From a Sky of Iron, the Luna Wolves 14th Chapter

[Blissful Brushes]

This is going to be a blog filled with heresy, quite likely a butchering of the canon I’m afraid. I like the Luna Wolves, but never really warmed to Horus. I’ll put all of my divergences from the established truths in spoiler tags so if you’re just here for the modelling and pictures you can skip over all of the heresy. The big black books of the HH were my initial bible for this project when it first started to percolate a decade ago. I always found the legion structures from the novels to be something that was only ever given token attention, so Betrayal was the inspiration for my Chapter's focus, rather than the novels themselves. The second point of heresy is that I'm using the primaris scale marines and converting them to MkIII and MkIV power armour, I just like the scale more and when I (eventually) add Imperial Army or Mechancium detachments the marines will look more imposing.

 

For now I'm building up the third platoon, I'm 20/36 marines built I think so I'm getting there slowly but surely.

 The Debacle at Kranis Gorge (M30.803)

Spoiler

The compliance of Genthis Prime was meant to be a showcase. A stubborn but technologically capable human empire, the Genthian Sovereignty had refused integration. For the Luna Wolves, it was a standard campaign, and for Marius Varos and the 14^th Chapter, it was an opportunity. Fresh from the exhilarating news of his Primarch's discovery, Varos was burning with ambition to prove his Chapter's worth. He saw the campaign's crux—a breakthrough of the heavily defended Kranis Gorge—as the perfect stage for the 14th's armoured might.

The plan was conventional. Legionary assaults would pin the Genthian lines while the 14th Chapter, acting as the sector's armoured spearhead, would smash through the gorge's main defences and exploit onto the open plains beyond, targeting the Genthian command echelons.

The assault began with a thunderous roar. The Luna Wolves' attack pinned the Genthian forces, and as planned, the 14th Chapter surged forward. A wedge of Sicarans and Predators, with Varos at their head, slammed into the mouth of the gorge. The initial Genthian defences, reeling from orbital strikes, shattered under the onslaught. Varos, his blood up at the sight of the breach, made his fatal decision, committing his reserve elements too early.

Inside the gorge, the resistance stiffened horrifically. The Genthian Sovereignty had layered their defences in depth, creating a vast kill-zone. Anti-tank emplacements, hidden in cliffside caves, opened up on the compressed columns of armour. Infantry kill-zones, pre-sighted with heavy weapons, scythed through debussing Astartes. The aggressive Cthonian squads, pushing forward with more ferocity than discipline, ran headlong into these prepared ambushes and suffered grievous casualties. The glorious charge devolved into a grinding, brutal slog.

But the true disaster was unfolding behind them.

Varos's decision to commit his entire force had left a gaping, undefended wound in the main Luna Wolves battle line. The Genthian commanders, far from broken, saw the incredible opportunity. They launched a swift and devastating counter-attack, not into the meat grinder of the gorge, but into the vacuum the 14th had left behind.

The Genthian armour and shock infantry did not hit Astartes. They slammed, unopposed, into the vulnerable second echelon. The Imperial Army supply columns, laden with fuel and munitions for the entire sector's offensive, erupted in chains of catastrophic explosions. Mechanicum detachments, vital for battlefield repair, were overrun and annihilated. Artillery batteries were silenced before they could re-deploy. The entire logistical and support network for that front of the war was, in the space of thirty minutes, erased in fire and blood.

The command vox, once filled with Varos' orders, became a cacophony of panicked orders to pull back by second-line troops and disbelief from Legion command. The offensive wasn't just stalled; its legs had been cut out from under it.

The withdrawal was the ultimate humiliation. Battered and bloodied, the 14th had to fight their way back out of the gorge, harassed every step of the way by the emboldened defenders, dragging their crippled vehicles with them. They emerged to a scene of utter devastation. The smoking pyres of hundreds of support vehicles marked the grave of their ambition. They eventually formed a new line and contained the Genthian counter-attack, but the price was horrific, and the strategic failure was absolute.

 

I Company "Seren Syrthio" ORBAT

• Battalion: 2nd Skyfall Battalion
• Designation: 1st Company
• Specialization: High-Risk Drop Pod Assault & Beachhead Establishment
• Commander: Centurion
• Approximate Strength: 114 Astartes

Company Profile:
"Seren Syrthio" (an Albian phrase for 'Falling Star') is the First Company of the 2nd Skyfall Battalion. Tasked with the most dangerous missions, they are the tip of the spear, deploying by Drop Pod and are responsible for creating and holding the initial beachhead against overwhelming odds. Attrition is high, but the prestige of serving in I Company is immense, attracting the most aggressive and determined warriors in the battalion.

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Company Command

Role: Deploys with the Breacher Platoon to provide direct leadership at the point of impact.

