Imperium Secundus - A Truescale Horus Heresy Project

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Security Clearance: Maximus 

 

>>> Accepting Encrypted Password

 

>>> Holding...

 

>>> Holding...

 

>>> Access Granted

 

>>> Thought of the Day: Only in Death does Duty end.

 

My Lord and Lady Inquisitors, I hope this message finds you well. Contained within this archive is all you have requested on Guilliman's founding of the Second Imperium. Included within this dataslate are picts I have compiled after months of pouring over old data-logs. I have tried to match each recording with relevant information, but be warned that much data in the dark days of the Heresy was contaminated with rumor and hearsay. I have done the best I can in the time that was allotted to me.

 

Again, I make no judgement on the necessity of the Unremembered Empire. That I leave to your lords and ladyships.

 

Your humble servant,

 

Vallon, High Archivist.

 

http://i.imgur.com/1W1Hloz.jpg

 

Pictured above, Brother-Legionary Galba, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

Edited January 9, 2017 by Moritan

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: Ruthlessness is the kindness of the wise.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Galba, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/crejTFI.jpg

 

Seen in this pict-capture clad in an Ultramar-produced pattern of MK III plate, Brother-Legionary Galba supports the advance of his brothers with a suppressing fusillade from his boltgun. Owing to the nature of the great distance from Terra to the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar, the XIII Legion cannot rely on a steady stream of supplies other Legions might enjoy. As a result, the Ultramarines favor locally produced variants of power armor, where nearby forgeworlds can keep up with the Legion's continuous demand. Note the squad insignia on the kneepad. This designates Galba as belonging to the Ninth Squad, respectively of the Ultramarines 22nd Company. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/t33ITUl.jpg

 

Galba wears an Ultramar-fashioned "Praetorian" helm, a cross between the popular MK IV Maximus and the older, yet more protective Ferrum pattern. The frontal glacis of the "Praetorian" variant is reinforced by multiple layers of ceramite, making it an ideal choice for line brothers assigned to Tactical and Breacher Squads.

 

http://i.imgur.com/0ftsmge.jpg

 

The emerald gemstone Galba has chosen to decorate his shoulderplate with is part birthright and part heritage. Galba hails from the ocean world of Talassar, where mighty waves erode the only landmass on the planet, Glaudor. On broken shorelines, precious gems are often found waiting to be plucked, revealed by the ocean's continuous movements. As a result, Talassar, besides being a recruiting world for the Ultramarines, is well-known for the gemstones it imports and to such a degree that outside the Five Hundred Worlds, the word Talassarian has become a synonym for natural beauty.

 

http://i.imgur.com/b4vpZoa.jpg

 

The etched lines seen on the Legionary's other shoulderplate are oath-verses Galba has inscribed himself before combat. Akin to other Legions, the Ultramarines often take an oath of the moment before battle commences. Unlike other Legions, the warriors of the XIII take inspiration from the writings of Roboute Guilliman himself, reminding themselves of their unflinching duty to the betterment of Mankind.

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Section-Leader Konnor, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/I4Cwnw7.jpg

Edited January 9, 2017 by Moritan

[Lord Blackwood]

color scheme looks sharp D:   

Looking forward to seeing more of yer stuff. 

[IronDrake28]

Man, that's beautiful.

[quinnwolf]

Clean simple scheme looks extremely impressive and shows off the conversion work, makes me want to do Ultras.

[A D-B]

Christ, this thread already kicks butt. Those are awesome, Moritan.

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: A life of obedience is a life well-lived.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Section-Leader Konnor, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/DnrJzRR.jpg

 

Recorded in the street fighting of Thedos, Section-Leader Konnor warns his brothers of Word Bearer elements concealed within the city's ruins. 

 

Despite the majority of Lorgar's Shadow Crusade being driven off, the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar had been thoroughly ravaged by the traitor Legions. Even worse, leftover warbands of both the Word Bearers and World Eaters still existed within the Ultramarines' domain, decimating terrified populations wherever they landed. Much of the first days of the Imperium Secundus involved campaigns to exterminate these traitors in their lairs. These operations were, for the most part, grueling street battles that pitted the XIII against a foe just as cunning, just as indomitable, and just as superhuman as them. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/bytJCnf.jpg

 

Konnor wears a suit of Mark IV plate, popularly known as the Maximus pattern. Retaining most of the protective properties of the Mark III while exhibiting a greater degree of movement, the Maximus would soon be on the forefront of every theater in the Great Crusade. At the moment of the Calth Atrocity, the Mark IV had just begun mass proliferation among the Ultramarines. Horus, Arch-Betrayer, had guaranteed that the best wargear available to the Imperium was siphoned to the Traitor Legions first and foremost before they were available to Loyalist Astartes forces.

