Horus Heresy · atlas

Legion X · loyalists

Iron Hands

Primarch: Ferrus Manus

Homeworld: Medusa · Segmentum Obscurus

The X Legion — grim mechanised warriors from tectonically unstable Medusa, who replaced flesh with iron in honour of their primarch. Their primarch Ferrus Manus, “the Gorgon”, with hands of living metal, became the first primarch to fall in the Heresy. On Isstvan V he led the first wave, but, blinded by fury, disregarded the advice of Corax and Vulkan to withdraw — and was cut off. His own brother Fulgrim beheaded him with a daemonic blade. Ferrus’s death shattered the Legion, giving rise to the guerrilla movement of the Shattered Legions under Shadrak Meduson.

Side in the Heresy: loyalists Remained loyal. Led the first wave of loyalists on Isstvan V (006.M31), where they were betrayed by the “reinforcements” of the second wave.

Number
X (10)
Side
Loyalists
Events in the chronicle
31 events
Strength
A large mechanised Legion; its total strength is disputed. On Isstvan V Ferrus raced ahead with the elite — 10 companies of Morlock Terminators aboard the Ferrum; in all, Journal Tactica (via Lexicanum) counts 10,000 Iron Hands in the first wave, with losses of 92.66% — 734 survivors (as calculated from Journal Tactica).

Fate

After Ferrus’s death the Legion effectively disintegrated and turned into vengeful bands (the “Shattered Legions”). It did not recover as a whole Legion during the Heresy and did not take part in the Siege of Terra as a Legion. Ferrus died for good — neither his body nor his head was ever returned.

Speciality

Mechanised and armoured attritional warfare; total bionics and cybernetics (“the flesh is weak”), the closest ties with the Mechanicum and a vast technical arsenal.

Tactics

Heavy armour, Terminators and firepower; graviton weapons, conversion beamers and laser destroyers, which the Legion reproduced itself. A clan organisation (Clan-Companies), unyielding to the death.

What the Legion is known for

The silver hands of Ferrus; the first primarch to fall, on Isstvan V; the disintegration into the “Shattered Legions” and guerrilla war; the cult of bionics and the “Blessing of the Iron”.

Wargear

Bionics and cyber-implants, Gorgon Terminator armour, the Medusan Immortals, graviton weapons and conversion beamers; the “Blessed autosimulacra” of self-repair.

Notable warriors

Events involving the Legion

Eve of the Storm

The Isstvan Massacre

Shadow of War

The Road to Terra

The Siege of Terra

Characters of the Legion

Sources

  1. FW Black Book II: Massacre
  2. Lexicanum: Iron Hands
  3. WH40k Fandom: Ferrus Manus
  4. Lexicanum: The Shattered Legions
  5. Journal Tactica: The Isstvan V Dropsite Massacre — Part One (GW)
  6. Lexicanum: Drop Site Massacre
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