Angels of Rebirth

Angels of Rebirth armorial with Chapter iconography.

Angels of Rebirth Firstborn Battle-Brother of the 4th Company ("The Steel Angels"), 6th Battleline Squad.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fedelitas Totalis*)

### **Successor of**

Blood Angels
(Sanguinius lineage.)

### **Allies**

- Blood Angels
- Raven Guard
- Dark Angels
- Iron Hands
- Lamenters
- Adeptus Mechanicus

### **Battle cry**

"We are the Angels of a dawn you will not live to see!"

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

"*Did the Emperor conquer the galaxy in a day? No, it took centuries. Does the Cult Mechanicus build Titans in a year? No, it takes many life times of a man. Such is the nature of the inevitable. It may take millennia, but we will triumph. When the Angel is reborn and the Emperor descends His throne at the End of Times, we will be there and we will show them our work. Let us therefore embark on a great work. We will rebuild the empire, uplift the fallen and we will utterly destroy the legacy of the Great Traitor.*"
— First Harbinger Joseph Snow
The **Angels of Rebirth** are a Loyalist Successor Chapter created from the genetic lineage of Sanguinius during the 7th Founding. They are something of an unusual chapter, even amongst the Successors of the Blood Angels. They have borrowed many ideas from the Raven Guard including their tactics, chapter beliefs and mannerisms. Despite their close ties to both the Blood Angels and the Raven Guard they tend to distance themselves from other Blood Angels Successors with the exception of the Lamenters. They feel a close kinship with this fellow Chapter of the Blood due to their similarity at having deviated from the original vision of the Emperor and Sanguinius.

## Chapter History

"*We are the heralds of Sanguinius. We will bring his visions to life and save the Imperium from succumbing to the injuries of Horus's betrayal.*"
— Third Chapter Master, Harbinger Alma Dawn-Son
The origins of this Chapter are unusual and unique. Sometime in M33 a large force of the Imperial Guard, along with several companies from both the Blood Angels and the Raven Guard, went to the recently discovered Herleven System with a Mechanicus Explorator fleet, which was under attack from Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion. Shortly after arriving in the system it was enveloped in a massive warp storm that cut it off entirely. After two full centuries of silence and with a large Ork WAAGH! passing through the neighboring systems, the Imperial forces that had been sent there were officially declared dead. However, when the warp-storm finally dissipated, they found that the Imperial forces in the Herleven System had not only survived, but thrived.

### War for Herleven

While the warp storm enveloped the system the Imperial forces battled the arriving Traitor forces. After a three day battle in space over the primary planet, Herleven, the Loyalist forces had lost half the Mechanicus fleet and were in dire need of aid. Finding themselves trapped in the system and without outer communications, the Blood Angels Captain Elias and the Raven Guard Shadow Captain Arthas worked out a desperate plan in an attempt to destroy the Iron Warriors flagship, *Crusher of Hope.* The Blood Angels battle barge, *Bloodmoon,* alongside two Imperial Navy strike cruisers, and three Frigates, would signal the Iron Warriors and challenge them to battle.

Meanwhile the Raven Guard's strike cruisers would go into orbit around the planet's moon, Patmos, and shut down as many systems as possible in order to stealthily flank the Iron Warriors. The plan succeeded but at great cost. The *Bloodmoon* was destroyed before the Raven Guard could join the fray and near the end of the battle, most of the Raven Guard force was lost when the central strike cruiser suffered a dire malfunction during a critical moment when it attempted to fire it's Jovian pattern Nova Cannon, which failed catastrophically, causing the vessel to suffer a cascade failure as the ship's warp engines exploded spectacularly, destroying two of the three cruisers.

#### After the Battle

Finding themselves trapped in the newly conquered system and having lost the leadership of both Space Marine Chapters, the Imperials only hope of survival lay in settling the system. Giving the second uninhabitable, but resource rich, planet to the Adeptus Mechanicus, as well as the moon Petros to become a forge world, what was left of the imperial forces quickly settled on the world of Herleven. The remaining Blood Angels and few Raven Guard, cut off from the rest of their chapters, likewise settled on the planet establishing the fortress-monastery, '*Heaven's Rest*'.

### Rediscovery

During mid-M34, the warp storm that had enveloped the system finally subsided and a Rouge Trader fleet entered with the intention of claiming the system for the Imperium, only to find that the lost imperial Forces had not only survived, but thrived. In the thousand years since, cut off from the rest of the Imperium, Herleven had been settled by what remained of the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy. The remaining Astartes, after establishing their fortress-monastery, were descendants of the Blood Angels and Raven Guard remnants, with only a single Blood Angels' dreadnought remaining from the original Imperial expeditionary force. After reestablishing contact with the rest of the Imperium there was much concern as to what to do with the world and the new Astartes, now numbering 350. The High Lords of Terra believed they should be reintegrated with the Blood Angels (who had recently suffered major losses) and Raven Guard while the Astartes themselves petitioned to be established as a new chapter.

Before anything could be decided, crisis arrived in the form of a massive Ork WAAAGH! that swept through the neighbouring systems. The local Imperial forces, having been weakened by an earlier WAAAGH! a century previous, would have stood little chance against the greenskin tide were it not for the Astartes of the Herleven System coming to their aid. After the destruction of this newest WAAAGH!, the High Lords finally agreed to establish a new chapter on Herleven as part of the 7th Founding to protect those systems, though none of the remnants would be a part of the new chapter as they were reintegrated into their original chapters, the chapter still reveres them as their earliest heros.

## Notable Campaigns

* **War for Crosis (445.M34)** - The first war the chapter fought in after it's founding. Following an Adeptus Mechanicus distress signal the 1st and 2nd  companies along with other local Imperial forces arrived in the Crosis System to find a Mechanicus fleet doing battle with a minor Ork WAAAGH! for control of the planet Crosis-3. The Adeptus Mechanicus had found the remains of a lost Titan Legion on Crosis-3 and were in the process of salvaging/repairing the God-Machines when the Ork WAAAGH! had swept into the system. Utterly unwilling to let the Orks claim the ancient machines, the Adeptus Mechanicus instead engaged the Orks in a battle for the system. By the time the Angels of Rebirth arrived the Mechanicus fleet had been decimated by the Ork forces, with the remaining rapidly building whatever fortifications and desperately trying to revive the ancient God-Machines. with the 1st Company remaining with the fleet in order to engage the remaining Ork warships.

