Red Book of Rashbold: Pending Project Log

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++=======++ WELCOME TO THE RED BOOK OF RASHBOLD ++=======++

This "logbook" is my VII Legion 'Imperial Fists' bucket list.

My personal goal is to complete at least one of each type of unit available to the Imperial Fists Legion.

In addition, as I plan to use the Zone Mortalis rules to play the several of the ship boarding missions,

I will be building a battle boards to play these games on. My main inspiration is the

UK Games Day 2013 Forge World Imperial Fist Boarding Action Display Board.

(My own sketch of the display board after scouring many photographs of it)

I would also like to recreate some scenarios for the Battle of Phall,

as written in "The Crimson Fist". by John French.

This is the sum of my plans. There may be changes along the way.

To paraphrase the words of German military strategist Helmuth von Moltke:

"No model plan survives contact with the enemy"

(Links will be added to each listing when completed)

++=======++ ++=======+ ++=======++

+++++++ TABLE OF CONTENTS +++++++

The VII Legion 'Imperial Fists' Crusade Army List

The VII Legion 'Imperial Fists' Wargear List

Zone Mortalis Appendix

References

The VII Legion 'Imperial Fists' Chapter Strategic Disposition

Wars of Unification Appendix

Battle of Phall Appendix

Schism of Mars Appendix

VII Legion - XLI Chapter - LXXXI Battalion - CDV Company

Listings are in the format of: Subject... Horus Heresy Book... Page Reference

+++++++ THE VII LEGION 'IMPERIAL FISTS' CRUSADE ARMY LIST +++++++

THE IMPERIAL FISTS - III 56-77

APPENDIX XI: Imperial Fist Legion Specifics - III 266-267

HEADQUARTERS

HQ IF Sigismund, First Captain - III 270

HQ IF Alexis Polux, Captain of the 405th Company - III 271

HQ Legion Praetor - I 188-189

HQ Legion Centurion - I 190-191

HQ Legion Command Squad - I 192-193

ELITES

EL IF Templar Brethren - III 268

EL Legion Veteran Tactical Squad - I 194

EL Legion Destroyer Squad - I 195

EL Legion Terminator Squad - I 196

EL Techmarine Covenant - I 197

EL Apothecarion Detachment - I 198

EL Legion Dreadnought Talon - I 199

EL Contemptor Dreadnought Talon - I 200

EL Legion Rapier Weapons Battery - I 201

EL Legion Mortis Dreadnought - II 194

EL Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - II 195

TROOPS

TR Legion Tactical Squad - I 202

TR Legion Assault Squad - I 203

TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad - I 204

TR Legion Tactical Support Squad - I 205

TR Legion Reconnaissance Squad - I 206

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

DT Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier - I 207

DT Legion Drop Pod - I 208

DT Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod - II 204

FAST ATTACKS

FA IF Phalanx Warder Squad - III 269

FA Legion Seeker Squad - I 210

FA Legion Outrider Squad - I 211

FA Legion Attack Bike Squadron - I 212

FA Legion Jetbike Sky Hunter Squadron - I 213

FA Legion Land Speeder Squadron - I 214

FA Legion Storm Eagle Assault Gunship - I 215

FA Tarantula Sentry Gun Battery - II 196-197

FA Primaris-Lightning Strike Fighter - II 198-199

FA Legion Javelin Attack Speeder Squadron - II 200

FA Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod - III 235

HEAVY SUPPORTS

HS Legion Heavy Support Squad - I 216

HS Legion Predator Strike Armour Squadron - I 217

HS Legion Land Raider Battle Squadron - I 218-219

HS 0-1 Legion Artillery Tank Squadron - I 220

HS Legion Vindicator - I 221

HS Legion Spartan Assault Tank - I 222

HS Legion Caestus Assault Ram - I 223

