Leonis Minoris
Home World to the Lions Argent Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes
Leonis Minoris is the capital planet of the Leonis Cluster, situated on the eastern fringe of the Segmentum Solar within thirty light years of both Armageddon and Elysia. The Leonis Cluster, known by many traders as the Leonis System, is comprised of seven planets orbiting a youthful star, all of which are colonised to a greater or lesser extent.
Once a verdant and mineral rich paradise brought into compliance by the Seventy First Expedition Fleet during the latter years of the Great Crusade the system’s third planet, Leonis Minoris, is now a near lifeless rock, its mineral deposits long since depleted and the climate suffering from the effects of the system’s expanding star. The increasing hostility of the planet’s climate has seen an evolution in its colonisation, specifically the focusing of populations in fortified hive cities and metropolises across the northern and southern hemispheres, leaving the barren equatorial zones uninhabited. Plagued by dust storms and nearly no precipitation the craterous quarried surface and canyon rich land masses of Leonis Minoris are classified as a hostile environment, especially to the ill prepared traveller or off-worlders.
The planet’s capital city, Linnaeus, is located in the northern hemisphere and is a sprawling metropolis doted with hive spires and space ports. Despite being one of the most prosperous cities in the Imperium, Linnaeus is a shadow of it’s former self having declined from the utopia established by Guilliman during the great crusade. Within the curtilage of Linnaeus lies the fortress monastery and seat of power of the Lions Argent Chapter, a military edifice etched into the mountainous topography of the city’s perimeter. The proximity of the Lions Argent Chapter to the system’s governors and councils has become a point of concern for elements of the Ordo Hereticus, who have instigated a number of investigations into the Chapter’s political ties and acquisition of power within the Leonis system, none of these investigations have ever been concluded.
The Leonis Minoris Cluster has seen more than its fare share of war over the millennia, most notably at the hands of several Ork warlords and a direct assault instigated by traitor forces shortly before the thirteenth black crusade. This assault was particularly brutal and focused around the system’s fourth planet, Agora, home to the Libraries of Hypatia, a resource of knowledge second only to the archives of Terra.
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"All my life i've lived by a code; honour your battle brothers, protect the weak and defend the Imperium. The Emperor watches over us this day, Fight for Him!"
- Captain Dardanus Anarian, Commander of the Lions Argent 2nd Company
The defence of Arcadius Hive
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Index Astartes: Lions Argent
Honourable to their allies and implacable to their enemies the Lions Argent have proudly thrust their name into greatness alongside chapters of more ancient provenance, despite their relative youth. The Lions Argent firmly uphold the values of the Imperium, recognising that mankind must be united in order to survive, to this end they willing commit forces in support of other organisations in order to protect the Imperium’s future and for Astartes they are uncharacteristically approachable, a trait that has earned them a great deal of respect. Although not fanatical or outspoken about their faith the Lions Argent recognise the Emperor’s divinity, a stance that has put them in good stead with the Ecclesiarchy and the Adeptus Sororitas on the outset of many campaigns. Although their history is shrouded in mystery, testing of the Chapter’s Geneseed has proven the Lions Argent to be a successor of the Dark Angels and thus they can trace their genetic heritage back to Lion El Johnson, despite this they venerate no Primarch dedicating themselves to the Emperor and the Imperium. Furthermore the Lions Argent insistently stand apart from their founding chapter and it’s successors, taking every opportunity to clearly separate themselves from their ‘unforgiven’ cousins, preferring to tread their own path, a stance that has proven beneficial.
Despite their proven genetic lineage the Lions Argent are a Chapter of shadowed origins and history, their first documentation in the records of the Administratum dates to the latter years of M40, however they are believed by some to have been founded as long ago as M37 known then as the Lion Warriors, recognised in some sources as a Dark Angels successor chapter, who disappeared in the second half of M40. With the exception of their genetic ties there is little material evidence to support the theory that the Lion Warriors and the Lions Argent are one and the same Chapter, but the coincidences of their seemly shared history are hard to ignore. If they are indeed the same Chapter, the reasons for their change in livery and name are unknown, at least to outsiders. Inquisitors of the Ordo Hereticus opened investigations into the Lions Argent in the mid 41st millennium, although were abandoned without conclusion for unknown reasons. Shortly before his disappearance Inquisitor Malek-Loth of the Ordo Hereticus speculated that the change in chapter name could be linked to the Chapter’s purposeful separation from their parent legion, the Dark Angels, but this has never been substantiated.
