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(Original names: Corrected spelling of Jonson)
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One should not forget that the legions were for a very long time under the direct command of the Emperor and that originally all recruits were from [[Terra]]. The '''Terran Marines''' would always remember these times and the legions had Terran traditions. Later, as the Primarchs were found, the new recruits would have very strong loyalties towards them, and some of the Primarchs would rename their legions. The Emperor saw no problems with this development; the loyalty of the Primarchs to him was believed to be unshakable. This reasoning would be proven to be sadly mistaken.
 
One should not forget that the legions were for a very long time under the direct command of the Emperor and that originally all recruits were from [[Terra]]. The '''Terran Marines''' would always remember these times and the legions had Terran traditions. Later, as the Primarchs were found, the new recruits would have very strong loyalties towards them, and some of the Primarchs would rename their legions. The Emperor saw no problems with this development; the loyalty of the Primarchs to him was believed to be unshakable. This reasoning would be proven to be sadly mistaken.
  
The first Primarch to be found, [[Horus]], was the Emperor's favorite and he and his legion, the '''Luna Wolves''' were even granted the honor of being re-named as [[Sons of Horus]]. The '''First Legion''' was given the new name ''Dark Angels'' by Lion El'Johnson, the '''Dusk Raiders''' received the name ''Death Guard'' by Mortarion, and the '''War Hounds''' received the name World Eaters, by Angron, and while its original name is unknown, the highly honorific name '''Emperor's Children''' was awarded by the Emperor only '''after''' a speech made by their Primarch Fulgrim. It is unknown if other legions were also re-named.
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The first Primarch to be found, [[Horus]], was the Emperor's favorite and he and his legion, the '''Luna Wolves''' were even granted the honor of being re-named as [[Sons of Horus]]. The '''First Legion''' was given the new name ''Dark Angels'' by Lion El'Jonson, the '''Dusk Raiders''' received the name ''Death Guard'' by Mortarion, and the '''War Hounds''' received the name World Eaters, by Angron, and while its original name is unknown, the highly honorific name '''Emperor's Children''' was awarded by the Emperor only '''after''' a speech made by their Primarch Fulgrim. It is unknown if other legions were also re-named.
  
 
Half of the known legions revolted during the [[Horus Heresy]].
 
Half of the known legions revolted during the [[Horus Heresy]].

Revision as of 04:49, 12 December 2009

The twenty Space Marine Legions, also known as the Legiones Astartes, were created by the Emperor to take part in the Great Crusade. All the Space Marines of a legion (Battle-brothers amongst themselves) were modified with help of the DNA samples of a single Primarch. As a Primarch was found, he would receive the command of his respective legion. His homeworld would also become the new homeworld of the legion itself.

Number of Legionaries

The Legions were massive armies, and the size of each could vary tremendously. A precise number was never truly achieved and maintained. Even during the Great Crusade some legions were very numerous, while others were not. The numbers would always vary with new recruits and inevitable battle-losses, and also important was the availability of potential recruits and the administrative skills of the Primarch and his officers.

The most numerous legion of all was the Ultramarines. The Thousand Sons of Magnus the Red were of a small number as many of them had developed mutations or uncontrollable levels of psychic powers. Fulgrim's samples had been largely lost, and this left the legion of the Emperor's Children also with a very small number. Both of these legions would increase their numbers to acceptable standards only after their Primarchs were found.

Original names

One should not forget that the legions were for a very long time under the direct command of the Emperor and that originally all recruits were from Terra. The Terran Marines would always remember these times and the legions had Terran traditions. Later, as the Primarchs were found, the new recruits would have very strong loyalties towards them, and some of the Primarchs would rename their legions. The Emperor saw no problems with this development; the loyalty of the Primarchs to him was believed to be unshakable. This reasoning would be proven to be sadly mistaken.

The first Primarch to be found, Horus, was the Emperor's favorite and he and his legion, the Luna Wolves were even granted the honor of being re-named as Sons of Horus. The First Legion was given the new name Dark Angels by Lion El'Jonson, the Dusk Raiders received the name Death Guard by Mortarion, and the War Hounds received the name World Eaters, by Angron, and while its original name is unknown, the highly honorific name Emperor's Children was awarded by the Emperor only after a speech made by their Primarch Fulgrim. It is unknown if other legions were also re-named.

Half of the known legions revolted during the Horus Heresy.