 

http://i.imgur.com/ob6RMz6.jpg

 

Note the vertical stripe painted over Konnor's helm. This designates him as Section-Leader of his squad. The close-quarters fighting that formed the core part in the aftermath of the Shadow Crusade forced the Ultramarines to improvise. Large squads were a detriment among broken streets and shattered buildings. Smaller, more flexible combat teams were needed and the XIII improvised an ad-hoc squad organization to compensate. In Konnor's case, should the situation warrant it, he would break off a five-man fireteam from his squad and operate independently to root out traitor elements that have gone to ground.

 

http://i.imgur.com/mwxeuAK.jpg

 

Konnor's choice of armament is a Tigrus-pattern boltgun. A ubiquitous weapon, it discharged .60 caliber rounds that were guaranteed to eliminate human-sized targets while also proving to be dangerous to rival Astartes when fired in successive volleys. 

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Gnaeus Appian, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/KlcwBS2.jpg

Edited January 9, 2017 by Moritan

[Ryltar Thamior]

I love Truescale Horus Heresy-ism :D And I have to say, these are some of the best Ultramarines I've yet seen. Nice going with the little fluff details, also! Looking forward to seeing more! 

[IronDrake28]

This is a little *too* awesome. :D

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: No army is big enough to conquer the galaxy. But faith alone can overturn the universe.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Gnaeus Appian, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

Threaten a man's home and you will see just how hard he can fight. - unknown proverb.

 

http://i.imgur.com/KKYQApb.jpg

 

The Shadow Crusade propagated by Lorgar and the Word Bearers lay waste to much of the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar. Even with the traitors' eventual defeat, the Ultramarines returned to planets scoured clean of all life. Thedos was one such place. Amid charred remains of what once was a thriving city, the XIII Legion ran their former brothers to the ground. To warriors like Brother Appian, to whom Thedos was once home, the extermination of the traitors was far more than a practical or theoretical affair. It became a matter of burning, ruthless hatred. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/xaCAMPD.jpg

 

Note the half-Aquila emblazoned over Appian's chest. The original double-headed eagle of the Imperium, correctly known as the Palatine Aquila, was a symbol reserved solely for the Emperor and his Custodians. The only Space Marine Legion allowed to wear its likeness were the Emperor's Children, now a core part of Horus's rebellion. Those gathering behind Lupercal's banner often wore the One Eye to declare their loyalty. Guilliman correctly identified that the loyalists also needed a symbol to stand behind. Yet, using the Palatine would be imprinting the idea that the Second Imperium was the true one when the original was still in place. Guilliman's solution were these half-Aquilas, with the twin-headed eagle removed and replaced with a variety of honor badges. In this way, the primarch suggested that the Imperium Secundus, while remaining a separate entity for the time being, was more than ready to return to the fold should evidence exist that the true Imperium lay intact beyond the Ruinstorm.

 

http://i.imgur.com/rTjfem3.jpg

 

Appian's main weapon is an Umbra-pattern boltgun. The Umbra was an earlier variant, mass-produced during the beginning days of the Great Crusade. Now, at the Crusade's end, it has been supplanted by newer, more modern versions of the bolter. Its main weakness, being smaller caliber rounds, could not be offset by the weapon's sleek and lightweight design that allowed it often to be fired with one hand. However, against human foes, it remained a deadly choice of armament. The Word Bearers had brought millions of their own auxilia to the realms of Ultramar, and while individually they were far inferior to Astartes, in large hordes they had the capacity to overwhelm whole squads of the XIII. The Umbra boltgun was an ideal weapon against such chaff and it was not unusual for Ultramarine hunter-killer teams to designate one man to deal with the cultists while the rest of the squad converged on their Word Bearer masters. This was a duty that Brother Appian, in light of his ravaged homeworld, carried with grim and determined zeal.

 

http://i.imgur.com/UD0ncZq.jpg

 

The honor badge on Appian's knee pad was rewarded for meritorious service against xenos raiding fleets on the fringes of Ultramar. The XIII Legion were not prone to excessive displays of ornamentation. Their motto was a simple one. Namely, that a warrior who wears such an honor badge has earned it.

