Iron Brotherhood

Iron Brotherhood Amorial with Warband iconography

An Iron Brotherhood Astartes

"*Iron Within, Iron Without*"
— Unbreakable Litany
The **Iron Brotherhood** is a Traitor Astartes Warband from the scattered remains of the 86th Grand Battalion of the Iron Warriors traitor Legion. While at the beginning and under the influence of their first leader, the Iron Brotherhood distanced itself from its former breathren moving a step near reconciliation with the Imperium, power games and conspiracies led to the acclamation of a new leader who strengthened the relationship with the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion, consolidating their alignment amongst the traitors.

Their passion for amassing and recovering ancient artifacts and weapons will lead them to various war confrontations with the Adeptus Mechanicus and the loyalist Chapter of the Iron Juggernauts.

## Warband History

### Founding (early M31)

The Iron Brotherhood was formed by scattered forces of the 86th Grand Batallion, mainly composed by 19th and the 49th Grand Companies of the Iron Warriors which found themselves isolated after the events of the Horus Heresy and the Siege of Terra. Hunted by the loyalist and without the guide of their Primarch, they assembled under the guide of 'Grand' Warsmith **Sann Lomech** in search of their Primarch and new orders.

With time the Warband scattered from their former Legion battle-brothers, abhorring the Chaos corruption which started growing between the Legion, returning only for tactical advantage. Games of power and ambition, however, began in the upper echelons of the Warband and finally Warsmith Sann Lomech was accused of disloyalty towards Perturabo and executed. His successor brought the Warband closer to its Primarch, while still keeping his distance from the pernicious powers.

### Clash of Iron (001-101.M34)

During the millennia, in the Iron Brotherhood grew a passion for ancient weaponry and rare patterns and subsequentially started to hoard such artifacts and vehicles in order to use them when called by their Primarch or for their own purposes. During one of these hunts, they found themselves against the Iron Juggernauts and a deep faida started when their boarding squads were repelled by the loyalist Astartes during the attack on an Adeptus Mechanicus transport, containing an experimental pattern of Leviathan Dreadnought. Being forced to retreat they swore vengeance.

They needed almost two millennia, but in the end managed to muster a large force of retaliation, called by themselves the 'Iron Pact', composed of their entire Warband, lesser minor Iron Warriors Warbands, a Chaos Space Marine Warband known as Silver Snakes, the notorious Flawless Heralds, a hybrid force of Emperor's Children and slaneshii Iron Warriors and a smaller coalition of Iron Warriors Warbands named the **Orphans of Olympia** (formed by the **Brass Destroyers**, the **Lunar Hammers** and the **Stygian Flames**). With such a force they stormed the **Ogun System**, where the Iron Juggernauts home world is located, building a space blockade and besieging the entire system for an almost a century long war. This event will later recognized by both part as 'Clash of Iron'.

The Iron Juggernauts had all the odds against them, even being a strong and proud enemies in the end would have fallen if problems in the chain of command, strategic complications and mysterious incidents had not weakened the coalition from within, forcing Grand Warsmith **Khalod Han** to try one last attack to crush once and for all their enemies. The attack, hastened (because it would have taken advantage of further weakening) resulted in a failure, the counter-offensive of the Iron Juggernauts defeated the attackers who were finally forced to divide and retreat, although they managed to kill the leader of the *Valhgard* defenses, Forge Otec **Iron Wermand** and destroy the relic heavy tank ***Attila***.

Following this event, the Iron Brotherhood kept a low profile, putting their attention and desire for vengeance elsewhere always remembering the damages suffered from the loyalist hands, especially the might of the Battle Barge ***Mother Swan*** weaponry and the damage done to their fleet.

### Siege of Mechanica (148-152.M40)

After obtaining encrypted data as loot from a Mechanicus vessels, there were needed almost two months standard to hack the firewalls and protections but in the end the Iron Brotherhood managed to learn the secrets keeped inside. The Forge World of Mechanica, located between the **Kalypse Sector** and the Charadon Sector was nothing more than a minor facility, devoted on the mass production of lasguns and combat blades, was placed in a system so pitiful that nobody cared to name it, only a mere sequence of numbers and letters, **System 789CH\66**, nothing of important except a mineral planetoid and the Forge World itself.

Nonetheless, the military forces allocated there were too much for such a pointless place. As described by the encripted document Skitarii forces in large numbers, five Imperial Knights and unnumbered Battle-Automata were a clear sign that something was hidden and indeed, even if masterminds of deceit and subterfuge decided that this place was the perfect hiding spot, the military presence cried out loud their secret to a fairly suspicious mind. Deep in the rock below the surface, in a subterranean deposit laid a Warbringer Nemesis-class Titan heavily damaged, waiting to be restored to its ancient glory.

