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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
→Organisation
A number of warrior societies within the Legion also existed during this time, most notably the [[Dodekatheon]], [[Apolakron]], [[Kheledakos]], and [[Lyssatra]]. It also maintained a special unit known as the '''[[Stor-Bezashk]]''', which commanded mighty siege weapons unseen outside of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]]' [[Ordo Reductor]] itself.{{Fn|20b}} The Iron Warriors suffered a great deal of dispersion during the [[Great Crusade]], with various units being detached for separate siege and garrison missions.{{Fn|1b}}
The strategic command of the Legion was overseen by [[Grand Battalion]]s, which functioned similarly to a [[Chapter]], but had a larger stockpile of armorarmour, artillery, and logistical support than other [[Space Marine Legion|Legions]]. The Iron Warriors had a notably high rate of attrition, so the strength of a Grand Battalions fluctuated: some had as few as 500 Legionaries and others had in excess of 4,000. Severely depleted Grand Battalions were folded together into active units. Grand Battalions were commonly divided into '''Cohorts''' or [[Grand Company|Grand Companies]]. Below these were '''Line Companies''' and '''Armor Armour Centuries'''. The companies had roughly 100 Legionaries and the centuries had a range of 20 to 50 armour units. In each Grand Battalion there were elements of the [[Tyranthikos]], informally known as the '''Dominators''' - these were the Legion's [[Terminator]] veterans.{{Fn|20a}}
Tactically, Iron Warriors were organised as a number of [[Grand Company|Grand Companies]] each commanded by a [[Warsmith]]. Originally each Grand Company would have had a similar organisation, totaling around 1,000 [[Space Marines]]. At the time of the [[Horus Heresy]], the [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]] had at least twelve Companies, although with the widespread deployment of many small detachments of the Legion at the time it is impossible to be sure if this figure of around 12,000 fighting [[Astartes]] was their maximum strength.{{Fn|1f}} The overall size of the Legion was between 150,000 and 180,000 Marines.{{Fn|20c}}
The Iron Warriors possessed a substantial war fleet of over 100 capital class ships.{{Fn|20c}}
===Current===
[[Image:IronWarriorsCombat.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Iron Warriors in action{{Fn|1f}}]]
Their current organisation is completely non-standard, particularly after their [[Iron Warriors Civil War|civil war]] fragmented the [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]].{{Fn|23}} A [[Grand Company]] will often be divided into component detachments led by lesser champions. A tendency towards operating in multiples of three has been noted.{{Fn|1f}} While their [[Perturabo|Primarch]] remains in his fortress at [[Medrengard]], the Iron Warriors are now almost exclusively led by [[Warsmith]]s who command Grand Companies.{{Fn|1f}} A Warsmith is a high-ranking leader within the Iron Warriors Legion with control of a Grand Company, seemingly similar to a [[Chapter Master]] with several companies lead led by [[Champion of Chaos|Chaos Champions]] still called [[Space Marine Captain|Captains]].{{Fn|14f}} Those warlords of theirs who manifest a superior understanding of the relationship between [[Daemon]] and machine are known as [[Daemonsmith]]s.{{Fn|74c}}
The Iron Warriors are known to pursue their recruitment programs aggressively, notably capturing a sizable source of pure [[gene-seed]] from the facility on [[Hydra Cordatus]] and using it to hot-house new Iron Warriors using a chaotic techno-organic method.{{Fn|9}} These new Iron Warriors are selected periodically by Warsmiths for their Grand Companies and subjected to various ordeals until they prove themselves worthy.{{Fn|1e}}
