Tools of the Hunt Part 5

Last week I talked about everything that goes into the shaping and making of a space wolf.  We left off at the aspirant having received his power armour and so this week’s article I will cover how the young Blood Claw is made battle worthy and the potential paths his faith as a Sky Warrior could take him.

Those that have survived the training so far and have returned from the Blooding trial are now for all intents and purposes a Blood Claw, however their training is far from over! Upon receiving the ancient power armour passed own from a fallen brother from the Iron Priests they are lead into one of many meditation rooms inside the Fang by an assigned Wolf Priest who will instruct them of the ways set down by Leman Russ. Inside these rooms there are numerous "copper crowns" of an unknown design. These crowns when donned essentially “download” torrents of information into the Blood Claw’s brain. In just a few days the wearer will learn the history of mankind, the rise of the Emperor, the Primarchs and our brother legions, the Great Crusade, the Horus Heresy, the enemies of man, how their armour and weaponry operates and the ways of the universe. This ensures in just a few days the Blood Claw is now an educated barbarian! The process is flawed however as the crowns of information can sometimes give only a limited amount of information resulting in, sadly, the occasional stupid marine. The Wolf Priest sees over these proceedings but the crowns prove incapable of teaching muscle memory. Once the Priest has deemed it time the pack is each marine is presented with a bolt pistol and chainsword and thought in their use for months on end. They receive brutal combat training in various environments so that they may adjust to their armour and standard weapons; they are instructed in their care by the Iron Priests, trained in use of grenades and various other weapons and of course they spar to further hone their skills. This training all takes place on the Fang until they are deemed ready. They can be kept there for garrison work for years before leaving when their assigned company goes to war but the Claws are still trained while on the company’s ships. This is training however deaths can still occur be it an accident when sparring, training with live rounds or even if the young Claws body rejects the gene seed implants but eventually the Blood Claw pack numbering of, on average, ten to fifteen gene enhanced and heavily armed teenage boys must go to  war. It’s astonishing to look at a Blood Claw unit and to think they are this young and already fighting the overwhelming horrors that try to wipe out the existence of mankind. Traditionally Blood Claws are not allowed to grow facial hair until they have matured and been elevated to the rank of Grey Hunter. The Wolf Priest will often stay with them on their first mission in a live warzone but en of that calibre are often needed for more pressing matters but a member of the Wolf Guard usually replace him as the packs tutor while he is away.  The Blood Claws are watched closely from the beginning for signs of psychic potential or whether they would benefit from the role of Wolf Scout for the future or if they are simply too hot headed (yes even for a Blood Claw this is possible!) for their own packs safety. These hot heads are assigned to Swift Claw and Sky Claw units and allowed to engage the enemy as quickly as possible as otherwise they will endanger their brothers by showing their position or simply biting off more than they can chew and we all know how annoying that can be in the middle of a game!

After a hundred years of warfare the fiery Blood Claw unit has been tempered. Having seen its share of losses with the packs size now averaging five to ten, the surviving members are picked out separately when the Wolf Priest deems them to be a matured veteran and ready to become a Grey Hunter, so called as these novices hair has now turned a wolfish grey due to age and the gene seed of Russ. The Grey Hunters in each pack are assembled by the Wolf Lord and his Wolf Priests to create a diverse, dependable unit that is capable of operating efficiently off of their own initiative, however by no means does this mean that battle brothers from the Blood Claw pack will be separated, it is not uncommon for old pack brothers to meet again as Grey Hunters. Grey Hunters are given the option of further training as a pilot or driver of various vehicles, the operation of more lethal weaponry, Wolf Scout or even as an Iron or Wolf Priest if found suitable for the roles. It’s also at this point that those that are “storm chosen” are separated to become Rune Priests.

Those few, if any; that are left after almost a thousand years of warfare in the name of Russ and are seen as too valuable to take up the rites of Lone Wolf or have not made the Wolf Guard are assembled into Long Fang packs with the average pack size of five men. Having proven their worth upon the battlefield and seeing generations of brother’s fall these are truly ancient and wise silver haired warriors. Trusted with the most lethal long range weaponry at the Wolves disposal these squads generally stay behind the main force and pick out targets that could mean the end of their brethren. A lovely retirement plan don’t you think?

The man that has seen his entire pack wiped out may seek out a Wolf Priest and engage in the rites of the Lone Wolf. These rites consist of an agreement between the Wolf Priest and woe begotten Grey Hunter (usually) that the man must seek out a specific foe and in an act of revenge for killing his pack brothers cut his life’s thread and bring its carcass back to the Fang. When he returns he is often nominated to the rank of Wolf Guard for killing a foe that single handedly slayed an entire pack.

These are the best of the best of the Sons of Russ. Having proven themselves exceptional even among such mighty warriors they are allowed to take any weapon they wish from the armoury, including the sacred suits of terminator armour.

Of course those who prove themselves to their Wolf Lord can be elevated to the esteemed rank of Battle Leader where they will be groomed for the rank of Wolf Lord come the tragic day when his leader falls. But we know even in death can the worthy be of service to the chapter when entombed inside the sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.

In all honesty I have no idea what next weeks article will be! As always comments and requests are welcome!