Ardent Shields

Ardent Shield Emblem

MK VII Ardent Shield Spartan

"*We are the shield of humanity, from all that wish them harm. We stand here today in order to make sure that every man, women, and child in the hive cities below may grow and prosper even when we have fallen and been forgotten. We are not here to seek honor or glory for ourselves, we are here as the protector's of man, as the Emperor Himself does upon His Throne, it is now our duty to do the same. Semper Fidelis.*"
— Ardent Shields oath ceremony
Founded around the 20th Founding, the **Ardent Shields** are a relatively new chapter. Their founding was based off a need to add more numbers to the Adeptus Astartes in the Armageddon Sector. Founded near the end of the 35th Millennium by the detachment of Ultramarines who had partook in the minor crusade known as the Salvation Crusade. These Astartes would form a much greater form of brotherhood with their Imperial Guard brothers which would come to define their very chapter in the centuries to come.

They would slowly become known for their immense sense of duty and skillfulness in their tactics as the centuries went and their world's populace began to grow. It has been know for a member of the *Ardent Shields* to risk their life just to bring back one lost Guardsmen from behind enemy lines, or the war torn battlefield. This would also be a detriment to them as it would increase the chance of that Astartes never coming back, but the ones who did survive learned greatly and quickly. They have grown to be a non-*Codex* Chapter due to the culture that had slowly developed from books found in a ancient tech priest reliquary built around a Golden Age of man Cogitator. This has also led them to butting heads with the Inquisition quite a few times.

## Chapter History

### The Salvation Crusade

Refounded around the end of the 35th Millennium by a Rogue Trader who was investigating a faint and ancient Imperial distress beacon from a lost sub sector in the Armageddon Sector. The Rogue Trader was forced away soon after entering the sub-sector by the appearance of a massive Battleship of Imperial design, painted all over, with metal welded over holes, clear indications of Ork looting, as well as it’s many ramshackle escorts, but not before getting a partial scan done, revealing the once Imperial desert planets there. With the chance that the sub sector may be infested with enough Orks to create a WAAAGH! big enough to attack other nearby lightly defended Agricultural worlds or cause major trouble along supply lines, plans for a minor Crusade began to come together.

Ultramarines and Astra Militarum forces were requested, along with two battlefleets, combined to a total of nearly 100 ships to deal with the situation. When the request was finally met some years later, the minor crusade began to purge the sector of the Orks. The initial attack on the sector went horribly as the reclaimed Imperial Battleship, identified as the *Salvation*, seemed to be near indestructible as it rammed though Escorts and Light Cruisers, taking full broadsides from ships, but seeming to take very little damage. The Ultramarines that were with the fleet came up with the plan to knock it out from the inside using the teleportarium. This attack was successful, killing the Ork captain on the bridge, the ship now floating dead as the Tech-Priests aboard the remaining vessels seemed abuzz, sending the news of this ancient ship to the nearest forge world, detecting one right in the sector, making them even more curious as to what the world was doing here, and what secrets could it hold as the fleet continued with it’s crusade.

When the fleet had originally approached the forge world, the fleet was met with a automated greeting by a orbital station that was still operational, recognizing the Imperial codes. The station’s weapons were found to be all non-functional due to lack of power through the ship, and ammo banks used up centuries ago. The area around the station made it clear the Ork’s had tried getting aboard many a times, to little effect from the debris of ships around it, clearly having slammed into the void shields. With this new staging ground aboard the station, a new supply line was opened to rage the crusade on the forge world below as tech-priests and servitor’s went about the then-named station *Resurgence*, fixing broken down systems and helping to relieve the machine spirit of the stations stress from operating for so long in such a state.

The crusade on the forge world would last nearly 10 years with millions of Guardsmen dying in the battles, fighting Orks that numbered in the hundreds of thousands on the forge world alone, having to request additional Imperial Guard and Titan support to fight off the many things the Orks had created to fight each other having made many Knight class and several Titan class machines along with looted Baneblades, earning the forge world the name of Annihilation. The hive worlds were another story. Most buildings had been left standing, but had clearly seen battle damage, or just lack of maintenance from being left alone with the Orks. During this decade long battle, the Astartes that were deployed grew to respect their Imperial Guard brothers, watching how they would stand and face the enemy in the worst of the fighting.

