Insignium Astartes: Legio

[Brother Tyler]

When a Space Marine is permanently seconded to the Legio, they ritually repaint their armor jet black with a red helmet. Chapter tradition maintains that the black armour signifies loyalty to the Emperor while the red helmet derives from the days of the Horus Heresy, though the full explanation has been lost to time. Sergeants typically indicate their rank with a white skull device upon the forehead, and veteran sergeants often use a metallic skull device. The icon of the Space Marine’s parent Chapter is displayed on the right pauldron and the icon of the Legio is displayed on the left pauldron. Though other aspects of the Space Marine’s armour may vary, the most common practice, at least upon secondment, is to paint the left shoulder pad and the chest decoration bone white and to display the color of the Great Company to which the Space Marine is assigned upon the left kneepad. Weapons casings are typically scarlet with white embellishments.

 

The Emperor’s Spears Chapter battle-brother presents the basic livery of the Legio, his affiliation with the Blood of the Emperor Great Company is indicated by the red left kneepad.

 

While the Legio is well-versed in the tactics and organization of the Codex Astartes, members of the Chapter are not organized into permanent squads that follow Codex Astartes organization. As a result, squad badges are infrequently displayed. When displayed, they are most often remnants of the Space Marine’s assignment in his parent Chapter. Since squads will task-organize for tactical duties based on the battle plan, they will assume a squad role temporarily and will often adjust based on the dictates of the tactical situation. Still, it is not unknown for Legio Space Marines to depict squad badges, though it is far from common.

 

The Legio allows its members a great deal of flexibility in displaying Great Company affiliation. Instead of displaying the Great Company color on the left kneepad, for example, a Space Marine may display an icon in the Great Company color upon that kneepad. Other common variations are to display the Great Company color upon the left shoulder pad rim, the field, or even the Legio icon.

 

The most common icon of the Legio is a skull with red decorations upon the brow within a circle over crossed bones, with a field of red, white, and black in the background. A wide variety of alternative icons are used, however, and these are often influenced by the traditions of each Legio Space Marine’s parent Chapter.

 

The Angels of Vigilance Chapter battle-brother on the left has indicated his assignment to the Justice of the Emperor Great Company by the black background on his left pauldron. The Red Wolves Chapter battle-brother on the right has indicated his assignment to the Light of the Emperor Great Company by the white rim on the left pauldron.

 

Members of the Legio often preserve some elements of their parent Chapter’s iconography or some of their personal honors. This is often standard on their right pauldron, but parent Chapter markings are common anywhere upon a Space Marine’s armor and wargear.

 

The Exorcists battle-brother on the left has preserved one of the esoteric markings of his parent Chapter upon his left greave. He indicates his affiliation with the Justice of the Emperor Great Company through both the black field on his left pauldron and the black skull upon his kneepad (the white bar upon which the skull is placed simply provides contrast). The Crimson Fists battle-brother on the right has preserved the red left gauntlet as well as an honor marking upon his chestplate. He indicates his affiliation with the Light of the Emperor Great Company through the white skull upon his left kneepad.

 

The most common method for indicating veteran status within the Legio is to paint some part of the right kneepad and/or greave in a black and white check pattern. Veterans occasionally paint the check pattern upon other portions of their armor or upon their weapons or wargear. The size and arrangement of the pattern aren’t strictly limited, allowing veterans to incorporate the pattern based on their own preferences. A common alternative or addition is to include a stripe, most often white but occasionally black, upon the veteran’s helmet. The width and coverage of the stripe are left to the veteran’s preferences, too.

 

The Death Knights Chapter veteran on the left has opted for a simple large check pattern on his right kneepad. He indicates his affiliation with the Justice of the Emperor Great Company through the black left kneepad. The Howling Griffons Chapter veteran on the right has opted for a bar of smaller checks extending from the top of the right kneepad down the front of the boot. He bears a red kneepad as the mark of his affiliation with the Blood of the Emperor Great Company.

 

The Legio allows veterans to indicate their status in a variety of ways, often shaped by the warrior cult of their parent Chapter. Common alternatives include displaying the Legio icon, the chest decoration, or the field of the left pauldron in a metallic color. A white chest decoration is also a variant marking to indicate veteran status. The crux terminatus and other indicators of veteran status from the parent Chapter might also be used.

 

The Hawk Lords Chapter veteran sergeant on the left has replaced the helmet skull with a crux terminatus, and has also incorporated a crux terminatus in Chapter colors upon his breastplate. He indicates his affiliation with the Blood of the Emperor Great Company through the red shoulder pad rim on his left shoulder. The War Bearers Chapter veteran on the right has chosen to indicate his veteran status by the metallic chest decoration. He indicates his affiliation with the Justice of the Emperor Great Company through the black background on his left pauldron.

