Alternate Legion names

[JRS-One]

Searched before posting this but couldn't find exactly what i'm looking for

 

 

For example, the Iron Hands being the Iron Tenth, the Space Wolves being the Vlka Fenfryka or The Rout

What are the other legions also known as? There are a few on the tip of my tongue but i'm having a complete brain fart

Cheers in advance

[dusara217]

Weren't the Imperial Fists like "Terra's Praetorians" or something like that? Also, Emperor's Children were also known as the Emperor's Champions, I think, before they met their Primarch. I think the Dark angels were once called the I Legion...

[Brother Dallo]

All 18 legions were known by their numerical designations. The White Scars were the Vth legion, Night Lords the VIIIth. The Luna Wolves get renamed to Sons of Horus, the Dusk Raiders become the Death Guard. The Iron Warriors were known as the Corpse Grinders due to the way they viewed the mortal soldiers that served along side them.

 

Dallo

[Saul Invictus]

World Eaters were the War Hounds, they had the inverse colour scheme too.

Death Guard were the Dusk Raiders, almost the exact same scheme, but with a red arm.

Word Bearers were the Imperial Heralds, they wore grey, like the Word Bearers did initially.

[Conn Eremon]

Don't take this list as comprehensive, these are only those I have read and recall.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

 

The First Legion was renamed the Dark Angels by their primarch, with no other known names

 

The Second Legion was renamed __________, with no other known names

 

The Third Legion was renamed the Emperor's Children by the Emperor during the Unification Wars, which lasted forever

 

The Fourth Legion was known disparagingly as the Corpse Grinders until suppressed, in addition to the Iron Warriors name given to them by their primarch

 

The Fifth Legion was renamed the White Scars by their primarch, with no other known names

 

The Sixth Legion was renamed the Space Wolves, internal formally the Vlka Fenryka and internal informally the Rout

 

The Seventh Legion was renamed the Imperial Fists during the Unification Wars, and possibly as the Legion of the Emperor's Praetorian or the Emperor's Champion, both titles given to their primarch

 

The Eighth Legion was renamed the Night Lords by their primarch

 

The Ninth Legion was renamed the Blood Angels at an unknown time, with no other known names

 

The Tenth Legion was informally known as the Storm Walkers, but was renamed the Iron Hands by their primarch before the name became official, though the informal name of the Iron Tenth remained in use

 

The Eleventh Legion was renamed _____________________, with no other known names

 

The Twelfth Legion was renamed the War Hounds by the Emperor during the Unification Wars, which lasted until being renamed the World Eaters by their primarch

 

The Thirteenth Legion was renamed the Ultramarines, and was informally known as the Battle-Kings, with no other known names

 

The Fourteenth Legion was renamed the Dusk Raiders during the Unification Wars, which lasted until being renamed the Death Guard by their primarch

 

The Fifteenth Legion was renamed the Thousand Sons by their primarch, with no other known names

 

The Sixteenth Legion was renamed the Luna Wolves during the Unification Wars, which lasted until being renamed the Sons of Horus when the Warmaster fell to Chaos.

 

The Seventeenth Legion was renamed the Imperial Heralds during the Unification Wars, and informally the Iconoclasts, before being renamed the Word Bearers by their primarch

 

The Eighteenth Legion was informally named the Fearless by the Imperial Army, before being renamed the Salamanders by their primarch

 

The Nineteenth Legion was informally known during the early Great crusade as the Pale Nomads and the Dust Clad, until being renamed the Raven Guard by their Primarch

 

The Twentieth Legion has, in addition to the Alpha Legion, been informally known as the Harrowing, the Children of Eris, the Ghost Legion, the Unbroken Chain, the Strife Wrought, the Hydra, the Combine, the Aleph Null, the Last Unity, the Vigil, the Threefold Path, the Left Hand of Darkness, the Azure Serpent, the Amaranth Coil, and 733 other recognized nicknames, up to and including simply 'the Legion'

[JRS-One]

Thanks for the replies, good stuff, 'The Harrowing' and more obviously 'The Hydra' for the Alpha Legion were the ones on the tip of my tongue

I'm sure there are more i've read in novels/codex's/Horus Heresy background books over the years

I have vague memories of a name for the Thousand Sons Graham Mcneill used, and another for the Word Bearers

 

I would so love to have a good trawl through some of the lore books the guys have compiled at Black Library that the authors refer to when writing

[jeffersonian000]

One thing of note, not related to names, yet related the their naming and heraldry, is that all but the first legion were originally painted in the same gray as the Space Wolves. The First Legion was originally black.

