Mantis Warriors

The Mantis Legion, sometimes referred to as the Mantis Warriors, is a generally Codex Astartes-compliant Space Marine Chapter of unknown origin and founding that was birthed in the Mordriana System, near the Eye of Terror, though they have had their right to a homeworld revoked and so currently maintain their fortress-monastery on one of the battle barges of their space fleet.

Though a Successor Chapter, Mantis Warrior gene-seed is unusual and is rumored to allow the Mantis Warriors to enter a haze-like state in which the warrior's perception of space and time are slowed down, allowing him to react and fight at an accelerated speed. This battle haze, once initiated, is a permanent state and the Marine is caught in it until he dies. The Mantis Warriors are melee combat specialists whose Power Armour possesses notched adamantine blades attached to the lower arm armour.

Mantis Warriors who are veterans of the Tranquility Campaign are formed into Sniper Squads known as Tranquility Sniper Squads. These Marines are known widely across the Imperium for their use of the Sniper Rifle and their yellow and black tiger-stripe armour.

The only other non-Codex Astartes-compliant troops mentioned are the elite Praying Mantidae. This elite cadre are selected from the most driven and pious members of the Chapter and live for the sole purpose of hunting the Traitor Space Marines known as the Red Corsairs in order to bring honor back to the Chapter. They are recognisable by the snake-like tattoos that cover their body, extending high up on their necks.

The Badab War
The Mantis Legion was one of the three Chapters of Space Marines that joined the Astral Claws Space Marines in rebelling against the Imperium during the Badab Uprising. However they later rejoined the Imperial forces and joined the attack on the Traitor Huron Blackheart and the Astral Claws. At the end of the rebellion, the Mantis Warriors were granted the Emperor's forgiveness for their rebellion, and as their penance they were required to undertake a hundred-year Crusade against all of the Imperium's enemies without the possibility of recruiting new members of the Chapter until the penance was completed. The Mantis Legion's homeworld was forfeited to the Loyalist Space Sharks.

Post-Badab War
Since the Badab War the Chapter has been treated with suspicion and are under constant scrutiny by the Imperial Inquisition and other Space Marine Chapters. Before the rebellion they had an above average induction rate into the Inquisition's Deathwatch, but since their disgrace only a handful of Mantis Warriors have been accepted. They are no longer banned from recruiting new acolytes by the Inquisition because of their actions in aiding the Deathwatch against the splinter Tyranid Hive Fleet incursion on the world of Herodian IV, although the Chapter size is still dangerously low as a result of the steep lossess they incurred during that campaign.

Deathwatch Members
A few members who have "unofficially" joined the Deathwatch through heroic death in battle:
 * Librarian Shaidan
 * Sergeant Ruinus (Devastator Squad)
 * Sergeant Soron (Assault Squad)


 * Sergeant Kruidan (Assault Squad)

Chapter Appearance
All the Space Marines in this Chapter appear to have green eyes and long black hair, undoubtedly a phenotypic response to the Chapter's gene-seed.

Chapter Colours
The Chapter color scheme was originally green, their Chapter symbol depicted as a mantis head, but has changed to shining green with gold edging. Mantis Warriors Sniper Units are known to have used yellow armour with black markings like three claw marks during the Tranquility Campaign.

Chapter Badge
The Chapter badge has been recorded to be both a flaming mantis claw in the past and a mantis head at present.