The Lions Argent Chapter are based on the world of Leonis Minoris, a near lifeless rock on the eastern fringe of the Segmentum Solar, with a fortress monastery in the curtilage of the planet’s capital, Linnaeus. The Chapter Master Tiberius Vallarn is politically active within the Leonis System having a seat on the governor’s council and having a rite of veto over decisions deemed to affect the system’s martial capabilities and defence. The Lions Argent recruit from various aspects of Leonis Minoris’ population; selecting suitable aspirants from the planet’s wealthy nobles and the sub-hive gangs alike, thus ensuring a diverse range of candidates for potential induction.
The Lions Argent can be considered a ‘Codex’ Chapter for all intents and purposes, their structure following the guidelines and limitations set out in the Codex Astartes, a trait uncommon for successors of the Dark Angels. This said the Chapter does not follow the great tomb’s teachings as strictly as their first founding cousins, seeing Guilliman’s words as a valuable resource rather than a way of life or unbreakable doctrine. The chapter appears to favour mobile mechanised deployments over infiltration or Drop Pod assaults, a style of warfare that perhaps reflects the capabilities of their home world’s forges, which excel in the production of the venerated Rhino chassis and its variants. It is perhaps because of this that the Lions Argent possess a great many Predator, Whirlwind and Vindicator tanks, more so than many more established Chapters, it is certainly worthy of note that the well stocked armouries of the Lions Argent are enviable by any standard, even to some of the First Founding Chapters.
The Lions Argent possess a great many suits of both MkV ‘heresy’ pattern and MkVI ‘corvus’ pattern power armour, the reasons for this predilection are unknown. It was uncovered by the late Inquisitor Malek-Loth that the Lions Warriors chapter was outfitted with great swathes of the MkV and MkVI armour from the Dark Angel’s stock at their creation, however it should also be noted that the forges of Leonis Minoris were ordered to manufacture both these marks in great quantities during the great heresy, a standing permission that has never been superseded.
The Lions Argent Chapter have an almost knightly aspect, honouring a code of practice and above all protecting the weak in the Emperor’s name. Further reinforcing this is the Chapter’s martial pride, emphasised by intensive close combat training and the favouring of the Sword above all other close combat weapons, not only as a weapon but as a sign of rank and as an incarnation of a warrior’s honour. The Chapter maintains close ties with the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy and associated elements such as the Inquisition and the Adeptus Mechanicus, valuing the benefits produced from labouring after maintaining those ties. More often than not Imperial Commanders loathe the interference of the Adeptus Astartes, as it is usually a cold exchange that sees the Emperor’s Angels of Death execute a series of missions and achieve objectives that the Imperial Guard have failed to, however such experiences cannot be attributed to the Lions Argent. Beneficent and candid in their demeanour the Lions Argent are welcomed into most theatres of war by Imperial Commanders, valuing their assistance and holding no resentment against their superior martial prowess.
The Lions Argent have a comprehensive recorded martial history spanning a little over a millennia, the Chapter’s war record is kept in a vault in the fortress monastery, fastidiously updated by the Chapter’s Librarians and serfs. Selected battle honours as follows:
Purging of Elysia: Plagued by the ever present threat of pirates and raiders the Elysia system’s asteroid fields, isolated planetary masses and radiation belts make for a perfect refuge for those who wish not to be found. The Purging of Elysia was a system wide campaign that saw fleet battles on an apocalyptic scale and condemned three planetary bodies to Exterminatus, the sole of purpose of which was to end the piratical menace and restore order to the primary trade routes between Armageddon and the galactic hub. Primarily comprised of fleet engagements and numerous boarding actions the war was largely one sided, the pirates ill equipped to defend against Astartes and Imperial Navy capital ships.
