Night Hammers

> *"We do not have the gift of numbers, nor the gift of a united heritage. What we do have is a single unified purpose, and some of the greatest warriors the Imperium has to offer. We are the Night Hammers, and we strike where no-one else will."*  --- Chapter Master Raven Halmer upon the chapter's creation.
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The **Night Hammers** are a loyalist Space Marine Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. One of the last chapters to be created before the end of the war against the archenemy, they are a rarity among many, being the only known loyalist successor chapter to the Luna Wolves, now the former Black Legion. While the chapter may be a Luna Wolves successor, many of its members consist of Space Marines from other chapters, notably the Space Wolves, Imperial Fists and Ultramarines.

## History

### Battle of the Iron Cross

*Main Article - Battle of the Iron Cross*

## Chapter Organisation

### Order of Battle

Limited in number, the organisation is focused around three battle companies and a smaller fourth reserves and training company.

#### 1st Company

Composed of all of the original founding members of the Night Hammers, the 1st Company forms the battle-hardened element of the chapter. A command element, ten squads of veterans and vehicle support forms the Company. Save the Chapter Master, there are no Luna Wolves in the 1st Company, formed entirely of Astartes pulled from other chapters.

## Chapter Homeworld

When not otherwise engaged, the Night Hammers reside on the Continental World of Aegis. Located in the Ultima Segmentum on the very outskirts of known Imperial space, this world is opposite the side of Terra leaving it for the most part uninhabited. Many aspiring recruits are taken from the human population residing on the planet. Fort Harper, the chapter's fortress-monastary and capital city, serves as the central command, recruiting and manufacturing centre of the chapter. It has been said that Raven was born on Aegis but moved to Terra shortly after his birth. However, this is rumour and the man has said little of his origins.

### Forge Capabilities

Aegis possesses several forges still capable of making utility pieces and wargear. While the majority of these are limited to making simple weapons such as bolters and acting as repair stations, the primary forge hub *Elysium* can create many pieces of wargear that would normally be lost to the Imperium. Its most notable production line is the creation of Tactical Dreadnought Armour, more commonly known as Terminator Armour. Most of this has been Indomitus-pattern, the most recent, but a handful of squads worth of Cataphracii and Tartaros-pattern from the pre-Heresy era have been produced using data previously stolen from the Mechanicus.

## Chapter Tactics

The Night Hammers are small in comparison to others, only about 300 strong. Unable to slug it out in major engagements, many of the tactics of the chapter involve stealth, hit-and-run attacks, and blitz attacks as to get as much firepower out as possible before being counter-attacked. A favourite tactic is the use of Steel Rain. This involves appearing from FTL as close to the target as possible and dropping a full compliment of Drop Pods onto the intended target from orbit. The usage of teleportation technology is also utilised often when squads are using Terminator Armour to directly hit a target. The form of teleportation used by the Night Hammers is more advanced and nowhere near as prone to failure. This tactic, designated First Blood, is exclusive to the chapter as it possesses enough suits of Terminator Armour to equip every member with one.

## Chapter Fleet

Despite being a small chapter by comparison to others, the Night Hammers possess a large and powerful fleet to deal with void engagements. Overall the Night Hammers fleet includes one battleship, three battlebarges, a battlecruiser, 16 cruisers, 20 strike cruisers, an estimated 50 destroyers and the stealth frigate *Steel of Determination.* Notable vessels include:

* *Claw of Terra* - An Emperor-class Battleship and by size and tonnage the largest vessel available to the Night Hammers. This vessel was lost to the Imperium for some time until Raven Halmer found the vessel orbiting Aegis. The battleship was heavily damaged during the Third Battle of Terra and was used to ram a Blackstone Fortress.
* *Steel of Determination* - A unique Stealth Frigate and the flagship of the fleet, *Steel of Determination* is a Dark Age of Technology vessel found shortly after the Heresy ended by Raven Halmer. It is the smallest capital vessel belonging to any one faction but packs a powerful punch; *Steel of Determination* was responsible for many capital losses to the Imperial Navy while in the service of the Black Legion. The vessel was damaged during the 13th Black Crusade and destroyed during the Third Battle of Terra but managed to trade for the traitor flagship *Vengeful Spirit.*
* *Amber Dawn* - Battle Barge and general transport of the three companies of the Night Hammers. This vessel was destroyed during the Third Battle of Terra.
* *Revenge for Cadia* - Overlord-class Battlecruiser. This vessel was used for the Death Guard Heist on an expedition into the Eye of Terror. She later participated in the Third Battle of Terra and the Second Great Crusade.

## Notable Night Hammers

* **Chapter Master Raven Halmer** - An actual member of the Luna Wolves and the Black Legion, Raven was returned to service in the Imperium after the Salamanders Primarch Vulkan spared him from death. He is a veteran Space Marine and the second-oldest loyalist aside from Bjorn the Fell-Handed.
* **Captain Gin Aven** - A gene-son of the Space Wolves, Gin is now the Captain of the Night Hammer's 1st Company. Gin first met Raven during the fall of Cadia and would later be recruited by him after the latter turned loyalist. Gin was almost killed by the Bloodthirster Skarbrand during the Third Battle of Terra but survived albiet with some bionic implants.
* **Captain Lupo Domitius** - An Ultramarine and former commander of the 2nd Company. An experienced Sergeant of his home chapter, Lupo was among the first to be recruited into the Night Hammers. He was killed by Abaddon during the Third Battle of Terra.
* **Captain Garviel Qruze** - Captain of the 3rd Company and the first Luna Wolf to be created since the Great Crusade.
* **Veteran Sergeant Scorpion Marks** - A Vanguard Veteran of the Blood Ravens and the primary trainer of Initiates for the chapter.
* **Captain Nathan Wilde -** Current Captain and former Lieutenant of the 2nd Company.