vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Imperial Knights - Great Crusade and Horus Heresy Eras: Each Noble within a Knight house, referred to during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras heraldically as a "Scion," is a warrior with their own Chronicle of Battle and the traditions and glories of their forebears to uphold.Each house's bloodline ranges from the "Scions Aspirant," freshly raised up to command their armour in battle and wreathed in dreams of would-be glory, to the "Scions Martial," the experienced fighters who make up their house's line of battle, to the upper echelons of the house who hold the traditional ranks of the household's command and who have already writ their own legends in battle.In times of open war, when a Knight house takes to the field en masse, each will have their own roles to play, roles founded as much in ancient tradition as in the individual record and reputation of the Knight armour and the warrior piloting it. Unleashed, such a tide of iron and fire is a force few powers in the galaxy can withstand.
Imperial Knights - Seneschal: The martial traditions and aristocratic rule of the Knight households demand a rigid hierarchy in battle and at the apex of this order is the seneschal. Commonly, this august title is conferred on either the head of a particular household's mustered forces in the field or on the master of a particular fortified keep on the Knight Worlds themselves.In both cases it is heavy not only with symbolic authority but also might, as to have attained such a rank, a Knight must have proved their worth both in personal combat and tactical command, as well as the more subtle but no less dangerous battlefield of political and dynastic struggle.
Imperial Knights - Lord Scion: The term "lord scion" here is used as a collective term that encompasses the upper echelons of a Questoris Knight Great Crusade force, be they in fact titled baron, margrave, siridar count, thane or one of a number of local sub-variations in peerage and rank, and ordered below the supreme authority of a seneschal on the battlefield.They are each a war-tempered veteran whose position has not simply been bought with age and lineage, but with blood and fire upon the battlefield. A lord scion's mettle and record are known to all under their command, just as it is blazoned by the heraldry that adorns their Knight armour; an open challenge to any who would oppose them.
Imperial Knights - Preceptor: It is unusual, but not unknown, for a Scion to display a particular facility for technology, sometimes even serving time observing and learning from their household's Sacristans, although always retaining their distinction and rank.These Scions, once they have become veterans of warfare in their own right, also make for the most able instructors of the household's aspirants, able to impart not only the lore of arms but also to teach a deeper understanding of the Knight armour, its scope of operations and the division of machine and man, earning themselves the honoured title of "preceptor" within the household.The preceptor's lore can be put to use on the battlefield, allowing them to use advanced augury and auspex equipment which would be beyond those without their learning, and serve the role of tactical co-ordination and communications for their household in battle.
Imperial Knights - Aucteller: The aucteller is an archaic rank whose traditions flourished in ancient days when Knight houses battled bloodily for supremacy with one another. Though on many Knight Worlds feuds and affairs of honour were settled through highly ritualised and formalised duels, when the matter was pressed, either with bitter wrath or pure desperation of survival, mass battle was inevitable.In such warfare the aucteller served not as a champion, but as a forlorn hope, oath-sworn to strike down the foe's greatest warriors at the cost of their own lives if needs be. In the age of the Great Crusade such desperate tactics were suppressed, but there were still houses that bore this bitter tradition well, and as the desperate wars of the Horus Heresy unfolded, the need for such sacrifices was born again.
Imperial Knights - Legendary Freeblade: Drawn out from the ranks of their former households, either willingly owing to the lure of adventure or the unquenchable lust for battle, or unwillingly as outcast, renegade or last survivor, Freeblades are Knights Mendicant, owing no alliance and no fealty to any house.Of these, many were drawn to the Great Crusade, lured by the thirst for glory or the unceasing clamour of war on the frontier, joining the Questoris Crusade forces and fighting on countless worlds in support of the Emperor's great work.
Imperial Knights - Scion Martial: The Scions of the Knights Martial, also known in common parlance as the household's "banners," form the main strength of the Knights' battleline; experienced in warfare and expert in the use of the powerful war machines they command.
Imperial Knights - Scion Aspirant: The Knight households are not simply a military force but also hereditary bloodlines of war, a bloodline whose sons and daughters must be tempered in the fires of battle from a young age. Such an apprenticeship is a dangerous one, but vital to the sustenance of a household's strength across the generations.Only the most desperate of battles would force a house to endanger all of its aspirants at once however, and so competition among the youth of fighting age to be picked to join their kin in the field is fierce.
Imperial Knights - Scion Dolorous: A title bestowed upon the most famed beast-killers and slayers among the Knights of the house, the epithet "Dolorous," from the ancient tongue encoded into the great Long March colony arks which bore the the first Knights to their founding worlds during the Age of Technology, means "grievous" or "mournful" in its true form.But within the society of the Knights it has since grown to have a double-edged meaning; of Scions who have proved themselves time and again against the mega-predators which populate many of the Knight Worlds, gaining for themselves a tally of trophies and kills worth the envy of their peers. It also implies one perhaps to whom battle and slaughter have become an addiction to the exclusion of all else, and for whom life beyond the confines of their Knight armour is a pale and hollow thing, and mortal danger their only wine and meat.Such Knights often seek to be deployed in the forefront of battle and will often charge ahead irrespective of any orders to the contrary. While their actions in combat by some are judged to be little more than the madness of a death wish, the power of their battlelust is a devastating force in combat. Those who survive long enough after falling into the strange malady that afflicts the Scions Dolorous learn to temper their fury but not the restless desire for continuous battle, and many will become Freeblades, should they not fall in battle first.
