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*The [[Great Malagantine Purge]] - 770-791.[[M38]]: The Silver Skulls are one of five Space Marine Chapters in a group referred to as the [[Manus Irae]]. This group is ordered by the [[High Lords]] to "''Spare none and set a bloody, fearful example to the realm of Mankind''"  by cleansing the [[Malagantine Sector]]. The reasons remain to this day unknown to anyone, not even the [[Inquisition]], with the knowledge hidden in the vaults of [[Terra]].{{Fn|12a}}
 
*The [[Great Malagantine Purge]] - 770-791.[[M38]]: The Silver Skulls are one of five Space Marine Chapters in a group referred to as the [[Manus Irae]]. This group is ordered by the [[High Lords]] to "''Spare none and set a bloody, fearful example to the realm of Mankind''"  by cleansing the [[Malagantine Sector]]. The reasons remain to this day unknown to anyone, not even the [[Inquisition]], with the knowledge hidden in the vaults of [[Terra]].{{Fn|12a}}
  
*[[Corinth Crusade]] - 698.[[M41]]: The Silver Skulls were part ofvucombined Space Marine force led by [[Marneus Calgar]], consisting of the [[Angels of Absolution]], [[Lamenters]], [[Marines Errant]], [[Scythes of the Emperor]], the [[Ultramarines]] and over fifty [[Imperial Guard Regiment]]s. During a seven year crusade the force inflicted a series of major defeats on [[Waaagh! Skargor]] in the [[Corinth system]] within the [[Ork]] empire of [[Charadon]]. By the time the crusade finished, Waaagh! Skargor was destroyed and the invasion of [[Waaagh! Argluk]] was delayed for thirty years.{{Fn|7}}{{Fn|12b}}
+
*[[Corinth Crusade]] - 698.[[M41]]: The Silver Skulls were part of combined Space Marine force led by [[Marneus Calgar]], consisting of the [[Angels of Absolution]], [[Lamenters]], [[Marines Errant]], [[Scythes of the Emperor]], the [[Ultramarines]] and over fifty [[Imperial Guard Regiment]]s. During a seven year crusade the force inflicted a series of major defeats on [[Waaagh! Skargor]] in the [[Corinth system]] within the [[Ork]] empire of [[Charadon]]. By the time the crusade finished, Waaagh! Skargor was destroyed and the invasion of [[Waaagh! Argluk]] was delayed for thirty years.{{Fn|7}}{{Fn|12b}}
  
 
*The seventh company were deployed in support of the [[Beta-Garmon IV Expeditionary Force]]{{Fn|11}} - in [[M36]]{{Fn|23}}
 
*The seventh company were deployed in support of the [[Beta-Garmon IV Expeditionary Force]]{{Fn|11}} - in [[M36]]{{Fn|23}}

Revision as of 12:31, 23 March 2017

The Silver Skulls are a Space Marine Chapter believed to be of Ultramarines descent.

Silver Skulls
SilverSkullsShoulder.JPG
Silver Skulls Marine.jpg x160px
Founding Chapter: Ultramarines (Claimed/Believed) [15][8]
Founding: Unknown
Descendants: Unknown
Chapter Master: Argentius[13]
Homeworld: Varsavia [2a][6a]
Fortress-Monastery: Unknown
Colours: Steel color armor, silver helmet, and black shoulder guards. Right shoulder markings are in red (may be company color). Symbol is a stylized silver skull.[22]
Specialty: Prognosticators
Strength: Unknown
Battle Cry Primus inter pares[14a]
(First Amongst Equals)

Victory does not always rest with the big guns: but, if we rest in front of them we shall be lost.
+++ Lord Commander Argentius, Chapter Master of the Silver Skulls +++[6d][13]

Background

A Silver Skulls Marine (Rogue Trader Era)[1]

