Space Wolves

Overview
The Space Wolves were one of the twenty First Founding Space Marine Legions, and were led by their Primarch Leman Russ. After the Horus Heresy and the resultant Second Founding reforms, the Legion was divided into two Chapters: the new Space Wolves Chapter retained the name of their parent Legion, while the second Chapter took on the name of the Wolf Brothers. The Wolf Brothers suffered from mutation and were later disbanded. It is currently unknown if there are any other Successor Chapters of the Space Wolves.



Organization
The Space Wolves are known for their fiercely anti-authoritarian behaviour. They strongly resist the central command structure of the Imperium, (organising themselves into packs instead of the normal tactical squad) and refuse the dictates of the Codex Astartes, the standardised guide to Space Marine and Imperial Guard tactics. The Space Wolves only accept some standard Imperial tactics that were considered useful for their own preferred style of warfare. As such, they have a reputation for being as ill-disciplined as they are fearless. It is often said that the best way to get a Space Wolf to do something is to tell him not to do it.

The Great Companies
Instead of dividing into Successor Chapters as per the Codex Astartes, the Space Wolves Legion continued to split itself into twelve Great Companies (a Great Company being closer in size to an entire Space Marine Chapter than a company of 100 fighting men), with a thirteenth named in honour of a large group of Space Wolves who had disappeared after the Great Crusade. This thirteenth Great Company came to represent all the Great Companies in the Space Wolves' history that had been destroyed, lost on campaign or had recanted their oath of loyalty to the Great Wolf. Each of these was led by a Wolf Lord, who answered to the Chapter Master, the Great Wolf.

Each Great Company is a free-standing body of troops in almost all respects; occupying its own territory in the massive fortress-monastery built inside a huge mountain known as The Fang, possessing its own equipment, forges and spacecraft, and following its own customs and heroes.

Each Great Company takes its name from its current Wolf Lord, and also take the mythological Fenrisian symbol the new Lord associates with. When a Wolf Lord dies, another is chosen to replace him from the slain leader's Wolf Guard, causing the Great Company to reinvent itself. Thus unlike Companies in other Space Marine Chapters, the Great Companies of the Space Wolves do not have fixed heraldry, but change through the ages.

The Great Wolf
The current Great Wolf (Chapter Master) of the Space Wolves is Logan Grimnar. He is one of humanity's greatest warriors. It is claimed his hunger for battle is as fierce as Leman Russ’. Along with his own Great Company, the Great Wolf has direct command of the Chapter’s most venerable heroes: the Rune Priests (psychic shamans and seers similar to other Chapters' Librarians), Iron Priests (engineers or Techmarines), Wolf Priests (medics and religious leaders whoo would be the combined Apothecary/Chaplain of other Chapters), Wolf Scouts, and Venerable Dreadnoughts. The Great Wolf also has overall control of the Chapter's Thralls, its fleet and the fortress-monastery of the Fang.

Progression of a Space Wolf
Space Wolves are recruited, like other Space Marines, at a young age, selected from the most able youths of the feral tribes of their homeworld of Fenris. Uniquely enough, only the fiercest and most skilled young warriors are chosen after their heroism (or death in the heat of battle) is witnessed by a "Watcher" or a Wolf Priest. Shortly after, aspirants are taken to camps farther north where they are sorted into groups called Claws. For an indefinite amount of time or until their death, they endure fierce physical training and almost fatal missions in the frozen wastes of the Asaheim Mountains of Fenris.

When they are finally deemed worthy, they partake in a ceremony where they receive the Canis Helix, the spirit of the Wolf, which is actually a genetic cocktail drawn from the genome of Leman Russ. Then, they are taken to pass the Gate of Morkai, a mystic gate deep within the Fang, the Space Wolves' fortress-monastery, where every aspirant's mind is picked and probed by the Chapter's psychic Rune Priests. When and if they pass this test, they are finally augmented with the gene-seed of Leman Russ as well as the anatomical gifts found within everyone of the Emperor's Chosen.The next phase of their transformation into a full-fledged Space Wolf is a trial period in which the Canis Helix begins to manifest itself. Many will continue to grow into their newly received genetic implants while others succumb completely to the Wolf and become blood-thirsty mutant creatures known as Wulfen. If the aspirant is fortunate enough to survive the transformation, he must endure his final test. Equipped with nothing but a spear and dagger, he must brave the wastes of Fenris and find his way back to the Fang alone. As if left for dead, they must use whatever means necessary to survive in the arctic tundra of Fenris. When they return, they are gifted with the ancient Power Armor of a fallen Wolf-Brother and often sent to be welcomed into one of the twelve Great Companies.

