and that it was deployed piece-meal, with single squads and vehicles divided among the Inquisitors as a core of 'elite shock troops'.

 

That information suggests there were about 100 Red Hunters deployed (not counting Terminators or vehicle crews). However, we then learn that about 150 Red Hunters were trapped and wiped out in a single drop pod assault. We also hear that smaller groups of Red Hunters were present in nearly all battles throughout the campaign and they're still around after the drop pod attack. Well, that sounds like a lot more Space Marines than one would find in a single Battle Company! The Vraks Red Hunter info is also not a good mtach to pre-FW fluff about the entire Chapter being deployed at times under an Inquisitor Lord.

 

I have to say that Vraks III was a great disappointment re Red Hunter data, though the colour plates of squads and their vehicles will be useful for painting.

[WarriorFish]

What, you didn't actually expect them to proof read did you? ;)

 

Bit rubbish over all though, they may as well have just said "The Red Hunters deployed Space Marines" it's that uninformative. On the plus side, it gives you more room to interpret them which is cool if you'd like to vary lists a bit.

[Loyalist]

After reading the text instead of skimming I have to issue a minor apology to FW. There is not 'Nothing' about background/history or reasons for the Red Hunters' close ties with the Inquisition, but there is very little new information.

 

I found one paragraph on page 8 that confirms the previously published fluff about close ties between the Red Hunters and the Inquisition, adding that they have had strong links with all three of the main Inquisition Ordos.

 

In my July 24 post I speculated that the Red Hunters were another of the Space Marine chapters founded specifically to assist the Inquisition. The paragraph in Vraks III mentions a rumour that the Red Hunters were founded at the request of the Inquisition on Terra, and that there might be a secret pact between them for mutual support.

 

And that's it, except for confirmation that the 'I' in the Red Hunters insignia does represent the Inquisition. Previous fluff said it could also stand for the Imperium.

[Loyalist]

I forgot to add that there was a sentence on page 8 of Vraks III stating the Red Hunters follow the Codex Astartes. Although they may in organization and tactics, the Vraks III illustrations show they don't follow it with regard to different company colours.

 

The shoulderpad trim in Vraks III is gold for Terminators and for a Tactical Squad from the Third Company, instead of white or silver for the First Company and Red for the Third, as in the Ultramarines. Unlike the Ultramarines the Red Hunters identify companies by a Roman numeral.

 

All of the Red Hunter Terminators have a black Roman numeral 'I' on a gold left kneepad. Eight of ten Tactical Marines have a Roman numeral 'III' on a gold left kneepad, and are Third company. One of them has a white 'III' on a red left kneepad and another has a smll white 'III' on the right shoulderpad next to the arrow Tactical symbol. That one has a white Arabic squad number on the red right kneepad. The other Tactical SMs have squad numbers in black Arabic script on the right shoulderpad's white Tactical arrow symbol, black or white squad numbers within a white outlined Tactical arrow, or a small white squad number next to the arrow. Quite a bit of variation within a single 10 man squad!

[WarriorFish]

I wouldn't draw too much from the paint schemes. You'll often find different "versions" though I admit, not usually so much in the same book! So maybe that's normal for the Red Hunters (though I'd wager it's just the usual errors).

 

If I were you I'd pick a version you like and just use that. Good to have some confirmations, even if they're minor as you have something to go on (despite the inconsistencies).

[Loyalist]

While reading Siege of Vraks 3 I took a closer look at the fine print of a 'historical' document illustrated on page 87. It turned out to be a list of the Imperial forces and lsaid there were "approx. 3 companies" of Red Hunters in the battle.

 

That makes alot more sense than only the Third Company with supports from the First company mentioned early in the text.