Praetor is the name of a bygone rank for a senior Astartes officer of the Space Marine Legions used during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia.
The praetors were the mightiest warriors and battle-leaders of the ancient Legiones Astartes, second only to the demigod-like primarchs in martial skills and generalship. They most commonly commanded chapter-size formations of approximately 1,000 Space Marines within their Legion or whatever the equivalently-named unit was within a given Legion's culture.
These lords of the Imperium of Man held the power of life and death over whole worlds, with the direct control of entire Imperial war fleets and armies in their hands.
Each was a greatly experienced warrior and warlord, unique in character, who had written a legend in blood for themselves, and carried into battle the finest wargear and weapons known to Mankind at that time.
In their ranks could be found officers called "chapter masters" and "lord commanders," "archeins," "warsmiths," "first captains," "khans" and "tribunes" as the traditions and cultures of their individual Legions dictated. They were the masters of war who commanded the hosts of the Great Crusade that conquered worlds unnumbered.
History[]
During the time of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium, Space Marine Legions were vast engines of war whose transhuman warriors numbered in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands.
The full panoply of war of an Astartes Legion was a terrible thing to behold, and was capable of obliterating entire civilisations through a variety of deadly means ranging from sheer brute force and numbers, armoured assault waves, murderous siege-craft or overwhelming and relentless attacks from close orbit.
The particular methods of such exterminations were overseen by the high commanders of the Legions, select individuals that brought solar decades of experience and acquired tactical acumen to the ruin of Mankind's foes. Whatever the particular title actually awarded to them by their Legion based on its individual culture and history, these officers were known in general across the Legiones Astartes as praetors.
Notable Praetors[]
Legion Number | Legion Name | Legion Title | Name | Loyalty | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I | Dark Angels | Master of Caliban | Luther | Traitor | Recently freed from imprisonment in The Rock. |
I | Dark Angels | First Master | Merir Astelan | Traitor | At large. |
I | Dark Angels | Master of the Deathwing | Holguin | Loyal | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Anteus | Loyal | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Ariston | Traitor | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Cyrius | Traitor | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander Primus | Eidolon | Traitor | Alive |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Iddinam | Traitor | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Illois | Loyal | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Lelanthius | Traitor | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Lothreal Sabine | Unknown | Unknown |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Teliosa | Loyal | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | Lord Commander | Vespasian | Loyal | Deceased |
III | Emperor's Children | First Captain | Julius Kaesoron | Traitor | Daemon Prince |
IV | Iron Warriors | First Captain | Forrix | Traitor | Deceased |
IV | Iron Warriors | Lieutenant | Soltarn Vull Bronn | Traitor | Still serves Honsou |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Berrosus | Traitor | Deceased |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Barabas Dantioch | Loyal | Deceased |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Kroeger | Traitor | Deceased |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Harkor | Traitor | Deceased |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Barban Falk | Traitor | Ascended to daemonhood as a Daemon Prince |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Honsou | Traitor | Commands a massive warband of Chaos Space Marines on Medrengard |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Kolvax | Traitor | Deceased |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Toramino | Traitor | Alive |
IV | Iron Warriors | Warsmith | Zhorisch | Traitor | Leads a massive warband of Chaos Space Marines that currently plagues the Jericho Reach |
V | White Scars | Master of the Hunt | Jubal Khan | Loyal | Stood by his Primarch Jaghatai in the stalwart defence of the Imperial Palace during the Siege of Terra. |