On the surface the situation was grim - the defense, while solid, were starting to give way before the endless hordes of Greenskins. The arrival of the Astartes was enough to drive the horde back for a time, but the 2nd Company Captain Nero knew that they had only bought a short reprieve. Sure enough, the following morning the Ork forces renewed their assault. Seeing no other way to victory the 2nd launched a counter-assault against the Orks in order to get a force of tech-priests to an ancient bunker, deep in the now Ork held territory. When they arrived they found that the bunker had remained, almost entirely intact. Deep within the bunker the tech-priests found that the bunker was actually a munitions depot for Deathstrike missiles dating back to the Great Crusade.

Deep in the Ork-held territory with nearly all of the 2nd Company dead, Captain Nero decided to sacrifice himself and his company in order to destroy the Orks. As the remainder of the company held back the Ork hordes for as long as they could, the tech-priests used what funtional machinery they could find to move and fire the Deathstrike missiles, managing to fire nearly a dozen missiles at the Ork battleships before the line broke. Before the Orks could enter the depot to claim their prize Captain Nero, wounded and near death, revealed his final plan. Knowing there was no way they could hold out against the Orks long enough to fire all the missiles, and being unwilling to allow the Orks to claim them, he had instructed his remaining Techmarine to rewire as many missiles as he could to be set of simultaneously. As Nero's body hit the ground, a final prayer escaping his lips, the missiles exploded in a blast that not only vaporized the bunker but most of the remaining Orks. Nero's sacrifice made possible the recovery of the Titans, and as thanks for their aid, the Adeptus Mechanicus made for the young chapter numerous vehicles such as Thunderhawks and Land Raiders as the chapter had nearly none at the time of their founding.

* ***Antolies Wrath* Space Hulk (102.M35)** - After the Space Hulk *Antolies Wrath* crashed into the moon of Calvicle-5 the 1st Company was sent in to salvage what they could only to find a Chaos Warband also there. After 23 days of searching and battle, the 1st Company of managed to drive the Traitor marines from the Hulk and claim the prize, the remains of the Ark Mechanicus *Soul of Steel* and a STC for a modified Cataphractii pattern Terminator Armour dating back to the Horus Heresy. Upon returning to the Herleven System the Chapter Master of the Angels, Harbringer Irondale, gave the Ark Mechanicus and STC to the Master-Fabricator of Patmos in return for the promise of sets of this newly discovered Terminator Armour. The Patmosian Mechanicus did not disappoint. Using the STC, the forge world would regularly manufacture sets of this modified Terminator Armour, dubbed *Zephyr*-pattern Terminator Armour, for the Angels of Rebirth leading to them having more sets of Terminator Armour than most other chapters.

* **Mallorn Crusade (245.M36)** - Within the Segmentum Obscurus in 242.M36, a large Ork WAAAGH! had sprung from seemingly nowhere and swallowed nearly 100 Imperial systems before running down. Infuriated by the loss of the Imperial worlds, and worried about the defense of Cadia, the High Lords of Terra ordered a crusade to be organized to retake the worlds and ensure Cadia remained secure. For this crusade the forces of the Raven Guard, Iron Sights, and Angels of Rebirth Chapters agreed to aid in the campaign. This was the first time the three chapters would fight together. Many an Ork horde fell to the lighting strikes from the Raven Guard while trying to contend with the fury of the Angels of Rebirth, all while the largest Orks were whittled down by precise fire from the Iron Sights. During the crusade all three chapters gained a mutual respect for each other and the Iron Sights even overcame the distrust of the Iron Hands towards the Raven Guard.

Eventually the campaign would separate the Chapters. The Raven Guard would leave the crusade, called away to another battlefield, while the Iron Sights would remain with the main force and continue to devestate Ork-held worlds. The Angels of Rebirth were sent with a force to Cadia to find it under attack by Chaos forces led by the Black Legion. With the hatred the sons of Sanguinius held for the get of Horus, the Angels of Rebirth would scour the planet with such fury, the Chapter still speaks of it with pride.

The Iron Sights during the campaign saved the 1st Company of the Angels of Rebirth from a force of Ork Gargants. To show their gratitude after the crusade the Lord Harbinger (Chapter Master) of the Angels of Rebirth gifted the Iron Sights with a set of Zephyr-Pattern Terminator Armour.

* **Alliance War (987.M41)**

* **Defense of Ania-Anga (032.M42)** - After the destruction of Cadia, Abaddon felt confident enough to try striking at Ania-Anga, a vitally important forge world. He arrived in system with a massive force, only to find the defenders up to the challenge. Every planet in the system had been equipped with orbital defenses, so even if the Despoiler tried to establish a base in the system, it would be hard fought for. In addition to the Adeptus Mechanicus' own defenses there was also the majority of the local battlefleet, as well as both the Chapter fleets of the Angels of Rebirth and the Exalted Paladins chapters. While they managed to stop the Warmaster of Chaos from ever setting foot upon the forge world it was a hard fought victory, with the defenders taking heavy losses despite their superior numbers. Eventually the war culminated in the Despoiler trying to take the Angels of Rebirth out of the fight by boarding their Battle-Barge *Fist of Herleven*, where he was confronted by the Angels of Rebirth's Chapter Master, Lord Harbinger Koios Vivifica, in a battle that greatly resembled the battle aboard the *Vengeful Spirit*. While Abaddon may have been mightier than the Lord Harbinger he was weary from earlier fighting, and could scarcely react in his heavy Terminator Armour, to the lightning attacks of his lighter armoured foe, both physical and psychic. Before he could strike a lethal blow however, more of the Black Legion intervened, giving the Despoiler time to withdraw. While they failed to kill Abaddon, they achieved a great victory in forcing the Despoiler to withdraw from combat. Since then, the battle between them has begun to spread through the Imperium as a new legend, already spiraling out of all reality of the battle.

