2d4chan - User contributions [en]

Space Wolves

2022-03-12T03:24:32Z

2001:8003:1D0D:301:7C30:BA49:6478:984B: Can you two talk this out on the talk page?

{{Infobox Spess Mahreen Chapter
|Name = Space Wolves / Vlka Fenryka / Space Corgis
|Heraldry = [[File:Spacewolveslogo.png|200px]]
|Battle Cry = "For Russ and the All father!""Woof! Woof!" "Yiff Yiff Yiff!"|Number = VI
|Founding = [[First Founding]]
|Original Name = The Rout
|Successor Chapters = [[Blood Wolves]] [[Mooneaters]] [[Skyrar%27s Dark Wolves]] [[Wolf Brothers]] [[Wolfspear]]
|Chapter Master = [[Logan Grimnar]]
|Primarch = [[Leman Russ]]
|Homeworld = [[Fenris]]
|Specialty = CQC, shock assaults, infantry, encirclement tactics, being viking enthusiasts.
|Strength = 2-3000
|Allegiance = [[Imperium of Man]]
|Colours = Generally Bluish-Grey and Yellow. Red, Black and White used for specific Companies.
}}
{{topquote|Let a man never stir on his road a step without his weapons of war; for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise of a [[Wolfspear|spear]] on the way without.|Havamal}}
{{topquote|War is honest. There's no lying to it. You don't have to say sorry here. Don't have to hide. You cannot. If you die? So what? You die among friends. Among worthy foes. You die looking the Great Leveller in the eye. If you live? Well, lad that's living, isn't it?|Joe Abercrombie, Heroes}}
{{topquote|They can call themselves whatever they like. It's irrelevant. They are in the annals of Terra as the Sixth Legion, the Space Wolves. Did Guilliman rename his Legion the Macragge Marines? Would you have the sons of Sanguinius known as the Baal Angels? The Sixth Legion do not belong to Fenris, they belong to the Emperor| Custodian Vychellan taking issue with the Space Wolves / Wolves of Fenris / Vlyka Fenryka debate}}

The '''Space Wolves''' (also known as ''The Rout'' or the '''Vlka Fenryka''') is a [[Space Marine]] [[Chapter]] hailing from the icy [[Death World]] of '''Fenris''', who appreciate the value of a strong and consistent brand identity. They are known as noble, if savage warriors, who have little love for Imperial bureaucracy but will fight fiercely for its common citizens. The Marines of the Chapter are famed as experts in the art of close combat, much like the [[Blood Angels]], but unlike the sons of [[Sanguinius]] their fighting style is less that of a maddened, blood-crazed berserker, but that of a cunning pack of hunters running down their prey.

Thematically, the Chapter draws a lot of real-world inspiration from Nordic culture, ''especially'' the Viking sagas, particularly in terms of aesthetics as well as ferocity. That said, there's a bit of a disconnect between how the Wolves are portrayed in fiction compared to how they're presented as a tabletop army.

On one hand, we have a nuanced portrayal of a proud warrior tradition that just so happens to have the Wolf as its primary totem animal, among many other Fenrisian nature spirits they worship. On the other, we have an over-the-top army of wolf fetishists that precedes most of their equipment and vehicle names with "wolf", ride ''actual'' giant wolves into battle, and are like a drunken frat party outside of it.

==Origins==

Back during the [[Great Crusade]], the Space Wolves began as the VIth Legion, and was developed in conjunction the [[Salamanders]] and the [[Alpha Legion]]. Developed in isolation from the other two Legions, they proved to be a vicious and aggressive fighting force, but also almost impossible to keep in line by its officers. What's worse, they were indiscriminate in their slaughter, and even helpless civilians were not free from their wrath. Due to this brutal reputation, they soon became known as "the Rout", the Emprah's agents of fear and retribution.

===The Wolf King cometh===

The ice world of Fenris was found early on by the Crusade fleets, and the Emperor soon heard of the exploits of its so-called Wolf King, a man named Leman Russ. Raised in the wilderness by wolves, then adopted and educated by the jarl Thengir, Leman was a massive ox of a man of extraordinary strength, sharp cunning, and personal magnetism, and the Emprah was sure he was one of His lost sons. He descended onto the world in disguise, ingratiated Himself to the locals to gain access to the High King's feasting hall, and there he sought to test the Wolf King's mettle.