Far away from any of the hive cities and surrounded by one of the biggest Ork Klanz on the planet, a bunker miles below the planet’s desert crust sat a tech-priest reliquary, filled with ancient books, ranging from warfare tactics to, how to bake a double decker cake. They found very little in the way of ancient STC's, but the they did find 6 relics, and they put the rest of what they had found to shame. A sword, hammer, two daggers, a lance, a massive gun with a sword on the bottom, and a cannon. All were well kept inside of a secured section of the bunker with no signs of any STC's or anything about them, besides some lists detailing some basics on the weapon. After 4 more years of fighting, the system had been as cleansed as it could be of the Ork’s, allowing the Imperium to begin to restore the sector to functionality.

The Ultramarines decided that they did not have enough Marines near the sub-sector to protect or partake in crusades so after consulting the High Lord of Terra, they founded a new chapter there, leaving half a company's worth of Astartes. Over the next 6 millennia, they adopted new tactics into their previous ones from the books they had found from ancient times, even before the Golden age. As they learned from those books, they were forced to take up a more Shock Trooper role as a Chapter, now going by the name, Ardent Shields, in honor of the knowledge that they had gained from a ancient war force known as 'United States Marines Corp' and the 'Spartans', adopting a black, brown, and sandy color scheme. They only possess 6 Companies - the 1st Honor Company, 2nd Tactical Company and 3rd Assault Company are almost never at full Company strength due to them almost always being head long in nearby crusades and defenses.

### The Deal

A deal forged by one of the *Caput Magister* and first *Comitatu Imperator* of the Ardent Shields with the Kabal of the Sixth Heart during the Second Calidas Campaign against the Dark Mechanicus. This is one of the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets, knowing that if the Inquisition would find out, it may not only doom them, but the people of their Hive Worlds as well. This deal started out as a basic trade, a single non strategic planet which was of no use to the Imperium in exchange for the Kabals aid in defending the forge world of Annihilation from attacking forces. During height of the second campaign, the current Chapter *Caput Magister* approached the leader of the Kabal again, having been present for the First Calidas Campaign offered another, more long term deal with them. This new deal would make is so that if it was found out, the Chapter’s name would be striked from the books and remembered on the same level as the traitor’s they fought. This deal would include 2 parts, the first part of the deal included a written agreement in which if either of them requested the air of the other they would heed their call, unless it risked exposing the agreement to the larger Imperium. The second part would include a trade of a dozen or so psykers from the Ardent Shields Hive Worlds in exchange for the use of one of the Kabal's Cloning Machines to bring back a Marine who was near death, seen as a way to circumvent their high casualty rates of Marines.

### Notable Campaigns

* **Salvation Crusade (Unknown Date.M35)** - This is the first recorded campaign conducted by the Ardent Shields Chapter. It was during this Crusade where the Chapter first began to gain its reputation for it extensive collaboration with Astra Militarum forces.

* **Operation Burning Tide (Unknown Date.M37)** - It was during this campaign where the Ardent Shields slowly began to develop their disdain, and in some cases hatred, of the Inquisition's willingness to subject entire planets to the dire fate of *Exterminatus*, especially in cases when the fighting would be too costly and time-consuming. At one time, the Chapter even came to blows with an Inquisition that had begun to rain Imperial fire down upon an Imperial hive city that was currently undergoing a heretical rebellion that contained many loyalist Astra Militarum forces and a few of the Chapter's battle-brothers still located there. The Chapter Master of the Ardent Shields responded by ramming his Strike Cruiser into the Inquisitor's vessel, branding the man a traitor to the Imperium. The Chapter Master personally led the First Company in a boarding action of the Inquisitor's ship and took the man prisoner, sending him to be judged by the High Inquisitors for his actions against the Chapter.

* **First Calidas Campaign (Unknown Date.M38)** - During this lamentable campaign, the Chapter sustained the highest number of casualties in their Chapter's history, losing almost 60% of the 1st Company, including the *Comitatu Imperator* and most of their Terminators, 20% of the 3rd and 5th Companies along with their *Caput Magister* in defence of the forge world of Annihilation from a incursion of Daemons of Tzeentch that had hoped to conquer this world for their conniving god. The battle for the planet turned into a massive defensive campaign for the Ardent Shields due to the high amount of daemons, the tide only turning from the arrival of a Titan Legion and some nearby Astra Militarum Regiments. This would lead to over a year of fighting before the final climactic battle between *Comitatu Imperator* Kratos and the Greater Daemon leading the invaders which would end in a draw, both Kratos and the daemon liying defeated. In gratitude for their sacrifice and defense of the forge world, the Tech-Priests gifted them the recently repaired Retribution-class Battleship *Salvation*, as it was all they could offer due to the extensive amount of damage the forge world's manufactorums had sustained during the conflict.

