Original Names

[VulkansFury]

One of the things I love about the HH books is discovering the names that the legions had when they began the crusade from Tera. The Emperor had named the Legions and with the recovery of their respective Primarchs, most of the legions were renamed as a sort of stamp of ownership and allegience to their Primarch. The origional names that I know of are as follows.

 

Legio I: The First Legion

I think I read this somewhere or it may have been speculation. Proud of their designation as the First of the Legions, it makes sense that they would remind everyone of it as often as possible.

 

Legio II: Um....the first rule about Legio II is you do not talk about Legio II.

 

Legio III: I know why they became the Emperor's Children but dont know their previous name

 

Legio IV: Don't know the origional name for the Iron Warriors

 

Legio V: Don't know the origional name for the White Scars

 

Legio VI: Don't know the origional name for the Space Wolves

 

Legio VII: Since the Imperial Fists were a Teran Legion with documented history back to the Unification of Tera, Im guessing Imperial Fists or simply the Fists were the origional name. The Fist being part of the Unity salute used by those followers of the Empire on pre-Imperial Tera.

 

Legio VII: Don't know the origional name for the Night Lords

 

Legio IX: Don't know the origional name for the Blood Angels

 

Legio X: Don't know the origional name for the Iron Hands

 

Legio XI: The Second rule about Legio XI is do NOT talk about Legio XI

 

Legio XII: The World Eaters were the Warhounds prior to the discovery of Angron. The City Eaters were what his gladitorial army was called. A Warhound Marine told the Primarch that with his leadership they would become Eaters of Worlds and Angron like the sound of that.

 

Legio XIII: Don't know the origional name for the Ultramarines

 

Legio XIV: The Death Guard were the Dusk Raiders due to their signature tactic of attacking enemies at Dusk. Was changed to Death Guard by Moritarian in reference to his elite troops from his army that he used to conquor Barbarus. I also liked that they wore off white armor with a Red right arm armor to let it be known that they are the Red right hand of the Emperor.

 

Legio XV: Don't know the origional name for the Thousand Sons

 

Legio XVI: Well all know why they are the Sons of Horus, guessing that they were the Luna Wolves at their inception due to the mention of Luna, Tera's natural satelite.

 

Legio XVII: Were the Imperial Heralds...aluding to their preaching nature even prior to the discovery of Logar. Word Bears due to them bearing the Word of the Emperor and Logar.

 

Legio XVIII: Don't know the origional name for the Salamanders....and that saddens me to no end.

 

Legio XIX: Don't know the origional name for the Raven Guard

 

Legio XX: Don't know the origional name for the Alpha Legion

 

Can anyone enlighten me to the origions of any of these legions? Thanks a Million.

[Trel]

The original name for the Thousand Sons was the Thousand Sons.

 

Lemuel and Ahriman remarked upon it in "A Thousand Sons" with the incongruities and coincidences of the Legion's name.

 

I don't think the Emperor's Children had a name before the coming of Fulgrim, since the Legion wasn't operational at that point, if I remember correctly.

 

Other than that, you're spot-on with the others.

[Ethrion]

Weren't the Ultramarines called the smurfs? LOL! jk jk jk

 

Seriously though, I think a lot of them kept their original names. Either that or the fluff hasn't mentioned them yet. I have a feeling the Night Lords had a different name at first but for the life of me I can't find where I might have read it...

[Rider-75]

most of the legions had no name, just their number designator.

 

a few were given names before meeting the primarch as a form of battle honour.

[Trel]

Indeed, probably most of them just stuck with their numbers and maybe a nickname, like the Roman Legions (for example, Legio X Gemina).

 

The names really didn't become the sole identifiers until the Legions were disbanded. (I do enjoy reading descriptions in the HH books with phrases like, "the assult troopers of the XII Legion.")

 

One wonders if GW would ever make a 40k tabletop supplement like the old Codex: Eye of Terror or Codex:Armageddon that allows players to play the Legions with all their special natures, etc etc. I would buy something like that in a heartbeat. (Even if it wasn't sanctioned in-game, so they wouldn't have to worry too much about balancing.)

[Ethrion]

Indeed, probably most of them just stuck with their numbers and maybe a nickname, like the Roman Legions (for example, Legio X Gemina).

 

The names really didn't become the sole identifiers until the Legions were disbanded. (I do enjoy reading descriptions in the HH books with phrases like, "the assult troopers of the XII Legion.")

 

One wonders if GW would ever make a 40k tabletop supplement like the old Codex: Eye of Terror or Codex:Armageddon that allows players to play the Legions with all their special natures, etc etc. I would buy something like that in a heartbeat. (Even if it wasn't sanctioned in-game, so they wouldn't have to worry too much about balancing.)

 

The Tempus Fugitive rules do exactly that. Loads of special characters and unique legion specific stuff.