## Chapter Homeworld

Herleven is a death world of surprising beauty. Most visitors marvel at the vast blinding deserts with sand like crushed crystal, unaware that it is plagued with sandstorms powerful enough to flay a man in seconds, or with the poles' arctic forests of vast trees of a silvery-grey which shelter countless fierce predators. What civilization there is has only been able to take form in seven cities centered around polar volcanoes, the few large desert oasis and beneath the invisible mountains, a small mountain range made almost entirely out of near perfectly transparent quartz.

### The Seven Cities

While many of the planet's inhabitants live in a nomadic lifestyle there exist seven cities across the surface of the planet, due to having been cut off from the rest of the Imperium for centuries, each city was built to fulfill one of the needs of the planet and each named for a virtue. Most inhabitants of the cities will never leave their birth city as the planet's ecosystems are too hostile for any but the toughest to survive. Diligence contains most of the planets foundries and uses a local volcano to power the vast forges. Intelligence, near to diligence, is where the brightest children of the other cities are sent to be educated and given a chance to join the Adeptus Mechanicus, or if their talents lean toward combat, train to become officers in the Astra Militarum. It is considered a rare privilege to have a child sent to intelligence, one usually reserved for the children of nobles. Wisdom is the smallest of the cities and is based around the administration and archives of the system. Hope, largest of the cities, is built between in the Blinding Desert between two large oasis and is used primarily for agricultural purposes. Preparation has the highest population of the cities and is used as a secondary manufacture as well as where the recruits for the Planetary Defence Forces are drawn from. Penance is the last of the cities on the surface, and is built around the planet's largest mountain range where the the system's prisoners are forced to mine.

#### Valor

Last of the Seven Cities, Valor was built under the Invisible Mountains and is based around supporting Heaven's Rest - the fortress-monastery of the Angels of Rebirth. Unlike the rest of Herleven the mountains of quartz provide protection from the elements while also letting light through, creating an unusual paradise on the planet. The mortal population of the city are raised from birth to become serfs for the Chapter.

### Fortress-Monastery

The inside of the main building is vastly different from the outside. Made of scarlet marble and gold, the main hall runs half the length of the building. Etched into the right wall are the names and deeds of every hero of the chapter, lined with the banners of the chapter. In the left wall are etched the names of those inducted into the Death Company. To have your name inscribed on either wall is the goal of every battle-brother. At the end of the hall rest two thrones, one higher and grander than the other. The lower throne is the chair of the Lord Harbinger where the Chapter master sits, while the higher throne is intended to be the throne of Sanguinius when he returns. To sit in the Throne of Sanguinius is so heretical in the eyes of the Angels of Rebirth that they would execute any who attempts it on the spot as one particularly arrogant Inquisitor learned at his own expense.

#### Tower of the Reborn

Standing apart from all other structures is the Tower of the Reborn housing the chapter's Death Company. Seeing the Black Rage as a affect of housing a fragment of their Primarch's soul, those who reside within are treated with the highest reverence.

## Chapter Organisation

Unlike many other Blood Angel chapters the Angels of Rebirth are notably non-*Codex* compliant, deviating from it on many points. Most obvious is that they don't consider their Death Company to count towards the number of Battle-Brothers in their chapter claiming that they "have a higher purpose than serving as a simple soldier". The Chapter maintains anywhere from 10-20 Death Company marines per company, to be used as need requires, meaning that in theory the number of Astartes could potentially rise to over the normal 1,000 normally allowed. However, given the low survival rate of neophytes and the Chapter's regular missions and crusades, this is a rare occurrence.

Another deviation from the *Codex Astartes* is that, instead of having initiates serve as Scout Marines, they are instead inducted into either a Battleline Squad or Close Support Squad depending on his talents, while their scouts, given their importance for their infiltration skills, are generally comprised of more experienced Battle-Brothers. Over half of the companies therefore has at least 1 squad of Scout Marines or Vanguard Marines (except the 1st,2nd,3rd, and 4th) as well as at least 1 Battleline, Fire Support, and Close Support Squad. This enables the companies to function relativity autonomously. Usually the chapter uses this to it's advantage in order to pursue multiple goals at a time, but this is sometimes a problem as a single company sometimes is not enough to achieve victory, therefore the companies act in pairs most of the time.

The final major deviance from the *Codex Astartes* is the number of Terminators in their squads. Due to their larger-than-standard amount of terminators the 2nd through 4th companies are all able to field Terminators if need be, though many captains are reluctant to risk such valuable assets.

### Officer Ranks

* **Lord Harbinger** - Chapter Master equivalent.
* **Captain**
* **Lieutenant**

### Specialist Ranks

* **Master Herald** - Reclusiarch equivalent.
* **Herald** - Chaplain equivalent.
* **High Sanguinary Priest** - Chief Apothecary equivalent.
* **Sanguinary Priest** - Apothecary equivalent.
* **Chief Librarian**
* **Librarian**
* **Master of the Forge**
* **Techmarine**
* **Ancient** - Chapter/Company Standard Bearer equivalent.
* **Chapter/Company Champion**

### Line Ranks

* **Veteran Sergeant**
* **Sergeant**
* **Battle-Brother**
* **Scout Marine**
* **Neophyte**
* **Aspirant**

### Order of Battle

#### Headquarters

**Lord Harbinger Koios Vivifica,**
**Chapter Master of the Angels of Rebirth**
**Brother Sten, *The Cold Blade* (Chapter Champion)**
**20 Sanguinary Guard**
**Command Squad (Chapter Standard Bearer, Herald (Chaplain), Sanguinary Priest, Librarian & Techmarine)**
**Chapter Equerries**
**High Sanguinary Priest Volken,**
***Keeper of Rites***
**Master Herald Hamas,**
***Master of Sanctity***
**6 Erelim**
**Chief Librarian Cromwell,**
***Master of Silence***
**8 Epistolaries**
**12 Codiciers**
**8 Lexicanium**
**6 Acolytum**
***Master of the Fleet***
**2 Battle Barges**
**(*Bringer of Dawn*, *Fury of Sanguinius*)**
**6 Strike Cruisers**
**12 Rapid Strike Vessels**
**45 Thunderhawk Gunships**
**10 Thunderhawk Transports** | **Brother Kord**
**Brother Elijah,**
***Master of the Forge***
**38 Techmarines**
**111 Servitors**
**12 Predators**
**15 Baal Predators**
**4 Vindicators**
**5 Whirlwinds**
**28 Land Raiders**

