White Consuls
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The White Consuls are a Successor Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion[2], and are one of the Astartes Praeses Chapters[9] which, according to the ancient tome Mythos Angelica Mortis, were created to guard the Eye of Terror.[1]
Contents
Background
As one of the Ultramarines 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 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 Chapter's 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' practices within Ultramar.[6] One of these was the Boros System, which they ruled from the star fort Kronos (the largest space station in Segmentum Obscurus), until the entire system was corrupted and the 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]
During the 12th Black Crusade the White Consuls were one of three chapters – together with the Exorcists and Red Talons – that entered the Gothic Sector after the Warp storm that had isolated the sector ended and fought in the Gothic War.[22a][22b]
When the Thirteenth Black Crusade started, the White Counsuls answered to call of Cadia by sending all of their Companies, except the Fourth, who were left as a skeletal guard of the planet Celestine.[14a]
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[10] before Sabatine was corrupted by the forces of Nurgle.[14c] The Chapter now seeks out a new world to claim as their own and rebuild.[18]
Notable Campaigns
- 798.M37: The Chapter prevails against the Daemonic legions of Fateweaver.[7]
- 143-151.M41: 12th Black Crusade — The White Consuls were stationed around the Gothic Sector during the Gothic War.[13][22b]
- 777.M41: 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]
- 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]
- 999.M41: The 13th Black Crusade — All Companies but the Fourth sent to Cadia.[4][10]
- ???.M42: The invasion of Sabatine — The Lords of Silence and the Weeping Veil warbands invaded the White Consuls homeworld. With the majority of the Chapter engaged in the 13th Black crusade, only 80 Battle-Brothers are present on Sabatine. Chaos forces from the Lords of Silence and Weeping Veil are able to destroy the White Consuls garrison on the planet[14a] before corrupting it in the name of Nurgle.[14c]
- ???.M42: The War of Beasts — The White Consuls send 5 companies.[16]
- ???.M42: The Nachmund Rift War[20]
Heraldry
Their Chapter 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 dictate.[2]
Chapter Elements
Fleet
- Divine Splendour — Battle Barge.[5b]
- Righteous Fury — Battle Barge.[5b]
- Sword of Truth — Battle Barge.[5b][22d]
- Eternal Faith — Strike Cruiser.[3][12][22d]
- Hermes — Strike Cruiser.[3][12][22d]
- Hero of Sabatine — Strike Cruiser.[20]
Notable White Consuls
- Cymar Xydias - Co-Chapter Master (deceased)[14b]
- Ridian Artemanis - Co-Chapter Master
- Titus Valens - Previous Co-Chapter Master (deceased)
- Daceus - 2nd Company Captain[19]
- Memnon - 4th Company Captain
- Gaius Aquilius - 5th Company Captain and Coadjutor of Boros Prime[15]
- Palatine - Captain[22c]
- Vitrian Messinius - 10th Company Captain and Master of Recruits
- Kandred - Chaplain
- Atramo - Librarian
- Argan - Dreadnought
- Jerimias - Dreadnought
- Thaniel Ectros - Member of Deathwatch Kill Team Excis. Killed during the initial investigation of Ghosar Quintus.[11]
- Titus Constantine - Served a tour of duty with the Deathwatch[17]
- Malgar Irongrasp - Traitor who joined the Black Legion
- Arias - Tactical Marine Sergeant - Squad Arias, 2nd Company[19]
- Cossos - Tactical Marine - Squad Arias, 2nd Company[19]
- Lertes - Tactical Marine - Squad Arias, 2nd Company[19]
- Probis - Tactical Marine - Squad Arias, 2nd Company[19]
- Tiberian - Tactical Marine - Squad Arias, 2nd Company[19]
- Cadras - Epistolary[21]
Images
See also
Sources
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- 1: Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook, pg. 30
- 2: Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition), pg. 42
- 3: To Cleanse The Stars by Andy Chambers and Gav Thorpe, pg. 75 (saved archive page, dated Feb 2004, last accessed 8 July 2019)
- 4: Codex: Eye of Terror (3rd Edition), pg. 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, pg. 56
- 7: Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition) (E-Book Edition), pg. 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
- 11: White Dwarf September 2016 — Deathwatch Overkill - Kill Team Excis
- 12: Bastions (Short Story)
- 13: Battlefleet Gothic - 2002 Annual, pg. 71 - To Cleanse the Stars
- 14: The Lords of Silence (Novel):
- 15: Dark Creed (Novel), Chapter 2
- 16: Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant, pg. 79
- 17: The Infinite Tableau (Short Story) — Xenos Hunters (Anthology)
- 18: Codex: Space Marines (9th Edition), pg. 46
- 19: White Dwarf 304 (UK), pg. 62 — Primed for Action
- 20: War Zone Nachmund: Rift War, pgs. 30-31
- 21: Deathwatch Core Rulebook, pg. 180
- 22: White Dwarf 235 (UK) – Battlefleet Gothic: To Cleanse the Stars