Imperial Knights - Scion Uhlan: The Uhlan tradition is one followed by the most hot-blooded and impetuous Knights, both off and on the field of battle. In war they seek above all the glory of rapid victory and delight in high speed manoeuvre, destroying their foes in a fury of close-range fire and swift assault. Caution is to them an anathema and valour lies only in the close press of battle.Within the Questoris Knight Crusade forces, the Scions Uhlan were used by the wiser house commanders as advanced scouts, raiders and reavers, either to form the front skirmish line of the household in the open field or as flanking forces to encircle a foe and run down an enemy once it breaks. As a result of their preferred tactics, many Scions Uhlan coveted the use of the less-common Cerastus Pattern Knights, owing to their superior battle speed.
Imperial Knights - Scion Arbalester: An arbalester excels at dealing death and destruction at a distance, utilising their Knight's firepower to its fullest and most devastating effect. Skilled gunners, while some of their more impetuous or glory-hungry brethren may scorn their tactics as unworthy, they undertake a vital role in the household's battleline, identifying and destroying enemy heavy weapons emplacements to screen their comrades' advance and he!p shield their fellows from aerial attack.
Imperial Knights - Scion Implacable: An epithet applied to a household Knight who has shown a particular aptitude for siege warfare, an "implacable" is an invaluable warrior in such situations as heavy assault against fortified positions and a!so in the desperate maelstrom of cityscape warfare.In situations such as these, a Knight armour, despite its power, might become undone if unexpectedly surrounded and swarmed by an enemy, but not so the Scion Implacable, who though they may be marked as far more cautious than their brethren in battle, is adept at crushing infantry like vermin.
Imperial Knights - Call to Battle: When battle calls, each knightly house rouses their great war machines. A lone Knight is a one-man army, more than capable of turning back a raiding xenos warband or a herd of rampaging beasts.For larger threats, detachments or entire households of Knights march forth -- a sight as stirring and glorious for its allies to behold as it is terrifying for its foes.When a high king of a Knight World calls for war, his knightly house and all others who owe him fealty are duty-bound to obey. Failure to honour such commitments brings great shame upon a house, a stain of infamy that will never be forgotten, either by the house itself, its peers, or its rivals.However, such is the hold of duty and honour upon the Nobles that it is a rare day indeed when a Knight fails to answer a summons.Beyond the defence of home and hearth, a high king can muster his detachments of Knights to take part in off-world campaigns.This happens most frequently at the behest of the Imperium -- a call for aid from a Lord Commander of the Astra Militarum or a Space Marine Chapter Master -- but the least slight that besmirches a Knight's reputation is cause enough to mount a quest for vengeance.The motive behind a War of Honour might be easily understood, such as hunting down a foe that invaded territory under the high king's protection.However, so tightly wound is the Code Chivalric that governs the behaviour of Nobles, to the exasperation of the Departmento Munitorum, entire campaigns have been declared for perceived discourtesies such as the failure to address a baron with the proper title.The exact number of Knights in a household detachment varies considerably. However, any Knight marching to war is accompanied by a full fanfare -- the blaring of trumpets and the cheering of the citizenry -- as the machine strides from its stronghold's gates.This dazzling panoply increases exponentially for a baron, and even more should the high king and his full Exalted Court march out to battle.
Imperial Knights - Structure of a Questor Imperialis House: At the head of every Knight house allied directly to the Imperium, the true "Questor Imperialis," is a high king. Directly beneath the high king in rank are his barons. Depending upon the size of the knightly house, there may be any number of additional barons, each a Noble lord in his own right, owning some stronghold or key territory of a Knight World.All barons owe allegiance to their high king, but not all barons are politically equal. Although each Knight World maintains their own rituals and hierarchy, the highest-ranking barons are those the high king has selected to join his Exalted Court. These are the most loyal and war-experienced of his Nobles, and typically rule the largest swathes of territory.The baronial rank of "kingsward" protects his liege on the field and at court. A pair of crossed swords signify the rank of kingsward.Beneath each baron is their fiefdom -- the lands that owe them tribute. Those Nobles beneath them are their vassals and can be summoned to war at their call.The Knights themselves fight individually or in formations usually called "lances." However, Knights may be summoned to war by their high king, his Exalted Court or an individual baron, and in most cases lances are made up of the vassal Knights of different barons, according to each member's individual talents, renown and determination.
