Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
The Space Marines are soldiers that feature in Warhammer 40,000.
Contents |
History
The Adeptus Astartes were a breed of genetically engineered human warriors created by the Emperor of Mankind. Their origin was traced to the start of the Great Crusade when Terra was united by the Emperor who gathered forces in conquering space. To achieve that end, he had formed the Imperium of Man and conducted secret genetic experiments in breeding an army. This led to the creation of the Space Marines and he specially bred generals for them that were his sons in the Primarchs that were to lead each of the Space Marine Legions.
In the wake of the conflict, Ultramarine Primarch Roboute Guilliman emerged as the new leader of the Imperium where he re-organised the Adeptus Astartes. He divided each of the Legions into a number of Space Marine Chapters to prevent any person's fall from taking control of an entire Legion such as the way Horus and his allies had done during the Heresy. Guilliman also created a series of doctrines for the Chapters to follow along with other guidelines that were detailed in the Codex Astartes. This period saw the creation of numerous Space Marine Chapters created during the Second Founding.
When the Primarch Guilliman re-emerged, he set forth uniting the Imperium and re-enacted his hidden program initiated ten millennia ago in creating a new breed of Space Marines. This saw Archmagos Belisarius Cawl releasing the newly perfected members of the Adeptus Astartes that were known as the Primaris Space Marines. These warriors were divided among the various Chapters and to bolster Imperial lines.
Overview
Biology
In appearance, the Space Marines were humans that went through a process of enhancement to turn them into transhuman supersoldiers. Colloquially, they were also known as the Angels of Death who were one of the most elite and feared fighting forces in the Imperium of Man.
Geneticists were responsible for creating single germ cells for each of the new organs. Each of these cells took years to work where at that stage they were stored indefinitely in the zero-room as gene-seed. Within an incubator, they were activated and the growth process were controlled where the cells divided, multiplied and eventually grew into a new organ. In this state, they were referred to a a zygote until the organ was ready for implantation. There were 19 varieties of gene-seed that corresponded with the 19 different superhuman organs that were surgically implanted into a Space Marine. Gene-seed belonging to some Chapters had mutated over thousands of years which had resulted in changes to the exact nature of the artificially cultured organs. In some cases, the implant could be rendered useless whilst in other cases the organ's effectiveness was reduced or even create new and strange effects. (White Dwarf 98 UK)
Organization
They were divided into autonomous Chapters each of which was akin to being an army with their own transports, non-combat personnel, fleet and fortress-monastery. There were thousands of Chapters each of which was led by a Chapter Master who commanded a fighting force of around 1000 marines divided into 10 companies. These in turn were led by Captains and further divided into squads of 10 battle-brothers that were led by a Sergeant.
Ranks and position within an Adeptus Astartes included:
- Praetor : a position in the time of the Space Marine Legions that consisted of the mightiest warriors and battle-leaders of the Legiones Astartes who were second only to the godlike Primarchs in their martial skill and generalship. Each were a vastly experienced warrior and warlord, unique in character, who had writ a legend for themselves in blood and slaughter. These lords of the Imperium possessed a range of the finest weapons and armour known to humanity and held the power of life and death over worlds, with direct control over entire war fleets and great armies.
- Chapter Master : They were considered god amongst men whose personal combat prowess was unmatched/ Hundreds of years of battlefield experience as a Scout, Space Marine and Captain had taught them every facet of war, trained them in the tools of slaughter and honed their wits to the level of instinct. On occasion, when the might of the Chapter was drawn up in a single confrontation, the headquarters staff fought together as one, near-unstoppable squad with an unrivalled mix of tactical acumen, advanced weaponry and elite weaponry.
- Captain :
- Librarian : considered to be some of the greatest warrior-mystics in the galaxy. On the battlefield they combine the martial prowess of a Space Marine with their own powerful psychic abilities. They are capable of using their minds to throw powerful energy bolts, project force-shields, or even redirect bullets.
