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*'''999.M41''' '''Thirteenth Black Crusade''' - The Blood Angels contribute four companies to battle against [[Abaddon the Despoiler]]'s [[13th Black Crusade]]. They are deployed to push back [[Chaos]] forces advancing on [[Agripinaa]] and seek out their leader. Discovering it to be the notorious [[World Eater]] [[Champion of Chaos|Champion]] [[Kossolax]], the Blood Angels the Champion of [[Khorne]] and his bodyguards in combat. Kossolax eventually summons [[Daemon]]s for aid, including a [[Bloodthirster]], after sacrificing thousands of Agripinaa's citizens. However thanks to the [[Sanguinary Priest]] [[Numitor]] and the [[Black Rage]]-berserk [[Death Company]], the Bloodthirster and Kossolax were both defeated at great cost to the Blood Angels involved.{{Fn|19}} In addition, [[Astorath]] and other Captains commanded the defense of the [[Diamor System]] in the [[Diamor Campaign]].
 
*'''999.M41''' '''Thirteenth Black Crusade''' - The Blood Angels contribute four companies to battle against [[Abaddon the Despoiler]]'s [[13th Black Crusade]]. They are deployed to push back [[Chaos]] forces advancing on [[Agripinaa]] and seek out their leader. Discovering it to be the notorious [[World Eater]] [[Champion of Chaos|Champion]] [[Kossolax]], the Blood Angels the Champion of [[Khorne]] and his bodyguards in combat. Kossolax eventually summons [[Daemon]]s for aid, including a [[Bloodthirster]], after sacrificing thousands of Agripinaa's citizens. However thanks to the [[Sanguinary Priest]] [[Numitor]] and the [[Black Rage]]-berserk [[Death Company]], the Bloodthirster and Kossolax were both defeated at great cost to the Blood Angels involved.{{Fn|19}} In addition, [[Astorath]] and other Captains commanded the defense of the [[Diamor System]] in the [[Diamor Campaign]].
 
*'''999.M41''' '''The Darkest Hour''' - a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan is on a direct course for the Blood Angels homeworld, [[Baal]].  Exacerbating this already terrible threat is a massive daemon army led by the dread [[bloodthirster]] [[Ka'Bandha]], which has already struck at Ammonai, the outermost planet of the Baal system.  Facing a possible war on two fronts, Commander Dante sends out a call for all Chapters descended from the Blood Angels to send forces to aid their ancestor Legion; the [[Flesh Tearers]] are the first to do so, deploying the entire Chapter for war.  Ultimately all but the [[Lamenters]] do so, even the renegade [[Knights of Blood (Chapter)|Knights of Blood]].{{Fn|4g}}
 
*'''999.M41''' '''The Darkest Hour''' - a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan is on a direct course for the Blood Angels homeworld, [[Baal]].  Exacerbating this already terrible threat is a massive daemon army led by the dread [[bloodthirster]] [[Ka'Bandha]], which has already struck at Ammonai, the outermost planet of the Baal system.  Facing a possible war on two fronts, Commander Dante sends out a call for all Chapters descended from the Blood Angels to send forces to aid their ancestor Legion; the [[Flesh Tearers]] are the first to do so, deploying the entire Chapter for war.  Ultimately all but the [[Lamenters]] do so, even the renegade [[Knights of Blood (Chapter)|Knights of Blood]].{{Fn|4g}}
*'''~999.M41''' - Following the [[Thirteenth Black Crusade]] and the resurrection of [[Roboute Guilliman]], the [[Great Rift]] divides the Imperium in two. Baal and the bulk of the Blood Angels are left stranded in the [[Dark Imperium]] and must face the Tyranids alone.{{Fn|35}}
+
*'''~999.M41''' - Following the [[Thirteenth Black Crusade]] and the resurrection of [[Roboute Guilliman]], the [[Great Rift]] divides the Imperium in two. Baal and the bulk of the Blood Angels are left stranded in the [[Dark Imperium]] and must face the Tyranids alone.{{Fn|35}} In the subsequent [[Devastation of Baal]] [[Dante]] leads a desperate defense alongside several [[Successor Chapter]]s but all seems lost until the arrival of Guilliman's [[Indomitus Crusade]]. Hive Fleet Leviathan is largely destroyed, ironically thanks to [[Daemon]]ic hordes that formed as a result of the [[Great Rift]].{{Fn|38}}
  
