Honour Guard
- "That was for appearances. Do I look like I need a bodyguard?"
- --Corvus Corax, Primarch of the Raven Guard Legion
An Honour Guard is a Space Marine squad charged with guarding the Chapter Master or other Space Marine Chapter luminaries.
Generally speaking, someone who has risen to the rank of Chapter Master, Master of Sanctity, or Chief Librarian is an all around badass who can take most of what the galaxy can throw at him. And in Warhammer 40,000, that's a lot. Honour Guards are less about protecting said badass (though should he run into trouble, they will naturally help him) and more about acknowledging a Space Marine's battle prowess and rewarding him by making him part of the Chapter Master's retinue. That said, Honour Guards will be called to serve in active combat, so it's a good thing that they can fight.
Membership wise, the Honour Guard is overseen by the Captain of the Guard. Occasionally, the Captain will have a Guard Sergeant serve as his second in command, but often this post will be left vacant. The most senior members of the Honour Guard are the Chapter Ancient, who carries the Chapter Banner into battle, and the Chapter Champion, who is charged with protecting the Chapter Master.
Prior to the Horus Heresy, most of the Primarchs possessed an Honour Guard of some sort. Since Primarchs were the killing abilities of Chapter Masters ten-fold, this was really about rewarding the Marines prowess than anything else.
- Phoenix Guard: The Honour Guard of Fulgrim. They were Terminator Armour and carried ceremonial power halberds. Even when the Emperor's Children fell to Slaanesh they still served as Fulgrim's bodyguard.
- Iron Circle: The Honour Guard of Perturabo. Prior to the Horus Heresy Perturabo never used a bodyguard, but this changed when a Squad of Imperial Fists made it to his personal chambers during the Battle of Phall. Instead of using normal Marines, however, Perturabo used Crusader-class robots from the Legio Cybernetica.
- Keshig: The Honour Guard of Jaghatai Khan. Despite the White Scars emphasis on speed, the Keshig wore Terminator Armour. Ultimately, their role was to keep other opponents--and other White Scars--from getting involved when Jaghatai Khan was killing stuff.
- Wolf Guard: The Honour Guard of Leman Russ. When Russ left the Space Wolves, the only member of his Wolf Guard to be left behind was Bjorn. Even into the 41st millennium, Wolf Lords still use Wolf Guards to serve as their Honour Guards and senior sergeants.
- Templars: the Honour Guard of Rogal Dorn. They were the best swordsmen in the Imperial Fists Legion. Sigismund was their commander, as well as the First Captain.
- Atramentar: the First Company of the Night Lords and Honour Guard of Konrad Curze. After the death of First Captain Sevetar the Atramentar broke up into individual Honour Guards for commanders they preferred.
- Sanguinary Guard: the Honour Guard of Sanguinius. The interesting thing is that the Sanguinary Guard took their job very seriously. Sadly, they were all killed with Sanguinius during the trip to the Vengeful Spirit, except for their founder Azkaellon. Following the Second Founding all Blood Angels successor chapters would maintain a Sanguinary Guard.
- Morlocks: the Honour Guard of Ferrus Manus. They were all members of the Avernii-Clan Company, the First Company of the Iron Hands Legion. Most of them were killed at the Drop Site Massacre when Ferrus got his head cut off. By M41 Clan Avernii still exists as part of the Iron Hands Chapter.
- Devourers: the Honour Guard of Angron. However, Angron had nothing but contempt for the Devourers, feeling bodyguards were pointless. By the Horus Heresy they weren't even the best warriors in the World Eaters anymore.
- Invictus Guard: the Honour Guard of Roboute Guilliman.
- Deathshroud: the Honour Guard of Mortarion. They were Death Guard who were listed as killed in action and given Terminator Armour and Power Scythes to mimic Mortarion. Never more than 49 paces from Mortarion, they still serve as Mortarion's Honour Guard even with Mortarion as a Daemon Prince of Nurgle.
- Sekhmet: the Honour Guard of Magnus the Red. Even when they wore Terminator Armour, Magnus was still twice their size. They were so emotionless, calm and disciplined, that hardly any of them noticed any changes when they all turned into dust-robots.
- Justaerin: the de facto Honour Guard of Horus Lupercal. While the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus never had a formal Honour Guard, the Justaerin Terminator Squad was the premier squad of the First Company, and often served in this role.
- Gal Vorbak: the Honour Guard of Lorgar Aurelian. They were the first Possessed Marines of the Word Bearers.
- Pyre Guard: the Honour Guard of Vulkan. They were drawn from the elite of the Firedrakes and also served as his senior advisors.
- Shadow Wardens: the Honour Guard of Corvus Corax. Following the Drop Site Massacre Corax dispersed his Honour Guard back into the companies, who needed the manpower.
- Effrit Squad: the Honour Guard of Alpharius and Omegon. Since the Alpha Legion kept Omegon's status as twin brother of Alpharius a secret, Omegon was passed off as head of Effrit Squad.