"We follow in the footsteps of Guilliman. As it is written in the Codex, so shall it be." - Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines
Codex Astartes-compliant Space Marine Chapter Tactical Organisation
The Codex Astartes is a great and sacred tome of military organisation, strategy and tactics written by Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Space Marine Legion, to prevent another Horus Heresy. It outlines Guilliman's ideal for the moral behaviour, order of battle and tactical doctrine of a Space Marine Chapter. While not all Space Marine Chapters in the Imperium adhere to the Codex's dictates with the same rigidity as the Ultramarines, most obey the spirit of the Codex if not the actual letter. A Space Marine Chapter that generally follows the guidelines of the Codex Astartes is referred to as a "Codex-compliant Chapter."
History
The Horus Heresy had revealed previously unknown genetic weakness in the gene-seed of the Primarchs and Space Marines among the original 20 First Founding Space Marine Legions, weaknesses that left the Legions in question greatly exposed to corruption by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. This risk was exasperated by the rapid nature of Space Marine recruitment during the centuries between the Great Crusade and the outbreak of the Horus Heresy itself. With the Imperium of Man expanding so quickly across the galaxy during the Great Crusade, the need for fresh recruits in the Space Marine Legions was great. So much so that some Legions had not been as particular in their gene-seed screening practices and recruit selection processes as they should have been. The first objective of Roboute Guilliman in writing the Codex Astartes was to both recognise and purge these weaknesses.
Following the end of the Horus Heresy and the retreat of most of the Traitor Legions into the Eye of Terror, the Codex decreed that the nine remaining Loyalist Legions would be divided into 1,000-man Chapters, the Chapter Masters of which would be directly beholden to the Emperor himself and no other, not even the Primarchs of their original founding Legions (save in the case of the single Chapter that would remain under each Primarch's control and retain its Legion's original name). No one man in the Imperium could ever again control the superhuman might of an entire Legion of 10,000 or more Space Marines.
The Codex outlined a new, more measured process, for Space Marine selection and recruitment and insisted that each newly-created Successor Chapter would tithe 5% of its genetic material to the Adeptus Terra and the Adeptus Mechanicus for testing and monitoring. It also decreed that only the Emperor himself, through the auspices of the High Lords of Terra, would ever again be able to order the creation of a new Space Marine Chapter. All gene-seed would be subjected to the greatest genetic scrutiny before being used in the creation of new Space Marine implants. To prevent cross-contamination, the Codex rebuked the practice of sharing gene-seed between different Chapters and, henceforth different Legions with their different genetic make-ups. From then on, each Chapter would have to rely solely on the gene-seed produced in the bodies of its own Marines.
The Codex also further defined the accepted tactical doctrine, Chapter organisation, order of battle, and recruitment practices for a Space Marine Chapter. It explained the different battlefield roles assigned to each squad of Space Marines in a Chapter, defining them as Tactical, Assault or Devastator Squads and assigning different equipment and purpose to each (see the excerpts below).
There were many other topics covered in the Codex and all of them displayed Guilliman's formidable intelligence and hard-won wisdom. The most controversial and yet most important of the topics and decrees made in the Codex Astartes was that the original twenty Space Marine Legions consisting of 10,000 Marines each must be broken down into the smaller organisations known as Chapters, each Chapter to consist of ten companies of 100 Space Marines. The breaking of the remaining nine Loyalist Legions into multiple Space Marine Chapters is known to Imperial historians as the Second Founding.
Only one of the original Space Marine Legions, the Space Wolves, has never been broken down into the ten companies decreed in the Codex Astartes. The Space Wolves continue to organize their forces into thirteen 'Great Companies', different in organization to those specified by the Codex. Note that the oldest copy of the Codex, the Apochrypha of Skaros, refutes the commonly-held belief that the Space Wolves have never broken down into separate Chapters, stating that two Second Founding Chapters were created from the Space Wolves (Index Astartes I, pg. 13). However, the Space Marine Codex 5th edition lists only one Second Founding successor to the Space Wolves: the Wolf Brothers, who were disbanded at an unknown time in the past because of extreme gene-seed corruption and mutation.
Chapter Organisation
The Codex Astartes states that a Space Marine Chapter should be split into 10 Companies of 100 Space Marines each, plus a Space Marine Captain, Apothecary, Company Standard and Chaplain for each company. Existing outside the Company level organization, each Chapter has an Armoury consisting of the Chapter's Techmarines, main battle tanks, and other armoured vehicles, a Librarium consisting of the Chapter's Librarians, a Chapter Fleet and the Chapter Master, plus various headquarters staff and the Chapter's Servitors and human serfs.
