Torchbearers

Space Marines Portal

Imperium Portal

Torchbearers are specialized task forces that, in the wake of the Great Rift's creation, were tasked to make contact with specific Space Marine Chapters and give them the ability to create their own Primaris battle-brothers.^[1]

They were first created early during the muster of the Indomitus Crusade on Terra and were typically comprised of small, fast, heavily armed craft, garrisoned with a mixture of Silent Sisters, Emissaries Imperatus Custodes, and Greyshield Primaris of the Chapter to be reinforced. These escorts ensured that their precious cargo reached its destination regardless of threats and impediments and was put swiftly to use by its recipients. Many Torchbearer task forces were assigned to Chapters located in distant locations from Terra, were within the Dark Imperium or else too mobile in nature, for the main thrust of the Indomitus Crusade Fleets to reach. Torchbearers assigned to these Chapters employed every asset that might lend them speed and efficacy. These included, multiple cadres of Silent Sisters, whose presence quelled the most ferocious of Warp Storms and aided the task forces in weathering an often-desperate passage to the Dark Imperium, through the madness of the Great Rift. Some further augmented their ranks with Rogue Traders, whose ships and knowledge of hidden routes were invaluable, as well as potent Astropaths, to aid in making contact with their quarry, and Brotherhoods of Grey Knights to stave off attacks by Daemon.^[1]

Other Torchbearers were assigned to reach Chapters that were known to be nearing extinction. These task forces were then charged with determining if the Chapters still existed and if they did, then the Torchbearers were to begin replenishing their depleted strength. If, however, the Chapter had been destroyed, then it was to be reestablished from amongst the task force's Greyshields, and then charged with exacting vengeance upon whatever foe had destroyed their original forebears. Some Torchbearers, though, were assigned to Chapters who, for reasons of doctrine, genetic heritage, or historical circumstance, were expected to resist the gift of the Primaris. In such cases these task forces' garrisons of Adeptus Custodes was typically larger than average, to leave no doubt that they delivered a boon graced by the Emperor himself.^[1]

A known battle of the Torchbearers is the War of the Spider.^[2]

Sources

• 1: White Dwarf November 2019, pgs. 47-48 - Dawn of the Era Indomitus
• 2: Psychic Awakening: War of the Spider, pgs. 12-15