The XIIth Legion War Hounds Background From "Betrayer"

As part of the ongoing War Hounds Legion Project, we have at times turned to any of the Black Library books to try and get more information on the XIIth Legion War Hounds. The War Hounds Legion were the progenitors to the World Eaters before Angron was found and took his place as the Primarch. He renamed and reshaped the Legion, so a true image of how the War Hounds were has been lost to time - however there are some tantalizing clues through the novels. Yes there can be some contradiction, but if we take it on face value then we can at least work out how they were their own distinct Legion rather than simply World Eaters in blue armour with The Nails in their heads. 
​So the other night, I sat down and combed through Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden page by page to get an idea of his take on them from the characters themselves. Betrayer has quite a few references, especially from the former Legion Master Lhorke who is now a Contemptor Dreadnought.

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After the Jump - annotated observations on passages from ​Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

• Kharn observes that Dreadclaws were a gift from Horus to the World Eaters (pg 41 & 42) so the War Hounds may not have used the Dreadclaws for orbital assault
• The use of Land Raiders and Malcadors (pg 126) is mentioned. These may have therefore been in the War Hounds armoury too.
• When the Butcher's Nails were implanted in the XIIth Legion Librarians they malfunctioned. They were given a choice, execution or removal. of The Butcher's Nails - either way was death (pg 128). By the time of Betrayer, there are only a few Librarians left in the World Eaters Legion, but it seems they were used quiet extensively by the War Hounds.
• The War Hounds used Contemptor, Lucifer and Deredeo pattern dreadnoughts (pg 152)
• The War Hounds used scratch kill markings (pg 152). These decorate Lhorke's Dreadnought which is still in War Hounds livery. These scratch markings are on the World Eaters decal sheet from Forge World.
• Lhorke's Contemptor dreadnought bore the War Hounds hounds head emblem on the breastplate rather than the full War Hound as seen on the shoulder pauldrons. This may have then also been common on other War Hounds dreadnougths.(pg 152)
• War Hounds were not "lobotomised, not madmen" says Lhorke, but they chose to emulate their Primarch so chose the Butcher's Nails (pg 152)
• There were 100,000 War Hounds at the time Angron was reunited with his Legion according to Lhorke (pg 153)
• War Hounds would duel in gladiatorial matches, chaining warriors from different worlds together to form kinship (pg166)
• The War Hounds were jealous of Space Marine Legions with Primarchs and wished theirs would be a great general (pg 166), so morale was very low before Angron was found (pg 251)
• War Hounds were told of their Primarch's refusal of the Emperor's grace but they respected Angron's commitment to brotherhood and being angry at the Emperor (pg 167)
• Legion Master Gheer - the last Chapter Master of the War Hounds) was a blunt if uninspiring commander, and a great axeman (pg 167)
• Lhorke - in his human form - wore claws in battle and was the Legion Master before Gheer
• War Hounds, once known for their brotherhood, became known for their savagery once the Nails were implanted (pg 167 & 168). Brotherhood deteriorated under Abgron (pg 265)
• War Hounds proudly maintained their own armour and weapons where World Eaters rely on their serfs to do it (pg 175)
• Far from a massed horde of berzerkers that the World Eaters are, the War Hounds were careful planners and concerned with logistics (pg 177)
• The XIIth Legion have a superstition about abandoning their weapons. Unknown if this also held true with the War Hounds. (pg 255)
• Fellblades are mentioned amongst the armoury of the XIIth Legion (pg 264)
• War Hounds - though formed on Terra - were culturally diverse, "coloured by many shades of skin colour from so many different worlds" (pg 267)

There may have been one or two things missed, but this is the info gained from this book. If you know of any other references, please let us know so we can add them to the list.