Talk:Scale Bearers
Contents
Task and Organization[edit]
While the Scale Bearers differ little from the norm in their system of ranks, there are certain special positions that exist within the Legion to facilitate its way of life and style of operation.
Mayasaron - Drawn from the ranks of the Apothecaries, these veteran Marines serve as the biological equivalent of Techmarines, attending to the injuries and growth of the Legion's Sors. They are often assisted by specialized Chapter Clerks known as Veterinarii. This rank disappears some time in M35, after the Sor population drops low enough that it is little warranted.
Dainonikon - Drawn from the ranks of the Librarium, they use their psychic powers to bolster the combat effectiveness of Sors by driving them into violent frenzies or making their skin less penetrable by various weapons. Like the Mayasaron, these disappear sometime in M35, though the rank can still be found in the Violet Serpents successor Chapter.
First Company[edit]
The First Company is known as the 'Spear-Bearers', named for the warriors who fought alongside Tiran Osoros in his conquest of Solnhofen. By M41, it is comprised of 10 Squads of Veteran Astartes who wear the Chapter's blessed Terminator Armor into battle. They are also the only Company in the Chapter that uses Sors in combat, though only in the most significant of battles.
Librarians[edit]
When a soul-vision comes from the Emperor, it comes with terror like a thunder storm; but when the storm of vision has passed, the world is greener; for wherever the truth of soul-vision comes upon the world, it is like rain.
- a proverb of the Scale Bearers Librarium
From the very beginning, there were those members of the Legion who possessed latent psychic abilities. It is only in the 31st Millennium after the Heresy, however, that the Scale Bearers Librarium formed in earnest. The God-Emperor is known on Solnhofen as 'Inyan', the name of the Creator-spirit as taught by the tribe in which Tiran Osoros was raised. The title of Chapter Librarians is 'Wak-inyan', meaning 'He who talks with Inyan'. Though there are ranks within the Librarium, these titles are a closely guarded secret, as it is believed that knowledge of these names imparts a control over those who bear them. The Scale Bearers Librarians rely heavily on the use of the Emperor's Tarot to divine His will for the Chapter. Librarians are informally referred to as 'Spirit-walkers' by the rank-and-file Astartes.
Tactics and Strategy[edit]
The Scale Bearers' main focus, that of mounted warfare, is a tradition that began with the larger-than-usual contingent of bikes the Legion was granted from Terra. This carried on through the Great Crusade until the fateful day when the Legion's Primarch was discovered on the primitive world of Solnhofen.
The result was a steady shift from more pragmatic Terran methods to the perhaps more boisterous warfare of the Solnhofens. Tiran himself introduced several maneuvers to his Marines that his old tribal army had applied during his youth. The most notable of these being the "Pouncing Ceeloh." In this formation, scouts, smaller Sors, or Imperial Army forces charge and shatter the unity of an enemy formation. A Scale Bearers bike unit then approaches in a file. In the confusion the line unfolds into an encirclement, which then peppers the enemy from without. These opposing forces must also continue to fend off the Imperial elements that have already pushed into their lines. This tactic, obviously, proves more useful against tightly-packed and numerous armies. Against such tactless enemies as the Orks, the Legion has been more than willing to bring brute force to bear.
Equipment[edit]
The Scale Bearers and their successors have been generally known to use normal, codex approved weapons in standard form. They believe that speed and skill are the key to winning battles, and the weapons only have as much impact as the user himself.
By the 41st Millenium, Sons of Tiran tend to be outfitted mostly in Mk. 6 power armor. Though it is rumored they wear the helms as a symbol of the Sors, most individuals simply agree that the expanded sensors are a great assistance on the battlefield.
Sors[edit]
Massive, scaled beasts native to Solnhofen. Named Sors by the natives, these animals come in a multitude of shapes and sizes-- from the tiny fowl-like creatures who dart through the underbrush to the gargantuan longnecked behemoths which roam the equatorial swamps to the mysterious leviathans which lurk in the depths of Solnhofen's wine-dark seas. Sors inhabit every level of the ecosystem of Solnhofen, and are respected by the natives, who use breeds of them as pets, clothing, and food sources.Though the Sors are rarely seen in the 41st Millennium, they were once prosperous and widespread. There are many annotations of some of the most legendary and common Sors.
