Index Astartes: Crimson Angels - Embittered Fallens
Origin:
Crimson Angel chapter was founded at the end of 34th millenia from a Blood Angel geneseed. Carefull manipulation of geneseed was applied in attempt to remove the Black Rage from the otherwise perfect geneseed. Chapter raised it's strenght for seven decades untill it had 2 companies filled. Initial action were at the northern side of galaxy against rampaging ork waaaagh Gashnak the Gruel. The campaign was success in all accounts and no sign of Black Rage had been seen. It seemed like Crimson Angel's were perfect codex chapter and process to get them at full strenght was sped up immediatly. Unfortunatly Rage was only hidden deeper, not vanished...
<I>Sign that something was wrong came at the battle of hive world Rakus IV at the start of 37th millenia. Planet had rebelled against Imperium and Imperial Guard couldn't break the siege, defences were simply too well equipped and trained. After decade of fighting Colonel in charge of attacking forces called for Adeptus Astartes to support them. Crimson Angel's responded. Using drop pods the chapter sent battle comppany and assault comppany straight into the hive city. Combat was close up and bloody and wether revelation of Rage was triggered by it or by time is unknown. What is known is that half the marines on planet succumbed to it fully and completely. Renegades fell to enraged marines within day and then the marines started to feast on them...Drinking all blood out of the cultist the thirst was still not settled and despite attempts to stop maddened marine's by Brother Marines they charged out of city straight to Imperial Guard forces. Horrified by charge from assumedly allied forces Imperial Guard, those which could get away fast enough anyway, retreated to nearby mountains. After recovering their senses they returned to the battle barge and waited for what would come. 3 day later Monodomian Inquisitor from Ordo Hereticus came in black ship and demanded chapter to send representives to discuss about the incidence. After arriving to the black ship marines, among them chapter mastes Lucius Godryn, were escorted into chamber by well armed combat troops. Inquisitor demanded to know exactly what had happened. Upon hearing it he declared that the chapter had made heresy upon Emperor and would need to submit for penalty or be declared Excommunicate Traitors. Horrified at the response for what had come from the very thing that made them the warriors they refused. Inquisitor responded in declaring them heretics and pulling up his pistol, fatal mistake. Crimson Angels attacked Inquisitor and his bodyguard tearing them apart in orgy of destruction. They made their way to the launch bays and departed. Ordering the battle barge to open fire on the black ship they made escape abandoning Imperium which they saw had betrayed them.
Upon hearing the news about renegade chapters no less than 3 chapter's were given order to hunt them and kill them at sight. Crimson Angel's had no choise but to flee and during the process lost several of the strike cruisers and one of the two battle barge's chapter had. Embittered at the betrayal they headed for Eye of Terror. Upon there they conquered a planet from minor chaos champpion and made it as their home. Then they started to rebuild the chapter to former strenght and even further.</I>
The chapter vanished from sight of Imperium for five centuries and were believed to have been destroyed in the Eye. Shortly after mid-37th millenia however mining colony at Saryon II stopped sending raw material. Investigation team sent to there found colony to be devastated with crew being drained of all blood. No sign of attacker were found. Year later agri world of Jakos III was attacked with all people drained of blood. This time video picture, even if bad quality, had remained. From it could clearly be seen massive warriors in power armour. Their armour were close to imperial but was modified in large parts. Unfortunatly picture was not clear enough to identify the attackers. Final revelation came 2 year later when Folk V sent distress call stating attacker's to be space marines of some type. As luck would have it warriors from Omega Warriors were nearby. They launched counter attack and saw clearly the attackers recognising the symbols of Crimson Angels who had been changed terribly, their armour now part imperial, part chaos. Driving the intruders off Omega Warriors sent information to High Lords of Terra. Crimson Angels were back with vengeance in their mind.
Organisation:
Before turning to traitor's chapter followed the codex astartes rigidly. After the reappearance of chapter much has been discovered from analysing the raids. Chapter has increased it's size conciderably. Largest assault contained over thousand fallen warrior against hive world Lokus VII, though explanation for such increased number is unknown. Before the events at Rakus IV chapter numbered around 700 battle brother, some that were lost during the fight and ensuing escape. Imperial analyser's maintain that within space of half a millenia such increase in number's is all but impossible. What's the source of recruiment is unknown. Equipment they carry is mix of current imperial weaponry and pre-heresy weapons. It appears they have salvaged some weaponry in the Eye to replace lost equipment and to arm fresh warriors. Chapter has abandoned tactical flexibility with number of people abandoning bolter's for close combat armaments. Furthest to this are number of warriors who match in look and behaviour to that of Khorne Berserkers. Wether they are members of chapter turned to Khorne worship or outside force fighting together with them is unknown. All that is known is that the berserker's don't carry World Eater's symbol's so atleast chapter hasn't acquired support from the infamous first founding legion.
<B>Combat Doctrines:</B>
Before turning point Crimson Angels operated largely as dictated by codex astartes embracing flexibility over specialisiation. Using drop pods and thunderhawks they would land into positions suitable for fight and engage enemy in methods suitable under the situation. After turning to chaos however clear change at fighting method has been spotted with number of squads abandoning bolters in favour of close combat weapons. During the fight Crimson Angels will tear into enemy with what appears to be controlled fury. These are supported by the crazed warriors who are used to break the enemy line.
<B>Fleet:</B>
Unlike many chapters Crimson Angels never cared much about space combat and thus the fleet in their possession remained small even before they turned to chaos. Chapter would repeatedly appear near the target planet, blast small guard fleet apart and then send troops to planet. If opposing fleet was too large to handle they would call for support or hit the fleet piece by piece untill path was clear. After losing most of the fleet during the escape the Crimson Angels have been even more cautious. There has been only one notable case where Crimson Angels deliberatly attacked fleet of equal size. At the 847M40 Adeptus Astartes fleet of Lion Guard was ambushed by four strike cruisers and 17 escorts from the Crimson Angels. The Lion Guard's Battle Barge was quickly boarded by two strike cruisers. After intense fighting renegades made escape and lost single strike cruiser in process as well as 7 escorts. Lion Guard never explained what had happened during the boarding that resulted in the swift retreat.
At the moment 1 battle barge and 5 different strike cruiser has been identified bearing colours of Crimson Angels with small group of escorts at support. It's very likely chapter finds it hard to replace or make new ships on the Eye. Threat posed by the fleet therefore is likely to be small.
Geneseed:
Formed from that of blood angel's Crimson Angel geneseed was originally pure except for The Black Rage. The attempt to remove it failed utterly and infact seems to have enchanced the effect of Rage, for those who have succumbed to it act even more violently than those of Blood Angel's or more traditional successor chapter's of theirs. Entering the Eye of Terror has aparantly caused the geneseed to mutate even further as analyses on the captured genesteed have revealed large amount of mutation. Crimson Angel's are now corrupt beyond repair and in need of Exterminatus.
Beliefs:
Analysing the battle messages of raiding parties has led Imperial analysers to believe Crimson Angel's fight for the vengeance. They do not seem to follow any chaos god with exception of the berserker's sighted in the raiding parties. What the reason for some worshipping Khorne and some not, assuming berserker's are indeed part of the chapter, is speculated but some believe that the berserker's are simply battle brother's fallen in black rage. The blood hungry state in which those fallen to rage live should certainly appeal to Khorne's bloodthirsty name.
Battlecry:
"Feel the wrath of Vengeance!"