Vertus Praetor

A Vertus Praetor is a member of the Adeptus Custodes, the bodyguard of the Emperor of Mankind, who specialises in fast attack actions, swooping into battle alongside the other members of their squadron astride their powerful Dawneagle Jetbikes. Veteran warriors who have seen battle on a hundred worlds, these Custodians know the true value of speed: not simply to bring the enemy to battle, but to direct their might precisely where and when it is needed most. Wherever they see their comrades hardest pressed, there the Vertus Praetors strike like golden lightning to bolster them.

Role
These airborne warriors act as the eyes and ears of their Shield Companies, soaring over the battlefield and Voxing word of the enemy's movements. Their auto-senses are optimised for this task, boasting suites of data-augurs, optical auspicators and multi-spectral motion-oracles that allow them to detect and track even hidden foes. With a squadron of sharp-eyed Vertus Praetors circling overhead, a Shield-Captain can rest assured the enemy stands little chance of catching him unawares.

Each Vertus Praetor is a master combatant who has already honed his superhuman skills amongst the ranks of the Custodian Guard. They are expert marksmen, able to place perfect kill shots even while screaming at breakneck pace through tangled ruins or dense forests. Their close-quarters prowess is no less exceptional; a Vertus Praetor can open the throat of a heavily armoured foe in a single pass. They can analyse even the most chaotic conflict in a heartbeat, reacting with incredible speed to evade obstacles and run down their foes, processing battlefield developments with breathtaking rapidity.

The exceptional skill of the Vertus Praetors is augmented by their superlative wargear. As well as being protected by auramite Custodian Armour, these warriors wield enormous Interceptor Lances. Taller end-to-end than an Ogryn, and perfectly weighted, these fearsome weapons boast adamantium blades wreathed in disruptor fields. Vertus Praetors are masters of hit-and-run strikes, driving their lances clean through their precisely chosen targets before ripping them clear again as they speed past. The result is as devastatingly effective as it is explosively gory.

The greatest assets at the Vertus Praetors' disposal, however, are their mounts. The Dawneagle Jetbike is an incredible vehicle, a Great Crusade-era relic wrought in auramite and adamantium. These bikes are almost as large as light fighter craft and -- while they are still grav-skimmers -- can deliver a near supersonic turn of speed. Their hulls are phenomenally durable, allowing their riders to slam through walls and enemy warriors without being unseated, and they react pugnaciously to the slightest touch of the controls, able to jink effortlessly through incoming fire. When armed with Hurricane Bolters, the Dawneagle can plough bloody furrows through enemy hordes. However, it is when equipped with Salvo Launchers that Vertus Praetors truly come into their own as lightning-fast tank hunters. They scream across the battlefield, rapidly outflanking and encircling the heaviest enemy vehicles before annihilating them with strafing runs of Melta Missiles. Even enemy aircraft are not safe, for by combining their fire the Vertus Praetors are able to weave airborne webs of flakk blasts into which hurtling enemy aircraft slam with terminal results.

Unit Composition

 * 3-10 Vertus Praetors

Wargear

 * Custodian Armour
 * Interceptor Lance
 * Dawneagle Jetbike
 * Misericordia
 * Hurricane Bolter (Standard armament of Dawneagle Jetbike)
 * Salvo Launcher (Optional replacement for Dawneagle Jetbike Hurricane Bolter)
 * Melta Missiles
 * Flakkburst Missiles