Second Founding
The Second Founding is an event that features in Warhammer 40,000.
Contents |
History
The Horus Heresy was a time of strife, as the Imperium nearly tore itself apart in civil war. Large forces were corrupted by the powers of Chaos, including at least nine of the original twenty Space Marine Legions. The heresy was ended after the Emperor of Mankind slew the leader of the traitors, Warmaster Horus, though he was mortally wounded by the Warmaster in the process. Many weaknesses in the structure and organisation of the Imperium were exposed by these events. It was decided by the High Lords of Terra, twelve of the most powerful men in the Imperium, that mass reorganisation had to occur in order to prevent an event like the Horus Heresy from happening again. The task of reorganising the Imperium’s military might was undertaken by Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion. Almost singlehandedly, he codified the structure of the Imperial Guard (formerly known as the Imperial Army), the Imperial Navy, and the Space Marines. The Codex Astartes refers to the reorganisation of the Space Marine Legions, tens of thousands strong, into the more manageable and far less powerful thousand strong chapters, and laid down rules relating to the speed of genetic manipulation received by recruits. This document also laid down tactical doctrine, equipment specifications, and identification markings, and is regarded as a holy text by many Space Marines. However, some Chapters do not follow the Codex Astartes. These are referred to as Non-Codex Chapters. Some of the key differences, according to the Codex Astartes, is that each Space Marine Chapter will only receive gene-seeds from their own Chapter. This ensures that there is no cross-contamination and exaggerates any genetic differences between the various Chapters. The gene-seeds of Chaos's followers were not destroyed, but isolated. The Second Founding occurred seven years after the death of Horus. The existing Space Marine Legions were broken up, and reorganised into the Chapters; smaller, more flexible formations. One chapter was allowed to retain the original markings of the Legion, while the remainder, known as Successor Chapters, had to take on new names and heraldry. Most of the legions broke into less than five chapters, although the Ultramarines' huge numbers of Space Marines following the Horus Heresy allowed the creation of 23 Successor Chapters.
In some cases, the Chapter was created by the amalgamation of battle-brothers of a particular outlook. Such was the case when the Imperial Fists Legion was broken down into the Black Templars and the Crimson Fists Chapters. Many of the more zealous "old Legion" battle-brothers joined the Black Templars Chapter, while those more willing to follow the doctrines of Roboute Guilliman's Codex Astartes forming the basis of the Crimson Fists Chapter. As time marched on and these original Legionaries passed into memory, the Second Founding Chapters forged their own histories and traditions distinct from their Progenitors. Whatever path they took, however, the new Chapters remained rightly proud of their roots and even many thousands of Terran years after the Second Founding they are held as second only to the First Founding Chapters in the honour afforded to them. Many Second Founding Chapters retain close links with their Progenitor First Founding Chapter, and this is especially true amongst the successors of the Ultramarines, who are known as the Primogenitor Chapters, meaning 'first born'. On countless occasions, the Ultramarines' successors have stood side by side with their parent Chapter. While no strict or formalised superiority exists, they often look to the Ultramarines' Chapter Master Marneus Calgar as a unifying figurehead, following his lead and prosecuting his wars. Over the ten thousand years of the Imperium's history some Second Founding Chapters have clashed with their parent Chapter, striking out on their own for a myriad of reasons. The vast majority of the Second Founding Chapters were created from the ranks of the Ultramarines Legion, which had always been the largest and therefore capable of being divided in numerous Chapters. Other Legions were not large enough to be divided more than once, as was the case with the Space Wolves and their Successor Chapter, the ill-fated Wolf Brothers. The Second Founding occurred so long ago in the Imperium's troubled history that no reliable accounts of its details exist. Exactly how many Chapters were founded and from which Legions is unclear. One of the earliest known accounts is to be found within a version of the Codex Astartes known as the Apocrypha of Skaros, and this crumbling tome claims that the Ultramarines Legion sired twenty-three of their so-called Primogenitor Chapters, but famously omitted to list them all. Furthermore, no version of the codex lists a Second Founding as having been raised from the Salamanders Legion, though this does not mean that none ever were. It is possible that the Raptors, the Silver Skulls and other Chapters were also established during the Second Founding.
Overview
occurred seven standard years after the end of the devastating Horus Heresy, in the early 31st Millennium. The circumstances that necessitated this radical restructuring were rooted in the catastrophic betrayal of the Warmaster Horus, a conflict that saw half of the Space Marine Legions turn against the Emperor and nearly brought the Imperium to its knees. In the wake of this cataclysm, the loyalist Primarch Roboute Guilliman, who became the de facto leader of the Imperium, decreed the implementation of his great work, the Codex Astartes.
Each Codex Chapter divides its forces into ten Companies of a hundred Space Marines, based on specialisation and experience.
- The First Company consists of veteran Space Marines, with access to the best equipment the Chapter had to offer, including Land Raiders and Tactical Dreadnought armour.
- Second to Fifth Companies were considered to be the ‘battle companies’. These were experienced soldiers often deployed to the front lines, generally bearing the brunt of the fighting. These companies consisted of 6 Tactical, 2 *Assault, and 2 Devastator squads. Attack bikes and Land Speeders were available for use by the Assault-trained Marines.
- Sixth to Ninth Companies were the reserve companies. Sixth and Seventh Companies consist primarily of Tactical squads, while Eight was dedicated to assault, and Ninth to heavy support (Devastator squads).
The Tenth Company is the Scout company, in which new recruits must prove their worth before being inducted as full Space Marines.
Individuals
- Roboute Guilliman :
Notes
- The Second Founding was created by Games Workshop and featured in the setting of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Appearances
- Warhammer 40,000:
External Links
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