The Grand Warsmith **Vaakite Santanir** deployed all the might of the Warband, the prize too big to save on military power; such deployment was seen only during the 'Clash of Iron' during the siege of Ogun System. The fleet created a space blockade, no vessels or minor crafts able to leave the planet, the communication systems continuosly jammed and the near mining planetoid virus-bombed to prevent even the lower form of life to intervene against them.

The entire surface of Mechanica was bombed down, to destroy all possible defense systems present before the large scale invasion started. Drop pods rained down from the vessels in low orbit while heavy transport landed to deploy siege engines and heavy tanks. The Imperial Knights, surviving the heavy bombardment, guided the defender forces in a strenuous fight, covering themselves in honor and pride, but the Iron Brotherhood superior fire power was overwhelming and in the end the ancient constructs fell together with the other defenders.

The fight in the underground corridors of the facility was brutal, the defenders butchered with no mercy. **Thul Romentel**, the Fabricator-General of Mechanica ordered to create a last line of defense with the remaining forces under his command and even if it was a great sin in the eye of the Omnissiah, to eventually detonate the place, to prevent the capture of the sleeping titan should they fail in its defense. The last stand under the vigilance of the Fabricator-General was steady, holding the line against the waves of traitors Astartes, killing many of them personally. In the end the calculation of possibility started to drop down, wave after wave, new traitors stormed the place and the Fabricator-General was ready to give the order to destroy everything when the Iron Brotherhood started to withdraw, a distort vox message arrived deep into the facility, announcing the approaching of a mixed loyalist Astartes forces arrived to investigate the radio silence that has lasted four years.

While the Warbringer Nemesis-class Titan was save, it must had relocated to a safer and more secret place, the entire Forge World of Mechanica was reduced to a giant wreck and the Iron Brotherhood pillaged and stole everything else survived the bombardment in the underground storehouses.

### Lecutra Profundis Incident (150.M40)

During 150.M40, the Space Hulk known as ***Lecutra Profundis*** appeared in a nearby system of Kalypse Sector.  Thanks to intel acquired during a boarding action against a Mechanicus vessel whose name is forgotten, the Iron Brotherhood came to the knowledge of various imperial and Mechanicus ships inside the warp-merged conglomerate of space vessels and with this a lot of potential discovery of ancient technology and nowadays almost forgotten relic weaponry. While in that period of time, the main forces of the Iron Brotherhood were engaged in various actions against Mechanica, a minor Forge World, Grand Warsmith Vaakite Santanir charged the mission to Warsmith **Hurexes Midd**, leader of the 2nd Grand Company, with the orders to take three Strike Cruisers, ***Iron Will***, ***Storm Fury*** and ***Anvil’s Will***, some escorts vessels and almost four company worth of Astartes to sack and ravage the Space Hulk in search of anything worth for the Warband’s collection.

The *Iron Will* and the *Storm Fury* arrived to the hulk while the *Anvil’s Will* was sent to scout the surroundings together with the fleet’s escorts. With nobody nearby the Iron Brotherhood started the boarding actions on the gargantuan metal wreck, three terminators squads, various tactical and breachers teams and even a Dreadnought equipped for close combat were dispatched to take care of any of the possible xenos inhabitants.

In four hours standard the Iron Brotherhood took care of the little resistance they found formed by xenos of the Orks species brutally deformed by the Warp energy that not only drove them mad but also made almost unable to move due to their deformities. The scavenging operation was going for the better, when the *Iron Will* captured the arrival of a loyalist small fleet. Warsmith Hurexes Midd rapidly developed an action plan, ordering the cruisers and their crews to engage the new arrived, while the Astartes deployed on the hulk could continue their mission.

The loyalist forces were of the **Tidebenders** Chapter and looked like they were following their own agenda. Refusing to accept the fight, they managed to avoid the first volleys of fire from the Iron Brotherhood vessels and against all odds, launched boarding torpedoes onto the hulk, sending their own teams inside, keeping the distance from a fight they could lose. Unable to approach and annihilate his new enemies, the Warsmith started to fill under pressure also because he was not knowing their precise intent and how to strategize against, the over thinking took the Warsmith in some bad decision, letting to the Tidebenders the possibility to launch a distress call for reinforcements while their boarding teams started their search inside the hulk corridors, engaging the unaware traitors inside which were at that point still not briefed with new information or updates about the situation.

The fight in the metal corridors of the wreck was harsh and at the beginning the unaware Iron Brotherhood forces were caught of surprise until their more heavily equipped terminators brothers had the upper hand in the clash, however the Tidebenders had a precise mapping  of the Space Hulk and knowing what they were looking for, their recovery team managed to take their objective and withdraw while the Warsmith, returning to lucidity, recalled the *Anvil’s Will* from its patrol and transmitted new engaging orders but at that point almost no enemy were present exception to one team that decided to remain behind, covering the withdraw of their brothers and paying for their valor in blood.

