Legion IX · loyalists
Blood Angels
Primarch: Sanguinius
Homeworld: Baal · Segmentum Ultima
The IX Legion — noble master-warriors of Baal; their primarch Sanguinius, “the Great Angel” with true wings, was the best loved of the Emperor’s sons. On Signus he defeated the Bloodthirster Ka’Bandha, but it was there that the seeds of the Legion’s two curses took deeper root. Cut off by the Ruinstorm, he ruled as regent of the Imperium Secundus, and then alone of the triumvirate fought his way through the storm to Terra. On the Vengeful Spirit he stepped out against Horus, knowing that he would die — and his death gave birth to the Black Rage for ten thousand years.
Side in the Heresy: loyalists Remained loyal. Horus lured them far from Terra to the Signus Cluster (~005–006.M31), where the Legion nearly perished in a daemonic invasion.
- Number
- IX (9)
- Side
- Loyalists
- Events in the chronicle
- 24 events
- Strength
- A large Legion; no firm figure is fixed (around 120,000 is sometimes cited, but this is not authoritative). Disputed.
Fate
Sanguinius was killed by Horus aboard the Vengeful Spirit — he was the first to step into the final duel, knowing from his visions that he would die, and weakened Horus for the Emperor. His death plunged the Legion into the first Black Rage (the birth of the Death Company). The Legion survived the Heresy, but was left forever with two flaws — the Red Thirst and the Black Rage.
Speciality
Noble master-warriors of close and assault combat; jump-pack troops, “pod” and assault landings, swift and furious. A larger-than-average complement of armoured vehicles.
Tactics
Jump infantry and direct assault, lightning landings from orbit; strike and withdraw, without lingering to restore the peace. The elite — the Sanguinary Guard, the primarch’s personal praetorians.
What the Legion is known for
Sanguinius, the Great Angel; Signus Prime and Ka’Bandha; the final duel with Horus; the curses of the Red Thirst and the Black Rage, the Death Company.
Wargear
The Sanguinary Guard’s Encarmine glaives and Angelus wrist-mounted bolters, golden artificer armour; winged jump packs; Sanguinius’s blade and armour.
Notable warriors
- RaldoronFirst Captain
First Captain and Sanguinius’s most faithful warrior, later the first Chapter Master of the Blood Angels; fought on Signus and at the Siege of Terra.
- Azkaelloncommander of the Sanguinary Guard
Founder and first commander of the Sanguinary Guard, the primarch’s praetorians; by Sanguinius’s will he remained on Terra so that the Guard would not die out with the death of its lord.
- Nassir Amitcaptain of the 5th Company, “the Flesh Tearer”
The savage lord of the 5th Company, prized by Sanguinius for his brutal honesty; after the Heresy became the first Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers.
- MerosApothecary, “the Red Angel”
Apothecary of the 9th Company, who on Signus Prime took the curse upon himself, leaping into the vortex of Chaos and becoming the “Red Angel” for the sake of saving the Legion.
- ZephonExarch of the High Host
Exarch of the High Host and one of the Legion’s masters of assault combat; fought on Signus and in the defence of Terra, later the first Chapter Master of the Charnel Guard.
Events involving the Legion
The Fall
The Isstvan Massacre
Shadow of War
- Second Battle of Paramar
- Blood Angels Reach Macragge
- Pale Stars Campaign
- Imperium Secundus Proclaimed
The Road to Terra
- Scouring of Gilden’s Star
- Trial of Konrad Curze
- Guilliman Renounces Imperium Secundus
- Battle of Heta-Gladius
- Second Battle of Davin · breach of the Ruinstorm
The Siege of Terra
- Siege of Baal
- Battle of the Diavanos System
- Battle of Beta-Garmon · Titandeath
- The Solar War
- The Siege of Terra
- The Storm Breaks · first assaults and the plague
- Fall of Helios Gate
- Fall of the Lion’s Gate Spaceport
- Defence of Gorgon Bar
- Last Stand at the Eternity Gate
- Boarding of the Vengeful Spirit
- Death of Sanguinius · the Emperor against Horus
Epilogue — The Great Scouring
Characters of the Legion
Sources
- FW Black Book VIII: Malevolence
- Lexicanum: Blood Angels
- WH40k Fandom: Sanguinius
- Fear to Tread (J. Swallow)
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