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Strabo, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/oX4Hp9G.jpg

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: Hate is the currency of the pure.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Strabo, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/yopOUdM.jpg

 

Designated as squad marksman, Brother-Legionary Strabo is seen here picking out targets among the ruins of Thedos. Despite the seemingly uniformity among the ranks of the XIII, the Ultramarines saw the intrinsic value in specialists. Legionnaires who excelled in specific fields were carefully chosen by their commanders before being assigned to support and veteran squads. A warrior like Strabo who excels at long-ranged firefights would have most likely been delegated to a Legion Seeker squad. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/FzLZgAg.jpg

 

Strabo carries an earlier prototype of the Godwyn bolter. Reliable and ubiquitous, the Godwyn would undergo multiple variants before being mass-produced to fill the armories of Space Marine Chapters in the 41st millennium. Indeed, much of the current equipment wielded by the Astartes of today were birthed in the chaos of the Horus Heresy, when the never-ending demand for fresh weapons from both loyalists and traitors alike forced their artificers to improvise. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/S7J1O8B.jpg

 

The amethyst on Strabo's shoulders signifies him as another Talassarian. Though the Ultramarines recruited throughout the Five Hundred Worlds, it was the main planets surrounding their homeworld of Macragge that provided the most initiates. The roiling oceans of Talassar made for especially hearty folk; tough, courageous, and loyal to a fault.

 

http://i.imgur.com/stkaRKZ.jpg

 

Note the specialty ammunition attached to Strabo's hip. While technically only doled out to Veteran or Seeker squads, it was not uncommon for Tactical Legionnaires to be equipped with esoteric rounds should the operation warrant it. 

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Telamon, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/6FaUE3v.jpg

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: Pain is an illusion of the senses, despair is an illusion of the mind.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Telamon, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/6uKQj0K.jpg 

 

Secure in his suit of Mark IV plate, Brother Telamon brings his squad's plasma gun to bear on trapped traitor elements in the Concorda District. As the demi-squad's special weapons trooper, it would have been Telamon's duty to identify valuable Word Bearer targets among their cultist hordes and eliminate them with his armament's superior firepower.

 

http://i.imgur.com/66x2bsC.jpg

 

The plasma gun Telamon carries is a Ryza-pattern, colloquially known as the Thunderbolt. Lightweight and compact, it proved ideal in the short range firefights that the Ultramarines found themselves embroiled in throughout their campaign to take back the Five Hundred Worlds.

 

http://i.imgur.com/xobnIH9.jpg

 

Note the Tactical insignia inscribed over Telamon's shoulder. After the Calth Betrayal, XIII Tactical Squads became smaller in the face of continuous changing circumstances. The bloated twenty man squads of yesterday were found to be unwieldy and cumbersome in the wake of such naked treachery. Word Bearer decapitation strikes left entire companies paralyzed and only by the heroism of a few select officers did the tide eventually change to favor the Ultramarines. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/r9Mjus5.jpg

 

The elaborate frill molded on to Telamon's shoulder guard is a reward for half a century of stalwart service to the XIII Legion. As a rule, the more embroidered a Legionnaire appears, the likelihood of him being a veteran Brother increases.

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Zeydon, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/TmuCdbN.jpg

[apologist]

Cor, looking great! I love the variety of parts; it really sells the group as individuals.

 

Any chance of a group shot?

[Moritan]

Cor, looking great! I love the variety of parts; it really sells the group as individuals.

 

Any chance of a group shot?

 

Here you go!

 

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Interlude

 

>>> Subject Matter: Ultramarines Demi-Squad, 9th Squad, 22nd Company

 

http://i.imgur.com/X1O8Mty.jpg

[bluntblade]

Minor vocab thing - Talassar should export, not import, gems

[Reyner]

Galba is my favourite, I love his armour and helmet 

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: A life spent in the Emperor's service is the only life worth living.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Zeydon, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/mFmBFw2.jpg

 

A stoic line-brother of 9th Squad, Brother-Legionary Zeydon is seen in this pict-capture suppressing traitor elements with his boltgun. Dependable and solid, Zeydon has earned several commendations for personal courage in the line of fire. That said, Zeydon's down-to-earth bearing will never allow him to be alleviated into the XIII's esteemed officer corps. Yet this was seemingly enough for many Astartes serving in the Great Crusade, for induction into the Legions itself was an honor beyond consideration. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/V7XG7sk.jpg

 

The honor etchings on Zeydon's boltgun are phrases taken from Guilliman's treatise on the importance of maintaining one's weapon. While the Primarch of the Thirteenth is most well known for his penmanship of the Codex Astartes, there are numerous other works attributed to his acute intellect, many of which have been lost in the dark days of the Heresy. Legionnaires like Zeydon would have etched their favorite lines onto their wargear, both to honor their gene-sire as well as reminding themselves of their solemn duty.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Toscl11.jpg

 

Zeydon is clad in an earlier mark of armor still well-used by this time in the Great Crusade. The Mark III was an ubiquitous suit, with enough advantages adherent in its design that the Mark IV, now in mass production throughout the Imperium, would not be able to reliably displace. The reinforced plating that stretched across its entire frame made it impervious to small arms fire. Its direct cousin, the Cataphractii pattern, is widely considered to be the most protected form of Terminator armor in existence.