- Techmarine : Ancient pacts were sworn between the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Adeptus Astartes that allowed Space Marines to send these warriors with an affinity for technology to Mars to train and begin the long, arduous journey of becoming a priest of the Machine God. Techmarines often joined their Battle Brothers to repair vehicles on the battlefield so they could continue to provide support during battles. A full servo-harness made them more effective in combat and improved their ability to make repairs. Servo-arm held damaged components in place whilst the Techmarine worked on repairing a damaged machine as quickly as possible though the mechanical limbs could equally be used in combat against enemies.
- Chaplain :
- Reclusiarch :
- Apothecary :
- Lord Executioner : the Captain of the Assault Company that were brutal and direct soul who did not go for glittering heroics and flamboyant challenges but instead preferred short, bloody and efficient close combat.
- Judiciar :
- Sternguard Veterans :
- Vanguard Veterans : Vanguard Veterans were close-combat specialists and veterans of the 1st Company who took war and were propelled by jump packs and armed with the Chapter’s most ancient and revered melee weapons.
- Scouts :
- Neophyte :
Space Marines that were deemed guilty of heresy or mutation or other crimes by the Imperium were declared Excommunicate Traitoris.
Particular formations of Space Marines included:
- Suppression Force :
- Shieldbreaker Strike Force : an elite force of melee specialists led by a Captain, and included Bladeguard Veterans, and Assault Intercessors that were backed up by a gunline of Intercessors and Heavy Intercessors, as well as the formidable firepower of a Storm Speeder.
- Terminator Titanhammer Squad :
- Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force :
- Predator Assassin Squadron :
- Armoured Spearhead :
Equipment
Equipment available to Space Marines included:
- Thunderfire Cannon :
- Centurion : These were separated into two types of units including the long-range specialist Centurion Devastator Squads that used heavy weapon figure to besiege enemy positions or defend battles lines and Centurion Assault Squads that stormed enemy fortifications using their siege drills.
- Invictor Tactical Warsuit : based on the Redemptor Dreadnought frame with this stripped-back variant being a combat walker piloted by a living Primaris Space Marine who were deployed on missions ranging from armoured escort duties to close-range siege or monster hunts.
- Dreadnought : They came in a number of variants including:
- Redemptor Dreadnought : taller more broader than the traditional design, these Primaris Space Marine Dreadnoughts were powered by hyper-dense reactors along with sophisticated fibre bundles. The neural links between the entombed pilot and the machine was so precise that they could exercise complete control with surprising dexterity and speed.
- Contemptor Dreadnought :
- Leviathan Siege Dreadnought :
- Gladiator Lancer :
- Rhino :
- Spartan Assault Tank :
- Damocles Command Vehicle :
- Spartan Assault Tank :
- Land Raider :
- Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport :
- Astraeus Super-heavy Tank : a super-heavy tank that was mounted a formidable array of weapons, designed around a pair of immense macro-accelerator cannon. Banks of enhanced repulsor plates provided a stable firing platform for these temperamental weapons allowing the tank to advance to continue unhindered by hostile terrain or enemy weapon fire. Layered void shields cold shrug off even the most devastating weapon strikes.
- Storm Eagle :
- Thunderhawk Gunship :
Drop Pod assaults were the ultimate weapon of terror and surprise as they were aimed right at the heart of the enemy. Scarcely have the smouldering hulls come to rest when their hatches blow clear, and the occupants disembark to wreak havoc on wrong-footed enemies.
An emplacement used by Space Marine forces were the Hammerfall Bunkers that were launched from warships in the same manner as Drop Pods. They were automated area-denial assets crewed by hard-wired servitors that operated in a variety of battlefield roles, including securing beachheads, hampering enemy assaults and wreaking havoc behind the foe's lines. They were equipped with Hammerfall missile launchers with each bunker being outfitted with a heavy flamer or heavy bolter array.
The heart of a Space Marine Chapter was the Fortress-Monastery that served as a headquarters. Among the most treasured locations of a Chapter was its Reclusiam that was a chamber containing their most holy relics.
