Friday, October 08, 2010

Hall of Honour - Centrati Crusade

The Purging of Centrati's Eye -

Above the recently colonized and settled planet of Centrati, the massive defense station nicknamed "Centrati's Eye" was struck and overtaken by a group of Dark Eldar raiders in a lightning raid. All of the station's personnel were locked in chains and sent off in slave arks to the darkest reaches of space, never to be seen again. Not satisfied with this victory, the twisted aliens took to turning the energies of the station upon on the planet below, vaporizing thousands of colonists and years worth of effort instantly.

Unknown to the Dark Eldar, a Black Templar Battlebarge lie in orbit on the opposite side of the planet. The Chapter had been dispatched earlier that week to remove an unwanted alien species from the world to help speed the colonization process. Upon receiving the distress voxes emanating from the defense platform, along with the massive energy discharge directed at the planet, the Dark Eldar threat was realized. Thunderhawks scrambled to pick up the ground forces and rendezvous with the Battlebarge. Within an hour of the devastating blast from Centrati's Eye, the Black Templars were on their way to drive out the Dark Eldar and exact vengeance.

Upon reaching Centrati's Eye, the chapter was faced with not one but two enemies. Eldar forces had arrived out of nowhere and were busy fighting their twisted cousins. Needless to say, the Black Templars took to their duties with impunity, utterly crushing both forces over the coming months. Centrati's Eye was retaken and the alien taint removed from both the surface of the planet and the space surrounding it.

Order of the Black Cross
This award is often seen among Black Templars fighting in Crusades across the galaxy. The Order of the Black Cross is awarded to individuals who sustain crippling injuries yet continue their duties as if nothing ever happened. Brother Hectarius actually has no arms or legs made of flesh or bone -- they are all bionic. A golden left knee pad with the Chapter symbol designates this award.

Dagger Protectiva
Only the most decorated and ferocious Initiates were awarded the Dagger Protectiva during the Centrati Crusade. As such, only the best-of-the-best got the chance to display this honor. Furthermore, all of the Initiates who received this honor during the Crusade were later inducted into to Sword Brethren. However, the golden dagger affixed to the right shoulder pad is more than just a decoration of honor. In fact, it incorporates a minor refractor field that protects the bearer.

Hexagrammic Wards
Sergeants and exceptional Initiates were occasionally issued Hexagrammic Wards to protect wearers from the evil Magiks used by the Eldar Witches. Often, the Wards took the form of a golden Templar cross worn on a chain around the neck coupled with a deep red robe infused with charms and woven with litanies.

Bolter Modification: Witch-Bolts
Modifications are not difficult to apply to the versatile bolter, though they are reserved for special circumstances for the most part. When faced with battle against possible Eldar Warlocks and the horrors of Dark Eldar Warp manipulation, the Templars responded in kind. Witch-bolt ammo feeds were issued to three Initiates per Crusader Squad for just such instances. The specially treated ammo is designed to disrupt deviants who rely upon the Warp for strength.

Centrati Crusade Badge
As is the case in nearly every Crusade, a unique badge is designated to signal that a particular Initiate is involved in its operations. The Centrati Crusade was no different. The badge is a simple white shield with a large red dot in the center and a tiny red dot just above it. This iconography represents the planet of Centrati and the Defense Platform orbiting it. These badges often help to identify who's who when diplomatic or other duties call a warrior from the battlezone.

Disclaimer - All content taken from the Games Workshop website without permission and will be removed if requested.

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