The Silver Skulls claim[8] and are believed to be descendants of the Ultramarines Chapter, however with the passage of time this remains unconfirmed, although they behave as a Codex Chapter[15] and fight alongside the Primogenitor Chapters as if they were their own kin.[15] Hailing from their homeworld of Varsarvia in the Ultima Segmentum, they are surrounded by numerous Xenos species, recently fighting costly yet significant battles against the Dark Eldar and Necrons.[15] The Silver Skulls also tattoo the skin of their entire bodies in honour markings, with the face being the last area to be marked, with the right to do so earned in battle.[13]

There are two ways in which the Chapter cult deviates from the Codex Astartes, the first a custom inherited from their recruiting worlds: the practice of head taking. Especially powerful enemies are beheaded during battle, serving as trophies until victory is achieved. As part of its post-battle rituals, the Chapter selects the heads of the most powerful enemies, flense flesh from bone and layer the skulls in a coat of silver to be displayed within the Fortress-Monastery.[13][15]

The second Codex deviation is their specific use of Prognosticators, the Silver Skulls Librarians and partial spiritual advisor alongside their Chaplains.[13][15]} These warriors are the seers of the Chapter, reading the Emperor's Tarot or Rune-stones for divination of the future, granting the squads and companies they are attached to an edge for the coming battle.[13][15] The Chapter takes the readings seriously, as such that on some occasions, the Prognosticators have counselled against the Chapter becoming embroiled in a particular war, however this can prove problematic as the honour of the chapter at times demands that they take part in a battle they know will end in defeat. Despite this somewhat fickle nature, the Chapter is known to fight with honour the length and breadth of the Imperium. [15]

Notable Campaigns

A Silver Skulls Marine by Clint Langley[16]
  • The Antecanis Massacre - 165.M37: During the 9th Black Crusade, Abaddon, the Black Legion and their allies attack and decimate the Hive World of Antecanis with the aim of denying the Imperial Naval Shipyards at Cancephalus with their source of manpower. As Chaos rampages across the planet, the Silver Skulls are the first to arrive and harry the Chaos fleet in hit and run attacks, denying orbital support to Chaos ground forces. Finally, with Imperial reinforcements inbound, Abaddon loads the Black Legion ships with slaves and plunder and breaks the Silver Skulls blockade of the system, leaving his allies behind to distract the Imperium. [2b]
Silver Skulls Captain [18]
  • Imminent attack by the Soulmaw: In 954.M41, Silver Skulls' Librarians suspected an imminent attack by the Daemonic warband, the Soulmaw, on their homeworld. Most of the chapter was absent from Varsavia due to answering a distress call from the Silver Skull vassal world of Aragave which was being ravaged by an unidentified warband of Daemons. The Daemons quickly vanished as soon as the Silver Skulls forces arrived, successfully luring them away from Varsavia. This could have be in retribution for Librarian Lucius Clave reportedly destroying the Soulmaw champion years before in 892.M40 during the scouring of Ammas.[10] In 956.M41, the Soulmaw assaulted the Silver Skulls homeworld, but they managed to resist the attack.
  • The Third War for Armageddon - 998.M41: Records show them to have been deployed to Armageddon during the Third War. Here they deployed seven out of ten companies of Space Marines to fight the Orks.[3]
  • The Gildar Rift (M41, exact date unknown) - after destroying a Red Corsairs battle force, the Silver Skulls pursue the renegade fugitives to a string of inhabited worlds across the Gildar Rift, wiping them out in a matter of weeks.[6a][14x]
  • The Purging - (M41, exact date unknown) - Receiving distress signals from the planet Equinox, a small detachment of Silver Skulls arrived, with the aim of cleansing the planet of the influence of Chaos. They tirelessly swept through the city-states of Equinox one by one in a bloody massacre. The population, already halved by disease and starvation, was halved again and whole areas of city-states were used as mass graves. The Silver Skulls left as quickly as they had struck, fading to nothing more than a bloody memory in the collective consciousness of the survivors.[17]

Chapter Fleet

Notable Silver Skulls

Calvus - a Damocles Command Rhino of the 7th Company which took part in the Beta-Garmon IV Expedition[11]

Related Articles

Related Publications

Sources

Uncited