Crimson Fists

The Crimson Fists are a Space Marines Chapter. They are a Second Founding Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists Legion.

Foundation and Crusade
Although initially resistant to the ideals of the Codex Astartes, the Primarch, Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists Legion eventually relented, and allowed for his Legion to be split into three, one-thousand-Marine-strong Chapters. The Crimson Fists were made up primarily of the Space Marines who had only recently been initiated into the Imperial Fists Legion at that time. It should be noted that there was a fourth Chapter created from this Legion called the Soul Drinkers but they were declared Excommunicate Traitoris, and were struck from the annals of history, the Chapter's name deleted from the scrolls of honour in the Halls of Heroes and wiped from the memories of the Archivum Imperialis. The Crimson Fists were a crusading Chapter for nine thousand years, like their brother Chapter the Black Templars. Unlike the Black Templars, the Crimson Fists showed a more rigid adherence to the Codex Astartes, and tended to maintain close ties with the Loki sector. It wasn't until almost eight hundred years into the 40th millennium that the Crimson Fists were granted rights to a homeworld, Rynn's World in the Loki sector. The proximity of Rynn's World to one of the Crimson Fists primary recruiting worlds was ideal, and the Chapter constructed their fortress-monastery in the middle of an inhospitable mountain range.

The Rynn's World Incident
In the 989th year of the 41st Millennium, an Ork Warlord known as Snagrod, the Arch-Arsonist of Charadon, united many of the warring Ork factions surrounding the Loki sector and began a massive WAAAGH! Taking several colonies with minimal resistance, Snagrod boasted that his next conquest would be Rynn's World. In response, the Third Company of the Crimson Fists was sent to stall the WAAAGH! and gauge its strength. The size of Snagrod's forces had been significantly underestimated, and only a few Space Marines escaped to relay vital intelligence back to Chapter Master Kantor. Kantor ordered the immediate recall of all Crimson Fists, and set about organising the defences of Rynn's World.

When Snagrod's WAAAGH! hit Rynn's World, it was with a force unseen among Orks since the Second War for Armageddon. During the initial invasion of Rynn's World, a great tragedy befell the Crimson Fists.A single missile, launched by one of the planetary defence installations, faltered in its trajectory and struck the Crimson Fists fortress monastery. The missile managed to strike an unknown weak point in the fortress' design, detonating the Chapter's entire arsenal of weapons. The resultant explosion levelled the monastery, the mountain it rested on, and wiped out everything within a half mile's radius. Of the forces stationed around and within the monastery, there were just sixteen survivors, Kantor among them.

The survivors, forced to move stealthily through territory captured by the Orks, were able to link up with a detachment of Crimson Fists assigned to defend Rynn's World's capital, New Rynn City, in the process remaining awake for 328.7 standard hours (Space Marine Codex 3rd edition). Taking command of the Imperial forces, Kantor was able to eventually repulse the Orks from Rynn's World, although the siege of New Rynn City lasted eighteen months, and the effort to fully cleanse the planet of greenskin taint took many years.

The Aftermath
The Rynn's World Incident resulted in many losses by the Crimson Fists, with the Chapter almost completely wiped out. As a result, Kantor's primary focus is rebuilding the Chapter. Though famous across the Imperium as Ork fighters, Snagrod's WAAAGH! has induced a deep hatred of Orks within the Chapter, and it is said that Crimson Fists Marines will go to any lengths to defeat any Ork forces they encounter. The Crimson Fists are often on the move, having no true home base. They often return to Rynn's World to mourn their brothers who died so heroically in its defence.

Organization
The Crimson Fists are classified as a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter, because they are strict followers of the holy tome with only a few minor variants. At the end of the Crusade of Righteous Liberation in the 36th Millennium, only 128 Marines were left in the Chapter. Since that time the Crusade Company (First Company) has always numbered 128 Space Marines. Since the Crimson Fists started as a crusading Chapter, they always had access to a large, well maintained fleet of starships. Although many vessels were lost over Rynn's World, the surviving fleet was more than capable of entangling the Orks' space forces until the Imperial Navy was able to reinforce the system.

After Rynn's World, the Crimson Fists found themselves in the interesting position of having more specialists than Battle-Brothers. The Chapter's Apothecaries and Techmarines have been forced to take on roles not normally assigned to them, although without their skills the Chapter would have dwindled beyond repair within a few years. The process of rebuilding the Chapter has been slow and arduous, although any rush would result in complications that would corrupt or destroy the Chapter at a later date. A number of Scout Squads have been inducted into a newly formed Tenth Company, and are said to be forging the future of the Chapter with their every action.