#### Companies

**The Fist of Herleven**
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**100 Veteran Marines**
**4 Furioso Dreadnoughts**
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**4 Battleline Squads**
**2 Close Support Squads**
**2 Fire SupportSquads**
**2 Terminator squads**
**3 Dreadnoughts**
***Master of Thunder***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**4 Battleline Squads**
**2 Close Support Squads**
**2 Fire SupportSquads**
**2 Terminator Squads**
***Angel of Frost***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**4 Battleline Squads**
**2 Close Support Squads**
**2 Fire SupportSquads**
**2 Terminator Squads**
**2 Dreadnoughts**
***Father of Victory***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**4 Battleline Squads**
**2 Close Support Squads**
**2 Fire SupportSquads**
**2 Terminator Squads**
**3 Dreadnoughts**

***Master of death***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**6 Scout Squads**
**1 Fire SupportSquad**
**1 Close Support Squad**
**2 Tactical Squad**
**3 Dreadnoughts**
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**4 Scout Squads**
**2 Battleline Squads**
**2 Fire SupportSquads**
**2 Close Support Squads**
**2 Dreadnoughts**
***Master of Fire***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**6 Battleline Squads**
**2 Scout Squads**
**1 Fire SupportSquads**
**1 Close Support Squads**
**1 Dreadnought**
***Master of Fury***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**6 Close Support Squads**
**2 Scout Squads**
**1 Fire SupportSquads**
**1 Battleline Squads****3 Dreadnoughts**
***Master of Recruits***
**Command Squad (Company Standard Bearer, Herald, Sanguinary Priest, Lexicanium & Techmarine)**
**3 Battleline Squads**
**1 Scout Squads**
**3 Fire SupportSquads**
**3 Close Support Squads**
**64 Unassigned Neophytes**

## Chapter Recruitment

Recruiting solely from Herleven, the chapter prefers to recruit from the nomadic tribes that roam the surface rather than the inhabitants of the Seven Cities. To be chosen to join the Astartes is considered to be an enormous honor and the families of the aspirants talking for generations of those chosen, unaware that many die before ever even seeing the fortress.

### Trial of the Body

Designed to test the limits of physical endurance the aspirants are taken to the northern pole of the planet, given a glass knife made from the crystal sands and told to walk to the Invisible Mountain, a distance of over a thousand kilometers and passing through both frozen forests and harsh deserts. Having to deal with both fierce predators and deadly sandstorms, the aspirants are taken to the limits of human endurance just to survive. Those that do make it must climb the mountain above the Fortress which stands ten thousand meters tall.

### Trial of the Soul

When those few who survived reach the mountain peak, they are ushered without rest into the second trial. To descend the tower from the peak of the mountain to where it meets the fortress-monastery. With the tower standing at 10 kilometers tall it would take a normal man days to descend its height, but the aspirants tired from their first trial are tested and tried by the chapter every step of the way making it into a weeks long decent. Denied food and water for days at a time the Aspirants are also subjected to visions by the chapters Librarians of the horrors of what a Astartes will experience in his duty to the Emperor as well as glimpses of the disturbing nature of the warp. During his whole decent the recruit will be constantly tempted by voices over vox broadcasters to surrender, promising relief from his trial if he does. Those who make the whole decent without surrendering to either madness or exhaustion are accepted as neophytes of the chapter.

## Chapter Culture & Beliefs

The Angels of Rebirth's culture is considered unique among the Blood Angels and their successors. Their chief devination is the belief that Sanguinius is not dead and will return when the Emperor decends from the Golden Throne. They believe that in His battle with the Warmaster, that Sanguinius's soul was shattered by Horus's betrayal and chaos magic; his nobility, wisdom, and valor coalesced into the mysterious entity known as the Sanguinor, while his wrath became the Black Rage. Thus they tend to venerate those afflicted with the Black Rage as being host to a fragment of their Primarch's soul. Because of this they have developed a mutual distrust and even hatred for chapters like the Flesh Tearers and Templars of Blood, who treat their Death Company with much greater disregard.

Also, unlike other successors of the Blood Angels the Battle-Brother rarely fall to the influence of the Red Thirst. While they might claim the cause to be greater faith than other chapters, however, the truth is far more sinister. Unknown outside of the chapter, the Angels of Rebirth long ago found a way to stave off the influence of the Red Thirst by use of a ritual that borders on heretical. They drink the blood of Astartes descended from other Primarchs in a secret ritual conducted by their Sanguinary Priests. Through these blood rites the Angels of Rebirth have found that they can temporarily silence the urge to drink the blood of others, for a time at least. They greatly fear this bloody ritual being discovered by those outside of the Chapter. When an Imperial Commissar accidentally witnessed one such ritual, where the blood of a slain Astartes of the Salamanders Chapter was used following a joint-battle to free a world from the Tau, an Angels of Rebirth captain had one of his scouts place a plasma bomb in the commissar's tent to prevent him from telling others, blaming the assassination on the Tau.

Above all, the Chapter prepares itself for the return of Sanguinius and the God-Emperor by hunting for as many relics of the Loyalist Legions as they can, typically returning it to the respective chapter, as well as hunting members of the Black Legion with a passion to match that of the Dark Angels' hunt for the Fallen. Whenever an opportunity for either arises, the Angels of Rebirth will give it priority over all other activities. This has led them to become experts on battling the Forces of Chaos, but they spend less time dealing with xenos threats leading to a rather small representation in the Deathwatch.

Similar to the Blood Angels, the chapter places great emphasis on personal craftsmanship following the example of Sanguinius and many use what time they are not in combat to improve their skills. Some are artists to match the greatest artificers. Many spend their time improving their wargear, believing focusing on these tasks will help reduce the cravings of the Red Thirst.