 

Members of the Legio often perform duties in service to the Inquisition, especially the Ordo Astartes, which the Legio serves as its Chamber Militant. When a member of the Legio has served in an Inquisitorial capacity, they are allowed to include the symbol of the Inquisition upon their armour, weapons, or wargear. A great deal of freedom is allowed in this, and the symbol, most often depicted in black, red, white, or metallic colors, can be found anywhere upon the Space Marine’s personal livery.

 

The Fire Angels Chapter veteran sergeant has elected to incorporate the symbol of the Inquisition upon his helmet in lieu of the standard skull of his rank. His veteran status is indicated through the black stripe upon his helmet, the white chest decoration, and the black check pattern on his right greave. He indicates his affiliation with the Blood of the Emperor Great Company through the red background on his left pauldron. His chestplate bears an honorific from his parent Chapter.

 

When a Space Marine is permanently seconded to the Legio, he will bring an honor shield. This shield, often crafted and decorated by his Chapter's artificers, will bear the icon of the parent Chapter and the personal honors of the Space Marine. Honor shields will often include litanies and oaths sworn by the Space Marine. The form of the shield is often driven by the traditions of the parent Chapter. In addition, Legio Space Marines occasionally wear tilt shields. These may be smaller renditions of their personal honor shield, or they may be simplified versions of those shields.

 

The Nova Hawks veteran has opted for a tilt shield that depicts one of the honor markings conferred upon him by his Chapter, as shown on his honor shield in the top right. His veteran status is indicated by the white stripe upon his helmet and the metallic chest decoration. The crux terminatus upon his left kneepad indicates that he is a veteran trained in the use of tactical dreadnought armor, and the white color indicates his affiliation with the Light of the Emperor Great Company. That affiliation is also indicated by the white field on his left pauldron. Lastly, he bears the symbol of the Inquisition in white upon his gorget.

 

When Space Marines are detached from their parent Chapter to train with the Legio, they are often termed as being in a “Prospectus” status. They will retain their normal Chapter livery, incorporating the icon of the Legio somewhere upon their armor. This may include replacing their normal squad badge or displaying the icon elsewhere on their armor. Often, such Space Marines will display the Legio icon in the color of the Great Company with which they are operating. When these Space Marines return to their parent Chapter, they often retain the Legio marking in their personal honors.

 

The Emperor’s Warbringers Chapter battle-brother on the left has replaced his squad badge with the black Legio icon, indicating that he is operating with the Justice of the Emperor Great Company. The Fire Lords Chapter battle-brother in the center has added the red Legio icon of the Blood of the Emperor Great Company upon his right pauldron. The Liberators Chapter battle-brother on the right displays the white Legio icon of the Light of the Emperor Great Company upon his left kneepad.

 

While other Space Marines of the Legio will retain the red helmet regardless of rank, members of the various specialist orders, such as apothecaries and librarians, often bear the Codex Astartes color of their order upon their helmet. While other markings and accoutrements peculiar to their orders will be included upon their armor, the rest of the specialist’s armor may combine both the standard black of the Legio and the color normally associated with the specialist order, though the exact arrangement of colors is left to the individual.

 

Owing to the eclecticism of the Legio and its propensity for training across the range of Adeptus Astartes Chapters, diverse exotic weapons are used. Many of these weapons are brought by battle-brothers when they are seconded to the Legio and will remain within the armory of the Legio after the Space Marine has met his fate.

  

The Imperial Fists Chapter veteran sergeant has incorporated a wide range of variations and Chapter markings. When he was first seconded to the Legio, he came from the 3rd (Battle) Company of his Chapter, and he has retained the red shoulder pad rim of that company upon his right pauldron. In addition, he retained a yellow honor marking of the Imperial Fists upon his left greave. He indicates his assignment to the Blood of the Emperor Great Company through the red skull upon his brow and the red field on his left pauldron; and that pauldron also bears the mark of the Inquisition. His veteran status is indicated by the metallic chest decoration and the metallic shoulder pad rim upon his left pauldron. He earned veteran status within the Legio, indicating that accomplishment with the wide white stripe on his helmet. After completing a sojourn to earn veteran status within the Imperial Fists Chapter, he was allowed to bear a gold-rimmed scarlet crux terminatus peculiar to his parent Chapter upon his left kneepad; and he also incorporated the crux terminatus into the tilt shield, which also bears the icons of the Legio and the Imperial Fists Chapter.

 

Those veterans of the Legio who bear storm shields often incorporate personal decorations upon those shields. The storm shield shown above includes the black and white check pattern of a veteran on the left and the red of the Blood of the Emperor Great Company on the right. The icon of the Legio is featured prominently as the boss of the shield. The metallic Inquisition icon within the laurel indicates that this veteran has served the Inquisition with distinction.

