Blackbloods of Malice

The **Blackbloods of Malice** are a Traitor Astra Militarum regiment, previously known as the Brakkani Stormers. Their patron Chaos God is Malice or Malal, and they are a member of "The Lost" Chaos Warband. They make use of heavy armor and massed infantry advances and excel in urban or entrenched warfare.

## History

The Blackbloods were previously known as the Brakkani Stormers, and their numbers were once dizzying, at an impressive 20 million guardsmen and countless armor assets. They would blacken the sky - not with aircraft, but smoke, ash, soot and dust from their barrages and rumbling war engines.

However, this immense power and pride led them to the lure of Chaos, but oddly enough, they were not tempted by Khorne nor Slaanesh, the seemingly obvious choices for a regiment that displays such high amounts of pride and wrath. The renegade Chaos God Malice tempted them not only with the allures of great battle but also the chance to rebel against their Emperor. For many years the feeling of abandonment by the high echelons of Imperial power grew and twisted through all of Brakkani.

A planet-wide rebellion took hold, with roughly half the Brakkani Stormers joining arms with the cultists. For a brief period of time, these traitor guardsmen felt a lack of unity or understanding as to if they all had the same goals until Raladday Rul, a highly decorated officer of the previously loyal Brakkani Stormers, rallied the armies together, sealing the doom of the loyalist defenders.

Though the Imperialists fought hard and bravely (this would often be recognized by their former brothers in the army), they were no match for the surprise and superior leadership of the rebels. Only hours into the rebellion, all astropathic stations were taken by the cultists, breaking the lifeline of the beleaguered loyalist forces. With these new assets, the rebels gained a foothold in many hive cities.

When the dust settled, the rebel forces reached out to the warp in hopes of the promised support Malice gave them. After a long and dreadful month of waiting, bracing for an Imperial counterattack, the Chaos Warband of The Lost arrived and swiftly set to work preparing the traitor guardsmen and rabble cultists for war. It was agreed that it would be safest to completely abandon Brakkani, bringing everything possible from the planet with them before decimating it from orbit, lest it falls back into Imperial control.

### Current Status

The Blackbloods, so they called themselves now, had a grand total of nearly 200 million soldiers and vast depots of supplies and support assets. Over the course of many battles, however, especially the brutal defense against the Raegamis Crusade, their numbers have dwindled down to around 30 million.

Raladday Ful continues to command the Blackbloods, though his age is slowly reducing his skills as a fiery leader and his tactical mind. He has a council of supporters and advisors that, in reality, command his forces more than he does.

## Notable Campaigns and Battle

### **Battle of Hive Rakuk (Great Brakkani Rebellion)**

Hive Rakuk once stood as Brakkani's capital and the dwelling of many nobles, including the planetary governor, Barard Greer the IV. It was essentially a bastion of the Imperium's power on the planet, so the Blackbloods began a short siege for a month or two. The Imperial forces didn't want to waste any time or resources waiting out the siege, so a massive counterattack by Multiple Brakkani Stormer legions rushed from the walls of Rakuk and smashed into the Blackblood lines.

During the bloody melee combat that ensued, Raladday Ful ordered a Super Heavy tank company to break up the battle and send the loyalists running in fear. A reaction force intercepted the company, however, and delayed their arrival. By the time the company reached the Blackblood lines, it was clear that they could not stop the loyalists alone. Risking everything as the only Super Heavy company available, the commander sent the tanks straight in, putting all cards on the table. They lost two Baneblades but successfully drove back the loyalists and pushed even further into the outskirts of the hive. The infantry saw their chance to advance and scooped it up, rushing through artillery and volleys of las fire into the Hive itself. The regimented but weakened loyalist forces were no match for the desperate and chaotic Blackblood forces as they advanced through streets covered in bodies and ponds of blood.

### **Massacre Of Gragyht**

Gragyht was home to a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh known as Maladron Voidscale and a center place for suffering in the entire sector. Thousands of poor souls were marched to the planet to face gristly fates for the pleasure of Maladron and his minions. Hearing rumors of the infernal planet, the Blackbloods took immediate action to destroy it in the name of Malal.

A large fleet was assembled, consisting of dozens of warships and many troop transports. With the aid of the Traitor Astartes of The Lost Warband, their forces were bolstered and ready for the battle ahead. The plan was fairly simple, Astartes assets were to land on the plant and knock out important targets. Anything not being assaulted by the Astartes was to be orbitally bombarded, followed by waves of Blackblood troops to mop up the survivors. Secondary objectives, such as rescuing prisoners, were to be carried out at the will of The Lost.

With grins on their faces and the anticipation of the chaotic battle ahead, the soldiers were eager for the taste of blood. They watched as the Astartes launch drop pods and the vast guns of their voidships opened up on the planet. A few small groups, filled with the thrill of war, disobeyed orders and followed the Astartes. This support was welcomed by The Lost yet not so much by their superiors.

