Ok so I wanted to start a big project like this for a LONG time and I’ve finally managed to gather some resources to finally start. I want to bring love to the most obscure chapters of the Adeptus Astartes and I’m starting my first big project with an Iron Hand successor as it’s protagonista, because they themselves as a legion have VERY little content throughout the fandom compared to the rest of the Adeptus Astartes factions.

The Rust Oxens, much like most Iron Hand successors, have no lore apart from being from a savage world, so I decided to make my own, basing it off The Italian island of Sardegna.

# The Battle tactics

The Rust Oxens always face the enemies two company at a time, approaching slowing and methodically wearing bright burgundi and white armor ornated with colorful seals. While the enemy is focused on them however, their mortal militia: The Mammòt Ogres, sneak behind the enemy lines.

The Ogres wear Black Masks and thick pelts they use to camouflage themselves and always bring with them hundreds of windchimes bells that they Place around the enemy camps and on themselves in order to disorientate and distract.

When the bells of the Ogres toll, the Oxens pick up their pace running as fast as they can towards the enemy lines as the ogres are slowing tearing them apart from the inside. They always let the cowards running when the deed is done, knowing full well that their fear will spread, and a fearfull enemy is a weaker enemy.

# The Lore

The Rust Oxens had been lost long before the coming of the Primaris marines after being sent to suppress a rebellion on the Savage world of Mammòt and were never seen again. Their rigid dogma couldn’t stand a chance against the brutal and unorthodox battle tactics of the local resistance and both sides received severe losses. In the end the two factions came to a truce and the Rust Oxens gave up on the idea that the flesh was weaker than steel.

Still to this day they implement bionic modifications to their bodies, no longer as a way to separate themselves from their humanity but as a tribute to their primarch which they still mourne to this day.

They have now shunned the mechanicus beliefs, as they believe they blind humanity with the stillness of steel driving them further and further away from the true strength that lies inside themselves, and after being rediscovered during the indomitus crusade, the tensions between the two had increased drastically.

Their Techmarines and Chaplains are one and the same and are called “Sabiu”

Those Who aspire to become a Sabiu (called a “Sculanu”) must perform a ceremony where they sacrifice all their limbs and replace them with prosthetics that they have forged themselves, as an act of total devotion to Ferrus Manus and the protection of mankind from their enemies.

Mommòt has developed into a sort of tribal feudal world since their truce with the Oxens and they celebrate this event with great festivities (Manna Tregua) in which the Astartes themselves take part in.

During the Manna Tregua, the citizens of Mammòt repair and fix the Astartes armor, while the Space Marine prepare the food for the locals.

During the celebrations each village presents its aspirants which are selected through a series of trials:

1- The Catza (The hunt)

Working in Teams of three, The aspirants need to take down an adult Ox under the supervision of a Sabiu, ready to intervene in case the animals tries to kill a child. Naturally this intervention means disqualification, so the groups need to be quick and quiet. Initiates that pass this trial, but fail in the next ones are accepted as recruits amongst the Ogres

2- The Fraigadura (The forging)

The aspirant need to form the components for a simple toy, following the instructions in the manual given to them by the Sabiu. Time is not important, the aspirant’s creativity and persistence is, as they have to forge each component on their own. Each toy is unique and they are usually exported off world to sell them at a high price. Those who pass this trial but fail the next one can still become either an Ogre or a Favarù, an artisan that creates luxury items for the nobles of the imperium and unique prosthetics for the people of the Imperium

3- The Disaffiu (The duel)

The remaing aspirants face each others in 1v1 mock battles, using ranged weapons. 

The winner of each duel is selected to become a space marine.

Female aspirants have access only to the first and second trial as they cannot receive the surgeries needed to become space marines.

Abhumans children, though rare on Mammòt, are also allowed to partake in the trials, though only a select few can move on to the third

Flesh is Flesh afterall and it would be a shame to waste its potential.

Due to the fact that the people of Mammòt don’t speak common Gothic, but a form of dialect, the Rust Oxens also serve as their representative and interpreters.

Their chapter master, which they refer to as “Su Chi Ghiaiat”, is Bachisio Demontis.

He had a different name when he first came to Mammòt as the captain of The first company, but changed it to Honor the culture of the people that bested his chapter.

The start of my Rust Oxens Diorama