 

The weapons on the right are examples of the broad range of exotic weapons that Legio Space Marines bear into battle.

 

Heralds lead delegations to the other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. These delegations perform a variety of vital roles, often relaying important information or coordinating actions among Chapters. The return of a deceased battle-brother to his parent Chapter and the recruiting of a replacement is also a common mission for Heralds. All Heralds are veterans, and the method for indicating Herald status is to incorporate red into the check pattern. Red may replace one of the colors, or it may be incorporated in a more intricate manner.

 

The Carmine Blades Herald on the left has chosen to replace the white in the check pattern on his right greave with red. In addition, the wide white stripe on his helmet serves to indicate that he is a veteran, as does the metallic chest decoration. His right kneepad bears a yellow blood drop honor marking conferred by his Chapter, along with a crimson crux terminatus. His affiliation with the Light of the Emperor Great Company is shown by the white field upon his left pauldron and the left kneepad. The mark of the Inquisition is upon the skull on his chestplate, indicating that he has served alongside an Inquisitor. The Raptors Herald in the middle is a Veteran Sergeant, indicated by the thin black stripe upon his helmet and the skull on his forehead. He has chosen to add red to the checks on his right knee and greave, creating a distinctive pattern. He bears the crux terminatus upon his left pauldron, and that pauldron and his left kneepad are black, indicating his affiliation with the Justice of the Emperor Great Company. The mark of the Inquisition upon his left greave indicates that he has served the Inquisition. The Iron Fists Herald on the right displays his Herald status through the red and white check pattern on the raised portion of his right kneepad. His veteran status is indicated by the white stripe upon his forehead, as well as by the red crux terminatus upon his belt. The red left shoulder pad and skull upon his left kneepad indicate his affiliation with the Blood of the Emperor Great Company, and he bears a silver laurel honor marking upon his left kneepad as well.

 

Prior to the official sanction and formation of the Legio, communication and coordination between the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes was maintained by a network of Delegatus-Heralds, officers within the various Chapters whose role was to serve as liaisons. These Delegatus-Heralds were a remnant of the Legiones Astartes. The Consul-Heralds represented the interests of their Primarchs, acting as emissaries. The Delegatus-Heralds preserved this construct. Each was an officer within their respective Chapter, typically a Veteran Sergeant. Their special role was usually indicated by a black and white check pattern upon their armor, though the method for displaying that pattern was not rigidly defined. While the Delegatus-Heralds were most often active among the brother Successors of their parent Legions, they often interacted with Chapters descended from other Legions. When the High Lords of Terra sanctioned the creation of the Legio in M37, many of the existing Delegatus-Heralds became the initial representatives of their Chapters, and the check pattern became the mark of veterans within the Legio.

 

The Salamanders Delegatus-Herald on the left indicates his office through the checked tilt shield worn upon his left shoulder pad. The gold helmet, shoulder pad rims, and wrists indicate his veteran status, as does the white crux terminatus upon his left kneepad. In addition, he bears an honor marking upon his left kneepad, and the flame marking upon his right leg is a marking of the Chapter's Promethean Cult. The Angels of Absolution Delegatus-Herald in the middle indicates his office through the check pattern on his right shoulder pad. His veteran status is indicated by the red stripe upon his helmet and the mark of the Deathwing, the First Company of the Angels of Absolution, upon his left kneepad. The skull upon his forehead indicates that he is a sergeant, and the pattern upon his right kneepad indicates that he is currently assigned to the 8th Reserve (Assault) Company. He bears a skull upon a green diamond campaign badge on his right greave, a record of valor in a previous campaign. The Storm Lords Delegatus-Herald on the right indicates his office through the checked shield that has been incorporated into his chestplate design. His veteran status is indicated by the crux terminatus upon his right pauldron, and that also indicates that he is currently assigned to the First Company of his Chapter. The scarlet decorations upon his helmet and kneepad are honor markings.

 

Designer's Note: This updated insignium has been designed to give community members a great deal of flexibility in crafting their Legio models. To earn the Legio Mini-Me badge, a Legio model must be in "proper" Legio colors (i.e., black body with red helmet), though hobbyists otherwise have considerable flexibility in choosing the other elements of the model's ensemble. Indeed, it's even possible for the black body and red helmet to be adjusted for specialists (e.g., a Librarian might change parts of the armor color to blue). The addition of the Delegatus-Heralds (i.e., pre-formation) and the Prospectus markings allows hobbyists who want to preserve the integrity of their existing Adeptus Astartes army's color theme, using the normal colors with the addition of a mark peculiar to the Legio - the black and white check pattern for the pre-formation Legio-Heralds and the Legio marking for the Prospecti). Neither the Delegatus-Herald nor Prospectus themes will earn the Legio Mini-Me badge, but they will certainly serve as a gesture of one's joining the overall community.