 

http://i.imgur.com/O4OTsIZ.jpg

 

Like most warriors of the Thirteenth, the Legion's heraldry is proudly displayed all across Zeydon's armor. To the genetically enhanced warriors of the Legion Astartes, the colors of camouflage were rarely used outside specialized reconnaissance squads. The uniforms of the Imperial Auxiliary may be camouflaged to protect their wearers by hiding them from sight. This was not the way of the Emperor's Chosen. A Space Marine’s armor is bright with heraldry that proclaims his devotion to his Legion and the beloved Imperium he has sworn to defend. His principle is that what the enemy can see, he will soon learn to fear. 

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Mikhos, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/51nD2Fz.jpg

[apologist]

Looking very cool still – and Mikhos is looking very dynamic and promising. Do you have any plans for basing?

[Legio Draconis]

Outstanding work

[The Red Angel]

These look ace! 

 

loving the very clean look of them too.

 

Without giving away the secret,

 

I can assume these are termy legs, termy torso with the hood removed, standard marine arms, pauldrons, head and back pack? The thing im most curious on is the backplate of the torso? surely it isnt the standard termy one?

 

Dying to know!

 

These are fantastic

 

Keep it up

[Jackalwolf]

Really great stuff.

[Robzilla]

Love it!

 

Great use of parts to differentiate the various marks of armour.

 

Hope to see more soon!

[Moritan]

Imperium Secundus: The Unremembered Empire

 

>>> Continuing Archive Perusal...

 

>>> Thought of the Day: Contemplation is the womb of treachery.

 

>>> Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Mikhos, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/Iiv8PJj.jpg

 

Pict-captured in close quarters fighting amid the rubble of Thedos, Brother Mikhos makes for an intimidating figure with his combat knife and his Mark V helm. Savage and unrelenting, Mikhos is a relative rarity among the disciplined warriors of the XIII. His merciless tendencies in combat has earned him rebuke from his direct superiors who consider Mikhos's almost fanatical nature distasteful to principled, orderly teachings of Guilliman.

 

http://i.imgur.com/mcrx4Yv.jpg

 

Note the Serrum pattern combat knife Mikhos grasps in one hand. While the edge is monomolecular like most blades carried by Legionnaire Astartes, the Serrum pattern carries the unique distinction of being solely a thrusting weapon. Used in overhead stabbing patterns, the dirk-like tip of the knife can puncture hardened carapace plate when powered by Astartes muscle. Mikhos would later use this weapon to great effect in cleansing heretic entrenchments.

 

http://i.imgur.com/wbkLW2t.jpg

 

Mark V power armor, commonly termed as "Heresy" armor, is in all actuality, a mishmash of previous armor mark. As the Horus Heresy wore on, the Legions found themselves unable to supply the demand for pristine power armor. This forced Astartes artificers to improvise, stitching together parts from broken down suits into a new type of armor. While the Ultramarines were better equipped than most, the arduous nature of Astartes to Astartes warfare eventually depleted the Legion's armor supply. By the end of Lorgar's Shadow Crusade, it was not uncommon to see entire squads of the XIII clad in "Heresy" pattern suits.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Xzcnp88.jpg

 

Oaths of the Moment decorate Mikhos's warplate. An unusually pious example of a Legionnaire Astartes, Mikhos's stalwart devotion to the Primarch's teachings and the Imperial Creed has almost earned him the Mark of Censure shortly before the Calth atrocity began. Whatever discomfort his faith caused among his brothers was swiftly forgotten in light of the Word Bearers' treachery as theoretical disagreements were cast aside in favor of a solid practical.

 

>>> Current Archive Ends Here...

 

>>> Continuing to next Subject Matter: Brother-Legionary Dyonysius, XIII Legion, Ultramarines

 

http://i.imgur.com/iO6nsp4.jpg

 

[bluntblade]

I like Dionysius already

[Reyner]

That Iron Warriors helmet looks so good for Heavy Support Squads - it gives a really cool Colonial Marines vibe to the gear :P which is always awesome.