The time lost during the fight was nevertheless important and numerous section of the Space Hulk started collapsing, a sign that the time was over and the Space Hulk was on its way back to the Immaterium. Hurexus Midd exploded in rage on how was poorly outsmarted and ordered to pursue the loyalist, even to destroy them if the situation needed, no withdraw was allowed, especially with something possibly valuable in their hands. The *Anvil’s Will* emerged from a cover of a nearby planetoid, backed up by the ***Steelbreed***, ***Infidus Metallus*** and the ***Warsmith’s Wrath***, heavily weaponized frigates. With his fleet at full power the Warsmith ordered to obliterate the loyalist but once again, against his planning, a larger fleet of Mechanicus vessels arrived just in time, creating a wall between the Iron Brotherhood, ready for their vengeance and the withdrawing Tidebenders, victorious in their own mission.

The now outnumbered Iron Brotherhood was grudgingly forced to withdraw with only few pieces of the great treasure present inside the Space Hulk that, without a sound in the void of the space, was returning from its was arrived. On the other hand, the possibility that the Tidebenders had obtained something precious was high and the Iron Brotherhood swore vengeance.

### Tide of Unbreakable Steel (400.M40)

During 400.M40 a small recon force of Iron Brotherhood moved in the **Vadandia System** nearby Kalypse Sector. The Iron Brotherhood received information from the Silver Snakes, previously ally with them during the ‘Clash of Iron’ campaign, about an ancient weapon deposit, hidden in the asteroid rings around the main planet of the system, **Vadandia Prime**.

While the Iron Brotherhood had grown suspicious about their informants during the millennia, they strongly refused to leave something unchecked. A small force was under the command of Warsmith Hurexes Midd who taken with him his 3rd company and the ***Tempestborn***, a vanguard-class Light Cruiser, backed up by smaller escort crafts was sent.

The recon force once arrived nearby the planet, started an Augur scanning, with the hope to find some trace of the hidden deposit, the scanning however give a different response, with a warp rapture captured and enemy forces appearing behind them, bearing the colours of the hated Tidebenders. Quickly aware of the dangerous situation and almost blocked by the asteroid rings around them, the Warsmith called the escort crafts to action, to engage the enemies and buy time for the reposition of the *Tempestborn*. While the strategy worked, a malfunction of one of the primary thrusters resulted in an explosion, with the vessel maimed before starting the main battle Warsmith Hurexes Midd quickly realized that they got ambushed and that to fight was the only option.

The *Tempestborn* started a barrage at will with its Macrocannons, while the smaller crafts tried to encircle the Tidebenders vessels, but obtained nothing. A distress call to the main fleet was launched, calling out the ambush. Even if the Macrocannons had hit hard the enemies, the Tidebenders managed to make a large boarding action, The fight in the metal corridors was bloody and violent, but the Tidebenders of the 4th crew were experts of void combat and managed to breach from multiple locations, overwhelming the Iron Brotherhood from all sides.

Smelling the defeat coming and with no news from the reinforcements, the Warsmith developed a last plan, he was ready to surrender the vessel but the Tidebenders will have to pay a tithe. Mysterious and since then, secret, giant harpoon guns, relics plundered time ago, fired from the *Tempestborn* broadside, enveloping the Tidebenders vessel known as ***Emperor’s Revenge***. The traitoris Astartes converged together, creating a wall of iron to the Tidebenders to face, slowly moving forward to the docking bay with the objectives to evacuate while a small team lead by techmarine Aris Zarotis was on his way to overcharge the main reactor and let the vessel explode in a tide of plasma.

The counter-attack shocked the Tidebenders breachers who slowly withdrawed against the sea of iron launched against them, the captain of the vessel, High Captain **Karlim Danitz**, rapidly understood that something was wrong when the two vessels found themselves chained on each other. After receiving reports from the breachers teams that the Iron Brotherhood warriors started a counter-attack and also started the chanting of their monotonous litany who also was broadcasted inside their own vessels the certainty arrived.

Alarmed by the sudden realization that the chained vessels were near an explosion from some kind of mean self-destruction protocol, the High Captain called for an evacuation plan from both the vessels. Warsmith Hurexes Midd was behind his forces, coordinating them from the rear and making sure most of them were in condition to evacuate, trampling the withdrawing resistance pockets of Tidebenders, he was personally confronted by an Astartes with more of less rank of sergeant. The quick duel was dispatched with cold efficiency, while the very first explosions started the chain of destruction on the vessel. The giant chains enveloping both vessels trembled, while Thunderhawks, ancient Stormbirds and Caestus Assault Rams from both sides shot themselves in the void before a nebula of plasma with the light of a small sun enlightened for a brief moment Vadandia System.

### Vengeance Crusade (900.M40)

The Iron Brotherhood attacked the world of **Pietaga XIII**, the planet used to be a mass production facility of food, from the shrimps of the swamps on the planed surface. The **Pietaga System** closely confined with the Kalypse Sector and usually on the patrol route of the Tidebenders and for this reason was used as theatre of traps and machination by the sons of Perturabo.