* **Second Calidas Campaign (Unknown Date.M41)** - Three millennia after the First Calidas Campaign, another group of warp-tainted beings tried their hand at taking the forge world. This time they would not be fighting daemons or even traitor Astartes, but Hereteks of Mars. This fight against the Dark Mechanicus would only end with the help from a very unlikely source - the Dark Eldar, in the form of the Kabal of the Sixth Heart. In return, their only request was for a planet that offered no strategic or resource value of any kind, at least to the Imperium, and some psykers. The Ardent Shields agreed, if a little put-off by the Dark Eldar's strange request as well as their reasons as to why they would want such things.

## Chapter Homeworld

*Tesca arctica scriptor protector* ('*Tundra's Shield*') is a desert world where every Hive city is encased in a massive dom to protect against the nearly 300 mile an hour dust storms that will appear. The period between storms can range from a few weeks to a few days. When the storms are not active, there are still many dangers when going out of the dom. Whether it be from the roaming Ork gangs who hide in their underground workshops during the storms. The normal desert worm grow to the size of a Leman Russ and pray on anything smaller than it, the safest place from these is near the massive rocky locations the Hive Cities are built around.

The much bigger mother worms can grow from either 500 meter to just under a kilometer long, swallowing low flying aircraft and large convoy vehicles. The smaller worms are often times the prey of the desert Scorpions who at their biggest are the size of your average human. Their venom is strong enough to kill even an Ogryn well they mandibles are strong enough to eat through the armor of a Chimera. These pests often lay still under the sand, waiting for any movement, below or above ground subterranean before moving to conserve energy, but making them excellent ambusher’s.

This sudden movement will attract the underground worms looking for food only to be stung by the tail end of this beast. It has also been known to sometimes pray on small conveys if it is hungry enough. Right below these rocky locations is a massive water reservoir that spans kilometers in every direction giving the idea the planet may have once been a water world before something happened that turned into into what they see now. This has made the patrolling of these reservoirs a necessity due too beasts from the desert coming there to drink. The ever changing terrain of the desert makes it hard convoy’s or merchants without ships to get from city to city as it is impossible to tell when an Ork raiding group is about to come leaping over one of the dunes in their buggies before running back to their hidden caves under the sand.

The Ardent Shields retain a somewhat indirect rule of the world and its neighbors. They will attend many services and major event such as the celebration of their founding in order to inspire moral among the populace and troops. They will also only make changes if something has affected the efficiency of anything negatively, otherwise they leave it up to the sub sector council which consists of a leader from each of the planets in the sector.

### Chapter Recruitment

The Ardents Shields recruit in one of two ways, the most common being trial by hunt in which 2 men are chosen from the local Planetary Defense Force or the 'Ardent Guard' and put out into the desert with nothing more than a canteen combat knife each. They are told to survive 5 days in the desert by any means necessary. Each initiate has to keep his partner alive, if either one of them dies the other will have failed the trial. The second way of recruitment is much less common, but it is through being selected by the first *Comitatu Imperator/Magister Psyler*. When ever this has happened, it has almost always lead to a man who would go on to receive Terminaitor Honors and a story that would be remembered in the *Ardent Hall of Heroes* in the *Sacrarium Spiritus Sanctus*.

### Fortress-Monastery

*Sacrarium Spiritus Sanctus*, or known as the *Sanctuary of Silence* to Imperial citizens is built into the side of a massive mountain. It is a place of where Marines of the *Ardent Shields* come too rest and reflect, looking over the vast deserts were multiple Hive Cities sit on the horizon. It is a place where the only sounds that can be heard is the stepping of Tech Priests, servitor's, serfs, and other Marines. Records of almost every Marine in the Chapter is recorded on a holo wall in the very center of the sanctuary, from the newest Scouts too the oldest Spartan. It is the job of *Magister Psyler* and his chosen serfs too look over the wall and make sure all the names are correctly remembered. The *Sacrarium Spiritus Sanctus* is completely automated with it's own outer defensive guns and a void shield that may cover it in times of crisis. This is the place where you are most likely to meet one of the Chapter’s *Fidelis*, or *Faithful* who act as the Chapters *Chaplins*. The Monastery was built upon the site of the ancient Tech Priest reliquary.

