Vanguard Veteran

"We go where we wilt. We slay who we wilt. Let the Emperor judge the righteousness of our deeds."

— Sergeant D'Kestrel, 1^st Company, Raven Guard

A White Scars Vanguard Veteran Squad fighting against Tyranids.

A Vanguard Veteran, usually serving as part of a Vanguard Veteran Squad, is a Firstborn Veteran Space Marine of the elite 1^st Company in Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters who specialises in close combat.

Every member of the 1^st Company is proficient in all manner of close assault weaponry. They carve apart their victims with humming Power Weapons, tear them asunder with mighty Power Fists, and gun them down with Bolt and Plasma Pistols.

These 1^st Company combatants attack suddenly and without warning, drawing upon their centuries of battlefield experience to know precisely where to strike. War engines shudder to a halt, wracked with fiery explosions; elite warriors are overrun, outfought in blistering split-second duels.

These elite warriors stand as a living exemplar of the ideals and purpose of their Chapter. Often referred to as a captain's "Iron Fist," Vanguard Veterans are constantly in motion. Even as the last foe falls, the Vanguard Veterans are already charging towards their next victims, for their heroic duty is never done.

A Vanguard Veteran Squad is formed from those Space Marines of the Chapter's Veteran 1^st Company who have completely immersed themselves in the art of close-quarters combat. Most of them have served lengthy rotations in the Chapters' Assault Squads prior to their promotion, and their skills with chainsword and Combat Knife have been honed and tested in the crucible of bloody melee on a thousand war-torn worlds.

It is said that, were a Vanguard Veteran armed only with his fists and his wits, he would still best dozens of foes, and when armed with the Bolt Pistol and chainsword of his trade, the same Veteran could face ten times that number and emerge victorious. With the vaunted weaponry of the Chapter's Armoury at their disposal, Vanguard Veterans take to the fray armed and ready to reap like a bloody whirlwind through entire armies.

These weapons are each ancient and revered heirlooms. It is an enormous privilege for a Space Marine to wield such an instrument of destruction in battle.

It is of little surprise, therefore, that a Vanguard Veteran fights all the harder with such weapons in hand, not merely to survive the deadly cut and thrust of combat, but to honour both his battle gear's Machine Spirits and the memories of every Adeptus Astartes hero who wielded the same relics in past wars.

An Ultramarines Vanguard Veteran Squad charges into the fray.

Whilst they can be deployed at the forefront of an assault, most Chapters employ their Vanguard Veterans as rapid-response forces, using Jump Packs or Rhinos to reposition and apply crucial pressure to an already over-taxed enemy defence, or to reinforce overmatched allies. Vanguard Veterans are famed for arriving at the time and place where their onslaught can make the most difference to a battle.

Vanguard Veterans use speed itself as a weapon, to strike at the foe wherever he least expects; this was the way of war for jump troops in the ancient days of the Space Marine Legions, and it still serves well today.

Such duty is arduous and never-ending, and Vanguard Veteran Squads are often referred to as a Captain's "iron fist." They are constantly in motion: as soon as one foe is annihilated, fresh orders dispatch the Vanguard Veterans to another corner of the battlefield, there to apply their murderous skill in the Emperor's name.

Quick Answers

What is the role of a Vanguard Veteran in the 1st Company of a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter?

A Vanguard Veteran is a Firstborn Veteran Space Marine from the elite 1st Company of a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter. As part of a Vanguard Veteran Squad, they specialize in close combat, utilizing chainswords and Combat Knives. Their skills are refined through extensive service in the Assault Squads and combat on numerous war-torn worlds. The 1st Company, comprising solely of such veterans, is the most feared formation in a Space Marine Chapter.

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How does a Vanguard Veteran specialize in close combat?

Vanguard Veterans are experts in close combat, using their deep understanding of alien anatomies and a wide range of weapons. They engage xenos beasts directly, delivering precise strikes. Their powerful Jump Packs allow them to reach strategic positions, providing an overview of the enemy's layout. Some operate independently in battle, utilizing their experience for covert operations. They employ speed as a weapon, striking unexpectedly. Prior to becoming Vanguard Veterans, most served in Assault Squads, perfecting their skills with chainsword and Combat Knife in countless battles.

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What kind of weaponry do Vanguard Veterans typically use?