[Sgt.Sangha]

where does it say that the word bearers were known as the imperial heralds? is it in first heretic? i havent read it yet, but i have a copy waiting for me at when i get back.

[Artein]

Alpha Legion was created after finding Alpharius so it was called Alpha Legion from the beginning, or the Last Legion.

[Legatus]

The Emperor had initially called the 13th Legion "The only ones I got right", but Guilliman in his modesty chose to rename them to "Ultramarines". :D

[A D-B]

The Emperor had initially called the 13th Legion "The only ones I got right", but Guilliman in his modesty chose to rename them to "Ultramarines". :D

 

I burn with the need to make this canon.

[Legatus]

"Analysts are not sure why Games Workshop Ltd suffered a huge loss in sales over 2011 and 2012, but some have suggested that the start of the drop coincided with the release of Black Library's latest Horus Heresy novel 'The Emperor's Favourite'. It appears that the majority of customers, save for a small core fan base of Space Marine players, had quit the hobby right at that point."

[Captain Idaho]

The Emperor had initially called the 13th Legion "The only ones I got right", but Guilliman in his modesty chose to rename them to "Ultramarines". :P

 

I burn with the need to make this canon.

 

Could you imagine the indignation of the "haters" out there for it to be revealed that the Emperor himself said the Ultramarines were the ones he got right.

 

The trouble maker in me approves of this...

 

:D

 

Seriously though, I can imagine it being done in a subtle way, like an opinion voiced by an Astartes. Still, a fun little quote like that would cause a stir!

[Ethrion]

The Emperor had initially called the 13th Legion "The only ones I got right", but Guilliman in his modesty chose to rename them to "Ultramarines". B)

 

I burn with the need to make this canon.

 

Could you imagine the indignation of the "haters" out there for it to be revealed that the Emperor himself said the Ultramarines were the ones he got right.

 

The trouble maker in me approves of this...

 

:wub:

 

Seriously though, I can imagine it being done in a subtle way, like an opinion voiced by an Astartes. Still, a fun little quote like that would cause a stir!

 

Haha yes, yes, yes! Please do it A D-B. Just throw it in in an Astartes conversation somewhere! B) heheh

[Legatus]

There are a few lines in the Horus Heresy books or the Index Astartes articles that could be interpreted that way (especially when they are all added up), but this is getting too off topic.

[Jordan-096]

the ultramarines name probably hasnt changed. Gulliman named Ultramar after his legion

[Cyrox]

So... anyway, getting back to the original topic of this thread :P

 

I'm sure i read somehwre that the White Scars were originally named the White Star Legion

[Trel]

I read a piece of fanfic once that listed the White Scars as the White Stars. I don't know if the author got that from a canonical source, but I'd never heard of it before then.

[Captain Malachi]

Sounds like either a typo, or a case of 'did not do the research'. I mean honestly, why would the Khan bother changing star to scar, it's just not worth the effort.

[Trel]

It's an easy enough switch to make, provided you're a paperless Legion. "In the grim darkness of the future, there is only sed." :)

 

But yeah, I found the piece of fanfic where it was written. Just fanfic, not canon.

[Marshall Riese]

Legio VII: Since the Imperial Fists were a Teran Legion with documented history back to the Unification of Tera, Im guessing Imperial Fists or simply the Fists were the origional name. The Fist being part of the Unity salute used by those followers of the Empire on pre-Imperial Tera.

 

Most of the Legions have history dating to the unification wars, and the initial Legions were all Terran recruits prior to the founding of the Primarchs. The Imperial Fists were granted Terra not necessarily as their home world but have the responsibility of defending as its Praetorians . Dorn was encountered by the Emperor in the vicinity of the planet Inwit where he offered the Phalanx as a gift to the Master of Mankind. The Emp granted the Phalanx back to Dorn and the Fists to serve as their Fortress Monastery. Terra was given over to them to fortify and defended when the Emp returned after the Ullanor Campaign, though they remain officially a fleet based Chapter/Legion.

[Captain Idaho]

All Legions were initially Terran Legions, until they were reunited with their Primarchs. The Dark Angels were the first, so likely the oldest.

[Hyperion]

I've just had a thought - what if the original names for some of the loyalist Legions were revived as successor Chapters later.

 

eg: the White Scars may have originally been the Storm Lords.

[Bulwyf]

I have been trying to find all 18 of the 20 we have information about and I'm having problems locating this information. What were the names of the Legions before they were united with their Primarchs?

 

The only two that I know off the top of my head were the Dusk Raiders/Death Guard and War Hounds/World Eaters. Does anyone know the remaining 16?

[Kizzdougs]

I think the Dark Angels referred to themselves as 'The First'.

[tiberium40k]

Th Word Bearers were the Imperial Heralds.