Imperial Knights - Questor Mechanicus Knights at War: Through mutual oaths and unbreakable vows, the Adeptus Mechanicus have forged alliances with many Knight Worlds.In return for technical aid and reciprocal protection, these houses of the "Questor Mechanicus," as they are now known, send forth their adamantine Knight suits to honour any request made by their allies.Knightly houses closely aligned to the Adeptus Mechanicus are often called upon by the Priesthood of Mars to uphold their ancient pacts. Most often, the Tech-priests request military contingents from Knight Worlds to accompany the Titan Legions into battle.The chosen Nobles are tasked with fighting directly in support of the Legion's larger Battle Titans or are asked to operate independently as scouts to protect the flanks of the slower-moving war machines.The Adeptus Mechanicus also petitions for Knights to join Explorator fleets, for they add invaluable firepower to missions sent out to seize lost archeotech.When a threat is deemed sufficient, Knights are also asked to help defend key planets -- especially endangered Forge Worlds or Quarry Worlds. In return for such military aid, the Knight Worlds receive greater technological resources.To honour minor requests, a knightly house might send a single Knight, one of the honoured barons and an escort of his knightly vassals or perhaps a lance made up of Knights selected for the task in question. Occasionally, the Adeptus Mechanicus will decree that such seconded detachments must remain with a Titan Legion permanently; in these cases, the Nobles change their vows of allegiance and heraldry to reflect the Legio they now serve.When a knightly house is faced with the most severe of threats, a princeps will march out in person with his Exalted Court, these heroes leading forth their entire household. These events are times of great fanfare, but given the increasingly hostile nature of the galaxy, such sights occur with ever greater frequency.
Imperial Knights - Structure of a Questor Mechanicus House: Those knightly houses aligned directly as vassals to the Adeptus Mechanicus, known as the Questor Mechanicus, are also feudal, and are organised in a manner similar to their Imperial cousins.The ruler of the household is known as a "princeps," just like the commander of a Mechanicus Titan, and their decree is final. The rank below princeps is that of baron, and positions within this rank are still hierarchical, based on the individual barons' political influence and battle experience.For their ruling council -- also called an "Exalted Court" -- the princeps will promote four barons. Known as "Barons Prime," these individuals are second in power only to the princeps themselves.Each baron will have a number of vassals beneath them, and it is their duty to muster should they be called to battle. The number and exact organisation of these knightly vassals varies wildly from house to house, depending upon the size and power of the knightly house itself.Regardless, when the summons to war is received, lances, groups of oathsworn Knights and entire household detachments will be drawn from the entire house's strength; only in unusual circumstances will the princeps, or one acting in his stead, choose to select only from a single baron's vassals.To honour minor requests of the Mechanicus, a knightly house might send a single Knight, or perhaps a lance made up of Knights selected for the task in question.Occasionally, the Adeptus Mechanicus will decree that such seconded detachments must remain with one of its Titan Legions permanently; in these cases, the Nobles change their vows of allegiance and heraldry to reflect the Legio they now serve.When faced with a severe threat, a princeps of a Questor Mechanicus house will march out with their Exalted Court, these heroes leading forth their entire household.These events are times of great fanfare, but given the increasingly hostile nature of the galaxy after the opening of the Great Rift, they occur with ever greater frequency.
Imperial Knights - High King: The high king, and more rarely "high queen" if female, is the ruler of a Questor Imperialis Knight house or Knight World in the case of those worlds with multiple Knight houses all owing fealty to a ruling house.
Imperial Knights - Princeps: The title given to the ruler of a Questor Mechanicus Knight house or Knight World.
Imperial Knights - Kingsward: The title given to the veteran Noble who serves as the high king's or princeps' primary protector, most trusted advisor and body guard. The kingsward is expected to give their own life if necessary to protect that of their lord, and often commands a larger force of elite Knights that serve as the house ruler's Exalted Court.
Imperial Knights - Baron: A lord in their own right, all barons owe allegiance to their high king or princeps, but not all barons are equal, as positions within this rank are still hierarchical, based on the individual barons' influence and battle experience.The most experienced barons in an Imperial-aligned knightly house make up a high king's Exalted Court.The barons of a Mechanicus-aligned knightly house are known as "Barons Prime," second only in power to the princeps themselves.
Imperial Knights - Knight Warlord: When fielding an army where the primary detachment is made up of Imperial Knights, one Knight is nominated as the Knight Warlord. A Knight Warlord always also holds the more archaic rank of seneschal.
Imperial Knights - Seneschal: Some veteran Knights who prove themselves worthy in the fires of battle, either through countless martial triumphs or by one truly heroic act, are awarded the rank of seneschal, and are paragons of their house who often command its forces in battle as the Knight Warlord.
Imperial Knights - Knight: These are the Noble warriors who have proven themselves in battle, and form the bulk of each knightly house's household detachments. The ranks of the Knights include many types of warriors, from the freshly blooded hotheaded youngling to the solid veteran experienced with dozens of engagements; but all will proudly and steadfastly represent their house at war.