Depending on the version or edition, this led to the following: an eating contest, a drinking contest, and a brawl. Leman won the first two rounds, but was finally goaded into a fight when the Emprah insulted him, [[Imperial Truth|saying that he was nothing more than a glutton and a drunkard]]. What followed next was either a massive fight that wrecked the drinking hall, Beowulf versus Grendel style, or the Emprah laying out Leman with a single fabulously golden [[Power Fist]] to the forehead.

Regardless, when Leman finally came to, the Emprah revealed himself, and told him about his true origin as one of his [[Primarch]]s, as well as his role in the greater Crusade. What happened next, as they say, is history.

===From the Rout to the Wolves===

Leman Russ' rediscovery, and the integration of his own Fenrisian retinue, slowly remade the VIth Legion. Their ferocity was soon tempered with discipline and obedience, as the Fenrisian culture slowly spread through its ranks, and while they would still crush any traitor to the Emperor, they would at least have the good sense this time ''not'' to slaughter the innocents that just so happened to be in the area. It didn't happen overnight, but soon enough the Legion became less about punishing oathbreakers, and more on watching out for the little guy.

Oh, and if an offhand comment by Russ is to be believed, they had a hand in destroying the two so-called Lost Legions. Emperor's Executioners indeed.

Under Russ' leadership, the Wolves proved their worth to the fledgling Imperium by winning many victories and conquering many worlds, which brought them glory and even more notoriety. On one of their campaigns, they managed to recover a near-complete STC printout of a battle tank, and as a bit of thanks, the Martian adepts named it after the Legion's Primarch.

It was also during this period that the Wolves' rivalry with the [[Dark Angels]] began, a feud that ''still'' continues into the present day of the Imperium. While the specifics have been lost to myth and legend, the Dulan Campaign ended with Leman Russ and his brother, the mercurial [[Lion El'Jonson]], in a one-on-one duel. This culminated with Leman knocked out flat on his back, the Dark Angels leaving in a huff, and the Space Wolves similarly insulted by the Lion not being a good sport about everything.

===The Heresy Dawns===

The Space Wolves are infamous for their role in the burning of Prospero, the homeworld of the [[Thousand Sons]] Legion. Though they were initially ordered to bring in [[Magnus the Red]] alone for both going against the edicts of the Council of Nikea, as well as accidentally breaching the defenses of the Imperial Webway, their orders were changed by [[Horus]] (who they were unaware was already full-hog traitor at this point) to instead [[Burning_of_Prospero|burn the planet and its inhabitants to the ground]].

This blind adherence to orders, not helped by the fact that Leman ''wanted'' to confront his nerd of a brother for his shenanigans, was the final straw. Prospero was literally and figuratively put to the torch in the ensuing battles between the Legions, as well as Leman's [[Adeptus Custodes]] and [[Sisters of Silence]] babysitters. When Magnus finally joined the fray to save his sons, Leman met him in one-on-one combat, and while the Wolf King was badly mauled over the course of the duel, Magnus was broken and forced to flee with the surviving Thousand Sons.

In the end, Magnus was forced to throw his lot with [[Chaos]] in order to survive, and his Legion followed suit, joining Horus in his rebellion.

The battered Wolves were not allowed any respite however, as they were soon hounded by a massive [[Alpha Legion]] fleet, and forced to flee into the Alaxxes Nebula. [[Battle_of_the_Alaxxes_Nebula|While a breakout was eventually executed, the Space Wolves fleet eventually found itself cornered]]. As they prepared for a last stand, unexpected aid arrived in the form of a [[Dark Angels]] fleet. With the Alpha Legion driven off, Russ was left to ponder what to do next.