The twenty Space Marine Legions of the Great Crusade
number name primarch homeworld loyalty 2nd founding chapters later founded chapters
I Dark Angels Lion El'Jonson Caliban Loyal Angels of Absolution, Angels of Redemption, Angels of Vengeance Guardians of the Covenant, Consecrators, Disciples of Caliban, Angels of Damnation
II unknown - all records lost following the Horus Heresy
III Emperor's Children Fulgrim Chemos Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
IV Iron Warriors Perturabo Olympia Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
V White Scars Jaghatai Khan Mundus Planus Loyal Marauders, Rampagers, Destroyers, Storm Lords
VI Space Wolves Leman Russ Fenris Loyal Wolf Brothers
VII Imperial Fists Rogal Dorn TerraA Loyal Black Templars, Crimson Fists, Soul Drinkers2
VIII Night Lords Konrad Curze Nostramo Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
IX Blood Angels Sanguinius Baal Loyal Angels Encarmine, Angels Sanguine, Flesh Tearers, Angels Vermillion, Blood Drinkers Flesh Eaters, Lamenters
X Iron Hands Ferrus Manus Medusa Loyal Red Talons, Brazen Claws
XI unknown - all records lost following the Horus Heresy
XII World Eaters Angron unknown Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
XIII Ultramarines Roboute Guilliman Macragge Loyal Novamarines, Patriarchs of Ulixis, White Consuls, Black Consuls, Libators, Praetors of Orpheus, Inceptors, Genesis Chapter, Mortifactors3 roughly 60% of all chapters
XIV Death Guard Mortarion Barbarus Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
XV Thousand Sons Magnus the Red Prospero Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
XVI Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus Horus Cthonia Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
XVII Word Bearers Lorgar Colchis Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----
XVIII Salamanders Vulkan Nocturne Loyal unknown possibly Storm Giants and Black Dragons
XIX Raven Guard Corax Deliverance Loyal Black Guard, Revilers, Raptors
XX Alpha Legion Alpharius Unknown Traitor Excommunicate Traitoris ----

Notes

There are some works of Imperial literature dealing about the Legions and the Second Founding; the known ones are:

  • the Mythos Angelica Mortis, which deals mainly with the Astartes Praeses, but also provides information about the Dark Angels and its successor chapters. It reports that these chapters refer to themselves as the Unforgiven.
  • the Apocrypha of Skaros and the Apocrypha of Davio, the first one tells us that there were 23 successor chapters of the Ultramarines, but fails to name them, the second source is able to provide 8 names of them.
  • A De jure the homeworld of the Imperial Fists is Terra; but De facto it is the Phalanx.

Two unknown legions

Main article: Two unknown legions

While the nine Excommunicate Traitoris Legions are known to the Imperium as the Traitor Legions, of the 2nd and 11th Legions no records remain, including of which side they took during the Horus Heresy. The history of the Dark Angels during the Heresy is similarly known only to themselves, and possibly the Emperor. Therefore, excluding the role of the Dark Angels, there were at least nine, and as many as eleven Legions who took the side of Horus.4

For more detailed information see the Two unknown legions article.

Second Founding

Main article: Second Founding

The loyalist legions were later reorganized by the Codex Astartes and broken up into several 1,000 Marine-strong Chapters during the Second Founding.

A single Chapter kept the name, traditions, rituals, homeworld, and original identity of the origin Legion, while the remaining Chapters received a part of their legion's gene-seed, new homeworlds, new names, and over time eventually developed their own traditions and identities. These chapters are known as Successor Chapters, a title which is not granted to chapters created during later Foundings.

The nine 'original chapters', to a certain extent, are more highly thought of. These chapters are called First Founding Chapters1 or something similar.

In the current Age of The Imperium, nearly three-fifths of all Chapters are 'descendants' of the Ultramarines, either directly or indirectly through one the Ultramarines Second Founding chapters. Many records have been lost over time, consequently there are many Chapters which are unaware of which legion they ultimately descend from.

The Grey Knights are an exception as this chapter was created shortly before the Second Founding and its gene-seed is of secret origin.

Chaos Space Marine Legions

From a pure technical standpoint, the Chaos Space Marine Legions, also known as the Traitor Legions, are the only Space Marine Legions still in existence. In reality however, all of them have been broken up to some degree and now exist largely as separated individual warbands following rival Chaos Champions. On occasion a highly successful Chaos Champion, such as Abaddon the Despoiler, is able to re-unite these Traitor Legions once more and unleash them upon the galaxy.

Related articles

Sources