Imperial Knights - Knight Apparent: After undergoing the Ritual of Becoming, in itself a praiseworthy feat, a young Knight pilot begins their career as a Knight Apparent. They will retain this title until they have been blooded in their first full-scale battle, after which the supplemental title of "Apparent" is dropped and they are accepted by their peers as a full-fledged Imperial Knight.
Imperial Knights - Exalted Court: The "Exalted Court" is nothing less than the ruler of the knightly house and their hand-selected entourage of officers and top-ranking Nobles. Beyond doubt, this is the most powerful formation a house can field, representing the pinnacle of its leadership and martial prowess.When the Exalted Court marches out to war, it does so with full fanfare -- trumpets blare and the ground shakes. Striding forth in the full panoply of war, the Knights of the Exalted Court have power enough to level cities or smash entire armies to ruin.The titles of each member in the Exalted Court vary between Adeptus Mechanicus- and Imperium-aligned houses, and the hierarchy and subsidiary roles of each position are different for every knightly house.However, one fact remains the same -- when the Exalted Court takes to the battlefield, they carry with them the full pride and might of their house.
Imperial Knights - Baronial Court: A Baronial Court is an army-crushing formation that crosses battlefields like an adamantine avalanche, a ground-churning charge of near-titanic proportions.On their own initiative, or at the summons of their high king or princeps, a baron will muster a bodyguard from those household Knights who are pledged to aid their fief.This formation is classified as a Baronial Court, although some knightly houses refer to it as a "Baronial Escort" or "Cavalier Spearhead."Forming a nigh-impenetrable ionic shieldwall, the Knights march abreast, closing with the foe while their own massed firepower rains down death.Here strides the unbridled power of the Knights, a force that has defeated Humanity's enemies since before the birth of the Imperium.
Imperial Knights - Tripartite Lance: The Tripartite Lance formation was developed by the Adeptus Mechanicus-aligned House Vulker, and later adopted by all other houses.This formation consists of three Knights -- one each of the Warden, Gallant, and Crusader classes -- fighting together as one.Co-ordinating these huge machines to fight as a single unit, however, requires not only relentless combat drills, but an ability to predict the actions of the other Knights that borders on prescience.Through their Thrones Mechanicum, each towering Knight anticipates the movement of its lance-mates, triangulating their firepower and close combat actions as a single unit.Thanks to their thrones' bond, the Knights of the lance also move with a grace and ease of motion that belie their massive size and crushing weight, allowing the adamantine giants to work in close formation.Fighting thus, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as many foes have found out to their cost.
Imperial Knights - Gallant Lance: With more momentum than a runaway mag-train, a Gallant Lance hits with such ground-shaking impact that shockwaves can be felt kilometres away.Even a Battle Titan must fear such a collision, for each of the three Knights Gallant that make up the Gallant Lance formation is, in its own right, a formidable killing machine.Given enough time, such a tsunami of hurtling adamantine armour, swinging reaper blades and lightning-wreathed Thunderstrike Gauntlets could completely stave in an Imperial Navy battleship.Gallant Lances charging full tilt have even been known to crack open the reinforced ferrocrete walls of traitorous hive cities -- once within, their murderous prowess is such that the previously confident foe will flee their stronghold rather than face the Knights in combat.
Imperial Knights - Skyreaper Lance: When Sacristans fit a twin-linked Icarus Autocannon atop a Knight's carapace they give that enormous walker the ability to command the sky, bringing down winged creatures or turning swooping aircraft into hurtling fireballs that spin crazily into the ground.When a formation of three Imperial Knights so armed work in concert they can crisscross the sky with stitched patterns of tracer fire, casting a deadly net of anti-air fire into the heavens.Known as a "Skyreaper Lance," such a formation can bring down entire flying squadrons, making it rain with exploded aircraft parts or the bloody chunks of flying beasts.It is always possible to tell where a Skyreaper Lance was stationed on a battlefield, for the surrounding ground is littered with furrowed wrecks and spattered gore.
Imperial Knights - Honorifics and Titles: Although all Knight Worlds have similar feudal societies, local factors and other external influences meant that the exact nature of these emergent cultures varied somewhat between worlds.Nowhere is this more evident than in the names utilised by the knightly houses for their ranks, battle formations and even their strongholds. The ruler of House Griffith, for example, bears the rather pretentious honorific of "grand master of the lance."None, however, would dare claim that Griffith's current ruler, Grand Master Bryce, does not merit such a grandiose title, for his skill in battle is legend across the galaxy.Similarly, by long tradition the Nobles of House Skandos are known as "jarls," and their household detachments as"jarlhosts," while the largest stronghold of all the Knight Worlds is that of House Raven, which is known as the Keep Inviolate.This titanic edifice is large enough to accommodate each and every one of the many hundreds of Knight suits belonging to the Nobles of House Raven and is one of the mightiest fortifications in the Imperium.
