Foundings

*Note: This article concerns the various Foundings that takes place in the alt universe of the Legiones Astartes setting, where the Codex Astartes was never adopted, and the dissolution of the Space Marine Legions into separate Chapters never occurred. For information on the canon Foundings of the Warhammer 40K universe, please refer to the Foundings section, on the Warhammer 40,000 Homebrew Wiki:How to create a Fanon Space Marine Chapter.

New Space Marine Legions are not created piecemeal as required by the Imperium of Man's strategic needs, but rather in deliberate groupings called "Foundings". The process by which a new Founding's creation is approved by the Imperial government is mysterious and arcane, subject to decades or even centuries of planning before it is announced. It is only by an edict of the High Lords of Terra that such an undertaking as the creation of new Legion can be instigated, for it requires the cooperation and mobilization of countless divisions within the Imperium's monolithic and vast governmental organisations. Establishing new Legiones Astartes on an individual basis is nigh impossible -- the mobilization of such vast resources is beyond the ability of any single segment of the Imperium.

The Mechanicum and gene-wrights of Luna play an essential role in the process of a Founding, for its highest echelons are tasked with creating, testing and developing the gene-seed samples that will provide the genetic foundation of the new Legions. Entire Forge Worlds may be turned over to the manufacture of the mighty arsenal of weaponry, ammunition, power armour, vehicles and starships that any such force will require. There are a myriad other concerns as well. A suitable homeworld inhabited by humans must be identified for the new Legion, which will likely provide not only a secure and defensible base of operations, but also a source of new recruits as well. Such worlds might have been reported by itinerant Rogue Traders and earmarked centuries before by Mechanicum Explorators as potential Astartes homeworlds. A degree of environmental terraforming might be required and the natives of the world (if they are to become the source of the new Legion's Aspirants) must be studied and tested by the Mechanicus' Magos Biologis and Genetors for many generations to ensure they are genetically pure and free of any strain of mutation that might later affect the Legion itself. The construction of a Legion's fortress-monastery may be one of the greatest undertakings of all, drawing on the genius of the Imperium's most accomplished military architects and engineers. If the Legion is to be fleet-based, then even more work must be put into the construction of a Legion Barque or unusually large Battle Barge to serve as the Legion's mobile fortress-monastery and all of the related capital warships and Escorts such a highly-mobile Legion will require.

The already extant Space Marine Legions may also have a role in this process, though to what degree can vary greatly from Founding to Founding. Many of the First Founding Legions maintain close links with Legions created using their own gene-seed stocks, and the Legion Masters might have a hand in planning future Foundings using that genetic material. In the more than 10,000 standard years that have passed since the First Founding of the 20 original Space Marine Legions by the Emperor of Mankind, there have been only a half dozen subsequent Foundings of new Legions of the Legiones Astartes; with the most recent, the 6th Founding, occurring in the year 738.M41, approximately 250 standard years ago. Even before a new Founding is announced, entire generations of Imperial servants may have toiled in preparation. Even once the process has been declared and is underway, it is likely to be at least century or more before the new Legions are ready to begin combat operations. In times of dire need for the Imperium, faster development has been attempted, but this has often resulted in disaster. Gene-seed cultured in haste is wont to degrade or to mutate, and a great many other factors may lead the entire process astray. And there is no foe more dangerous to the Imperium of Man than a Space Marine who has been corrupted by Chaos or gone Renegade for another reason.

Creating New Legions
New Legions are only created by an Imperial edict of the High Lords of Terra, and, some whisper, by the sole will of the Emperor of Mankind. The task of actually assembling these Chapters always belongs to the Mechanicum. The Mechanicum stores the gene-seed of all the Legiones Astartes which they receive in the form of a tithe. Using lobotomised human test-subjects (most of whom will later be converted into Servitors), the Mechanicum produces new Progenoid Glands. Zygotes of the necessary Astartes gene-seed organs are grown from the gene-seed stores on Mars and implanted into the test-subjects and the zygotes then develop into progenoids and are surgically removed. A single test subject is used in this way to create two progenoid Glands, which are then implanted into two more slaves, and so on. Ultimately, 1,000 sets of the 19 necessary gene-seed organs to give birth to a new Astartes are created, taking over half a standard century of constant culturing. To create enough gene-seed organs for an entire Legion can take over three centuries for smaller Legions, and upwards to over two millennia for the creation of a larger Legion comprised of 100,000 sets of organs! To offset any possible shortcomings, the Mechanicum constantly creates new gene-seed and sets it aside in surplus storage in carefully monitored stasis vaults until such time, as the High Lords of Terra deem it necessary to create a new Space Marine Legion.