Warhammer 40k Archives

The Raven Guard: Masters of Stealth and Sabotage

The XIX Legion, known as the Raven Guard, was one of the original Space Marine Legions created by the Emperor. Their Primarch, Corvus Corax, was discovered on the moon of Deliverance, where he had been fighting against the Kiavahr Forge-Guilds. The Raven Guard’s early years were marked by their use as a covert operations force, carrying out infiltration, reconnaissance, and target identification missions.

Early Campaigns and the Great Crusade

The Raven Guard played a key role in the Unification Wars on Terra, using terror tactics to quickly annihilate factions that refused to submit to the Imperium. They also took part in the expansion of the Imperium into the Sol System, liberating Jupiter’s moon of Lysithea from xenos. The battle on Lysithea proved costly for the Legion, but they emerged victorious and earned many battle honors.

During the Great Crusade, the Raven Guard found themselves in the shadow of Horus and his Luna Wolves. However, they continued to carry out covert operations, using their stealth and sabotage skills to weaken enemy forces. When Corax took command of the Legion, he imposed his own style of war on the troops, emphasizing stealth, swiftness, and guile.

Doctrine and Record

Under Corax’s leadership, the Raven Guard became masters of sabotage, assassination, and other covert operations. They applied precise military pressure to vulnerable sectors, allowing them to take planets that were thought impossible to capture. The Legion’s reputation grew, and they were frequently requested by Warmaster Horus to assure victory.

However, tensions between the Raven Guard and the Luna Wolves grew, particularly after the Battle of Gate Forty-Two. Corax removed his forces from Horus’ command, swearing to never serve alongside the Warmaster again. He also began to send his Terran-born forces into forgotten Crusades on the galactic fringes, ensuring that the Raven Guard remained “pure”.

Notable Operations

The Raven Guard carried out numerous notable operations during the Great Crusade, including:

• Counterinsurgency operation on Lux Majoris against Terocrati dissidents
• Battle of Hell’s Anvil
• Combat operations on Belfagor against Orks
• The Battle of Gate Forty-Two
• The Scalland Campaign
• The Compliance of Indra-sul
• The Carinae Retribution
• The Farinatus Extermination
• The Compliance of Isstvan III

The Horus Heresy

The Raven Guard played a significant role in the Horus Heresy, using their stealth and sabotage skills to weaken the traitor legions. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the Raven Guard fought bravely, carrying out covert operations and launching surprise attacks on enemy forces.

In the end, the Raven Guard emerged from the Horus Heresy as one of the most respected and feared Legions in the Imperium. Their mastery of stealth and sabotage had allowed them to survive against overwhelming odds, and they continued to carry out covert operations in the name of the Emperor.

Culture and Combat Doctrine

The Raven Guard’s culture is centered around their emphasis on stealth, swiftness, and guile. They believe in using covert operations to weaken enemy forces, rather than engaging in direct combat. This approach has earned them a reputation as masters of sabotage and assassination.

The Raven Guard’s combat doctrine is focused on applying precise military pressure to vulnerable sectors. They use their stealth and sabotage skills to identify and exploit enemy weaknesses, allowing them to take planets and defeat enemy forces with minimal losses.

Treatment of the Dead

The Raven Guard have a deep respect for their fallen brothers, and they go to great lengths to recover and honor their remains. They believe that the dead must be treated with dignity and respect, and that their sacrifices must be remembered and honored.

Unique Troops and Vehicles

The Raven Guard have access to a number of unique troops and vehicles, including:

• Shadowhawks: Stealthy variants of the Thunderhawk gunship
• Whispercutters: Covert operations aircraft used for sabotage and assassination missions
• Raven Guard Scouts: Elite scouts trained in stealth and sabotage

These unique troops and vehicles allow the Raven Guard to carry out covert operations with ease, making them one of the most formidable Legions in the Imperium.