The Lions Argent Chapter committed almost their entire military might to the conflict, save only elements of the seventh and ninth reserve companies, although it should be noted even these saw combat towards the end of the war. The campaign was originally lead by a combined force of the Elysian Military and the Leonis Shock Troops aboard a vast Imperial Navy fleet, which despite early success had great difficulty in engaging the pirate fleets in decisive combats, instead pursuing them deeper into the surrounding wilderness space. With the passing of the sixth standard solar year, the Lions Argent Chapter was brought into the theatre of war with the intent of closing the campaign as quickly as possible. Lead by Chapter Master Tiberius Vallarn the Lions Argent fleet hunted down the last refuges of pirates and mercenaries, condemning three planets to Exterminatus. It should be noted that only one of the three planets condemned was capable of sustaining life with a breathable atmosphere. The intervention of the Lions Argent Chapter saw the war successfully won in seventeen standard Solar months.
For Vallarn’s successful leadership of the campaign which restored one of the four major shipping routes to Terra, he was granted an audience with the Emperor himself and gifted the relic blade Ungula. Seen as a saviour by the trading guilds and governors of Elysia, Vallarn was granted the title Vicarius Consul of Elysia.
Defence of Agora: The Arcadius Hive was almost lost to traitor forces, who assaulted the Leonis Cluster in the latter quarter of M41, the assault is believed to have been instigated by the arch-traitor Ahriman of the excommunicated Thousand Sons and focused on taking the world of Agora. The siege of Arcadius lasted for a little under fourteen standard Terran months with the entire war claiming over 2.1 billion Imperial souls. The traitor’s attack took the Leonis System completely by surprise, almost all of the Lions Argent Chapter were engaged in cleansing the Elysia System and unable to assemble a meaningful counter attack until the closing days of the war, with the exception of the Second Battle Company who were on Leonis Minoris when the fighting began. The war was brought to a bloody conclusion in the ruins of the Library of Hypatia with the arrival of the Lions Argent Fleet supported by a mixed strike force from the Salamanders and Relictors Chapters. Almost forty percent of the library was destroyed in the siege and much of its knowledge lost forever. Captain Dardanus of the Second Battle Company was lorded for his part in the defence, commanding the loyalist forces and slaying two traitor generals in single combat.
Liberation of Verges Secondus: A small agricultural planetoid on the boarder of the Maelstrom Zone in Ultima Segmentum and source of much sort after orchard stock, Verges Secondus is responsible for growing some of the most exquisite fruits and natural grown delicacies in the Imperium. In the early years of the 41st millennium contact was lost with the planet and a small task force including the Lions Argent’s Sixth Reserve Company was dispatched to investigate. Initial reports found the planet’s human populace missing, further investigation revealed the world to have suffered at the hands of a Dark Eldar raiding fleet. Three years of war on the planets surface saw countless engagements with Dark Eldar forces which were ultimately thwarted through the destruction of an ancient portal in the icy wastes of the planets southern pole. The destruction of the portal gate was attributed to a young Tactical Sergeant by the name of Vallarn, for his actions he was promoted to the first company to serve with a Sternguard Squad.
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Welcome to a project log for my creations in and around the Leonis Cluster, a small subsector close to Elysian and Armageddon. Home to my custom made chapter; the Lions Argent, a successor to the Dark Angels and a number of othe Imperial Factions. This log will share with you my work as i develop them all in both background and models. I will endeavour to update the first post, as often as the log, with a progress photo and navigation/contents list.
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Force progress photo
I will endeavour to update this every time i complete another unit for the force, thus this will show completion to date.