Eventually Russ and a small contingent of his men managed to find their way to Terra, while the rest of the Space Wolves fleet continued to harry the Traitors. He sponsored an expedition to Molech to see if Horus could be taken down, but this just resulted in getting dozens of [[Knights-Errant]] killed. Afterward, in a council with his brothers [[Rogal Dorn]], [[Sanguinius]], and [[Jaghatai Khan]], Leman decided to forego Dorn's plan in delaying the traitors at the '''Battle of Beta Garmon''', and instead returned to Fenris to try and divine a way to take away all those juicy [[Chaos]] boons that were supercharging [[Horus]].

===The Wolf King and the Luna Wolf===

In what amounted to be a spirit quest (where, among other things, Russ met a possible version of himself who stayed on Terra and never grew up on Fenris), Leman decided that he would confront his brother Horus one last time. For this task, he would need to use the Spear of Russ (yes THAT Spear of Russ, that [[Ragnar Blackmane]] would use many millennium later), a weapon that he ''absolutely hated'' (because it gave him the literal heebie-jeebies) and actually tried to get rid of multiple times, but which somehow always managed to return to him.

It turns out that the Spear was a massively powerful artifact invested with a fragment of the Emprah's power, with the ability to reveal the "truth" of whatever it pierces. Although the chance was slim, Leman hoped to use it to convince his brother to return to the Imperial fold and let their father heal him; if the Warmaster remained undaunted, Leman would then use the spear to slay the traitor for good.

Leman knew that it was a suicide mission, and indeed made it clear to his assembled [[Wolf Lord]]s that their participation was ''voluntary'', but none of them refused to join their Primarch. If their death was to come, then it would be together with their Battle-brothers.

===The Battle of Trisolian 4A===

The [[Forge World]] of Trisolian -- where a young and cheeky tech adept named [[Belisarius Cawl]] and his buddy were taking what amounted to their internships -- had just surrendered to Traitor forces, and was in the process of hosting the [[Vengeful Spirit]] and its escorts. Then all of the sudden, this absolutely ''massive'' fleet (made up of around fifty ships of the line from the various Traitor Legions) found itself under attack.

Taking advantage of the gravitational interactions of the Trisolian system's three stars, the Space Wolves fleet had snuck into the sector, and threw its vastly-outnumbered ships at the gathered armada. As the ships of the Rout tried to make as much as a ruckus as it could, Leman confronted the [[Vengeful Spirit]] with his own flagship, the '''Hrafnkel''', and as the latter's barrage collapsed the former's void shields, Leman personally led a massive assault unto his brother's flagship using everything he still had -- boarding torpedoes, assault boats, teleport deep-strikes, and even gunships.

As thousands of Space Wolves ran wild inside the Vengeful Spirit, Leman personally tracked down Horus in the heart of the corrupted ship, while down below Cawl managed to make sure his master met an "accident", and took control of the Mechanicus forces to aid the Space Wolves. The Wolf King eventually found the Warmaster, and was disgusted at what he beheld -- Horus was wallowing in Chaos corruption, and was half-mad as a result. When words didn't work, Russ attacked his brother, knowing too well he was outmatched.

Then the Spear managed to pierce Horus' side. The wound was not fatal, though it could have been, had Leman not hesitated, but it was enough -- the madness cleared from Horus' eyes, and for the first time in what seemed to be forever Horus' mind was clear. Despite this however, the Warmaster would not be swayed; he was in too deep to stop now, and of his own free will this time, still decided to continue the fight against the Emperor.

Horus continued his assault on Leman, and had mauled him gravely. Before he could finish him off with ''Worldbreaker'' however, one Space Wolf, followed by dozens, which were then followed by scores of marines, interposed themselves between the Warmaster and their Primarch. Horus cut them all down all the same, but their sacrifice bought Bjorn the time he needed to drag the injured Leman Russ to a [[Stormbird]], and then back to the ''Hrafnkel''.

With their Primarch secured, the Space Wolves fleet made a fighting retreat, but all seemed lost as the Vengeful Spirit and its cohort seemed to be catching up... Then one of its magazines exploded, crippling it enough to allow the Wolves to escape.

