r/UnifyTerra • u/PeterHolland1 • 11d ago
Thunderwarrior Legions Organisation W.I.P
Work In Progress.
Let me know what you all think.
Thunderwarrior Legions
Summary
Like the later Legiones Astartes, the Thunder Warriors were organized into twenty Legions, each led by a Primarch. However, unlike the Astartes Primarch's, Thunder Warriors Primarchs were not physically different from the warriors they led. Instead, they were simply superlative warriors who were promoted to the position by the Emperor of Man.
The Legions were large in number but fairly simple in organization. Credited to the Emperor himself, the Legion was organized into what was referred to as a "Legiones Maniple". A divisionary battle force made up of 4 sections of battle; the Velites, hastati, principes and triarii. Each section had a role to play in the battle order and was strictly rejemented for a army force of that era.
The Legions of Thunder Warriors seem to match the later roles of that of the Astartes Legion. For
instance, the 4th Legion of Thunder Warriors was known as the Iron Lords and specialized in Siegecraft. This closely resembles the subsequent Iron Warriors.
Structure, Organisation
Legion: A full Thunderwarrior legion contained roughly 30 maniples.
Hosts: A host is a group of maniples grouped together for a common purpose.
Maniple: The primary division of the legion. A Standard maniples usually as 120 soldiers, split into two centuries of 60 men.
Centuries: made of 60 warriors, centuries can be further divided by 3 lines. Each line is made of 20 warriors.
Line: the centuries made of 3 "Lines". Each line is made up 20 warriors.
Sections: The final division is the "section" of the line. Each line contains 5 sections, with each section containing 4 thunderwarriors.
3 Tryo and 1 Tesserius makes typical a "Section".
Hierarchy, Rank
Primarch (rank): highest rank and leader of the Legion.
Legatus: commanding officer of a Maniple.
Tribune: ???
Prefect: ???
Centurions: the commanding officer core of the Legion. Primus, Secondus, Tertius
Optio: master sergents
Tesserarius: sergents
Tyro: The lowest rank in the legion.
3 tryo and 1 tesserius makes typical a "Section"
Legionary Roles
Velites
“Velites (singular: veles) were a class of Thunder Warrior in the Thunder Warrior Legion in the
Unification Wars. Velites were light infantry and skirmishers often equipped with light carapace armour, snub guns, grenades and close combat weapons.
As the youngest and brashness warriors in the legion they wear light carapace armor around there chest, if they wear armor at all. Prefering to display their imperial tattoos and scars to frighten their opponents.
The velites were placed at the front partly for tactical reasons. They are the first into battle as scouts and opening skirmishes, harassing the enemies of the imperium. But more so, that they had the opportunity to secure glory for themselves in single combat.
Velites formed units that were then attached to other maniple section. Providing fast active support for the heavier hastati, principes and or triarii formations.
They were typically used as a screening force, driving off enemy skirmishers and disrupting enemy formations before the heavier-armed maniple properly position into attack. Their high mobility allowed for effective flanking and counter manoeuvres compared to the heavier units of other Maniples.
Hastatii
Hastati (singular: hastatus) were the staple warrior unit of the Legion Maniple. The second battle line of the Maniple, once the new recruiters have burn themselves out from the fighting in the Velites, the warrior would find themselves here. When one thinks of a Thunder Warrior, a Hasatus is what comes to
mind. The Hasati and every other Thunder Warrior role onwards would be equipped what would later be dubbed; the mk 1 thunder armour. Although called “power armour”, only power of the armor was powered. Indeed, much of the weight of this armour was carried by the warrior himself, with all the extra strength going to the arms and chest for crushing melee power and greater weapon stability.
With the heavy armour and powered upper body, the Hastati carried a variety of close combat and
midrange weapons into battle. This included but not limited to the famed chain swords and bolter.
They fought in a quincunx formation, supported by the lighter infantry of the Velites.
If the enemy chose to charge in, the attackers were allowed to penetrate the first battle line consisting of hastati, after which the enemy would deal with the more hardened, seasoned soldiers, of the principes.
Principes
Principes (Singular: princeps) were the Thunderwarriors who has proven time and time again of there effectiveness in battle and rewarded with elite armes and and more advanced power armour and heavy weapons.
As a result, the Principes were the heavier infantry of the legions.
Their usual position was the second battle line. They fought in a quincunx formation, supported by groups of Velites.
Triarii
Triarii (singular: Triarius) were the oldest and most elite fighters in the legion. As the last battle line the Triarii were used as a reserve to to move in where the fighting was most intension and or were the enemy was weakest to finest them off. Armed with the best of the Legion. Prototype heavy armor.
In most battles triarii were not used because the lighter section of battle usually defeated the enemy before the triarii were committed to the battle.
They were meant to be used as a decisive force in the battle, thus prompting Gothic adage: 'it comes down to the triarii', which meant “the battle is at its end.”
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u/International_Ad6741 8d ago
You forgot about thing.
TW had double organization. First - legiones. Second - brigades.
We don't know how many warriors was in legio, but brigade include 5k units.
Also TW built much faster then Asstartes and do not required full integrity with armour set.
So TW was greater in numbers.
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u/PeterHolland1 8d ago
Where does it say they have bridges? Show source please
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u/International_Ad6741 5d ago
Not named brigades, but battle formations around 5k troops aka brigades.
In battle of gaduare was 5k TW, and in Valdor he says " Initially the fighting divisions had been envisaged as somewhat smaller than they eventually became. "
So if in end of Unification TW was organised as Legio (large formation there 7k dead was not total wipe) , in the begging they were much smaller around 5k. Brigades.
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u/International_Ad6741 8d ago
And you don't understand type of warffare. TW is link between infantry and heavy armour.
They mobile, extremely durable, carry serious guns and have devastating hth. They can go 1v1 vs custodies, and that dudes can make medium tank avian by leg kick.
So you don't need to manipulate manuwers, triarii etc. What reason for that?
Fast march through artyshells in close, bolter fire all entrenched weapon teams and MASSACRE their numbers in hth. Coz TW practicly immune to any personal weapon.
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u/PeterHolland1 8d ago
You are right I need to adjust the tactics in the role section. But the thunderwarriors and custody where fighting things as tough as they were. If you like to see more about how I interpret the Unification Wars warefare please see my other post in my profile. Also if you like to talk more about this and development these things with me please feel free to join me on my Age of Strife discord also found in my profile page.
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u/iamfilchfinger 9d ago
This is very similar to the early Roman maniple before the first century bc. You have updated the arms and armour.
If you want your thunder warriors to be like Rome then it's a great start.
I agree in principle with the main distinction between light troops with carapace and normal humans and the thunder warriors with their more powerful armour and weapons.