 
'''Undated'''
 
'''Undated'''
Line 594: Line 594:
 
**{{Endn|37a}}: pg. 5
 
**{{Endn|37a}}: pg. 5
 
**{{Endn|37b}}: pg. 24
 
**{{Endn|37b}}: pg. 24
 +
*{{Endn|38}}: [[Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook]] pg.52-53
  
  

Revision as of 09:47, 19 June 2017

Template:Ambiguous

The Blood Angels were the IX Legion of the original Space Marine Legions under their Primarch Sanguinius. They are particularly well known for their bloodthirsty nature in battle. They are also one of the most long-lived Chapters, and have a refined aesthetic sense.

Simple Badge Space Marines.png
Space Marines Portal
Blood Angels
Bloodangelslogo.png
Legion Number IX
Primarch Sanguinius
Homeworld Baal
Fortress-Monastery Arx Angelicum[36]
Chapter Master Dante
Colours Blood Red Armour with Black Aquila[1]
. Helmet colour denotes squad type
Specialty Assault, Deep Striking
Strength ~1000 marines
Battle Cry "By the Blood of Sanguinius!"[1a] or "For The Emperor and Sanguinius!" [Needs Citation]

Homeworld

The Homeworld of the Blood Angels is the planet Baal and its two moons are, Baal Primus and Baal Secundus - from which the Blood Angels take their new recruits. The Blood Angels' Primarch Sanguinius fell upon Baal Secundus after he and his brother Primarchs were scattered across the galaxy. In ancient days Baal and its moons had Terra-like atmospheres. Baal itself was always a world of red rust deserts, but its moons were close to paradises. As the Dark Age of Technology ended in the Age of Strife, civil war erupted between the world and its colonised moons, leading to the nuclear devastation of the planets. Baal Secundus has since been a nuclear-blasted desert world with deadly levels of radiation. This forced the world's human tribes to build cumbersome radiation suits in order to survive. Mutants were once rife upon the world, frequently at war with the remaining pure humans for dominance of the planet.[Needs Citation]

History

Pre-Heresy Blood Angels Marine

Great Crusade

Formation

The Blood Angels were created from the genetic material of their Primarch Sanguinius. As with all of the Primarchs, Sanguinius was genetically engineered to be a supreme super-soldier but was cast into the warp during his infancy along with his brothers, and found on the nuclear-blasted moon of Baal Secundus. Sanguinius was affected by the warp, and when he was found by one of the few unmutated human tribes on Baal, he had a pair of angelic wings growing from his back. As he matured quickly, he was able to use his superhuman powers and abilities to unite the humans of Baal against the mutants and become their leader.[Needs Citation]

When the Emperor found Baal in his search for the twenty Primarchs, Sanguinius immediately recognized him for who he was and bent down on his knee, pledging his service. In this, Sanguinius was one of the few Primarchs who did not challenge the Emperor upon their reunion. The Emperor then took Sanguinius and a number of his best warriors and placed him in command of the Blood Angels Space Marine Legion.[1]

Doctrine and Record

During the Great Crusade, the Blood Angels became known as being excellent shock assault troops, and formed a rivalry with the similarly assault-oriented World Eaters Legion.[4a] Throughout the Great Crusade, the Blood Angels became renowned for its 'wars of ultimatum'. These campaigns of open domination against non-Compliant worlds began with Sanguinius or one of his praetors affording a world one opportunity to embrace Unification or face a 'Day of Revelation', in which they would suffer the fury of the Blood Angels unleashed. Many foes confronted by the gathered Blood Angels Legion hosts were overcome with dread and awe, and capitulated without hesitation. Those who did not would see the shining countenance of the Angel Sanguinius transformed into savage fury as blinding destruction was delivered from on high.[33]

