# BL Apologizes to Imperial Fist Fans



## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

About Time 


"Today sees the early release of Ben Counter’s new Imperial Fists novel, Seventh Retribution. The sons of Dorn haven’t always had the easiest time in Black Library fiction, so we went behind the scenes to explore what makes the Imperial Fists so prone to literary accidents.

It has been commented upon more than once that we here at Black Library don’t always treat the sons of Dorn with the respect deserving of a First Founding Legion.

For years they’ve been used as whipping boys. From the beleaguered Scout retrieving gene-seed from a doomed Apothecary in the comic ‘Last Man Standing’ (which will be reprinted soon in Space Marines: The Omnibus), via a Lord of Change tearing open an Imperial Fists Dreadnought on the cover of Inferno! magazine, all the way through to one of their renegade Successor Chapters running amok on board the Phalanx, the boys in yellow always get a raw deal.

Their successors are not immune to this rough treatment either. The Crimson Fists were almost cleansed from the face of the Imperium in Rynn’s World, hundreds of Black Templars fell to orks in Helsreach and the Hammers of Dorn’s entire First Company turned from the Emperor’s light in the short story ‘Irixa‘. Even the poor Executioners suffered the ignominy of losing a Librarian in the prologue of an audio drama they didn’t even appear in.


When we ventured into the Editorial department to seek answers, we were met only with a wall of silence but, minutes later, a shadowy figure beckoned us to a dark corner of the office. Speaking only on the condition that we changed his or her name, this is what Graham Tyger had to say.

‘It’s not me; it’s the other editors who have it in for the Imperial Fists. I don’t know what’s behind it but I turned up to work once wearing a pair of yellow trousers and none of the other editors spoke to me for a month. Christian (Dunn) only has to look at a banana and he flies into a fit of rage, especially if it’s Nick (Kyme) who’s eating it.’ Chillingly, the mysterious editor’s final words were, ‘I swear, those guys would wipe out the entire Chapter given half a chance,’ before scurrying back to his/her/its desk, Lindsey Priestley having spotted our furtive tete-a-tete.

While we may not be able to make amends for past, and possible future, transgressions against the scions of Dorn, we can offer an olive branch to their legion of fans. Seventh Retribution, by Imperial Fists veteran Ben Counter, isn’t on shelves until July but blacklibrary.com is making the eBook available a full three months early.

We can’t guarantee that no Imperial Fists were harmed in the writing of this book, but we hope it goes some way towards atoning for the many we have slain so mercilessly over the past 16 years."


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## Barnster (Feb 11, 2010)

Its the fist destiny to die

But they do this valiantly, because its their duty to stand and die like a fortress, making the enemy pay for each step.

I guess you can't hide if you wear yellow


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## maelstrom48 (Sep 5, 2012)

Oh thank God. Poor Imperial Fists. They're so poorly treated in the Heresy books, it's just sad to see. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they only have one Heresy novel out, and it was notoriously bad. Rogal Dorn we only see through secondhand recollection of the traitor primarchs, who of course despise him as an arrogant, snivelling papa's boy. And in Angels Exterminatus, the Imperial Fists were featured in the first chapter, only to be slaughtered mercilessly. The lone survivors were turned into Terata (basically Chaos Spawn) by Fabius Bile. Jeez.

I'm not an Imperial Fists player but I do love the legion/chapter--not for its past depictions, but for its untapped potential. I'm glad to see this unexpected apology. Also glad to see that they've assigned a writer of some talent to flesh them out.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

They only have 2 stories in the HH series and both are short storiescalled the _Lightning Tower_ and _Crimson Fist_. They have turned up numerous times though elsewhere, such as _Deliverance Lost_, where Rogal talks with Corax,_ Flight of the Eisenstein_. 

I believe Sigismund has a short story to, but the name escapes me, it's when he confesses to Dorn as to why he wanted to stay on Terra. Apart from them they've been used as cannon fodder in numerous other stories, as noted _Angel Exterminatus_, and the Gamesday anthology story, _Echoes of Old Night_.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Is the mystery person supposed to be McNeil or something? Regardless, real great form throwing as much possible blame on Kyme and Dunn; cause if your going to have some blame accepted its best to throw someone else under the bus for it.

Personally I have never had any real issue with the way the Fists or their successors have been depicted. The tactics employed by the Templars combined with the Ork numbers on Armageddon would undoubtedly lead to their high losses. The near destruction of the Crimson Fists on Rynn's World has been a staple of their fluff since inception, if memory serves.

The matter with the Soul Drinkers isn't all that bad either. Their remnants were captured and brought back to one of the most powerful fortresses in the Imperium so that their parent chapter could adhere to a matterof honour and tradition before expunging them forever. Well that rather sounds like the Imperial Fists we have seen time and again; stubborn, implacable, and willing to honour their traditions no matter what.


Also, unlike the vast majority, I rather liked Sons of Dorn and despite certain flaws I wish it had been continued (or will be.)


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## Barnster (Feb 11, 2010)

Words_of_Truth said:


> They only have 2 stories in the HH series and both are short storiescalled the _Lightning Tower_ and _Crimson Fist_. They have turned up numerous times though elsewhere, such as _Deliverance Lost_, where Rogal talks with Corax,_ Flight of the Eisenstein_.
> 
> I believe Sigismund has a short story to, but the name escapes me, it's when he confesses to Dorn as to why he wanted to stay on Terra. Apart from them they've been used as cannon fodder in numerous other stories, as noted _Angel Exterminatus_, and the Gamesday anthology story, _Echoes of Old Night_.



