LIGHTNING FISTS

LIGHTNING FISTS HISTORY

The Lightning Fists are the 459th Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, founded during the Ninth Founding. The chapter is an almost-Codex chapter, only having minor variences in their organization. Their history has been one of heroism, full of deeds of monumental glory, or utter disaster.

When the chapter was first created, they were given the planet Denebar as their homeworld. A massive fortress-monastery was created, fit to house a chapter of massive glory. These "Warriors of the Gods," as they became known on the planet, saved the people of the planet from destruction many times over, and quelled any rebellion that started in the systems bordering the Denebar system. Wherever Heretics would appear within the systems under the watch of the Lightning Fists, the black-armoured warriors of the Lightning Fists would be there, with their lightning bolt-covered hands clutching their bolt guns or their chainswords and pistols.

The warriors of the Lightning Fists were known for their ferocious lightning attacks, their raids which struck with no warning and left nothing in their wake. The assault squads of the Lightning Fists would descend from their Thunderhawk Gunships, and attack with relentless fury. These attacks had become so successful that eventually even the Tactical Squads were equipped with jump packs so that they could easily deploy and launch fast attacks.  Only the Devastators were not given jump packs, as the weight of the heavy weapons would weigh down the jump packs, making them unusable.

The Lightning Fists soon tailored their organization and their vehicles to fit these fast attacks and raids, and they began to modify Land Speeders for various uses. Soon Land Speeders were used in many varying roles, ranging from Light Recon to Heavy Assault. Rhinos were also modified, and many of the Chapter's TechMarines added improvements to the vehicles that the Chapter used. Supercharged Engines, Ablative Armour, added defensive systems, and more were added to the Lightning Fists' ground assault vehicles. The vehicles of the Chapter were painted in its impressive colour scheme, black with lightning bolts shooting back from the front of the vehicle along its hull.  To fit this colour scheme, many of the vehicles were given Electo Hulls, though none with exposed crews.

An entire new Company made of Land Speeder squadrons and Bike Squadrons was added to the Chapter, taking it out of cohesion with the Codex Astartes. The Chapter equals eleven companies in all, most of these equipped with fast assault troops and supporting vehicles.

In the Imperial year 38786, the Lightning Fists fought with a brother chapter, the Dark Brotherhood, in the Siege of Altorak. Heretics fighting on the planet had fought to a standstill with the Marines. The Marines had dug in and waited for the Ultramarines to arrive as reinforcements. But the Heretics had found a way past the Scouts of the two MArine chapters, and before aid could arrive, the Dark Brotherhood Marines found themselves surrounded by fanatical Traitors. They would have been destroyed, were it not for the heroic charge of the Lightning Fist, slashing into the Heretics' battle line from their side. As they broke through into the midst of the Traitors, the Lightning Fists tore them apart, their chainswords rending them to pieces. The Dark Brotherhood never forgot the charge that saved them, and they vowed to aid the Lightning Fists should they ever need aid again.

In the Imperial year 39274, while fighting Traitor Marines in the system of Makator, over half the Second Company of the Lightning Fists was captured in an ambush. Fearing for their Brothers' lives, the Lightning Fists contacted the Dark Brotherhood and enlisted their aid in saving their Brother Marines.  The Dark Brotherhood readily agreed, and a daring lightning attack was launched upon the Rebel base on Makator. As the Lightning Fists performed a frontal assault, the Dark Brotherhood created a small task force that infiltrated the Traitor Marines' base and rescued the remaining Marines of the Second Chapter. While in the Traitor base, the Dark Brotherhood and Lightning Fist Marines set up demolitions that detonated as soon as the Marines were clear from the base. This raid destroyed the Traitor Fortress and saved the Second Chapter of the Lightning Fists. The two Chapters sealed their vows of Brotherhood with the blood of their lost Brothers, and they have fought at each other's side for many centuries after.

The Lightning Fists performed many more attacks upon Heretics and Traitors in the centuries that followed, often with the aid of the Dark Brotherhood. But in the Imperial year 40987, when the Imperium of Mankind was still shaking under the weight of the increasing attacks from the Callaran Empire, the Lgihtning Fists' homeworld of Denebar was invaded by the Callarans. The orbital defense fleet was destroyed in mere hours, and surgical strikes on the planet destroyed the planet's defense lasers and missile silos, as well as planetary shipyards and docks. The Callarans launched shuttle after shuttle, and the fighting was brought to the surface of Denebar.

As the Imperium had prepared for this, sensing it would happen, thirteen Chapters were stationed upon the planet, and many platoons of Imperial Guard. When the Callaran assault began the Marines and Guardsmen charged them with extreme ferocity, and a planet-wide battle began. At first skirmishes were fought with long range weapons, then close-up shots were taken. Soon, though, the fighting forces of the Callarans and Imperials engaged in bloody close combat. Even so, the Imperials were beaten back into the fortress-monastery of the Lightning Fists.

As the retreat began, the immense weapons of the fortress began firing, laying to waste many of the assaulting aliens. The Callarans responded, bringing in many of their heavy support weapons. The fortress weapons were silenced, but they had done their job. The Imperial forces had sealed themselved within the fortress, and the Callarans had to begin a long siege.

The Callarans fired shot upon shot into the gates and doors of the fortress, smashing large holes into the entrances of the fortress. The Callarans sent forces through these holes, and fighting began within the tunnels and halls of the fortress. A small Callaran force led by Jai Dominai Seran Fortan, the commander of the Callaran assault, made their way to the top of the fortress-monastery, where Fortan encountered the Chapter Master of the Lightning Fists, Darran Segranar.

The two commanders fought, their weapons clashing and throwing off sparks. For hours they battled each other, neither able to gain an advantage. The two combatants fought to a standstill, and they both fell to the floor, exhausted. While on the floor, they continued their battle, but through words, not through the use of weapons. They threw insults at each other, flung words meant to dishonour their opponent. Eventually, they grew tired of even this. They began to talk about their peoples, discuss their cultures. They came to the conclusion that the events that had started this war were accidents caused by misunderstandings. Both agreed to stop their people's attacks if the other would. With this agreement made, the Callarans got on their ships and left the planet. Soon after, the Callaran attacks ceased.

Two entire chapters of Marines had been destroyed in the Battle of Denebar, many more had lost hundreds of their Brothers. Thousands of dead Imperials lay in the streets, on the fields, in the burnt-out forests, or blocking tunnels and halls with their mutilated bodies. But the battle was recorded as a victory in the annals of Imperium history, and the Imperial Fists were rewarded for their bravery. Many Brother-Marines and Guardsmen were posthumously awarded for their parts in the battle.

The chapter is still rebuilding itself, and secretly to this day is an ally of the Callaran Empire. The Dark Brotherhood also are allies of the Callarans, keeping their vow to aid the Lightning Fists and believing that any allies of the Lightning Fists are allies of theirs.

The Lightning Fists still fight Heretics, and Traitor Marines whenever they are found. They fight with a ferocity matched only by the Dark Brotherhood and the Space Wolves. The Lightning Fists have become a feared chapter to the Heretics and Traitors of the galaxy, but an ally and a friend to the Callaran Empire.

Chapter Motto:

"Strike like Lightning - Swift and Hard."

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