Members
- Marneus Calgar : Lord Macragge and Chapter Master of the Ultramarines
- Cato Sicarius : Captain of the Ultramarines 2nd Company
- Varro Tigurius : Chief Librarian of the Ultramarines
- Ortan Cassius : Chaplain of the Ultramarines
- Antaro Chronus : Tank Commander of the Ultramarines
- Torias Telion : Scout Sergeant of the Ultramarines
- Darnath Lysander : Captain of the Imperial Fists 1st Company
- Vulkan He'stan : Forgefather of the Salamanders
- Kayvaan Shrike : Chapter Master of the Raven Guard
- Pedro Kantor : Chapter Master of the Crimson Fists
- Kor'sarro Khan : Captain of the White Scars 3rd Company
- Azrael : Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels
- Sammael : Master of the Ravenwing of the Dark Angels
- Belial : Grand Master of the Deathwing of the Dark Angels
- Asmodai : Master of the Interrogator-Chaplains of the Dark Angels
- Ezekiel : Chief Librarian of the Dark Angels
- Dante : Chapter Master of the Blood Angels
- Mephiston : Chief Librarian of the Blood Angels
- Corbulo : Sanguinary High Priest of the Blood Angels
- Astorath : High Chaplain of the Blood Angels
- Lemartes : Chaplain of the Blood Angels
- Erasmus Tycho : Captain of the Blood Angels
- Logan Grimnar : Great Wolf of the Space Wolves
- Canis Wolfborn : Wolf Guard of the Space Wolves
- Njal Stormcaller : Rune Priest of the Space Wolves
- Ulrik the Slayer : Wolf High Priest of the Space Wolves
- Ragnar Blackmane : Wolf Lord of the Space Wolves
- Bjorn the Fell-Handed : Dreadnought of the Space Wolves
- Kardan Stronos : Iron Father of the Iron Hands
- Helbrecht : High Marshal of the Black Templars
- Merek Grimaldus : Reclusiarch of the Black Templars
- Gabriel Seth : Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers
- Kaldor Draigo : Grey Knights Supreme Grand Master
- Arvann Stern : Captain of the Grey Knights
- Garran Crowe : Castellan of the Grey Knights
- Artemis : Watch Captain of the Deathwatch
Notes
- Space Marines were created by Games Workshop where they featured in the setting of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
In other media
Video games
- In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, the Space Marines were a playable faction in the strategy game where players in the campaign mode took the role of the Blood Ravens Chapter.
- In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, the Space Marines were a playable faction in the setting of the real-time strategy video game. The events covered the Blood Ravens Chapter once again in their home territory located in Sub-Sector Aurelia.
- In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, members of the Adeptus Astartes starred in the video game with the player taking the role of Captain Titus who headed the 2nd Company of the Ultramarines. Underneath him was his immediate subordinate Veteran Sergeant Sidonus, and Tactical Marine Leandros with them deployed to defend Forge World Graia.
- In Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade, the Space Marines operated as a playable faction in the video game where players could take four different classes in the shooting game.
- In Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, the Space Marines appeared as a playable faction in the strategy video game where they were introduced in DLC.
- In Space Hulk: Deathwing, Space Marines appeared as playable characters in the video game where players took the role of the Deathwing of the Dark Angels Chapter.
- In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, the Space Marines were a playable faction in the strategy game where players in the campaign mode took the role of the Blood Ravens Chapter once more.
- In Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr, Space Marine characters appeared in the setting of the action RPG video game. An Adeptus Astartes Chapter known as the Stormwatchers were created to serve as the secret Chamber Militant of the Caligari Conclave and served its Inquisitors in defending the Caligari Sector. Only high ranking Inquisitors were aware of their existence and were allowed to command the Chapter's forces who referred to themselves as the Watchers in the Shadows despite being few in number.
Appearances
- Warhammer 40,000:
- Codex: Space Marines:
External Links
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