Notable Battles during the Great Crusade

The Horus Heresy

Signus Prime

Ka'Bandha Greater Daemon of Khorne[Needs Citation]

In an attempt to divide those loyalist legions he could not sway to Chaos, Horus dispatched the Blood Angels to the farthest reaches of space, where they unwittingly walked in traps of his and his masters devising. The Blood Angels mission to the Signus Cluster, near to the galactic core in the Ultima Segmentum, was one such venture, where the system of 7 planets and 15 moons had been taken over in bloody slaughter by the daemonic hordes of a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, Kyriss the Perverse. Thinking that they were arriving to liberate humans from their xeno-overlords, Sanguinius had no reason to suspect that his best friend, the Warmaster Horus, would betray him.[14a]

When the Blood Angels fleet arrived in system, they were assaulted by Chaos energies, ravaging their Navigators and Astropaths, killing many outright, as well sending mad panic through the Legion's ship serfs and auxiliaries; who until then had never felt the effects of Chaos. Most Space Marines were immune to its effects due to their training and iron-will, leaving those few not driven mad to restrain the crazed crew members and erect psychic baffles. The daemon conqueror of Signus, Kyriss, had time however to beam an image of itself to the Legion's Primarch, challenging him to take back Slaanesh's newest conquest. At this Sanguinius gathered his senior officers and organised a counterattack against a foe they had no experience fighting, however, sure of their victory, Sanguinius declared This foul creature will know what it is to face my wrath. I shall strike him down, I shall be an Angel of Vengeance![14b]

With Signus Prime covered from pole to pole with the result of daemonic invasion, with millions lying dead in the streets or held in prison camps to await daemonic whims, with cities razed, oceans boiled away and plains burned to cinders, the Blood Angels Legion struck in a furious assault; falling from the skies to engage crazed cultists and packs of hideous daemons upon the Plains of the Damned. Sanguinius swore to personally cast Kyriss down and vanquish him, so hence made for the Cathedral of the Mark, the daemon's lair. However, outside its entrance, Sanguinius was faced with the single greatest foe who would have the greatest effect on his Legion and its descendants down the millenia; Ka'Bandha, Greater Daemon and Bloodthirster of Khorne.[14b]

Confronting the Angel, the Bloodthirster spoke, attempting to sway him to Chaos, Why do you fight us, so called Angel? You may be able to best me, but you cannot hope to defeat Chaos. My Lord Khorne is powerful beyond means you can measure. Your Emperor is weak and foolish, even now he hides from us. Is he afraid to fight? To this Sanguinius rebuked, commanding the daemon to get out of his way, to allow him to cast down his master or be destroyed, to which Ka'Bhanda scoffed that his only master is Khorne, that he does not realise the threat which the daemons and Chaos hold for humanity and that their ally Horus has led Sanguinius here, into a trap whilst moving to lay siege against Terra. Ka'Bhanda further tempts Sanguinius once more, to join the forces of Khorne and destroy Kyriss and rule the Signus Cluster.[14b]

Sanguinius and Ka'Bandha duelling in midair.

