Legion IV · traitors
Iron Warriors
Primarch: Perturabo
Homeworld: Olympia · Segmentum Ultima
The IV Legion — unrivalled masters of siege and positional warfare, whom the Imperium wore down in thankless garrison campaigns. Their primarch Perturabo, “the Lord of Iron”, was embittered and aggrieved; the massacre on Olympia and Horus’s praise for it finally pushed him into rebellion. At the Siege of Terra it was the Iron Warriors who became the great wall-breakers and were first through the breach. Later Perturabo became a daemon prince on Medrengard.
Side in the Heresy: traitors The turning point was the uprising on Olympia: in his fury Perturabo butchered his own world (over 5 million dead). Believing that the Emperor would never forgive the genocide, he accepted Horus’s praise and swore him secret allegiance; the Legion declared itself openly on Isstvan V (006.M31).
- Number
- IV (4)
- Side
- Traitors
- Events in the chronicle
- 29 events
- Strength
- From 150,000 to 180,000 warriors — one of the largest Legions. A Forge World estimate, disputed.
Fate
Perturabo became a daemon prince of Chaos Undivided, ruling over Medrengard. After the Siege of Terra (where the Iron Warriors were the first to breach the walls of the Palace), their calling card became the Iron Cage — a trap for Dorn on Sebastus IV. They broke up into siege warbands in the Eye of Terror, keeping up an eternal enmity with the Imperial Fists.
Speciality
Unrivalled masters of siegecraft and fortification, expert sappers and engineers; a technical gift honed by cross-training with the Mechanicum. The Warsmiths rival the magi in skill.
Tactics
After landing they raise field fortifications and conduct a methodical bombardment, then slowly and ruthlessly crush the defence; massed artillery, Titans, siege engines. The besieged are given a choice: surrender at once — or expect no mercy. Heavy attrition; flexible Grand Battalions.
What the Legion is known for
The Heresy’s greatest wall-breakers, first to breach the Palace on Terra; the Iron Cage for Dorn; the massacre on Olympia; an eternal enmity with the Imperial Fists.
Wargear
Siege artillery (Thunderburst, Thunderstrike), Tyrant Terminators and the Tyranthikos (“Dominators”), Perturabo’s “Iron Circle” of combat automata, the Castellan Rhino, burrowing drills (Termites) and Dreadclaws.
Notable warriors
- ForrixFirst Captain, Triarch
First Captain and one of the Triumvirate of the Iron Warriors, a veteran of countless sieges; led the Legion’s assault works on Isstvan V and in the Iron Cage.
- Soltarn Vull BronnWarsmith, “Stonewrought”
A master of fortification, nicknamed “Stonewrought”; served Perturabo on the Iydris expedition and later in the Solar War.
- Barabas DantiochWarsmith (loyalist)
A double traitor — loyal to Terra, not to Horus; held the fortress of Schadenhold for more than a year, and then became the first Keeper of the Pharos on Sotha in Ultramar.
- ToraminoWarsmith
An ambitious Warsmith who commanded part of Perturabo’s fleet on the Iydris expedition (“Angel Exterminatus”); a rival of Forrix.
Events involving the Legion
The Fall
The Isstvan Massacre
Shadow of War
- Battle of Phall
- Battle of Iydris · Angel Exterminatus
- First Siege of Hydra Cordatus
- Siege of Olympia
- Manachean War · the Coronid Deeps
- Mezoan Campaign
- Vannaheim Space Drop
- Assassination Attempt at Hydra Cordatus
- Battle of Sotha · seizure of the Pharos
The Road to Terra
The Siege of Terra
- Battle of Beta-Garmon · Titandeath
- The Solar War
- The Siege of Terra
- Traitor Armada Reaches Sol
- Battle of Uranus
- Orbital Bombardment of Terra
- Fall of the Lion’s Gate Spaceport
- Defence of Gorgon Bar
- Destruction of the Magnifican · fall of the Gorgon Bastion
- Fall of Colossi Gate
- Perturabo Abandons the Siege
Epilogue — The Great Scouring
Characters of the Legion
Sources
- FW Black Book III: Extermination
- Lexicanum: Iron Warriors
- WH40k Fandom: Perturabo
- Angel Exterminatus (G. McNeill)
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