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"In my hands rests the fate, not solely of my Chapter and my brethren, but of scores of worlds. Hundreds. With but a single command I can save a trillion faithful souls, or condemn them to death, or worse. Those who have not carried such a burden cannot imagine its cost. Yet I could not wish for a greater honour. The Emperor forged me for this duty, and I shall never fail him."

Chapter Master Eorloid of the Genesis Chapter

The Genesis Chapter is a Loyalist Second Founding successor or "Primogenitor" Space Marine Chapter of the legendary Ultramarines.

First amongst the Ultramarines' Primogenitor Chapters to be raised (and hence their name), the Genesis Chapter is dogmatically loyal to the Imperium of Man and the memory of their Primarch Roboute Guilliman, and can be counted upon to fight at the Ultramarines' side without hesitation.

The Chapter's homeworld is the planet Newfound which is located a comparatively short distance to the galactic northwest of the Ultramarines' Realm of Ultramar, and its Astartes commonly undertook at least one pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Primarch on Macragge before Guilliman's resurrection in ca. 999.M41.

Chapter History[]

Genesis Chapter Marine2

Genesis Chapter colour scheme as displayed by a Firstborn Space Marine.

Of the thousand or so Space Marine Chapters extant throughout the Imperium the great majority can be considered Codex Astartes-compliant. One such Chapter is the Genesis Chapter.

Founded in the dark days of the Horus Heresy the Genesis Chapter is a Primogenitor or "First Born" Chapter, created during the Second Founding. Like its forebears, the Genesis Chapter is composed of highly disciplined and courageous warriors.

TriamonGenesisChapter

Genesis Chapter Colour Scheme as displayed by Primaris Marine Brother Triamon, 5th Company, 5th Squad (battleline).

Upon their inception, the Genesis Chapter's first battle wrested the planet Newfound from the clutches of the traitorous Word Bearers, and it has been their Chapter planet ever since. The Chapter has remained dogmatically faithful to the teachings of the Codex penned by its Primarch for nearly ten millennia.

Indomitus Crusade[]

The Genesis Chapter has always had the proud distinction of being the very first of the Primogenitors of the Ultramarines Legion. It was formed from the noblest Ultramarines Veterans who survived the Horus Heresy.

They have always venerated Roboute Guilliman, and were one of the first Chapters to seek out the primarch upon his revival in ca. 999.M41 following the Ultramar Campaign of the 13th Black Crusade.

They knelt as one and pledged themselves to the eternal service of the resurrected lord commander of the Imperium. As such, they were among the first of the existing Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes to have their ranks bolstered by Primaris Space Marines created during the Ultima Founding.

Notable Campaigns[]

  • Cleansing of the Ulik Sector (997.M41) - In 997.M41 a series of Exterminatus missions were carried out across the Ulik Sector by Space Marines of the Death Strike, the Flame Falcons and the Iron Hands Chapters. The Genesis Chapter performed a series of destructive missions on those worlds in the Ulik Sector not yet consumed by Hive Fleet Leviathan, in order to prevent the Tyranid Hive Mind from gaining momentum and further fuelling itself on precious bio-resources.
  • WAAAGH! Irontoof Campaign (998.M41) - In 998.M41 the Genesis Chapter, alongside its Primogenitors the Ultramarines, engaged the growing might of the Ork WAAAGH! Irontoof and successfully threw back the Greenskin horde.
  • Plague Wars (ca. 012.M42) - The Genesis Chapter contributed 6 companies to the "Spear of Espandor" campaign of the Plague Wars that resulted in the Loyalist forces retaking the Espandor System and cutting off the supply lines of the Nurglite invasion.

Chapter Organisation[]

Following the break-up of the Space Marine Legions into smaller fighting forces during the Second Founding, Roboute Guilliman laid down the organisational dictates in the Codex Astartes that would become a part of every Chapter from then on. Though some would later stray from the precise structure laid out in the Codex, most Chapters remain faithful to its teachings.