Most Space Wolves start out as Blood Claws, hot-headed warriors who cannot wait to prove themselves, and are still struggling to control the beast within which is unleashed by the Canis Helix. Blood Claws are the close combat troops of the Space Wolves, spearheading the majority of assaults with a joyous ferocity. They are usually equipped with bolt pistols and chainswords, similar to the Assault Marines of other standard Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters, though Blood Claws do not necessarily have jump packs as standard equipment. Blood Claws also take to battle upon Marine bikes, usually wielding close combat weapons. If they survive long enough to mature, they are promoted to the ranks of the Grey Hunters, tempered by battle, but always ready to do what is necessary for the Chapter and the Imperium of Man. Grey Hunters serve as the tactical backbone of a Space Wolf force, as they are equipped to serve in a variety of battle scenarios.

When a Space Wolf is fully mature, "their hair grey and canines pronounced", they are inducted into the Long Fangs, veteran Marines with a reputation for being disciplined and cool-headed in the heat of battle. They are entrusted with the heavy weaponry possessed by their Great Company, watching over and providing fire support for their younger brethren. Long Fang squad members are disciplined enough to choose their own targets individually (they are one of the only units that can shoot at multiple targets).

Some Space Wolves, having achieved feats of exceptional valour and martial prowess, may become Wolf Guards. These mighty warriors lead small forces of Space Wolves, provide a retinue for the most experienced warrior in the force or lead squads. Besides the standard Power Armour, Wolf Guards also earn the right to don Tactical Dreadnought (Terminator) Armour. From here, one may rise to the position of Wolf Lord, mighty leaders who command one of the twelve Great Companies that comprise the full Space Wolf military force. A Wolf Lord may be accompanied by the huge Fenrisian wolves.

For some, the close knit and boisterous brotherhood of the pack (squad) is not well suited to their personality, yearning for open spaces and isolation. These Marines are selected to become part of a Great Company's Scout force, providing reconnaissance and disrupting enemy movements. These Space Marines are often already veterans, as opposed to the raw recruits used in other Chapters' Scout Companies.

Furthermore, some Space Wolves are sent to Terra to become Wolfblades. Wolfblades are an honour guard that protect the ancient Navigator House of Belisarius, long-time allies of the Chapter. This pact's origins are lost to legend, but the most commonly accepted version of the story dates it from the Great Crusade and the friendship between Leman Russ and Alexander Belisarius. Belisarius was a Navigator of genius, who aided Russ on many of his adventures. On the day of the Feast of the Founding they are said to have sworn a pact of eternal friendship. As a sign of this friendship, the Belisarians agreed to provide Navigators for the Chapter in perpetuam, in return for the Space Wolves' martial aid. An entire pack of Space Wolves would accompany the Celestarch as his bodyguard. Given the fractious nature of the Navigator Houses of the Navis Nobilitae, and a commercial rivalry which, at that time, could result in conflicts as large as wars, this was an alliance of vast importance for the Navigators.

The Space Wolves still enjoy a close bond to House Belisarius, a trait shared only by the Blood Ravens, White Scars, and Blood Angels Chapters.

The Thirteenth Company
Space Wolf legend states that the group that came to be known as Thirteenth Company was sent by Leman Russ to pursue the Thousand Sons Legion, after the failed attempt to eliminate that Traitor Legion. They vanished from Imperial records, and their loss is honoured by a black stone in the Grand Annulus (the record of Space Wolf Great Companies).

'''Magnus through his arts, scryed the future, and seeing the treachery of Horus, used his sorcerous arts to send a message to his liege. The Emperor, however, did not believe that his son Horus who was much beloved could betray him, and instead sent Leman Russ, Primarch of the Space Wolves to bring the Thousand Sons to account of their actions, now suspected of attempting to spread discord and sedition between the Emperor and his sons. Russ took his Legion, and with all the Great Companies of the Space Wolves, fell upon the World of the Thousand Sons, Prospero, with the vengeful force of a mighty shower of comets.''