#### Forge of the Omnissiah

Off some distance away from the Chapter's *Sanctuary of Silence* stood a lonely peak of a mountain that held a inactive magma chamber below the surface. Along with it, it held the Chapter's forge where most of the Chapter Wargear was created by the *Magister Mundus Creatus Est*. The forge echoed with the sounds of machinery and the clanging of metal, a mirror of the Chapter Monastery where you could almost never hear a word uttered as no words needed to be spoken as too what they were doing as they all knew that speaking was not needed when crafting a weapon or armor. In the deepest part of the Forge is the Master of Creation workstation where he works above a molten bed to repair Terminator armor, Chapter Relics, or to create masterfully crafted pieces of gear.

## Chapter Organisation

### Command Ranks

* **Caput Magister** - *Caput Magister* is the title given to every Chapter Master of the Ardent Shields. Along with this honor comes the choice of having to select a Master/Mistress of the Serf's to help remind the *Caput Magister* about the people they fight for. The only time the *Caput Magister* is deployed in combat is during crusades or emergencies like the Calidas Campaigns.

* **Comitatu Imperator** - *Comitatu Imperator* is the rank of *Company Commander*. Upon receiving this rank, the *Caput Magister* will give orders for the Company he is too lead to return to the *Sanctuary of Silence* for the ceremony. The to-be *Comitatu Imperator* will have his armor removed their and be given the customary armor for the Company he will soon lead. Once that is done, he is received by the *Fidei Magister* and repeats the words of initiation that all Scouts must speak before they first don their Armor. After that, he is walked down the corridor with his new *Custodi Honori* to the room where the *Caput Magister* and the Company he will lead are. He is then given the Company relic weapon and must for one final time, repeat the initiation for the *Caput Magister*.

* **Imperator** - *Imperator* is also known as the rank of *Captain* in the Imperial Guard. This is given to those are on their way to receiving Terminaitor Honors. An *Imperator* is given command of at minimum 2 squad, well at most 3.

### Specialist Ranks

* **Mistress of the Serfs** - The *Mistress/Master of the Serfs* is chosen whenever the previous one has died or whenever there's a new *Caput Magister*. They are often chosen from the poorest region from their Homeworld along with their family to serve the *Caput Magister* and act as a reminder for everything he stands for and why he even exists. The *Mistress/Master of the Serfs* can be distinguished by their dark sandy cloak compared to the normal sandy cloak.

* **Magister Mundus Creatus Est** - *Magister Mundus Creatus Est* is the title given to the *Master of the Forge*, or the *Master of Creation*. The *Magister Mundus Creatus Est* is only ever seen outside of the *Forge of the Omnissiah* when he is either over seeing a delivery of equipment to one of the Chapter Companies, or when he is tasked with working on the *Salvation* when the Chapter takes part in a Crusade. The *Magister Mundus Creatus Est* almost never speak, almost always seeing their works speak for them in their quality.

* **Fidei Magister** - *Fidei Magister* is the head Chaplain the Chapter Monastery. He can only be found in the Monastery, giving prays to his brothers in sanctioned rooms that are made to isolate the sounds of them speaking. The *Magister Psyler* is often times found seeing advice from the oldest member of the Chapter as well as seeking his blessing before major campaign's.

* **Magister de Heilling** - *Magister de Heilling*, or *Master of healing* is almost always aboard the Battleship *Salvation*, looking over the worst of the injured Marines aboard, or helping with entombing them into a mighty suit of a Chapter Dreadnought. The *Magister de Heilling* is known for his to keep cool even in the most critical of circumstances, calmly talking the newest Apothecary's through the steps and procedures well in the midst of combat.

