Astartes Strike Cruiser. Home to the Cult of the Faceless Warrior.

Leader of the Daughters of the Word. Formerly an acolyte of the Inquisition. Turned by Castor.

The Phateon is the newest Gothic-class cruiser in von Graves' inventory, a vessel that's a mere two hundred years old. Despite her young age the ship suffers from chronic technical malfunctions; her tech-priests claim that once the ship becomes older and wiser, her humours will even out.

Part of Admiral von Graves' fleet.

The Gothic-class cruiser Amphion is the sister ship of the Zethus (a vessel known to be operating in the Calixis sector). Both vessels contain numerous upgrades, including improved, long-range lances. Unfortunately Amphion's dwindling number of resident tech-priests have been unable to properly maintain all her tech-mysteries, making her little more than any other Gothic-class.

She is part of Admiral von Graves' renegade fleet.

A vessel with a long and proud history, the Divine Master is one of the first Gothic-class ships ever launched. It has been diligently maintained across the aeons and appear little different from the day she left the slips.

She is part of Admiral von Graves' renegade fleet.

Dark Angel renegade Moebius has tracked down the Green Knights' homeworld: Phagir, a world deep in the Hazeroth Abyss. The world was once home to human civilization, but now it is a wasteland, ravaged by strange, mutated lifeforms.

He's also found that the Chapter was stricken from Imperial records hundreds of years ago. As far as the Imperial war machine is concerned, they do not exist. The Knights themselves have long been sworn to Inquisitorial service. Currently they function as a sort of elite guard for the Maiden and her leaders.

Moebius has been tasked with trying to subvert the knights; they are of Dark Angel stock after all.

The Coven of the Divine Will is the Daughter's assault (Seraphim) unit. They are a priority unit; all members are equipped with light power armour and assault flight packs. Uses bolters and specialist weapons suitable for the assault role.

Their role is to act in support of the Word Bearers' assault units, providing extra firepower and providing a mobile pool of reinforcements. Unlike assault marines they are not supposed to tangle with the enemy in melee (except enemy light infantry).

The Coven of the Divine Will is divided into two Great companies, but will usually fight divided into six battle companies of 111 Daughters. One such battle compnay will typically support a single 50-man Astartes battle coy.

The Coven of the Divine Will is based off the Verbum, but will be redeployed if the assault marines are given assignments elsewhere.

The Coven of the Astral Harpy is made up of small craft pilots; i.e. the women than man (pun intended) the attack wings of the fleet.

Most of the older pilots were trained aboard duRante's Honour, but the new breed receive their education directly from exisiting Harpies.

There are currently nowhere near enough experienced pilots to man every squadron (but this is slowly improving). To preserve his ships and operators, the Apostle has forbidden any small craft to be launched without a competent crew.

The Coven of the Spiked Fist is made up of the Host's drivers, gunners, and mechanics (all female of course).

Their numbers have swelled considerably, but there are never enough to go around. The Coven is especially short on experienced operators and skilled enginseers.

In terms of personal equipment the Coven is not prioritized; few have been honoured with PA, instead making do with whatever they can scavenge. Hopefully this situation can be remedied later on.

Battle barge, formerly of the Tigers Argent. Suffered severe damage at Karrik, but remained warp-capable and was able to limp back to Diamantina.

Contains a very fine Apotecharium (the Verbum has a bigger one, but not as high quality), making it a haunt for Doctore (and his pal Kruger).

The enigmatic head of the Tech-Priests supporting the 10th Host. When he appears in "person" he does so completely enclosed within a hovering adamantium sphere engraved with dread runes. The sphere is said to be powered by the souls of  Viniz' enemies.

Viniz has made his bid for power; breaking with his distant masters on the other side of the Finial sector and casting his lot with Castor.

There are several classification schemes for combat voidships. According to type, class, rate, etc. Here is a quick overview. Note that cruisers are either labelled as CC/CB/CA+CL (from larger to smaller) or GC/BC/CH+CL (from larger to smaller).

VOID LEVIATHANS

0 rate - Voidships this big and powerful aren't given any rating at all, making them know as 'null-rates' (which is VERY different from Unrated ships).

Leviathan (LV): Leviathans are those voidships that are so large as to defy classification. The Imperial Fists' Phalanx is by far the most infamous void leviathan; it has the power to wipe out an entire fleet of battleships without breaking stride.