One of the most controversial parts of their chapter's culture is their utter refusal to allow Primaris Space Marines into their ranks. Even after losing nearly four companies in the Defence of Baal against Hive Fleet Leviathan, they refused to be reinforced by the new Marines. Interestingly, their refusal was not based on their historical grudge against Roboute Guilliman, but rather their distrust of Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl and his attempts to improve upon the genetic mastery of the Emperor, as well as the historical misfortunes of the chapters of the 21st 'Cursed' Founding. Even the thinly veiled threats of the Adeptus Custodes were not enough to sway the chapter, even after the conclusion of the Indominitus Crusade. They continued to stand firm that their millennia of history and victories show that they are every bit as capable as the newer genertion of Astartes.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

Like all other descendant chapters of the Blood Angels they suffer from the genetic curses of the Red Thirst and Black Rage. Unlike some other chapters they retain almost identical gene-seed to their parent chapter, making them ideal doners of gene-seed after the 7th Black Crusade.

### Primarch's Curse: Twin-Flaws

#### Red Thirst

Like their progenitors, the Angels of Rebirth also suffer from the 'twin-flaws' of their genetic lineage. The first, is known as the Red Thirst. Deep within the psyche of every Sons of Sanguinius is a destructive yearning, a battle fury and blood hunger that must be held in abeyance in ever waking moment. The Battle-Brothers often display a savage desire to engage their foes in the fury of close combat, their rage growing all the stronger the closer to succumbing to the Red Thirst the Angel of Rebirth steps. Most of the time, the Angels are able to hold their curse in check, but those they engage in assault soon discover the bloodthirsty savagery of the sons of Sanguinius.

Few Battle-Brothers can hold the Red Thirst in check unceasingly - it is far from unknown for an Angel of Rebirth to temporarily succumb to its lure at the height of battle. The Red Thirst is the darkest secret and greatest curse of the Chapters of the Blood, but it is also their greatest salvation - for it brings with it a humility and understanding of their own failings which make them truly the most noble of the Space Marines.

#### Black Rage

Another unique aspect amongst the Space Marines in that their gene-seed contains the encoded experience of their Primarch, and most deeply imprinted of all is the memory of Sanguinius' final battle with Horus. Sometimes, on the eve of battle, an event or circumstance will trigger this embedded memory and the Battle-Brother's mind is suddenly wrenched into the distant past. The Black Rage overcomes the Angel of Rebirth as the memories and consciousness of Sanguinius intrude upon his mind, and dire events ten thousand years old flood into the present.

A warrior overcome with the Black Rage appears half mad with fury; he is unable to distinguish past from present and does not recognise his comrades. He may believe he is Sanguinius upon the eve of his destruction, and the bloody battles of the Horus Heresy are raging all around him. Such a Battle-Brother stands at the end of his travails, for his path leads only to the Death Company, where he and the Chapter's other damned souls will fight one final battle in the Great Angel's name under the guidance of a Chaplain. These individuals each fight their own battle, perhaps believing themselves to be waging the wars of the Horus Heresy at the side of their beloved primarch. Death for the members of the Death Company is a blessed mercy, for those not consumed in the cleansing fires of battle must be restrained and imprisoned, for their safety and that of their brethren, until the next battle.

## Combat Doctrine

"*With me, Brothers! Let us show them the wrath of the Sons of the Great Angel!*"
— Veteran Sergeant Donatos

The combat doctrine of the Angels of Rebirth shows a mix of Blood Angel and Raven Guard tactics. Whenever facing a entrenched enemy such as heretics or Tau, Scout Marines are sent first with stealth, reminiscent of the Raven Guard, to find and secure drop sites and place teleport homers, as well as preform acts of sabotage without revealing their presence. As the main force attacks from the front to draw the attention of their foes, they use the drop sites and teleport homers to infiltrate Angels of Rebirth Terminators and even Death Company squads behind enemy lines to attack when their foes least expect it, in a storm of bolter fire, plasma, and chainswords. Such is the power of these sudden assaults that most foes cannot withstand it and even such experts in the art of defense as the traitor Iron Warriors have been forced from planets through the use of these tactics.

When facing more mobile or unorganized enemies such as Aeldari, Orks, and Tyranids they typically rely on similar tactics as the Blood Angels of rapid assult, making use of their higher numbers of Terminators by using Stormravens or Land Raiders to rapidly bring Terminators into close combat with the enemy.

## Wargear

Due to the larger than standard amount of Terminator armour the chapter possesses, the Angels of Rebirth's Techmarines have long worked on how to maximize their potential leading to several unique pieces of wargear:

* ***Petros Heavy Grav-Chute*** - An extensively modified grav-chute, the Petros Heavy Grav-Chute allows for the companies Zephyr or Indomitus Terminators to deploy from high-altitude. The high cost of producing these Chutes makes them a rare and valuable resource for any Chapter.
* ***Cameleoline Teleport Beacon*** - A smaller, more mobile Teleportation homer beacon coated in Camoline are used by the Angels of Rebirth, as well as other stealth-based chapters. Trading reliability for subtlety, they are placed behind enemy lines and used to infiltrate the larger, less mobile Terminators deep behind the enemy's line of battle in order to deliver a crushing blow when their foes least expect it.
* *Gatling Bolter*- A tri-barreled bolter capable of firing standard bolts at rapid speed while remaining stable. While slightly lighter than a heavy bolter, it only fires normal bolts, trading the heavy bolt's armour-piercing capabilities for sheer quantity. Angels of Rebirth Terminators commonly field them against lightly armoured foes.
* **Zephyr-Pattern Terminator Armour** - Recovered from the Space Hulk *Antolie's Wrath* the Zephyr-pattern Terminator Armour at first glance is indistinguishable from the Cataphractii-pattern. Designed on the Ark Mechanicus *Soul of Steel* during the Horus Heresy but was never put into production before the ship was lost to the warp. The Standard Template Construct (STC) for it was recovered by the Angels of Rebirth and put into production on the forge world Patmos. The Zephyr differs from standard Cataphractii in that it uses more powerful synthetic muscles and more advanced Auto balancers to enable faster movement. For power it has a power generator based on the atomantic power generator of the Contemptor Dreadnoughts, providing greater power at the risk of possible overloading when damaged. While most commonly found in the Angels of Rebirth, sets of this armour can also be found in the armories of other chapters, particularly successors of the Blood Angels.
* ***Cryptus Glass Weapons*** - During the Angevin Crusade the planet Cryptus was retaken by the Imperium and had the foundation was laid for a grand temple to the Emperor. the material chosen for building the temple was glass made from the crystal sands of Herleven. After the destruction of the temple it was found that shards of the glass temple were effective weapons against many denizens of the warp, and further experimentation revealed that when formed into glass and blessed by a Herald (Angels of Rebirth Chaplain) it had the same effective. Many of the Angels of Rebirth now carry a weapon forged from the glass ranging from a knife, to shotgun shells, to even a grenade encased in the glass. All of the weapons are fragile and only survive 1 use, similarly the weapons possess no supernatural power against other foes like Tyranids, Orks, Tau, Aeldari, and Necrons.