The first objectives were taken with ease, as Maladron's forces were caught completely off guard. Many were slaughtered, but there seemed to be no end to the masses of cultists rushing towards them. Captain Lucos Gex, one of those who followed The Lost, ordered his elite squad armed with carapace armor and hot shot weaponry to stay in reserves, safe from the ravaging horde. He intended to use them as a flexible contingent against Maladron's personal renegade legion, The Aberrants Immaculate, and so needed them to stay alive.

Surely enough, Maladron ordered a large unit of heretic Astartes to intercept the raiding parties. Gex's men, nicknamed the "Wild Blades", pounced on these menacing foes, successfully routing their forces and allowing their Astartes brethren to fulfill their mission. However, this noble act came at high cost. Much of the unit was lost, and Captain Gex, too, fell during the intense combat.

**Main assault**

As the deafening bombardment ended, its infernal roar was replaced with another spine chilling screech of millions of Blackbloods as they charged through the bloodied craters toward the ragged survivors. First, the bombardment, now this, was too much for the ill-disciplined rabble of Slaanesh cultists, and they ran in fear as they were cut down by a tsunami of las fire. Swarms of Blackbloods rushed into a frenzied melee, and overall causing complete chaos and anarchy in Maladron's forces.

Platoons spilled into the twisting chambers of the many torture structures, cracking las fire at anyone who moved. They reached many of the prisoners and freed them. If they were strong enough to fight, they would be given a weapon and forced to follow the troops further into the nightmarish corridors. By now, Maladron's more iron willed troops were being rushed to the frontlines to stop the Blckblood's initial gains, but to no avail. Many were cut down as they desperately tried to reach cover, while the Blackbloods were protected by Maladron's own defenses.

Maladron was beginning to show signs of anxiety as his advisors spilled report after report, none of them being good. He lashed out at one point, throwing one his acolytes across the room. He ordered his personal renegade legion, The Aberrants Immaculate, around 1,200 Astartes, to smash through the Blackblood lines. Maladron had ignored the rumors of

### **Battle for Gaelish Sector**

In the vast expanse of the void, it's rare for ships to stumble upon each other. Yet when it happens, no one questions the chances of the encounter - rather, they weigh their chances in a fight, whether they wish to confront the foe or not.

## Organization

The Blackblood legions retain their previous organization and rank from their loyalist days. Each Legion contains 3 to 6 Battle Cohorts. Cohorts are divided further into Battlegroups, then Strikegroups,

**Legion -** The Legion is the largest unit of the Blackbloods. There are a total of 100 legions consisting of 300,000 troopers. They are vital for all campaigns and are usually only a statistical unit for ease of transport and control when being moved or for logistics such as resupply and management.

**Battle Cohort -** Cohorts contain roughly 50,000 to 100,000 troops and are the most useful and vital for individual battles. Legions are too large to be commanded effectively in offensives, so battle cohorts are necessary. They are large enough to successfully combat an enemy on their own, yet small enough to be flexible with large-scale offensives.

**Battlegroup -** These units are made up of 20,000 troops.

**Strikegroup -** Around 5,000 soldiers are part of a Strikegroup. These units act as useful fast reaction and strike units due to their relatively small size and ease of command in rapid situations.

**Brotherhood -** These are the equivalent of platoons, having around 30 to 50 troops in each. They're a very knit together unit, they live in the same quarters and eat the same meals together, and grow to have the bond of a large family, hence their name. This is a vital unit as it allows for the entire legion to keep its men strongly packed and ready for the perils of war. They are largely self sufficient for months at a time but cannot operate longer without support.

**Squad** **-** The smallest unit by composition but largest by numbers, the infantry squad is the backbone of any army and contains 5-10 troopers.

### Mechanized Units

Mechanized and armor units are given 3 unique unit types to ensure they can fulfill their unique combat doctrine (see below).

**Hammer companies -** Often contains heavy or super heavy tanks, as well as supporting infantry. Useful for taking on heavy units or breaking heavy enemy lines.

**Spear companies -** These units are used as the tip of the spear during attacks, hence their name, and contain light and medium tanks like Leman Russ battle tanks as well as Chimaeras for mechanized infantry.

**Hunter-Killer companies -** Much of the composition of these companies is confusing, from sentinels scout walkers up to Titan hunter Baneblades. They are used to hunt high priority targets of a wide variety, such as enemy officers, specific fortified positions, strategic assets and titans or knights.

## Wargear

**Uniform -** Much of their equipment is the same as their predecessors, the Brakkani Stormers. Over time, however, unique differences have been made. Simple flak armor is regularly used, but unlike other chaos followers who commonly adorn their armor with many spikes, the Blackbloods usually only have spikes on their helmets in vertical bands.

**Weaponry -** There are no limitations to what weapons a Blackblood can carry, the first to obtain a weapon is reserved the right to use that weapon. Standard issue firearms, however, include Lasguns and Autoguns, though initiates and grunts are more commonly given lesser weapons such as autopistols and stub pistols.

## Combat Doctrine

The forces of Blackblood retain a strong emphasis on strict doctrines, despite the often anarchist nature of followers of Malice. This is mainly because they provide a professional and reliable backbone for when their cultist and traitor Astartes's tactics of rushing in guns blazing won't do. They can provide fire support and protect the flanks of the ravaging Astartes forces or keep the cultist masses in check.

