Space Marine Standard

"By thy colour will he known thee, By thy banners will he fear thee, By thy standard will he dread thee, Cry Marine, and let spit the weapons of war."

- Anonymous

A Space Marine Standard is a sacred battle standards of a Space Marine Chapter or an individual company and is usually part of a Chapter or company Honour Guard. These battle standards are possibly the most revered of all of the Chapter's artefacts. Each standard has proudly flown over hundreds of battlefields and every Battle-Brother will understand the exact nuance and reference that has been woven into their lavish designs.

History
Since ancient times, standards have been used as an inflexible but mobile image, which was used (and often honoured) as a formal, visual symbol of a powerful individual, nation, or military unit. Standards often act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, and is thought to have originated in Ancient Gyptus some 15,000 years ago. The Romani Empire also made battle standards a part of their vast armies. It was formalized in the armies of Europe in the High Middle Ages, with standards being emblazoned with the commander's coat of arms. As armies became trained and adopted set formations, each regiment's ability to keep its formation was potentially critical to its, and therefore its army's, success. In the chaos of battle, not least due to the amount of dust and smoke on a battlefield, soldiers needed to be able to determine where their regiment was.

The practice of carrying a standard into the heat of battle was re-instituted during the Wars of Unification in the late 30th Millennium to reunify Terra beneath the single rule of the Emperor of Mankind, by his ancient Thunder Warriors, gene-enhanced warriors created by the Emperor who served as the precursors to the present-day Space Marines. This tradition was continued amongst the Legions of the ancient Legiones Astartes. Often a hand-picked Veteran Marine was chosen to become his Legion's Standard Bearer, or Ancient. These specially chosen individuals were consummate warriors, chosen for the honour of carrying one of the Legion's great standards, making them a rallying point on the battlefield for the Legion's troops. These chosen Space Marines were members of Legion Command Squads, and had access to the finest wargear available to the Space Marine Legion's rank-and-file and embodied the Legion's honour in war.

Chapter Banners
Chapter Banners, or Ceremonial Standards, are the most sacred artefacts belonging to a Chapter. These banners are very ancient and are only ever carried into battle by the appropriately named Chapter's Ancient. Each standard is an ancient relic, steeped in history and heavy with the glories of the Chapter. They bear the insignia of the Chapter, together with sacred motifs and battle honours acquired in past wars and campaigns. When not in battle, these ceremonial standards are usually hung in the Chapter's Reclusiam and revered as sacred embodiments of the fighting spirit of the Chapter. Many of these standards are ancient and venerable relics which have been carried into battle time and time again by generations of Marines. Old, tattered and fragile banners are devoutly restored, and new battle honours added to them.

The banner is as individual as the Chapter itself and there are few rules to govern its design. The Codex Astartes limits its comment on the Chapter Banner to simply saying that the standard should carry the colours and icon of the Chapter and should display such honours as the Chapter Masters deems worthy. Venerable Chapters usually possess several Chapter Banners, although only one will be in use at any given time. The specific design varies greatly from banner to banner, but all will evoke one of the Chapter's greatest triumphs or some other key moment from its long history.

It is quite likely that a Chapter will in fact own a number of Chapter Banners although one, and only one, will be in use at any given time. This battle standard will have been consecrated by the Chapter's senior Chaplain and dedicated to the heroes of the Chapter's past, present and future. In battle the banner is used to inspire the Space Marines to superhuman feats of martial prowess and woe betide the enemy that threatens this holiest of relics. Eventually these banners age or are damaged beyond repair and it will then be retired to grace the great hall of a Chapter's fortress-monastery. Furthermore, new Chapter banners may be fabricated to mark great victories or to honour mighty heroes who have fallen in battle. For a Chapter with a long history like a First Founding Chapter, there will be dozens of these venerable and venerated flags in the great hall, each one carefully preserved and honoured by the Space Marines.

Every Chapter has its own heroic tales and legends associated with its battle standards. One such story concerns the banner of the Lamenters. After their involvement in the Badab War, the banner was but a tattered remnant, having been in the very midst of the worst fighting. When the Lamenters were granted the Emperor's forgiveness for their part in the rebellion, the banner was given to the Adeptus Sororitas to be resorted and purified. Their handiwork was indeed inspired by the Emperor Deified, and it is said that they wept as they wove, contemplating the Emperor's great sacrifice for Humanity. The banner became known as the Banner of Tears and was taken with the Lamenters on their penitent crusade.

Company Standard
Similarly, a Company Standard represent the honour of each individual company and it commanding officer. The company standard is a great source of pride for each company, and several traditions have developed around it, stemming back from ancient times. Any sort of disgrace towards a company standard is considered a dishonour, especially to those who would dare to desecrate or steal a standard, which is considered one of the basest of treacheries. In the heat of battle, the company standard is used as a rallying point during the din and confusion of war, and often times serves to boost morale and inspire a company's battle-brothers to great feats of valour.

Sacred Standard
When a Chaplain marches to war, he often leads a Reclusiam Command Squad. Assigned to one of the ten companies of the Chapter, he is a commanding figure on the battlefield. As an overseer of sacred rites and a conductor of solemn rituals, a Chaplain is vitally important to the strength and morale of his company. The Standard Bearer of a Reclusiam Command Squad has the honour of carrying a Sacred Standard into battle, a worthy and honoured burden. These ancient standard embodies the faith and resolution of their fellow battle-brothers and helps bolster their resolve against the most dire of foes. As each Chaplain is one of the keepers of the Reclusiam, the shrine within a Chapter's fortress-monastery, this means that many of the company's most sacred relics are under his stewardship. The bearer of such items feels the spectres of battle-brothers past looking down in judgement and approval. A company has many banners, and a Chaplain may authorise the Standard Bearer to bring out one of the oldest and most glorious banners in order to inspire his battle-brothers against a potent enemy.

Back Banners
The display of back banners is a manifestation of many Chapters' conception of war. Any battle-brother can be equipped with a telescopic aerial on their backpack, complete with integral Chapter, specialist or squad banner. These banners are used on ceremonial occasions, and are often displayed in battle to help identify specialist units. It is common practice for one member of each squad to display his banner, which acts as a focal point for the rest of the squad, and marking its progress on the battlefield. Volunteering to display the banner is considered an act of heroism and a privilege eagerly sought.

An outstanding example of this has been passed down in a legend dating back to the 30th Millennium during the time of the Great Crusade. Several Marine detachments from different Legions had been assembled for the final assault on the enemy positions, but victory was by no means assured; the battle, and consequently the outcome of the war was held in the balance. It was as if the gods of war were witholding their judgement, and were waiting to see which side was most worthy of victory. Then the divine inspiration of the Emperor of Humanity descended upon the commander of the detachment, and he gave the order; 'Let the banners be flown, for this is the moment of destiny.' Thereupon, in each and every unit along the entire battle line the banners were unfurled, and it was like a great wave to behold. Then the commander gave out a cry saying, 'The gods of war are with us; and the entire line advanced with weapons firing. The victory was won.

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