Terminator Squad
From Lexicanum
Terminator Squads are the made up of the best warriors a Chapter can supply, the terminators, which make up some of the 1st Company of the Codex Astartes.1
Background
Standard terminator deployments come in two forms, ranged and combat. They have specialised weapons for each task and are only deployed for specific battlefield roles. All suits have built in teleportation devices which allow them to deploy anywhere although more often they are deployed used Land Raiders. Squads consist of a terminator sergeant and between 4 and 9 terminators.1
Ranged terminators, known as Terminator Squads, are equipped with a Power Fist and Storm Bolter. The storm bolter can be swapped for an Assault Cannon or Heavy Flamer and a shoulder mounted Cyclone Missile Launcher can also be taken. Often the power fist is replaced with a chainfist. The terminator sergeant is armed with a Power Weapon and Storm Bolter.1
Combat terminators, known as Terminator Assault Squads, (including the terminator sergeant) carry either a pair of Lightning Claws or a Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield.1
The Terminator Command Squad is a Command Squad with terminator armour, though it was removed with the release of 5th edition. A squad consists of one terminator sergeant and three to nine terminators. The terminator sergeant is armed with a power weapon and storm bolter and the rest are armed with power fists and storm bolters. Some swap their storm bolters for assault cannons, heavy flamers or cyclone missile launchers and their power fists for chainfists, especially when boarding actions are carried out.2
Grey Knights Terminators
Grey Knights Terminators use Storm Bolters and Nemesis Force Weapons or Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields. Some use Incinerators or Psycannons. Occasionally they have been known to use psychic powers.
Chaos Terminators
Chaos Terminators turned renegade thousands of years ago and have had a long time to hone their skills, making them some of the most deadly troops in the galaxy.
Non Codex Astartes Uses
The Dark Angels Deathwing
The Dark Angels 1st company is known as the Deathwing and makes singular use of Terminator Squads (note that in the Deathwing there are no differences between Tactical and Assault Terminator squads - because every Terminator Squad is armed in that combination of heavy, hand to hand and assault weapons that fits this squad role on the battlefield the best), as well as Land Raiders. The position also confers greater knowledge of the chapter's history. There are no Veteran Squads in the Deathwing2.
Dark Angels 2
The Unforgiven chapter, including any master of Deathwing, upgrade two terminators in one squad to Deathwing standard bearer and Deathwing apothecary. All other configurations of this squad are same as in Tactical Terminator Squad.
The Space Wolves Wolf Guard
The Space Wolves name for Veteran Squads are the Wolf Guard but unlike other chapters, they only wear Terminator Armour when the situation calls for it rather than supporting a number of permanent Terminator Squads3.
The Salamanders
The Salamanders chapter uses an altered version of the Codex Astartes with 12 squads in each company rather than the standard 10, including up to 120 Veterans or Terminators4.
Major Terminator Deployments
Terminators are the veteran units of the army and are used only in the most dire circumstances.
Two of these involved the Ultramarines First Company during the First Tyrannic War and the following Second Tyrannic War. In the first war, the entire First Company was wiped out defending Macragge and during the second a company of over twenty Terminators stormed the centre of the Tyranid invasion on Ichar IV, eventually killing all of the Tyranids on the planet.
Images
 Ultramarines Terminator Squad |
 Ultramarines Assault Terminator Squad |
Sources
- 1:Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)
- 2:Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
- 3:Codex: Dark Angels (4th Edition), 3rd Edition
- 4:Codex: Space Wolves (3rd Edition)
- 5:Index Astartes IV
| Space Marine Infantry | |
| Command | Master • Captain • Master of Sanctity • Reclusiarch • Epistolary • Codicier Command Squad • Apothecary • Company Standard Bearer • Company Champion |
|---|---|
| Standard | Tactical • Assault • Devastator • Scout • Veteran • Tyrannic War Veterans • Honour Guard |
| Terminators | Terminator Squad • Terminator Assault Squad • Terminator Command Squad |