Sanguinius rejected the news that Horus is lying in bed with daemons, claiming it as lies and proclaiming that nothing could entice him to spit on his oath of loyalty to the Emperor, from which he launched himself at the daemon, whilst his finest ten companies of veterans, Dreadnoughts and Terminators charged into the horde of bloodletters, hounds and furies swarming around the Bloodthirster. Plasma fire boiled daemon blood and talons cleaved power armour and gene-enhanced bone whilst the Angel pushed against the Bloodthirster, a flurry of blows from his great sword meeting the daemons axe time and time again, yet still succeeding in driving him back. Seizing the initiative, Sanguinius stabbed Ka'Bhanda through the chest, casting a terrible wound. The daemon replied in pain and anger with a lash of his great whip which caught the Angel's legs and crushed them within its coils before being knocked to the ground be the flat of his foes axe. With the beast towering over him he taunted at it, Come at me again, daemon! Feel the lick of my sword a second time if you dare! to which Ka'Bhanda replied I let you live this time, manling. Your legs will heal but this wound will always fester. It was at this moment that the beast let loose a mighty howl and darted across the battlefield, cutting down no less that five-hundred sons of Sanguinius . The psychic backlash caused by the loss of so many of his sons cast Sanguinius into unconsciousness.[14b]

With their progenitor cast down the Blood Angels redoubled their efforts, becoming filled with a dark berserker fury which drove them to destroy the daemon horde and cleanse all of Signus Prime. Those daemons who did not fall by their blades fled back into the Immaterium along with their overlord Kyriss. As they came to victory, their rage and fury subsided, whereupon they became aware of their victory, however they had no reason to celebrate with thousands of their brothers lying amongst the daemon dead, their Primarch cast down and the dark shadow of the rage and fury they had so recently possessed looming upon their souls. When their father awoke, his legs were already healing due to his genetic abilities as a Primarch, however nothing could be done for searing anguish he felt for the loss of his sons at the hands of Ka'Bhanda. Within a few days he could manage to walk, but the agony upon his soul would not abate and with this heavy weight, he vowed that whatever the future, whatever the cost, he would rain vengeance down upon the daemon Ka'Bhanda.[14c]

It was then that the message from Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists was received, calling them back to Terra. The Blood Angels did not need to be informed of the severity of the situation facing them and thus they set about evacuating all personnel from Signus back to the fleet. stowing the corpses of the fallen to be buried later on the slopes of Mount Seraph. Sanguinius ordered that no trace of the Legion remain in the Signus system and that the few surviving inhabitants be transported to nearby systems. Lastly warning beacons were stationed at the warp-jump points to ward off the unwary from visiting any of the planets or moons. Signus was to be left lifeless and rotting.

Imperium Secundus

After the battle in the Signus Cluster, the Blood Angels were able to link up with Ultramar and under the watchful eyes of Roboute Guilliman Sanguinius was eventually crowned Emperor of Imperium Secundus.[31]

Eventually, the Blood Angels were able to return to Terra in force.[14c]

Battle of Terra

During the Horus Heresy, the Blood Angels were one of the few Legions who fought alongside the Emperor during the Battle of Terra. When Horus lowered the shields of his battlebarge and the Emperor teleported aboard the ship, Sanguinius was with him.[Needs Citation]

The noble Primarch became separated from the Emperor and came across Horus alone. The Warmaster tried to sway Sanguinius and turn him to Chaos, but the Angel-winged warrior refused, and attacked Horus. The Daemonically strengthened Horus slew Sanguinius, as the Primarch knew he would. He had foreseen his death, and yet still engaged the Arch-Heretic, knowing he would die. This has endowed many of the Blood Angel's beliefs with a deeply mystical streak. Sanguinius' violent death left a strong psychic imprint on his Legion, since they partially share his DNA. However, this was a willing sacrifice that was made in order to buy the Emperor time and to give Him a weakness in Horus's armour, which was key in bringing about the traitor's defeat.[Needs Citation]

Horus Heresy Aftermath

Towards the very end of the Heresy the Blood Angels began to suffer from the Black Rage to an extent unseen previously. The dying memories of their Primarch bombarded the psyche of Blood Angels, driving them into fits of violent rage. It fell to the Sanguinary Priests of the Chapter to try and control those suffering from the Black Rage. Yet in the countless generations since the Heresy, genetic deterioration in the Blood Angels gene-seed have seen an increase in this flaw.[4c]

Later, as with all other loyal Legions, the Blood Angels were forced to split into many smaller Chapters.[1]

