Great Crusade Emperor's Children, Fluff, Structure and Personnel

Helloooo Bunnies!!

I have been researching a lot about the Emperor's Children and deciding on which characters I want to focus on in the Great Crusade. 

I have decided to focus most of my stories around Lord Commander Vespasion, little is known on him and I am not sure when he became a Lord Commander so what I may do is have him as a company captain, make up my own lord commander and flesh out his rise through the legion. Here is some of the Great Crusade Emperor's Children fluff I have identified:

Fulgrim:

Had almost completely no whites to his eyes.

Fireblade had a golden blade that shone with the constant light of the forge. 

He went to battle with the Phoenix Guard as his bodyguard, but he was also followed by a company standard (unsure what armour he used). At the time of the battle of Laeren, this companion was called Brother Thestis who carried a legion standard made from purple cloth with a white-gold eagle sat atop it. He had a long blade.

Legion:

When they wear red cloaks or tunics it means they are about to go to war or are at war.

Vespasion was a Lord commander - not sure when this happened anyone have further information?

Julius Kaisoron was 1st captain. He wore terminator armour and he used a combi-bolter and power fist.

Soloman Demeter was 2nd captain. He wore MKIV armour and I believe he had a heavy chainsword.

Marius Verosian was 3rd captain. Anyone know of his wargear?

The Imperial Army contingent attached to the ECs were called the Archite Palatines, they wore crimson tunics with silver breastplates

The legion used chaplains.

Here is some stuff about the structure of the legion during the Great Crusade. Mainly looking at popular units and ones that wouldn't be used.

Great Crusade Structure

HQs

Fluffy:

Champion - an obvious choice due to the fact it is in the rite of war and is a character who exhibits marshall prowess. Coupled with the updated rule that any EC characters in a challenge gain +1 to their initiative, they are a tremendous foe!

Primus Medicae - the Emperor's Children had a very large Medicae department including Apothecaries. Even during the Great Crusade, the ECs were conducting experiments and making 'improvements' to the Emperor's design. As such we are allowing the use of Sonic Shriekers (+1 initiative on the charge). 

Not Fluffy:

Librarian - the ECs believed that the psyker gene was an imperfection and as such, there were no psykers in the legion. Strange considering Fulgrim was a vocal supporter of the Librarius...weird hey?

Elites:

There are not really any fluffy units here outside of the normal, Phoenix Guard, Palatine Blades etc.

Troops:

The ECs used small squads in most engagements, this is because of the early numerical weakness of the legion. Instead the legion grew to use fast tactics and commissioned a large amount of jump packs.

Fluffy:

10 man tactical/despoiler squads - the ECs tended towards more despoiler squads apparently as they had a very effective tactic of using bolters at range and finishing with chainswords. This can be evidenced in the Black Library novel 'Fulgrim' during the cleansing of Laeren.

Small tactical support squads - the 3rd legion had access to all available wargear so any option is fine.

Assault squads - see above :)

Fast Attack:

Fluffy:

Sky Hunters - Fulgrim loved these and compared them to knights on horse. How romantic!

Heavy Support:

Fluffy:

Lascannon Heavy Support squads - were known as the sunkillers and were a very popular option during the Crusade.

This will be a work in progress collection. I know I will have missed some. Please add comments below (with citations where possible) and I will update and correct.

Here are a few WIP pictures of my Phoenix Guard. I will be completing these in the next few days and will then move back to my, now fixed, Javelins.

You can see my champion, Corrinth Lannis on the right here. Really not happy with his pose anymore...*Reaches for heat gun*

I hope you enjoyed my post. Please comment below :)

Khall