Kru'desh Legion

The Kru'desh Legion, also known as the "Purgation Legion", was a special task force within Jul 'Mdama's Storm Covenant movement. Looked down on by most of their compatriots, the warriors assigned to the legion were considered disgraced, subversive, or otherwise unsuitable for service within the Storm's more traditional combat units. Despite their low standing and poor reputation, the warriors of the Purgation Legion were favored by 'Mdama for their unorthodox tactics and he often used them as a tool to weed out disloyal elements within his command structure. Lower ranking field commanders were less appreciative of their talents and the threat of reassignment to the legion was often used as a tool to motivate under-performing warriors. The legion was known for being dispatched on high-risk operations and assignment to the unit was considered to be little more than a death sentence. Following his defection to the Stormin the late 2550's, the renegade Simon-G294 seized command of the legion with 'Mdama's blessing. Though he carried out 'Mdama's orders in order to gain standing within the Storm, Simon often utilized the legion for his own ends, sometimes at the expense of the Storm's cause. His attempt to use the legion as his own private army came to an end when another Spartan challenged and defeated him in single combat and assumed the mantle of leadership.

Formation and Initial Operations
"Do we have such a surplus of warriors that we can afford to discard able bodies over a few breaches in doctrine and discipline?"

- Jul 'Mdama, Supreme Commander of the Storm Covenant

When Jul 'Mdama established the Storm Covenant in the name of curbing human expansion and returning the to their former galactic dominance, he was in desperate need of recruits, equipment, and supplies to outfit his burgeoning army. Though aided by a sizable contingent of warriors from his stronghold on, 'Mdama required many more sources of troops and warships to forge his Covenant into a force to be reckoned with. To this end he targeted veterans from the embittered by the collapse of the old theocracy and the ensuing. His militaristic goals appealed to those disillusioned with 's efforts towards peaceful coexistence with the and scores of warriors flocked to his banner. However, many of these converts to 'Mdama's extremist movement were woefully untrained, undisciplined, or full-blown criminal opportunists more interested in profiting from corruption within the Storm's ranks than in sincere devotion to its goals. In order to maintain discipline and combat effectiveness, 'Mdama instituted many of the old Covenant's harsh methods of quelling corruption and heresy. Before long the Storm's officers gained a reputation for their ruthless dedication to the Storm's goals and willingness to execute unsatisfactory warriors for a moment's lapse in orthodoxy.

Before long however, the Storm's mounting casualties from conflict with, , and rival Covenant factions soon forced 'Mdama and his commanders to reevaluate their harsh discipline policies. Finding that frequent summary executions did more to discourage potential recruits than enforce discipline, 'Mdama ordered Storm leaders to pursue less permanent corrective measures for their subordinates. But 'Mdama still needed a way to make examples of more severe infractions and so he formed the Kru'desh Legion as a front line unit tasked with carrying out extremely high risk missions. Warriors deemed unfit for regular service were placed in the legion and were expected to die quickly carrying out the Kru'desh's suicidal operations. 'Mdama appointed Kul 'Vellun, a loyal follower and member of the Storm's inner circle, as the legion's commander. A harsh and fiercely zealous Storm devotee, 'Vellun despised the motley warriors under his command and imposed strict disciplinary measures on the unit. Before long the Kru'desh gained a reputation for being little more than a penal battalion, assignment to which equated a prolonged death sentence.

Notable Members

 * Simon-G294
 * Amber-G330
 * Tuka 'Refum: A young devotee to the Storm's cause, Tuka 'Refum fell out of favor after he was the lone survivor from no less than three lances. He was assigned to the unit after questioning elements of the Covenant doctrine.
 * Ro'nin
 * Diana
 * Juno
 * Iscariot

Trivia

 * Members of the Kru'desh were known to often implement captured or scavenged equipment and vehicles in the field. Although this casual use of "heathen weaponry" infuriated some of their comrades within the Storm, the disgraced status of legion members meant that few of them held any compunctions about violating technological taboos.