## Deathwatch Service

As inheritors of the lineage of Sanguinius, the Chapters of the Blood are amongst some of the longest-lived of all of the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, their gene-seed granting them a vastly increased lifespan that allows a battle-brother to sometimes live for a millennium or more, if death in battle or one of the 'twin flaws' does not claim him first. Having centuries to perfect their disciplines in the art of war, the Angels of Rebirth possess the same all-encompassing belief as their genetic forebears that the enemies of the galaxy can be defeated, allowing Mankind to achieve their manifest destiny as the undisputed rulers of the galaxy and usher in the Emperor's long-standing vision of a new golden age.

In order to achieve this bold endeavour, the Angels of Rebirth have had a long-standing relationship with the Chamber Militant of the Inquisition's Ordo Xenos, and have sent volunteers to the Long Vigil with the Deathwatch since their inception. As experts in fighting against xenos threats, battle-brothers from the Angels of Rebirth make ideal candidates to serve within the ranks of these xenos-hunting specialists.

Due to their increased lifespans, many of these battle-brothers have had centuries to perfect their skills in battle and techniques in seeking out and eradicating myriad xenos threats across the width and breadth of the known galaxy. Their martical disciplines are practiced unceasingly and techniques in the purgation of xenos are brought to the fore - shared with their fellow kill-team brethren, in order to make them more effective in eradicating any alien threat that would dare assail the God-Emperor's realm.

The quest for perfection in all they do makes Battle-Brothers from the Angels of Rebirth ideal warriors to serve in the Deathwatch, yet their curse becomes all the more terrible. An Angel of Rebirth may find himself isolated from others of his kin while he serves in the Deathwatch. He appears a paragon of virtue to his fellow Deathwatch Battle-Brothers, but by night he fights damnation alone in his cell, praying fervently that the curse will not claim him here, so far from his Chapter and the Sanguinary Priests who may aid him on his final journey. When the Red Thirst takes hold, it can only be overcome with extreme difficulty.

## Notable Members

* **The Old Guard**- The original Blood Angels and Raven Guard marines that first secured the system and built the beginnings of Heaven's Rest. Considered the first marines of the Angels of Rebirth, their names are spoken with honour in the halls of the Chapter's fortress-monastery.

* **Chapter Master Joseph Snow**- The first Chapter Master, Joseph was the founder of many of the chapter's traditions. Surprisingly, it wasn't him that started the tradition of calling the Chapter Master 'Lord Harbinger', but rather the Captains. During his time as Chapter Master, he finished the construction of Heaven's Rest, led the chapter through it's first major war, and established the system of government for Herleven. While he wasn't the greatest warrior leader the Chapter ever had, much of the chapter's traditions and infrastructure owes it's existence to him.

* **Lord Harbinger Koios Vivifica**- Current Lord Harbinger of the Angels of Rebirth, and one of the oldest Space Marines not interred within a Dreadnought that is still in service to the Imperium. He is a mighty psyker (estimated beta grade) and father to his chapter. In over a millennium of service he has served with the Deathwatch, fought countless battles against the Orks, Tyranids, Necrons, and the Forces of Chaos. Amongst the Blood Angels Successors he is considered second only to Dante and Mephiston in experience, and psychic might respectively. His greatest accomplishment is having fought against the Warmaster of Chaos himself in a battle said to have been a continuation of the battle between Horus and Sanguinius. On this occasion however the blood of Sanguinius triumphed as Koios's spear *The Fury of Betrayal* and artificer armour *Armour of the Dawn* gave him the edge in both reach and maneuverability over Abaddon's *Talon of Horus* and relic Cataphractii Terminator Armour. With the Primarch Roboute Gulliman's return he was said to be disappointed that it was was he of all the loyalist Primarchs to return, he personally called out Gulliman for being both a butcher of Legions and betrayer of his brothers having forced his *Codex* upon them.

* **Captain Nero**- While he only had a brief tenure as a Captain of the 2nd Company, he played a vital role during the Chapter's first war - the War for Crosis. Desperate to save a lost Titan legion from being cannibalized by Orks for scrap, he led his company on a mission to recover a bunker of deathstrike missiles, and used many of them to decimate the Ork fleet and hordes. Though the second company was decimated to a man, thanks to their heroics the Titans were successfully recovered and as thanks for their heroic sacrifice, the Adeptus Mechanicus gifted the chapter many much needed vehicles of war, from Land Raiders to Thunderhawks.