Imperial Knights - Oaths of Allegiance: When Mankind rediscovered the feudal domains of the Knight houses, they quickly found common cause, exchanging oaths of loyalty.The knightly houses found on each of the Knight Worlds are affiliated with either the Imperium generally or serve as direct vassals of the Adeptus Mechanicus.The Knight Worlds of the Questor Imperialis are expected to adhere to the Imperial Tithe as does any other planet, but still trade with the Adeptus Mechanicus to keep their Knight suits operational.Many Knight houses see the Imperium as their equal partner, and support it militarily out of mutual advantage. Although these houses trade openly with the Imperium, and march to war alongside their armies, they retain a fierce independence.Other houses found common cause specifically with the ancient Mechanicum, who in turn courted the Knight houses with unseemly eagerness. These Questor Mechanicus houses, as they are now known, have forged alliances of reciprocal protection and betterment.The Knight Worlds of the Questor Mechanicus are often found near to the parent Forge World with which they are associated. This is no mere coincidence, for many of these Forge Worlds were specifically founded near to Knight Worlds in order to harvest their natural resources.The Titan Legions that set forth from these Forge Worlds to battle the enemies of Mankind often do so in the company of their allies from the Knight Worlds.A partnership between both Forge and Knight World is mutually advantageous to both factions, as their combined military strength is great enough to shatter cities and conquer worlds.Those who look at the fealty of the knightly houses towards the Adeptus Mechanicus often wonder at whether the relationship is not in fact based on jealousy, for the tech-priests of Mars covet the pre-Imperial technology that lies within the mighty citadels of each Knight house.For their part, the Questor Mechanicus houses seem not to care, since they receive the full resources of the affiliated Forge Worlds from their allies.While the overwhelming majority of Imperial Knights belong to houses (such as Houses Terryn, Hawkshroud and Cadmus) who are aligned to the Imperium, some houses (such as Taranis and Raven) are sworn to the service of the Adeptus Mechanicus.Each house has its own proud traditions that span thousands of standard years, and will have fought in countless battles on behalf of Humanity.
Imperial Knights - Knight Armour: The war machines utilised by the Imperial Knights were orginally built with the intention of helping with the work of Human interstellar colonisation.That inherent practicality was communicated in many of the aspects of their current design. For example, the Reaper Chainsword, considered such a fearsome weapon on the battlefield, was clearly once intended for clearing huge areas of vegetation for the early settlers.Each of the weapons has heavy-duty lifting hooks attached to it, and one can imagine the original practical colonists hooking up digging or lifting apparatus just as easily as they could remove a powerful Battle Cannon out of stores to fend off marauding Orks or Aeldari.Many of the practical elements of the original endoskeleton of the Knights' war machines are now hidden under the sloped armour plates and heraldry of the Imperial Knight.If one were able to penetrate beneath the heavy layers of thick protective armour plates, the war machine would resemble the functional STC construction machines of the past when the colonists first used them to defend their early settlements.Knight armour comes in a wide variety of forms, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Their are three broader classes of Knights, ranging from lightest and smallest to largest and heaviest. These include the Armiger Pattern Knights, Questoris Pattern Knights and Dominus Pattern Knights.The two most commonly seen classes within these patterns are both Questoris Knights, including the Knight Paladin and the Knight Errant. These both use the same basic body form, but are fitted with different weapon arrays. Each is well-liked for its balanced and deadly combination of manoeuvrability, protection and firepower.All Imperial Knights are protected by thick adamantium armour and are fitted with powerful weapon systems. Usually, this entails two primary weapons, one attached to each of its "arms", which will be supplemented by a number of secondary weapon systems fitted to its torso and shoulders.The hand-forged armour that protects each Knight was crafted long ago, and elements such as the individual armour plates, helm or crests can therefore vary considerably depending on the skill of the artisan who made them.The armour is often lavishly detailed and adorned with complex heraldry that reveals the Knight's allegiances and the deeds he has accomplished in battle.
Imperial Knights - Obsolete Knight Armour Types: Note: The following patterns of Knight -- the Knight Baron, Knight Castellan and Knight Lancer -- are no longer considered canon, but have been included below for completeness.Knight Baron - The Knight Baron is piloted by a superior warrior with razor-sharp combat and Knight-handling skills. A Baron Knight usually leads a Knight squadron into battle. As a sign of their command and societal status, every Baron uses a Knight custom-built to their exact specifications. This Knight pattern's armour plating is thick and resilient, and heavily decorated with house symbols and fluttering pennants in the colours of the Baron's estates. A Knight Baron is usually armed with a Battle Cannon and the destructive Power Lance, usually only found on Knight Lancers -- which also means that despite its exceptional sturdiness, the Knight Baron's armour is light enough to allow the machine to move fast enough to generate the charge necessary to operate the weapon, and to keep up with the charging Knight Lancers. In battle, the Knight Baron leads the assaults of his kinsmen, crashing through enemy lines like a bolt of lightning with his followers hacking into the foe around him with redoubled pride and fervour.Knight Lancer - The Knight Lancer is a variant of the standard Knight suit that has been designed for speed and agility. The Knight Lancer is most usually used to perform scouting actions, outflank enemy forces and distract them while heavier units can position themselves to attack. The Knight Lancer is equipped with a Battle Cannon to give it long range fighting capability, but its true armament is the Power Lance. The Power Lance is a relatively simple upgrade to the standard Shock Lance that is mounted on other Knight patterns. It operates by intensifying the bolt of energy normally expelled from Shock Lances, changing it into a searing arc of lightning capable of rending all but the strongest of armour plating and causing havoc in enemy ranks. The Power Lance has a very short range, but its nature makes it the perfect weapon for hit-and-run attacks.