Recent History

Blood Angels battle the Tyranids

Timeline

Undated

A Blood Angel

Gene-seed

The gene-seed of the Blood Angels (and its successors) is still capable of producing all nineteen organ implants that facilitate the transformation of a normal man into a Space Marine. It also has the unique quirk of vastly extending the lifespan of the Space Marines of the gene-line, and it is not unknown for a Blood Angel to live more than a millennium. The gene-line, however, is also affected by a dreadful flaw, which makes its brethren susceptible to the Black Rage and the Red Thirst.[4o]

Black Rage

All of the Chapters derived from the Blood Angels still suffer from the psychic imprint left by Sanguinius's death. This can cause them to go insane prior to or during a battle, and they believe that they are Sanguinius himself during the Battle of Terra. The condition is irrevocable (except for one case, Chaplain Lemartes, who is largely able to control it), and victims are locked away in the "Tower of the Lost" on the Blood Angels' homeworld until they finally die. This insanity is known as the Black Rage.[1]

When a Space Marine is overcome by the Black Rage he is reborn in a world of anger, hatred, fury and nothing else. As well as Sanguinius’s memories, the Blood Angel is touched with a small portion of his unearthly power, boosting his strength and vitality to superhuman levels.[1]

Rather than face a slow, insane death, Blood Angels will form those who have newly succumbed to the Black Rage into a special unit known as the Death Company. They paint their armour black, daubed with red crosses, signifying the wounds of Sanguinius, and are usually led by the few Chapter officers, notably Death Company Chaplains, who are able to communicate orders to these lost warriors. They are then sent out to perform the most dangerous assaults, hoping for a quick and honourable death in combat.[1]

The other name of Black Rage - the Flaw of Sanguinius.[24d]

Red Thirst

The Red Thirst is one of the two genetic flaws in the gene-seed of the Blood Angels and their successor Chapters. This causes warriors to suffer an unusual bloodlust, instilling them with a thirst for the blood of their enemies. Those who succumb to the Red Thirst or Black Rage are either formed into the Death Company or locked away in the Tower of the Lost on Baal, until they change completely, going insane. These traits have also been passed on to their successor chapters, such as the Flesh Tearers, Blood Drinkers, and Angels Sanguine. One successor chapter, the Lamenters, was until recently thought to have managed by unknown means to eliminate the flaws from Sanguinius' gene-seed, but has been stricken by extraordinary bad luck in battle and as such has been nearly annihilated.[4p] The Red Thirst is so overwhelming that the Blood Angels forget their noble heritage and completely lose control over themselves. It is not unheard of that Blood Angels squads abandon advantageous positions to engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. More often than not, these assaults turn out to be so devastating that unprepared enemy forces are simply swept away.


The Red Thirst was a genetic flaw deeply embedded into the Blood Angels Gene-Seed. When Sanguinius became aware of it, he felt responsible for the suffering of his sons and desperately sought out a cure while keeping it secret from the rest of the Imperium, including the Emperor himself. While isolated instances of Battle-Brothers succumbing to the Red Thirst occurred throughout the Great Crusade, it was not until the Battle of Signus Prime that the entire Legion suffered from it.[20]

Exsanguinator

The Sanguinary Priest can use the Exsanguinator for medical treatment of wounded Space Marines. But more important the Exsanguinator is a tool for retrieving the gene-seed from the body of a fallen Marine and is vital for the survival of the Chapter. In the veins of every Sanguinary Priest flow a portion of Sanguinius's own blood. That adds to the spiritual significance of the Exsanguinator for the Blood Angels. Usually a Sanguinary Priest uses his influence to calm the Red Thirst of his battle brothers. These priests are the epitome of the noble character of Sanguinius's heirs. But there are some priests that aspire to use the gift of their Primarch.

