Legio Gryphonicus - Origins: Gryphonne IV, the world of the Legio's founding, located in the Segmentum Tempestus, was known to have been a seat of technological might according to ancient myths predating the Age of Strife, and so formed one of the earliest attempts of the Martian Mechanicum to reach out into the darkness during Old Night.While many such missions resulted in failure, doomed before the Emperor of Mankind's intervention in the creation of the Navis Nobilite, and many of the Mechanicum Arks were sundered or lost without trace, the expedition to Gryphonne IV met with great success.This was likely a process of conquest over what local inhabitants remained rather than colonisation on the Mechanicum's part, although the truth of this matter has long since been sealed and forgotten by the Imperium. What is known is that after the founding of the Forge World of Gryphonne IV it quickly established itself as a power in its own right, expanding to dominate a pocket empire of eight nearby star systems which came to be known as the Gryphonne Octad.Over the centuries that followed, the Mechanicum domain prospered and managed to maintain communication, albeit infrequent and fragmented, with distant Mars. Swearing its domains and arms to the service of the Great Crusade, Gryphonne marched to war at the Emperor's call, and would see its Titan Legion, one of the largest and most ably equipped outside Mars, see immediate action on many battlefronts.Having extensive experience and proven tactical doctrines in fighting alongside the infantry forces of the Gryphonne Octad, the Legio Gryphonicus quickly gained a reputation for skill in close support of ground troops, and so was much in demand for assignment to the various expeditionary fleets.The Legio however was loath to split its forces unduly on deployment, and instead served generally as an independent heavy contingent, assigned to various war zones as strategic needs demanded it.This in turn led to the Legio Gryphonicus amassing battle honours alongside the Dark Angels, Imperial Fists and Death Guard Legiones Astartes at various times, and their inclusion in the order of battle for some of the most famous and vital campaigns of the Great Crusade, such as the Rangdan Xenocides and the Ullanor Crusade.The martial culture of the War Griffons was one of fierce pride and honour. They valued discipline and skill amongst their Titan crew highly, and each princeps and moderatus strove to add glory to their own name and that of their bloodline and Legion, much in the manner of their kin in the Knight houses.Each Titan of the Legio Gryphonicus in consequence became noted as being a visual testament to the war engine's own history of war, as well as the distinctions and battle honours earned by its crew.So it was that when the War Griffons went striding to war, thunderous sirens howling and bedecked in heraldic banners proclaiming their might, it was taken as a sign to rejoice by the Imperialis Auxilia, who held the Legion's arrival as an avatar of victory or salvation in the midst of battle.This lust for glory and individual achievement within the Legion's ranks did, however, lead to legendary rivalries among its princeps, and highly structured mechanisms were imposed for resolving such affairs of honour through duelling, a tradition which was held in abeyance however during open battle.Such martial temper also led for some of its commanders -- particularly those assigned to god-engines such as the Warhounds already noted for their aggressive animus -- to develop reputations for impetuosity in battle, and refusal to retreat even when faced with the most overwhelming odds.