- Keradops The oldest, largest, and perhaps most well-remembered Sor ever to live, this white-scaled beast was Tiran Osoros' friend and ally from childhood. Living up to its name (meaning "hard-headed"), this stubborn creature used the great horns on its head to gore a great many enemies. By the time of its death during the battle against the Iron Rangers that cost Tiran his life, Keradops had grown so massive as to outsize a Gargantuan Squiggoth - no easy feat, to be sure. It would be entirely correct to assume that this beast was a closer friend, and perhaps a closer brother, to Tiran Osoros than even his fellow Primarchs. Its favorite food, apparently, was the leaves of a sort of large tree known only to grow on Solnhofen itself, but it would also gladly partake of Amasec or recaf.
- Aleph This quadrupedal, purple-scaled Sor belonged to Lukas Ilion before the Hektor Heresy. It was this creature that led the pack of Sors that vanquished Warboss Sarkus on Henom IX, and the beast took great pleasure in crushing the Warboss' skull in its jaws.
Allies/Auxilia[edit]
The Scale Bearers largely kept to themselves during the Great Crusade. The few times they did work with other Legions usually found their preference for speed and power to be of great assistance. They were most commonly found working with The Entombed and Stone Men, where they used their speed to flank and corral the enemies of the Imperium into the heavily armored fronts of their allies. They were noted to have worked extraordinarily well alongside the Iron Rangers, who would use their stealth to scout out future targets, weak points in enemy defenses, and eliminate hardened obstacles that would normally cause problems within the Scale Bearer lines.
- Elsinor Favored Sons - The 201st Favored Sons' professionalism and willingness to undertake risky or impossible missions made them stand out among the Imperial Army forces tasked to aid the Scale Bearers.
- 23rd Vaartes Fated- Attached to the 49th Expeditionary Fleet, the 23rd Vaartes quickly gained a working affinity with the Scale Bearers, a friendship which would last through successive regiments down to M41.
- Legio Venator - Based on the Mechanicus Forgeworld of Graia, Legio XVIII served alongside the Scale Bearers Adeptus Astartes, most notably in the campaign to halt the WAAAGH! of OrkBoss Sarkus.
Unique Units[edit]
Heavy Sors[edit]
Unseen since the Heresy, Heavy Sors were simply that. The Scale Bearers would seek out the largest, sturdiest beasts of Solnheim. They would then cover them in ceramite plating and augment them with neural interfaces to mesh with a pilot and place heavy weapons platforms on the animal's back and sides. Though they were all killed off, they were known for their ability to destroy almost every target they came across with heavy guns, teeth, horn, and trampling foot.
Blackboot Riders[edit]
Considered the best Sor riders in the Legion, the Blackboots were the elite of the Scale Bearers. They were unmatched in speed or ability, often armed with a variety of close combat weapons. On the battlefield, it was their job to lead the charge into assault and harass the flanks with deadly hit-and-run attacks. Post-Heresy, these are the non-command units most regularly seen with Sors. Though most are no longer large enough to ride, many operate mixed with a pack of the beasts.
Fleet[edit]
The Fleet of the XVII Legion was amongst the fastest in the Imperium. Though not the fastest, they boasted armor much heavier than their speed belied. The high speed and armor came at a cost, and they did not boast the same level of firepower many other Legions could.
Imperious Rex
The Imperious Rex was the Gloriana-class flagship of the Scale Bearers. Though it survived the Battles of Diamat and Sorfall, it ultimately met its end in the 5th Black Crusade.
Void Strategies and Tactics[edit]
The Scale Bearers preferred speed and durability in the void. They had fewer guns than most Legions, however the guns they did use were amongst the most powerful the Imperium could equip them with. They preferred hit-and-run attacks, trusting their speed and armor to keep them safe while whittling their opponents down with long series of lance attacks and broadsides.
So is this page getting updated?[edit]
I ask because it seems like there's already some special units listed for the Scale Bearers, but they haven't been implemented.--Tw6464 (talk) 17:55, 11 March 2018 (UTC)
