Praetorians

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The Praetorians are a Loyalist Successor Chapter created during the 16^th Founding from the proud lineage of the stoic and unforgiving Imperial Fists. They hail from the Imperial world of Megiddo located within the Segmentum Pacificus and act as both the planet's guardians and stand eternal vigil as the stalwart defenders of the surrounding sector.

Chapter History

Sons of the legion that defended Terra to the last drop of blood, the Praetorians have proven over the millennia that they are a Chapter of which Dorn himself would have been proud. The oldest records available to the Praetorians mention their founding by decree of the High Lords of Terra at the end of the 6^th century of the 35^th millennium, during the 16^th Founding, using the genetic material of the Imperial Fists. Barely assembled, the first Praetorians were quickly sent to defend the world of Cannarah, at the heart of the Segmentum Pacificus, which was under attack by several Chaos warbands. Their unwavering determination and their refusal to retreat until the tide of traitors had been turned and the Imperium regained control of the planet earned them their first victory. They were granted the world of Megiddo to settle on, which they still guard jealously to this day.

Liber Praetorianis

010.M36: Captain Diegal leads the 3^rd Company and several elements from the 2^nd and 10th into the Unlysak subsector to the east of the Segmentum, besieged by multiple rebellions instigated by Chaos. The fortified hive world of Idastior Secundus is ravaged when the Praetorians arrive in the system, and several large units of Heretic Astartes are reported on the surface of the frozen world, engaged with several divisions of the Guard, which is able to respond relatively quickly for once. The Chaos troops inflict heavy losses on the loyalist defenses, take thousands of prisoners, and burn them alive in front of the White Fort's front lines. Horrified by the spectacle and under the wind of the funeral pyres, several formations of the PDF abandon their posts in panic. The Praetorian orbital assault arrives to defend, less than twenty minutes before the main Chaos assault begins. During the ensuing battle, the Black Legion's assault on the White Fort is broken by the defenses quickly established by the Praetorians. The heretic Land Raider Herra's Agony is destroyed by the charge of Chaplain Roselian and his swordsmen. The victory shatters the main Chaos effort and eliminates its units assessed as the highest threat level.

001.M37: A Praetorian company participates in the Imperial Crusade led by Marshal d’Agolviore to repel the first Ork Waaagh! from the Calverna system, southwest of the Segmentum Solar. Elements from the 3^rd, 4^th, and 6^th fight on the ruins of the capital hive of Calverna, while the green horde overwhelms the Imperial landing zone from all sides. The Praetorians suffer losses due to numerous psykers and the impressive firepower deployed by the Bad Moonz, but the “bizarboyzs” are all slain, and the morkanaut da Green Brawl is destroyed.

514.M37: Verdodryra Incident. A Chaos Space Marine raid devastates the Astra Cartographica space station and captures several dozen researchers before taking them to the second moon of the ocean-planet. A handful of laboratorians manage to escape the traitors at the last moment and activate an emergency beacon, whose distress call is picked up by the attack cruiser Argent Eye. The copyist brothers Romiganz and Navito Adater lead a Praetorian detachment to the site and repel the heretical legionaries. Their warlord is killed during the fighting without revealing what they were searching for. After the battle, the Praetorians discover a cargo ship hidden in a vast sealed underground bay on the moon of Verdodryra. Its contents are searched, emptied, and its cargo taken to Megiddo in utmost secrecy by direct order of the Librarium Master, where it is stored in the depths of the Praetorian crypts.

744.M38: Lars of Chrysopolis, lieutenant of the 5^th Company, comes to the aid of the Port Unnotha space station in the west of the Segmentum after it is boarded by an Ork fleet from the Bad Moonz tribe. Ork Corsair Urgol has been plundering the station for several days after reducing the entire crew to slavery. The Praetorians launch an assault on the port and drive the raiders away; however, Lars of Chrysopolis is killed in a duel by Urgol.

941.M41: Betrayal of Nasho. While defending the Eye of the Emperor against a Chaos incursion, the Praetorians are betrayed by the White Skulls in the midst of the battle. The chapter suffers a heavy defeat, its master Drustan is killed. 35 survivors take the Aquilifers' oath.

943.M41: The Administratum gathers more than thirty regiments of the Guard to regain control of the Hellenis system, on the edge of the Warp storm at the Fire Gate. The Imperial armies are led toward the threatened sector by a war fleet commanded by Marshal Hapsuel, at the head of the Retribution-class battleship Lord Salorn. The Praetorians must rush to the aid of the Imperial force after a few days of engagement, when the astropathic choir aboard the battleship implodes following a catastrophic incident, opening a Warp portal in the middle of the ship, spewing thousands of demons from the Azure Forge Legion, led by the Greater Demon Mušmaḫḫū. The Praetorian vexillation arrives on the scene just as the fighting rages inside the battleship and Chaos forces threaten to seize the artillery decks, risking opening fire on the nearby Imperial transports. The Space Marines board the Lord Salorn and fight within its depths for twelve hours to break the assault of the Tzeentch Legion, before banishing Mušmaḫḫū when the three copyist librarians Hadaricus, Tebaldus the Copper, and Metrak combine their efforts to crush the beast. The victory allows the rapid retaking of the battleship and ensures the success of the campaign.

989.M41: Chapter Master Anko Boltian counterattacks at the head of a Praetorian contingent after a fleet of Emperor's Children pirates invades the Apries system. After a full day of fighting, he is eventually killed in a duel on Apries III. Captain Horrès of the 1^st Company is appointed chapter master by the captain's council to succeed him. He is replaced at the head of his company by veteran lieutenant Hannon.

991.M41: The Master of the Librarium, Sidon, tracks down the heretical Astartes raiders in the Khatib solar system and engages them in battle. Lucius the Eternal and Herirk Rägäman are killed, and the relics lost in the Battle of Apries are finally recovered.

993.M41: A Praetorian vexillation participates in the Imperial counteroffensive in the Heckla Gulf, south of the Donorian sector. Several Chaos ships are caught in orbit over Heckla Tertius and its first moon, including the cruiser Calth's Agony. Once the ship is identified, Captain Quesada immediately redirects his forces to this priority target; all Aquilifers aboard board the black ship and massacre the crew until they reach the bridge. However, they find no one aboard, as Lord Abrauth Cent-Eyes is not there. The Praetorians evacuate the ship after triggering its self-destruction; Heckla Tertius is thoroughly searched for traces of the hated enemy, but in vain.

995.M41: Cyrice de Bavalm leads a Praetorian host to defend a moon in the Kallastine system against a raid of Tau raiders.

995.M42: The Praetorians join their forces with the Blood Drinkers in the crusade to reclaim the world of Mackan, site of a violent battle during the 7^th Black Crusade in M37, and subsequently fallen under the influence of the Necrons of Korakosep the Betrayed. The confrontation reaches its peak when the Imperial spearhead engages in the ruins of the Bactrorum hive. Korakosep is destroyed by the joint charge of the Blood Drinkers' knights and the siege engines of the Praetorians, and his legion is eradicated. Several black pylons are detonated, and the Necron crypts collapse permanently. Mackan is declared secure.

001.M42: Noctis Aeterna. The galaxy is split in two by the formation of the Great Rift. Cataclysmic Warp storms erupt, and many systems become isolated. The Indomitus Crusade departs from Terra.

002.M42: The Praetorians respond to the distress call from the Oscillia system, at the border of the Saractus sector, to the north of the Segmentum Pacificus. They find part of the corrupted Imperial Knights of House Nocturna on Oscillia IX, whose masters were present at the Battle of Nasho. The Reclusiam Master Cyrice de Bavalm teleports into the ruins of the Umbra Primus hive with an assault force comprising elements of the sixth, seventh, and first companies, but the gigantic walkers quickly encircle them. The Praetorians hold their position for a day and a night before the Reclusiam Master charges at the head of the Aquilifers to challenge the titan Astaroth in single combat; despite his bravery and the significant damage inflicted on the giant, he is struck down and severely wounded. The beginning of the Grey Stars War.

002.M42.2: With Cyrice de Bavalm between life and death, Captain Tagt takes over the local command of the Praetorians. A request for reinforcements is sent for Megiddo. Noticing that the corruption of the traitors has spread throughout the industrial world of Oscillia, preventive strikes are made on planetary defense infrastructures to disable them. A raid is carried out with a small force to recover the bodies and progenoid glands of fallen brothers from the Battle of Umbra Primus. Captain Tagt orders the approach and securing of three out of the four orbital stations orbiting the hive world.

002.M42.3: All contact is lost with the loyalist forces on Oscillia IX, exterminated by the hordes of traitor knights from House Nocturna. The Praetorians attempt to regroup surrounding Imperial forces but are engaged by a renegade fleet above Oscillia VIII. The industrial world of Oscillia Secundus gathers over 1.5 million troops devoted to Chaos, marked with the sinister sigil of House Nocturna, and revolts in turn. Mass sacrifices to the glory of Slaanesh are reported on Oscillia V and VIII, and part of the regiments of the Guard attempting to regroup on Oscillia Primus revolt. The local command of the Astra Militarum issues a request for assistance, which is immediately lost in the flood of distress calls coming from across the Segmentum. The loyalist forces eventually secure Oscillia Primus's two moons and establish a logistics base there. The Praetorians engage in battle once again on Oscillia Primus when the pirate fleet lands hundreds of thousands of cultists and a dozen mechanized regiments. A laborious positional war ensues, and several other mutinies by local units are reported throughout the system.