The Wolves would fight another day, but the price was too high. Of the Wolves that went into Trisolian, only one-fifth managed to make the escape. The VIth Legion effectively stopped being an effective fighting force from that point on, and had to be eventually rescued by the Primarch [[Corvus Corax]] and his [[Raven Guard]] after the fleet was cornered by [[Abaddon]]'s forces at Yarant.

The Wolves would sit out the remainder of the Heresy, and would be still trying to recover as the [[Siege of Terra]] came and went, and Horus had his fated showdown with the Emprah.

===The Fate of Leman Russ===

Of Leman Himself, you ask? Well he stuck around during the [[Great Scouring]], and while he groused about [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s reforms, he eventually caved in, and begrudgingly agreed to split apart the remains of his ravaged Legion into Chapters.

In theory anyway.

In ''practice'' however, due to the massively reduced numbers of the Rout, only one Chapter was ever created -- the ill-fated [[Wolf Brothers]]. The rest of the survivors remained Space Wolves, opting instead to stick with their semi-independent Great Companies, as one small snub to the stuck-up Roboute.

Barely a century after the end of the Scouring, Leman Russ just ups and vanishes from Imperial History. Legends state that after a great feast, He said unto his warriors:

<blockquote>"Listen closely Brothers, for my time is short. . There shall come a time far from now when our Chapter itself is dying, even as I am now dying, and our foes shall gather to destroy us. Then my children, I shall listen for your call in whatever realm of death holds me, and come I shall, no matter what the laws of life and death forbid. At the end I will be there. For the final battle. For the Wolftime."</blockquote>

And so, Leman departed, with his closest retinue... No, not you Bjorn... Some say he searches for a means to revive His God-Emperor.. But despite the efforts of the Great Hunt, Leman remains beyond the reach of Man... Who knows what great feats of Heroism he undertakes...oh right [[Kaldor Draigo]],

Oddly enough, it seems that [[Magnus the Red]], of all people, has an idea about his brother's fate, but he's not telling anyone, and is far too fond of slaying Leman's get to even care.

==Recent History==

===The Siege of Fenris===

Much like the rest of the Imperium, times had been rough for the Space Wolves by the [[Time of Ending|time the end of M41 rolled in]]. Magnus in particular still had a massive hateboner against the Sons of Russ, and finally put his long-prepared revenge plan into motion. The rebuilt [[Thousand Sons]], plus their [[Chaos]] Daemon and Traitor Legion allies, put the worlds of the Fenris system to the sword. Not even the Space Wolves homeworld was spared, and it took the combined effort of the Chapter and a [[Grey Knights]] Brotherhood led by [[Arvann Stern|Brother-Captain Stern]] to slow down the massive daemonic incursion that followed.

Then the [[Dark Angels]] arrived above Fenris with [[The Rock]], and leading an Imperial task force of ''fourteen'' assorted Space Marine Chapters, titans, knight houses, and Imperial Guard, intent on cleansing the system of Chaos filth. Unfortunately it quickly became apparent that the Sons of the Lion were duped by [[The Changeling]], who then proceeded to mass-summon Daemons into the Rock itself.

Things took a turn for the worse when Magnus himself arrived on Fenris, its spiritual nexus already under assault by Thousand Sons covens trying to corrupt them, and what was a hard but possibly winnable fight against a massive invading force turned into a desperate battle for survival. It says a lot that the Iron Priests had to awaken ''all'' of the Dreadnoughts of the Fang to fight alongside Bjorn, plus whatever Wulfren that could be found, and even then it wasn't enough. Magnus was far too powerful, and the Daemon Primarch swatted aside Dreadknights with ease, and even pulled down whole Imperial Battlecruisers from the upper atmosphere, just so he could detonate their cores and irradiate the skies above Asaheim.

Magnus would not have his victory however, as through Egil Ironwolf's sacrifice Logan Grimnar was able to wound the Daemon Primarch with strikes from ''both'' the Axe of Morkai and the recovered '''Spear of Russ'''. With his concentration broken, Magnus was then banished from the Fenris by [[Grey Knight]] [[Purifier]]s. With Magnus gone, the Thousand Sons and their daemonic allies quickly followed, but the damage had been done. The worlds of the Fenris system were almost all ravaged beyond recovery, and what's worse, due to their populations bearing witness to a massive daemonic incursion, their people had to be liquidated by the Inquisition. Unlike the aftermath of the First War of Armageddon, the Great Wolf didn't make a fuss, as the Chapter was too mauled and weary to oppose them.

