Legion XVIII · loyalists
Salamanders
Primarch: Vulkan
Homeworld: Nocturne · Segmentum Ultima
The XVIII Legion, formerly the Dragon Warriors — master armourers and smiths from volcanic Nocturne, with fiery red eyes and black skin. Their primarch Vulkan was a secret Perpetual, like the Emperor himself. On Isstvan V the Legion was almost wiped out by the atomic fire of the Iron Warriors, and Vulkan himself fell into the captivity of Curze, who killed him again and again — thus Vulkan learned of his immortality. The survivors under Artellus Numeon fought in the ranks of the Shattered Legions, and the odyssey of the Deathfire brought Vulkan back to life.
Side in the Heresy: loyalists Remained loyal. They formed the doomed first wave of loyalists on Isstvan V (006.M31), where they were almost completely annihilated.
- Number
- XVIII (18)
- Side
- Loyalists
- Events in the chronicle
- 32 events
- Strength
- Almost the whole Legion arrived on Isstvan V — roughly 83,000 legionaries; losses there were almost total — 96.92% according to Journal Tactica, “up to 98%” according to Fandom; the figure of 2,556 survivors is calculated from Journal Tactica, and the exact number is disputed. Total strength around 89,000 counting garrisons outside Isstvan.
Fate
Broken as a Legion on Isstvan and not restored to full strength during the Heresy; they survived only as scattered bands and a remnant on Nocturne. Vulkan was at Terra by the Siege, but the Legion did not fight there as a whole. Too few survivors to divide into Chapters at once.
Speciality
Close-range fire combat (flamers, melta, thunder hammers), resilience and self-sufficiency; master armourers and smiths, protectors of the weak. The cult of Prometheus.
Tactics
Closing in and delivering a fire strike with flame and melta, thunder hammers, landings; every warrior repairs his own armour and weapons. The elite — the Firedrakes, the Pyroclast flamer troops, the Draaksward.
What the Legion is known for
Vulkan and masterwork wargear; Nocturne; near-total annihilation on Isstvan V; the immortality of Vulkan the Perpetual; the relics of Vulkan and the odyssey of the Deathfire.
Wargear
Master-crafted flamers and melta, thunder hammers, dragon scale; Firedrake Terminators, Pyroclasts; Vulkan’s nine relics and the Fulgurite.
Notable warriors
- Artellus NumeonFirst Captain, commander of the Pyre Guard
The Terran First Captain of the Firedrakes and commander of the Pyre Guard, Vulkan’s equerry; the spiritual symbol of the Salamanders during the months when the primarch was thought dead.
- Cassian Dracosoriginal master of the Legion, Dreadnought
Cassian Vaughn, the Legion’s first commander, entombed in a Dreadnought; “Twice-Dead”, found in the sands of Isstvan V — altered, with an eerie control over machines.
- T’kellForgefather (keeper of relics)
Forgefather and master artificer, keeper of Vulkan’s relics; his craft was the key to the mystery and to the return of the immortal primarch.
- Atesh TarsaApothecary
An Apothecary who survived the slaughter on Isstvan V and took vengeance on the traitors from aboard the Sisypheum in the ranks of the Shattered Legions.
Events involving the Legion
The Isstvan Massacre
Shadow of War
- Raid on Traoris · the fulgurite
- Battle of Oqueth Minor · rise of Meduson
- Battle of Iydris · Angel Exterminatus
- Shattered Legions Campaign
- Mezoan Campaign
- Pale Stars Campaign
- Incident at Dwell
- Vulkan Escapes the Nightfall
- Rebirth of Vulkan · Deathfire
- Battle of Arissak · destruction of Meduson’s fleet
- Battle of Eirene Septimus
The Road to Terra
- Damnation of Pythos
- Escape from Laedrgeist
- Battle of Hamart III
- Battle of the Zanaeh Gulf · return of Vulkan
- Battle of Nyrcon · Beta-Garmon
- Fate of the Sabalis Liberatus
- Battle of the Aragna Chain · death of Meduson
- Foricaan Campaign
- Erellian Subjugation
- Thassos Incident
- Battle of Nocturne
The Siege of Terra
Characters of the Legion
Sources
- FW Black Book II: Massacre
- Lexicanum: Salamanders
- WH40k Fandom: Vulkan
- Deathfire (N. Kyme)
- Journal Tactica: The Isstvan V Dropsite Massacre — Part One (GW)
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