002.M42.4: The Praetorians commit almost all of their forces around the Oscillia system; with the exception of the 3^rd Company, held in the southern Segmentum, and part of the elements of the 1^st Company, led by Chapter Master Horrès into the Sabbat Worlds to defend the forge world Helios. An astropathic message is sent to warn them despite communication difficulties. The battle barges Condor and Calypso face and destroy two Lunar-class cruisers from the pirate fleet, disable a third, and scatter the other smaller ships. A sustained bombardment is carried out on Oscillia Tertius, but a full planetary assault is required to regain control of the planet's main hives, which have been completely overrun by corruption. An embryonic genestealer cult is discovered in two coastal hives; a thorough investigation is launched to determine whether there is a conscious link to the corruption of House Nocturna. Local cults proclaim their supremacy on almost all planets in the Oscillia system, advocating for the supremacy of the abominable amalgams of machines and living creatures created by the mad technomages of House Nocturna. While some are quickly suppressed, others spread without too much difficulty, rallying a majority of supporters among the civilian population and militias. New contingents of fighters are raised, further reinforcing the forces of the traitor house on the contested planets. The Astra Militarum and local PDF forces must undertake several months of siege warfare to contain the enemy's advance.

002.M42.5: The Praetorians and loyalist forces bombard and reclaim five planets after a year of campaigning. Heavy losses are inflicted on both sides, but the final confrontation is prepared on Oscillia IX, where House Nocturna, now at the head of a multitude of warriors, renegades, and monstrous creatures, is ready to face them. The loyalist fleet, led by the Condor and the Calypso, relentlessly bombards the rebel positions and destroys the primary orbital defenses. The colossal energy shields protecting the mega-hives Ikenna and Ozioma are, however, difficult to breach. The Praetorians secure a landing zone on the coastal plains of Gonarra, in front of the first heights of the Ikenna hive, and land their forces there. Astra Militarum units also conduct a landing and prepare their forces, gathering eighteen infantry regiments, four tank regiments, one of which is super-heavy, three cavalry regiments, and two siege artillery regiments.

Cyrice de Bavalm, still not recovered from the terrible wounds suffered at Umbra Primus, pleads to be integrated into the armored sarcophagus of a dreadnought to join the battle with the rest of the chapter; but no suitable hull is available, and the council of other captains refuses to lose such an experienced member of the chapter. At the twilight of the summer solstice, the chapter, almost complete, is addressed on the plains by Cyrice de Bavalm. The sermon is also broadcast to the forces of the Imperial Guard. An hour before sunset, the preliminary bombardment of the renegade positions begins, as the latter sound the war horns of the knights and titans of House Nocturna to answer the blood challenge.

The battle lasts nine days, during which a blind rampage of violence from both sides results in catastrophic losses on both sides. Eight regiments of the Guard are completely destroyed during the fighting, and all other Astra Militarum units suffer losses ranging from 45 to 85% of the forces engaged. Refusing to give up a single inch of ground, the Praetorians relentlessly fight day and night, despite the increasingly worrying losses mounting from the fourth day. Mountains of corpses and carcasses form on the plain, some reaching fifteen meters in height, and the final fights are all fought in hand-to-hand combat in the depths of the Ikenna hive, with ammunition running low.

The titan Astaroth charges at the head of his personal guard at dawn on the third day. He devastates the ranks of the Astra Militarum and obliterates the two Predator tanks of the 5^th Company before being engaged by the Baneblades of the 17^th Super-Heavy Tank Regiment of Setercio. Unaffected by damage, he destroys two more before retreating and charging again. He is eventually stunned by a direct hit from the Gladiator Lancer Agricola on the sixth day, then hit by three penetrating shells from the Leman Russ of the Guard, forcing him to retreat after losing most of his attendants and the control of his shields. He finally falls on the eighth day, his legs destroyed, and his commander, the renegade Bekzhan III of Yedilov, is killed by Brother-Sergeant Tetricus of the 7^th Squad of the 1^st Company.

Fighting persists for another 48 hours despite the death of the House Nocturna master.

002.M42.6: Victory is finally achieved on Oscillia IX, but at such a high cost that the chapter does not celebrate. The 2^nd, 4^th, and 8th companies lose half of their brothers during the Battle of Ikenna, killed or too wounded to recover. The 5^th and 6^th companies are nearly exterminated, the 7^th and 9th suffer losses of about two-thirds. Captains Quesada and Néro, masters of the 4^th and 7^th companies, are killed during the fighting, and more than half of the vehicles sent into battle by the chapter are destroyed or damaged beyond repair. When the Praetorians leave the Oscillia system, only 373 battle-brothers remain from the 851 mobilized for the campaign, with 45 too severely wounded to recover and needing to be placed in stasis until they can be integrated into the sarcophagus of a dreadnought. Finally, the standard of the 5^th company is lost, destroyed during the fighting.

The command of the Guard takes over the reduction of the last pockets of resistance, and the Administratum finally regains control of the entire system after the Pyrrhic victory of Ikenna. The Praetorians return to Megiddo, victorious but overwhelmed with grief. Captain Adrinan personally chisels the names of each of the hundreds of fallen battle-brothers on the Wall of Companions before covering his head with the ashes from the funeral pyre.

The Grey Stars War concludes, leaving the chapter with 511 living members, 466 of whom are fit for battle. The severed heads of Bekzhan and all his knights are hung on the prow and flanks of the Condor and Calypso, and the ranks of the 10th company are doubled on the order of Chapter Master Horrès to accelerate the replacement of losses.

005.M42: The Crusade fleet, Quintus of the Indomitus Crusade, makes contact with the Praetorians upon their arrival in the Megiddo system. 130 Primaris battle-brothers are inducted and knighted into the chapter, allowing them to cautiously replenish the chapter's recent catastrophic losses. The Praetorians receive from the crusade several modernized vehicles, equipment, resources, Tech-priests from Mars, and the necessary means to adapt the Primaris Space Marine creation process on Megiddo. Twenty-five Space Marines volunteer on the first day to cross the Rubicon Primaris; eighteen of them survive.

The chapter’s Apothecarion immediately begins working on adapting the chapter's recruit transformation processes to the Primaris standard.

010.M42: Captain Sertorius, the new commander of the 3^rd Company, gathers a crusade force on Megiddo to respond to the call of the Leviathan Crusade launched in the Bastior subsector of the Segmentum Pacificus. He swears on his blade to return victorious or not at all; 160 battle-brothers depart under his banner aboard the cruisers Gemina and Apollinaris.

010M42.3: The 3^rd Company of the Praetorians engages in its first battle on the hive world of Khravos, invaded by multiple swarms of the Scylla Hive Fleet. The Astartes land at the heart of the fusion reactor vents of Hive Bursa, where the bulk of the Tyranid organisms have begun creating their vile gestation pits. The xenos react swiftly and quickly overwhelm the intruders, but the Praetorians do not retreat until they have set the charges to trigger a catastrophic overload of the reactors. Two massive Tyranid Tyrants are slain during the battle.

010.M42.4: The Praetorian forces raid the graveworld of Graehl, in the Pyremoat system, to eliminate a commander of the raiders known blasphemously as "Kau'Ui Y'he Mont'yr". A fierce engagement lasting several hours takes place, with significant losses sustained before the targets are eliminated.

010.M42.6: The Crusading Praetorians intervene in the defense of the feudal world of Jovenghast, which is attacked in the wake of the Leviathan Crusade by pirates who have sworn allegiance to Chaos. The horde of raiders is led by a host of Chaos Knights from the Babylon House, infamous in the western Segmentum Pacificus for having ravaged several systems and caused millions of innocent casualties. Captain Sertorius deploys his host in the Singdosa plains and plants the sacred banner of the 3^rd Company, issuing a direct challenge to the two knights leading the raider host, Niiqarquusu the Butcher and Ishum the Accursed. The ensuing battle sees the Praetorians' positions quickly overwhelmed by the fire and masses of raiders, but the latter suffer heavy casualties and several black knights are knocked to the ground. Niiqarquusu the Butcher is struck down in a duel by Captain Sertorius, and the Praetorian veterans rip apart several other renegade knights of their guard. The Space Marines eventually retreat, taking the banner and their captain, wounded by Ishum the Accursed, the surviving knight of the duo, but the raiders are also forced to abandon Jovenghast following their losses and the arrival of a reinforcement squadron from the Imperial Navy.

010.M42.7: The Praetorians intervene urgently on Rophus Secundus, which is attacked by a tendril of the Leviathan Hive Fleet. The Astartes forces are urgently deployed on the plains before the immense Nasiyji Hive, which is being evacuated. The tide of claws and fangs stretches to the horizon, led by two bio-titans and a Tyranid Tyrant. Siege vehicles are deployed and blessed three times by Chaplain Cyrice of Bavalm before the battle. At the end of the battle, the Praetorians are forced to retreat lest they be overwhelmed by the ocean of enraged creatures; however, the time bought allows for the evacuation of the majority of the hive. Moreover, the first bio-titan is brought down by a Predator, while the Gladiator tank kills the second and also destroys the Tyranid Tyrant. The Tyranids remain masters of the ground but scatter around due to the lack of a pack leader.

011.M42: Agents operating in the Tibrion sector hear rumors of a Chaos Lord resembling Abrauth the Centi-Eyes, whom the Aquilifers have been tracking for sixty years. Captain Tagt leads a vexillation into the Genosie Gulf, where the Praetorians join elements of the Lamenters and the 412th Army Group of the Astra Militarum to defend Genosie IV from a heretical invasion.

The likelihood of Abrauth the Centi-Eyes’ presence is raised to 80% a few days later; before the battle of Hive Lorimeja, where he manifests at the head of a horde of renegades and monsters. The Praetorians immediately engage in combat alongside the Lamenters and the 27 surviving members of the Aquilifer brotherhood. During the furious battle that follows, four more brothers fall, and Captain Tagt is seriously wounded in his duel against a major Chaos Demon. However, Abrauth the Centi-Eyes is defeated in a duel and wounded several times; he owes his survival only to his last-minute teleportation escape. His bodyguard is exterminated, along with 16 members of the White Skulls, who were apparently still following him.

The Praetorians disengage and allow the Guard to finish operations against the now-disorganized Chaos hordes to continue the hunt. While the battle of Lorimeja sees many brothers avenged and Abrauth the Centi-Eyes humiliated, the Aquilifers' mission is not completed as long as he survives and the entire White Skulls chapter is not punished for its betrayal.

