Space Marines
The Space Marines, aka Adeptus Astartes and also as Angels of Death, are without any doubt, the best warriors of mankind. They are the best of the best, immensly stronger, quicker, and hardier than a average human. During the Great Crusade full twenty Space Marine Legions, each one of them sporting more or less 10,000 battle-brothers, re-conquered many thousands of Human worlds, saving Humanity from all but certain extinction. Their efforts, struggles, and ultimate sacrifices established the Imperium as the dominant power-faction of the galaxy.
However a full half of these legions turned against humanity, forsaking their oaths of loyalty towards the Emperor. Following their primarchs these traitors pledged themselves to the Chaos Gods and nearly destroyed the Imperium.
To this day the loyal Space Marines continue to protect Humanity from aggressive Xenos species, like the barbaric Ork, the mysterious Eldar and their renegade kin the piratical Dark Eldar, the idealistic Tau, the ever-hungry Tyranids, and the ancient Necrons. But they most fervently oppose the traitors within, and most specialy the former brothers the Chaos Space Marines
There are presently said to be between 989 and 1,021 Space Marine Chapters. As of 765.M41, 13 chapters have been lost to the warp, 21 destroyed through irrecoverable battle losses, nine destroyed by gene-seed failure, four by inquisitorial purges and 16 lost through other circumstances.1
Contents
The history of the Space Marines
See main articles: Great Crusade, Primarch Project, Primarchs, and Space Marine Legions
As the Emperor of Mankind began to plan the Great Crusade he felt the need for faithful lieutenants who could lead his forces throughout the galaxy. Even the Emperor could not be everywhere at the same time, and accordingly he created twenty Primarchs using his own DNA. However while the feotal primarchs where still maturating inside of womb-vats the Chaos Gods somehow managed to spirit them away. Unable to destroy them, they still managed scatter the primarchs throughout the galaxy. However not everything was lost, and using samples collected previously from the primarchs the Emperor was able to create Space Marines. In the creation of a particular legion he only used the material of a single primarch. This created twenty distinct Space Marines Legions which he lead into the Great Crusade.
During the Great Crusade, the Emperor who felt and knew that the primarchs had managed to survive, searched and eventually found his 'sons', one by one. Upon discovery the single primarch would be evaluated, and if found worthy - all of them were- recieved the command of his respective legion. His homeworld would also become the new homebase of the Space Marine Legion in question. The first to be found was Horus, who would become the most trusted 'son'.
Eventually, the Great Crusade reached a point where the Emperor felt that his Primarchs could continue without him. He returned to Terra to begin to re-organise his Empire into a unified whole. He left Horus in command of all forces, naming him Warmaster. Alas, under mysterious circunstances Horus fell to Chaos and betrayed his loyalty, planned, and began a terrible civil-war later to be known as the Horus Heresy.
Horus Heresy
See main article: Horus Heresy
During the 31st Millenium, Horus was afflicted by a disease and took refuge on a Feral World named Davin. It seemed that the locals could heal him but from then on it seemed Horus had the intention of overthrowing the Emperor. During his illness he was inducted into a Warrior Lodge, becoming a Brother of the lodge rather than an outsider. This seemed to increase his rate of change, and could have been rife with the power of Chaos. Once Horus was well again, he was sent to Isstvan III to put down a local revolt. Horus proceeded to virus bomb the entire planet, destroying the entire population. This marked the end of the good Horus and the beginning of the Chaos Horus. Horus then moved his forces to Isstvan V where he set up his command base. He was met by seven legions sent to bring Horus back to Terra to face the Emperor in an investigation of his actions of Isstvan III. Four of these Legions turned traitor and, of the remaining three, only a few Space Marines managed to escape to warn the Emperor. Horus had shown his true colours and began a civil war which would end with the Battle of Terra.
Battle of Terra
See main article: Battle of Terra
The Battle of Terra involved many Space Marine Legions and culminated in a battle of wills between Horus and the Emperor. Horus had baited the Emperor into teleporting onto his Battle Barge by simply lowering his void shields. The Emperor, Sanguinius, Rogal Dorn and several Space Marines teleported onto the ship but were somehow scattered throughout the ship. Sanguinius was the first to reach Horus, where he was offered a place by Horus' side, which he refused. Horus concluded by killing Sanguinius. Just as Sanguinius died, the Emperor found Horus' command centre and the two became locked in a fight of epic proportions, using both physical and psychic strength. The battle ended when the Emperor realised that he could no longer save his son from Chaos, and that he had to die. He unleashed a massive psychic barrage which killed Horus almost instantly, but in his last dying moments, the Emperor saw Chaos leave Horus and felt him return to sanity, if only for a moment.
Horus had died, however during the great combat the Emperor had taken several mortal wounds and Rogal Dorn found him on the deck of the ship, where he received the designs for the Golden Throne on which the Emperor now resides.