Imperial Knights - Heraldric Devices: Each suit of Knight armour worn by Nobles of a Questor Imperialis Knight house will always display three things: the major plates display house symbols, most typically the crest and lesser icons. The minor plates show Imperial heraldry. Finally, the Knight's front right shoulder guard is reserved for the personal heraldry of the Noble pilot -- this is a heraldic design which is unique to that specific warrior and none other.Knight houses of the Questor Mechanicus dedicated to the service of the Machine God are less predisposed to tolerate personal heraldry; this does not, however, preclude individual differences. Also of note is the common practice of painting the Knight's faceplate in a black and white half tone.The Gauntlet - The symbol of an armoured gauntlet crushing a serpent symbolises House Krast's hatred of Chaos. The warriors of House Krast are violent opponents of the Forces of Chaos. Historically they were the first knightly house to join their forces to the Great Crusade, and they took great honour in their part of the Emperor's galactic conquest. But when the Horus Heresy reared its head, they suffered terribly. Chrysis, the home planet of House Krast, was utterly ravaged by the Traitors, and left as little more than a husk, reduced to a poisonous wasteland by the virus weapons unleashed upon it. Even 10,000 standard years later, the Nobles now live in Void-Shielded enclaves, and look out at their ruined world and feel a burning hate. Their icon is now the embodiment of their quest for vengeance, and they proudly tally the many Chaos worshippers they have defeated. Prosecuting this endless battle against the forces of the Dark Gods has become their driving motivation. Such is their venom that there is a secret place on their homeworld, known as the Hammer of Traitors. Here they carve the names of Chaos worshippers they have destroyed -- and, rumour has it, bring prisoners to die terrible, gasping deaths in the poisonous air.Knightly Honours - Glorious kills are celebrated by Imperial Knights with icons to be worn on their personal banner or suit of Knight armour. These take many forms, from targetting symbols or small skulls to rings around weapon barrels. House Krast's greatest hate is for the Traitor Titan Legion of the Legio Mortis, who they hold accountable for the horrors unleashed on Chrysis. The broken death head symbol utilised by the Knights of House Krast is a modified badge of the Legio Mortis, with a crack which denotes a Titan kill of their most hated enemies.
Imperial Knights - Marks of Fealty: Every Imperial Knight wears an icon upon its carapace that proclaims the loyalty of its house to all that behold it:Imperial Eagle - The Imperial Eagle, or Aquila, is the icon worn by Imperium-aligned houses. It is worth noting that, while his icon proclaims a close military alliance, it does not imply any form of subjugation. Indeed, Knight Houses see themselves as equals (if not betters) of the Imperium, alongside whom they fight for mutual benefit and as a sign of friendship.Machina Opus - The icon of the Adeptus Mechanicus, also known as the Cog Mechanicum , is worn by Imperial Knights in houses which are aligned with the Priesthood of Mars. Houses that wear this mark not only fight alongside the Adeptus Mechanicus, and will answer a call for aid without hesitation, but can also rely on the industrial might of the Forge Worlds to supply and repair their war machines.Laurels Fidelis - Knights who take the mantle of Freeblades cast aside the heraldry of their former houses. Tradition dictates that these Nobles adopt the Laurels Fidelis, a laurel-wreathed skull which indicates their continued loyalty towards the Imperium of Man, despite leaving their houses behind. An Imperial Knight wearing this symbol will fight for Mankind, even until death.
Imperial Knights - Freeblade Heraldry: Despite the fact that there have been many cases of Freeblade Knights working in concert -- even as part of a household detachment -- over the Imperium's long history, the vast majority of them choose to fight alone. The reasons behind this solitary existence are many and varied, but it is certain that each Freeblade would have a long story to tell if ever he chose to reveal his past, though it is unlikely that the truth would be a pleasant one.It is their mysterious history that leads many Freeblades to forsake their origins and take on a whole new identity. Many of these Knights choose to hide behind a cryptic name, though whether or not it is possible to discern a glint of a Freeblade's past from his choice of title is an enigma in itself. It is likely that after many long years of relentless warfare, some Knights may even have forgotten why they took their first step along the path of the Freeblade.Unlike household Knights, Freeblades commonly choose a single colour as their suit's livery, adopting simple designs or patterns if any at all. Many choose to only show significant iconography on their tabard, though even these are symbolically selective in decoration. A Freeblade Knight's choice of livery and what passes for heraldry is unique, and no two Freeblades will ever look the same.
