RIGHTEOUS HARBINGERS
The Righteous Harbingers are a non-Codex Loyalist Chapter of Space Marines of an unknown Founding specializing in rapid strikes and grinding urban warfare. The Chapter possesses a large amount of troop transport vehicles making their mode of warfare not unlike a traditional mechanized infantry formation. This plays well into the Chapter's specific skill, which is street-by-street urban pacification.
First Appearance
Legiones Astares Righteous Harbingers have a short but victorious history.
First appearing in 340.M39 during a lightning raid on Hive World Axiom Delta Prime, they earned their reputation for rapid strikes and ruthless efficiency - thundering onto the unsuspecting world in a volley of Drop Pods launched from their Homeworld Fleet "Varangian".
First appearing in 340.M39 during a lightning raid on Hive World Axiom Delta Prime, they earned their reputation for rapid strikes and ruthless efficiency - thundering onto the unsuspecting world in a volley of Drop Pods launched from their Homeworld Fleet "Varangian".
Known History
Little is truly known about the pre-history of the Righteous Harbingers, but much is known of their ways due to their chroniclers and a strong tradition of oral history - mainly through martial prowess.
Strong leaders are seen as exulted, blessed by The Emperor himself with great powers and skill at arms.
Legend states they are from a feudal world where warriors were recruited through an initiation process. At that time the Righteous Harbingers kept a fortress monastery on the hidden inside one of the many great peaks in the harshest part of the planet.
Whether by force of nature or xenos, their planet was destroyed and they took to their Homeworld Fleet of "Varangian".
Although the age of the Chapter is unknown or their exact roots, the chroniclers do speak of other Chapters, particularly the Men of the White Lightning - Legiones Astares White Scars. Names and traditions differ, so the link is unknown, but at some point these two Chapters have formed a bond, if not by blood and gene seed, then in blood on the field of battle.
A look at the Righteous Harbingers shows they must be relatively new by their armour. Most wear Mark 7 armour, but pieces of Mark 6 and even rare pieces of Mark 4 can be seen amongst the ranks. The Mark 4 seem to be reserved for Veterans as battle honours. It is not known how they came across the armour or the significance. Some illustrations show what seem to be Mark 6 and Mark 4 armour worn in legends of the Chapter.
During the Damascus Ridge Campaign, their number was reduced to only 200. Those remaining warriors are now the Veterans we see among the ranks of the Righteous Harbingers acting as Sergeants and Veterans in each squad (see below).
It is also not uncommon to see Righteous Harbingers in the retinue of Rogue Traders or among the bodyguard of Imperial Officials.
Strong leaders are seen as exulted, blessed by The Emperor himself with great powers and skill at arms.
Legend states they are from a feudal world where warriors were recruited through an initiation process. At that time the Righteous Harbingers kept a fortress monastery on the hidden inside one of the many great peaks in the harshest part of the planet.
Whether by force of nature or xenos, their planet was destroyed and they took to their Homeworld Fleet of "Varangian".
Although the age of the Chapter is unknown or their exact roots, the chroniclers do speak of other Chapters, particularly the Men of the White Lightning - Legiones Astares White Scars. Names and traditions differ, so the link is unknown, but at some point these two Chapters have formed a bond, if not by blood and gene seed, then in blood on the field of battle.
A look at the Righteous Harbingers shows they must be relatively new by their armour. Most wear Mark 7 armour, but pieces of Mark 6 and even rare pieces of Mark 4 can be seen amongst the ranks. The Mark 4 seem to be reserved for Veterans as battle honours. It is not known how they came across the armour or the significance. Some illustrations show what seem to be Mark 6 and Mark 4 armour worn in legends of the Chapter.
During the Damascus Ridge Campaign, their number was reduced to only 200. Those remaining warriors are now the Veterans we see among the ranks of the Righteous Harbingers acting as Sergeants and Veterans in each squad (see below).
It is also not uncommon to see Righteous Harbingers in the retinue of Rogue Traders or among the bodyguard of Imperial Officials.
Noteable Campaigns
Damascus Ridge:
The Chroniclers tell of the Xenos, the Tyranid menace, expanding before the Chapter. Having fought hard to hold worlds and lost many of their own, the entire Righteous Harbingers Chapter took to the Damascus Ridge to hold the hive mind from taking the capital of Terros.
The thin area along the top of the Damascus Ridge is a natural formation where the near impregnable capital was built to deter large scale invasion by vehicles. It can only be taken by foot or by dropping from the sky - risky due to the sharp rocks and unstable sides of the mountain.