===The Fall of Cadia and the Era Indomitus===

Despite the drubbing they experienced at the hands of Magnus, the Space Wolves were still able to send two Great Companies to Cadia's defense, and while that world eventually fell, they made a good accounting for themselves, with Sven Bloodhowl contributing to the demise of the Blackstone Fortress, while Orven Highfell fell in the defense of Kasr Kraf. As the [[Great Rift]] formed and the Imperium was torn in half, and the age seemed to become all the more desperate, the Wolves fought on, but when news of [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s revival reached the Fang, a small contingent of Wolves braved the long warp journey to [[Ultramar]] to confirm it.

During the opening years of the Indomnitus Crusade, Guilliman sent reinforcements for the Sons of Russ, in the form of several companies of [[Primaris Space Marines]]. Despite being comparatively weakened for the time and facing a rising Ork threat in their space, Logan Grimnar initially refused to take any assistance from Guilliman, even from Primaris Marines bearing Russ's geneseed, through a combination of pride, stubbornness, and refusal to bend to the so called "Legionbreaker". Guilliman, to his credit, was completely sincere about giving the Wolves Primaris tech without any ulterior motive save for the Wolves to keep doing what they were doing. The few Primaris permitted to come to Fenris were immediately treated as outsiders, because they weren't born on Fenris and hadn't undertaken the same trials as the others. After one Primaris marine managed to travel across continents back to the Fang - and after killing most of the wildlife he encountered along the way - the Wolves became more open to the Mars-born and gradually accepted them. This brought the Space Wolves Great Companies back to fighting shape, and while the Firstborn initially looked upon these newcomers with suspicion, once they had braved the initiation rituals of Fenris (or the adapted version on a chunk of spacehulk for the Mars-born Wolves), those who survived were fully welcomed into their brotherhoods.

Another thing that the Lord Commander brought was even more welcome -- thanks to Belisarius Cawl's efforts, the Space Wolves can now found their own Successors again, and immediately formed ''strong'' ties with the first of these Primaris Wolves -- the '''[[Wolfspear]]'''. While it hasn't ''quite'' gotten rid of the Curse of the [[Wulfen]] (you don't get it unless you really lose it, and its still better than falling to Chaos), but it was still better than the alternative.

==Organization==
[[File:Tyranid Attack.jpeg|350px|right|thumb|The wolves taking on a [[Tyranid]] horde.]]

The Space Wolves ignore the organizational restrictions recommended by the [[Codex Astartes]], and instead forms itself around the '''Great Companies'''. These are twelve semi-independent battle groups that are the rough equivalent of a Codex Battle Company, but are functionally much larger in size, with many featuring upwards of more than a hundred fifty battle-ready warriors on top of their support serfs and equipment.

Each Great Company gains much of its character thanks to their Wolf Lords preferences, as well as its tactical preferences -- see Egil Ironwolf's predilection for tanks and heavy artillery, or Ragnar Blackmane's hardon for massed planetary assaults. A long-serving Wolf Lord will definitely leave his mark on a Great Company, and it might take a while for it to reinvent itself under his Successor when he inevitably falls in battle.

Although no Great Company ranks above their fellows, all eventually must defer to the current Great Wolf's Great Company, as it holds both the his household as well as the Chapter's greatest warriors. When the Great Wolf Speaks, everyone must listen.

===Hierarchy===

The "classic" organization of the Space Wolves is partially based on experience, with the hot-blooded novices starting out with the Blood Claws, before they battle-hardened enough to become Grey Hunters, etc. There's also a bit of meritocracy here, as a Blood Claw who did a particularly heroic deed might "jump ranks" straight into the Wolf Guard/Thanedom (*coughs* '''Ragnar''' *coughs*). It's somewhat implied in some of the text regarding long fangs such as ''"Their former Packs, whittled down to but a handful of Veterans"'' that Blood claw squads are not reinforced and as the members gain experience they are promoted to Grey Hunter then to Long Fang as a unit.

