13th ADVANCED ASSAULT FORCE By Matthew Webster |
BATTLE COMPANY STRIKE FORCES |
These images have been reproduced with the kind permission of Matthew Webster. |
History of the Dark Angels' Advanced Assault Forces: The 3rd Company of the Dark Angels Chapter, charged with the objective of quelling alien insurgencies into Imperial Space, has dispatched small units of Space Marines known as Advanced Assault Forces. These highly mobile A.A.F.'s are capable of deploying rapidly and dealing with a variety of situations. The Thirteenth was the last A.A.F. deployed and benefited from centuries of combat knowledge. The 13th has a compliment of Tactical Marines, as well as limited squads of Devastators and Assault Marines. They are even equipped with ten sacred suits of Terminator Armor. Realizing that earlier A.A.F's suffered from a lack of vehicle support, the 13th was given a motor pool that boasted several rhinos, a predator, a squad of land speeders and attack bikes. In short the 13th was equipped to handle any situation, from rebellious feral worlds to deep striking into orc infested bunkers. However there was a darker side to the formation of these units. The inner circle of the Dark Angels, aware of the shame they had earned from the internal rebellion during the Horus Heresy, sought to dissipate the knowledge of so tragic an event. From time to time there are those Dark Angels who advance into the higher levels of command who, when faced with the knowledge of the heresy committed so many millennia ago, find themselves torn and ashamed. Although they are highly trained and indispensable, they are a risk to keep within the sectors of inhabited space. These are the marines dispatched to the A.A.F.'s. Sent to the farthest galaxies to tame feral worlds, to place themselves squarely in the path of oncoming enemies of the Imperium, to fight and die in the name of the Emperor and to extinguish their shame in the cold and farthest reaches of space. . . |
Story of the Brother Quadratus & the 13th: Force Captain Quadratus served with years of distinction as a Marine of the Dark Angels chapter Third Company, culminating with his glorious action on Piscina IV, 4021997.M41. During the engagement he was promoted to Brother Sergeant of his tactical squad. In his newly assigned position he led his men in a four-day defense of an Ocean Turbine rig that supplied the power to the Imperial Defense Headquarters. The defense consisted of holding off continuous orc assault by amphibious landing craft, low flying fighters, and jump troops, by the last day Quadratus' squad had run out of ammuntion and instead of making use of orc weaponry, they fought on in hand to hand combat. Out of the ten men only two survived. |
Brother Captain Quadratus' Command Squad |
Duly recognized for his services to the Chapter Quadratus was promoted and, with his induction into the upper ranks, was informed of the terrible secret of Cypher and his betrayal. Disbelief, shock, and rage overcame him and it was unsure if Quadratus would be allowed to live. His well being was turned over to Interrogator-Chaplain Severus who focused the young Captain's rage into a tool usable by the Chapter. So it was decided that Quadratus would |
be prime material to serve in the newly formed A.A.F's. Quadratus was briefed, hypno-trained and put in command of the newly commissioned 13th Advanced Assault Force. Chaplain Severus was dispatched to monitor his sullen apprentice and see that his dark emotions remained in check. Into the outermost reaches of the Imperium they were sent to combat the Emperor's foes, and always seeking their tainted brethren who so long ago brought such shame to their Chapter. . |