Where most invaders would balk at it, the Hive Mind of the Tyranid horde saw no issue; their mass surged up the ridge, swarming bridges and using their numbers to fill valleys and easily traverse. It would take almost immortal powers to stop them, even with the massed firepower at the disposal of the heavily depleted Legiones Astares.
Walls stood strong and defenders stalwart in the face of the overwhelming terror, the landscape helping to cull those bent on destruction.
The Whirlwinds of the Righteous Harbingers stationed inside the capital reduced the Tyranid and smashed the landscape they were using to get footfall, but no other heavy weapons could be brought to bear - it was Bolter and Chainsword, knife and Bolt pistol between the enemy and the people and Legiones Astares trapped inside.
They held.
They held so well that the Xenos main fleet made landfall to send their veterans and command elements in. There are no more fearful creatures to be found outside the warp than these.
By air and land they came, trampling their own to get into the capital and at the Marines.
And still they held, heavy losses bringing them to the brink.
It was then that the only full company remaining, the 10th Company, breached the walls and targeted the epic Hive Tyrant, plasma tearing through it's frame even as the Genestealers hacked through their ranks.
As the massive Tyrant fell, there were 13 of their number left.
There was silence, a frenzied scream from the ranks of the Hive Mind as they retreated, mindless and lost. As they reached their fleet behemoth and boarded the orbital bombardment began reducing the behemoth to a fine mist.
The hive fleet had been destroyed and all amongst it vaporized.
Still today this is one of the Righteous Harbinger's greatest battles. The planet was held, tithes flowed and production kept up to the demands of the hungry empire.
Little more than 200 remained in the ranks of the Righteous Harbingers.
It took them a generation to heal the injured and more than 2 generations to replenish their numbers.
The Damascus Ridge is commemorated by the Veterans who were there by wearing the ceremonial dagger presented from the heavy forges of Terros.
The Chroniclers tell of the Xenos, the Tyranid menace, expanding before the Chapter. Having fought hard to hold worlds and lost many of their own, the entire Righteous Harbingers Chapter took to the Damascus Ridge to hold the hive mind from taking the capital of Terros.
The thin area along the top of the Damascus Ridge is a natural formation where the near impregnable capital was built to deter large scale invasion by vehicles. It can only be taken by foot or by dropping from the sky - risky due to the sharp rocks and unstable sides of the mountain.
Where most invaders would balk at it, the Hive Mind of the Tyranid horde saw no issue; their mass surged up the ridge, swarming bridges and using their numbers to fill valleys and easily traverse. It would take almost immortal powers to stop them, even with the massed firepower at the disposal of the heavily depleted Legiones Astares.
Walls stood strong and defenders stalwart in the face of the overwhelming terror, the landscape helping to cull those bent on destruction.
The Whirlwinds of the Righteous Harbingers stationed inside the capital reduced the Tyranid and smashed the landscape they were using to get footfall, but no other heavy weapons could be brought to bear - it was Bolter and Chainsword, knife and Bolt pistol between the enemy and the people and Legiones Astares trapped inside.
They held.
They held so well that the Xenos main fleet made landfall to send their veterans and command elements in. There are no more fearful creatures to be found outside the warp than these.
By air and land they came, trampling their own to get into the capital and at the Marines.
And still they held, heavy losses bringing them to the brink.
It was then that the only full company remaining, the 10th Company, breached the walls and targeted the epic Hive Tyrant, plasma tearing through it's frame even as the Genestealers hacked through their ranks.
As the massive Tyrant fell, there were 13 of their number left.
There was silence, a frenzied scream from the ranks of the Hive Mind as they retreated, mindless and lost. As they reached their fleet behemoth and boarded the orbital bombardment began reducing the behemoth to a fine mist.
The hive fleet had been destroyed and all amongst it vaporized.
Still today this is one of the Righteous Harbinger's greatest battles. The planet was held, tithes flowed and production kept up to the demands of the hungry empire.
Little more than 200 remained in the ranks of the Righteous Harbingers.
It took them a generation to heal the injured and more than 2 generations to replenish their numbers.
The Damascus Ridge is commemorated by the Veterans who were there by wearing the ceremonial dagger presented from the heavy forges of Terros.
Reign of Fire:
Drop Pods and rapid strikes are used heavily by the Righteous Harbingers - it was this strategy that brought their skills to bear on the outer moon of Fenris, one of the planets in their home system.
When the local prison population had risen to the words of a local prophet incarcerated for his vile words against the Emperor's Light, it wasn't long before the Planetary Governor intervened.
