Marius Julius Papus, Professor of the Imperial University of Morenkai
12th of the Seventh Month in the 21st Millennium’s 998th Year
It was among my greatest honours that I was chosen as one of those to behold and write down for future generations how a Secunatus Rexionis Legion assaults a hostile world. From Mars, I spent months traveling to the Narbonensis region in the galactic east. There I received a warm and honouring welcome aboard the Angel of Light, one of the great Zahoriana Battleships. I admit my knees shook – and for once not my ailing body – that the Archangel herself welcomed me on-board. Archon Andraste of the Wardens Eternal was even more angelic than I had ever even considered possible. She beamed with the god empress’s light, her hope for a brighter future for mankind and all species.
But I digress; the planet that would be assaulted was a Xeno world dubbed Epsilon Helios. The AI told me the system was named Epsilon GT14-H. Dominionis Gabriel told me that the crew referred to it simply as “the Glowies System” for that is the name of the Xenos. The Glowies. At least the nickname the Rexionis legionnaires had given them. As I afterward saw myself they were called that for their eyes, their blood, and their body liquids all glowed in fel-green colour. Their bodies are covered by a light red-pink carapace. They’re insectoid. Which may be why they felt enough kinship with the dangerous and mysterious Arachnids to ally them.
Archon Andraste picked the target for their assault. The capital. It would be seized first. First came a planetary bombardment, spending days destroying airfields, bases, lines of communication, and power stations. When the bombardment was deemed done the first drop pods with Rexionis were fired toward the planet, toward the Glowies capital. In one moment ten-thousand Rexionis had been deployed planetside and assaulted the weary Xenos. With bolter, chainsword bayonet, and plasma-flamethrowers they cleansed the foe before them. It fell to the Rexionis in Powered Combat Mechs to clear out difficult fortifications with the concussion shells fired from the cannons crafted into the mech suit’s arms. The Powered Combat Mechs are slightly larger and far thicker than the power armour of the Rexionis. They broke their defences and created a primary landing zone. Then three Phalanx was deployed, thirty-thousand men at full strength. Here it was twenty-eight thousand after casualties in many other battles. Down with them came tons of supplies, Rexionis tanks, and Andraste herself. The Glowies put up surprisingly fierce resistance, unwilling to surrender. After eleven hours of fighting the capital had fallen. I was told it usually didn’t take that long. Most of the time a single Chapter or even a single Company can bring a planet to heel. Their might can easily be brought to bear to show a resistant government what they faced. What followed on Epsilon Helios was a strict cleaning up operation. The Wardens Eternals cleared out any major resistance and left the army to deal with smaller holdouts.
Sissiska Nauthissio, Professor of the Commonwealth University of Udhana
27th of the Second Month, 21M.999
There are many famous military organizations in the wider galaxy; the Power-Axe Commandoes of Venn’Mepedor, the Spartarii Legion, the Guardian Orders, the Commonwealth’s Senate Guard, even the brutish Stormboyz of the Urruk specie but even the freshest of scholars cannot ignore that the most famous are the Secunatus Rexionis Legions of the Galactic Imperium, the authoritarian counterpart of our own democratic Commonwealth. The unfortunate truth is that one must acknowledge that the Legions are one of the most well-known fighting forces in the galaxy, albeit for the wrong reasons.
The exact date of the Rexionis’s creation is hard to pin down but at least 21,000 ABT (After the Battle of Tsescontia), if not earlier. We have known that the empress conquered Earth by 19,600 ABT and launched her wars of aggression in 21M.100. Twenty-six legions are in her service, though historical documents tell us that originally it was only twenty-four. One legion seems to have been lost for three new legions joined the fray in 21,900 ABT. Although technically the correct number is twenty-eight if you count the two legions that do not campaign. Those being the one defending the cloning planet of Ephraganos and the one guarding the imperial Palace on Earth – or Terra as they mostly call it today. Mostly known for their heavy but sleek power armour and boltguns the Rexionis have led the Imperium to its undeserved fame. Equally well known are ships specially built for them, the Citadel War Barges; each a fortress of guns in her own right and mightier than even the most absurdly well-armed Urruk warship. As so often done the Imperium designed it to be pointlessly overpowered, which makes it very fitting for the Secunatus Rexionis I suppose. Like a scourge or plague, the Archons led their so-called “children” across the stars to conquer or destroy all before them. Not unlike the Urruk specie and the vile Arachnids plaguing the galaxy. While certainly the navy and army of the Imperium did their part but it was the legions that led to the Imperium’s rise.
Not three years back I had the honourable displeasure of meeting one of the empress’s so-called Angels in person. An Imperial delegation had arrived for an exchange of information regarding the Arachnid threat and for political reasons our politicians had decided to grant them the information at our disposal. I represented the University of Udhana and saw these giants. I spoke to the Rexionis that commanded the honour guard for the delegates, a Captain Remus Hale. These “angels” had pure black armour and a purple cloak. They were Imperial Templars. The conversation showed that these “angels” were less then personable and seemed to lack basic personality traits, though it is possible that Rexionis simply lacked social skills – which may not have been seen as necessary when you forge super-soldiers in a laboratory.
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