The attack was structured with perfection by the vengeful Warsmith Hurexes Midd himself, launching an experimental bomb in the atmosphere; its unknown components resulted in an obscurating dark cloud with magnetic particles that unallowed communications for several hours standard. During this time of radio silence a rain of drop pods was launched onto the planet surface, taking advantage also from the artificial night. The Brotherhood took systematically the unaware defenders, one by one, brutally slaughtering the one at arm’s length. Following the massacre the traitor Astartes marched against the planetary imperial guard station, without much of resistance to fight against, managing to send a fake distress call for the Tidebenders. With the forced labor of newly acquired slaves and servitor a deep trench and tunnels system was built which surrounded all the most probably landing positions in which the Tidebenders could arrive. The Warsmith’s trap was spread.

The fake distress signal called for a fortress captured by Iron Warriors forces and the local regiment unable to breach their lost walls to retake them, without the proper siege equipment, for this reason the Tidebenders send the 3rd crew to besiege the lost fortress and hunt down the invaders. The Thunderhawks of the Tidebenders landed in one of the predicted spots, for the trap, landing their contents of Astartes under the High Captain **Hongia Huka** and armoured vehicles for the siege. The Tidebenders however were welcomed by bolter fire from all direction, with the Astartes of the Iron Brotherhood coming out from their secret tunnel system. High Captain Hongia Huka managed quickly a defensive position, using the Predators and Vindicators within his force as mobile cover, forcing the attackers to withdraw in their subterranean holes. Recognizing the colours of the Iron Brotherhood, he realized that they were lured in a trap, noticing the entrance of the tunnel system and the possibility of further more assault he ordered to advancing, while on the move their force were more unlikely to fall in other ambushes as for sure the tunnel system had to be limited to specific locations. Unable to take advantage from the tunnel system and with the Tidebenders moving forward into the hinterlands, the Warsmith ordered the fortification of a vantage point, deploying Medusa tanks to bombard the valley below to stop the advance of the Tidebenders. The fortified point of the Iron Brotherhood was a natural fortress, reachable only through a narrow passage that was heavily guarded by an armoured cord of battle tanks.

Pinpointed by the heavy bombardment from the higher ground the High Captain Hongia Huka asked for the deploying of ancient and relic Termite transport known as Tempestwyrm and further heavy support, all needed components for his counter strategy. Using a precise orbital bombardment as diversion to cover the termites’ deployment, the ancient vehicles was able to dig a passage under the ruined and swampy terrain of the world, ravaged by the tracks of the armoured vehicles and their wrecks, allowing the relic to pop under the Warsmith’s feet. While amazed by the deploying of so ancient warmachine, the Warsmith’s bodyguards quickly reacted to the surprise attack but found themselves to fight against close combat equipped dreadnoughts and Centurion Warsuits leaded by High Captain Hongia Huka in person, that followed the relic driller on its way in the newly created underground passage.

Both part clashed in an hard close combat, powered by resentment and desire for vengeance. Large boarding shields and lascutters faced the flamers and power fist of the armoured giants and Warsmith Hurexes and the High Captain faced each other in a mortal duel, both intent on closing the matter once and for all. With the mumbling chant of “Iron within, iron without” rising from their throats, the Iron Brotherhood Astartes launched themselves against the dreadnought without fear. The perfectioned power axe and the vicious mechanical close combat tendrils of the Warsmith faced the against the Storm Shield and the Power Sword of Hongia Huka, deflecting the enemy attacks and responding without fear.

While the battle for settling the ancient grudge was going onwards on the word surface, a large part of the Iron Brotherhood main fleet arrived in orbit, with the Grand Warsmith growing tired of Hurexes continues failures starting both engaging the Tidebenders vessels and bombarding the surface, without care for their own forces. Caring none of the havoc around them, the two leaders continued their duel. The mechanical enhanced body of the Warsmith almost immune to the victorious strike of the heroic Hongia Huka who started to grow wicker wound after wound received by the most experienced enemy. Nonetheless, even wounded and now with an enemy in orbit he rallied  is fellow brothers on the main vox channel, inspiring all to their deed of heroism. The ancient dreadnoughts advanced deeper into the Iron Brotherhood line, cutting a bloody path under their feet, in orbit the vessel crew joined forces with the reserve Astartes to repel the Iron Brotherhood boarders, letting them pay of every inch conquered.

