Crusader Host

The 'Crusader Host was an elite Legiones Astartes Honour Guard stationed on Terra during the Great Crusade and early years of the Horus Heresy during the 30th Millennium and early 31st Millennium. The Space Marine Legions were clearly the most powerful military organisation in the Imperium, if not the galaxy. It was therefore deemed appropriate that they maintain some form of representation at the seat of Imperial power whilst the Great Crusade progressed. To this end a select group of Space Marines, drawn from the ranks of all Legions, was seconded to the Crusader Host on Terra. The Crusader Host was based in the Preceptory within the Imperial Palace. Within its hallowed halls they kept tally of their brothers' glorious victories, mourned the dead and acted as their Primarchs' proxies in the Solar System. This unit was composed of representatives from all 18 Legiones Astartes and normally numbered at least 30 members. Although service in the Crusader Host was required on a rotational basis that all of the Legions were required to adhere to, the Host was not required to have a member from each of the Space Marine Legions in its complement.

During the early 31st Millennium, the Emperor's favoured son, the Warmaster Horus, fell to the seductive whispers of Chaos and instigated a galaxy-spanning civil war against the Imperium. Horus pitted Primarch against Primarch and Legion against Legion. When the horrific news of Horus' betrayal reached Terra and the Emperor, the Crusader Host naturally came under suspicion of heresy and treachery. Under the orders of High Custodian Constantin Valdor, the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes, a "hunt team" of Custodes warriors was assembled to bring all the members of the Crusader Host to justice, by force if necessary. Following the imprisonment of the Crusader Host at the underground, maximum-security prison complex known as Khangba Marwu, better known as "The Vault," it is assumed that is eventually disbanded by order of the Council of Terra. Their whereabouts, following their disbandment is not recorded.