Warhammer 40,000 Faction Focus – Space Marines

Space Marines are the backbone of the Warhammer 40K story, but how were they created?

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The Space Marines are synonymous with Warhammer 40,000, having been a part of the game and lore from it’s very beginning. That’s not to say that the idea of the Space Marines hasn’t changed over the years.

Who Are The Space Marines?

The original backstory was established in the book Realm of Chaos: The Lost and The Damned by Rick Priestly and Bryan Ansell. It was released in 1990 and it laid the foundations for what we have today. The original 20 Space Marine chapters and their Primarchs are included, minus the mysterious two that had been erased completely from the Imperial ranks and memory. The cold-hearted “redacted” stamped in their placed serving as the only reminder of their existence. Coverage of the civil war of the year 30,000 known as the Horus Heresy was included; the story of the nine chapters that turned their back on the Emperor to worship and idolize the Gods of Chaos. It painted a dark and gritty realism that intrigued many and captured the hearts of true believers. Unfortunately, it belayed the narrative that Games Workshop was putting out at the time. That the Space Marines were the heroes of mankind. The good guys, all squeaky clean and could do no wrong. This was in part because the bulk of their hobby base were kids and Moms wouldn’t approve of the dark realism underneath the helm.

The Space Marine aesthetic has also changed since its introduction. They started life in what we now call Mark VI Corvus or “beaky” due to the conical beak-like helmet. This gave the armor a medieval look and feel, and many have compared it and early Space Marine armor as a result. This is not the case, unfortunately, but it’s easy to understand why this mistake is made. There are several parallels between the two in terms of heraldry and religious devotion. Even some of the earlier retconned armor has a medieval flavor but in this case, the conical helm was influenced by a type of gas mask. Another aspect of the Space Marines was established when the first edition of Space Hulk was released, the Terminator and Terminator Armour. The tech at the time unfortunately meant that plastic injection molded models were of poor aesthetic quality. The pewter models of the day provide more fidelity and detail. This is something that has thankfully changed over the years. No more poisonous lead!

How A Space Marine Is Made

Switching to game lore. The creation of the Space Marines occurred towards the end of the Unification Wars in the late 30th Millennium. Their predecessors were known as the Thunder Warriors, genetically altered humans that served only The Emperor of Man. These soldiers were stronger, immune to virus, poison and chemical attacks, and able to withstand mind-blowing psychic attack. As formidable as they were, they were far from perfect. Many were mentally unstable, but they served their purpose and the war was eventually won. This marked the beginning of the Imperium of Man.

As the Thunder Warriors were fighting the Unification Wars, The Emperor had brought the best scientists and mechanics that humanity could offer together to work on what would become his secret project. Soldiers were chosen and were put through a rigorous physical and mental training regime. They faced surgical modification and gene alteration using something new, the “gene-seed,” a genetic coding, from a Primarch. The Primarch was the first of the new breed of soldiers The Space Marines. In total 20 Legions were formed, each led by a Primarch. The joined the battle for the Unification Wars and victory was achieved quickly.

Betrayal was at hand as the Thunder Warriors learned the truth about their own creation and the flaws in their genetic coding. They also feared the new Space Marines and so, they rose up against The Emperor. They attack with all their might only to be defeated by The Emperor’s Royal Guard and the first prototype Space Marines stationed close by. The Space Marine legions at this time were new and their history the same. Unified under one ruler, the 20 legions wore gray armor with a single thunderbolt to reflect this. However, over time the individual Legions have developed their own character, traditions, and of course, heroes.

The consensus would not last. Some The Emperor’s Space Marines would become corrupted by Chaos and would be betrayed again. His battle to unite all of humanity had turned from war into crusade pushing into new regions of space, looking for lost tribes of humanity. As the battles waged on The Emperor’s favorite son, Horus rose up against him and also those loyal. The deceit had long been planned and the betrayal took place while much or the Emperor’s forces were on the attack elsewhere. Horus approached Earth and began his assault. Those who stood in his way were pushed back to the Imperial Palace. Trapped and unable to escape, The Siege of Terra had begun.

The Big Split

Desperate times called for desperate measures and a dastardly plan was hatched. It was time to take the fight to Horus. Sanguinos Primarch of the Blood Angels and Rogal Dorn Primarch of the Iron Fists, planned to accompany the Emperor aboard Horus’ own Battle Barge. Transporting to the ship they and their troops found themselves separated from each other. They fought with all their might to reach Horus. Sanguinos arrived first and the fight began, Horus tried to convert him but Sanguinos refused to serve the Chaos Gods, and as The Emperor arrived, he was slain for his refusal. A battle ensued between The Emperor and Horus with many blows exchanged, both physical and those through powerful psychic attacks. The Emperor was struck hard and his body faltered as he had been mortally wounded. Just as it looked like Horus would be victorious, The Emperor gave one last attack, striking with all he could muster. Horus was killed and the Ruinous Powers were defeated. As The Emperor lay dying, Rogal Dorn continued his fight, not knowing what had happened. He eventually managed to break through the enemy and saw the carnage. He picked up The Emperor took his broken body to a device known as the Golden Throne. There The Emperor has remained ever since, laying in a state between life and death, immortal. He continues to rule to this day communicating through a psychic bond.

The cost was great. In total, nine legions had betrayed The Emperor and joined the forces of Chaos. It was Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, that took on the mantle of day to day ruler of humanity. He penned the Codex Astartes, and under his command, the Space Marine legions were be split into smaller chapters. This was so that no one group would be able to wield such power again. Each legion was split with the first chapter formed taking the name of the Legion. The other chapters kept many of the customs of their former legion but over time each chapter has diverged into their own identities.

Link Source : https://www.thegamer.com/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-space-marines/