* **Magister Psyler** - *Magister Psyler*, or known as the *Master Psyker* acts as the Chapter Chief Librarian. The *Magister Psyler* is most often times also the 1st *Comitatu Imperator*, this is due to the fact that the relic weapon of the 1st *Comitatu Imperator*, the *Talons Fidelis*, require a Psyker of great power to be able to use them at their full power. He is one of the few people in the Chapter who can go to the *Forge of the Omnissiah*. They go their to personally give the blades or their armor too the *Magister Mundus Creatus Est* for repairs or tuning, followed by visiting the *Fidei Magister* to receive his blessing on both of them and himself.

* **Magister Classemque** - *Magister Classemque*, or *Master Fleet* is the rank that before the *1st Calidas Campaign* was given to the one of the Chapter's eldest *Spartans* who was not a *Comitatu Imperator* or *Caput Magister* would be given this rank. After suffering such heavy losses during the campaign, it was decided that it would become one of the *Caput Magister's* titles and he would lead from aboard the battleship *Salvation*.

### Line Ranks

* **Princep** - *Princep* is the rank given to squad Sergeants. On average a*Princep* has seen dozens of battles and has served the Chapter for over two centuries.

* **Speculator** - *Speculator* is the rank given too all new Chapter Scouts.

### Specialist Formations

* **Custodi Honoris** - The *Custoi Honoris*, or *Guard of Honor* is a term used in the *Ardent Shields* to describe the oldest member of the Chapter who serve in the squads of the *Comitatu Imperator* as Honor Guards.

* **Liber Habitum** - *Liber Habitum*, or Librarian are the Chapters trained psykers who have always been taught by the *Magister Psyler*. The *Comitatu Imperator* each have 1 *Liber Habitum* with them at almost all times for a multitude of reasons.

* **Spartan** - *Spartan* is the title given to those of the Chapter who have received Terminator Honors and have at some point served in the 1st Company. Every *Comitatu Imperator* has at one point been a Chapter *Spartan*.

* **Vexillum Vexillifer** - *Vexillum Vexillifer* is the title of the Marine who is to carry the Chapter or Company Banner. The title is most often times given to a *Princep* for he shall hold the Chapter Banner, well a *Imperator* will be titled to hold the Company Banner.

#### **Chapter Command**

**Candidus Avitus,**
***Caput Magister of the Ardent Shields***
**8 Spartan Custodi Honoris**
**Opsia Trailus, *Mistress of the Serfs***
**Tycho Catulus, *Magister Mundus Creatus Est***
**24 Tech Marines**
**90 Servitors**
**45 Battle Tanks**
**18 Predators**
**8 Whirlwinds**
**10 Vindicators**
**6 Land Raiders**
**14 Gunships (Stormravens and Stormtalons)**
**Philoxenus Ursacius, Magister de Heilling**
**Antamonides Didicus, Magister Psyler**
**21 Liber Habitum**

#### **Companies**

*Antamonides Didicus*, Comitatu Imperator
2 Imperator's
4 Princeps
3 Apothecary
Liber Habitum
Vexillum Vexillifer
**Primary Force**
1 Custodi Honoris
4 Spartan Squads
1 Terminator Squad**)**
**Support**
2 Land Raiders
6 Rhinos
5 Predators
2 Venerable Dreadnoughts

*Turbalio Iustinius*, Comitatu Imperator
4 Imperator's
2 Princeps
4 Apothecary
Liber Habitum
Vexillum Vexillifer
**Primary Force**
1 Custodi Honoris
8 Marine Squads (Consists of 3 Tactical and 1 Devastator Marine)
**Support**
6 Rhinos
4 Dreadnoughts

*Ballio Roscius*, Comitatu Imperator
4 Imperator's
8 Princeps
4 Apothecary
Liber Habitum
Vexillum Vexillifer
**Primary Force**
1 Custodi Honoris
8 Assault Squads
**Support**
3 Rhinos
2 Dreadnoughts

*Leaena Ruricius*, Comitatu Imperator
5 Imperator's
10 Princeps
5 Apothecary
Liber Habitum
Vexillum Vexillifer
**Primary Force**
10 Marine Squads (3 Tactical and 1 Devastator Marines)
**Support**
8 Rhinos
6 Dreadnoughts

*Harpax Siricus*, Comitatu Imperator
4 Imperator's
9 Princeps
4 Apothecary
Liber Habitum
Vexillum Vexillifer
**Primary Force**
1 Custodi Honoris
9 Marine Squads
**Support**
5 Rhinos
3 Dreadnoughts