''Space Wolves attacked the Thousand Sons without provocation and on the field of battle, at its forefront was the Thirteenth Company who with incredible ferocity fell upon their erstwhile brethren the Thousand Sons. The Thousand Sons could not stand against the righteous force of the Space Wolves, and inch by inch grudgingly gave ground, until they were surrounded in their own Fortress Monastery, and determined to stand to the last man.''

''Meanwhile Magnus, Giant Cyclops lord of the Thousand Sons knelt in his tower and wept as his sons were ripped away from him. In his anger and sorrow he called to all who would listen and one voice answered. Tzeentch the Manipulator, at the moment Magnus gave his soul, Tzeentch granted the traitorous Mutant full mastery of the vagaries of sorcery, and Magnus with his new found power took the battle back to the Wolves of Russ.''

''Appearing amongst the lines of the Space Wolves, Magnus was unstoppable, even the Feral brotherhood of the Wulfen were unable to stand before the heretical might of the Daemonically-infused Magnus. All fell before him until the great Primarch of the Space Wolves, Leman Russ, advanced upon his Brother. The battle between these two titans was fierce, and would fill several tomes. Magnus cracked the breast plate of Leman Russ and gouged a mighty rend in his flank. Russ was by far the stronger and by far the most skilled Primarch in hand to hand combat but still it took two days and two nights of combat before Russ took the battered body of Magnus, and raising him to the storm wracked skies, brought him down upon his knee.''

''With a mighty crack, Russ broke the back of his foe, and the heart of his enemy. Magnus sunk to the floor, and as Russ raised his fiery sword 'Mjalnar' to strike his enemy's heart, Magnus whispered a single word of Power and sunk into the earth's dark embrace.''

''As Leman Russ howled his fury to the packs of the Space Wolves, the sorcerous-librarians of the Thousand Sons opened a vast maelstrom of energy, through which their forces fled. The Wolfkin, the Thirteenth Company of the Space Wolves, at a gesture from their Primarch, gave tongue to the chase and followed their foes into the very eye of the Warp. With a blinding flash, the swirling maelstrom of energy collapsed and the Thirteenth Company, passed from this plane and from Imperial history.'''

Their reappearance at the beginning of Abaddon the Despoiler’s Thirteenth Black Crusade has brought them back into the spotlight. They appear to still be in pursuit of the goal Leman Russ set for them, and it was believed that Leman Russ himself was their leader, although this was never proven.

The Thirteenth Company's organization departs heavily from Space Wolf norms, due to the lack of reinforcements and 'fresh blood' supplying the Company, the inability to train members in specialist roles, the lack of heavy equipment, and the effect of having to exist within the Eye of Terror for ten thousand years.

The core of a 13th Company warband are the Grey Slayers. Similar to Grey Hunters but far beyond them in skill, they fulfil the same roles in battle.

Because of the impossibility of recruiting new brethren, there are no Blood Claws in the 13th Company. Each and every Blood Claw has long since advanced to a higher stage. The Company's assault specialists are the Storm Claws. They are equally experienced, but still more hot-headed and aggressive than the Grey Slayers.

The key to the 13th Company's movement through the Warp are the Rune Priests. Because the Eye of Terror has unlocked hidden psychic powers in many recruits, the Company has no shortage of these highly gifted individuals.

The Wulfen are the most drastic departure from a normal Space Wolf. The Space Marines who mutate into Wulfen bear resemblance to werewolves in the same way as Blood Angels suffering the Red Thirst resemble vampires. Any Marine to suffer as a Wulfen becomes a half man, half wolf creature with a feral mind. The mutation normally manifests itself in the neophyte stage and Space Wolves must spend time in their training in a scenario designed to out those who have become Wulfen.

Though normal Space Wolves sometimes use individual Wulfen in battle, the 13th Company use entire packs. Each and every member of the 13th Company carries the Curse, and it manifests itself in the Space Wolves at different times. Thus even the Wulfen packs do not stay the same. It has manifested itself so strongly and so late because it reacts to the influence of Chaos; because of this side of their nature acting as a kind of spiritual defence mechanism, Space Wolves are exceptionally resistant to the malign influence of Chaos. It is believed that the 13th Company have only been able to survive living as Loyalist Marines in the Eye of Terror so long precisely because of this trait.

The 13th Company was introduced into play in the Eye of Terror Campaign. The 13th Company cannot be used with the normal Wolves, but this is only a balance issue. The story "Engage the Enemy" shows the Space Wolves going so far as to lie to the Imperial Guard.