They appear in a few anthologies, stories in Shadows of Treachery as well mechanicum, Outcast Dead and others

But remember if they ever make it to the siege, 80% of that will be dedicated to the boys in yellow. To say they haven't had much page time is redundant considering HH fluff, they were on Terra, they won't go to the war, but the war will come to them. 

Also remember, before Calth and Know No Fear it was very rare for a smurf to appear. Fists are a consistent cameo group


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## maelstrom48 (Sep 5, 2012)

Hmm I stand corrected. Is it _Fists of Dorn_ I'm thinking of? I recall seeing mention of it on various HH review threads saying it's an utter waste of time.

Good point, Barnster. Can't wait for the siege of Terra. BL could probably write a dozen books on that alone.


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## d3m01iti0n (Jun 5, 2012)

They got hosed bad in the Ultramarines movie as well. Massacred by Chaos and the two survivors killed by a Daemon Prince.


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## DeathJester921 (Feb 15, 2009)

Words_of_Truth said:


> They only have 2 stories in the HH series and both are short storiescalled the _Lightning Tower_ and _Crimson Fist_. They have turned up numerous times though elsewhere, such as _Deliverance Lost_, where Rogal talks with Corax,_ Flight of the Eisenstein_.
> 
> I believe Sigismund has a short story to, but the name escapes me, it's when he confesses to Dorn as to why he wanted to stay on Terra. Apart from them they've been used as cannon fodder in numerous other stories, as noted _Angel Exterminatus_, and the Gamesday anthology story, _Echoes of Old Night_.


The short story with sigismund is Crimson Fist IIRC. He was featured several times when the focus was taken off of the retribution fleet in the Phall System. I liked that story. Especially considering the outcome had they not gotten word to return to Terra at the most inconvenient time. 

As has already been mentioned, Helsreach was completely understandable considering the Black Templars methods of war, and the sheer amount of orks attacking the city. The Excoriators got the sharp end of the stick in Legion of the Damned. It was a miracle that Kersh even survived that. Sucks about the rest of his company though. I can't speak about any other books concerning the sons of Dorn as I have only read two and the HH stories that feature them (Besides Angel Exterminatus)


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

I'd hardly say that Executioners have been hard done by. Oh they lose a Libby in a short story. They come out smelling of fucking roses from the Badab War despite fighting against the Imperium unlike the Mantis Warriors (sorrow of tranquility anybody?) and of course the Lamenters (but thats part of their "thing").


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## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

Iirc there is a fist captain in some of the inquisitor Draco books. He's one of the survivors too I'm pretty sure.


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## Old Man78 (Nov 3, 2011)

The Imperial Fists do get a raw deal, they are the masters of defensive warfare according to the fluff and the most dutiful of the Emperors sons which in real world terms means you have to be highly imaginative and flexible(anyone from the military will tell you that) but the fluff has written them as mindless goats with such a narrow view, especially Dorn, defensive warfare requires creativity and flare to be successful as you are reacting to and anticipating enemy action, hopefully we will see this rectified


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## Rems (Jun 20, 2011)

darkreever said:


> Is the mystery person supposed to be McNeil or something? Regardless, real great form throwing as much possible blame on Kyme and Dunn; cause if your going to have some blame accepted its best to throw someone else under the bus for it.
> 
> Personally I have never had any real issue with the way the Fists or their successors have been depicted. The tactics employed by the Templars combined with the Ork numbers on Armageddon would undoubtedly lead to their high losses. The near destruction of the Crimson Fists on Rynn's World has been a staple of their fluff since inception, if memory serves.
> 
> ...


You seem to missed the fact it was all very tongue in cheek, this was a joke.


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## OIIIIIIO (Dec 16, 2009)

Are not the Angry Marines a successor chapter of the Imp. Fists? I mean ... they are both yellow.:biggrin:


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## Zion (May 31, 2011)

When I read this all I could think was that the Black Library was 21 days late for April Fools....


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Rems said:


> You seem to missed the fact it was all very tongue in cheek, this was a joke.


I swear the last bit wasn't there when I read it.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Jacobite said:


> I'd hardly say that Executioners have been hard done by. Oh they lose a Libby in a short story. They come out smelling of fucking roses from the Badab War despite fighting against the Imperium unlike the Mantis Warriors (sorrow of tranquility anybody?) and of course the Lamenters (but thats part of their "thing").


Aye, but who cares about fact when you can rage for hours based on incorrect information?


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

Vaz said:


> Aye, but who cares about fact when you can rage for hours based on incorrect information?


Point. Carry on.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Honestly, BL writes novels about bloody messes occurring that slaughter most of all sides involved in the conflict. If the nature of "never give up never step back" Fists makes them an easy whipping boy, I don't think there's too much out of the ordinary from the rest of BL's fare there, to be perfectly honest...

Still, nice to see Graeme Lyon--I mean, "Graham Tyger"--having some fun.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Problem is when they are in the state of never give up never surrender, they always seem to lose anyway, which defeats the point.


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