The Painted Men, Tribe 6

Fir Pictáilte, "The Painted Men"

The Painted Men were unusual on Alessia in that they were mostly nomadic, living off what they could bargain for or steal from the other tribes and clans. They tended as a group to be quick with mockery and deflection, rarely showing the same face to anyone else twice. Their name came from their habit of painting themselves with ever changing decorations, ostensibly to honor the myriad spirits and gods of Alessian myth. Of course, their detractors claimed that this was to better facilitate deception, and in this they were not entirely wrong. Brennus claimed their loyalty rather easily, simply by offering them respect and honor, and in return they became his greatest saboteurs. Foes facing a detachment of the Painted Men would often find their vehicles and weapons disabled, or turned into improvised explosive devices; the Fir cared little for a fair fight, and reasoned that their opponents' materiel would serve the Imperial cause just as well as rebellion. Even veteran Marines among the Fir expressed a preference for scout armor, all the better to allow unsuspecting assaults upon the enemies of mankind. The Painted Men remained largely loyal to Brennus during the heresy, reasoning that the Primarch who had given them a fair chance deserved a fair chance of his own. Their flagship, the "Hall of Empty Laughter", was sacrificed to deal a major blow to a company of Hektor's men before the Siege of Terra.