Flesh Tearers

Flesh Tearers armorial with Legion Iconography

Flesh Tearers Tactical Legionary of the 5th Great Company.

### Observed Strategic Tendencies

Shock Assault, Planet-Kill and Extermination Operations, Enforced Pacification, Close-Quarters Actions (Space Hulk Purgation, Boarding Operations, Line-Breaker Attacks, 'Forlorn Hope' Objective Assaults).

### Allegiance

Imperium of Man
(*Fidelitas Constantus*)

### Unique Organisations

Black Clerics, Saharicus Terminators, Executioners

### Warcry

"For the Father!" or animalistic roaring

"*Take your heart in your mouth!*"
— A Cretacian Proverb and a common saying in the Legion.
The **Flesh Tearers** are the XVI Legion of the Legiones Astartes and the brutal, blunt gene-sons of Vladus Barca, the Black Seraph. The Flesh Tearers are a violent, brutish and physically dominating legion, having an incredibly aggressive and no-nonsense combat doctrine only seen elsewhere in the Marines Malevolent. Despite the mindless savagery the Flesh Tearers are known for, they also form strong familial bonds within the Legion and have relationships with each other based on the Covens of their homeworld, Cretacia.

The Flesh Tearers Legion is a subject of much controversy and mockery among their fellow Legions. Many marines consider the XVI little more than mindless and wild barbarians, only concerned with the thrill of murder. As a result, the Legion has acquired a very negative reputation despite their unwavering loyalty, some held among a handful of Legionnaires and others as the inside-jokes of entire Chapters of other Legions.

## Legion History

### Founding

The Founding of the Fleshtearers is almost as blood drenched as their later incarnation. The first of the 16th were drawn from the recently conquered Nordyc wastes. Taken from the sons of the various Techno-Barbarian raiders and warlords of the dry reaches of the harsh lands. The already hardy augmented populations of the area created the perfect stock for the young legion.

The 16th was eventually renamed to The Blood Skulls, so named for their habit of toting around the reddened trophies made of the skulls of worthy warriors. The skulls were dipped in a preserving mixture that left a red or orange hue on the bone leading to the grisly look of the trophies though it was not actually blood.

The legion was largely melee and close quarters oriented due to the nature of their home lands culture even those not drawn from the Nordyc wastes usually conformed to the close combat style. The Blood skulls primarily acted as front line troops and siege specialists and many an enemy fell to their ferocious zealousness in combat. Such a disorganised frenzy could only be led by someone just as savage as them who understood their ways and thoughts. In the first 50 years of combat this role was taken up by Yarl Harold Bjornson of the 16th however unfortunately he fell in battle on their 51st year, they say the blood curdling cries of the legion and their frenzy after his death was the likes that noone will likely ever be witness to again.

The disorganised unit was eventually returned to a semblance of functionality by the efforts of Harold's 2nd in command Luka Theoden and Aalik Bartensun both who managed to barely stall the warriors from disbanding in their rage. Ragnar Erikson was eventually promoted as the new Yarl as he was a promising and well liked individual. In a public ceremony accompanied by the leaders and Shieldmen of each Blood skull warband Ragnar was officially promoted and under his watchful eye the ferocious warriors entered an age of efficiency never before seen.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Novus Prime Campaign (Unknown Date.M30)** - Flesh Tearers played an integral role in the Novus Primae Campaign, the defence of the Novamarines Legion sub-Empire within the Imperium. Vladus joined the battle himself along with three of his Great Companies and drove back the coalition of Xenos responsible for the attack on the Novamarines' territory.
* **The Supression of Altas (M30) -** Flesh Tearers of the 4th great company were called to suppress a large military rebellion in the Altas system. The coup had executed those that refused to join and forced many into a form of servitude for their cause. Many a Black Cleric had to restrain their brethren from acting too savagely in the heat of battle against the terrorists.
* **The Autumnus Crusade (M31) -** Flesh Tearers led a crusade against a raiding Narkhari fleet in the Autumnus system. The Narkhari were beat back from the system and were chased by the Flesh Tearer vessels until little was left but debris.

## Legion Homeworld

The Homeworld of the Flesh Tearers is the feral, death world of Cretacia, an inhospitable jungle world populated with dangerous and predatory Saurians.

## Legion Organisation

The Organizational structure of the Flesh Tears is bound mainly by strong familial camaraderie. Every marine is bound to their superior through a bond of not only loyalty but mutual respect.

The Flesh Tearers is divided into five Great Companies, this number always remains constant regardless of how low the Flesh Tearers' numbers may fall to. Each Great Company is lead by a Blood Count, a physical brute but also a keen, intelligent leader. Underneath the Blood Count is a Regent, an officer that controls a Regiment and below that is a Castellan, the leader of a Line Company.

### Librarians

Like many of their fellow Legions, the Flesh Tearers also maintain a Librarium of potent psykers who are highly talented and trained to master the power of the Warp at the highest levels. Librarians, who are called Infernals in the Flesh Tearers are housed separately from their fellow Legionnaires and have their own, arguably convoluted hierarchy and organizational structure. Infernals enjoy many rights within the legion like their namesake on Cretacia. The Librarium are known for wearing a Targoi made from the hide pf the great Grey Gorgonops of Cretacia.

### Chaplains

Chaplains perform an irregular function in the Flesh Tearers Legion as opposed to the others of the Legiones Astartes. Instead of being zealous orators who bolster the morale of their brothers, instead Flesh Tearers Chaplains, named Black Clerics, restrict and keep their brothers in check as to not become too vicious and unruly.