A soft and vain fool, Supreme Commander Lucius Elvik had risen to quash the rebellion and instead found himself part of the problem as he switched sides and took the 8 million-strong Planetary Defence Force with him.
Fenris wasn't only the home of the sector's largest prisons, it was also the sector's largest agricultural world that saw itself very close to being put to the flame in the name of independence from the Imperium. Starvation looked a very real prospect.
With an armed prison population and 8 million trained soldiers, the Imperial Guard would find it hard to keep it contained, plus they lacked the speed to get the mission done.
The Righteous Harbingers training ship "Helvetica" was in orbit within a fortnight, on board the 3rd and 4th Company made up with new recruits fresh from training and ready to test their skills.
They were quickly joined by the Assault Cruiser "Titan" bristling with Drop Pods and Thunderhawks, giving the 3rd and 4th Companies the ability to hit the moon hard and fast. Adding to the punch, both Companies had elite formations of bikers led by the 3rd Company's Captain and the Chaplain of the 4th Company.
Morning dawned on Fenris' moon with a meteor shower - at least that's what the inhabitants thought - the meteors were of course Drop Pods.
In the dead of night the Bikes and Speeders of the 3rd and 4th had been dropped via Thunderhawk and sat in the dense forests. At the same time Predators and Razorbacks had been softly ensconced in the farm land regions.
The streams of light were their cues and they roared into action - the Predators targeting armoured battalions and the highways that would bring reinforcements.
Bikes and Speeders shot through the cities to destroy police and government buildings, while Razorbacks moved to the drop positions to collect Marines from the Drop Pods and hold key objectives until support arrived.
The Marines themselves smashed into the city and prison complex - with communications shattered and the armoured support destroyed, the Planetary Defence Forces took on Righteous Harbingers in pitch street battles.
The prison complex was a labyrinth, quickly bathed in fire from the flamers of the Legiones Astares - all were quashed.
In the space of 8 hours, the planet was retaken. No damage was done to the Imperial infrastructure and the traitors put to the blade or interned in work camps.
Casualties were relatively low for the Righteous Harbingers and loyal Imperial citizens, valuable training was given to new Marines and Fenris was returned to to fold of the Emperor's Light.
Drop Pods and rapid strikes are used heavily by the Righteous Harbingers - it was this strategy that brought their skills to bear on the outer moon of Fenris, one of the planets in their home system.
When the local prison population had risen to the words of a local prophet incarcerated for his vile words against the Emperor's Light, it wasn't long before the Planetary Governor intervened.
A soft and vain fool, Supreme Commander Lucius Elvik had risen to quash the rebellion and instead found himself part of the problem as he switched sides and took the 8 million-strong Planetary Defence Force with him.
Fenris wasn't only the home of the sector's largest prisons, it was also the sector's largest agricultural world that saw itself very close to being put to the flame in the name of independence from the Imperium. Starvation looked a very real prospect.
With an armed prison population and 8 million trained soldiers, the Imperial Guard would find it hard to keep it contained, plus they lacked the speed to get the mission done.
The Righteous Harbingers training ship "Helvetica" was in orbit within a fortnight, on board the 3rd and 4th Company made up with new recruits fresh from training and ready to test their skills.
They were quickly joined by the Assault Cruiser "Titan" bristling with Drop Pods and Thunderhawks, giving the 3rd and 4th Companies the ability to hit the moon hard and fast. Adding to the punch, both Companies had elite formations of bikers led by the 3rd Company's Captain and the Chaplain of the 4th Company.
Morning dawned on Fenris' moon with a meteor shower - at least that's what the inhabitants thought - the meteors were of course Drop Pods.
In the dead of night the Bikes and Speeders of the 3rd and 4th had been dropped via Thunderhawk and sat in the dense forests. At the same time Predators and Razorbacks had been softly ensconced in the farm land regions.
The streams of light were their cues and they roared into action - the Predators targeting armoured battalions and the highways that would bring reinforcements.
Bikes and Speeders shot through the cities to destroy police and government buildings, while Razorbacks moved to the drop positions to collect Marines from the Drop Pods and hold key objectives until support arrived.
The Marines themselves smashed into the city and prison complex - with communications shattered and the armoured support destroyed, the Planetary Defence Forces took on Righteous Harbingers in pitch street battles.
The prison complex was a labyrinth, quickly bathed in fire from the flamers of the Legiones Astares - all were quashed.
In the space of 8 hours, the planet was retaken. No damage was done to the Imperial infrastructure and the traitors put to the blade or interned in work camps.
