White Consuls
The White Consuls are a Successor Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion[2], and are one of the 20 Astartes Praeses chapters[9]. They are listed in the Mythos Angelica Mortis as being one of the 20 Space Marine chapters assigned to guarding the Eye of Terror region.[Needs Citation]
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Background
Their colour scheme is the reverse of the Ultramarines', replacing the blue with the white and vice-versa, although the shoulder trim still displays the company colour as per Codex Astartes dictat.[2] As one of the Ultramarine successors located farthest from Ultramar, it is rare and a cause for celebration when the White Consuls appear in the court of Marneus Calgar.[6]
Unusually the White Consuls have two Chapter Masters, one who oversees the defences of the Chapter's home world of Sabatine and commands a standing force ready at a moment’s notice to respond to Chaos incursions through the Cadian Gate, and the other is responsible for the operations of the Chapter's forces in war zones further afield. It is doubtful that this is sanctioned by any entry in the Codex Astartes, and the reason it has never been challenged is the homeworld's distance from Ultramar.[6] Also unusually the White Consuls seem to worship the Emperor as a god and seem to be part of the Imperial Cult, unlike most other Astartes Chapters.[5c]
The White Consuls maintain sovereignty over several nearby systems, and the chapter officers are expected to oversee the administration of each world before advancing to a higher rank. As such these officers are often found in command of local troops. This is considered as a smaller version of the Ultramarines' practice within Ultramar.[6] One these was the Boros System, which they ruled from the Kronos star fort (the largest space station in Segmentum Obscurus) until the entire system was corrupted and the Kronos star fort destroyed by the dark crusade of the Word Bearers and the subsequent invasion of the Necrons, under the Undying One. Proconsul Cassius Ostorius & Coadjutor Gaius Aquilius seemed to be the only two Astartes involved with the governorship however.[5a]
Every battle brother has to serve as a Coadjutor in the years after rising from the rank of neophyte. A selection of veterans are also chosen to act as Proconsuls; becoming a Proconsul is a necessary prerequisite to becoming a sergeant or captain.[5a] Proconsuls have led local troops of Sabatine or their vassal worlds into battle, granting them some knowledge on the Imperial Guard.[6]
In the aftermath of the Great Rift's creation, during the Thirteenth Black Crusade, the Chapter's Homeworld was overrun by the forces of Chaos; though the remnants of the Chapter managed to escape before Sabatine was destroyed.[10]
Fleet
The White Consuls are known to possess three battle barges, Sword of Truth, Divine Splendour and the Righteous Fury.[5b] They are also known to possess two strike cruisers, the Hermes and the Eternal Faith.[3]
Notable Campaigns
- 798.M37, the Chapter prevails against the Daemonic legions of Fateweaver.[7]
- 12th Black Crusade (aka the Gothic War)[Needs Citation]
- Thirteenth Black Crusade: The White Consuls fielded all 10 companies against the forces of Chaos in this campaign.[4]
- The Siege of Boros Gate: All ten companies were fielded to repel the Word Bearers, and later the Necrons. Almost five full companies were completely wiped out, one battle-barge was lost, and one of the two Chapter Masters was killed.[5d]
- Achilus Crusade: The White Consuls contributed a large contingent to the Achilus Crusade, amounting to around two companies and their support units. Their largest action was the extraction of a Deathwatch Kill-Team on the Death world of Polyphemnos against Ogryn mutants. It concluded with the successful rescue of the Kill-team, at the cost of a Consuls squad which was consumed by the mutants. As a consequence of this mission the White Consuls are demanding for the Deathwatch to help recover the squad's wargear and kill the Ogryn leader responsible.[6]
Related Articles
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook, pg. 30
- 2: Codex: Ultramarines, p. 42
- 3: To Cleanse The Stars by Andy Chambers and Matt Keefe. (accessed 2007.02.19)
- 4: Codex: Eye of Terror, p. 16
- 5: Dark Creed (Novel)
- 5a: [Needs Citation]pp. 26–37
- 5b: [Needs Citation]pp. 75–81
- 5c: [Needs Citation]p. 202
- 5d: [Needs Citation]p. 402
- 6: Deathwatch: Rites of Battle, p. 56
- 7: Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition) (E-Book Edition) p. 65
- 8: How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 84
- 9: Architect of Fate (Anthology), Insert, pg. 192
- 10: Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook, pgs. 151 - Dark Imperium