Legion Techmarine Covenant

A Legion Techmarine in combat during the Istvaan III Atrocity

A Legion Techmarine Covenant was a specialised technical support unit of the ancient Space Marine Legions used during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia.

This small cohort was made up of 1 to 3 Techmarines that provided technical support on the battlefield and were primarily responsible for the upkeep, maintenance and repair of Astartes wargear, equipment and vehicles.

History

Techmarine Arius of the Ultramarines Legion during the Great Crusade

During the formation of the Imperium, ancient pacts were sworn between the Mechanicum and the burgeoning Legiones Astartes to allow the Space Marines to send those warriors with an affinity for technology to Mars to train and begin the long, arduous journey of becoming priests of the Machine God. Without the passing on of such ancient technological lore, the Space Marine Legions would have been unable to make war.

These specialists of the Legion possessed intelligence and aptitude for the technological that marked them out at an early stage for induction into the rites and secrets of the ancient Mechanicum. Aspiring Techmarines trained for 30 Terran years on Mars, steeping themselves in the rites of activation and hymnals of maintenance.

When they completed their training and returned to their Legions, they were forevermore marked from the rest of their Battle-Brothers, men of dual loyalties, pledged by blood to their Legion, but bound in mind and spirit to the mysteries of the Cult Mechanicus' Omnissiah.

The role of the Techmarine Covenants was to maintain and oversee the manufacture and supply of wargear and vehicles for their Legion, as well as operate and repair the most specialised and complex weaponry on the battlefield. In this a Legion's Armorum and its Techmarine Master were vital to its ability to wage war.

Unit Composition

• 1-3 Legion Techmarines

Wargear

• Artificer Armour
• Bolt Pistol
• Frag Grenades
• Krak Grenades
• Power Axe
• Servo-Arm

Optional Wargear

• Nuncio Vox
• Augury Scanner
• Master-crafted Bolter
• Combi-Weapon
• Volkite Charger
• Plasma Pistol
• Graviton Gun
• Melta Bombs
• Conversion Beamer
• Rad Grenades
• Thunder Hammer
• Cyber-Familiar

Servitor-Automata

Additionally, a Techmarine may be accompanied by 4 Servitor-automata forming a unit with them and armed with a Chainsword and Bolter. Any Servitor-automata may exchange its Bolter with the following:

• Lascutter
• Power Fist
• Flamer
• Rotor Cannon

Sources

• The Horus Heresy - Betrayal: Book One (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 197