The Genesis Chapter is a Second Founding Successor or Primogenitor Space Marine Chapter of the legendary Ultramarines. 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 his resurrection in 999.M41.
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.
Chapter History
Genesis Chapter Colour Scheme
Brother Triamon, Genesis Chapter 5th Company, 3rd Squad (Battleline), a Genesis Chapter Primaris Space Marine in Mark X Tacticus Power Armour
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.
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
During the recent events of Abaddon the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade, the long-standing Fortress World of Cadia was destroyed. With Cadia's fall and the loss of the network of Necron-built Cadian Pylons that had long prevented the Eye of Terror from naturally expanding into the Materium, the Warp rift began to expand exponentially across the width of the known galaxy. This tear in reality, known as the Great Rift, effectively rent the Imperium in half. The beleaguered forces of the Imperium increasingly found themselves overwhelmed as the power of Chaos and the xenos hordes grew unstoppable. Whole sectors of the Imperium lost contact with Terra, while others reported the onslaught of rabid Greenskin hordes, aggressive Tau fleets or undying Necron hosts, seemingly driven to conquest in the face of the expanding Warp Storm fronts. Heretic Chaos Cults and rogue psykers rose up in the billions, and every Imperial world now seemed set to burn in the fires of unending war. But all was not lost, for upon the Ultramarines' homeworld of Macragge during the Ultramar Campaign of 999.M41, the genius of Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl combined with the power of Ynnead, the Aeldari god of the dead, to resurrect the Primarch Roboute Guilliman from his millennia-long, deathless slumber.
Guilliman had anticipated the need for a new breed of hero for this, the darkest age in the Imperium's history. He knew that the galaxy would need warriors resilient enough to stand against the Forces of Chaos as the Imperium found itself poised on the brink of annihilation. To that end, for 10,000 standard years, Archmagos Cawl had been working upon improving the Adeptus Astartes themselves. The result were the Primaris Space Marines of the Ultima Founding, a more powerful corps of transhuman warriors, more potent than even the original Astartes. New armies were raised in breathtaking numbers and new and terrible weapons were developed whose fury even the worshippers of the Dark Gods would be unable to withstand. Gathering a great new armada, composed of elements of the Adeptus Custodes, the Silent Sisterhood and a vast war host of Primaris Space Marines from many newly founded Chapters, the Lord Commander of the Imperium launched his 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 999.M41 following the Ultramar Campaign. 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. 111.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 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 the Scion 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 - Tolemion 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 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 specialty symbol on the right shoulder guard designates operational specialty -- Tactical, Devastator, Assault or Veteran. A black Roman 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 (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
- Dark Imperium (Novel) by Guy Haley
- Void Stalker (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
- Dark Imperium (Novel) by Guy Haley
- Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 159
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