Veteran Company
The 1st Company of a Chapter consists of Veteran Squads and/or Terminator Squads. Support for the 1st Company consists of Land Raiders and Veteran Dreadnoughts. Only the 1st Company may use the hallowed suits of Terminator (Tactical Dreadnought) Armour.
Battle Companies
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Companies of a Chapter are known as Battle Companies and they all have the same tactical organization. Each Battle Company is split into 6 Tactical Squads, 2 Assault Squads and 2 Devastator Squads comprised of 10 Space Marines each. Some Companies also make use of Command Squads comprised solely of Veterans to protect their Officers or other specialists like Apothecaries and Chaplains. The Assault Squads can instead be deployed as Bike Squadrons or on Land Speeders. Battle Companies often use Rhino and Razorback transports, and commonly have Dreadnoughts for heavy support.
Reserve Companies
The 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Companies of a Chapter are its Reserve Companies. The 6th and 7th are comprised entirely of Tactical Squads, the 8th of Assault Squads and the 9th of Devastator Squads. Like the Battle Companies, the Reserve Companies also make extensive use of Rhino and Razorback transports, though Dreadnoughts are usually only found in the 9th Company. The 6th Company can be entirely deployed on Space Marine Bikes and the 7th on Land Speeders. The 8th Company can use either Space Marine Bikes or Land Speeders. These forces are held in reserve to be deployed at the discretion of force commanders as tactical situations evolve, often to bolster weak points or aid in breaking through enemy lines at specific locations.
Scout Company
The 10th Company consists entirely of Scouts Squads and is often not 100 strong as recruitment does not provide a steady flow of new recruits to many Chapters. As such, the 10th Company is the most lightly armed and is most often used as a reconnaissance or guerilla force. Scout Marines are sometimes mounted on Space Marine Bikes, but do not use Rhino or Razorback transports.
Heraldry
Each Chapter has its own unique colour scheme and Chapter Badge; however, Codex-compliant Chapters all follow a common heraldry system, though there are many slight variations from the system described below.
Company Colours
Each Company has a unique colour that its members wear, commonly on their power armour's shoulder plate rims, but some Chapters use chest eagles, bolter cases, knee pads, helmets or other parts of a Space Marine's Power Armour.
- 1st Company - White or Silver - Members of the 1st Company should also paint their helmet the company colour.
- 2nd Company - Yellow or Gold
- 3rd Company - Red
- 4th Company - Green
- 5th Company - Black
- 6th Company - Orange
- 7th Company - Purple
- 8th Company - Grey
- 9th Company - Blue
- 10th Company - Nominally white, however the company colour is not displayed on the members' armour because they are Scouts.
Squad Markings
The left shoulder plate of a Space Marine in Power Armour always shows the Marine's Chapter Badge. The right plate shows the Squad Badge, which indicates the type of squad the Astartes belongs to and the number of his squad within his company. Veteran Squads use a Maltese Cross, Tactical Squads use an arrow, Assault Squads use four perpendicular arrows pointing outwards and Devastator Squads use an inverted V. Space Marines in Terminator Armour wear the Crux Terminatus on their left shoulder plate, and their Chapter Badge on their right shoulder plate.
Officers and Specialists
- Space Marine Captains - Wear the heraldry of their company, sometimes embellished with their own personal heraldry
- Librarians- Wear blue armour, irrespective of what Chapter they belong to, and wear their Chapter Badge as normal. This practice is now widely ignored, even among the more Codex-compliant Chapters.
- Chaplains- Wear completely black armour, irrespective of what Chapter they belong to, and wear their Chapter Badge as normal.
- Techmarines - Wear red armour, irrespective of what Chapter they belong to, and wear their Chapter Badge as normal.
- Apothecaries - Wear white armour, irrespective of what Chapter they belong to, and wear their Chapter Badge as normal.
- Sergeants - Wear the same heraldry as their squad, but carry the squad's banner, which displays the Chapter Badge and the squad's number, plus a red skull (the symbol of a Sergeant). Sergeants often paint their helmets red, or in some cases wear a red skull on their helmet instead.
- Veteran Sergeants - Wear the same heraldry as their squad, but carry the squad's banner, which displays the Chapter Badge and the squad's number, plus a red skull (the symbol of a Sergeant). Veteran Sergeants often paint their helmets red and add an additional white stripe or laurel wreath that indicates their Veteran status.
- Terminators - Veteran Battle-Brothers, usually of the 1st Company, who make use of Tactical Dreadnought Armour.