Company Command Squad:

• Centurion: Thunder Hammer, Artificer Armour, Refractor Field.
• Sergeant: Power Gladius, Artificer Armour, Company Banner, Refractor Field.
• Company Champion: Power Axes, Artificer Armour, Refractor Field.
• Vox Operator: Bolter, Artificer Armour, Nuncio-Vox, Refractor Field.
• Apothecary: Plasma Pistol, Artificer Armour, Narthecium, Refractor Field.
• Weapon Specialist: Melta Pistol, Plasma Pistol, Artificer Armour, Refractor Field.

 

I Platoon

Role: The first wave. Their sole purpose is to carve out a secure perimeter. They operate directly under the Centurion's command.

Platoon Command Squad:

• Lieutenant: Master-crafted Power Sword, Artificer Armour, Boarding Shield.
• Sergeant: Power Axe, Artificer Armour, Boarding Shield, Platoon Vexilla.
• Apothecary: Power Gladius, Bolt Pistol, Boarding Shield, Narthecium.
• Vox Operator: Power Gladius, Bolt Pistol, Boarding Shield, Nuncio-Vox.
• Special Weapons Operator: Power Weapons, Artificer Armour, Boarding Shields.
• Special Weapons Operator: Power Weapons, Artificer Armour, Boarding Shields.

1^st Squad:

• Sergeant: Power Weapons, Boarding Shields.
• Corporal: Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Boarding Shields.

2^nd Squad:

• Sergeant: Power Spear, Artificer Armour, Boarding Shield.
• Corporal: Power Spear, Boarding Shield, Squad Vexilla.
• Veterans: Power Spears, Boarding Shields.

3^rd Squad:

• Sergeant: Power Sword, Boarding Shield.
• Corporal: Power Gladius, Boarding Shield, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Power Gladiuses, Boarding Shields.

4^th Squad:

• Sergeant: Chainsword, Flamer, Artificer Armour, Boarding Shield.
• Corporal: Chainsword, Flamer, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Flamers, Chainswords, Boarding Shields.

5^th Squad:

• Sergeant: Chainsword, Plasma Gun, Boarding Shield, Augury Scanner.
• Corporal: Chainsword, Plasma Gun, Boarding Shield, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Plasma Guns, Chainswords, Boarding Shields.

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II Platoon

Role: The exploitation force. Deploys immediately after the Breachers to expand the drop zone.

Platoon Command Squad:

• Lieutenant: Power Axes, Artificer Armour.
• Sergeant: Platoon Vexilla
• Vox Operator: Chainsword, Bolt Pistol, Nuncio-Vox.
• Apothecary: Bolt Pistol, Combat Shield, Narthecium.
• Special Weapons Operator:
• Special Weapons Operator:

1^st Squad (Veteran Assault):

• Sergeant: Power Glaive, Wrist-mounted Flamer.
• Corporal: Heavy Chainsword, Squad Vexilla.
• Veterans: Power Weapons, Bolt pistols.

2^nd Squad (Assault):

• Sergeant: Power Fist, Artificer Armour
• Corporal: Power Maul, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Chainswords, Bolt Pistols.

3^rd Squad (Assault):

• Sergeant: Sergeant with Power Spear.
• Corporal: Power Sword, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Chainswords, Bolt Pistols.

4^th Squad (Assault):

• Sergeant: Power Fist, Bolt pistol.
• Corporal: Power Axe, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Chainswords, Bolt Pistols.

5^th Squad (Support):

• Sergeant: Volkite Charger, Artificer Armour, Augury Scanner. 
• Corporal: Volkite Charger, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Volkite Chargers.

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III Platoon

Role: Company reserve. Deploys to shore up the perimeter, smash determined enemy counter-attacks, or provide the final push to secure the objective.

Platoon Command Squad

• Lieutenant: Power Fist, Artificer Armour, Plasma Pistol.
• Sergeant: Power Weapon, Hand Flamer, Platoon Vexilla.
• Apothecary: Bolt Pistol, Combat Shield, Narthecium.
• Vox Operator: Bolter, Nuncio-Vox.
• Special Weapons Operator: Plasma Gun
• Special Weapons Operator: Melta Gun, Combat Blade.

1^st Squad

• Sergeant: Lightning Claws.
• Corporal: Power Axe, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Chainswords, Bolt Pistols.

2^nd Squad

• Sergeant: Power Maul, Artificer Armour.
• Corporal: Lightning Claw, Plasma Pistol, Squad Vexilla.
• Veterans: Power Weapons, Bolt Pistols.

3^rd Squad

• Sergeant: Thunder Hammer, Combi-Bolter, Artificer Armour.
• Corporal: Lightning Claw, Plasma Pistol, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Bolters.

4^th Squad

• Sergeant: Power Axe, Bolter, Artificer Armour.
• Corporal: Volkite Charger, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Bolters.

5^th Squad

• Sergeant: Plasma Blaster, Artificer Armour, Augury Scanner.
• Corporal: Plasma Gun, Squad Vexilla.
• Legionaries: Plasma Guns.

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Edited 8 hours ago by Blissful Brushes