V | White Scars | Master of the Keshig | Qin Xa | Loyal | Deceased |
V | White Scars | Noyan-Khan (Chapter Master) | Hasik Noyan-Khan | Traitor | Sought to take over White Scars Legion Fleet while at Prospero for Horus. Slain by his Primarch. |
V | White Scars | Noyan-Khan (Chapter Master) | Jemulan Noyan-Khan | Loyal | KIA during 4th year of Horus Heresy. |
VI | Space Wolves | First Captain (Wolf Lord) | Gunnar Gunnhilt | Loyal | KIA during the Battle of the Alaxxes Nebula. |
VI | Space Wolves | Wolf Lord | Amlodhi Skarssen Skarssensson | Loyal | Wolf Lord of the Space Wolves Legion's 5th Great Company. |
VI | Space Wolves | Wolf Lord | Jorin Bloodhowl | Loyal | Jarl of the Space Wolves Legion's 13th Great Company during the Horus Heresy. Deceased. |
VI | Space Wolves | Wolf Lord | Ogvai Ogvai Helmschrot | Loyal | Wolf Lord of the Space Wolves Legion's 3rd Great Company. |
VII | Imperial Fists | First Captain | Sigismund | Loyal | Following the Second Founding, became the first Chapter Master of the Black Templars Chapter. |
VII | Imperial Fists | Master of the Huscarls | Archamus | Loyal | Killed during the Battle of Pluto saving the life of Rogal Dorn. |
VIII | Night Lords | First Captain | Jago "Sevatar" Sevatarion | Traitor | Killed during the Siege of Terra. |
VIII | Night Lords | First Captain | Zso Sahaal | Traitor | Designated by the Night Lords' Primarch Konrad Curze to serve as his successor as leader of the VIII Legion just before his assassination, |
VIII | Night Lords | Equerry | Shang | Traitor | Slain by Skaivrok in duel for control of Night Lords Legion during the Horus Heresy. |
IX | Blood Angels | First Captain, Chapter Master | Raldoron | Loyal | Became the first Chapter Master of the Blood Angels Chapter following the Second Founding. |
IX | Blood Angels | Commander of the Sanguinary Guard | Azkaellon | Loyal | Sole surviving Sanguinary Guard after the Siege of Terra. |
IX | Blood Angels | High Warden | Dahka Berus | Loyal | Responsible for enforcing the dictates of the Council of Nikaea. |
X | Iron Hands | Lord Commander | Amadeus DuCaine | Loyal | KIA at the Drop Site Massacre. |
X | Iron Hands | First Captain | Gabriel Santor | Loyal | Killed during the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V by the Traitor Emperor's Children First Captain Julius Kaesoron |
X | Iron Hands | Clan Commander of Morragul Clan | Autek Mor | Loyal | First Chapter Master of the Red Talons after the Second Founding. |
XII | World Eaters | Centurion | Khârn the Betrayer | Traitor | Became a powerful Chaos Champion of Khorne after the Horus Heresy. |
XIII | Ultramarines | First Master | Marius Gage | Loyal | Gage was the Master of the 1st Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion and its overall second-in-command. |
XIII | Ultramarines | Tetrarch | Valentus Dolor | Loyal | Governor of Occluda and Regent of Ultramar during the Horus Heresy. |
XIII | Ultramarines | Legatus of Armatura | Orfeo Cassandar | Loyal | KIA by Angron during the Shadow Crusade. |
XIII | Ultramarines | Chapter Master | Phratus Auguston | Loyal | KIA by Konrad Curze on Macragge. |
XIII | Ultramarines | Chapter Master | Verus Caspean | Loyal | Chapter Master of the 3rd Chapter and later the 1st. |
XIV | Death Guard | Equerry | Caipha Morarg | Traitor | Member of the Legion Breacher Siege Squad|24th Breacher Squad]] who became Mortarion's Equerry. |
XIV | Death Guard | Master of Ordnance | Durak Rask | Traitor | Killed during the Istvaan III Atrocity. |
XIV | Death Guard | First Captain | Calas Typhon | Traitor | The first Death Guard to turn to the service of Chaos, Typhon became the corrupted Typhus, Herald of Nurgle and Host of the Destroyer Hive. |
XV | Thousand Sons | First Captain | Ahzek Ahriman | Traitor | Captain of the 1st Fellowship and Magister Templi of the Corvidae, Ahriman enacted the spell known as the Rubric of Ahriman which resulted in the creation of the undead Rubric Marines. |
XV | Thousand Sons | Magister Templi | Phosis T'Kar | Traitor | Captain of the 2nd Fellowship, Magister Templi of Raptora Cult, KIA during Burning of Prospero. |
XV | Thousand Sons | Magister Templi | Haathor Maat | Traitor | Captain of the 3rd Fellowship, Magister Templi of the Pavoni. |
XV | Thousand Sons | Captain | Menes Kalliston | Loyal | Captain of the 4th Fellowship, killed by Khârn among the ruins of Prospero. |
XV | Thousand Sons | Magister Templi | Baleq Uthizzar | Loyal | Captain of the 5th Fellowship, Magister Templi of the Athanaean Cult, slain by Magnus the Red. |