Successors

The Blood Angels Legion is known to have sired at least five Second Founding Chapters, but as a Chapter they sired two more; many have come and gone in the millennia. Their successors, like them, are afflicted with the Black Rage and Red Thirst, and a sense of loss and grief for their fallen primarch and have visions of his death. Although some chapters suffer from it more than others, the Successors that were founded in later centuries are more harshly affected by the flaw. Some founding’s teeter on the border of full-blown insanity, causing them to be on the verge of destruction, even though the Chapter council thought the flaw was eradicated from the gene-stocks for a while. Due to this the Space Marines of the most recent foundings can lapse into psychosis with the slightest provocation. The Blood Angels and their successors share a special bond due to the death of their Primarch being a very real memory that threatens them when in great stress or danger, rather than being a myth of legend unlike other chapters, due to this bond an attack on a chapter is considered an attack on all Sons of Sanguinus.[4l][16]

Culture

Sanguinius did much to establish the culture and beliefs of the Chapter. There is a mystical streak in many of the Blood Angels and a strong belief that things can be changed for the better. This belief can be seen in everything they do: they strive for perfection be it in their works or art, martial discipline, or military doctrine. Due to their extended lifespans, Blood Angels have time to perfect their techniques in art as well as war.[1a]

Blood Angels also have a habit of sleeping whenever possible in the sarcophagi used to create them. They apparently believe that it is in this slumber that they are one step closer to Sanguinius and seek to gain insight into the psyche of their forefather.[1a]

Organisation

Chapter Organization

As adheraents of the Codex Astartes, the Blood Angels divide their battle brothers among the chapter into Companies. There are 10 companies in the Blood Angels and each one is led by a captain who is guarded by elite veterans known as the Honour Guard.[3] The only exceptions to the Codex structure allowed by the Blood Angels and its Succesors are the Sanguinary Guard[4j] and the Death Company.

The First Company is composed of the Chapter's Space Marine Veterans, warriors with experience forged in countless battles throughout the Imperium and trained in the use of sacred suits of Terminator Armour, while the second to fifth are the Battle Companies who carry the weight of the Chapter's combat duties.[4b]

The subsequent companies are 'Companies of Reserve', composed of squads with the same designation who often act as support for the Battle Companies, as well as provide replacements for casualties by the line formations: the Sixth and Seventh Companies are composed entirely of Tactical Marines, while the Eight Company is a made up of Assault Marines, and the Ninth Company has a full complement of Devastators. Finally, the Tenth Company is composed of the Chapter's scouts, aspirants who have not yet earned their place as full-fledged Marines of the Chapter.

Headquarters

The current headquarters staff as of 999.M41 are as follows:

Headquarters
Chapter Master Sanguinary Guard Reclusiam Logisticiam

Master of the Blood Angels

Exalted Herald of Sanguinius

High Chaplain

Warden of the Gates

Armoury Sanguinary Priesthood Fleet Command Librarius

Master of the Blade

Sanguinary High Priest

Keeper of the Heavengate

Chief Librarian.

Companies

The current Companies and their Captains[2a] as of 999.M41 are as follows:

Veteran Company Battle Companies
1st Company 2nd Company 3rd Company 4th Company 5th Company

"Archangels"

BA1.jpg


Shield of Baal


"The Blooded"

BA2.jpg


Master of the Watch

"Ironhelms"

BA3.jpg


Master of Sacrifice

  • 6 Tactical Squads
  • 2 Assault Squads
  • 2 Devastator Squads
  • 4 Dreadnoughts

"Knights of Baal"

BA4.jpg


Lord Adjudicator

  • 6 Tactical Squads
  • 2 Assault Squads
  • 2 Devastator Squads
  • 4 Dreadnoughts

"Daemonbanes"

BA5.jpg


Keeper of the Arsenal

  • 6 Tactical Squads
  • 2 Assault Squads
  • 2 Devastator Squads
  • 1 Dreadnought
Reserve Companies Scout Company
6th Company 7th Company 8th Company 9th Company 10th Company

"Eternals"

BA6.jpg


Caller of the Fires

  • 10 Tactical Squads
  • 3 Dreadnoughts

"Unconquerables"