Imperial Knights - Chaos Knights (Questor Traitoris): During the Horus Heresy, the galaxy was engulfed in the fiercest civil war Mankind has ever known. Those who remained loyal to the Emperor fought against their erstwhile brothers as the Warmaster Horus made his bid for power. In those days, bonds of brotherhood were shattered and mistrust was common, treachery becoming as much a weapon as Bolters and Battle Cannons.The Imperial Knights that did turn to Chaos have long since died but their souls live on as daemons, floating within the shells of their corrupted war machines. The Chaos Knights themselves have also mutated, sprouting claws, tails and other horrendous natural weapons as blessings of the Dark Gods.When the war machines of a Knight house dedicated to the Ruinous Powers marches onto the battlefield, it spreads havoc, despair and death. When the Heresy finally ended, these Renegade Knight houses, known in High Gothic as the Questor Traitoris, presumably fled into the Eye of Terror alongside the rest of the Forces of Chaos, and remain active to this day, now twisted and changed by the mutating power of the Warp.When a daemonic legion marches to war it is sometimes preceded by these Chaos Knights, spreading havoc and despair. In general, though, the innate conservatism of the knightly houses has made them resistant to the lures of the Chaos Gods, and Renegade Knights are therefore a rare sight on the battlefields of the late 41st Millennium.
Imperial Knights - Daemon Knights of Slaanesh: Imperial records are somewhat lacking in their information referring to the Knights in general, and this is only more true in regard to those Renegade Nobles of the Knight Worlds who have embraced the fickle blessings of the Chaos Gods. Almost all knowledge of these Traitors comes from records concerning those of the Knights that have dedicated themselves to Slaanesh, and virtually nothing is known of those in service to the other Chaos Gods, or of those worshipping Chaos Undivided as a singular entity.Since the first betrayal during the Battle of Molech by House Devine, many Knight households have been corrupted by Chaos down the millennia. Their crews have long since died but their souls live on as daemons, floating within the shells of their war machines. The Renegade Knights themselves have also mutated, sprouting claws, tails and other horrendous weapons. When a Slaanesh army marches to war it is preceded by these Daemon Knights, spreading havoc and despair.The Daemon Knights of Slaanesh are the first element of an advancing Slaaneshi army, preceding the bulk of Chaos forces and Chaos Titans. Their task is to seek out the enemy, probe defences and attempt to flush them out of fortified positions. The Knights' chief advantage is their speed and agility, allowing them to easily outflank any enemy and to run down and exterminate any stragglers.Slaaneshi Daemon Knights do not use Shock Lances or Power Lances, as these weapons do not suit their style of combat. Akin to the Chaos Titans of Slaanesh, and the Eldar Titans that they emulate, the Daemon Knights are exceptionally nimble and agile, and they prefer to ambush their enemies and fight from afar, rather than charge headlong into close-quarters melee.These Daemon Knights also do not utilise Ion Shields. Instead, they are surrounded by a glittering wall of energy created by the Warp-interface within them which anchors the daemonic spirit inside in the material realm. This shifting, swirling aura is called the Glamour of Slaanesh and makes the Daemon Knight very hard to target accurately.In effect, it works like an Aeldari Holo-field, and is a yet another emulation of that xenos race's Titans. Like the Holo-field, the Glamour of Slaanesh proves useless against barrages and other attacks spread over a wide area, as such weapons do not rely on pinpoint accuracy. Additionally, since the Glamour of Slaanesh is an interface with the Immaterium, it also provides a measure of protection against attacks drawing upon the Warp, such as Vortex Missiles or psychic powers.
Imperial Knights - Canon Conflict: The history of the Knight war machines as presented above is canon culled from the game Titan Legions and the corresponding Codex Titanicus, as well as in White Dwarf 178 (UK) and the Codex: Imperial Knights for the 7th and 8th Editions of the game.Knight Titans did not exist in the original release of Adeptus Titanicus, however, they were added in a different incarnation as a supplement found in White Dwarf 126 (UK). This account of the Knights' history differed from that given above and has largely been superseded by newer canon, however for a number of reasons -- chief amongst them being the presence of relevant information pertaining to the Eldar Knights -- it has been included in the article and is presented below.Please note that this version contains old background information that is no longer considered canon according to the current iteration of the Warhammer 40K universe -- for example the existence of the Imperial Cult as the official doctrine of the Imperium of Man in the pre-Heresy era. For clarity's sake, the original canon has been presented below:
Imperial Knights - Original Knight Armours: Three types of Knights were introduced by Games Workshop in the 1990s: the Warden, Paladin and Lancer. The Wardens were defensive; armed with long-range heavy weapons and well-protected with thick armour. The Paladin was fitted with a ranged weapon and a close combat weapon. The Lancer had only a single major ranged weapon but was faster and more mobile than the other types. This range of Knights was later reworked in appearance and rules to "Paladin", "Errant" and "Lancer" types with the "Baron" as a superior command unit.A number of Knights were included in the Titan Legions box set (Epic 40,000 2nd Edition) and also feature as a hidden extra in the Final Liberation game. With the advent of the Horus Heresy source books released by Forge World, the canon for the Imperial Knights, as well as the various classes that now comprise them, have been thoroughly rewritten and expanded upon.
