Black Dragons

The **Black Dragons** are rare example of the few Dreadnought formations utilised exclusively by the Lightning Bearers Legion. They are the most hateful of all the Dreadnoughts that serve in the ranks of the IIst Legion. These malevolent souls are made up of vengeful warriors that suffered terrible pain during their mortal wounding before being placed within a Dreadnought's sarcophagus. This is only done rarely, and only after the dying warrior requests to be interred within these walking engines of destruction, as the Harbingers look upon being brought back from the edge of death as both unnatural and shameful. However, for those who wish to continue to serve beyond the point of death, their every waking moment keeps them on the path of vengeance, driving them into bouts of killing mania when left conscious. Rarely are they awoken from their eternal slumber unless the Legion requires the utter annihilation of a foe.

## Background

For those who commit themselves to the Volta, sacrifice comes naturally. Nowhere is this more apparent than their willingness to forfeit their eyes in pursuit of strengthening their mind-sight. Service to the legion is fraught with sacrifice and this can be seen clearly when one looks upon the Black Dragons.

Dreadnoughts inhabit a peculiar place within the wider Lightning Bearers Legion. It is not, for instance; standard practice to place critically injured Astartes into a dreadnaught chassis so that they might continue their service to the Legion. In fact, to be 'brought back' from the edge of death is seen as unnatural and a stain upon one's honour. Traditionally, only warriors who request vengeance with their dying breath are granted the chance to serve on within a Dreadnought's cold sarcophagus. To choose vengeance over honourable death is seen as both a source great shame to the warrior and as an incredible sacrifice to his brothers.

To be a dreadnaught in the Lightning Bearers is to be a vengeful spirit, a wraith whose sole purpose is to stalk the battlefields of Great Crusade in search of vengeance. The ultimate goal of these cursed warriors is to earn death, that final external sleep when both honour and vengeance have at last been satisfied.

There remains however, another manner of service and sacrifice within the Ist Legion; these are the Black Dragons.

The fact that dreadnought service remains taboo amongst the Lightning Bearers means that the critical fire support offered by these adamantium behemoths is quite frequently lacking from the Legion's order of battle. To fill this gap, there exists the Black Dragons, warriors (most commonly devoted to the Volta Order) who choose to willingly submit to the surgeries required to encase their previously healthy forms into dreadnought engines.

To willingly embrace this iron future, these warriors must be both strong of will and of faith in their Legions purpose. This manner of sacrifice comes naturally to the Volta, and it is seen as a mark of great character and modesty to their brothers that they would be willing sacrifice their future glories in order to serve the Legion.

## Wargear

* **Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter**
* **Dreadnought Close combat Weapon w/in-built Twin-Linked Bolter**
* **Smoke Launchers**
* **Searchlight**

### Wargear (Optional)

Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter or Close Combat Weapon may be replaced with one of the following:

* **Multi-Melta**
* **Twin-Linked Autocannon**
* **Plasma Cannon**
* **Twin-Linked Vokite Culverin**
* **Kheres-Pattern Assault Cannon**
* **Twin-Linked Lascannon**
* **Heavy Conversion Beamer (One only)**

May also replace heavy bolter or Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with inbuilt Twin-Linked Bolter with the following:

* **Heavy Flamer**
* **Plasma Blaster**
* **Graviton Gun**
* **Meltagun**

Any Dreadnought may be also be equipped with the following:

* **Extra Armour**
* **Carapace-Mounted Havoc Launcher**