Excerpts
"Let them bestride the galaxy like the gods of old. Sheltering Mankind from destruction at the hands of an uncaring universe." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros. (Space Marine Codex 5th Edition)
"Consider the magnitude of your duty at leisure, but act without hesitation when action is required." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Codex (Space Marine Codex 3rd Edition, "Legio Astartes Daily Rites").
"The warrior who acts out of honour cannot fail. His duty is honour itself. Even his death -- if it is honourable -- is a reward and can be no failure for it has come through duty. Seek honour as you act, therefore, and you shall know no fear." --Roboute Guillliman, (Space Marine Codex, 4th Edition)
"They shall be pure of heart and strong of body, unsullied by doubt and untainted by self-aggrandizement. They will be bright stars in the firmament of battle. Angels of death whose swift wings bring extermination to the enemies of man. So it shall be for a thousand times a thousand years, unto the end of eternity and the extinction of mortal flesh." --Roboute Guilliman, (Ultramarines Codex, 2nd Edition)
"As you are a knight in service of the Emperor, so is the Rhino your steed. Honour it, respect it, see that its needs are met, and it shall serve you well through all the battles you must face." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex 5th Edition).
"Of the Tactical Space Marine, bedrock of his Chapter and paragon to his brothers, I shall tell thee. He shall be steeped in the lore of battle and schooled in all manner of weapons and strategy. With combat blade, boltgun and grenade shall he assail the foe. But these are mere tools: a Tactical Marine's true weapons are his courage, his wits and his dedication to his brothers. He will bring the foe to battle in a manner and time of his choosing, never himself caught unready or ill-prepared for the task at hand. In defence he shall be as stalwart as the mountain, a bulwark stood firm against the enemies of Man. In attack he shall strike with the wrath of the Immortal Emperor, felling the foe without mercy, remorse or fear." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex, 5th Edition).
"And of the Assault Marine so do I decree: He shall descend upon the perfidious foe as an Angel of Judgement from on high. Let the jump pack be his wings and the roar of its engines a hymn of retribution. Let the chainsword be his sceptre of decree, its harsh voice singing joyfully with each and every blow. With it shall the Assault Marine bring bloody retribution to the heretic, the traitor and all alien transgressors who trespass on the Emperor's domains. So will the Assault Marine be the hunter of warlords and the slayer of kings. His armour shall run slick with the life blood of the vanquished, and all shall honour his name". --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex 5th edition).
"A Devastator's reach shall be without limit and his touch without mercy. Fire shall roar from his fingertips, but it shall consume him not. Thunder will roar when he calls, yet it will swallow him not. Let the Devastator Squad be thy blazing wrath, bringing the light of the Emperor's justice to the darkest corners of the battlefield. Wherever he stands, that shall be his fortress of righteousness. He shall hold in his gift the fate of all who pass before his unblinking gaze. All shall fear him, and he shall fear no one." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex, 5th Edition).
"Use your Bike Squad as a blade, striking the enemy and turning aside his counter-blows in equal measure. But in all things beware that speed is nothing without direction, just as even the mightiest weapon is worthless without careful aim. A Biker's stance should always be resolute and dauntless, but never immobile or rigid. Speed is his advantage, and surprise his deadliest weapon. In fluidity he will find success and in success shall he find renown." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex, 5th Edition)
"As a commander your tools and devices shall be myriad, yet the wise man knows that battles are won by flesh, not the machine. Flesh can learn, whilst the machine must be forever instructed. Flesh knows loyalty to its brothers and veneration of its Emperor, whilst the machine knows not these things. Whenever the day is darkest and victory in doubt, look not to the machine for aid, but to your Battle-Brothers. The machine can only bring victory if you tell it how such a thing can be done. Your brothers will walk through fire, they will stride through the most terrible carnage at a single word from your lips and they will bring you victory simply because you ask it of them."--Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex, 5th Edition)
"Make the Predator's virtues your own. Let your resolve become as impervious as the Predator's armoured hull and let your rage strike with the righteous fury of its guns. As it crushes the foe beneath its remorseless advance, so shall you smite the traitor and the alien without hesitation or regret. Know that to take the field alongside a Predator is to fight at the side of one of mankind's most honoured guardians. To strive with less than your all beneath its Iron Gaze is to dishonour yourself and your Battle-Brothers before one of mankind's greatest heroes." --Roboute Guilliman, as laid down in the Apochrypha of Skaros (Space Marine Codex, 5th Edition)
Sources
- Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition)
- Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition)
- Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
- Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)
- Games Workshop Website - Ultramarines Background
- Age of Darkness (Anthology) edited by Christian Dunn, "Rules of Engagement" by Graham McNeill