Imperial Knights - Forces of the Imperial Knights: Imperial Knight ForcesArmiger Pattern KnightsArmiger Warglaive • Armiger Helverin • Knight MoiraxQuestoris Pattern KnightsKnight Paladin • Knight Errant • Knight Crusader • Knight Gallant • Knight Warden • Knight Preceptor • Knight Magaera • Knight StyrixDominus Pattern KnightsKnight Castellan • Knight ValiantCerastus Pattern KnightsCerastus Knight-Lancer • Cerastus Knight-Castigator • Cerastus Knight-Acheron • Cerastus Knight-AtraposAcastus Pattern KnightsAcastus Knight Porphyrion • Acastus Knight Asterius
Imperial Military Technology - Imperial Military Technology: This page describes the various Imperial military technologies used by the Imperial armed forces in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Sometimes considered to be covered by the term "wargear" which also includes weapons as well as the less lethal technologies described below, this equipment is grouped according to the appropriate category. With the evolution of the Warhammer 40,000 setting over some 20 years, many types of equipment have been described in the various editions of the game. Some of these are no longer in use in the most current editions. Whenever appropriate, the history of the weapon is described, including some of the more notable units that are known to carry that weapon. Imperial armaments, weapons and vehicles have their own, separate pages.The Imperium of Man is an immense, galaxy-spanning empire. There are several armed branches of the Imperium's military and police forces, and much of their equipment is common to multiple branches. The armed forces of the Imperium include, but are not limited to the Space Marines, the Imperial Guard, the Adeptus Mechanicus, the three Ordos of the Inquisition, the Adeptus Arbites and the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, better known as the Sisters of Battle.
Imperial Military Technology - Mesh Armour: Mesh Armour is an armoured, anti-ballistic bodysuit usually made from carbon-ceramic polyfibres. It can also be constructed in imitation of the much more advanced Aeldari mesh armour from tiny metal rings or thousands of thermoplas cells that are linked together. Phased out of use by the Astra Militarum in the 31st Millennium for Flak Armour, its use is ubiquitous elsewhere in the galaxy among paramilitary, pirate and other criminal groups; it always was far more common among the hive gangs on the major Hive Worlds. The gangs preferred to use Mesh Armour for personal protection as all a ganger needed to make a suit was a powered nanoloom, water, and some powdered bone.
Imperial Military Technology - Flak Armour: Cheap and easy to produce, Flak Armour comprises several layers of ablative thermoplast materials and impact absorbent carbon fibres. Flak armour is usually designed as a vest or a sleeveless jacket which covers the upper torso. Useful for protection against shrapnel and low calibre weaponry, the flak jacket; is the standard-issue personal armour of most Astra Militarum regiments.
Imperial Military Technology - Carapace Armour: Comprised of rigid plates made of armaplas or ceramite, Carapace Armour is made up of plates that are moulded to fit the wearer.Usually a carapace suit will cover the torso and major joints with plates for the limbs along with a helmet, although it is also available in full body-suit form. Most wearers are in a relatively fit condition compared to other flak-wearing troopers, due to the armour being so heavy.It can realistically be expected to stop a large variety of mid-range weaponry. During periods of relative peace, and during training exercises, some Space Marines will don carapace suits -- such garb befits a Space Marine during times of wait. Space Marines Scouts are allowed access to carapace armour as they are not yet worthy enough to wear power armour and their Black Carapace has yet to have grown in so they are unable to properly interface with the armour. Carapace armour is also used by Imperial Guard Stormtroopers, Kasrkin squads and some regiments of high-tech Imperial Guard.
Imperial Military Technology - Artificer Armour: Space Marine Techmarines may choose to craft a suit of power armour of extraordinary quality; such suits are referred to as Artificer Armour. Artificer Armour is crafted from the finest materials and with the utmost care. Due to this attention to detail Artificer Armour provides more protection than normal power armor but does not suffer the compromise of lessened mobility, like Terminator Armour. It is often highly decorated and embellished with ornamentation and devotional scripts. Most Techmarines wear Artificer Armour of their own crafting; it's construction a final test of their acquired skills following their tutelage under the Adeptus Mechanicus on Mars. Artificer Armour is kept in the Chapter Armoury as a reward for devoted service by a veteran marine, or as standard equipment for specialized position in the chapter. In-game Artificer armour is available to any model with access to the armory.