A unique mechanized combat tactic is used by the Blackbloods, in which armored formations are almost never used for frontline combat or infantry support. They often are used as protective flanks and hunter-killers who take down priority targets that could lay waste to infantry such as other tanks, gun emplacements, knights and even titans.

An exception to the usual mechanized doctrine is made for the 1st Super Heavy tank company, which consists of multiple Stormlord tanks and Chimaera based infantry. Often used as the tip of the spear in advances, the 1st SH tank company rushes into urban situations and delivers their deadly payloads while highly skilled and intensely drilled storm troopers begin to cut down anyone remaining.

## Threat Index and Imperial Policy

The Blackbloods are a direct and grave military threat to Imperial security. Imperial forces are unsure of their tactics, as they are often debating if their highly strict doctrines are just a trick to lure prized fighting forces into death traps of ravaging cultist warfare. Their size is also a major concern as they are able to maintain entire planetary campaigns, mixed with the volatile Traitor Astartes and cultists of The Lost, it is a serious threat to any unprepared planet.

Due to The Lost's overall secrecy and relative new roots, the Imperium has no specific policies to counter the Backbloods. Standard anti-heretic doctrines are set in place.

## Noteable Blackblood Members

**Raladday Ful -** A veteran of the Brakkani Crusades, he rose in the ranks of the Brakkani Stormers and eventually found himself in command of the CXIII (113th) Heavy Infantry Legion. When he rose up in worship of Malice, his entire legion rose with him, a feat of leadership that is unheard of throughout the galaxy. With his army, he sent many a loyalist running in fear, staking claims on entire Hive sectors. His success, however, is more likely a logistical one. Many legions that rebelled had a hard time staying battle ready without the support of others. Ful had access to a large supply depot he had been slowly collecting for years before the rebellion, preparing for the day of the attack. He was one of few who had actually premeditated the revolt, and so he had been readily supplied for such a day.

Raladday Ful continues to command the Blackbloods, though his age is slowly reducing his skills as a fiery leader and his tactical mind. He has a council of supporters and advisors that, in reality, command his forces more than he does.

## Relations

### Allies

**"The Lost" Chaos Warband -** When the warband arrived to Brakkani, the Blackbloods joined them to provide a professional and reliable backbone for when their cultist and traitor Astartes's tactics of rushing in guns blazing won't do. They can provide fire support and protect the flanks of the ravaging Astartes forces or keep the cultist masses in check.

### Strained Relations

**T'au Empire -** A contingent of Blackbloods and "Lost" warbanders were travelling on the *Raladday's Gaze* to an agri-world for a raid when their warpdrive malfunctioned, causing a premature and uncalculated drop out of warp space. This malfunction severely damaged the ship, and the captain was forced to crash land onto a T'au controlled world. Though the Blackbloods did not intend to combat the T'au, there were indeed some skirmishes started when T'au forces came too close for comfort. Eventually, contact was made with the T'au when the captain realized the ship could not be repaired by his forces alone. The T'au was unfamiliar with the forces of Malice, and so did not know these unfortunate people were followers of Chaos. The captain took advantage of this by pretending to be a mercenary group to ensure that the T'au would not take drastic measures.

The T'au agreed to help fix the *Raladday's Gaze*, but were insistent on learning more about their visitors. It troubled the T'au that the Blackbloods were so secretive, so early into their arrival, they sent many Fire Caste warriors to the world to ensure its security. Eventually, the truth was found, but the T'au, fearing that the Blackbloods might attack if confronted, acted as though they believed the mercenary story. The Blackbloods left the world without much conflict, though the T'au has recently created an initiative centered around the research of Malice and its followers.

### Enemies

**Imperium of Man -** As a follower of Chaos, the Blackbloods despise all Imperial organizations and would fight to the bitter end if confronted by one. Nevertheless, they prefer to combat Chaos and never like the prospect of wasting resources on the Imperium.

**Ruinous Powers -** The 4 main Chaos Gods - not Chaos cults and followers - are the main enemy of The Lost. They felt abandoned, ignored and put down by the Ruinous Powers, most especially that of Khorne, the unnamed legion's lord during the Horus Heresy.

**Black Legion -** Many battles have been fought with the Black Legion because of The Lost's hatred for Horus, the black Legion's deceased primarch. During the Horus Heresy, Horus ordered a massive assault on the planet of Gaelish, in which the unnamed legion was sent along with other legions. It was a tactical and utter failure, leading to the nightmarish Massacre of Gaelish. The unnamed legion was almost decimated and barely escaped alive. Horus did not even send a message to the legions other than new orders to rest and recuperate. It is said that this was the moment that the unnamed legion's hatred began to boil

## Notable Quotes

### By 3rd Fleet Marshal Jaunis Fae:

"*The Imperials, they're right there! By Malal, there's a whole fracking fleet of them!*
"Steadfast, Captain! Turn to port, all vessels to port! Prepare yourselves.."*"*

—Blackblood 3rd Fleet Marshal Jaunis Fae, attempting to calm his crew and maneuver the Blackblood fleet to battle positions