The Fang
The Fang is the Fortress Monastery of the Space Wolves chapter, located on their homeworld of Fenris.
Contents
Overview
The Fang is located on the highest peak of a mountain range towards the centre of Asaheim. These mountains are the tallest on Fenris, and the highest is located at the centre of the range, looking like a great fang above the other mountains.[1]
The Fang is perhaps the greatest fortress constructed since the fortifications of the Imperial Palace on Terra. It is so big as to pierce the atmosphere of Fenris, providing a docking point for orbiting spacecraft and allowing quick access to the surface without having to use sub-orbital transport. It is clad in immensely thick armour and is protected by void shields stronger even than those on the mightiest Imperial warships. Shafts have been cut into the mountainside, concealing vast laser batteries capable of blasting the biggest ships in the galaxy. These weapons are as old as the Chapter itself, a testament to the reliability of the level of technology produced during the Great Crusade. Also, the thermal reactors powering the weapons and shields are of that age, wondrous though it is to think they still actually work.[1]
The top of The Fang is the centre of the Space Wolves' fleet dock where hundreds of ships are moored. They can be easily maintained and materials can be moved easily from surface to space via this huge fortress. It is from here that the Space Wolves set out on missions across the galaxy.[1]
Name
Despite being almost universally referred to as "The Fang", the Space Wolves refer to their base simply as "The Aett" which in their own language literally means "clan-home", "fireplace" or "den".[4]
History
- M30 - The Fang is constructed on Fenris by the Imperium's Chamber Castellanis as the Space Wolves legion is away on the Wheel of Fire Campaign. The Legion returns to their Primarch's homeworld to find the immense structure.[7]
- M32 - "The Battle of the Fang" - The Fang was attacked by Magnus and his Thousand Sons as revenge for the destruction of Prospero.[2]
- M36.300 - "Plague of Unbelief" - The Fang was attacked by the rebel forces of Cardinal Bucharis, Colonel Gasto and Admiral Sehalla. The Fang was besieged for three years until the Space Wolves managed to break out and reconquer the rebels' minor empire, converting its people back to the Emperor.[3]
- M41.445 - "Months of Shame" - The Fang is attacked at the peak of the conflict between the Inquisition and Space Wolves in the aftermath of the First War for Armageddon. In a vicious battle above the planet, three Imperial Navy warships crash into the fortress and cause it greater damage than the earlier Thousand Sons invasion.[6]
- ???.M42 - Sometime after the Great Rift's creation, the Dark Eldar Haemonculus Khaeghris Xhakt orchestrates a raid on The Fang. However he was foiled by Ulrik the Slayer and his head mounted within The Fang.[9]
Older Editions
A description of the Space Wolves' Fortress Monastery from the First Edition rulebook can be found here.[5] At the time of publication, the Space Wolves' homeworld was referred to as "Lucan" rather than Fenris, so the canonicity of this information is uncertain.[5][8]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Space Wolves (5th Edition), pg. 13
- 2: Codex: Space Wolves (2nd Edition), pg. 43
- 3: Codex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition), pgs. 39-40
- 4: Prospero Burns (Novel) by Dan Abnett, Page 97
- 5: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, [Needs Citation]
- 6: The Emperor's Gift (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, [Needs Citation], pgs. 300-304
- 7: The Horus Heresy Book Seven, pg. 80
- 8: White Dwarf 93 (UK), pg. 39
- 9: Codex: Space Wolves (8th Edition)