Various sources seem to conflict over the actual number of Battle-Brothers who survived the Rynn's World campaign. In one supplement, it is explained that just after the destruction of their fortress-monastery - but before the battle for Rynn City began in earnest - the Crimson Fists numbered 400 Battle-Brothers, mostly those stationed in Rynn City, in their Fleet and on outlying settlements. However, given the length of the Battle of Rynn's World, it is unlikely that anything even approaching that number of Space Marines were still alive at the end of the campaign. One quote made in reference to the Crimson Fists mentions the fact that a Chapter reduced to less than a company of Battle-Brothers is unlikely to recover. However, an additional source mentions that the Crimson Fists field four "reduced companies" at the turning of the millenium. Given that this is less than a decade after the end of the Rynn's World campaign (997.M41), it is unlikely that the Chapter has managed to "graduate" many new Battle-Brothers from its reduced Scout cadre. While the actual number of Crimson Fists Marines who survived the Rynn's World campaign is unknown, it seems fair to assume that, by the end of the 41st Millenium, the Chapter is unlikely to field more than 200 Battle Brothers.

Combat Doctrine
During the nine thousand years of their crusade, the Crimson Fists became skilled at combating many alien species, most notably the Orks. These skills have been valuable to the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition, with many members of the Chapter serving terms with the elite Deathwatch. In the novel Deathwatch by C.S. Goto, Captain Octavius, an Imperial Fist seconded to the Deathwatch; comments that no other Chapter has provided as many Deathwatch marines as the Crimson Fists. This and other cannon sources seem to suggest that the Crimson Fists are amoung the most highly regarded Xenos Fighters in the Imperium. Captain Octavius also ruminates on the loyalty and sense of duty possessed by the Chapter and it's marines. Despite their severe losses the Crimson Fists continue to second battle brothers to the DeathWatch. In fact, no less than one quarter of the Captain's eight man kill squad in the novel were marines of this Chapter.

Though previously famous for stubborn, intractable defensive actions (much like their progenitors, the Imperial Fists), after the Rynn's World Incident, the sheer amount of casualties has prevented the Chapter from fighting in the way prescribed by the Codex Astartes. Instead, Kantor has fielded his surviving Marines as infiltrators and guerrilla troops, attacking specific, high-value targets in an attempt to minimise casualties as opposed to engaging enemies in open battle.

Battlecry
Before battle, the Chapter's Chaplains will call out, "There is only the Emperor." The Crimson Fists will respond, "He is our shield and protector."

Historic Battles/Campaigns

 * The Declates Crusade
 * Battle for Rynn's World
 * Battle of the Steel Cross
 * The Crusade of Righteous Liberation



Appearance
The Chapters' main color is deep blue, with red decoration. The Chapter's badge is a direct copy of the badge of the Imperial Fists, with alternate colors. When a Neophyte joins the ranks of the Chapter his left glove is painted crimson, symbolic of Rogal Dorn's tradition of cutting the palms of new recruits and sharing his blood with them directly, creating a bond between them, upon reaching Veteran status his right glove is also painted Crimson.

Notable Crimson Fists

 * Rogal Dorn - Crimson Fists Primarch (via the Imperial Fists)
 * Chapter Master Alexis Pollux - The Crimson Fists first Chapter Master
 * Chapter Master Kordova - Chapter Master during The Crusade of Righteous Liberation
 * Ancient Amentus - Chaplain
 * Chapter Master Pedro Kantor - Lord Hellblade, the current Crimson Fists Chapter Master, Commander of 1st Crusade Company
 * High Chaplain Marqol Tomasi - High Chaplain, KIA during the Rynn's World incident
 * Chief Librarian Eustace Mendoza - Master of the Librarius
 * Forgemaster Javier Adon - Master of the Technicarum
 * Chief Apothecary Curien Droga - Chief Apothecary
 * Ceval Ranparre - Master of the Fleet, Hero of Hesperidon
 * Captain Drigo Alvez - Master of the Shield, Captain of the 2nd Company, KIA during the Rynn's World incident.
 * Captain Ashor Drakken - Master of the Line, Captain of the 3rd Company, KIA during the Rynn's World incident.
 * Captain Alessio Cortez - Master of the Charge, nigh-invulnerable Captain of the 4th Company
 * Captain Selig Torres - Captain of the 5th Company
 * Captain Olbyn Kadena - Master of the Watch, Captain of the 6th Company
 * Captain Caldimus Ortiz - Master of the Gates, Captain of the 7th Company
 * Captain Matteo Morrelis - Master of Blades, Captain of the 8th Company
 * Captain Raphael Acastus - Master of Siege, Captain of the 9th Company
 * Captain Ishmael Icaro - Master of Shadows, Captain of the 10th Company

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 * Veteran Sergeant Huron Grimm - commander of the Crimson Fists force stationed at New Rynn city during the Orkish invasion of Rynn's World
 * Brother Jerian - Dreadnought
 * Rynn's Might - A Land Raider with a fierce machine spirit[[Captain Drigo Alvez|