## Legion Combat Doctrine

"*We are fury! We are wrath! We are DEATH!!!*"
— Unknown Flesh Tearers Chaplain

## Notable Members

* **Vladus Barca** - Primarch of the Flesh Tearers, referred to as The Blood Seraph. Vladus is the iron-fisted and irritable Primarch of the XVI Legion, an honor-bound but ruthless Legion of the Legiones Astartes.
* **Damian Vasari** - First Captain and Blood Count of the 1st Great Company.
* **Valafar Amos** - Chief Librarian, 'Magi Infernal' of the Flesh Tearers Legion. Valafar is a fiery and highly ritualistic individual who takes great pride in the traditional clothing, trinkets and fetishes that come with the majesty of his title. Highly patriotic and easily irritated, Valafar is a fresh-faced prodigy of the Legiones Astartes and brings molten fury hotter than his own flames.
* **Moloch** - Master of Sanctity, named the Chief Cleric and the Black Lord, of the Flesh Tearers Legion.
* **Zaebon** - Second Captain and Blood Count of the 2nd Great Company.
* **Nisroth** - Third Captain and Blood Count of the 3rd Great Company.
* **Vassago** - Fourth Captain and Blood Count of the 4th Great Company.
* **Thamuz** - Fifth Captain and Blood Count of the 5th Great Company.

## Legion Appearance

### Legion Colours

The Flesh Tearers Legion incorporates a two-tone colour scheme consisting of crimson red covering the torso, arms and leg armour, while their backpack, helms and armorials are jet black. A black coloured Aquila or Imperialis is worn on the plastron (chest guard). The Flesh Tearers' company designation is located on their left poleyn (knee guard) which takes the form of a white coloured roman numeral. This identifies a legionary's assigned Great Company. A large white coloured squad specialty symbol is stenciled on the right armorial, which indicates a legionary's assigned specialty (Devastator, Destroyer, Assault, Tactical, Veteran or Command). A small white roman numeral is sometimes stenciled on the right armorial inset, which indicates squad assignment.

### Legion Badge

The Flesh Tearers' Legion badge is a white serrated blade with a red blood drop centred in it. It represents the customised chainfists that their Primarch wears into battle.

## Legion Fleet

* ***Loyalty* (Gloriana-Class Battleship)** - Flagship
* ***Blood Maiden* (Dictatus-class Battleship)**
* ***Drakule* (Infernus-class Battleship)**
* ***Bleeding Fist* (Warspite-class Battle Barge)**
* ***Mortis Wrath* (Ironclad-class Battle Barge)**
* ***Butcher* (Maelstrom-class Galleas of War)**
* ***Bloody Redeemer* (Inflexible-class Grand Cruiser)**

## Legion Relics

The Flesh Tearers Legion due to their passionate patriotism take their cultural traditions very seriously. These traditions have heavily influenced the way they fight and by extension the weapons they use:

* ***Vladus' Chainsword*** - Although chain-based weapons are highly significant in Cretacian culture, their names aren't as important. As a result, Vladus Barca has chosen to keep his master-crafted Chainblade, forged by the geniuses of Mars, nameless. Vladus' pragmatism has lead him to believe that naming a weapon is an overly opulent and pompous habit that, while he does not discourage his gene-sons from performing, does openly mock those of other Legions for doing.
* ***Tyrannus Mantle*** - A night-black cape awarded to Vladus for his bravery and strength which allegedly belonged to Cretacia's strongest folk-hero who rode the planet's largest saurian, GädˈZilə A Midnight black dread saurian so large it crossed entire continents in a day. Supposedly born from the blood of the ocean itself, It was revered and feared. However Viketar Tyrannus Chosen of the Crimson Host vowed that his greatest feat would be to tame such a beast. He did so by Riding a Quetzalcoatlus up above the clouds and above the creature dismounting onto the enormous neck and holding on for dear life, he communicated with the beast for two days as it shook, roared and stomped to be rid of the pest. Until Finally it relented and listened to his will.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Flesh Tearers

"*Those spinners of lies do not know anything of us. They pluck judgements from abridged rumors and half-forgotten folktales. We are not simply mindless bloodthirsty murderers like the stuff of old-Terran lore. No, we are far above such scum. All those bigots see is the blood on our plating and nothing more of the honour, tradition and culture that thrive beneath. We are better than such savage freaks, we are noble, honourable and courageous, just like the rest of our brothers. We are Flesh Tearers!*"
— Vladus addressing an assembly of his Legion before one of the battles of Novus Prime.
"*We are the Emperor's angels born of blood. Anger simmers at our core, a raging fire kindled within our hearts. It is a beast bred for destruction, nurtured by the blood in our veins. It begs to be unleashed, and threatens to consume us, lest we allow it to burn.*"
— Damian Vasari, First Captain of the Flesh Tearers
### About the Flesh Tearers

"*Do not lose focus. Even a steak knife held incorrectly is the first step along the road of savagery trodden by our cousins in the Flesh Tearers.*"
— Devortus Gault, Primarch of the Red Scorpions Legion, at a dinner party on a noble world.
## Credits

* Flesh Tearers Legionary made by **MaliusV**.

## Gallery

Legion XVI Flesh Tearers chart.A Flesh Tearers Veteran Legionary, unknown company, arrayed in Mk IV 'Maximus' pattern power armour.