SHIPS OF THE LINE

Ships of the line make up the core of sector Battlefleets. Their job is to break major enemy fleets, defend key Imperial worlds, and bring especially well-defended planets to compliance.

Ships of the line are often divided into two tiers; the top tier ships are collectively known as battleships. The lower tier ships are called cruisers. Grand cruisers are sometimes counted as battleships, sometimes as cruisers. In terms of size and firepower they (almost) qualify as second rate battleships, but in other aspects they are little more than lumbering cruisers.

BATTLESHIPS

Battleships are so powerful, so rare, and so valuable that they are almost never used for routine duties. Instead they are held in reserve for when their services are really needed.

0.5 rate - The so-called 'half rate' is used to classify ships that are noticeably more powerful than even 1st rate vessels.

Super-dreadnought (SD): Super-dreadnoughts are for all intents and purposes gargantuan battleships; their capabilities are the same, only on a much grander scale. Very few such ships are available to the Imperial Navy and even fewer will be built in the future – the art of their construction is largely lost. Most existing vessels are near-unique and ancient beyond counting. The Divine Wrath, flagship of Segmentum Pacificus, is one of the few Terra-class superdreadnoughts left in the galaxy - few were built and even fever survive. It is three times the size of an ordinary battleship of the 2nd rate and much larger than even the 1st rate ships like the Emperor-class battle carriers of the Imperial Navy. In terms of fire-power it is truly unique: It holds 1.5 times the number of small craft of an Emperor-class BB. Its mighty broadsides and heavy lances make it like a fleet onto itself. The crowning glory is a super powerful nova cannon that runs the length of the ship's main hull (deep beneath the arboretum). To add insult to injury this fearsome weapon is ringed with torpedo launchers. Warmaster Abbaddon commands another SD, the unique Regia Telluris Occisor, constructed in the hell-forges of the Eye of Terror. Crew complement approx. 250,000-300,000.

1st rate - First rate battleships, sometimes called dreadnoughts, are somewhat more powerful than 2nd rate battleships.

Dreadnought (DN): Some Imperial Navy analysts make a division between the larger and smaller classes of battleship. Dreadnoughts are oversized battleships. They might not appear to be much larger than 'normal' battleships, but at this scale appearances can be deceiving. Dreadnoughts mass millions of tons more than their smaller cousins. The Imperator-class (aka Emperor-class) is the most common (relatively speaking) such ships in the Imperium. Outwardly similar to a Retribution-class vessel, the Imperator has numerous archaic components, houses numerous massive launch bays, and much more powerful defensive systems. It is significantly more massive, but only marginally longer (just over 10.000 meters), than comparable 2nd rate ships. Crew complement approx. 205,000.

2nd rate - Second rate battleships are the most common battleships in the 41st Millennium.

Battleship (BB): Battleships are the kings of space. They have incredibly potent offensive systems and are just as well protected. Their only drawback apart from low speed is their enormous build and maintenance costs. Because of their ponderousness and their great value most battleships spend their time at anchor, except when called upon to fight a major battle. It is very rare for battleships to operate alone; Navy doctrine calls for at least two battleships to fight together, along with a screen of supporting escorts and cruisers. The Retribution-class is an all-gun battleship that works along the lines of a Lunar, only on a much greater scale. It’s significantly longer and sleeker than the Overlord-class, and nearly twice as massive. Much of that extra tonnage dedicated to power production, shielding and armour. Crew complement approx. 169,000.

2.5 rate - Grand cruiser designs are often classified as 2.5 rate, i.e. more powerful than a cruiser, but not quite battleship material.

Grand cruiser (CC or GC): Grand cruisers are very large, very powerful 'cruisers'. In earlier eras this was the warship, fulfilling the role of both cruisers and battleships. They have now largely fallen out of favour with the Imperial Navy (the Navy now prefers a mixture of DNs/BBs and BCs/CAs).  Existing grand cruisers are often very old. The Eye of Terror is home to quite a few vessels of the battery-heavy Avenger-class. Some of these vessels have travelled the stars since the days of Horus. With a length of nearly 7.5 kilometres these vessels are truly massive. Crew complement approx.AC 141,000.

CRUISERS

Cruisers form the backbone of every fleet. They are powerful enough to participate in pitched battles, and versatile enough to be used in most other roles. They are also much cheaper to maintain and easier to build than battleships, a considerable advantage in the dark future.