They are said to be lead by a Wolf Priest nicknamed the Sternhammer who can control the Wulfen Guard Packs but only barely. In the book Wolf' Honour by Lee Lightner, elements of the 13th Company rescue Ragnar and company on the "shadow version" of Charys by intervening in an ambush by Chaos Raptors. They are led by Wolf Lord Bulveye, with Rune Priest Torvald as his right hand man.

Players wishing to field a 13th Company army can use the Blood Angels codex, but using Space Wolf models instead. The Blood Angels Death Company can also be used to represent the Wulfen.



Appearance
Prior to the Horus Heresy, the Space Wolves Legion wore grey Power Armour, with a red snarling wolf as the Legion's symbol. In the 41st Millennium, the Space Wolves' Power Armour is a blue-grey, with other colours as highlights, most commonly red and yellow. The armour is often adorned with tokens taken from wolves, such as pelts, tails and teeth. Great Company symbols vary, but are taken from Fenrisian mythology and are always related in some way to the wolf. The 13th Company Marines retain the old, darker grey and red Legion symbols, although the different warbands vary their precise markings along (albeit similar) red wolf themes.

Due to an unusual mutation in the gene-seed inherited from their Primarch Leman Russ, as a Space Wolf warrior grows older his hair turns a particular shade of grey and his canines lengthen into true, wolf-like fangs. Even his skin becomes thiker and more leathery like a wolf pelt and all Space Wolf Marines are usually quite hirsuite. These traits in their fully matured form are usually emblematic of a Space Wolf who has become a Grey Hunter, the name given to the Veteran Marines of this unusual Chapter.

Notable Members

 * Logan Grimnar - Chapter Master for the better part of the 41st Millennium.
 * Ragnar Blackmane - Youngest Wolf Lord in the Space Wolves' history and protagonist of the Space Wolf novel series. He is the only Space Wolf to become a Wolf Lord without becoming a Grey Hunter. Current champion of the Wolf Helm of Russ, which he presented to Ulrik as a sign of respect. Prevented the return of the Thousand Sons Legion by casting the Spear of Russ into a Warp gate.
 * Ulrik the Slayer -The Space Wolves' oldest Wolf Priest, and mentor to many of their greatest heroes. Ulrik has had a hand in training both Ragnar Blackmane and (allegedly) Logan Grimnar; however the chronology of the Warhammer 40,000 universe actually makes this impossible with regards to Logan, not least because Logan reached the position of Great Wolf (leader of the Space Wolves Chapter) before Ulrik was even promoted to Wolf Priest. This could be explained by the mention of a different Ulric (spelt differently to that of Ulrik the Slayer) though so far Games Workshop has not commented on this.
 * Bjorn the Fell-Handed - The oldest Venerable Dreadnought in the Imperium. He fought alongside Leman Russ during the Horus Heresy and was the only member of Russ' retinue left behind by the Primarch. He predicted that Russ will come again.
 * Njal Stormcaller - The Space Wolves' Rune Priest, accompanied by Nightwing the psyker raven.
 * Lukas the Trickster - Lukas the Trickster is a notorious character amidst the ranks of the Space Wolves, a raucous and ebullient figure who defies authority just as willingly as he defies the enemies of the Chapter. He is a Blood Claw, and will forever be.
 * Canis Wolfborn - Canis Wolfborn is a loner, a warrior who is more at home in the company of wolves than men. Though he is a member of the Wolf Guard of Harald Deathwolf, Canis Wolfborn's story is utterly different from those of his peers, and his prowess in combat is unmatched.

Background Inspiration
The most recent incarnation of the Space Wolves is described as "a fantasy-style army in a science fiction universe". The backstory and 'character' of the army is inspired by Germanic and Celtic barbarian mythology with a strong focus on the mythology of the Norse Vikings.

The Space Wolves are reluctant to use some forms of 'advanced' technology in a desire to fight in the style of their Primarch and feral homeworld. This is, of course, reflected in the army list and specialist rules used by Space Wolf players. They are often (mistakenly) perceived to be an all-out assault army, like Blood Angels or Black Templars; this is, however, erroneous, for they have a much more flexible and balanced play style and a greater behavioural reliability than either of the above mentioned Chapters. They do favour shorter-ranged confrontation than the traditional 'shooty' Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters, however.