"*Together, we are the eye of the storm!*"
— Tidebenders warcry
Each hour, each minute the Tidebenders holded against their cruel enemies was unvaluable as bought time for unexpected relief force pierced the space nearby the world of Piatega XIII. Vanguard strike cruisers followed by a Battle Barge and smaller escort vessels appeared from the breach on the veil. Knowing of ongoing conflict in the southern part of Ultima Segmentum involving an Iron Warrior Warband, the Iron Juggernauts waited for the stormy sea of the warp to becalmed and launched themselves on when it was possible, knowing of their hated enemies the Iron Brotherhood were ravaging the system. Terminator squads teleported on the Tidebenders vessel, attacking the Iron Brotherhood boarder from behind, killing to the last while the vessels engaged the enemy fleet, pushing deep into their formation. Drop pods where launched onto the surface to assist the Tidebenders on the ground, but while providential their arrival was for the void battle, they arrived too late for the ground conflict was on the Iron Brotherhood side. The dreadnoughts reduced to smoking wrecks upon pile of Iron Warriors bodies, High Captain Hongia Huka on his knees, as one swept of the Warsmith’s axe separated him from one of his legs, waiting for the killing blow unbroken. The remaining Tidebendes forces too much behind or encircled to negate the seizing of their relic transport from the greedy hands of the Iron Brotherood.

In the ending stages the Iron Brotherhood was forced to flee, leaving some of their vessels behind. The Warsmith Hurexes forces withdrawed quickly after the Iron Juggernauts landing, losing few and seizing the relic Termite. The dead body of High Captain Hongia Huka returned to Mnesitis to rest.

### Pannonia Ambush (980.M40)

The intervention of the Iron Juggernauts during the events of Piatega XIII re-ignited the burning hate of the Iron Brotherhood for their ancient enemies and all the wrongs suffered during the past, starting with the substraction of the ancient experimental Leviathan Dreadnought patter, their failure at the sacking of Tundra and the Fortress-Monastery of Valhgard itself and the deep wounds inflicted by the Battle Barge *Mother Swan* to their fleet during the same event.
However as the Iron Juggernauts proved themselves to be an hard enemy to put on his knees, the sons of the Iron Lord came out with a plan as after millenia of trading, a friendship and alliance was agreed with their gene-brother of the Forgekings already known to many Warsmith of the former IVth Legion for their large arsenal and might.

As Vaakite Santanir met with **Selukian**, the Forgeking himself, the plan was quickly enstablished by the great mastermind of the Doomforge. A great number of renegades and traitors was corrupted, brought and the vast majority threatened to raise havoc and spread the fire of rebellion of the **Pannonia System** giving to the snooty Iron Juggernauts something that they couldn't ignore. A web of lies and wrong intel was spread as the number of the military assets was willingly faked, forcing the loyalist to face umprepared the campaign, armed only with their anger. As the Iron Brotherood were neve present on the scene, limiting themselves to patronizing some weapon and ammos for their scapegoats. The Grand Warsmith Vaakite and some was a welcome guest on the main bridge of ***Wrath of Iron*** alongside Selukian to assist with his own eyes to both the so desired vengeance and the gargantuan power of their capital vessel.

As planned and expected by Selukian the wrathful Iron Juggernauts sended Battle Barge *Mother Swan*, the only one with Exterminatus weaponry, to deal with the rebel and cleanse the system deeming her and the three Centuriae assigned to the vessel enough to deal with mortal, even if corrupted, traitors. As the velles reached Pannonia low orbit, releasing Drop Pods and Astartes ready to bring compliance the trap revealed itself, as formerly hidden vessel appeared from their covers surrounding, isolating and hammering the now weakened vessel as their escorts were overwhelmed and scattered, with some of them made a wreck before even realizing of the sudden attack.

Even if overwhelmed and divided to planet surface and void battle, the Iron Juggernauts put a strenous resistance managing to blow and board some of the renegade vessels and managing to send the Frigate ***Erynia*** to disengage and call for reinforcements. However the effort and their stoic heroism will receive no reward as when the vox comms started to be filled by the cheering for the near victory, as a cruel and definitely planned spite *Wrath of Iron* emerged from her conceiled position, the long range turrets unleashing a turrent of fire creeppling the already beatened ancient vessel, effectively impairing her capacity to reposition and answer to the new arrived enemy. Astartes rushed to the launch bay for a boarding and orders were screamed in the gun decks as the looming presence of the twisted Bellatoravia Class Battleship approached to send the deathblow with salvos from the broadside batteries. As *Mother Swan* exploded, sundered by the enemy fire, the Forgekings prepared to make planetfall to kill the remaining Iron Juggernauts on the surface as Grand Warsmith Vaakite enjoyed every moment of his vengeance delivered by their Legion-brothers.

"*Brothers do not return our bodies to Valghard as we die here in infamy, tricked by the enemy obnoxius planning. But deliver us vengeance in the millenia to come.*"
—Never delivered message from Centurion Telos Vorghon, Tribune for the Pannonia Campaign
As the reinforcements reached the Pannonia System the wreck of *Mother Swan* welcomed them stripped of everything of value that may had survived the devastating attack, Astartes bodies floated frozen in the void of space while the planet surface was ravaged and annihilated, no survivors left from the original force deployed, their dead body layed in the mud where they fell unrespected and defiled. Anger filled the hearts of the witnesses of this wicked sight as fist clutched and someoone swore vengeance.