 **Command**
*Milphio Nennius*, Comitatu Imperator
10 Imperator's
20 Princeps
10 Apothecary
Liber Habitum
Vexillum Vexillifer
**Primary Force**
1 Custodi Honoris
400+ Speculator

## Chapter Combat Doctrine

The *Ardent Shields* combat revolves around the idea of being the first into the fight, believing it's their duty to die in the place of the countless men and women of the Imperial Guard who they see as the future of man, normal men and women who can stand in the face of the worst that can be thrown at them and spit in its face. This comes down to them revolving around being fast and hard hitting shock troopers who specialize in their versatility to be able to quickly change from fighting a Ork WAAAGH! too assaulting a Chaos stronghold.

They are also readily able to accept any form of help from Imperial Guard Forces, understanding the strategic value of cooperation with other Imperial forces, knowing that well a Astartes can turn the tide of any battle, they should be turning the tide of the biggest or most strategic battles, saving as many men as possible to help in the following battle. During times in which the Imperial Guard or other Imperial forces are resupplying, it is not uncommon to see a member of the *Ardent Shields* walking around with patrol’s or helping unload munitions or food.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

A slight mutation has lowered their sense of self preservation, leading them to die much sooner than a normal Marine, but often times leading them to a story worthy death. This has lead to the Chapter having much fewer marines survive for more than a few century.

Another defect that has happened to the Ardent Shields gene-seed is that their skin has become much rougher and taken a sandy tone to it, making them look like they were chiseled out from below the sand's of their Homeworlds.

## Deathwatch Service

The Ardent Shields rarely send Marines to the Deathwatch, but when they do, the Marines often never return, either from having fallen during battle, or having asked and been given permission to stay in the Deathwatch permanently. The Ardent Shields rarely send Marines their due to their lack of Marines overall, almost never having the ability to spare them no matter what they did. The only times they are sent is when the Marine in question has committed a crime against the Chapter, be it destroying a building full of civilians when he could have cleared it himself, or if they act too much as a lone wolf, putting those around him in danger.

## Notable Ardent Shields

* **Enpvon Sharis** - The First *Caput Magister* of the Ardent Shields, Enpvon Sharis was the commander of the Marine forces in the Salvation Crusade. He would remain *Caput Magister* the longest so far for the Chapter for almost two millennia (though this is unconfirmed and highly disputed) before falling in battle against the unending hordes of the Daemons of Tzeentch while defending a Tech-Priest command center on the Forge World Annihilation until Imperial Guard and Space Marine reinforcements arrived. Enpvon was to first come to prominence during the Salvation Crusade where time and again he would lead the charge into the most dangerous combat zones. This first started when he lead the strike team aboard the then Ork looted battleship *Salvation* where he would defeat the Kaptain in a one on one duel. He would continue to lead the assaults against the Ork Warboss’ on each of the worlds in the sub sector, each one falling by his hands. He would later show is commitment to those men under his command by ramming his Strike Cruiser into a Inquisitorial Cruiser which was bombing the Hive City that still had his Ardent Shields and Imperial Guard forces still in their.

* **Kratos** - A wielder of the *Talon's Fildies* and *Magister Psyler* of the Chapter during the 1st Calidas Campaign', he lead the 1st Company into battle against the Daemon incursion of the Forge World of Annihilation, where he fell after beating back the Greater Daemon of Tzeentch.

* **Hadrius Vizor Assanius** - 2nd *Comitatu Imperator* during the early years of M37. He fell fighting off thousands of Ork’s well Guard forces retreated, splitting the leading Warboss in half moments before being ripped apart by the tide of green.

* **Calidorus Camerius** - 2nd Company Tactical Marine at the time of M38 deployed with one of the Ardent Guard Super Heavy Company's inorder to break a defensive line of Orks. During one of the battles the Baneblade *Exterminium* (*Extermination*) took a critical hit to it's drive system, leaving it dead in the water without its ability to move. Knowing what would happen to the Guard forces if they kept pushing up without it’s support, he ordered the Marines under his command to help him push the tank. This left them all extremely vulnerable to enemy anti tank fire as they moved the 300 ton behemoth along. Calidorus would end up in a critical state when he was hit by an Ork Rokkit square in the side, blowing his left arm and leg clear off well damaging most of his organs. He would later be entombed within a Dreadnought for his actions that day. He would go on to help hold strategic points during the First Calidas Campaign.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The main power armour is a light sandy colour, the armoured umbilical and crouched areas are a darker color. The lenses are teal, The Aquila and honour colors are boltgun metal, the shoulder pad inset, upper arm, knee pads and sabatons are black (or dark grey). The squad specialty symbol is white, Displayed upon the left shoulder plate, having it just an outline and a white helmet indicates sergeant rank well having a the shoulder color’s reversed as well as a green Laurel indicates a Captain, a sandy color indicates a Company Commander. Honor guard units have black lens, a wet Sandy color, or both. The left knee pad will display a roman numeral for what Company they are from.

