Inductii
Inductii or Legiones Inductii were Horus Heresy-era Legionaries, who were rapidly created to replenish the ranks of the Loyalist and Traitor Legions during the conflict. It was applied to those who joined their Legions after the Dropsite Massacre and before the death of Warmaster Horus during the Siege of Terra.[1a]
Contents
Description
The name itself originated on the World Eaters' adopted homeworld of Bodt, which churned out blood-crazed monsters that were considered mockeries of what Legionaries should be. These creatures were given the name "Inductii" by their creators and the other Traitor Legions began to disdainfully use the term for their own rapidly-created Legionaries. While the Loyalist Legions did not widely use the term, they had discriminatory nomenclature for their own Inductii as well.[1a]
Their creation process was heavily modified due to the constant need for reinforcements and, as a result, the Inductii did not undergo the usual long process of becoming Legionaries. Inductii could be produced in as little as four years.[2] This resulted in Legions bypassing their usual safeguards by modifying the Inductii's organ implantation, physical development and training, which caused some to become deformed. This led many of the Inductii to not be viewed as true Legionaries by their veteran brethren, who shunned what they saw as pale imitations of their Legions. To help rectify their rushed creation, though, many Legions had their Inductii undergo harsh training programs, along with intensive bouts of Hypno-Indoctrination to subvert any lingering cultural ties they had to their birth worlds. Flash-Indoctrination was also used, though it was limited due to the drawbacks the process could instil within Legionaries. The training and equipment Inductii received, though, varied depending on the morality of their commanders and the supplies that were at hand. Some commanders refused to provide their Inductii with proper equipment or training and instead simply used the new Legionaries as chaff, to shield their more experienced warriors. Others relied heavily on Flash-Indoctrination and did not worry about the drawbacks, as they viewed the Inductii as disposable weapons.[1a]
There were Inductii who proved resistant to Hypno-Indoctrination, who would blend their homeworld's traditions with those of their Legions'. This resulted in formations of sub-cultures within the Legions, with dozens being found across the elements of their forces. Inductii Companies eventually became commonplace within some and when this occurred, any further attempts at integration with their Legion's culture were abandoned. By the time of the Siege of Terra, however, most of the Legions were composed of Inductii.[1a]
While the existence of the Inductii is still known to the Imperium to this day, the records detailing the Legions' processes for creating them have become fragmented. Some accounts on the subject have been drawn from captured Traitor Legionaries, while others are from Loyalist records, that have been likely purified of any deviations, and decayed Legion medicae facilities that have been found across the galaxy.[1a]
Inductii by Legions
Loyalist
- Dark Angels - Recruited in the wake of the Crusade of Vengeance, Inductii were equipped with deadly weapons from the darkest vaults of the First Legion. Although unaware of the secrets of the Hexagrammaton, these recruits nevertheless provided the Dark Angels with the resources necessary to continue their Crusade across a broad front. Those Inductii whose lineage suggested they were recruited from Caliban bore the marks of minor use of Flash-Indoctrination, though the reason for this is not known.[1a] They were equipped with ancient weaponry, such as volkite chargers.[5]
- White Scars - The White Scars referred to their Inductii as Newbloods. Newbloods were noted to be more pragmatic than their older brethren. They were recruited from any available loyalist worlds and often were trained alongside the Blood Angels and Imperial Fists. They were typically first made to serve in vanguard "Kharash" formations before being accepted into the Legion proper.[5] However, once accepted, they were fully inducted into the rituals of Chogoris and considered full Chogorians. Large numbers were deployed for the Siege of Terra.[2] They were typically equipped with bolt pistols, charnabal sabres, power weapons, and chainswords.[5]
- Space Wolves - No terms are known, though their Primarch, Leman Russ, warned his Wolf Lords not to trust any pups who had not bloodied themselves in battle.[1a] The Space Wolves were nonetheless forced to accept Inductii as the Heresy wore on. With little time for training or indoctrination into the traditions of Fenris, they were physically augmented and then thrust into the crucible of battle to be forged into true members of the Space Wolves. They were typically equipped with bolt pistols and chainswords.[5]
- Imperial Fists - They went by various names depending on where the Legion's forces were located. On Terra Inductii were referred to as Sentries or Neophytes, while elsewhere they were called Recruits or Initiates. Their Hypno-Indoctrination on Terra focused on defensive siege tactics, while those on Cthonia received more focus on obedience packages, intended to remove any lingering loyalties to the Sons of Horus.[1a] Utilized widely during the Siege of Terra, they were typically equipped with bolters, heavy bolters, and autocannons.[5]
- Blood Angels - Some elements of the Legion forced their Inductii to commit Flash-Indoctrination upon the dead.[1a] Most of the Blood Angels' Inductii did not receive the intensive mental conditioning that curbed the more animalistic aspects of their gene-seed, making them more savage in battle. They were typically equipped with a bolt pistol and chainsword, charnabal sabre, or power weapon.[5]
- Iron Hands - Following the Drop Site Massacre, the Iron Hands rapidly created large numbers of Inductii. They were subjected to the same extensive cybernetic enhancements as their predecessors, even when there was a shortage of gene-seed and other biological implants within the Legion. As the need to avenge Ferrus Manus's death spread throughout the Iron Hands, many were subjected to forbidden and dangerous technological enhancements. They were typically equipped with bolters, phosphex bombs, and bayonets.[5]