* **Sergeant Vimes**- A typical space marine of the Angels of Rebirth until a fateful day on the Civilized World of Anke-4 which had started rebelling against the Imperium. The Space Marines had been sent in to reinforce the Astra Militarum forces already there, and Sergeant Vimes had his squad reinforce the Guardsmen's line and prevent the rebels from overrunning them. For two days he and the guard fought valiantly, on the third however, without warning, he suddenly descended into the Black Rage. He attacked the rebels so fiercely that, though alone in his assault, he drove off well over a thousand rebels. By the time the rest of his squad found out what had happened, he had already disappeared. Two hours later the rebels suddenly surrendered to the Imperial forces claiming the leaders of the uprising had abandoned them and vanished. When searching the city, the Astartes forced some of the now prisoner rebels to lead them to their headquarters. When they got there they found utter carnage. Vimes had already found his way there in the midst of the Black Rage and slaughtered everyone within. They found him inside with the High Chaplain who had sensed the Black Rage and come to judge Vimes. Surprisingly however, in the aftermath of his blood rampage, kneeling in shattered armour and bleeding from dozens of wounds, Vimes was surprisingly lucid. Judging him sane enough to serve with the Death Company, Vimes was taken back to Herleven and anointed with the black and white livery of the Death Company. Six years later he would take part in a ferocious assault upon the Black Legion on Ganus Prime and, unable to be restrained, chased the Traitors into the Warp Gates they conjured to escape. Presumed dead, the Space Wolves were startled when a raving giant was found wandering the wastes of Fenris 300 years later. While it was obvious he was a Astartes, his gear was too damaged to tell from what chapter. Eventually the Wolf Priests managed to coax out of him the knowledge that he was from Herleven and they returned him to the Angels of Rebirth where it became clear he was dying from something unknown. In his final days he began to speak clearly in his hallucinations about beings he had met in the warp that had helped him. He described them as giants and as demigods in great armour. His final words were, "They're not dead...just trapped". After his death many marines began to wonder what his cryptic words meant and whether or not he had actually encountered the missing Primarchs.

## Chapter Fleet

The Angels of Rebirth have only a modest sized fleet, requiring them to rely on local Imperial forces to win major engagements in space, possing the following vessels:

**2 Battle Barges**

**6 Strike Cruisers**

**12 Escort ships**

## Chapter Relics

* ***Armour of the Dawn*** - A set of Artificer Armour that resembles the armour worn by Sanguinius, the Armour of the Dawn is the chapters most prized relic. Similar in appearance to the armour worn by the Sanguinary Guard, what really sets it apart in terms of appearance is the seeming lack of a jump pack, and the mask, which is instead of Sanguinius' death mask, is a mask resembling his face while he lived leading many to believe that the armour was made before the death of the Primarch. Designed to be worn by a Space marine Pysker the armour is only truly at it's peak when worn by a Librarian. By uniquely channeling the Librarian's psychic power, it generates a psychic shield that makes the armour as durable as Terminator Armour. Furthermore, and most impressively, the Librarian the armour can further channel his psychic power to manifest a set of wings of white light that grant the wearer the ability to soar the air like the Primarch Sanguinius. The cost is that maintaining these takes so much power that if the Librarian were to try to use his power in other ways, while maintaining the armour, it would quickly tire him and leave him vulnerable.
* ***The Fury of Betrayal** -* Made from the same Angelsteel as the Glaives Encarmine, the Fury of Betrayal is a long bladed power spear made after the death of Sanguinius. What sets it apart as a weapon is it's effect on members of the Black Legion. Said to channel the fury of Sanguinius at his moment of death, the spear's destructive power multiplies at the taste of the blood of Horus, causing it to ignite into a blood red flame that consumes the creatures of Chaos while leaving all else unharmed.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The Angels of Rebirth primarily wear red colour power armour, reminiscent of their progenitors, with secondary gray on various portions of their battle-plate including; the backpack, both armorial insets, greaves and sabatons. The shoulder pauldron trim and the Aquila or Imperialis worn on the plastron (chest guard) is gold in colour. In the spirit of the ancient IX Legion, the Angels of Rebirth are not merely warriors but also artisans as well. They often decorate their armour with various flourishes, filligree and etchings to honour the Great Angel. As resplendent sons of Sanguinius, they strive to maintain their skills in arms and art in harmony.

#### Heraldry of the Host

Like their progenitors, the Angels of Rebirth adhere to a similar strict heraldic system, allowing them to recognise what company and squad any given Battle-Brother belongs to at a glance. The advantages of such swift recognition amid the madness of battle are obvious. More than this, however, these Sons of Sanguinius revere their heraldry, and bear these markings as badges of pride.

Angels of Rebirth Librarians wear blue coloured battle-plate with the left shoulder pad painted in their Chapter's colours and prominently displays the Chapter's icon. Sanguinary Priest wear white armour, with both shoulder pauldrons being painted in their Chapter's heraldry. Those battle-brothers who are affected by the Black Rage and assigned to one of the Death Company squads varies significantly from their brethren's colour scheme; their armour is repainted black, with red saltires (crosses), symbolising the sacrificed of their Primarch. Per tradition, the Sanguinary Guard wear gold artificer-wrought battle-plate, with large white angelic wings, and amny Chapter markings and honour all over their armour.

Angels of Rebirth company markings differ from those outlined by the *Codex Astartes* in utilising symbols that are displayed upon the left poleyn instead of different coloured shoulder pauldron trim and Imperial Gothic or Roman numerals.

The emblem of the 1st Company is a golden coloured, thrice-headed symbol of the elite *Keruvim*, the terminator-armoured elite of the old IX Legion that served as the guardians of the primarch's halls and sanctums. Other companies use different coloured blood drops.

One a brother joins the ranks of the Death Company squads, his company emblem is replaced with the icons of the doomed brotherhood.

The following is a list of how each company represents itself:

* **1st Company (Veteran)**: A gold triple-headed symbol of the Great Angel himself. When Terminator (Tactical Dreadnought) Armour is worn, the left shoulder pauldron shows the 1st Company's specific heraldry, the right shoulder guard displays the Chapter badge.
* **2nd Company (Battle)**: A single yellow blood drop.
* **3rd Company (Battle)**: Three red blood drops.
* **4th Company (Battle)**: A single green blood drop.
* **5th Company (Battle)**: Five red blood drops.
* **6th Company (Reserve Tactical)**: Twin yellow blood drops, side by side.
* **7th Company (Reserve Tactical)**: Twin white blood drops, side by side.
* **8th Company (Reserve Assault)**: Twin green blood drops, side by side.
* **9th Company (Reserve Devastator)**: A single large red blood drop centered over the ancient symbol of the '*Angel's Tears*', the Legion Destroyer specialists of the ancient IX Legion.
* **10th Company (Scout Marines)**: The Angels of Rebirth's Scout Company wears a white skull on the right shoulder pauldron, and the Chapter badge on the left.