3rd rate - Battlecruisers are the archetypical 3rd rate ships, meaning they are rated for line fleet duties (if heavier ships aren't available).

Battlecruiser (CB or BC): Battlecruisers are the Imperial Navy's attempt at upgrading existing heavy cruiser designs, usually but up-gunning existing STC templates. Battlecruisers are considerably smaller, faster, and more agile than true battleships, but carry almost as much weaponry. This makes a battlecruiser the ultimate predator - a raider powerful enough to destroy anything it can't outrun. To achieve this combination a battlecruiser sacrifices defence; shields and armour are not significantly more powerful than those of an ordinary heavy cruiser. This is compounded by the aggressive operating pattern of the battlecruiser. In a protracted battle this lack of protection and aggressive stance can be a deadly combination. The sleek and lance-heavy Overlord-class is one of the more successful battlecruiser designs in the Imperial arsenal. Based upon the Acheron-class CA it measures 6,000 meters and masses half again as much as a Lunar class. In terms of throw weight it matches most GC designs. Crew complement approx. 110,000.

3.5 rate - Cruisers are 3.5 rate, meaning they aren't quite as capable as the more potent battlecruisers.

Cruiser (CA or CH): Heavy cruisers form the backbone of most interstellar fleets. Big enough to engage anything short of a battleship in open combat and powerful enough to deter all lesser vessels. Heavy cruisers are considerably bigger and more powerful than light cruisers, but slower and less agile. The Lunar-class cruiser is the most common major combat starship in the Imperial fleet. It has a powerful and balanced armament of torpedoes, lances, and batteries, plus good armour, shields, and turrets. It’s not very fast, nor does it carry many small craft, but overall it’s a very versatile vessel. Many variants exist. The Lunar is 5,000 meters long (main hull some 3,500 meters), making it about 25% longer than the Dauntless-class CL, but much more massive. Crew complement 95.000.

4th rate - Fourth rate ships aren't supposed to be part of a line of battle, except in emergencies. More often they take on escort duties.

Light Cruiser (CL): Light cruisers are the lesser type of cruiser. Not intended for direct fleet action they serve as screens, scouts and raiders. In remote areas this is the biggest warship likely to be encountered. The Dauntless-class cruiser is the most common Imperial light cruiser. The Dauntless is fast, decently protected, and sports a powerful lance armament for a vessel of its size. It is nearly 4 km long, has a displacement of almost 20 million tonnes, and a crew complement of 67,500.

ESCORTS

Escorts are lesser (relatively speaking) vessels. It is their job to scout, to screen, and to raid. It falls upon them to patrol outlying systems, and do all the thankless tasks larger ships are too valuable for. In battle their job is to keep enemy escorts and ordnance away from the ships of the line, or alternatively to launch lightning strikes upon enemy capital ships.

5th rate - Fifth rate ships are the larger type of escort. More or less synonymous with Frigate-class vessels, although some very heavy raiders are rated as 5th rate.

Frigate (FF): Frigates are the most versatile and potent class of escorts. They are fast, agile, reasonably well protected, and can pack quite a punch. They can act as fleet pickets, long range scouts, convoy escorts or raiders with equal ease. Commanding one is the dream of every young officer. The Sword-class frigate is a typical example of an Imperial Navy design of this class. The Sword measures approximately 2,200 meters of sleek, 10 megaton lethality. Nearly as fast as some destroyer designs, it has a powerful armament and much better defences. Crew complement 26,000.

Heavy Raider (RH): Heavy raiders are similar in design to raiders and fulfil the same roles. The only real difference is one of tonnage and associated combat performance. Within the Imperium this class is a common type of system defence ship (i.e. not warp capable). One heavy raider design that is warp capable is the Intruder-class, found in large numbers around the Maelstrom anomaly. The class sports a decent battery armament and can achieve very high speeds. Defensive measures are limited; it has decent armour, but very weak void shields. The Intruder measures around 2,000 meters in length and has a crew in the 20-25k range, depending on configuration.

6th rate - Sixth rate ships are the smaller type of escort. Destroyers are typically of the 6th rate, as are heavy raiders.