013.M42: Twenty months after the battle of Lorimeja, Abrauth the Centi-Eyes is again reported near the Genosie Gulf, where the space hulk Lorrin’s Hope has just appeared. Several Imperial escorts flee before the arrival of the Horned Poxbringer, Abrauth’s newly designated flagship, whose devotion to Nurgle has reached new heights. The vile, decaying ship boards Lorrin’s Hope and fills it with miasma. Warned, the Praetorians rush and board the space hulk while the Condor engages in battle. Abrauth the Centi-Eyes is encountered again as he desecrates the main cathedral of the Cann Harbor space station with his degenerate retinue of Terminators, attempting to exhume the treasures from the sealed Tech-crypts. The Praetorians engage in battle in the depths of the space hulk. The fight is merciless, and Chaplain Cyrice of Bavalm crosses blades with Abrauth the Centi-Eyes; but the latter once again escapes, mocking after he slays several Aquilifer Terminators. Fuming with rage, the Praetorians fight even harder, but Abrauth's bodyguard covers his retreat and Nurgle’s plague curses make pursuit impossible in the depths of the giant hulk.

Abrauth the Centi-Eyes manages to flee with his loot and bodyguard. The fight results in the death of five Aquilifer Terminators and seven veterans of the traitor White Skulls, now completely devoted to Chaos within the Nurgle cult. The Condor pounds the shields of the Horned Poxbringer, but the latter manages to disengage after retrieving his master and flees, covered by a swarm of bombers harassing the Condor.

013.M42.3: The Praetorians launch an orbital assault on Mandredria Five, an agri-world attacked since the appearance of the Cicatrix Maledictum by the horde of Garbrog "Eul’Fondu", who has gathered over 135,000 Orks under his command. Unable to repel the green tide, the weak local planetary defense forces have retreated into the main settlements, under constant fire from Ork cannons for several years. The Praetorian vexillation engages in combat at the center of the ruins of Surava, an abandoned hive now subjected to the systematic pillaging of xenos, bringing ever more spare parts to the warlord.

The warlord charges the Praetorians with a group of sixty Nobz in mega-armor and a massive Morkanaut the size of an Imperial Knight. The Astartes engage in battle; the Praetorian tanks bring down the vile idol before the battle-brothers encircle Garbrog and his guard. They are ruthlessly slaughtered.

After the victory, the surviving Orks quickly spread the news of the boss’s death, plunging them into an internecine struggle for power. The PDF resumes the battle and ultimately repels the Orks, allowing Mandredria Five to resume cereal exports throughout the eastern subsector.

014.M42: New reports allow the Aquilifers to track the White Skulls to the Sabbat worlds, to which most of them have fled after the Genosie Gulf retreat. The traitors launch a surprise attack on the industrial world of Verghast, seeking to seize supplies, slaves, and the contents of the Tech-crypts of this world, which supplies mineral ore to the neighboring forge world of Urdesh. The Praetorians launch the assault as soon as they arrive, but this time, the traitors are unable to flee, their ships trapped between planetary defenses, the local defense fleet, and the Condor battle barge. The Praetorian company engages in combat with the hated enemy, with Captain Tello personally leading the assault while brandishing the banner profaned by their betrayal on Nasho 73 years ago. The White Skulls attempt to disengage repeatedly by scattering, but their transports are pursued and destroyed one by one. Ultimately, they are ruthlessly massacred, with the last ones exterminated on the main avenue of Verghast’s largest industrial sector.

Captain Tello has the traitors’ heads hung on the sides of the ship and orders immediate re-embarkation of the forces. A message is sent to Megiddo; with this victory, the majority of the surviving White Skulls forces are now eradicated. However, Abrauth the Centi-Eyes remains elusive, with the last White Skulls still loyal to him. The hunt resumes.

014.M42.2: Despite extensive searches, Abrauth the Centi-Eyes remains unfound. The areas around the Genosie Gulf are under heightened surveillance and have not reported any ships of the Great Enemy, so Captain Marteus directs his forces into the gulf, suspecting that the vile Chaos Lord may be hiding somewhere, waiting for the searches to cease.

He begins to broadcast on most local Imperial communication channels that the Praetorians have mobilized all their forces to embark on a crusade against the Ork world of Van Thal, in the southwest of the Segmentum.

A few days later, an isolated research station on the asteroid arms of Semrost III Secundus reports the emergence of a Chaos battle barge from the massive surrounding gas clouds, confirming that the traitor has bitten the bait. The Condor, accompanied by the Lord Spiccanus and Zephrit cruisers, pursues the Horned Poxbringer, whose master begins ravaging Semrost III. The Reclusiam Master Cyrice of Bavalm demands the honor of personally leading the assault to punish the traitor. The Praetorians' orbital assault begins and strikes Abrauth the Centi-Eyes' noxious phalanx as he harvests the lives of the cordium mine inhabitants, barely defended by a weak local militia of frightened miners.

Invested with new powers and terrifying strength, the renegade reaps lives by the handful and covers the battlefield in a thick cloud of Nurgle plagues, as his minions begin an impious ritual in the heart of the caves, aiming to grant him the status of Demon Prince of Nurgle.

Several thousand unfortunate souls are drained of their blood when the Praetorians launch their attack under the joint command of Master-Archivist Sidon, Reclusiam Master Cyrice of Bavalm, and Captain Marteus of the 4^th Company. The Astartes catch the traitors off guard, giving the miners hope in extremis as they try to support their saviors, though they can only briefly distract the cohorts of pirates accompanying Abrauth's host.

Ignoring the foul sorceries cast against them, the Praetorians manage to cut down the traitors’ most powerful combat walkers one by one, then separate and isolate their warriors. The ritual is interrupted during the third hour of battle. In the final moments, Abrauth the Centi-Eyes, mad with rage, attempts a futile last charge but is ultimately felled by concentrated fire from several Astartes squads and battle tanks. His last followers are mercilessly exterminated before the night ends.

The story of the hunt for Abrauth begins as soon as the Praetorians are back in orbit.

Notable Campaigns :

5^th Black Crusade (723.M36)

6^th Black Crusade (901.M36)

7^th Black Crusade (811.M37)

8^th Black Crusade (999.M37

9^th Black Crusade (537.M38)

10^th Black Crusade (001.M39)

11^th Black Crusade (301.M39)

12^th Black Crusade (139-160.M41)

Second War for Armageddon (941.M41-943.M41)

Second Tyrannic War (992.M41)

Third Tyrannic War (997.M41)

Third War for Armageddon (998.M41 to Ongoing)

13^th Black Crusade (999.M41)

Ghost Stars Crusades (Unknown Date.M42) -

Sogdia Nebual Campaign (Unknown Date.M42) - Participated in the reconquest of three systems in the Sogdia Nebula.

The Thorn War (Unknown Date.M42) - Fought against the Tau Empire.

The Megara Uprising (Unknown Date.M42) - Participated in the suppression of the Megara Uprising.

Pacification of the Rizzao System - Segmentum Solar (Unknown Date.M42) -

Miranae Incident (Unknown Date.M42 - Word Bearer incident on Miranae.

Hunt for the Daemon prince Byphomon (Unknown Date) - Took part in the join-hunt against the vile Daemon Prince Byphomon alongside the Harbingers and Space Wolves Chapter.

Recapture of the Domitian (Unknown Date) - Participated in the recapture the Imperator-class Titan Domitian, seizing it upon the world of Genova Prime.

Rescue of the Explorator Fleet 602H (Unknown Date)

Boarding of Port Garcia (Unknown Date) - Took part in the boarding assault of the pirate station of Port Garcia, putting down renegade pirate factions.

Chapter Home World

Fortress Monastery

Meggido — Megiddo, Homeworld of the Praetorians

The Praetorians are the suzerains of Megiddo. It is a temperate world, colonized during the Age of Technology and nearly abandoned during the Age of Strife for reasons unknown. Rediscovered during the Great Crusade and repopulated—likely as early as the beginning of the 31^st millennium—it features a mild climate and is partially covered by forests. The planet produces and exports grain, rare woods, and fuel. Megiddo has a large civilian and commercial spaceport. The fortress-monastery of the Praetorians is located in the planet’s highest mountain ranges. Officially, they rule the planet, though in practice its administration is handled by a civilian government overseen by a council composed of the Chapter Master, the Chief Librarian, and the Forge Master.

Chapter Organisation

Officer Ranks

Specialist Ranks

Line Ranks

Specialist Units & Formations

The Guard of the Aquilifers

Within the chapter of the Praetorians, there exists a special brotherhood known as the Aquilifers. This group brings together battle-brothers who almost all come from the 1^st Company and are bound by a special oath to their chapter, which involves avenging an offense that has been committed against it. Since the founding of the chapter, this brotherhood has been formed and reformed on eleven separate occasions. Once the offense has been avenged, the brotherhood is dissolved, and the brothers who participated return to their conventional status as battle-brothers. Led by one of the chapter’s captains or by a temporary leader elected by the other Aquilifers, they have full discretion to mobilize their forces and pursue their vengeance, even if this quest could last for years.

The current brotherhood was formed at the end of 941.M41, following the border incidents in the Charon Sector. That year, the first signs of the Thirteenth Black Crusade of Abaddon were reported near the Eye of Terror. More than a dozen minor incursions by renegade or unidentified fleets were recorded, and the alerts were relayed to Cadia. While many officers in the high command of the Segmentum preferred to believe these were simply a series of raids commonly seen in this region of the galaxy, most of the Astartes chapters who were informed had the intuition that these incursions were the first signs that Abaddon would soon emerge from the Eye with his hordes of traitors and mutants. The Imperium had narrowly avoided catastrophe the last time such an event occurred in the 2^nd century of the current millennium during the Gothic War, and it was feared this could repeat if nothing was done to counter the advance of Chaos.

