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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
→History
==History==
===Great Crusade and Horus Heresy===
The Legiones Astartes were originally created by the [[Emperor]] and his gene-wrights in the closing days of the [[Unification Wars]] and the extinction of their predecessors, the [[Thunder Warrior]]s. The new [[Astartes]] had superior lifespans and discipline to those of the Thunder Warriors, and were intended by the Emperor to spearhead his coming [[Great Crusade]].{{Fn|7a}} Each of the twenty Legions were created from [[gene-seed]] derived from a single [[Primarch]], which were themselves maturing deep under the Himalayan Mountains before they were stolen away from the Forces of [[Chaos]].{{Fn|6a}} However while the Gene-Seed was created by the Emperor, it was perfected and mass-produced by the Gene-Cults of [[Luna]] after they were [[First Pacification of Luna|pacified]] by the early Astartes.{{Fn|18}} The combat debut of the Legiones Astartes occurred towards the end of the [[Unification Wars]] when they fought rebellious [[Thunder Warrior]]s in the [[Palace Coup]].{{Fn|30}}
During the subsequent [[Great Crusade]], the twenty Legiones Astartes were the tip of the Emperor's spear in his conquest of much of the [[galaxy]]. Gradually, the twenty lost Primarchs were reunified with their respective Legion and led them to further glories, where they would begin to establish unique identities for themselves. However some point during the Great Crusade, [[Two unknown legions|two of the legions were erased from all records]] for unknown reasons.{{Fn|7b}}