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Contents and Navigation_Lions Argent Chapter:
- Chapter Master Tiberius Vallarn - [Post #224, Page 12]
- Watcher - [Post #103, Page 6]
- Honour Guard Chapter Champion - [Post #200, Page 10]
- Honour Guard Praetorian 01 - [Post 202#, Page 11]
- Honour Guard Praetorian 02 - [Post 220#, Page 11]
- Honour Guard Praetorian 03 - [Post 222#, Page 12]
- Captain, 2nd Company - [Post #2, Page 1]
& Updated - [Post #148, Page 8]
& Updated - [Post #262, Page 14]
- Company Command Squad Complete - [Post #196, Page 10]
- Company Champion - [Post #155, Page 8]
- Company Command Squad Veterans - [Post #189, Page 10]
- Company Command Squad Apothecary - [Post #193, Page 10]
- Land Raider Prometheus - [Post #231, Page 12]
- Chaplain, 2nd Company - [Post #145 , Page 8]
- Librarian - [Post #63, Page 4]
- Terminator Assault Squad, 1st Company (whole squad) - [Post #185, Page 10]
& Individual's:
- Vanguard Veteran Sergeant Paalon Herodotus Akhilleus - [Post #170, Page 9]
- Vanguard Veteran Kleon Herodotus Perseus - [Post #169, Page 9]
- Vanguard Veteran Idas Herodotus Theseus - [Post #182, Page 10]
- Vanguard Veteran Marius Herodotus Odyssean - [Post #183, Page 10]
- Vanguard Veteran Vorenus Herodotus Heracleus - [Post 184, Page 10]
- Sternguard Veteran Squad, 1st Company - [Post #110, Page 6]
& Updated - [Post #241, Page 13]
- Sergeant, Sternguard Veteran Squad, 1st Company - [Post #149, Page 8]
& Updated - [Post #241, Page 13]
- 2nd Tactical Squad, 2nd Company - [Post #34, Page 2]
- Sergeant, 2nd Tactical Squad, 2nd Company - [Post #19, Page 1]
- Rhino APC - [Post #234, Page 12]
- 3rd Tactical Squad, 2nd Company - [Post #84, Page 5]
- Rhino APC - [Post #238, Page 12]
- 7th Assault Squad, 2nd Company - [Post #126, Page 7]
- Sergeant, 7th Assault Squad, 2nd Company - [Post #55, Page 3]
& Updated - [Post #123, Page 7]
- 10 Devastator Squad, 2nd Battle Company - [POST #259, Page 13]
-Rhino APC - [Post #261, Page 14]
- Stormraven Gunship - [Post 160 - Page 8] & [Post 161 - Page 9]
- Lions Argent Fleet (elements of) - [Post #43, Page 3]
Contents and Navigation_Imperial Guard:
- Platoon Command Squad 01 - [Post #166, Page 9]
[/B]- Infantry Squad 01 - [Post #174, Page 9]
Contents and Navigation_Inquisition:
Ordo Xenos:
- Inquisitor & Retinue - [Post 101, Page 6]
- Inquisitor Leto Valaquentus - [Post #72, Page 4]
- Paige_Xeno Biologist Archivist/Data Savant - [Post #74, Page 4]
- Rubus Crax_Astro-Telepath - [Post #77, Page 4]
- Christie_Warrior - [Post #78, Page 4]
- Niddler_Familiar - [Post #87, Page 5]
- Johna_Warrior - [Post #92, Page 5]
- Vriess_Warrior - [Post #98, Page 5]
Ordo Hereticus:
- Lord Inquisitor Iccarus Laan - [Post 144, Page 8]
Ordo Malleus:
- Justicar Tristan Baughan - [Post 151, Page 8]
Contents and Navigation_Battle Fleet Leonis:
- Overall Fleet - [Post #111, Page 6]
- Durus Voss Armageddon Class Battlecruiser - [Post #50, Page 3]
- Inoto Mortis Endeavour Class Light Crusier - [Post 53, Page 3]
- Silis Vigilum Endeavour Class Light Cruiser - [Post #111, Page 6]
- Ferit Squadron Cobra-Zeus Class Destroyers - [Post #112, Page 6]
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Thank for looking
Index Astartes: Lions Argent
Originally Posted by incarna