Ordering the mobilization of his operational companies, Chapter Master Drustan armed the battle barges and set course for the threatened systems, leading a force composed of squads from the 1^st Company and others from the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 6^th Companies. When the Astartes fleet intercepted a distress call from the Nasho system, they immediately set course for it. This system, consisting of two civilized worlds, was known to harbor a relic revered throughout the sector: a giant laser cannon known as the Eye of the Emperor. According to legend, its creator and craftsman was the Master of Mankind himself.

According to the myth (a myth actively perpetuated by the authorities of the Nasho System due to the annual influx of pilgrims it attracted), the Emperor had passed through this system during the Great Crusade and had built the cannon with his own hands as an offering to the people of Nasho, enabling them to repel the dangers that might emerge from the nearby Eye of Terror. The Eye of the Emperor thus symbolically opposed the Eye of Terror, and this enormous bronze and plastacier construction, powered by archeotech, was indeed capable of piercing even the most resilient shields of a battleship to destroy it.

But ten thousand years had passed since then. The Emperor was gone, and although it had been used several times, Nasho had since lost the knowledge necessary to activate and fire the massive cannon. This was likely not the case for the Imperium's enemies, however, as in the months leading up to the event, an unidentified vessel had repeatedly entered the Nasho system to broadcast ominous threats on the communication channels, announcing the arrival of Abrauth Cent-Eyes, "chosen of the dark powers," and that everyone should prepare "for an ignominious death at the hands of your decrepit master," after which the vessel would vanish without further action.

It wasn’t hard to deduce that the forces of Chaos had learned of the Eye of the Emperor’s existence and intended to use it to commit planetary genocide. Since the Twelfth Black Crusade, no one in this region of space had forgotten the horrible fate that befell the unfortunate inhabitants of Kharlos II at the hands of the Planet Killer weapon. Chapter Master Drustan decreed that he would never allow such a thing to happen again. Upon arriving in the system aboard the battle barge Constantine, he immediately went to Nasho Secundus to meet with the imperial governor. This civilized world had been living in fear ever since the ominous messages from the unidentified ship, and the Adeptus Arbites had their hands full suppressing panic movements. Though Nasho Secundus supplied troops to the Adeptus Administratum as every Imperial world did, it defended itself with only a few orbital missile batteries and defense lasers, as well as a planetary defense army, only a third of which was mechanized. A small pleasure flotilla and a few passing merchant cargos made up the system's only defensive fleet.

A rather poor defense, fortunately reinforced a few days later when two Gladius frigates from the White Skulls chapter appeared in the system and deployed a combat company led by Captain Arreth.

But barely had the two officers introduced themselves when a pirate fleet emerged in the system, consisting of corrupted escorts and a heretical cruiser covered in copper and bones.

Abrauth Cent-Eyes was there.

The time for strategic debates was over. Drustan ordered a rapid deployment of all available forces to the Eye of the Emperor, quickly joined by the White Skulls and five battalions of Planetary Defense Forces equipped to fight in the heavy gravity atmosphere of Nasho's moon. With the pirate fleet approaching at full speed towards their target, there was little time to bring more troops to the contested location, so Drustan ordered Constantine to hide in low orbit around Nasho Secundus with the rest of the meager fleet and to be ready to intervene at the right moment.

Within hours before nightfall, the Praetorians descended from the skies and deployed around the titanic cannon pointing into space. The techmarines were ordered to make the weapon work at any cost and to find a way to fire it. This highly sophisticated technology would have taken the Adepts of the Machine God months to understand, but time was a luxury they did not have. As the Devastator squads established firing positions in the buildings and support veterans adjusted their bolters with obsessive care, landing craft were already descending into the atmosphere, their holds filled with fanatics and pirates eager for the bloodshed to come. The White Skulls also took their place on the battle line in deep silence. When the battle erupted, the falling night was illuminated by the fire of hundreds of bolters mowing down the ranks of the attackers.

The pirate fleet landed a horde of thousands of cultists and pirates, armed with makeshift weapons and throwing themselves into the assault as soon as they emerged from their barges. Once the fighting began, other landing craft dropped monstrous creatures almost within firing range of the Space Marines—creatures that appeared to be the result of genetic cross breeding between arthropods and carnivorous reptiles, exhibiting a psychotic aggressiveness that drove them to frantically attack anything within their reach. Later, others attacked the Imperial lines, bearing armor plates that seemed to have been bolted onto their own hides.

In any case, these abominations represented a much greater threat than the miserable pirates who had made up the bulk of the horde until then, and they appeared immune to the Astartes’ weapons, forcing them to engage in close combat where their energy weapons and fusion charges allowed them to kill these horrors. As a precaution, Drustan ordered the Devastator squads to take down the enemy transporters approaching, hoping that the crash of these vessels would kill the monsters inside. But it was only a few minutes later that the leader of the enemy horde made his appearance.

Leading a fellowship of depraved berserkers wielding bronze hammers, bloodstained axes, and chainswords, Abrauth Cent-Eyes carved a path through the chaos towards the Praetorians. This foul being seemed to have been human once, for his face bore vague traces of simian features. He wore a corrupted power armor, eroded and threaded with cables oozing in places, with black and ochre robes riddled with bullet impacts and mold. His face was a grotesque assembly of forked tongues darting from a carnivorous mouth with sharpened teeth, and numerous wild and sickly eyes scattered across what served as his face. He carried a long energy halberd, resembling those wielded by the battle-brothers of the Ordo Malleus, and roared his orders to his followers.

As soon as he appeared on the battlefield, his followers redoubled their efforts to attack. The Praetorians and the White Skulls were already struggling to hold their positions and soon found themselves threatened even more by the tide of pirates and monstrous creatures. The meager forces of the Nasho guards did their best to hold their ground in front of the Astartes, but suffered heavy losses when a horde of armored creatures charged their positions to carry out their extermination.

Realizing that the battle had reached a pivotal moment, Chapter Master Drustan inquired about the progress of the techmarines still working inside the cannon. Unfortunately, they were unable to activate the ancient energy generators powering the cannon, nor the targeting systems. Despite their prayers and efforts to activate the screens, the weapon's operating algorithms remained impenetrable. Drustan then decided to decapitate the horde by killing Abrauth Cent-Eyes. He ordered Constantine to engage the pirate fleet, and gathered his most valorous men. Swearing the oath of justice, the veteran Praetorians moved towards Abrauth and challenged him. A death duel then began between the Praetorian honor guard and the depraved berserkers of Abrauth, while Drustan and Abrauth fought in a lethal one-on-one.

This is where the tide of battle turned.

It began with a radio message from Constantine, warning that Nasho's civilian flotilla was refusing to engage the pirate fleet, and that the White Skulls’ Gladius frigates were not responding to their calls. Constantine declared that they would engage the pirate ships alone, and the communication was cut off. Demanding answers from Captain Arreth of the White Skulls, who was defending the secondary generators with his men just a hundred meters away, Drustan received only a bolt through his right shoulder in response.

The Praetorians were betrayed.

On a silent command from their captain, the White Skulls turned their weapons against their brothers and joined those they had been gunning down just moments before. The entire White Skulls contingent set about killing the Praetorians, who were then attacked on two fronts and overwhelmed. The battle quickly turned into a massacre. Taking advantage of a devastating surprise effect, the White Skulls caused dozens of casualties among the Praetorians, who tried in vain to regroup and establish new positions inside the great cannon, which remained inert and impervious to the horrific betrayal unfolding at its feet. The pirate forces surged forward with renewed vigor, ever hungrier for blood. In space, the same treachery occurred when the two Gladius frigates opened fire without warning on the Constantine, already engaged with the enemy cruiser and escorts, causing catastrophic damage to the aft reactors and the command deck.

On the ground, the veterans surrounding Drustan did the impossible to protect their wounded master, but the confrontation was short-lived. White Skulls tactical marines surrounded them and unleashed a storm of bolts, in addition to the berserker guard that continued its havoc, while Abrauth Cent-Eyes's laughter echoed over the screams of the wounded and the clamor of battle.

Warned by radio of the betrayal their chapter was suffering, the techmarines still working inside the bowels of the cannon realized that all was lost. Regretfully, they placed fusion charges on the control consoles and the logic engines of the cannon, rendering it permanently out of service.

Six days after these events, the venerable Chaplain Cyrice of Bavalm, Master of the Faith, emerged with the remaining Praetorian fleet into the Nasho system, leading the chapter's reinforcements. The Astartes ships received no response when they tried to contact their brothers, so they hastened their course towards Nasho Secundus. In orbit, they found the stranded wreck of the Constantine, its launch decks torn away, its hull shredded by plasma volleys and torpedoes, and its plasma engines in ruins, surrounded by some wreckage of pirate escorts and debris. Sensing great misfortune, the Chaplain ordered an orbital assault with his men and discovered a death field scattered with the bodies of their brothers.

Amidst a sea of bloody pirate corpses and monstrous creatures, they found the remains of hundreds of their own, riddled with bolts and their armor pierced by claws and combat knives. It was only by inspecting the maintenance bunkers beneath the massive bronze cannon that they found thirty-five of their own, most of them wounded, out of ammunition, trying to treat their wounds. The survivors had gathered the remains of Drustan and had been mourning him since the end of the battle.

After the fighting ended, Abrauth Cent-Eyes's forces had found the damaged cannon due to the final act of the techmarines. Furious at not being able to capture the weapon intact, Abrauth then took out his rage on Nasho Secundus by launching a raid on the main hive, causing tens of thousands of deaths; after which he and the White Skulls fled into the Warp aboard their ships. With nearly three hundred casualties, the Battle of Nasho remains to this day the chapter's most severe defeat, which took over fifty years to replace the losses. The Master of the Faith Cyrice of Bavalm went mad with rage over the betrayal of the White Skulls that had caused the loss of the Praetorians and the death of Drustan.

They had even been doubly betrayed by the authorities of Nasho, who had not sent reinforcements to the Astartes and had failed at the last moment to assist the Constantine, which had faced the pirate fleet alone.