XV | Thousand Sons | Magister Templi | Khalophis | Traitor | Captain of the 6th Fellowship, Magister Templi of the Pyrae Cult, KIA during the Burning of Prospero. |
XV | Thousand Sons | Equerry | Amon | Traitor | Captain of the 9th Fellowship. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | First Captain | Ezekyle Abaddon | Traitor | Abaddon eventually became known as Abaddon the Despoiler, successor of Horus as the Warmaster of Chaos, leader of the Black Legion and the most powerful Chaos Lord within the Eye of Terror. It was he who launched the greatest of the Black Crusades against the Imperium. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Mournival Member | Tarik Torgaddon | Loyal | Captain of the 2nd Company, KIA during the Istvaan III Atrocity. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Mournival Member | Hastur Sejanus | Loyal | Captain of the 4th Company, KIA on world designated Sixty-Three-Nineteen. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Mournival Member | Garviel Loken | Loyal | Captain of the 10th Company; later a member of the Knights-Errant of Malcador the Sigillite. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Mournival Member | Horus Aximand | Traitor | Captain of the 5th Company. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Mournival Member | Falkus Kibre | Traitor | Captain of the 1st Company; later commander of the Black Legion's Terminator elite, the Bringers of Despair. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Mournival Member | Grael Noctua | Traitor | Sergeant of the 25th Company; later Daemonhost for Tormaggedon. |
XVI | Sons of Horus | Equerry | Maloghurst | Traitor | Former Captain of the Sons of Horus, later potent Chaos Sorcerer. |
XVII | Word Bearers | First Captain | Kor Phaeron | Traitor | First Captain and Black Cardinal (High Priest) of the Word Bearers Legion, it was Kor Phaeron's influence and continuing devotion to the Colchisian Old Faith that corrupted his Primarch and the XVII Legion. |
XVII | Word Bearers | First Chaplain | Erebus | Traitor | After the Heresy, Erebus became a Dark Apostle and leader of the Word Bearers' ruling Dark Council. |
XVII | Word Bearers | Chapter Master | Argel Tal | Traitor | Captain of the 7th Assault Company of the Serrated Sun Chapter; later Crimson Lord of the Gal Vorbak, KIA during the Shadow Crusade on Nuceria. |
XVII | Word Bearers | Crimson Apostle | Zardu Layak | Traitor | Officer of the Ashen Circle, became a Possessed of the Gal Vorbak and First Chaplain of the Chapter of the Ochre Gate, later called the Unspeaking. |
XVIII | Salamanders | First Captain and Equerry | Artellus Numeon | Loyal | Captain of the 1st Company, the Firedrakes; sacrificed himself on Mount Deathfire to resurrect Vulkan during the Horus Heresy. |
XIX | Raven Guard | Commander | Branne Nev | Loyal | Led the mission that resulted in the rescue of Corax from Istvaan V. Afterwards, Branne was made the new Master of Recruits. |
XIX | Raven Guard | Commander | Agapito Nev | Loyal | Captain of the Raven Guard and biological brother of Branne Nev; later the commander of the "Talons", the surviving Tactical Companies of the Legion after the Drop Site Massacre. |
XIX | Raven Guard | Commander | Solaro An | Loyal | Captain of the Raven Guard air assets known as the "Hawks," KIA at the Drop Site Massacre; identity stolen by Alpha Legion infiltrator. |
XX | Alpha Legion | First Captain | Ingo Pech | Traitor | Served at the Battle of Pluto. |
XX | Alpha Legion | Harrowmaster | Armillus Dynat | Traitor | Served as a theatre commander or "Harrowmaster," for the Alpha Legion in multiple engagements of Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. |
XX | Alpha Legion | Consul-Delegatus | Autilon Skorr | Traitor | Senior Alpha Legion commander during the Mezoan Campaign. |
XX | Alpha Legion | Harrowmaster | Kel Silonius | Traitor | Senior Alpha Legion commander whose identity was used by Alpharius to initiate a subversion campaign on Terra. Later led the Alpha Legion fleet at the Battle of Pluto. |
Wargear[]
- Combi-weapon (Any type)
- Refractor Shield
- Legion Jetbike
Optional Wargear (For Praetor Terminators)[]
- Power Weapon (Any type)
- Paragon Blade
- Digital Lasers
Optional Wargear[]
- Power Weapon (Any type)
- Single Lightning Claw or Pair of Lightning Claws
- Paragon Blade
Sources[]
- Codex Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels (8th Edition), pp. 23, 26
- The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 188
- Warhammer Community - All the Latest from the WH40K Open Day
- Forge World - Legion Praetors
- Forge World - Space Wolves Legion Praetor
- Forge World - Thousand Sons Legion Praetor