### Battle for Tundra (010.M42)

Taking advantage of the victims and the reduced numbers of the Iron Juggernauts after the 13th Black Crusade events, the Iron Brotherhood attacked for the second time the Ogun System, looking for vengeance of the events almost 10 millennia old. Promoting the system as a valuable objective and luring in the conflict other Warbands. With the Warp tempests and Immaterium disruptions allowing the chaotic worshippers to conjure and summon deamons to storm Tundra and the nearby words, the Iron Brotherhood actuated their vengeance with their siege tactics and warfare.

With the Iron Juggernauts isolated both the Warp tempests and the siege, they were forced to use all they had to respond to the attack. Ancient Dreadnought and relic battle vehicles had to be deployed against the invaders, the Brotherhood ready to take their prize amongst the battle regalia showed. Managing also to capture the enemy flagship for some time, before the crew decided to sacrice themselves and the vessel, to deny them their prize. With the odds in favour of the attackers, the arrival of a relief force made of the Silver Hands and strange Astartes arrived (later known as Primaris Space marine from the Unnumbered Sons) was sudden and unexpected, breaking the siege and forcing all the attackers to a rapid withdraw, the fight completely overturned as once again the Iron Juggernauts were swift to counter-attack, capturing the besiegers between hammer and anvil, in the end the Iron Brotherhood managed to withdraw, abandoning their temporary allies to die.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Clash of Iron (001-101.M34)** - Due to a series of agreements and unstable alliances, the Iron Brotherhood managed to create the 'Iron Pact', building a retaliation force against the Iron Juggernauts, besieging the entire Ogun System for almost a century. In the end the Iron Juggernauts managed to repel the 'Iron Pact' forces thanks to reinforcements from other Chapter and the instability of the pact itself, however the loyalist will pay with heavy losses;

* **10th Black Crusade (001.M39)** - The Iron Brotherhood followed the forces of Perturabo, in the attemp to please their Primarch, during the attack on Medusa and the Iron Hands. However their performances mattered none as their gene-sire ignored them;

* **Siege of Antioch (371.M39)** - ++DATA RECOVERING++ ■■■■■■▢▢▢▢ 60%

* **Siege of Mechanica (148.M40-152.M40)** - After obtaining encripted data about the minor Forge World of Mechanica and the treasure that there was secretly guarded, the Iron Brotherhood besieged the world and its vault, attempting to steal the powerful ancient war relic. However the unexpected fierce resistance and outer reinforcements dissauded the Warband into tactical withdraw;

* **Lecutra Profundis Incident (150.M40)** - The Iron Brotherhood and the Tidebenders fought over the *Lecutra Profundis* Space Hulk for the prize of various relics and ancient weaponry, while able to obtain something the Iron Brotherhood was distracted by the loyalist force and unable to fully sack the Space Hulk;

* **Tide of Unbreakable Steel (400.M40)** - A recon force of Iron Brotherhood was ambushed during a research mission inside the asteroids belt of the Vadandia Prime world by forces from the 4th crew of the Tidebenders, the clash resulted in the destruction of the *Tempestoborn* vessel, both part lost near half of their forces and at least one vessel each;

* **Vengeance Crusade (900.M40)** - A retaliation action against the Tidebenders which culminated in an attrition war on the world of Piatega XIII, in the aftermath before the arrival of the Iron Juggernauts, the Iron Brotherhood managed to seize a valuable Crusade-era Termite vehicle allowing Warsmith Hurexes to obtain back some of the lost prestige;

* **Pannonia Ambush (980.M40)** - An ambush orchestrated by both the Iron Brotherhood and the Forgekings against the Iron Juggernauts, luring them under the pretext of renegades invasion and following rebellion on the Pannonia System, with the objective to destroy one of their most ancient vessels, *Mother Swan*;

* **13th Black Crusade** **(999.M41)** - The Iron Brotherhood followed a main force of Iron Warriors during the attack to the Cadian Gate, mostly attacking and plundering weapon and vehicles deposits;

* **Battle for Tundra (010.M42)** - Considered by the Iron Brotherhood as the 'Second attack to Ogun System', the Warband promoted once again the system as a valuable objective, allowing other Warbands to converge and attack taking advantage of Warp Storms and the isolation caused by the Cicatrix Maledictum, in the aftermath of the 13th Black Crusade;

## Warband Home World

The Iron Brotherhood miss an home world, being fleet based due to their mission to find and retrieve every ancient or rare weapony they can get their hands on.

The base of their operation is the Flagship of the Warband, the ***Iron Retribution***, an unknown class battleship, which currently has been heavily repurposed to be both a large cargo vessel where their hoard is stored, and a mobile heavily armed void fortress.