Such an offense could only be settled in blood. Cyrice ordered that the bodies of the fallen Praetorians be brought aboard the fleet’s ships to be repatriated to Megiddo, and the survivors brought to the apothecarion. After that, the Praetorians punished the cowardice of Nasho's leaders by boarding their civilian fleet to destroy it and bombing the palace.

Once restored, the thirty-five survivors of the battle took the oath of the Aquilifers and swore not to know rest until the Chapter Master Drustan and their fallen brothers were avenged. And for that, the White Skulls must die, and Abrauth Cent-Eyes as well. They adopted the black livery of the Aquilifers, and in memory of this battle, which was the bloodiest for their chapter, they painted their greaves purple, so that no one would forget the bloodbath these Astartes had survived. Refusing to falter before this grudge was avenged, all the Aquilifers expressed their wish to have their limbs replaced by bionic prosthetics if they were too gravely injured in combat, or to be integrated into the armored sarcophagus of a dreadnought if that was the only option left.

Praetorians Aquilifers Indomitus Termi — Brother Sertor, 1^st Company of the Praetorians, member of the Aquilifers.

Since then, the Aquilifers lead by example and relentlessly hunt those who betrayed them. They fight as one man and have long fought alongside the 4^th Company, engaged in the Eye of Terror. They pursued the White Skulls and the pirates who owed them a blood debt for decades, showing unwavering loyalty and courage, and punishing cowardice and betrayal harshly. To this day, the heretic cruiser Calth’s Agony, which serves as Abrauth Cent-Eyes's flagship, has been boarded and destroyed, but its owner was not found aboard; this suggests that his pursuit will still be long. The White Skulls have been spotted in various locations within the Eye of Terror and the Cadian sector since the beginning of the Thirteenth Black Crusade; they were engaged twice by the Aquilifers, but in these battles, only a small handful of these traitors were punished. The Aquilifers' vengeance is therefore likely to stretch over a long period yet, but it is a grave mistake to think that they will tire of it—such is the nature of their patience and their fury.

Order of Battle

Headquarters

The Ten Praetorian Companies

First Company: Captain Hannon

Hailing from a long line of Megiddosians, many of whom are proud to have Astartes among their ranks, Captain Hannon has had the privilege of carrying the holiest banners of the Praetorians into battle several times. His stubbornness and relentless determination to never retreat in the face of danger are legendary among the chapter's veterans. "Retreat" does not seem to be in his vocabulary, even in the most dire situations.

Second Company: Captain Demidius

According to his own claims, Demidius is a direct descendant of one of the first colonists of Megiddo. His family is said to have provided more than fifteen members to the chapter, and this ambitious Astartes has made it his mission to prove worthy of his illustrious ancestors by winning as many battle honors as possible, aiming to secure his place at the Emperor’s right hand. He has single-handedly won nine campaigns and over three hundred major battles. He claims he will not stop until there is no more room on his armor for new decorations.

Third Company: Captain Sertorius

Captain Sertorius is arguably the most popular of all the chapter’s captains. This is due to his habit of staying close to his men, encouraging initiative and supporting them whenever possible, often disregarding formal limits. He regularly praises victorious squads and never takes credit for victories; he always gives the glory to the hundred men he leads in battle. While some disapprove of his closeness to his soldiers, his authority is unquestionable, and his brothers would follow him to the farthest reaches of the Eye of Terror if he commanded it.

Fourth Company: Captain Marteus

Successor to Captain Nero, Captain Marteus leads the company that currently includes the highest number of Space Marines raised to the Primaris standard. Having been one of the first to attempt and pass the Rubicon Primaris himself, Marteus takes great care in teaching newly inducted Astartes the martial customs and practices of the Praetorians. To date, the results have been flawless, and even the most conservative members of the Praetorians must admit that this integration has been a success.

Fifth Company: Captain Tello

Captain Tello commands his company with an iron fist, exhibiting a courage that borders on recklessness. He charges into battle even when the situation appears hopeless, and to the best of anyone’s knowledge, he has never ordered a retreat during his long service. When the world of Medina was overwhelmed by Orks in 935M41, bombs fell in a relentless rain on the planet's port hives. When the wall of Hive Dahlma split in two under the impact of Ork cannons, Tello stood in the breach, swearing that he would rather die right there than retreat, ignoring the five Squiggoths charging directly at the hive. The Imperial Guard, who had been ready to flee at the sight of the endless horde of frenzied Orks, regained their courage and stood their ground. That day, Tello lost a leg and eight of his men, but earned Imperial laurels, for no Ork ever set foot on the soil of Dahlma.

Sixth Company: Captain Tagt

Captain Tagt’s reserve company is most often stationed on Megiddo or in the surrounding systems. Under his command, his men specialize in boarding enemy vessels. For this veteran captain, the true potential of the Adeptus Astartes is best realized in these boarding actions and the sabotage of enemy ships, which allow them to avoid ground confrontations that would inevitably favor the opponent due to their numerical superiority. Tagt proved the effectiveness of his tactics during the last Ork incursions into the Two Unicorns constellation, where his men simultaneously mined two enemy Space Hulks. Their destruction wiped out nearly nine hundred thousand Ork Boyz in minutes, thus preventing an invasion of the nearby worlds.

Seventh Company: Captain Maxad

Combining Intercessors and Tactical Marines in his company, Captain Maxad personally selects his lieutenants and places a special emphasis on training his men in both close combat and marksmanship, aiming to make them perfect duelists. His company is frequently requested for reinforcement units to support active companies, and Maxad ensures that his Marines are highly versatile.

Eighth Company: Captain Adrinan

Captain Adrinan’s company is composed of assault squads, in accordance with the Codex. During his training, Adrinan proved himself an excellent student, memorizing entire passages of the sacred work of Guilliman. Upon his elevation to captain, he took his role as the "Angel of Death" very seriously. When he assumed command, he personally led his squads into battle, equipping his men’s jump packs with modules that produced a deep, deafening sound when they descended from the sky to punish their enemies.

Ninth Company: Captain Cléon

The Devastators of Captain Cléon’s company are constantly training their marksmanship. These Marines rarely miss their target, as Cléon pushes them to practice shooting without their helmets, relying on their raw skill without targeting assistance. This daily training makes them the best shooters in the chapter, a reputation that Cléon carefully maintains and proves during each Affirmation Day, where they typically win the shooting contests. The captain also has all of his men’s weapons blessed before every battle, ensuring the Emperor guides their vengeful fire.

Tenth Company: Captain Kydio

Captain Kydio holds his role as a Marine in high esteem. Upon the death of his predecessor, he personally sought the honor of leading this critical company. Once a veteran of the First Company, this outspoken and action-oriented officer declared that he intended to "put some lead in the heads of these green recruits," with the firm intention of following through if they did not meet his expectations. Kydio never hesitates to push his men to their breaking point, forcing them to endure the most extreme conditions so that only the best become Space Marines. But when the Scouts reach their objectives, he is quick to reward and praise them. He ensures that his Scouts can accomplish everything an Astartes can do, even without their power armor.

Combat Doctrine

Experts in close-range combat and siege warfare favored by their gene-sire, the Praetorians unleash overwhelming firepower to relentlessly pound any enemy strongpoint before charging into the breach and sweeping away defenders in a storm of fire and steel. Disregarding danger and the slim odds of victory, they hurl themselves into battle with reckless abandon. Resilience and determination are their watchwords—even when it would serve them better to retreat tactically.

The Praetorians often force the enemy to fight on ground of their choosing by provoking a sally from besieged forces. Aware of their inevitable and often severe numerical inferiority, they rely heavily on information gathered by Scout squads to pinpoint where and when their focused assault will strike with maximum impact—shattering enemy lines, eliminating key threats, and creating shock and disarray. During the Gothic War, Imperial agents who fought alongside the Praetorians or witnessed their actions noted their particularly fierce hatred of Chaos. In line with Codex Astartes doctrines, the Praetorians favor decapitation strikes—seeking and destroying enemy leadership as a priority through highly localized but brutally efficient assaults.

On many occasions, the Praetorians have also identified the spearhead of an enemy offensive and chosen to strike it with full force, aiming to shatter the enemy’s best troops and cause devastating morale shock by destroying the tip of the enemy's blade. In defensive engagements, another frequently employed tactic is the formation of a triangle or square by Tactical and Devastator squads around the company’s banner—enticing the enemy to break itself against the unyielding wall of Astartes. For every fallen warrior, another takes his place, ensuring the line never falters. Assault and Terminator squads are then deployed to counter-attack and crush the enemy where their assault is most intense.

Chapter Culture and Beliefs

Worthy sons of the Imperial Fists—themselves once the 'Praetorians of Terra'—the Praetorians uphold a long tradition as unwavering guardians of the Imperium and protectors of Mankind. Each Praetorian swears an inviolable triple oath upon his induction on Megiddo: to the Emperor, to the Imperium, and to Humanity. The Chapter is wholly devoted to the Master of Mankind, his dream, and to the Human species, though its relationship with the Administratum has sometimes been distant or strained.

While the Chapter has never failed in its duty when Humanity was threatened, the Praetorians openly scorn the weakness and obscurantist zeal often displayed by the Inquisition and the Adeptus Ministorum—institutions which, in their eyes, have too frequently led the Imperium into civil war, blind fanaticism, and the senseless squandering of resources and lives. The most zealous Ecclesiarchs deem the Praetorians too pragmatic, lacking the blind devotion to the Imperial Cult shown by other sons of Dorn, such as the Black Templars. To this, the Praetorians reply that a Space Marine answers only to the Emperor, and not 'a bunch of sanctimonious zealots more hungry for power than duty'—words of Chapter Master Huginn at the Council of Demios, M37. This has naturally rekindled many a fiery debate over the unique status of the Adeptus Astartes within the Imperium.