The Genesis Chapter is split into 10 companies, each 100 Space Marines strong and led by a Captain. The 1st Company consists of battle-hardened Veterans and is, invariably, the most powerful and skilled within the Chapter. It is also the only company capable of fielding warriors clad in Terminator Armour.

The 2nd through 5th Companies are the Chapter's Battle Companies and these are composed of a mix of Tactical, Assault and Devastator Squads. Each Battle Company is a self-sufficient battlefield unit, capable of meeting any threat and defeating it. These form the backbone of the Chapter and bear the brunt of the fighting.

The 6th through 9th Companies are the Reserve Companies of the Chapter and each one comprises squads of one particular type of Astartes. The 6th and 7th Companies are Tactical Companies, the 8th Company is the Assault Company and the 9th Company is the Devastator Company. The 10th Company is made up of Scout Marines who are the Chapter's newest recruits. These divisions were decided upon ten thousand years ago by Roboute Guilliman and have served the Chapter well since that day.

Chapter Recruitment[]

All Genesis Chapter Scout Marines once undertook a pilgrimage to Macragge to look upon the visage of the primarch, frozen in timeless stasis, and believed their training to be incomplete until they had knelt in spiritual communion for at least an entire solar day at the feet of their gene-father.

Since Roboute Guilliman's resurrection, this custom has become obsolete.

Chapter Combat Doctrine[]

As befits a Chapter that is made up of the scions of Guilliman, the Genesis Chapter emulates their forebears by strictly adhering to the tenets laid down in the Codex Astartes. Since their inception, they have fought in the manner described in its holy pages.

Other Chapters may freely interpret the words of Guilliman but, to the Genesis Chapter, such deviation is unthinkable. The Codex has literally hundreds of pages devoted how to overcome any given tactical situation and emerge victorious in the name of the Emperor.

Each Genesis Chapter battle-brother does his utmost to study and memorise the Codex so as to enable an individual company to have an entire record of the Codex' teachings contained within the mind of every single Space Marine. Because of their close ties with their Progenitor Chapter, the Genesis Chapter and the Ultramarines frequently undertake joint operations.

Genesis Chapter squads will routinely fill gaps within the Ultramarines' companies should they fall below strength due to attrition or other commitments. This includes the secondment of individual Genesis Chapter battle-brothers to fill empty specialist positions such as that of Librarians and Techmarines.

Chapter Beliefs[]

As a Primogenitor Chapter, the Genesis Chapter is generally held to be the closest of the Ultramarines' successors, both doctrinally and astrographically. The Genesis Chapter are dogmatically loyal to the memory of Roboute Guilliman, whom they venerate not only as their founder, but as the saviour of the Imperium.

These Astartes hold to the wisdom of the Codex Astartes in every possible way. The Chaplains of the Genesis Chapter regard the words of the Codex Astartes as utterly sacrosanct, going to great lengths to ensure the Chapter's adherence to its tenets.

If there is a point of contention in regards to the Codex, it is thoroughly debated, with the opinions of the Ultramarines' Chaplains as a recourse for final ratification. This ensures there is no doctrinal rift between Progenitor and Primogenitor.

Chapter Gene-Seed[]

The Ultramarines gene-seed is by far the purest stock of Astartes gene-seed in the Imperium and there are no known aberrations in its genetic structure. Every one of the esoteric organs utilised in the arduous creation of a Space Marine by the Genesis Chapter is fully functional.

The terrible schism known as the Horus Heresy highlighted weaknesses inherent in the gene-seed of several other Space Marine Legions and this was exacerbated by the accelerated zygote harvesting techniques used to keep the Legions up to full strength during that terrible conflict.

When the Legions were broken down into Chapters after the Heresy, a genetic repository was set up on Terra to store their gene-seed and monitor its purity.

As the largest of the Space Marine Legions, the Ultramarines' contributions to this resource was greater than that of any other Legion and, as a result, their gene-seed became the stock type for many of the Second Founding Chapters.

Those Chapters created from the Ultramarines gene-seed stored on Terra are known, collectively, as the Primogenitors or "first born", and they also venerate Roboute Guilliman as their founding father.

