Lufgt Huron
"The Imperium is a weak old man, ready and waiting to be broken apart by his vengeful sons."
- Huron Blackheart[4]
Lufgt Huron, now known as Huron Blackheart or The Blood Reaver,[3][12] was the Chapter Master of the Astral Claws, a renegade Space Marine chapter which gained notoriety as the piratical Red Corsairs. He was also the ruler of the planet Badab Primaris, which he ruled with an iron fist, earning him the title Tyrant of Badab.
While not a fervent follower of Chaos himself, Huron nonetheless pays homage to the Ruinous Powers as a way to further his own power.[11a]
Contents
History
The Tyrant of Badab
Much of Huron's early history has been heavily censored or erased by the Imperium. What is known is that he first came to prominence as a Scout novitiate during the later stages of the Ribos Crusade. During the campaign on the world of Lylogir the young Huron battled his way through psychic assaults and phantasms to kill a Eldar Warlock with his bare hands in order to save his squad. He was later assigned to the Chapter's Devastator reserves, again proving himself and demonstrating natural leadership and tactical insight through many battles. As time progressed he also proved to be unusually skilled in plotting fire support patterns which quickly gained him further honor and reputation. Seeing the application of firepower as its own mental challenge, he rapidly moved through the ranks and next served in the 3rd Company and finally the 1st Company as a Veteran. In the 1st Company, he rose in rank over far more senior Marines.[10]
After his stint as in the 1st Company, Huron was gifted the honor of serving as Captain of the 4th Company. It was in this role that his abilities truly blossomed, utilizing his strategic prowess in the use of firepower to use innovative tactics that allowed him to defeat far larger enemy armies. His dynamism and growing personal followers created some unease in the Chapter, but he nonetheless was elevated to Chapter Master in 697.M41.[10]
Huron and his chapter were later assigned to patrol the Maelstrom, an area of warp/real space overlap in Ultima Segmentum. Though an able leader in many respects, Huron lacked the selfless dedication to humanity necessary in an Imperial commander. Moreover, conditions in the Maelstrom zone worsened to the point that he became paranoid and suspicious. Huron's megalomania became apparent as he steadily distanced himself from the Imperium, hoarding planetary tithes for himself. His first overt act of rebellion occurred in 901.M41, when he destroyed an Imperial investigation fleet sent to Badab. Three other chapters joined his rebellion.[10]
In what became known as the Badab War, which lasted a little over a decade, several chapters were dispatched to Badab to put down Huron's rebellion. In 912.M41, in the battle for the Palace of Thorns, Huron was defeated - the right side of his body destroyed by a melta blast from the dying Loyalist Star Phantoms Captain Zhrukal Androcles. With Badab lost, the remaining Astral Claws took their crippled Chapter Master and escaped into the Maelstrom. Thanks to Lord Apothecary Garreon and Forge Master Armanneus Valthex,[2b] the Tyrant managed to survive his wounds, the Chapter Techmarines completely rebuilding his body. Huron however would not have survived had he not made a bargain with the powers of the Warp as he lingered between life and death. Upon his restoration, he found himself with a Daemonic familiar dubbed the Hamadrya as part of whatever this bargain entails.[11a] He gave himself the name of "Blackheart", and renamed his chapter the Red Corsairs.[1]
Blackheart
Though weakened, the Red Corsairs remain a threat in the Maelstrom region, attacking Imperial forces and stealing their vessels for use in his ranks. There have also been several instances - such as the battle for the Space Wolves strike cruiser Wolf of Fenris — where Space Marines from loyal chapters will defect and join Huron, boosting the ranks of his Red Corsairs ever more. His ranks boosted by others who have shunned the Emperor, Huron now leads the largest pirate fleet in the eastern Imperium. Later, sometime after the formation of the Great Rift, Huron dueled Typhus of the Death Guard as Warp Storm Fomori engulfed the world of Danasar. Atop the ruins of the Endless Spire, Huron was humbled but Typhus left him alive as a lesson to his might and generosity.[5]
By the end of the 41st Millennia, Huron had amassed a sizable force and had become a major player in the galaxy. Aided by Fateweaver during the Terran Crusade, Huron's lieutenant Verngar was able to capture Roboute Guilliman and his forces on their pilgrimage to Terra. However thanks to the efforts of Cypher, Guilliman and most of the captives were able to escape.[6] Verngar then returned to New Badab with the captured Macragge's Honour in tow, though Huron scolded him for allowing the Primarch to get away.[11a] Huron later pursued Verngar as he left New Badab aboard the Macragge's Honour in a search for the relic known as the Ebon Talon. After a temporary alliance, Verngar attempted to use the relic to usurp Huron but was maimed after the two engaged in battle. Huron was able to take the Ebon Talon from Verngar and utilize its power, but not fall under its influence as his attempted usurper had.[11b]
Shortly after, Huron would lead the Red Corsairs against the White Scars in invading Chogoris. Though they were ultimately defeated, Huron's forces have succeeded in holding many worlds of the Yasan Sector and for a time captured and tortured Jubal Khan, the Chapter Master of the Scars.[7]
Wargear
Before his fall to Chaos, Huron was armed with a suit of Terminator Armour, an artificer heavy flamer, and a relic lightning claw called The Ghost Razors.[9][10]
After his fall to Chaos, Huron armed himself with a power axe and the Tyrant's Claw, a monstrous bionic power fist with a built-in heavy flamer.[1] His head has extensive implements as a result of his injuries during the Badab War, and he can only wear a helmet with great discomfort after adjusting his prosthetics to accept one.[3]
He is also accompanied by a semi-intelligent creature of unknown nature which he calls his Hamadrya. The creature never helps its master directly but instead acts as a familiar, allowing Huron access to certain psychic powers.[1] The creature is also rumored to be able to read thoughts and transmit them to Huron, which has allowed him to survive many attempts on his life by assassins.[8]
Images
Huron Blackheart - Leader of the Red Corsairs
Huron Blackheart[1]
Miniatures
Lufgt Huron as commander of the Astral Claws
Huron Blackheart miniature
Trivia
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Huron developed in the game's background from quotes attributed to a "Tyrant of Badab" in Warhammer 40,000's original Rogue Trader book. In White Dwarf 101 (UK) he appeared as Lufgt Huron, the rebel Master of the Tiger Claws Chapter and Tyrant of Badab in the background to the Badab War - his survival after the rebellion left a mystery. In second edition's Chaos codex he became a Chaos Marine special character known as Huron Blackheart with accompanying rules. Updated rules for Huron were printed in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition), with an accompanying model.[Needs Citation]
Conflicting sources
Huron's bionic arm seems to have switched from his left[12] to his right side over time.
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition), pg. 56-57
- 2: The Gildar Rift (Novel)
- 3: Bitter End (Short Story) - Treacheries of the Space Marines (Anthology)
- 4: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), pg. 58
- 5: Codex: Death Guard (8th Edition), pg. 22
- 6: Gathering Storm: Rise of the Primarch, Part 2
- 7: Codex Supplement: White Scars (8th Edition), pgs. 32-34
- 8: The Skull Harvest (Short Story)
- 9: Imperial Armour Compendium, pg. 11
- 10: Imperial Armour Volume Nine, pg. 160
- 11: Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom (Novel)
- 12: Into the Maelstrom (Short Story)
- 13: Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pg. 20
Uncited
- Warhammer 40,000: Compendium, The Badab War
- Blood Reaver (Novel)