Age of the Imperium
When the Emperor ascended to the Golden Throne, the structure of the empire he had built collapsed and it was left down to the Space Marines to hold it together. Over the coming millenia, the Space Marines fought off the enemies of the Emperor and put down heresies which would have destroyed the empire and eventually it was formed into the Imperium. During this period, it was primarily the Ultramarines who kept back the enemies of the Imperium due to their posting far from Terra during the Horus Heresy. Their Primarch, Roboute Guilliman, wrote a tome known as the Codex Astartes which designated how Space Marines Legions should be broken down into far smaller Chapters. This would become the founding principle of most of the Space Marine forces created from then on. It was designed to prevent any one person from gaining so much power as Horus had. It would prove to be very successful, if somewhat disliked by several Primarchs. Eventually, in the name of unity, all Legions were broken down into the 1000 strong forces we have today.
The Codex Astartes
See main article: Codex Astartes
The principle of the Codex was to re-organise the Space Marine Legions into Chapters, smaller units one tenth of their original size. The Chapters consisted of, at maximum, 1,000 standard Space Marines as well as their accompanying commanders and assistants. Each Chapter has its own unique heraldry and traditions, primarily drawn from the original First Founding Chapters. Most Chapters follow the Codex Astartes however notable exceptions are the Black Templars, Blood Angels, Space Wolves and Dark Angels.
The Foundings
See main article: Founding
The Space Marines are a force in high demand throughout the Imperium but there are by no means sufficient numbers to go around. This led to the creation of the 'Founding System' to run in conjunction with the Codex Astartes. The first eighteen Space Marine Legions would become known as the First Founding Chapters. They were then broken down into the smaller Second Founding chapters when the Codex Astartes was implemented. There were many chapters created and throughout the history of the Imperium there have been 26 foundings, including the cursed 21st Founding. Space Marine foundings are initiated by the High Lords of Terra, sometimes to replace other lost chapters, sometimes to increase the defences in a specific area and occasionally for Rogue Traders who go on particularly dangerous missions.
Notable Space Marine Foundings
See main article: List of Space Marine Chapters
There are many hundreds of chapters of Space Marines in operation throughout the galaxy, a large number of which are recorded in the Space Marine Chapter list.
There are several well known and notable Space Marine chapters, mainly known for their exploits for the Imperium. Some of these include:
- Black Templars
- Blood Angels
- Blood Ravens
- Crimson Fists
- Dark Angels
- Imperial Fists
- Iron Hands
- Raven Guard
- Salamanders
- Space Wolves
- Ultramarines
- White Scars
- Fire Hawks (Legion of the Damned)
Adeptus Custodes
See main article: Adeptus Custodes
The Adeptus Custodes are a secretive force created to protect the Emperor. They always follow the Emperor and have not left Terra since he ascended to the Golden Throne. It is rumoured that their gene-seed comes directly from the Emperor.
Creating Space Marines
The creation of a Space Marine requires several methods and stages and takes a good deal of time. A young, usually pre-teen, healthy recruit is the basic requirement for a Space Marine. Also a sample of the Chapter's gene-seed is required for implantation. Implantation goes hand-in-hand with chemical treatment, psychological conditioning and subconscious hypnotherapy. All of these are essential if the Marine is to develop properly, and acquire full use of the implants.
Chemical Treatment - Until his initiation, a Marine must submit to constant tests and examinations. The newly implanted organs must be monitored very carefully, imbalances corrected, and any sign of maldevelopment treated. This chemical treatment is reduced after completion of the intiation process, but it never ends. Marines undergo periodic treatment for the rest of their lives in order to maintain a stable metabolism. This is why their power armour suits contain monitoring equipment and drug dispensers.
Hypnotherapy - As the super-enhanced body grows, the recipient must learn how to use his new skills. Some of the implants, specifically the phase 6 and 10 implants, can only function once correct hypnotherapy has been administered. Hypnotherapy is not always as effective as chemical treatment, but it can have substantial results. If a Marine can be taught how to control his own metabolism, his dependence on drugs is lessened. The process is undertaken in a machine called a Hypnomat. Marines are placed in a state of hypnosis and subjected to visual and aural images in order to awaken their minds to their unconscious metabolic processes.
Training - Physical training stimulates the implants and allows them to be tested for effectiveness.
Indoctrination - Just as their bodies receive 19 separate implants, so their minds are altered to release the latent powers within. These mental powers are, if anything, more extraordinary than even the physical powers described above. For example, a Marine can control his senses and nervous system to a remarkable degree, and can consequently endure pain that would kill an ordinary man. A Marine can also think and react at lightning speeds. Memory training is an important part of the indoctrination too. Some Marines develop photographic memories. Obviously, Marines vary in intelligence as do other men, and their individual mental abilities vary in degree.
Implantation Because a Chapter's gene-seed belongs to that Chapter alone, different Chapters display different characteristics and use different implants. Listed below is the complete set of implants used:
Phase 1 - Secondary Heart- This implant allows a Space Marine to survive his other heart being damaged or destroyed, and to survive in low oxygen environments.
Phase 2 - Ossmodula - This organ alters the way the Space Marine's bones grow and develop. Two years after this implant is first put in the subjects long bones will have increased in size (along with most other bones) and the rib cage will have been fused into a solid mass of bone.
Phase 3 - Biscopea - Inserted into the chest cavity this organ stimulates muscle growth.