 

The Fourteenth Legion was the first to be grant permission to add an honor to their armor, in the firm of a red painted arm, as well as being the first to be granted a new legion name, The Dusk Raiders.

 

All other name changes and re-coloring occured after the Dusk Raiders.

 

SJ

[Conn Eremon]

Was the First always black, or were they just recolored black by the time Caliban was discovered?

[Wulfkry]

Dont forget for the Alpha Legion "The Dudes disguised as a dude that's playing another dude"... and your the dude that dont know what dude he is...

[Phoebus]

Re: the Sons of Horus... Their name change occurred before Horus turned to Chaos. The name was the Emperor's suggestion, and was first recommended after the triumph of Ullanor, when Horus received the title of Warmaster. Horus declined at that time, but reconsidered after speaking with Sanguinius, during the Interex affair. These events are depicted in the novel Horus Rising:

 

“Then maybe it is time to consider doing what the Emperor suggested,’ Sanguinius said.

Horus shook his head emphatically. ‘I refused that on Ullanor, honour though it was. I’ll not contemplate it again.’

‘Things change. You are Warmaster now. All the Legions Astartes must recognise the preeminence of the XVI Legion. Perhaps some need to be reminded.'

...

... Loken asked Abaddon what the Lord of Angels had meant.

‘At Ullanor,’ the first captain answered, ‘the beloved Emperor advised our commander to rename the XVI Legion, so there might be no mistake as to the power of our authority.’

‘What name did he wish us to take?’ Loken asked.

‘The Sons of Horus,’ Abaddon replied.

...

When the ships of the expedition returned to Imperial space, some weeks later, the Warmaster had a decree proclaimed. He told the Mournival that, upon reflection, he had reconsidered the importance of defining his role, and the relationship of the XVI Legion to that role. Henceforth, the Luna Wolves would be known as the Sons of Horus.”

 

Excerpt From: Abnett, Dan. “Horus Rising.” Black Library, 2012-10. iBooks.

This material may be protected by copyright.

Re: the Dark Angels... I have no idea when exactly they adopted black livery, but it happened before their arrival on Caliban. The "first encounter" between the Calibanites and the First Legion, as depicted in Descent of Angels, shows the Space Marines in black power armour:

 

“The news had spread across Caliban like wildfire, within hours of the first sightings of Imperial flying ships in the sky. Soon, it had become known that a group of giants in black armour had come to Caliban proclaiming themselves as envoys of the Emperor of Terra.”

 

Excerpt From: Scanlon, Mitchel. “Descent of Angels Enhanced Edition.” Black Library, 2013-05. iBooks.

This material may be protected by copyright.

[Conn Eremon]

Duly noted on the Sons of Horus front, must've misremembered it.

 

I think it's more likely that the First Legion began with the same uncolored ceramists grey like everyone else, and adopted the black later on. But it's speculation until Thramas is covered.

 

In addition to names, there is also the different Legion symbols before their later, most known ones.

 

Off the top of my head, the Iron Warriors had a winged bolt, the Salamanders had a ram's head with curled horns, and the Sons of Horus had a wolf's head against a crescent moon. But usually, they had roman numerals noting their Legion.

[Hesh Kadesh]

Thw Warhounds was of a Canine Rampant (page 85, Book 1; Betrayal) although also used just the head on armorials and "belt buckles" (page 93).

 

The Emperor's Children were granted the exclusive right to the "Palatine Aquila" (Two headed eagle) following the Proximan Betrayal. However, it wasn't used at the actual legion symbol (the winged claw instead staying as the symbol), but it's as much an ID mark of the EC as their colour scheme, unique artificed gear and their heraldry anyway.