Notable Genesis Chapter Astartes[]

  • Chapter Master Eorloid - Eorloid is the current master of the Genesis Chapter.
  • Captain Portan - Portan is the captain of the Genesis Chapter's 2nd Company. He was made the Tetrarch of Andermung, a world in the southern reach of Ultramar.
  • Captain Aeneas - Aeneas was the captain of the Genesis Chapter's 3rd Company. He met his end onboard the Strike Cruiser Diadem Mantle when the 3rd Company's assault against the Night Lords' 10th Company failed. Afterwards, Talos Valcoran ordered the Echo of Damnation to destroy the vessel.
  • Tolemion Saralen - Tolemion Saralen was a Company Champion of the Genesis Chapter's 3rd Company. A formidable warrior who was zealously loyal to the Emperor, he took part in the assault conducted by his Chapter on Tsagualsa against the treacherous Night Lords warband of the Chaos Champion Talos Valcoran. Wielding his mighty Thunder Hammer he fought against the "Soul Hunter"'s 1st Claw squad. Unfortunately he did not survive the encounter as he was impaled on Talos' Power Sword by the severely wounded Night Lord known as Xarl. Tolemion praised the Emperor before being beheaded. However, Xarl died from blood loss from the wounds Tolemion inflicted upon him soon after their confrontation.

Chapter Relics[]

Tulius' Insight

Tulius' Insight

  • Tulius' Insight - Tulius' Insight is an ancient treatise written by the Genesis Chapter's hero Tulius. Those who adhere most fervently to the Codex Astartes occasionally find service in the Deathwatch to be a trial, with no standard Chapter or squad configurations taking precedence over the urgent needs of the Vigil. Such battle-brothers are often pointed to the writings of Tulius of the Genesis Chapter, who applied the core doctrines of the Adeptus Astartes to the duties of the Deathwatch with exacting thoroughness. His original work, a collection of annotations to the Codex Astartes itself, is kept within a stasis-vault in Watch Fortress Erioch, and granted to the most trusted Kill-team leaders to assist them in their stratagems.

Chapter Appearance[]

Chapter Colours[]

The Genesis Chapter parallels their Ultramarines forebears very closely in terms of Chapter markings and badges of rank. The Genesis Chapter primarily wears red power armour. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest guard is yellow.

The white squad symbol on the right shoulder guard designates tactical specialty -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran, or command. A black High Gothic numeral is stenciled on the centre of the squad specialty symbol which indicates squad number.

The colour of the shoulder plate trim indicates company number in accordance with the dictates of the Codex Astartes -- i.e. white (1st Company), yellow (2nd Company), red (3rd Company), green (4th Company), etc.

The sergeants' badges are blue instead of red but otherwise there are few differences between the Chapters in terms of rank and company iconography.

Senior sergeants of Veteran status are proclaimed by a golden skull added to the helm, while less senior Sergeants instead wear a white skull in its place.

Veteran status is indicated by a white helmet stripe.

Chapter Badge[]

The Genesis Chapter's badge is a black Greek letter Lambda or an upside-down "V" on top of a black-outlined white triangle. This is centred on a field of red.

The effect of the design is to create a Greek letter Alpha, which is an ancient Terran symbol for a new beginning, or "genesis."

Sources[]

  • Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 46
  • Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (8th Edition), pg. 30
  • Codex: Space Marines (9th Edition), pg. 46
  • Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition) (Revised Codex), pg. 26
  • Codex: Space Marines (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 109
  • Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pp. 8, 30, 70, 141
  • Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pp. 8, 24
  • Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), pg. 29
  • Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition), pp. 9, 41
  • Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter (RPG), pg. 135
  • Deathwatch: Rites of Battle (RPG), pg. 58
  • Insignium Astartes: The Uniforms and Regalia of the Space Marines, pg. 60
  • Psychic Awakening: Faith & Fury (8th Edition), pg. 32
  • Dark Imperium (Novel) by Guy Haley
  • Void Stalker (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
  • Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 159

Gallery[]

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