Per Usual: Images and links are from Lexicanum or the Warhammer 40k wiki

Today is Memorial Day in the US where we remember the sacrifice of our brave sailors, soldiers and marines by shopping for cut priced cheap shit, eating fire roasted flesh, and drinking heavily.  (I would also am very glad that Memorial Day does not fall during the NFL season because the corporate patriotism would create even more of a vortex of suck.)  So basically today is  normal day except lots of people have the day off from work, not those working for minimum wage as they of course don’t count for some reason.  Today we will remember the Thunder Warriors, the stronger, more vicious, and more combat proficient predecessors of the Astartes.  They are greater warriors than the Astartes, although they do not live as long.

The Thunder Warriors were genetically engineered by the Emperor as troops to help him unite Terra and the solar system under his rule.  From Lexicanum – Thunder Warriors were the elite super-soldiers that marched with the Emperor to conquer Terra in the Wars of Unification. The engineering that the Emperor used to create the Thunder Warriors, whilst creating superior fighters, was not as efficient as what was used later to create the Space Marines^[3], nor was the technology as advanced or the geneticists as entirely willing.^[5a] These proto-Astartes were organized into twenty regiments of no more than a few hundred warriors, each named by the Emperor himself.^[4]

Each regiment had a Primarch, who were not any different from the rank and file warriors, they were just promoted based on performance and ability.  The Thunder Warriors individually could wipe the floor with any member of the Astartes, again from Lexicanum – Despite physical deterioration, the few Warriors that survived the end of the Unification Wars were easily more than a match for an Astartes, and had even outperformed Custodians during combat engagements. Even severely deteriorated Thunder Warriors shown capable of fighting multiple Astartes at once.^[5b][8] They were made highly resistant to psychic attack, perhaps because of the sorcery they would regularly face during the Age of Strife, with any attempts at mental attack causing severe pain to the psyker.^[8] They had tremendous upper body strength that was considered to be unparalleled, which when coupled with their early model of power armor, made them virtually unbeatable in close combat.^[2][5b][8] The leg strength of even a heavily physically deteriorating Thunder Warrior made them capable of kicking completely through the torso of a normal human.^[8] Their bones were thicker than that of an Astartes, with a Thunder Warrior capable of shattering the skull of an Astartes with a headbutt.^[2] Their reflexes were also extremely enhanced, allowing a Thunder Warrior to dodge the shot from a plasma gun, while already engaged in and focusing on fighting two other Astartes.^[8]

Unfortunately, the genetic template was a bit unstable, causing physical and mental deterioration in some warriors.  They could even drop dead in battle of no apparent causes, also, unlike the Astartes the Thunder Warriors did not have their emotions suppressed or removed and were renowned for having a very dry humor.  They could also be affected by blood lust and lose themselves in the carnage.

The Fate of the Thunder Warriors is a bit unclear, the Imperial line is that they died during the last battle of the Unification Wars at Mount Arat.  However, survivors of that battle have said that they were betrayed by the Emperor as he wanted to create more controllable warriors that were a bit more durable.  There were bands of survivors who spread out among the stars, one band attacked the Imperial Palace to try and get revenge for their fallen brothers and to also die in battle.  Some fomented rebellions on other planets or fought against the systems being brought into the Empire.

They fought for their Emperor and were faithful, but like all Dictators and Power Mongers, even he feared the troops he had created.

Have a great evening and an even better tomorrow.