## Warband Organization

### Officier Ranks

The Iron Brotherhood mainteins an organization similar to the old Legion of the Iron Warriors with some differences in the command chain:

* **Grand Warsmith** - Supreme commander of the Warband;
* **Warsmith** - Grand company commander;
* **Captain** - Company commander;

### Line Ranks

* **Tyrant** - Veteran Sergeant equivalent;
* **Veteran Iron-Brother** - Members of the veterans warrior cadre;
* **Sergeant** - Squad leader;
* **Iron-Brother** - The bulk of each squad;

### Specialist Units & Formations

The Iron Brotherhood maintens the specialist formations of the Iron Warriors Legion:

* **Iron Havoc** - Veteran sharpshooters, specialized in long range support with heavy weaponry;
* **Tyrant Siege Terminator** - Veterans specialized assault Terminator units;

The following are Iron Brotherhood unique special formations:

* **Iron Phalax Dreadnought Squadron** - A squad of Dreadnought with mixed equipment, created for wall and subterranean assaults;
* **Iron Sprayer** - A specialized mid range support unit, weaponized with modified flamer which spits liquid hot metal.

## Warband Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrine of the Iron Brotherhood is based mainly on a systematic advance aimed to tightening the field of action of the enemy until is surrounded and trapped, will be slaughtered mercilessly and besieged if manage to found shelter somewhere. If this occurs, the Brotherhood will destroy walls and fortress with the powerful siege engines in their possession.

As for open-field combat, they prefer armored assault preceded by a bombardment.

## Warband Beliefs

The Iron Brotherhood are resolute and laconic, preferring to let actions speak louder than words. Stubborn and vindicative, they do not easily forget a wrong they have suffered.

Their obsessive passion for ancient technology leads them to study mechanics and new ways of using its potential on the battefield. The same passion for mechanical assets bring them to cut off every body part who may be corrupted or mutetad by chaos forces who attempt to seduce them.

## Warband Gene-Seed

The Iron Brotherhood descends from Perturabo, being former Iron Warriors. Their gene-seed remains the same and shows few traces of mutation from the original.

### Warband Flaw

* **Faithless** - The Iron Brotherhood prefers to keep Chaos at arm's lenght. They do not worship the Chaos Gods and have contants with corrupted Warbands only if they need them;
* **Imperial Ties** - The Iron Brotherhood insist on maintaining ties to their former imperiali life, maintaining their structure and command chain as they were still one Legion;
* **Passion for everything rare** - The Iron Brotherhood is sickly attracted to rare, ancient or experimental equipment and will do anything to obtain and use it for their own purposes;
* **Grudgness** - The Iron Brotherhood tends to archive and mark the various events that happened to them, so they can't forget a disagreement and in time they will do everything to take their revenge.

## Notables Members

* Grand Warsmith **Sann Lomech** - First leader of the Iron Brotherhood;
* Grand Warsmith **Madozir Khatoch** - Leader during the first meeting with the Iron Juggernauts;
* Grand Warsmith **Khalod Han** - Leader of the 'Iron Pact' during the 'Clash of Iron';
* Grand Warsmith **Vaakite Santanir** - Leader during the 'Siege of Mechanica';
* Grand Warsmith **Skoch Sorrlek** - Current leader of the Iron Brotherhood;

* Warsmith **Hurexes Midd** - Leader of the Iron Brotherhood forces charged to sack the *Lecutra Profundis* Space Hulk, the mission escalated in a series of fights against the Tidebenders, creating a personal faida between the Warsmith himself and the loyalists;

* **Aris Zarotis** - A Techmarine who immoleted himself, starting the chain explosions of the reactors of the *Tempestborn*, to destroy their Tidebenders attackers;

## Warband Fleet

* **Various Battle Barges, among the most notables:**
	+ ***Iron Retribution*** (Unknown Class Battle Barge; Flagship);

* **Various Strike Cruiser, among the most notables:**
	+ ***Iron Will*** (Olympia-class Strike Cruiser);
	+ ***Storm Fury*** (Olympia-class Strike Cruiser);
	+ ***Anvil's Will*** (Vanguard-class Light Cruiser);

* **Various Escorts, among the most notables:**
	+ ***Steelbreed*** (Sword-class Heavy Frigate);
	+ ***Infidus Metallus*** (Sword-class Heavy Frigate);
	+ ***Warsmith's Wrath*** (Firestorm-class Frigate);
	+ ***Doomhawk*** (Heavy Destroyer);
	+ ***Heart of Ruin*** (Heavy Destroyer);
	+ ***Heavensunder*** (Cobra-class Destroyer);
	+ ***Iron Fury*** (Cobra-class Destroyer);
	+ ***Umbral Terror*** (Cobra-class Destroyer);
	+ ***Bellus Ferrum*** (Cobra-class Destroyer);

