The Lucifer Blacks are a famed regiment within the Imperial Guard.
Overview
Originally a regiment within the ancient Imperial Army, the Lucifer Blacks were almost completely destroyed during the Unification Wars. Having gained a reputation as elite and highly-alert warriors, their surviving members were drafted to serve as bodyguards for high-ranking Imperial officers.
After the Horus Heresy, the Lucifer Blacks became Regiments of the newly formed Imperial Guard. Acting as elite praetorians on Terra, they provided security for the Imperial Palace and were frequently employed as bodyguards for the Terran nobility and High Lords.
Unfortunately, the Lucifer Blacks' vaunted skill eventually began to deteriorate. By the time of the War of the Beast, the regiment's overseer, General Sayitora had become a crony of Lord High Admiral Lansung, resulting in the Lucifer Blacks becoming the ambitious Admiral's personal fighting force. Though retaining some of their elite status, they become little more than glorified mercenaries, being distributed to Lansung's followers as a reward for favours.
After the Beast was killed by the Imperium's forces, Lord Commander Maximus Thane left the Grand Master Vangorich of the Officio Officio Assassinorum to oversee the ineffectual High Lords of Terra as his Lord Protector. This proved to be a mistake, as Vangorich began The Beheading, which resulted in most of the High Lords of Terra being killed and being replaced by puppets of the Grand Master.
Vangorich soon enacted a series of changes on Terra, the first among them being the disbandment of the Lucifer Blacks. Vangorich claimed that the Lucifer Blacks' inability to stop a group of Eldar Harlequins that had invaded the Imperial Palace during the War of the Beast, proved the group's usefulness was at an end. He then proclaimed that security for the Imperial Palace would now be provided by agents of the Officio Assassinorum.
Sometime after Vangorich's death, however, the Lucifer Blacks were re-established as full Regiments. By the time of the Thirteenth Black Crusade, they, alongside the Palatine Sentinels and Katanda Stalwarts, had been chosen to guard the Imperial Palace.
Since their reformation, the Lucifer Blacks have managed to reclaim much of their former glory, with their name and reputation being well-known throughout the Imperium.
Wargear
Lucifer Blacks are typically equipped with jet-black Carapace Armour and long Flak Jackets. They don full Rebreather helmets and often wield crackling Power Glaives while on duty at the Imperial Palace.
Sources
- Legion (Novel) by Dan Abnett, Chapter 5
- Blood Games (Short Story) by Dan Abnett
- The Emperor Expects (Novel) by Gav Thorpe, Chapter 2
- Echoes of the Long War (Novel) by David Guymer, Chapter 18
- The Beheading (Novel) by Guy Haley, Chapters 13, 16
- Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor's Legion (Novel), Chapter 3