However, matters have never escalated, as the Chapter delivers its progenoid tithe regularly, and the worlds under its protection pay their due in resources and recruits. Moreover, the Praetorians’ exemplary record speaks for itself—many inquisitors and particularly scheming archdeacons have refrained from taking action against the Chapter in the face of its endless list of glorious deeds against xenos, traitors, and heretics. Some whisper that the Praetorians’ excellent relations with the Imperial Fists and the Salamanders also serve to dissuade even the most dogmatic inquisitors from stirring up trouble. The other cornerstone of the Chapter’s identity is the pursuit of knowledge and the study of the past. Passionate historians and historiographers, the Praetorians have always shown great interest in the history of the Imperium and the domains of Mankind. This passion has brought them close to the Tome Keepers Chapter, with whom they share excellent relations.

The Praetorians maintain a vast trove of archives dating back to the pre-M32 Imperium—even the pre-Heresy era—bearing witness to a time when the Emperor was not yet deified, though already acknowledged as a being of immense power. Their scholarly pursuits culminated in M37 with the construction of the Basilica of the Infinite, a vast complex adjoining the Praetorians’ fortress-monastery. Carved into the highest peak of Megiddo, this majestic edifice rises more than five kilometers above sea level, made of millions of tons of marble and crystal. Its upper section includes a civilian and military astroport as well as several amphitheaters, used not only for rare full-Chapter gatherings, but also for symposia hosting civilian researchers, philosophers, bishops, biologists, historians, and various scholars. Deep within the mountain, powerful lifts descend into natural caverns that house one of the most precious treasures of any historian: a vast library stretching over several kilometers, with levels fading into darkness.

Mountain base by grimdar — Main basilica of the chapter

There lie assembled tomes as ancient as the mountain itself—books, compendiums, annals, and chronicles detailing the past and present of the Imperium; audio and video recordings; relics and age-old artifacts; and, more generally, archives on every conceivable subject.

Naturally, access to this historical treasure trove is heavily restricted. The Praetorians guard their secrets jealously—not only to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands, but above all to avoid the disturbances and upheaval that certain revelations might cause. Some mysteries are too dreadful—or too fantastical—to be known by all, and the Chapter keeps them sealed away until the day it becomes possible, or necessary, to reveal them. It is the Praetorians’ obsession with knowledge and history that led them to gather this immense mass of information, meticulously maintained by their devoted servitors.

Among all the topics passionately debated within the Chapter, none captivates the Praetorians more than the Emperor Himself. His life, his origins, his personality, and his true will for Humanity have all been the subject of particularly deep and methodical inquiry. Over the millennia, through numerous expeditions and research missions, the Praetorians have accumulated an astounding amount of information about the Unification Wars of Terra, the Great Crusade, the Horus Heresy, and the Golden Throne. They have preserved original transcripts of audiences and speeches delivered by the Emperor, which has granted them a more objective view of the Master of Mankind than almost any ecclesiarch or inquisitor.

Far from diminishing their reverence—as some Ministorum zealots might fear—this profound understanding has only renewed the Praetorians’ unwavering trust in the Emperor and his vision to guide Humanity through the darkest of times.

Furthermore, the Praetorians are well-versed in, and diligently preserve, the legend of the Sensei and the Illuminati, whose pursuit they regard as a sacred quest. It is even whispered that a Sensei resides within their fortress-monastery. Yet this claim has never been substantiated and remains pure speculation—likely to stay that way, given the catastrophic repercussions it would trigger should the Inquisition ever learn of it.

The Praetorians are firmly convinced that the duty of a Space Marine is not only to serve as the sword and shield of the Imperium, but also to be among its architects. The Imperium, to them, is a perpetual construction—a daily endeavor initiated by the Emperor, perpetuated through acts of creation and preservation in a galaxy otherwise ravaged by war and destruction.

In keeping with this philosophy, the Praetorians have occasionally taken part in the founding of new colonies or hive cities, the protection of expeditions seeking to terraform or recolonize worlds, or simply in prioritizing the safeguarding of human populations on their warfronts. It is not uncommon for battle-brothers stationed on Megiddo to study architecture, philosophy, or other disciplines that might aid them in fulfilling this vow, in hope of a day when Mankind might live in peace without the need for constant warfare. Of course, in practice, this tendency is difficult to reconcile with the demands of service—Astartes are warriors before they are builders. Military operations always take absolute precedence, especially in troubled times such as the Black Crusades or the Age of the Imperium Nihilus. Civil missions thus remain conditional, dependent on special circumstances that allow for their pursuit. In 441.M38, for instance, the Praetorians led a vexillation to protect a joint expedition by the Administratum and Mechanicus, tasked with establishing atmospheric refining stations on the world of Thedna II, located in the Octarius Sector. Previously devastated during a brutal Ork WAAAGH! and subjected to nuclear bombardment, the planet had been reclassified as a dead world by the Administratum. Thanks to the efforts of the Praetorians—who destroyed several dozen Ork pirate vessels in the area—the stations were able to operate at full capacity, and Thedna II was officially declared habitable once again by the end of the 39th millennium.

Customs and Holy Days

Praetorians observe two celebrations each year that are not part of the more traditional religious services that make up their daily lives as Astartes: The Day of Affirmation, where each brother fasts and meditates on the teachings of the most glorious ancestors of the Chapter, and The Festival of the Pleiades. Lasting five days, this festival coincides with the summer solstice and celebrates the passage of three comets and a large number of shooting stars across the sky of Megiddo, as the planet's elliptical orbit brings it into contact with a vast asteroid field. The Festival of the Pleiades is not limited to the Praetorians, as it is also a period of celebration for the people of Megiddo.

During these five days and nights, the passage of these celestial bodies is the occasion for numerous planetary festivities. Jubilees, processions, commemorations, feasts, and sports competitions follow one another in all the hives of the planet. It is also the time for important wrestling, fencing, racing, and shooting tournaments, highly sought after events in which the Praetorians present on Megiddo eagerly participate. These competitions, open to all, attract extraordinary enthusiasm each year, as the Chaplains, the Chapter Master, and some of his veterans attend these championships, which serve as an opportunity to identify potential future Scout Space Marines among the best athletes.

It goes without saying that the prospect of being chosen for the rigorous training of a Space Marine Scout creates tremendous excitement within the Megiddian population, as the prestige is immense for the family and loved ones of the one who will be selected to become a warrior of the stars.

Furthermore, the Festival of the Pleiades is the only occasion in the year when a Praetorian may mingle with the people of Megiddo. While no regulation obligates or forbids it, it is customary for the brothers with the best storytelling talents to visit the cities and villages of the planet. On public forums and town squares, they deliver sermons and recount for hours in front of crowds of citizens the glorious tales of the wars waged by the Chapter, the stories, myths, and legends learned in distant campaigns across the galaxy. Each Praetorian is then allowed to spend twenty-four hours with his people or family, provided that he still has one. Of course, this permission during the Festival of the Pleiades is only granted to the brothers who are present on Megiddo during this occasion.

Chapter Recruitment

The Praetorians recruit the majority of their battle-brothers from Megiddo. Not because they have a preference for this world, but the fact is that the number of native candidates is so vast that it is unnecessary to begin recruitment processes on other planets.

Although they only mingle with the population once a year, the Praetorians have maintained a close bond with the people of Megiddo, who hold them in both a benevolent and glorious light.

During the Festival of the Pleiades, the competitors in the trials and tournaments attended by members of the Praetorians are, on average, ten to fifteen times more numerous than in competitions they do not attend. These contests, open to all regardless of social origin, allow hope to all those who wish to try their luck, and long lines of hopefuls stretch out each year. For every Megiddian, entering the arena under the watchful eyes of a Praetorian and fighting to prove their worth is already a great honor in itself.

However, if the candidate is fortunate enough to be selected to begin the Scout training process, the glory falls on their entire family, and the prestige of the dynasties that have given one or more of their members to the Praetorians ensures their prosperity and renown for years to come.

This, however, is not the only way to become a Scout for the Megiddians. Another way to gain recognition is through a long and rigorous ritual that demonstrates one's faith, endurance, and courage. Those who wish to attempt this must first undertake a pilgrimage on foot to the Wall of Companions, deep in the mountains of Megiddo. This journey alone represents several months of difficult travel, passing through relatively dangerous regions for the lone traveler. Upon arrival at the Wall, under the great fortress of the Praetorians, the candidate begins their meditation with a symbolic offering to the heroes of the Praetorians—placing a candle in the small alcoves carved into the mountain rock, accompanied by solid food offered as a gift to the deceased Space Marine the candidate has chosen to honor.

Once this is done, they must prove their endurance by spending the entire winter in the mountains of Megiddo. The Wall is frequently visited by the Marines stationed in the fortress, and when one of them spots a candidate who has completed the pilgrimage, they inform them of the next steps to follow.

No contact with the outside world is allowed, and the individual must survive with only the contents of their pack, which must only contain basic items—no advanced technology is permitted. Moreover, throughout the winter, they must prove their worth by slaying at least one lycanthrope, a race of vaguely humanoid creatures that inhabit the lower lands of the Megiddo mountains. Normally placid and sluggish during the warm season, the lycanthropes transform into enraged beasts during the Megiddian winter, attacking any threat in order to survive and protect their offspring. This represents a huge challenge for those who have survived until now, as they are forced to fight a ferocious creature over two meters tall, with a thick pelt, driven into a frenzy by the cold.

When the fine weather returns, the candidate who has survived until now may present themselves before the great door of the fortress. A Chaplain of the Chapter then inspects the twenty or so men who, on average, have survived the trials and hardships up to this point. They converse with them, and they are allowed to enter the first circle of the fortress, where they will begin their training and physical and psychological evaluations.

It is, however, not uncommon for men from other worlds than Megiddo to join the ranks of the Praetorians. It is indeed common to see recruiting sergeants and Chaplains go on "prospecting" trips to planets within the Megiddo system and surrounding systems, traveling to find those worthy of becoming full-fledged Astartes. This quest can take months, rarely more than a year, and no particular place is spared. The recruiters visit all environments and areas, from the slums of hive cities to the towering spires of space stations, as well as prisoner camps and slave settlements—birthplace does not matter to the Praetorians. Regardless of the candidate's wealth, what they may have done good or ill in their short human life, becoming an Astartes means starting a new life. Only courage, valor, and the purity of heart count. It has happened, for instance, that a Chaplain or a Praetorian veteran has invited an Imperial Guard who displayed particular bravery to join the Tenth Company of the Chapter, right on the battlefield.