Destroyer (DD): Destroyers are the smallest class of starships that regularly engage in fleet battles. They are very fast and pack as much firepower as some of their larger cousins. Shielding and armour is light at best. Range is usually limited. Destroyers serve as fleet pickets and close escorts, either tasked to attack larger ships en masse or defend cruisers and battleships from close-in attacks. The Cobra-class is a typical Imperial design; very fast, armed with torpedoes and turret-mounted batteries, but too frail to stand up to heavy fire for long. Length is approximately 1,500 meters, mass nearly 6 megatonnes. Crew complement 15,000.

Corvette (VV): Corvettes are purpose-designed vessels. Design-wise they have a lot in common with the larger frigates. They are used primarily as convoy escorts, but are also pressed into other roles where more capable ships aren’t available. The Claymore-class is an example of this type of vessel. It carries two demi-lances and has a light battery armament, making it less heavily armed than comparable destroyers. It is relatively fast, but not as quick as comparable destroyers or raiders. It is, however, better protected and has a somewhat longer range. Length is 1,400 meters, crew complement 21,000 (making it a very crew-intensive design).

Raider (RR): Raiders are not fleet vessels, but ships designed for independent operations against outlying worlds and interstellar shipping. They are commonly found in two roles; as warp-capable corsairs or as system defence ships. One infamous raider design is the Infidel-class, which can be found across the galaxy in the hands of ner-do-wells. The class sports a decent battery armament and can achieve very high speeds. Defensive measures are limited; it has decent armour, but nearly non-existent shielding. The Intruder measures around 1,500 meters in length and has a crew just over 10,000.

UNRATED SHIPS

Unrated ships are those combat-capable vessels that fall short of the 6th rate mark, usually because they lack firepower.

Sloop (SL): Sloops are among the smallest warp-capable ships commonly used by the Imperial Navy. They are generally used as fast couriers and scouts. The Viper-class sloop is about 950 meters long and has a crew of approximately 7,500 souls. Offensive capabilities are very weak and defences laughable. The Viper is, however, one of the fastest ships in the galaxy, able to outrun most ordnance-type weapons.

Light Raider (RL): Light raiders are a type of unrated vessel. In size they approach the limit of what can be made warp-capable and battle-worthy. Ships of this size are commonly found as system ships within the Imperium. Most raider class vessels belong to xenos, pirates or renegades. Some are warships from the keel up while others are converted freighters. The Chariot-class is an STC-pattern Kull vessel found raiding in the Finial sector and surrounding areas. Ordo Xenos records indicate a length of 850 meters (approximately). Few other details are known, except that it’s fast, carries a light battery complement, and has negligible armour. Crew aestimate in the 5k range.

Brig (GG): The brig is the smallest warp-and-combat-capable ship type in the Imperial arsenal. It is significantly less capable than a sloop in all regards; offensive, defensive, range, speed, etc. Brigs are used courier and priority transport in remote areas. Length around 600 meters, crew approximately 3,000.

SYSTEM SHIPS

System ships are those vessels that lack a warp drive. They are otherwise similar in appearance and capabilities as their warp-capable kin. Theoretically they should be more potent than comparable warp ships (since they've no need for a warp drive and associated systems), but in practice this isn’t the case, as they will often be constructed with inferior materials and production techniques. All Imperial worlds with sufficient tech base and industrial capacity will maintain such ships as part of their PDF. Ships above the 5th rate are uncommon. Most are 6th rate or Unrated.

SPACE FORTIFICATIONS

Space fortifications are commonly deployed to defend Imperial worlds or other important locations. Lacking anything but the most rudimentary drive systems they can dedicate all of their space and power to defence and offence. Fortifications are also very stable gun platforms. The end result is that they generally have more and heavier guns than comparable voidships.

Star Fortress SF (LV): Star fortresses are monolithic structures, sometimes the size of small moons. They have enough firepower to devastate and entire invading fleet, and enough staying power to soak an incredible amount of damage.

Battle Station SF (BB): Battle stations are hugely powerful fortifications, capable of taking on ships of the line and winning. The Ramiles-class Star Fort is the largest such station commonly found in the Imperium.

Orbital Base SF (CA): Orbital bases are the equivalent of cruiser-class vessels. On fringe worlds they often represent the command and control element of the orbital defence grid. On more prosperous worlds they are deployed by the dozen.

Defence Platform SF (DD): These escort-sized defence platforms are arrayed in such a manner as to provide (in theory) full protection for an entire world. For remote planets a dozen or so platforms, tied into an orbital base, make up the orbital defence grid (plus land-based assets).