The arrival of the Primaris has put a slight wrinkle into this however, but the Wolves are, if anything, adaptable.

*'''Great Wolf''': Also known as the ''High King'', he is the equivalent to the [[Chapter Master]] of other Chapters. The Great Wolf is also effectively the First Captain of the Space Wolves, commanding an elite Great Company that includes the members of the three Priesthoods and the Chapter's Dreadnoughts. [[Logan Grimnar]] serves as the current Great Wolf.
*'''[[Wolf Lord]]''': Also known as ''Jarls'', they are the equivalent of the [[Brother-Captain]]s of a company in Codex Chapters. Wolf Lords lead their Great Companies; likewise Great Companies owe a lot of their personality and tactical preferences to their Wolf Lords.
* '''[[Wolf Guard]]''': A cross between [[Veteran Squad|Veterans]] and [[Honour Guard]], Wolf Guards (''Thanes'') serve as the body guard of the Wolf Lord and leading packs in battle, serving as the Space Wolves version of a [[Brother-Sergeant]]. They also get [[Terminator]] armour. In ''Second Edition'' they also got to take any weapons they liked and could be built from stock parts with an Assault Cannon and Cyclone Missile Launcher. This led to many games being won as Assault Force Dickhead rampaged across the table murdering everything.
* '''[[Wolf Priest]]''': Combining the role of [[Apothecary]] and [[Chaplain]], the Wolf Priests do the standard roles of preaching and medical duties, but are also charged with recruiting Aspirants for their companies. Plus they have a secret role on the battlefield, trying to prevent their battle-brothers from turning into Wulfen.
* '''[[Iron Priest]]''': The Iron Priests serve the role of [[Techmarine]]s, overseeing the motorpool and equipment of the companies they belong to.
* '''[[Rune Priest]]''': Taking the role of [[Librarian]]s in Codex Chapters, Rune Priests are the [[psyker]]s of the Space Wolves. However, instead of seeing their powers as coming from the [[Warp]], they hold that their powers come from the world spirit of Fenris, and consult the runes in a means to divine the future. Trying to explain to the Rune Priests that they're drawing power from the Warp, and that they cannot "draw their powers from Fenris" while being half-Galaxy away from it will usually result in the non-Space Wolf getting a month's stay in the Apothecarion. The ultimate irony of this is that they are, in reality, Sorcerers, the very thing they denounced the Thousand Sons for being. Whether they are psykers or not. Besides, if Fenris has a world spirit, it is something akin to a Daemon World (or an eldar maiden world)...
* '''Wolf Scouts''': Each Great Company will have members who shun their pack brothers and are shunned in return, preferring the company of more somber individuals, Wolf Scouts serve to scout out enemy positions and terrain. As opposed to the regular codex, Wolf Scouts tend to be veterans of battle able to rein in their savage rage.
* '''Lone Wolf''': Space Wolves who are the last of their pack. The loss of their brethren drive them to seek a glorious death in combat at the hands of some form a fell enemy. Think of Dwarf Slayers only a few meters taller with power armour and weapons of doom and destruction. Often the only way out of the Lone Wolf lifestyle is managing to kill something that the individual shouldn't have survived killing and being elevated into the Wolf Guard. [[Wat|They sometimes take part in a small pack of Wolf Scouts, being lonely wolves in company of other lonely wolves]], [[DERP|which technically should defeat the purpose of the analogy]].
* '''[[Skyclaw]]s''': Skyclaws are the trouble makers among a Chapter of trouble makers, forced to wear Jump Packs. The Space Wolves view Jump Packs as an insult, reasoning that if the Emperor wanted them to fly, he would have given them wings.
* '''[[Thunderwolf Cavalry]]''': Space Wolves who function in a manner similar to a [[Bike Squad]], but instead of actual bikes, they use Thunderwolves, which can be the size of a small car, and biologically more akin to Terran rhinoceros than actual oversized wolves.
* '''[[Long Fang]]s''': Taking the role of [[Devastator Squad|Devastators]], Long Fangs are veterans who have grown long in the fang. No pun here - Space Wolves' teeth actually lengthen as they age, as an effect of a mutated Betcher's Gland.
* '''[[Grey Hunter]]s''': Having the role of [[Tactical Squad|Tactical Marines]], Grey Hunters are those Marines who have survived long enough as Blood Claws to quell the worst of their ferocity and blood lust (read: wear a helmet in battle). Their new found experience and control allows them to shoot and fight better than their younger brethren.
* '''[[Blood Claw]]s''': Neophyte Space Wolves who serve in the [[Assault Squad|Assault Marine]] roles of Codex Chapters. As mature as a buncha punks that just discovered a Metal band and think the life of a Marine is fucking Chaos’ shit up and killing stuff. Unsurprisingly, the survival rate among this guys is not that high. Something to point out, is that it [[Lukas the Trickster|is perfectly possible for a Blood Claw to stay on this rank for his entire life]] if you are not seen as someone to trust in a higher rank.