- Ultramarines - Inductii were trained to fight in more flexible formations, suited to the unpredictable engagements of the Horus Heresy. Subjected to more intensive Hypno-Indoctrination than their predecessors to ensure loyalty, they were recruited from across Ultramar and trained in safe facilities. Ultramarines Inductii were noted as being remarkably fearless by outside observers. They were typically equipped with bolters and bayonets and were led by Evocatus intendants.[5]
- Salamanders - Recruited from worlds liberated from the Traitors following the Drop Site Massacre, they were often granted wargear from slain warriors of the Legion. Banded together under Legion veterans, they fought hard to earn their place. Typically equipped with bolt pistols, chainswords, flamers, meltaguns, and disintegrator blaster.[5]
- Raven Guard - Many were recruited amongst the downtrodden on worlds left reeling from Lion El'Jonson's Crusade of Vengeance.[5] Their Hypno-Indoctrination implemented in the Legion's facilities in Segmentum Obscurus leaned heavily on infiltration tactics. This ensured the Inductii trained there could wage the guerrilla war the Raven Guard had committed itself to.[1a] Some Raven Guard Inductii went on to become Raptors.[4] Typically equipped with bolters and nemesis bolters.[5]
Traitor
Safe training facilities were located within the more stable regions of the Dark Empire.[1a]
- Emperor's Children - Inductii were outfitted with the finest wargear available and organised in mixed companies with regular troops (however, they were forbidden to wear the Palatine Aquila). As the fruits of Chief Apothecary Fabius Bile's work, Emperor's Children Inductii often had surgical modifications such as chem-implants that increased their size and strength, limbs replaced by tentacles or pincer claws, or exoskeletons of chitin.[1a][5] Driven by combat drugs, their tortured minds strove even more self-destructively towards a desire for perfection. They were typically equipped with chainswords, power weapons, and bolt pistols.[5]
- Iron Warriors - Some newly raised Inductii garrisons were made to commit Flash-Indoctrination, in order to create unthinking obedience within them.[1a] They were utterly indoctrinated into Perturabo's unyielding methods of war, and were so obedient that they were often comparted to Battle-Automata. They were typically equipped with bolters.[5]
- Night Lords - Made up of the most savage killers the Night Lords came across during their rampage across the Imperium, there was little standardisation and each was trained and equipped by whatever Warlord happened to be in control of them. Known for their mental instability, their equipment was often a simple bolt pistol and combat knife or other improvised close combat weapons.[5]
- World Eaters - Inductii in the World Eaters Legion were flash-grown from vats by Butcher-Surgeons. In their Legion's training facilities they duelled in the fighting pits and were infamously forced to commit Flash-Indoctrination upon the dead. This, combined with their Butcher's Nails and genetic instability, resulted in the Inductii becoming consumed by an unquenchable rage and blood thirst. In battle, they were poorly equipped and used as chaff to shield veteran Legionaries. Those Inductii that survived were given greater respect by their brethren and could also salvage equipment from the dead. By the Heresy's end, their ranks would include those who became slaughterers that few could equal.[1a] They were typically equipped with chainswords, power weapons, charnabal sabres, heavy chainswords, and bolt pistols.[5]
- Death Guard - Trained separately form the bulk of the Legion, they were chiefly used to reinforce Barbarus itself before expanding across the galaxy and increasing their numbers. They were often deployed in hidden garrisons that could endure independently for extended periods and were equipped with bolters, flamers, alchem flamers, rotor cannons, and bayonets.[5]
- Thousand Sons - Created in the aftermath of the Burning of Prospero, these Inductii were recruited with less discernment than their predecessors. They were experimented on with forbidden bio-alchemy and psychic indoctrination in an attempt to rapidly rebuild the Legion. While potent warriors and in some cases even Sorcerers, they were more susceptible to the Flesh Change. Typically equipped with bolters, volkite calivers, power weapons, and dangerous psychic abilities.[5]
- Sons of Horus - While the Inductii could wear Cthonian symbols, some veteran Sons of Horus decried their usage by those not from the Legion's Homeworld, to the point that they considered it an offense worthy of harsh punishment.[1a] By the late stages of the war the Sons of Horus were producing new quasi-feral Inductii known as Newborn in just six months[3] from savage worlds captured across the Imperium. Known for their desire to prove themselves worthy to their superiors, they were brutal fighters equipped with bolt pistols and chainswords.[5] In the final stages of the Heresy, the Sons of Horus also used their Selenar allies on Luna to mass-produce Simulacra Astartes, but these were not considered true Space Marines.[6]
- Word Bearers - Some Inductii were made to commit Flash-Indoctrination, which caused them to develop frenzied zealotry.[1a] Others were subjected to sorcerous Warp rituals, making them corrupted and in some cases possessed by Daemons. Typically equipped with bolt pistols and chainswords.[5]
- Alpha Legion - Suspected to have utilized Inductii production methods from their very inception[5], the Alpha Legion employed Inductii in independent companies which uncharacteristically operated in plain sight. This was believed to further obscure their activities of regular units. They would wear the heraldry and colors of other Legions in order to confuse the enemy.[1c] Typically equipped with bolters, combi-weapons, and bayonets.[5]
Images
Insignia
Emperor's Children Inductii symbol[1b]
Imperial Fists Inductii symbol[1b]
Blood Angels Inductii symbol[1b]
Sons of Horus Inductii symbol[1b]
Alpha Legion Inductii symbol[1c]
Miniatures
Sources
- 1: Campaigns of the Age of Darkness: The Siege of Cthonia:
- 2: Warhawk (Novel), Chapter 1
- 3: The Solar War (Novel), Chapter 3
- 4: Deliverance Lost (Novel), Chapter 11
- 5: Warhammer Community: New Inductii rules send desperate reinforcements straight to the war front (posted 25/09/2025) (archived from the original, last accessed 14 February 2026)
- 6: Ashes of the Imperium (Novel), Chapter 19