Casualties were relatively low for the Righteous Harbingers and loyal Imperial citizens, valuable training was given to new Marines and Fenris was returned to to fold of the Emperor's Light.
Structure
The Chapter are a non-Codex Astares Chapter, though it seems there may have been links in the past with markings and formations deviating slightly but not entirely from Imperial doctrine.
The Chapter as a whole is based on identical mixed Battle Companies, they only differ in the way support is provided and therefore their intended role.
Scouts are spread through all Companies and are not recruits, rather Space Marines specializing in recon and skirmishing, often grizzled veterens who have honed their skills on many of field of battle..
Squads also operate as a 10 man unit, but have two 'Sergeants'. A Veteran Sergeant to lead the squad, and a Veteran for when the squad is split into two. This is mainly owed to the fact that Righteous Harbingers induct new recruits into an active squad rather than into their Scout Company. Discipline is high with a blood-brother style bond between the two 'Sergeants'.
The Veteran also carries the squad's banner and is generally recruited from within the squad.
In recent times they have included Primaris Astartes in their ranks, but unlike some Chapters, these are mixed into squads with traditional Astartes.
Among themselves, the Marines call each other "wayfarer" rather than "Brother" and live a much less monastic existence.
Their life is one of training as they must get the new recruits up to speed or face annihilation on the battlefield.
Squads are competitive and loyal to a fault. They often carry totems to signify their bond - engraved skulls, trophies from conquered worlds or scarring are standard practice.Rewards for individual service and valour are generally rewarded with engraved bladed weapons or on special occasions, a special piece of armour.
Because they recruit from a small selection of planets it is not uncommon for family bonds to still exist. This means armour or weapons can be passed from one man on the death of his relative.
The Righteous Harbingers are known to carry extra ammunition, pouches with supplies, trinkets and trophies. This leads to them having a particular look that puts them apart from many among other Legionnaires Astares. They look like their battle is less one of an elite force set on a surgical strike, rather it's one of bringing a lot of force to bear and a willingness to dig in and fight.
In their role as a rapid assault Chapter, they have also utilised the Razorback as their transport rather than the Rhino. They do use Rhinos, but they are part of the massive motor pool, like their Drop Pods, rather than assigned to individual Companies.
Among their impressive selection of landing craft from various eras the Righteous Harbingers also maintain some large transporters usually reserved for the Imperial Guard. It is believed these may have been ceased while on campaign.
If the rumours about the ship The Forge that sails with Homeworld Fleet Varangian are true, then all kinds of technology could potentially be produced or at least maintained. For the amount of vehicles in their armoury to be maintained and converted, they must have a large working facility of some sort.
Land Raiders are used almost exclusively by the 1st Company and the Command Cadre of each Company. It is unknown why the Righteous Harbingers have so many vehicles. Maybe the massive ship amongst their fleet called The Forge holds more secrets than they are willing to divulge.
The Command Cadre is a fairly traditional structure, relying on the Captains of each Company to report to the Commander and his advisors.
1st Company is staffed by Terminators and elite Veterans plus some Dreadnoughts loosely attached to the Company.
The 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th Company specialise in the Mailed Fist approach - fast mechanised assault mainly from Speeders and bikes.
The 3rd, 7th and 10th Company have a mix of all doctrines - evenly balanced between mechanized assault and support with both Vindicators, Whirlwinds, Bikes and Speeders on hand.
The 5th and 9th Company are the heavy hitters with Whirlwinds and Vindicators plus Dreadnoughts, while sacrificing Bikes and Speeders.
There have also been sightings of Righteous Harbingers in a lighter grey uniform - their role is not known and they do not appear on any formalised Company structure.
The Chapter as a whole is based on identical mixed Battle Companies, they only differ in the way support is provided and therefore their intended role.
Scouts are spread through all Companies and are not recruits, rather Space Marines specializing in recon and skirmishing, often grizzled veterens who have honed their skills on many of field of battle..
Squads also operate as a 10 man unit, but have two 'Sergeants'. A Veteran Sergeant to lead the squad, and a Veteran for when the squad is split into two. This is mainly owed to the fact that Righteous Harbingers induct new recruits into an active squad rather than into their Scout Company. Discipline is high with a blood-brother style bond between the two 'Sergeants'.
The Veteran also carries the squad's banner and is generally recruited from within the squad.
In recent times they have included Primaris Astartes in their ranks, but unlike some Chapters, these are mixed into squads with traditional Astartes.
Among themselves, the Marines call each other "wayfarer" rather than "Brother" and live a much less monastic existence.
Their life is one of training as they must get the new recruits up to speed or face annihilation on the battlefield.