### Chapter Badge

The chapter badge is that of a sword piercing holy terra whose hilt is adorned with the Imperial Aquila sprouting thunder bolts from its wing . From the Symbol of Holy Terra laurels sprout forming a defensive wall

## Chapter Fleet

* ***Salvation* (Retribution-class Battleship)**
* ***Qua re cognita semper* (*Always Learning*) (Battle Barge)**
* ***Semper Lorem* (*Always Training*) (Battle Barge)**
* ***Imperatoris Gladio* (*Emperor's Sword*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Dominationis* (*Domination*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Domination of Steel* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Victamque Victricemque* (*Vanquisher*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Talionis* (*Retaliation*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Ardens Gladius* (*Ardent Sword*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Vicit* (*Victorious*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Leonidas* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Framea imperatoria* (*Imperial Spear*) (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Credo imperatoria* (*Imperial Creed*) (Strike Cruiser)**

## Chapter Relics

### The *Talon's Fidelis*

These dual daggers are an ancient design of Force Weapons, each having long lines of chains connected to the bottom hilt of the blade. This gives the weapon much greater reach than a normal Force weapon like the Force Sword well also allowing the user to create destructive waves of warp energy and direct it at their enemy. Only the mightiest of the chapter’s psyker may wield this weapon.

"*Come forward and embrace the Light, ye who dwell in darkness, Or resist, and be dragged into it.*"
— Engravings etched along the blade
"*I will tell you a truth. A simple one. Killing is not special. The act, unremarkable. Every second of every day, something or someone dies. For glory, sport, madness or faith. These deaths amount to nothing. Accomplish nothing. An act perpetrated by fools and cowards. But these Blades? To wield these blades is to cast off pretense. To deny pride and suffocate ambition. I harbor no illusions as to my purpose. I am no mongrel slobbering for its next meal, no. As these blades are an instrument, so am I an instrument. A weapon wielding weapons of He who Sits On High. Death has purpose. Blood shed meaning. With every arc of these blades, I slaughter an Empire into existence. His Will is my will. His Light stabs into darkness even as these blades cleave His Enemies flesh. I cannot waiver, For I have Faith in Him, His Will. These blades are a promise. The ironclad oath that carries the precious truth of all that exist within creation. That He has Faith in me.*"
— Excerpt from the First *Comitatu Imperator* of *The Talons Fideles*, Kratos
### *Meteor Fall*

The Hammer is a more powerful version of a normal Thunder Hammer, making craters larger than the wielder, punching through walls and ceiling of defense’s, falling like a Meteor along with his brothers, crashing into the defending forces leading the charge into the enemy defensive lines.

"*It was as though the Captain was a Meteor falling upon the enemy line. They fell to that giant hammer as the Captain paved a way through to the enemy gate. And then, the Meteor struck once. Struck twice. The third time, it stuck for just a moment before a large hole burst, bigger than even the Captain. And that was when the enemy realized what they were up against.*"
— Sergeant Olive 'Sewers', excerpt from the historical accounts of the 8th Ardent Guard Infantry Regiment, Company Echo.
### *Last Breath*

This masterly crafted power sword makes no noise at all, from turning it on to slicing through the enemies of man, making it the perfect weapon for recon or assassination.