TRANSPORTS/MERCHANTMEN

The vast majority of voidships are not military vessel, but transports and merchantmen. If compared to military ships of equivalent size they will have MUCH smaller crews. Their innards are also quite different; offensive, defensive, and propulsion systems have been gutted to make room for vast cargo spaces.

Transports (TP): Transports come in all shapes and sizes. They are abbreviated TP. Relative hull size is often added in parentheses, i.e. TP (DN) for a dreadnought-sized Mass Conveyor or TP (DD) for a Pro Patria-class Sprint Trader.

Armed merchantmen (TA): Although most Imperial transport vessel have some form of defensive systems (light armour, void shields, turrets, etc.), they are not really combatants. In times of need the Imperial Navy – or more rarely, planetary commanders – may authorized the refitting of a merchantman. Such vessels can be quite powerful, but they will always compare poorly to a true warship of equal tonnage.

Q-ships (TQ): Q-ships are a special subset of armed merchantmen. They are heavily armed for their type, but have been constructed in such a way as to conceal their offensive capabilities.

CARRIERS

Many ships of the line carry attack craft in mighty hangars. Such ships are not normally classified as carriers, unless the small craft constitute the vast majority of their firepower. So a 1^st rate Emperor-class battleship is classified as a DN, despite having many attack wings on board.

In addition to wings of attack craft (interceptors/bombers/assault boats) a carrier (and other non-carriers with attack craft capacity) can hold fleets of atmospheric attack craft. These are generally useless in a pitched space battle, but are of great value during planetary assaults and orbital operations.

Battle/Fleet Carrier (CVB): Battle (or Fleet) carriers capable of carrying 10 or more attack craft wings into battle. The Nemesis-class dreadnought, a variant of the Emperor-class, is the largest Fleet Carrier in Imperial service.

Carriers (CV): Carriers of this category are usually based upon battleship/grand cruiser hulls and are capable of operating 6-8 attack wings.

Light Carrier (CVL): Light carriers use battlecruiser/heavy cruiser hulls and carry approximately 4 wings of attack craft.

Escort Carriers (CVE): Escort carriers use light cruiser hulls. They are the smallest dedicated carriers in service. Usually carries around 2 attack wings.

ATTACK CRAFT

Deep space attack craft (Fury/Starhawk/Shark) are a different breed from aerospace combat craft (Lightning/Thunderbolt/Marauder). The smallest such craft weigh hundreds of tonnes, whereas heavy bombers and assault boat variants can mass several times that. The big battle carriers can spew out hundreds of such attack craft.

Interceptor: Large space fighters. Used to eliminate enemy ordnance, including bombers and assault boats – or to clear a path for own ordnance. Useless against capital vessels.

Bomber: Heavy space bomber. Carries submunitions capable of damaging even capital warships.

Assault boat: Heavily armoured and shielded, lighting quick. Used to board enemy vessels. Can carry a company of heavy armed and armoured troops.

Eshmunazar, one of the non combat Astartes. Astartes veteran of the long war (10th Host all the way). Commander of the Verbum.

More machine than man now, spent time in stasis after sustaining injures during the 11th black crusade. Had the host had Dreadnought hulks available he would have been a candidate. Doctore fixed him up as good as can be and the rest was done as part of the hosts old pacts with Mechanicus in the Eye. 70%of his body is replaced with black almost bug like carapace (half his face) the replacements are as strong as flesh but cant merge with power armour making him whole but unable to fight with the host.(many a dark curse has been spoken by him over this turn of events)

Eshmunazar is lucky, he was never the best Astartes on the ground, his forte was space combat, thinking in more dimensions than a sane man can. So when the host got the Verbum, Castor raised him to commander. Eshmunazar is proud of this and runs a clean and crisp ship. This is his way back to the brotherhood of the host and he wont let anyone get in the way of it.

These are Lorgar's 'Blessed Sons' - aka daemon-possessed Word Bearers.

The Gal Vorbak of the 10th Host are a bit different from the 'old ones'. The 'new' Gal Vorbak are spirits of slain Word Bearers (the line between a 'spirit' and a 'daemon' is pretty academic). They take over the bodies of worthy hosts at the moment of death. The late Obel Gar was the first to rise.

True Sisters of Battle that have have their bodies, minds, and faith broken by Castor.

The final chapter in their descent into darkness is possession by a Daemonette. They are the Daughter version of the Gal Vorbak.