Squads are competitive and loyal to a fault. They often carry totems to signify their bond - engraved skulls, trophies from conquered worlds or scarring are standard practice.Rewards for individual service and valour are generally rewarded with engraved bladed weapons or on special occasions, a special piece of armour.
Because they recruit from a small selection of planets it is not uncommon for family bonds to still exist. This means armour or weapons can be passed from one man on the death of his relative.
The Righteous Harbingers are known to carry extra ammunition, pouches with supplies, trinkets and trophies. This leads to them having a particular look that puts them apart from many among other Legionnaires Astares. They look like their battle is less one of an elite force set on a surgical strike, rather it's one of bringing a lot of force to bear and a willingness to dig in and fight.
In their role as a rapid assault Chapter, they have also utilised the Razorback as their transport rather than the Rhino. They do use Rhinos, but they are part of the massive motor pool, like their Drop Pods, rather than assigned to individual Companies.
Among their impressive selection of landing craft from various eras the Righteous Harbingers also maintain some large transporters usually reserved for the Imperial Guard. It is believed these may have been ceased while on campaign.
If the rumours about the ship The Forge that sails with Homeworld Fleet Varangian are true, then all kinds of technology could potentially be produced or at least maintained. For the amount of vehicles in their armoury to be maintained and converted, they must have a large working facility of some sort.
Land Raiders are used almost exclusively by the 1st Company and the Command Cadre of each Company. It is unknown why the Righteous Harbingers have so many vehicles. Maybe the massive ship amongst their fleet called The Forge holds more secrets than they are willing to divulge.
The Command Cadre is a fairly traditional structure, relying on the Captains of each Company to report to the Commander and his advisors.
1st Company is staffed by Terminators and elite Veterans plus some Dreadnoughts loosely attached to the Company.
The 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th Company specialise in the Mailed Fist approach - fast mechanised assault mainly from Speeders and bikes.
The 3rd, 7th and 10th Company have a mix of all doctrines - evenly balanced between mechanized assault and support with both Vindicators, Whirlwinds, Bikes and Speeders on hand.
The 5th and 9th Company are the heavy hitters with Whirlwinds and Vindicators plus Dreadnoughts, while sacrificing Bikes and Speeders.
There have also been sightings of Righteous Harbingers in a lighter grey uniform - their role is not known and they do not appear on any formalised Company structure.
Squad Markings
Banners
Not ones for flash and glamour, their banners are generally simple - a divided field of grey and green with the squad number in the corner. Every Righteous Harbinger carries one in his pack. They have been known to unpack them when they occupy cities to further give height to their already massive frames.
Squad & Company Numbering
Imperial Gothic numbers are used to denote squad numbers on banners and Company numbers on knee pads.
It is also no unusual to see Roman Numerals used in personal decoration
It is also no unusual to see Roman Numerals used in personal decoration
The Miniatures
I started out with the intention of keeping each one of the Righteous Harbingers as individuals; they would have different packs in different locations, they would have trophies and odd markings and personalised heraldry. Some of course would be pretty plain as they would be new, but the older Legiones Astares would have had some time to earn rewards and take trophies.
I wanted a highly individual look for each marine and therefore some personality!
I wanted a highly individual look for each marine and therefore some personality!
Tactical Marines
This was the first one I painted - the Veteran Sergeant of my tactical squad.You can see the detail on his ammo pouch with the strapping and small metal buckle. I really liked the idea of combining the MkVI helmet with the MkVII armour, so he has his helmet neatly stored on his back and extra pouches aplenty!
The Veteran is relatively new and sports the back banner so common with those of his rank. He too has plenty of pouches and was the first time I have ever used the Space Marine dagger on a mini.
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Assault Marines
The Assault Marines interested me as I wanted to really get an idea of movement and danger. They would have lots of honours and be seen as an elite rapid strike force within a Chapter already famous for that.
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Scouts
Righteous Harbingers Scouts, unlike some other Chapters, aren't recruits and are spread through all Companies and are not recruits, rather Space Marines specializing in recon and skirmishing, often grizzled veterans who have honed their skills on many of field of battle..
I wanted to show this by giving the Sergeant full armour and battle honours and the scouts a normal Space Marine shoulder pad for the Chapter symbol - they nearly got shin armour too... The Scouts were great fun and I think have great scope to add personality to the Chapter.
I wanted to show this by giving the Sergeant full armour and battle honours and the scouts a normal Space Marine shoulder pad for the Chapter symbol - they nearly got shin armour too... The Scouts were great fun and I think have great scope to add personality to the Chapter.
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