HS Deathstorm Drop Pod - II 201

HS Legion Whirlwind Scorpius - II 202

HS Legion Sicaran Battle Tank - II 203

HS Legion Kharybdis Assault Claw - III 236-237

HS Legion Fire Raptor Gunship - III 238

HS Achilles-Alpha Pattern Land Raider - III 239

HS Sicaran Venator Tank Destroyer - III 240

LORDS OF WAR

LW IF Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists - III 272-273

LW Legion Fellblade Super-heavy Tank - I 224

LW Legion Typhon Heavy Siege Tank - I 225

LW Legion Thunderhawk Gunship - I 226

LW Legion Thunderhawk Transporter - I 227

LW Legion Cerebus Heavy Tank Destroyer - I 228

LW Legion Malcador Assault Tank - I 229

LW Legion Glaive Super-heavy Spec Weapons Tank - II 205

LW Legion Falchion Super-heavy Tank Destroyer - III 241

LW Legion Stormblade Super-heavy Tank - III 242-243

FORTIFICATIONS

FT Imperial Castellum Stronghold - III 244-245

+++++++ THE VII LEGION 'IMPERIAL FISTS' WARGEAR LIST +++++++

SPACE MARINE LEGION WARGEAR - I 230-239

+++++++ ZONE MORTALIS APPENDIX +++++++

CAMPAIGN APPENDIX: Zone Mortalis - I 168-169

BLOOD IN THE VOID EXPANSION - III 184-187

Zone Mortalis Boarding Assault Mission - Void Strike - III 188-189

Zone Mortalis Boarding Assault Mission - Wrecking Mission - III 190-191

Zone Mortalis Boarding Assault Mission - Salvation - III 192

Zone Mortalis Boarding Assault Mission - Killing Blow - III 193

Zone Mortalis Boarding Assault Mission Strategems - III 194-195

The Taking of the Contrador - III 196-197

+++++++ REFERENCES +++++++

HORUS HERESY BOOK I: Betrayal

HORUS HERESY BOOK II: Massacre

HORUS HERESY BOOK III: Extermination

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+++++++ WARS OF UNIFICATION APPENDIX ++++++
 

Horus Heresy Volume I: Betrayal - The Grey Legions, page 27

 

The first warriors of the Legiones Astartes went to war in grey armour, unadorned save for the Emperor's thunder strike symbol. The armour they wore was not new, but the same partially powered armour that had evolved on Old Earth and was worn by the elite of both the Emperor's armies and the techno-barbarian tribes that had fought against him. Some of this 'Thunder Armour', first named for the Thunder Regiments that were the Legions' forebears, was newly forged, but the Emperor's warsmiths also took or canabalised many suits from the armories and corpses of conquered foes. As if to mark a break from the wars of the past the armour wascast in storm cloud grey, and bore only the thunderbolt and lightning marks of Imperial unity. Over time Legions gained their own marks of distinction and character, and names - Emperor-given in some cases - came to replace numbers, with many Space Marine companies seeking to single themselves out from their brother Legions.

 

[pending list]
 
HQ. Legion Praetor: Legion Master Mathias (1)
EL. Legion Terminator Squad (5)
EL. Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (5)
EL. Legion Destroyer Squad (5)
TR. Legion Tactical Squad (10)
TR. Legion Tactical Support Squad (5)
TR. Legion Assault Squad (10)
TR. Legion Despoiler Squad (10)
TR. Legion Breacher Siege Squad (10)
FA. Legion Seeker Squad (5)
FA. Legion Outrider Squadron (3)
FA. Legion Jetbike Squadron (3)
HS. Heavy Support (5)
 
 
+++++++ BATTLE OF PHALL APPENDIX +++++++
 
Blade  of Perdition - Captain Fafnir Rann with 12th Squad, 4th Company
Halcyon Mission - Captain Amandus Tyr with 2nd Assault Echelon, 6th Company
Lacedaemon - Captain Iago with 34th Squad, 140th Company
Oath of Stone - Captain with 34th Squad, 344th Company
Tribune - Captain Alexis Polux with 1st Squad,  405th Company & 62nd Squad, 55th Company 
 
[pending list]
 