Once the subject's skills have been tested, a brief interview is conducted to assess their intellect, before they are taken aboard the ship that will bring them to their new home, Megiddo. There, they will be introduced to their new world, their adopted homeland, which will welcome their body upon their death.

Training:

The training of the Praetorian Scouts is very progressive. The men chosen to pass through the first gates of the great fortress remain in the first circle for the entire duration of their training. Lodged in tents, the new initiates begin by learning the secrets of hand-to-hand combat during the first ten months of their training. Instructors teach them every day of the year how to wrestle and engage in pugilism, making them fight against automatons in training cages, fierce beasts, or primitive gangers captured from the outside, or even their own comrades (in the latter case, the duels are, of course, not to the death).

Once ready, they are then trained in the use of melee weapons. Swords, axes, spears, bows, halberds, maces—all the warrior's tools pass through their hands until their practice and skill are deemed satisfactory by the instructors guiding them.

Next comes the training in firearms, including bolters, rifles, and handguns used by humans. During this training, the Scouts may receive advice from the Marines of the Ninth Company, who are known as the best marksmen in the Chapter. They teach the Scouts how to shoot on the move, aim at the weak points of human bodies and various known alien species, and use anti-tank rifles, missile launchers, and all kinds of weapons they will handle.

For the Praetorian Scouts, each day begins at five in the morning. From five until dawn, they go to the chapel in the first circle of the fortress, where they reflect on their future and pray to the Emperor to guide them through the Warp. The length of this prayer varies depending on the time of year, as the sun rises at different times across the seasons on Megiddo.

Once the sun has risen above the horizon, they quickly eat and train without interruption until 1 PM. Afterward, a Chaplain gives them a one-hour sermon before a theory lesson on a chosen subject, lasting until 5 PM. These lessons vary from day to day, and by the end of their training, the Scouts must have learned and absorbed each of these subjects: strategy, xenobiology, astronomy, mechanics, field tactics, heraldry, the history of the Chapter and Megiddo, significant episodes from wars waged by the Praetorians, and of course, the Codex Astartes, which forms the foundation.

The Scouts continue their training until sunset, after which they gather once more at the chapel. They are then allowed to eat and rest before another day of training.

Once this period of intensive training is complete, which can last over two years, the Scouts are taken by ship to Ocreroc, a small planet in the Megiddo system that has been left in a state of near-total anarchy. This world exhausted its natural resources of uranium and heavy metals millennia ago, and the Administratum abandoned it. It is now populated by only a few million barbarians living in primitive tribes, fighting for the remaining resources of Ocreroc amid the ruins of the five largest cities. The Scouts are abandoned there for three years with limited supplies. They must then rely on each other and fight together to survive on this devastated world, where each of them must accomplish a notable feat to earn their place as a Scout. Whether it involves slaying a particularly fierce mutant monster, challenging a fearsome barbarian chief, or helping the inhabitants of Ocreroc, each must distinguish themselves.

After three years, a ship arrives to pick up the Scouts, and they are then allowed to fight alongside the Praetorians. They receive their Scout's power armor and first bolter from the hands of the Chaplains. From this moment onward, the conditions of their training change, as it is rarely possible to predict in advance which campaign will be undertaken. The Scouts then fight alongside their elders, sometimes for years, redoubling their efforts to prove their worth and show the Astartes that they are capable of heroism and perseverance in their task.

The duration of this "field" training period may vary, but it usually lasts for a few years. Once deemed worthy of receiving their armor, the future Praetorian is brought back to Megiddo (or sometimes knighted on the battlefield in certain circumstances) and honored before the entire Chapter. This ceremony precedes a final night of vigil in the first circle chapel before receiving their armor and weapons from the Chapter Council.

Notable Members

Officers of the Chapter

Chapter Master Horrès: A taciturn figure, Horrès long resisted taking command of the First Company of the Praetorians until Boltian ascended to the title of Chapter Master. This Space Marine, with an imposing physique, made a name for himself across all the systems surrounding Megiddo. Horrès is a true colossus, even by Space Marine standards, so much so that his battle armor had to be specially modified to accommodate his massive body. Needless to say, his impressive stature has contributed to the legends surrounding him. Armed with a Thunder Hammer he calls Redeemer, Horrès roams the battlefields of the Segmentum Pacificus, crushing his enemies—literally—skillfully wielding the mighty weapon that only he can lift. His heroism, Herculean strength, and calm demeanor continue to inspire his battle brothers under his command. It is said that during the Second War for Armageddon, he strangled two massive Ork warbosses with his bare hands in the midst of the battle after his Thunder Hammer got stuck in a rock.

It was only after Anko Boltian's death on Apries III at the hands of a massive Keeper of Secrets that Horrès finally consented to accept the title of Chapter Master of the Praetorians, upon a unanimous decision from the Council of Captains.

Master of the Librarium Sidon: Sidon was first a Devastator before an incident revealed his innate psychic abilities: during an engagement in the Eye of Terror on Gudruno, he came face to face with a Chaos Sorcerer who unleashed his powers on what he thought was an easy target. Trapped, Sidon was about to have his mind shattered by the powers of the Immaterium when he unleashed a massive psychic discharge that obliterated his enemy in an instant. This unconscious reaction led to him being taken in by the Chaplains and the Librarium of the Chapter, who after a series of careful examinations ensured that he was free from corruption and endowed with impressive psychic faculties. He was appointed as a scribe, then as an epistolary, and although his position within the Chapter led him on a different path from the "simple" Marines, he never shied away from the enemy, often leading his brothers, terrorizing foes, and crushing enemy sorcerers with nothing but a glance. His extreme zeal, combative spirit, curiosity, and prodigious intelligence, as well as his long and loyal service, earned him the honor of receiving a Dreadnought Tactical Armor in 830M41.

Master of the Forge Rolland: Rolland is not from Megiddo. According to his own account, he was born on a massive space station orbiting an asteroid field in one of the nebulae of the Segmentum Tempestus. In his thirties, he boarded an Imperial vessel as a cabin boy, and after eight years of various adventures, he began his apprenticeship with the disciples of the Machine God on a forge world in the Eastern Fringe. Disillusioned with a life spent mainly in the recitation of litanies, he fled and enlisted in the Fleet before joining the Scouts of the Praetorians when a force from the Third Company came to the aid of his vessel, which had been boarded by Ork pirates. His training was relatively brief, and he was quickly taken under the wing of the Techmarines of the Chapter before being sent to Mars to further hone his knowledge. Upon his return, he spent some time with the Salamanders, learning their art of forging and their secrets of forgotten technology. Persistent, effective, and possessing an insatiable curiosity, he built his own artificer armor from his old power armor. When he lost his right leg and arm in combat, he replaced them with pure titanium bionics. As he rose through the ranks of the Chapter's Arsenal, he gained wisdom and renown. Now, he carefully oversees the vehicle park, never hesitating to personally repair particularly sacred tanks.

Chief Apothecary Salomon: This Marine has led the Chapter's Apothecarium since 925M41. Recruited from Megiddo, he possesses a particularly profound intelligence and demonstrated early on an innate talent for medicine and genetics. When not tending to the wounded, Apothecary Salomon often ventures into the equatorial jungles of Megiddo to collect blood samples, poisons, plant species, and animal specimens to provide raw materials for his research. He has developed several vaccines, which he has shared with the population of Megiddo. He also carefully guards the Chapter’s stock of genetic implants, though he reluctantly sends a portion to Adeptus Terra each year. Salomon has long worked with Master of the Forge Rolland on cybernetics. Currently, Salomon spends his free time focused on genetic studies. After recent skirmishes with Tyranid Hive Fleet elements, the Chief Apothecary is closely examining the metabolism of captured specimens, as well as their genetic structure. He works in close collaboration with prominent Imperial xenobiologists, hoping to defeat the Great Devourer with its own weapons by developing a compound that can stop the Tyranids' infernal ability to adapt genetically—or even sever the synaptic link that binds their forces.

Master of the Reclusiam Cyrice de Bavalm: As his name suggests, Cyrice hails from Bavalm, a Hive World located in the eastern Segmentum Pacificus, between the worlds of Sabbat and the border of Segmentum Tempestus. Bavalm is a cold world, where the temperature rarely rises above ten degrees in the summer and can fall below forty in the winter. The vast tundras have been covered for millennia by enormous oil fields, and the spires of the hive cities rise miles into the sky. Cyrice was fortunate to be born among one of the most noble families on the planet, the Astelan dynasty. Among the thirty-odd dynasties competing for supreme power on Bavalm, only the most powerful one governs the planet in the name of the Imperium. Cyrice was destined to become a cardinal due to his birthright, and his family’s fame ensured he would hold that position.

By the age of three, Cyrice was entrusted to a monastery where he began his religious education, learning the sacred scriptures and preparing for his future profession of faith. However, a few years later, Governor Ptolemy XIII died of old age, sparking a fierce competition for the throne of Bavalm. The largest dynasties on the planet each had their own candidate. Unfortunately, the Astelans fell victim to a plot orchestrated by a rival dynasty, which falsely accused them of high treason in a military material diversion scandal. One winter night, Arbites and excited militia forces attacked the Astelan estates, and while their castles and lands were burned by the mob, their wealth and factories were seized by the Arbites, who did nothing to prevent the public lynching of much of the family. Only seventeen members were spared, captured, and thrown into the dungeons after a mock trial. Despite his distance, Cyrice was also targeted, and a mob came to seize him in the convent where he had been staying.

The next twelve years were spent in misery in the slums of Bavalm Prime, where he was sent to a slave labor camp, eventually escaping after a violent rebellion, only to be recaptured and thrown into a dank, dark cell. It was after this incident that a veteran Space Marine came to his aid, speaking to him of the threats facing the galaxy and an order of warrior monks called the Astartes. Enthralled by his words, Cyrice agreed to follow him and left the planet with him.

