Blackshield Marauder Squad

"If they come, I shall stand. If they fight me I will not yield. Even should they slay me, I swear that even should it contravene all that is worthy and all that is true, I shall return from whatever pit constrains me and I shall fight them anew, until every one of them I drag into that pit with me."

- Unidentified Blackshield Legionary, the Siege of Potresh

A Blackshield Marauder Squad was the average line unit of a Blackshield force during the Horus Heresy in the 31st Millennium. These ad hoc forces were comprised of a wide range of Space Marine outcasts, marauders and those Legiones Astartes of uncertain allegiances or origin. The arms and armour, obviously field modified in a variety of ways, were employed by the often idiosyncratic Blackshields. The nature of the Blackshield forces and their often erratic and unorthodox lines of supply forced many into the adoption of ragged and modified equipment and weapons in order ot maintain an effective fighting force.

History
Most Blackshield warbands were able to field a core of certain Legiones Astartes unit types, and the squad configuration for which they were most well known was the iconic Marauder Squad. These units were equipped according to the proclivities of their leaders or the tastes and expertise of the individual Blackshields, and no two were likely to be identically constituted. While many Marauder squads carried similar Legiones Astartes weapons, others wielded an idiosyncratic array of fire arms and melee weapons pried from the cold, dead hands of their foes or plundered from the holds of captured freighters. Many Blackhsields carried out field modifications to their arms, armour and equipment that would never be sanctioned within the parent Legions from which they were drawn, sometimes to improve performance and in other times simply to keep them in service for one battle more. Varying widely in demeanour even within a single squad, Blackshields ranged in character from taciturn veterans intent upon delivering justice upon those who had wronged them, to murderous pirates who cared only to reave across the stars, carving out their own domains in defiance of Terra and Warmaster alike.

Unit Composition

 * 1 Marauder Chief
 * 4-15 Marauders

Wargear

 * Bolt Pistol
 * Chainsword, Chain Axe or Combat Blade
 * Power Armour
 * Frag & Krak Grenades

Optional Wargear

 * Lascarbine or Autogun
 * Astartes Shotgun
 * Laslock
 * Second Bolt Pistol
 * Bolter or Pariah Bolter
 * Heavy Chainsword
 * Lascutter

Rather than taking an option from the previous list, one in five Marauders may take one of the following options:
 * Sniper Rifle
 * Xenos Deathlock -
 * Flamer or Pariah Flamer
 * Rotor Cannon
 * Grenade Launcher (Frag & Krak)
 * Heavy Flamer
 * Meltagun
 * Plasma Gun
 * Heavy Bolter
 * Autocannon
 * Missile Launcher (with Frag & Krak Missiles)
 * Multi-Melta
 * Exchange Bolt Pistol for a Plasma Pistol
 * Exchange Bolt Pistol for a Hand Flamer
 * '''Exchange Chainsword/Combat Blade for a Power Weapon

One Blackshield Marauder may take:
 * Nuncio-Vox

Optional Wargear (Marauder Chief Only)

 * Power Fist
 * Single Lightning Claw
 * Thunder Hammer
 * Combi-Weapon
 * Plasma Pistol
 * Melta Bombs

Entire squad may exchange its power armour for:
 * Pariah Power Armour

Dedicated Transport

 * Rhino Armoured Transport
 * Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw
 * Proteus Pattern Land Raider