HQ Captain Alexis Polux, 405th Company & The Tribune
HQ Captain Fafnir Rann, 4th Company & The Blade of Perdition
HQ Captain Amandus Tyr, 6th Company & The Halcyon
HQ Captain Pertinax, 14th Company & The Hammer of Terra
HQ Captain Iago, 140th Company & The Lacedaemon
EL Legion Terminator Squad, Fasolt & 12 Squad 4th Company
EL Legion Terminator Squad, Baldur Kord & 2nd Assault Echelon 6th Company
TR Legion Tactical Squad, ?th Squad 140th Company
TR Legion Tactical Support Squad, Arnfried & 34th Squad 140th Company
TR Legion Assault Squad, Gunther & 64th Squad 344th Company
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad, Vet Sgt Ahmand & 62nd Squad 55th Company
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad, Sgt 1st Squad 405th Company
HS Caestus Assault Ram, 'Haraanburg', 43rd Assault Wing 4th Company


++++++ SCHISM OF MARS APPENDIX ++++++
 
Forge Mondus Occulum - Captain Sigismund with 1st and 3rd Companies
Forge Mondus Gamma - Captain Camba-Diaz with 5th and 7th Companies

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+++++++ VII Legion - XLI Chapter - LXXXI Battalion - CDV Company +++++++

CDV Banner:

inspired by from the cover of this

Captain Polux was nicknamed "The Crimson Fist", and as he is destined to become

the first Chapter Master of the 2nd Founding Crimson Fists Space Marine Chapter...

besides, the old banner always looked more Imperial Fist in origin.

It most definitely is an homage to or relic from the VII Legion 'Imperial Fists'.

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++=======++ VII LEGION 'IMPERIAL FIST' CHAPTER STRATEGIC DISPOSITION ++=======++

So, how are the Imperial Fists Legion organized?

Horus Heresy Volume III: Extermination - Imperial Fists: Unit Organisation and Structure Within the Legion, page 62

At the time of Horus' betrayal, much of the early Legion structure remained in the Imperial Fists. Ever a practical leader, Rogal Dorn most likely saw little reason to change what had been proven to work. So it was that the base components of the Legion and the system of hierarchy used were little changed from its early days. As the Great Crusade progressed, however the Legion's particular role and developing preferences for waging war began to change this.

Analysis: VII Legion 'Imperial Fists' started off like every other legion and made adjustments when needed.

The Crimson Fist, by John French, pages 16-20

..."Our fleet was the primarch’s first answer to his brother’s treachery. Five hundred and sixty-one ships and three hundred companies had left the Phalanx. First Captain Sigismund had been given command but the primarch had taken him back to Terra, and so we had jumped towards Isstvan under Yonnad’s command."

..."Ten thousand Imperial Fists gone. I could not grasp that loss."

..."Three hundred and sixty-three warships remained. The fates of over twenty thousand of my brother Imperial Fists were now in my hands."

..."Word will come, my lord. The galaxy does not simply swallow a third of a Legion."

Analysis:
Retribution Fleet = 300 companies
300 companies = one-third of the Imperial Fist Legion
300 companies = 30,000 legionnaires, therefore 1 company = 100 legionnaires
900 companies = 90,000 legionnaires = approximate size of the Imperial Fist Legion

Horus Heresy Book I: Betrayal - Strategic Disposition of a Space Marine Legion, pages 30-31



This source delves into a Legion's breakdown into Chapters, into Battalions, and then into Companies. For example, a Battalion was usually comprised of five companies.

Each Company was designated by the units it was made from.

1st Company - Veterans (Elites: Templar Brethren, Veteran Tacticals, Terminators, etc)
2nd Company - Battle Line (Troops: Tactical, Assault, Breacher Siege, etc)
3rd Company - Battle Line (Troops: Tactical, Assault, Breacher Siege, etc)
4th Company - Battle Line (Troops: Tactical, Assault, Breacher Siege, etc)
5th Company - Specialists (Fast Attack & Heavy Support: Phalanx Warder, Outrider Bikes, Heavy Support, etc)

Of course, some companies may be more focused depending on the tactical role they play in their chapter. This would allow for First Captain Sigismund's 1st Company to have Templar Brethren as Troops, or Captain Tyr's 6th Company to have all Terminators, and so on.