In the years that followed, Cyrice proved to be a diligent student and a warrior as stubborn as he was talented. He was always the first on the field and the last to leave, preferring close combat. He studied the sacred texts of the Praetorians, memorizing much of the Codex Astartes and the biographies of the great saints venerated in the Imperium. Cyrice never lost his talent as an orator, and his faith in the Emperor burned brightly within him like a bonfire. Chaplain Céolin, who had decided on his integration into the Tenth Company of the Chapter, took him under his wing and initiated him into the ancient rites of the Praetorians. The Reclusiam became a second home for Cyrice, where he spent countless nights in meditation and prayer.

His deeds as a scout and Marine would fill dozens of pages over the decades that followed, but it was the campaign in the Gornemar system that solidified his role as a man of faith. During these battles, the fleet that had deployed its intervention force on Gornemar Secundus was forced to retreat when two Space Hulks, accompanied by a significant fleet of corrupted vessels, appeared in the system. However, Cyrice's contingent was already engaged with a warband of Thousand Sons, and evacuation quickly became impossible. Led by Chaplain Céolin and Captain Amedeo, they were forced to fight without support against the chaotic horde while in the sky, the battle raged between the Imperial fleet and the renegade vessels.

The powers of Chaos were almost tangible in the energy storm created by the psykers of the Thousand Sons, yet not once did Cyrice or any other Praetorian retreat before the enemy. One day, Chaplain Céolin was gravely wounded by a fusion gunshot to the chest. Feeling death coming, he entrusted his crozius to Cyrice, making him swear on the holy weapon that he would punish the traitors to the last. Cyrice saw this as a sign and accepted the ornate mace handed to him. He raised it high and delivered an impassioned speech to his fellow warriors. After four weeks of fighting, he managed to gradually defeat the impious sorcerers facing him in the ruined urban areas of Gornemar, even banishing several of Tzeentch's demons into the Warp. Chaplain Céolin was eventually saved by the Apothecary of the company and resumed his duties at the end of the campaign.

Extremely satisfied with the results of his teaching, Céolin made Cyrice his successor, and when he died in combat a few years later, Cyrice was officially ordained Chaplain in front of the entire Chapter, in the heart of the Reclusiam on Megiddo. As a sign of his devotion, Cyrice painted his armor in the jet-black of the Chaplains, using paint made from the ashes of the martyrs of Gornemar.

Since then, Cyrice has continued to preach across every world he has visited, even after his election as Master of the Reclusiam in 955M41. The sound of his voice is known throughout the Segmentum Pacificus, and his passion has converted millions of heretics through the sheer force of his words. His weathered face and long black hair are famous on Megiddo, where he personally leads the celebrations during the Affirmation festivals and the services within the fortress of the Praetorians.

Cyrice has led several crusades to reclaim sacred relics in the Segmentum Obscurus. Nineteen times, he had the privilege of fighting alongside the Black Templars, especially with Seneschal Hartger, with whom he forged a deep friendship. Each time the bell of the Chapter tolls through the mountains to announce the death of a battle brother, it is Cyrice himself who etches the name and the main deeds of arms onto the Wall of Companions, a vast wall several kilometers long carved into the rock on the mountainside, which runs beneath the Chapter's fortress.

Chapter Appearance

Chapter Colours

The Praetorians wear silver power armour with purple shoulder pauldron insets. The Aquila or Imperialis affixed to the plastron (chest guard) is gold in colour.

The white-coloured squad specialty symbol stencilled on the right shoulder pauldron inset (Fire Support, Close Support, Battleline, Veteran or Command) indicates a battle-brother's assigned combat role. A small white High Gothic numeral stencilled on the right shoulder pauldron inset indicates a battle-brother's assigned squad. A large white Roman numeral stencilled on the left poleyn (knee guard) indicates a battle-brother's assigned company.

For further ease of identification, the colour of the trim of both shoulder pauldrons also indicates company assignment. These colours are in accordance to the dictates of the Codex Astartes (1^st Company - White; 2^nd Company - Yellow; 3^rd - Red; 4^th Company - Green; etc.).

Chapter Badge

The Praetorians Chapter icon is a large stylised black-coloured Imperial Laurel centered within a white-coloured circlet. This ancient Space Marine honour is a potent symbol which indicates deeds of valour leading to great victory on behalf of the Imperium.

Chapter Fleet

Chapter Relics

Notable Quotes

By: Praetorians

"You who crawl from the depths of the Warp, you dared to defile the domain of the Emperor.
You who have trampled your oath of allegiance beneath your feet, you are forever banished from these lands.
Never shall your corruption taint these worlds—for today, your judgment is at hand."

— Radio broadcast transmitted across all communication frequencies by the battle barge Hephaestus, addressed to the renegade fleet of the Word Bearers in the Sidon System, 433.M37.

"Retreat? Did you say retreat ? General, you and your men have thirty seconds to return to your posts and prepare for the assault. If any one of you so much as dares to turn their back, I will shoot them like a dog—regardless of rank. You’ve been warned!"

— Chapter Master Casticos, 134.M40, in response to the Imperial Guard’s request to withdraw during the purges of Lahnia Bay.

"Drive back the xenos, cleanse the mutant, punish the traitor!
Our vigilance is eternal, and our watch unending.
To protect the Imperium, defend Humanity, and carry on the Emperor’s legacy—that is our sacred task.
It is for this purpose that we were created, when Mankind teetered on the brink of extinction and the galaxy cried out for heroes.
Never be deceived by the twisted temptations of Chaos—for in the Immaterium, there is only an eternity of torment, and damnation everlasting for the weak who fall prey to it.
Arm yourselves with faith, with purity, and with zeal—fight without respite!
We are their terror. We are their doom.
We are the heralds of the Emperor!
Now go—raise our banner high, bear it forth, and march upon the enemy.
Show them the fury of our wrath—and leave none alive !"

— Sermon of Chaplain Callius to the 2^nd Company, at the dawn of the Myonte Offensive, 410.M40.

About: Praetorians

Imperial Fists Successor Chapters (Last Wall)
2^nd Founding	Dawn Templars • Death Templars •
3^th Founding	Astral Paladins • Black Mastodons • Crimson Robes • Imperial Sentinels • Imperial Templars • Ironclad Templars • Phrygian Knights • Revealers • Stone Fists • Wardens of Annihilation •
4^th Founding	Argent Wardens • Bolts of Dorn • Fists Revenant • Gatekeepers • Gauntlets of Dorn • Host of Aiakides • Iron Myrmidons • Knights of Terra • Mortiferous Shades • Rebutors • Silver Shards • Sons of the Emperor • Teeth of the Storm • Tempest Knights • Void Vultures •
5^th Founding	Sentinels of Dorn • Steel Angels •
6^th Founding	Praetorian Revenants •
7^th Founding	Sons of Zeus •
8^th Founding	Ash Scorpions • Bears of Kalum • Crusaders Inexorable • Sable Lions • Thunder Guardians •
9^th Founding	•
10^th Founding	Lions of Babylon • Revenant Crusaders • Void Templars •
11^th Founding	Exalted Blades • Skull Takers •
12^th Founding	Blades of Dorn • Lyran Guard • Terra's Hammers •
13^th 'Dark' Founding	Dawnstar Templars •
14^th Founding	Tempest Absolvers • Templars Moline •
15^th Founding	Redemptors • Storm Fists •
16^th Founding	Praetorians •
17^th Founding	Blades of Resurgence •
18^th Founding	Faithful Shields •
19^th Founding	Knights of Sol •
20^th Founding	•
21^st 'Cursed' Founding	Abyss Gazers • Dune Stalkers • Frost Claws • Honour Mauls • Lords of Metal • Molten Fists • Shield Bearers • Thunderboot Grenadiers •
22^nd Founding	Dawn Stalkers •
23^rd 'Sentinel' Founding	Aegis Wardens • Angels of Desolation • † Astral Drakes • Brotherhood of the Sword • Ceaseless • Conquistadors • Doom Fists • Eternal Paladins • Iron Guard • Mammuts • Nemean Lions • Platinum Souls • Seraphim Vanguard • Storm Zealots • Subjugators Errant • Vigil Muris • Void Lions •
24^th Founding	Knights Adamant • Mordekaisers •
25^th 'Bastion' Founding	Blades of Inwit • Crimson Dragoons • Eternity Invictors • Shenandoah Knights • Storm Sentinels • Voidwardens •
26^th Founding	Gray Hussars • Knights of Thunder • Mourning Wardens • Stormbreakers •
Ultima Founding	Blood Fist Templars • Cadian Wall • Exactores Imperii • Hammers of Antaeus • Imperial Assaulters • Iron Arbiters • Maelstrom Fists • Paladins of Thunder • Shadow Wolves • Silver Fists • Solar Titans • Sons of Praetoria • Voidwardens • Storm Marchers • Wave Breakers •
Unknown Foundings	Bulls of Retribution • Celestial Stars • Consuls Exemplar • Crimson Shadows • Diamondbacks • Enlightened Sons • Eternal Slayers • Fatebinders of Tyr • Golden Lions • Holy Hospitallers • Honour Bound Blades • Imperial Wardens • Knights of Argent • Knights of the Fist • Masonic Marines • Northern Lions • Obsidian Fists • Prowlers • Rampant Lions • Retributors • Warborn Angels • Winged Fists •
Renegades	Crimson Spears • Knights Vigilant • Knights of Va'al • Praetorian Masters • Sons of Tyreme •

[Source]

Sixteenth Founding Space Marine Chapters
Dark Angels Successors	•
White Scars Successors	•
Space Wolves Successors	•
Imperial Fists Successors	Praetorians •
Blood Angels Successors	•
Iron Hands Successors	•
Ultramarines Successors	Azuri Astra •
Salamanders Successors	•
Raven Guard Successors	Templars of Mor •
Unknown Lineage	Stygian Krakens •

[Source]