Inquisitorial Report - Blood Barons (Protectorate PUN Elite Unit)
Name: Blood Barons (also; Blood Drakes, Bloodgheists, Wings of Abhorash)
Formation Type: Elite Space/Air Superiority Fighters
Introduction: An apparent offshoot of the USA's mutant elite Blood Dragons, Blood Barons are a formation of elite pilots, flying highly advanced and heretical attack craft, sworn to the Cainite Protectorate United Navies.
Similar to Blood Dragons, it seems the Red Barons operate outside the PUN's usual deployment schemes, instead choosing what fleets or campaigns they will join. Once they do, they swear apparently binding oaths to the force's leadership.
Blood Barons prefer to engage those they see as "worthy" opponents - Space Marine Stormraven, Eldar Crimson Hunters, Tau Razorshark, etc. Although they primarily fly in squadrons - known as "claws" - once a Blood Baron has chosen their target their fellows will peel off, seeking their own prey.
Bizarrely, despite flying fighter craft, some Blood Barons have been known to attempt to bring down entire starships. Such attempts are foolish, and prove the madness of the mutant, as no small, one-man fighter can down a battleship on their own.
Pilot: Initially it could only be speculated - based on the similar names & motifs - that the Blood Barons were indeed related to the USA's Blood Dragons. However this was confirmed by an incident involving a troop transport - the Morris, a troop transport carrying Praetorian Guard. During a traitorous ambush by the PUN, brave aces of the Imperial Navy managed to damage the propulsion systems of a Cainwing V fighter, forcing it's crash landing into the Morris. Naval armsmen and maintenance crews deployed to the crash site found that, despite the attack craft taking critical damage on landing, it's pilot was alive.
numerous eye-witness accounts correlate that the pilot was the same kind of pale-skinned and red-eye mutant as the Blood Dragons - and the sorcerous disruption of surveillance feeds only confirms it. Fleeing it's crash, doubtlessly wounded and disorientated, the mutant proceeded to carve a bloody swathe through the crew of the Morris. Despite the Praetorian Guard valiantly deploying to reinforce, the heretic was able to sneak past and reach the hanger decks. There they stole a Arvus Lighter and fled back into space, re-joining the space combat. IFF tracking confirmed that the landing craft returned to the PUN's carrier following the Imperial's tactical redeployment.
Cainwing V: The majority of our knowledge of the Cainwing V variant - aside from reports of them in combat - comes from the example that crashed into the Morris. Salvaged by Mechanicum adepts, it was handed into Inquisitorial custody following negotiations.
Visually the Cainwing V is visual differentiated from other Cainwing variants by their full red colouring, as well as larger upper wings granting the craft a more spike-like appearance. The armament is mostly unchanged, if lacking in defensive measures. Apparently the mutants put their faith in inhuman reflexes to keep them safe.
The main alteration to the Blood Barons' craft is in the cockpit - it seems the Blood Barons go into battle quite literally swimming in blood, their cockpits filled via pumps with warm vitae. One shudders to think how gallons of the stuff may be sourced, for each fighter, but it is kept fresh using a advanced refrigeration & purification system - the latter is known to incorporate chemicals found within the Panacea technology. It is speculated that not only do the Blood Dragons drink this blood mid-flight, but being suspended in liquid reduces the affect of g-forces.
Was tempted do a third post in this series, being Blood Dragons in KNIGHT SUITS - but that's getting a bit too silly.
Any improvements/additional ideas appreciated