"*This expertly crafted blade is one of few, but no less distinct. Only someone who has given away all dreams of their dreams and given themselves over to become one of the shadows of the Imperium’s long reaching hand will be able to use this ancient power sword to the fullest of its power.*"
— Excerpt from the Scout *Comitatu Imperator* to the newly initiated *Speculator's*
### *Ardens Antiphon* (*Ardent Rail*)

This massive railgun is equipped with an underslung power weapon the size of a greatsword. The rounds it fires go faster then even a Bolter round, able to punch a small hole in the frontal armor of a Baneblade the size of the average Astartes fist. The munitions of the railgun can be swapped out for rounds that can either punch through most armor’s or leave chemical’s that will eat away at it’s targets flesh, along with a few more. The weapon also has the ability to link up with the user’s helmet, allowing greater accuracy and prediction with some user’s having been able to hit a hypersonic aircraft after much use with the weapon. This weapon’s draw back is it’s slow rate of fire, having to wait 10 seconds for a full recharge and not being able to use the sword on the bottom during the time in power mode. It also has a limited supply of ammo due to the lack of a mass need for their production, usually only giving the user around 1000 rounds, only able to carry 40 in combat with help from 4 other Marines all geared for deployment.

"*As the Angel stood atop the burning wreckage, teeth gritted, helmet damaged to the point of uselessness, looted tanks and infantry charged the defensive lines.The wreckage quacked under him as he spat a round at the closest enemy, turning armored vehicles inside out and leaving mist where an Ork once stood. Every round was shot without missing a single target, from the size of a Leman Russ to an Ork Nob until the ammo ran dry, allowing the enemy to advance to the last defensive line as he slammed the bladed end into armor and flesh alike, splitting both open with ease as he fought for hours before falling to the unending numbers of the green tide.*"
— Excerpt from a PDF Guardsmen who had witnessed *Comitatu Imperator* Vizor’s final stand
### *Virtus lanceam* (Power Lance)

This lance was originally made to be wielded by a normal human, but was deemed to heavy to be used in any practical way. This is not the same for a member of the Adeptus Astartes, giving this weapon it’s earned glory, firing pure white energy from it’s end, punching through the heaviest of tank armor well it tip is open. Well closed, it becomes a deadly power weapon, able to run deep through enemy infantry or knock back many a foes at once with a wide swing.

"*The pure white fire of this weapon can shine even in humanity’s darkest hour. The gold tipped end will shine just like the Emperor does on his golden throne, a ray of hope, all who believe in him as their savior will find comfort in the shining heat of this mighty fire passing them by, its light of judgement the last thing his enemies will see.*"
— 4th *Comitatu Imperator* Lyco Domitius, M36, log entry \*Corrupted\*
### *Voice of the Imperium*

A uncorrupted sound cannon. How this ended up in a Tech Priest reliquary or when it was is unknown, all that is known as that somehow, someone had completely removed the warp taint from the weapon.

"*That's when the Cannon came. Noise Cannons, like those of the Slaaneshi Marines, but... It was untainted by Chaos. It rang out against the enemy, as if the entire Imperium was shouting at them. It was a beautiful noise. The enemy shattered beneath the weight of those voices, of the sheer force and meaning behind them. It was beautiful to witness.*"
—Captain Ivory, except from the historical records of the 34th Ardent Guard Mechanized Regiment, Company Bravo.
## Relations

### Allies

* **Ardent Guard** - The *Imperial Guard* from sub sector *Salvation*, often seen working in conjunction with *Ardent Shields* forces, has been in nearly any battle that the *Ardent Shields* have been in.
* **Ardent 1st Fleet** - The *Imperial fleet* of sub sector *Salvation*, often seen working with the *Ardent Shields* during any space combat, will almost always have at least one of the Chapter’s Battle Barges with it.
* **Annihilation** - The Forge World located in sub-sector Annihilation became a major allie of the *Ardent Shields* protected the world and it’s Tech Priest from the incursion.
* **Kabal of the Sixth Heart** - A Kabal of exiled Dark Eldar who helped fight off the invading Dark Mechanicus during the *Second Cablidas Campaign*.

### Enemies

* **Mechanicum Undivided** - A faction of the Dark Mechanicus who had gotten word of the damaged Forge World after the first Calidas Campaign and decided it was their turn, starting the second Calidas Campaign millennia later.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Ardent Shields

"*One man can change everything, it just takes determination.*"
— Caput Magister Enpvon Sharis, M38, Defense of 1st Calidas Campaign
"*We will go too any lengths to protect the Emperor's people.*"
— Caput Magister Enpvon Sharis states to the Inquisition, M37
### About the Ardent Shields

*Feel free to add your own*

[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

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