Vanguard Veterans wield a range of weapons, such as Power Swords, Plasma Pistols, and Power Fists. They also employ Thunder Hammers, Lightning Claws, and other specialized weaponry based on the engagement. These weapons are revered artefacts of their Chapter. They also carry grenades, including Frag and Krak Grenades. A Veteran sergeant may use any two weapons that can be held in one hand, like a Bolt Pistol and chainsword.

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What is the significance of the quote by Sergeant D'Kestrel of the Raven Guard?

Sergeant D'Kestrel's quote, 'The arrow knows the path,' is a revered saying within the Ravenwing. This formation, known for embracing unusual truths from far-off worlds and their battlefield prowess, likens their leadership to an arrow's flight: graceful, precise, and lethal.

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How does the training of a Vanguard Veteran differ from a regular Space Marine?

Vanguard Veterans, part of a Space Marine Chapter's Veteran 1st Company, specialize in close-quarters combat. Their training includes extensive stints in Assault Squads, where they perfect their skills with chainsword and Combat Knife across numerous war-torn worlds. They are also proficient in shadow warfare tactics and sabotage techniques, enabling them to function independently in enemy territory for prolonged durations. Their mission involves dismantling all aspects of the enemy's war machine, including supply routes, communications, and logistics.

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Role

A Blood Angels Vanguard Veteran in Terminator Armour, serving as an Assault Terminator armed with a Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield.

Of all the fighting formations that make up a Codex Astartes-compliant Space Marine Chapter, it is the 1^st Company which is most feared. For an Astartes to join the 1^st Company is for him to have won renown on battlefields uncounted and to have earned the respect of his Battle-Brothers through deeds of blood and honour.

Most such Veterans have served as Sergeants elsewhere in the Chapter-- sometimes for centuries -- before being accepted into the 1^st Company, but a notable few are elevated after performing insane acts of heroism.

Every member of the 1^st Company is proficient in all manner of Astartes weaponry and stands as a living exemplar of the ideals and purpose of the Chapter. With such status comes the right to select weapons of choice from the Chapter's Armoury and, as a result, Veteran Squads are much less rigid in composition and doctrine than other Space Marine formations.

They are often equipped and ordered to undertake highly specialised missions that can prove to be force multipliers, such as slaying an Ork Warboss and his bodyguard of Nobs or preventing a wave of Aeldari Aspect Warriors from joining the main body of an enemy Aeldari force.

Vanguard Squads are formed from those members of the 1st Company that completely immerse themselves in the art of close-quarter combat. Most have completed lengthy service rotations in their Chapter's Assault Squad, their skills tested and honed in the crucible of bloody melee on a hundred worlds.

Power Swords, Plasma Pistols and Power Fists are all common sights in Vanguard Veteran Squads, and Thunder Hammers, Lightning Claws and rarer weaponry are also employed as the engagement requires. These weapons are not employed lightly, for they are without exception all ancient and revered artefacts of the Chapter.

A Vanguard Veteran who returns from the field of battle without his armament is subject to the Chapter's gruelling rites of penance.

Whilst they can be deployed at the forefront of an assault, most Chapters employ their Vanguard Veterans as rapid-response forces, using Jump Pack or Rhino transport to apply crucial pressure to an already over-taxed enemy defence, or to reinforce overmatched allies. Often referred to as a Space Marine Captain's "Iron Fist," Vanguard Veterans are constantly in motion.

Unit Composition

• 4-9 Veteran Space Marines

• 1 Veteran Sergeant

Dedicated Transport

If they do not select Jump Packs, the unit may select one of the following for a dedicated troop transport:

• Drop Pod

• Rhino

• Razorback

Wargear

Blood Angels Vanguard Veteran with Jump Pack, Plasma Pistol and Chainsword

• Power Armour or Artificer Armour (Any Firstborn pattern)

• Bolt Pistol

• Chainsword

• Frag Grenades

• Krak Grenades

Optional Vanguard Veteran Wargear

May replace Bolt Pistol and/or chainsword with one of the following:

• Power Weapon (Any type) or Lightning Claw

• Grav-pistol

• Plasma Pistol

• Power Fist

• Thunder Hammer

• Storm Shield

• Melta Bombs

• Jump Pack

Optional Wargear, Veteran Sergeant Only

• Relic Blade

Sources

• Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pp. 62-63, 139
• Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pp. 86-87, 170
• Codex: Space Marines (7th Edition), pp. 99-100, 319-321