13th Great Company
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The 13th Great Company was one of the original Great Companies of the Space Wolf Legion of the Adeptus Astartes. The Great Company disappeared during the Horus Heresy, only to re-emerge from the Eye of Terror during the Thirteenth Black Crusade.
Company Summary
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History
The 13th Great Company was formed from the followers of Leman Russ from his days on Fenris, before the coming of the Emperor. As such they were known as the "Greybeards" to the rest of the Legion, while they referred to themselves as the "Wolf Brothers"5. Immediately preceding the Heresy, the Company was led by the Wolf Lord Bulveye.
Space Wolf legend states that the Thirteenth Company was sent by Leman Russ to pursue the survivors of the Thousand Sons, after a failed attempt to eliminate them at their homeworld of Prospero4. The members of the 13th company swore to hunt their foes down until every last one of the cursed marines was slain, no matter how long it took, nor where the traitors fled. It has been said that the 13th Company is currently being led in their mission by none other than Leman Russ himself. This is, of course, like most of the information pertaining to the 13th Company, impossible to verify1. They vanished from Imperial records, and their loss is honoured by a black stone in the Grand Annulus (the record of Space Wolf Great Companies).
Somehow, the hardy Sons of Russ survived their journey through the Eye, and have emerged, long after they should have perished, in pursuit of Abaddon.1 The powers of the Warp are said to be able to affect time itself, and such things have been known to happen before, as starships are lost in the warp for centuries, only to reappear with the crew barely aged a day.2
Their reappearance at the beginning of Abaddon the Despoiler’s Thirteenth Black Crusade has brought them back into the spotlight. They appear to still be in pursuit of the goal Leman Russ set for them, and it was believed that Leman Russ himself was their leader, although this was never proven.
One other thing that sets the warriors of the 13th Company apart from the rest of their Space Wolves brethren is the large percentage of warriors who have succumbed to the animal nature that is part of the genetic legacy of their Primarch: the Mark of the Wulfen. This genetic mutation causes their canine nature to manifest itself more fully and, amongst other things, thick hair to grow over all the body and claws to sprout from the hands. These warriors gather together in units and surrender themselves to their animalistic nature, rushing headlong at their foes, eager to use their sharp claws and teeth in close combat. Whether the increased percentage of 13th Company Marines who have succumbed to the Mark of the Wulfen is a result of their exposure to Eye of Terror, or whether it existed before and their increased percentage in the Company is simply due to the fact that their increased stamina and strength has allowed more of them to survive than their brethren is unknown3.
Organization
The Thirteenth Company's organization departs heavily from Space Wolf norms, due to the lack of reinforcements and 'fresh blood' supplying the Company, the inability to train members in specialist roles, the lack of heavy equipment, and the effect of having to exist within the Eye of Terror for ten thousand years. They are said to be lead by a Wolf Priest nicknamed the Sternhammer who can control the Wulfen Guard Packs, but only barely.
The core of a 13th Company warband are the Grey Slayers. Similar to Grey Hunters, they fulfil the same role in battle.
Because of the impossibility of recruiting new brethren, there are no Blood Claws in the 13th Company. Each and every Blood Claw has long since advanced to a higher stage. The Company's assault specialists are the Storm Claws. They are equally experienced, but still more hot-headed and aggressive than the Grey Slayers.
The key to the 13th Company's movement through the Warp are the Rune Priests. Because the Eye of Terror has unlocked hidden psychic powers in many recruits, the Company has no shortage of these highly gifted individuals.
The Wulfen are the most drastic departure from a normal Space Wolf. The Space Marines who mutate into Wulfen bear resemblance to werewolves in the same way as Blood Angels suffering the Red Thirst resemble vampires. Any marine to suffer as a Wulfen becomes a half man, half wolf creature with a feral mind. The mutation normally manifests itself in the neophyte stage and Space Wolves must spend time in their training in a scenario designed to out those who have become Wulfen.
Though normal Space Wolves sometimes use individual Wulfen in battle, the 13th Company use entire packs. Each and every member of the 13th Company carries the Curse, and it manifests itself in the Space Wolves at different times. Thus even the Wulfen packs do not stay the same. It has manifested itself so strongly and so late because it reacts to the influence of Chaos; because of this side of their nature acting as a kind of spiritual defence mechanism, Space Wolves are exceptionally resistant to the malign influence of Chaos. It is believed that the 13th Company have only been able to survive living as loyalist marines in the Eye of terror so long precisely because of this trait.
The 13th Company is also distinguished by maintaining the dark grey Pre-Heresy colour scheme of the Space Wolves on what little remains of their original equipment. Much of their armor and weaponry has been replaced with material scavenged from their fallen Chaos foes. Not surprisingly, their Company has almost no heavy equipment such as tanks, Terminators or Dreadnoughts. 3
Sources
- 1 Games Workshop Codex: Eye of Terror
- 2 Lexicanum: The Warp
- 3 Games Wokshop Online: 13th Company Army List
- 4 Wolf's Honour by Lee Lightner
- 5 Wolf at the Door by Mike Lee in Tales of Heresy (Anthology)