Phase 4 - Haemastamen - Implanted into the main circulatory system this implant increases the haemoglobin content of the subjects blood, making it more efficient at carrying oxygen around the body and making the subject's blood a bright red.
Phase 5 - Larraman's Organ - This implant causes the subjects blood to form a kind of scar tissue on contact with air, cauterizing any wounds the Space Marine may suffer.
Phase 6 - Catalepsean Node - Implanted into the brain this implant allows a Space Marine to rest parts of his brain whilst awake, this means that a Space Marine needs no more than 4 hours of sleep a day, and can go for 2 weeks without any sleep at all.
Phase 7 - Preomnor - This is essentially an extra stomach that can digest (more accurately process) otherwise poisonous or indigestible foods.
Phase 8 - Omophagea - This implant allows a Space Marine to 'learn by eating', by consuming the flesh of an animal the Space Marine can gain some of the creatures memories.
Phase 9 - Multi-lung - This additional lung allows a Space Marine to breathe in low-oxygen or poisoned atmospheres, and even water.
Phase 10 - Occulobe - This implant allows the Apothecaries to adjust the sensitivity of the eye, the net result being that Space Marines have superior vision.
Phase 11 - Lyman's Ear - Not only does this implant make a Space Marine immune from dizziness or motion sickness but also allows Space Marines to filter out and enhance certain sounds.
Phase 12 - Sus-an Membrane - With sufficient training a Space Marine can use this implant to enter a state of suspended animation, keeping the Marine alive for years, even if he has suffered mortal wounds.
Phase 13 - Melanochrome - This implant allows a Space Marine to control the amount of melanin in his skin. Exposure to sunlight will result in the Marine's skin darkening to the appropriate level, changing the Marine's skin colour.
Phase 14 - Oolitic Kidney - In conjunction with the secondary heart this implant allows a Space Marine to filter his blood very quickly, rendering him immune to most poisons.
Phase 15 - Neuroglottis - This enhances a Space Marine's sense of taste to such a high degree that he can identify many common chemicals by taste alone.
Phase 16 - Mucranoid - This implant allows a Space Marine to sweat a substance that coats the skin and offers resistance to extreme cold. This can only be activated by outside treatment, and is common when Space Marines are expected to be fighting in vacuum
Phase 17 - Betcher's Gland - This allows a Space Marine to spit poisonous acid.
Phase 18 - Progenoids - There are two of these glands, which take time to mature into gene-seed. The gene-seed can then be extracted and used to create more Space Marines.
Phase 19 - Black Carapace - This is a kind of inner skin that allows a Space Marine to interface directly with his Power Armour and use all of the additional features on the armour, such as medical information.
Daily Rituals of a Space Marine
Space Marines have very organised daily routines including combat duty, prayer and indoctrination sessions with very little free time. This lends itself well to the organised mind of a Space Marine. They also spend very little time resting, made possible by the training and implants.
0400 - Morning Prayer - Led by the Company Chaplain the Space Marines renew their oaths to The Emperor. This time is also used to give out orders, announcements and other administrative tasks.
0500 - Morning Firing Rites - The Space Marines engage in target practice with their personal and squad weaponry.
0700 - Battle Practice - Generally this is close quarters oriented, however live fire or hazardous environment training may be done instead (or as well).
1200 - Midday Prayer - In addition to prayer any injured Space Marines can report to the Apothecary.
1300 - Midday Meal - Normally local wildlife killed during the morning activities.
1315 - Tactical Indoctrination - This can take many forms, from information on a new alien species or technology to strategy. A debrief of the morning's battle is common as well.
1500 - Battle Practice - This focuses more on combined tactics than the morning session and may include a trial of a new tactic introduced during the tactical indoctrination.
2000 - Evening Prayer - In addition to prayer, gene-seed testing may occur at this point.
2100 - Evening Meal - A feast (by normal human standards) is provided by the Chapter serfs, and some Chapter Masters may allow alcohol to be consumed.
2130 - Night Firing Exercises - If there is no 'night' where the Space Marines are currently stationed, other training is undertaken, for example, zero-gravity combat.
2315 - Maintenance Rituals - Each Space Marine is expected to maintain his own power armour and weapons, and it is often checked by the Chapter's Techmarines.
2345 - Free Time - Space Marines are permitted this time to reflect upon their duty to The Emperor, however many Chapter Masters regard free time as a frivolous waste.
0000 - Rest Period - Space Marines are allocated 4 hours in which to sleep.
The Space Marines in Warhammer 40,000
Space Marine Structure
The Space Marine army list is very well structured and organised. They follow a standardised pattern and have unit specifically for assault roles, ranged roles and combination roles as well as light, medium and heavy vehicles. These are shown in Space Marine Structure.
Space Marine Armoury
Space Marines make use of a very wide variety of weapons and equipment. These range from ancient slug firing weapons to huge tank busting Lascannons and ornate armour. They can also use a variety of close combat weapons. These are shown in the Space Marine Armoury.
Sources
External links
Related Articles
- Space Marine Quotes is a list of things said by various people with relation to Space Marines.
- Space Marine is also the name for another game created by Games Workshop - Space Marine (Game)