* **Retired and lost vessels:**
	+ ***Tempestborn*** (Vanguard-class Light Cruiser, destroyed);

## Warband Armoury

### Specific Equipment

* **Iron Sprayer** - A costum pattern flamer, modified to spit hot liquid metal;
* **Iron Chain Harpoon Macrogun** - Improved and modified Ursus Claws mounted on the broadside of various vessels, builded to capture and envelop enemy vessels for various destructive purposes;

### Warband Relics

The Iron Brotherhood counts in their armoury an high number of forgotten siege vehicles of war, the following are the more notorious:

* **The Twins** - A pair of siege tanks, respectively a Basilisk and a Medusa;
* **Man'ak** - A Falchion Super Heavy Tank Destroyer;
* **The Hammer of the Warsmith** - An ancient Fellglaive;
* **The Drills of the Warsmith** - A couple of heavily modified Leviathan Dreadnought siege drills, containing a couple of 'iron sprayers';
* **Valkaxe** - Made by Warsmith Hurexes MIdd with his own hand, Valkaxe is a hybrid weapon between a Power Axe and Volkite Culverin;

## Warband Appearance

### Warband Colours

The primary colours of the Iron Brotherhood is a plain metallic dark grey, yellow pauldrons and rust colored trims on the shoulder pad, decorations and knee guards.

Usually the pauldrons are decorated with hazard stripes in the Iron Warriors fashion.

### Warband Badge

The Iron Brotherhood badge is the Iron Warriors skull rust coloured, usually accompanied by Legion number in High Gothic, IV.

## Relations

### Allies

 Forgekings |      | After a long period of slave trade, archeotec and sporadic collaborations, the Iron Brotherhood and the Forgekings growt close enough for the Warband to ask a favour, ambush and destroy one of the capital ships of the Iron Juggernauts, *Mother Swan*. A vessel that during the 'Clash of Iron' proved to be a great foe even for the Iron Brotherhood.
Once obtained the destruction of the vessel, the Iron Brotherhood tightened their bond even further with more slave gifted to the Doomforge and making themselves available when the Forgekins may require additional power;

### Enemies

 Adeptus Mechanicus |      | Due to their actions, numerous attacks and thefts, the Iron Brotherhood has gained a reputation as thieves and plunderers. In contrast to their actions, the Adeptus Mechanicus who finds himself on the side of the defenders, ready to protect with their life technologies and templates from the greedy hands of the traitors.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Warband

"*I will have no rest, until we take back that Dreadnought. You shall pay for this interference, 'kinsmen'!*"
— Grand Warsmith Madozir Khatoch
"*You believe that Chaos gave you the capacity to be unrelentless, unstoppable and excellent at the same time?
 I say that this is achieved throu practice and thousand of wars, do not fall for the easy way, brother. There are no such a things like gods.*"
— Grand Warsmith Khalod Han to Warsmith Hellanin Ruen of the Flawless Heralds
"*You failed, they wronged us indeed, but the failure is all yours. To redeem yourself you shall collect from them a tithe, a tithe of technology and blood.*"
—Grand Warsmith Vaakite Santanir to Warsmith Hurexes Midd about his failure against the **Tidebenders**
"*I was forced to surrender a vessel... they took half of my body but they can't take my pride. I will answer back, I swear on the Legion, they will pay. I will see their world burning and their Chapter destroyed, through this own eyes of mine or through the visors of a Dreadnought chassis!*"
—Warsmith Hurexes Midd after recovering the sus-coma that followed the explosion of the Tempestborn
### About the Warband

"*They refuse Chaos with all of their hearts, it is a shame they can't be redeemed. Their sick passion tooked them too far.*"
— Inquisitor ++REDACTED++
"*You refuse the touch of the Gods, how can you all still be so naive?
 There is power beyond your imagination. The Gods could grant you mastery in all the art of war you wish!*"
—Princep Rakatilo Daimiax of the Flawless Heralds
"*Fearsome as they may be as any other Sons of Perturabo, the Iron Brotherhood are nothing more then glorified scavengers. Though even the vultures can be dangerous, for they have a vendetta against us for claiming their prize before them.*"
—Karlim Danitz, High Captain of the Tidebenders, about the Iron Brotherhood after their first encounter
## Gallery

The relic Falchion from the Legiones Astartes era, known as 'Man'ak'The ancient Fellglaive from the Legiones Astartes era, known as 'The Hammer of the Warsmith'One of the two Siege Tanks (Basilisk in the pic) owned by the Iron Brotherhood, knowed as 'The Twins'Grand Warsmith Madozir Khatoch entombed in a Leviathan Dreadnought, weaponized with his signature weapons, the notorious 'Drills of the Warsmith'Warsmith Hurexes Midd of the Iron Brotherhood, heavily augmented after surviving the explosion of his Thunderhawk during the evacuation of the Tempestborn
Template:Chaos Warbands