Most unusual for a Blood Angels' Successor Chapter, instead of using the same heraldic symbols to represent squad specialty and number as their progenitors, they instead use the *Codex*-prescribed specialty symbols (Fire Support, Close Support, Battleline, Veteran or Command), which indicates a battle-brother's assigned battlefield role. These symbols are white in colour and displayed upon their right shoulder pauldron inset. A small red blood drop is place in the center of the squad specialtist symbol. These symbols represent an individual battle-brother's assigned squad specialty, whether they be battleline, fire support, close support, veteran or command - a holdover of their ancient IX Legion heritage. These are indicated by black coloured symbols stenciled upon the right shoulder pauldron.

Like their progenitors, the Angels of Rebirth utilise the same heraldic squad symbols to identify a battle-brother's assigned squad. These squad markings take the form of a single symbol worn on the right poleyn. Following Roboute Guilliman's recent revisions to the *Codex Astartes* and the reogranisation of the Reserve Companies in the Era Indomitus, ten additional squad numbers and icons have been introduced to the Chapter, which allows more than 100 battle-brothers in a company depending on circumstances:

* **1st Squad:** A white skull on a black background.
* **2nd Squad:** A white skull on a blue background.
* **3rd Squad:** A red blood drop on a yellow background.
* **4th Squad:** A red blood drop on a black background.
* **5th Squad:** A white saltire ('X') on a black background.
* **6th Squad:** A white saltire ('X) on a blue background.
* **7th Squad:** A yellow lightning bolt on a black background.
* **8th Squad:** A black lightning bolt on a black background.
* **9th Squad:** A yellow angelic wing on a black background.
* **10th Squad:** A black angelic wing on a yellow background.
* **11th Squad:** A yellow skull on a black background.
* **12th Squad:** A black skull on a yellow background.
* **13th Squad:** A white blood drop on a black background.
* **14th Squad:** A white blood drop on a blue background.
* **15th Squad:** A red saltire ('X') on a black background.
* **16th Squad:** A red saltire ('X') on a yellow background.
* **17th Squad:** A white lightning bolt on a blue background.
* **18th Squad:** A white lightning bolt on a black background.
* **19th Squad:** A red angelic wing on a black background.
* **20th Squad:** A white angelic wing on a blue background.

### Chapter Badge

The Angels of Rebirth's Chapter icon consists of a stylised portrait of the Great Angel himself - Sanguinius - the angelic Primarch of the ancient IX Legion. His hands are raised in supplication; in his right he holds the *Crimson Chalice*, one of the Chapter's most sacred relics, said to contain the blood of the Primarch himself.

In his left hand, he holds aloft the *Angeli Integumento* ('*Shroud of the Angel*'), said to have been used to cover the body of their fallen Primarch who was slain by the Arch-Traitor Horus. It is said when the shroud was removed from his corpse, a perfect impression of the beatific features of the Primarch was imprinted upon it with his own sacred vitae. This was hailed by those that witnessed it as a miracle.

The central symbol is centered upon a red saltire, often used to symbolise one of the Primarch's many wounds he sustained during his final battle.

## Relations

### Allies

*Feel free to add your own*

 Ashen Thanes |  | While these two Chapters rarely interacted in their early history, a crusade in M38 would bring them together. Despite being still under strength the Ashen Thanes took to the battlefield with astonishing vigor. The Angels of Rebirth, in pity for the plight of the Ashen Thanes took it upon themselves to help and protect their cousins during the crusade. Through the crusade the two chapters competed, both being CQC specialist chapters and when the crusade was over they agreed to host a tournament on Herleven to determine which was best. It was agreed that while the Angels of Rebirth were better individually, the Ashen Thanes tended to be more flexible. Ever after the two chapters have enjoyed a friendly rivalry.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Angels of Rebirth

"*We kill, not for malice but to protect and avenge. That is what makes us superior to the Xenos and the Traitor. One kills for sport or in a vain attempt to save their dying people, the other because there is naught but hate in their hearts. Never forget that.*"
— 10th Captain Protesus to an Unblooded
"*With honour you have lived, with valour you have served. You have been chosen to bear the spirit of the Archangel Sanguinius, and with his fury you shall die.*"
— Litany told to Astartes of the Death Company before unleashing them into battle
### About the Angels of Rebirth

"*I've met many of the Emperor's Angels in my time, and each left me in awe; the Ultramarines for their discipline, the Salamanders for their compassion on us 'mortals', the Raven Guard who are such sneaky bastards that they'll kill ya before you know they're there. But, if I had ta pick one that best shows the Emperor's wrath it'd be them Angels of Rebirth.*"
— Commander Pikan of the Map Makers Regiment
"*Was the scariest thing I've ever seen. I got to see some of the Emperor's own angels in battle and let me tell you, they put the fear of death even in those damned greenskins. Well it was like this..we were fighting in some civ world what had turned traitor, and we were hard-pressed to keep them from overrunning our position, when my buddy points up while I'm reloading. That's when I see what looks like a meteor storm coming, each of them meteors being a drop pod. Well they hit those traitors like a bolt in a coward's head and the marines come out and started sending those traitors to the Emperor like there's no tomorrow. One of them comes over to us, ten feet tall, dressed in red and grey, with a chainsword and bolt pistol. For two days he fought the traitors and on the third, well. He's fighting some traitors when all of a sudden he starts screaming something so loud it made the ground shake. Then he starts throwing himself into the enemy and butchering them so fiercely they just run. Not that they got far. What I could saw through the smoke though, I swear he was biting them traitors too...*"
— Sergeant of the Cadian 132nd Shock Troops Regiment

[Source]

 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Raven Guard Successors
 Unknown Lineage
 Renegades

[Source]

## Gallery

Angels of Rebirth Veteran Marine of the Chapter's elite 1st CompanyA Black Rage-infected Battle-Brother assigned to one of the chapter's Death Company squads.Angels of Rebirth Drop Pod in its deployed configuration.Angels of Rebirth Stormraven gunship of the 4th Company ("The Steel Angels").