BA7.jpg


Master of the Marches

  • 10 Tactical Squads
  • 1 Dreadnought

"Bloodblades"

BA8.jpg


Lord of Skyfall

  • 10 Assault Squads
  • 1 Dreadnought

"Sunderers"

BA9.jpg


Master of Sieges

  • 10 Devastator Squads
  • 2 Dreadnoughts

"Redeemers"

Master of the Recruits


Company Disposition
Markings denoting Tactical Sergeant, Assault, Devastator, and Veteran marines.
Squad markings, typically displayed on the right kneepad.

Each company is divided into 10 squads. Squads are led into battle by a Sergeant or a Veteran Sergeant and consist of four to nine Battle Brothers. Each squad can be broken down into two 5 man squads called combat squads.[1]

  • Tactical Squads make up the bulk of a Blood Angels army. The first six squads of the Battle Companies and the Sixth and Seventh Companies are deployed as Tactical Squads.[1] Tactical Squads have red helmets.
  • Assault Squads. The whole First Company, if not deployed in Terminator Armour, will be used as Assault squads as well as the Seventh and Eighth squad of the Battle Companies, also the Eighth Company squads are deployed as Assault squads.[1] Assault Squad helmets are yellow in color.[4m]
  • Devastator Squads Are deployed in each Battle Company as the Ninth and Tenth squad and the Ninth Reserve Company is dedicated to Devastator squads.[1] Devastator Squad helmets are blue in color.[4m]
  • Scout Squads are the newly recruited neophytes who are under the ever watchful eye of the Scout Sergeant who is one of the most experienced Space Marines in the chapter.[1]

Unlike the other chapters of the Astartes, Blood Angels squad markings are not numerals on the shoulder pads but rather symbols worn on the right knee pad of the power armour,[1]

The Death Company

A Chaplain directing his Death Company.

Blood Angels are unique in that deeply engrained in their gene-seed is the encoded experience of Sanguinius, and most deeply imprinted of all is the memory of his final battle with Horus. Sometimes an event or circumstance will trigger this 'race memory'. This happens only rarely, often on the eve of battle, but it is likely to be a fatal experience for the warrior whose mind is suddenly wrenched into the distant past. What has become known as the Black Rage overcomes him, the memories and consciousness of Sanguinius intrudes upon his mind, and dire events ten thousand years old flood into the present.

To others a Marine overcome with the Black Rage appears half mad with fury: he is unable to distinguish past from present and does not recognise his comrades. He may believe he is Sanguinius upon the eve of his destruction, and the bloody battles of the Horus Heresy are raging all around him. As well as the memories of the Primarch, the Marine is also imbued with a small portion of Sanguinius' unearthly power, boosting the warrior's already prodigious strength and vitality to superhuman levels.

In order to keep the Black Rage in check, on the eve of battle the Blood Angels bend their thoughts to prayer and to the sacrifice of their Primarch so many centuries ago. Chaplains move from man to man, blessing each in turn and noting those amongst the brotherhood whose eyes may appear a little glazed, or whose speech is slurred or over excited. Some, almost all, overcome this ancient intrusion into their minds. All of a warrior's training is directed at controlling it, beating it down into the depths of their being. But for some the imprint of Sanguinius is too strong, the memories too loud and demanding. As the Chaplains chant the moripatris, the mass of doom, the chosen ones fall into the arms of their priests, and are taken away. The afflicted are formed into a special unit called the Death Company.