It's a rough guide, but one I may use when making my army lists to add some character to them.

+++++++ ADDENDUM - LEGION UNIT SYMBOLS +++++++

Courtesy of Forge World

[deathspectersgt7]

Looks like fun will be watching.

[Olis]

I see you're going fairly in-depth here. I don't doubt that there'll be some interesting results, at least for the fans of the Seventh out there. :tu:

[lionofjudah]

Wow!! That's a plethora of info and history you are delving into. Looking forward to seeing what will ckme

[GhostMalone]

I love this already :D

 

Edit: subscribed

[Slips]

You endeavors are truly one of an Exemplar of the Legion.

 

Look forward to you work, Brother Legionnaire!

[Chef Wulfen]

I will be fallowing this myself as I will be doing the Imperial fists as my chosen legion.

[Candleshoes]

Wonderful research and prep work.

 

I love projects that start out of a lobour of love and inspiration.

 

Can't wait to see some models!

[Marshal Rohr]

To date, there have not been any companies that fit the 100 Legionary standard in the Imperial Fists. That may have been the case early in the Legions history, but it isn't by the Battle of Phall. Even a detachment small enough to be labeled 'Demi-Company', has 28 Squads, which at a minimum is 140 Legionaries with 5 Legionaries per squad. In all likelihood there are far less than 900 companies, with each having more than 100 legionaries. 

 

Another point: Extermination says there was little change from the early Pricipia Bellicose organization, but then describes a system entirely different to the original outline. There are no Chapter Masters, Lord Commanders, or Lieutenant Commanders in the Legion. Everyone is a captain. It only uses the term Centurion once, describing them as the leaders of companies, and then never gives anyone the title again and continuously refers to companies being commanded by Captains. It divides the captains into senior and line, senior captains commanding chapter size detachments, and line captain commanding battalion sized detachments. Seneschals, Fleet Masters, Siege Masters, Marshals, and Castellans are all additional titles, if the only example (Rann) is the norm. Rann is Captain of the Assault Cadre [whatever that may be, according to Templar] and also he is a Seneschal. He was also somehow present at Phall [Extermination] and Terra [Templar] simultaneously. If his naming conventions are the norm, the he would be Captain Rann, Seneschal of the Assault Cadre. Anyone else would be Captain X, Fleetmaster of Y; or Captain A, Marshal of B. 

 

For the purposes of your project, to conform to what we've been given so far, your Captain may have the responsibilities of a Chapter Master or Battalion Commander, but he is still Captain of his own company. When Polux became Fleetmaster, he still maintained control of the 405th, and was also in command of other companies, making him a Fleetmaster, Line Captain, and Centurion by the template in extermination all at one time.

[Ordo Machinum]

 

For the purposes of your project, to conform to what we've been given so far, your Captain may have the responsibilities of a Chapter Master or Battalion Commander, but he is still Captain of his own company. When Polux became Fleetmaster, he still maintained control of the 405th, and was also in command of other companies, making him a Fleetmaster, Line Captain, and Centurion by the template in extermination all at one time.

I agree as it would most definitely bridge some fluff with the potentially larger squad numbers from the HH rule books.

 

As shown in Betrayal, companies themselves can be over a hundred legionnaires each. During the Battle of Phall, as written in the story Crimson Fist, many of the Captains are referred to as Dorn's "Stone Men". This represents their seniority as you have indicated, making them responsible for more than a single company. The same story briefly mentions Captains Sigismund and Camba-Diaz taking four companies between them. Mechanicum clarifies them each commanding two companies.

 

I admit my use of the 'Strategic Disposition' is as a rough guide. I plan to build basic units from the unit listings. Then I want to expand them to account for any upgrade options, etc. The colour schemes and squads mentioned in Extermination will be included as well.

 

Thank you everyone for your comments and encouragement.