Suffused with the dying memories of Sanguinus, the warriors of the Death Company seek only one thing: death in battle fighting against the enemies of the Emperor. The Death Company is arrayed in black armour upon which are painted red saltires, crosses of blood red which symbolise the sacrifice of Sanguinius. The company is led into battle and directed towards the foe by the Chapters Chaplains. The warriors fight with the certainty of death and are completely fearless, ignoring wounds that would fell a normal man. Should they survive the battle they will probably die of their wounds afterwards, once the frenzied slaughter is past. It is better this way, for those who do survive almost always fall victim to the Red Thirst, turning into creatures no better than wild beasts craving flesh and blood. Better by far to die cleanly and quickly in battle than to suffer such a fate.[1]

Even those in a Dreadnought cannot escape the grasp of the Black Rage when it strikes, turning the machine into a raging Death Company Dreadnought[4h]

Honour Guard

Blood Angels Honour Guard[17]

Among the Chapter, it is customary of the mighty Blood Angels leaders to be accompanied by an Honour Guard of dedicated warriors. Its members are often distinguished individuals or the most accomplished Veteran Marines of the Chapter; warriors with full access to the armoury of the Blood Angels. As a result, the Honour Guard are normally well equipped and ably transported. Sanguinary Priests and Techmarines may be found within an Honour Guard, as can Standard-Bearers. When operating as Honour Guard for a Company Commander, one member of the Guard may be nominated as Blood Champion.[3] Honour Guard wear gold helmets.

The Sanguinary Guard

Even among the vaunted Veterans of the Chapter, there are warriors that stand above their brothers in might of arms and sheer skill. These are the Sanguinary Guard, an order that traces its origins to the days of the Great Crusade, where they served as their Primarch's personal bodyguard, and even accompanied Sanguinius when he, the Emperor, and Rogal Dorn confronted Horus in the arch-traitor's battle barge. Clad in golden Artificer Armour and armed with wrist-mounted Angelus Bolters, they wade into battle wielding Glaives Encarmine, ancient power weapons of terrible power.[4j]

All Chapters descended from the Blood Angels maintain units of Sanguinary Guard as a legacy of their parent Legion, and all follow the same color scheme except for the Angels Encarmine, whose Sanguinary Guard wear alabaster-white colored armour instead.[4n]

Deathstorm Strike Force

The Blood Angels are also able to field a highly specialized force against overwhelming infantry known as a Deathstorm Strike Force and it is only deployed in the most dire of situations.[13]

Recruitment

The Blood Angels recruit their Aspirants from the chapter's home planet of Baal and its moons.[1] The contests are held every generation at Angel's Fall (the place where Sangunius was found as an infant) Aspirants (all from the pureblood tribes) must reach the Place of Challenge by journeying through a vast, hostile desert, and a series of canyons, infested with Fire Scorpions and Thirstwater. These perils claim many youths; however, enough reach the place of Challenge to hold gladiatorial contests, which rival in scale the Ultramar's. Once the fifty victors are chosen, they are taken in the Thunderhawks to the stronghold of the Blood Angels on the Baal itself. However, they haven't completed their trials yet, as they must observe a vigil for 72 hours without rest. Those that fail and fall asleep are taken away by the Blood-Servitors; no-one knows what happens to them. At the end of the vigil, the remaining aspirants are offered a chalice (rumoured to contain a small portion of Sangunius's own blood) by the Sanguinary Priests. After partaking it, they fall into a coma and are entombed by the Blood-Servitors inside the caskets of the Hall of the Sacrophagi. They remain there for a full year, in full care of the casket's life-support systems, while they are injected with blood of the Sanguinius. Many die, incapable of bearing the vast changes wrought upon them by the gene-seed; others wake up too early and grow insane from their dark and claustrophobic existence. The ones who completely adapt, however, become the newest additions to the chapter.[11]

Equipment


Noted Elements of the Blood Angels

Relics and Artifacts

Main article: Blood Angels Armoury

Chapter Fleet

The Blood Angels currently maintain a fleet composed of two Battle Barges, seven Strike Cruisers, and sixteen Rapid Strike Vessels.[4c] Among its ranks are Azkaellon Class Frigates.

Known Vessels

Named Vehicles

Notable Members

Heresy Era

Post-Heresy

Unique Troops & Vehicles (Also used by Successor Chapters)

See Also

Related Articles

See Also

External links

Sources