As of the new Codices, the Primaris Marines seem to have slotted seamlessly into this, though the Primaris neophytes don't start out as Blood Claws, and instead join the line as Intercessors, etc.

* '''Intercessors''': Space Wolves intercessors seem to have gained a rivalry with the Grey Hunters, as steadfast gunlines that can anchor a flank. This rivalry manifests in typical one-upsmanship via drinking and eating contests, and other feats of strength outside the battlefield, and kill counts during firefights.
* '''Inceptors''': The most impetuous of the Primaris, Inceptors are always aching for ways to prove themselves. Of those who arrived with the Indomitus Crusade, the Inceptors were the most eager to take the Trials of Morkai, and seemed to have fully bought into the boisterous Fenrisian customs.
* '''Aggressors''': The most bro of the Primaris Wolves, Aggressors are friendly and boisterous, to the point that they could be heard laughing heartily during combat. For all their loudness however they're not headstrong or impetuous -- far from it, as they make sure they're deployed to the places in the line where they can make the most impact.
* '''Reivers''': The opposite of the Aggressors, Reivers apparently make for poor drinking buddies, but more than make up for their effectiveness of their terror tactics. Its no surprise that they've become best buds with the Wolf Scouts, who they're often also partnered with in patrols.
** '''Hounds of Morkai:''' A unique cult of edgy reivers who envision themselves as standing by the gates of Morkai. These marines are specially trained to hunt down witches, focusing more on melee and adorned in runic totems that blunt the effect of psykers. They also have special vox-emitters made specifically to interfere with casting.
* '''Hellblasters''': Surprisingly fatalistic, Space Wolf Hellblasters believe that their sagas are tied with their plasma weaponry, and while they relish bringing ruin to the enemies of the All-Father, they also accept that, if they need to, they will go out in blazes of glory that will definitely put a fiery climax to their sagas.

=== Unique Assets ===

The Space Wolves have several bits of equipment that differentiate them from a "generic" Codex Chapter.

They have their own equivalent to power weapons, the so-called '''Frost''' weapons, the most famous is the '''Frost Axe'''. With their blades made from either diamonds or crystals native to Fenris, they shine like cold ice once their fields are active.

Speaking of native crystals, these are used for their '''Helfrost''' weaponry, which fire subzero blasts of cold that can freeze its target in place. These are either man-portable, or mounted on their many vehicles.

While the Chapter has its own complement of bike squads, they also have heavy cavalry in the form of the ferocious '''Thunderwolf Cavalry'''. These warriors form a close bond with these apex predators, who then allow themselves to be use as mounts.

Space Wolves heroes also are able to bring with them regular [[Fenrisian Wolf|wolves]] into battle, much like Leman Russ before them. These wolves are treated less like pets, and more like family and fellow warriors, and many Wolf Lords owe their lives to these faithful packs.

On the subject of Leman Russ; prior editions allowed the Space Wolves to use the heavy tank of the same name, their codex being the first sighting of the Leman Russ Exterminator but past 3ed edition this was quietly dropped.

Rather than the '''Stormraven'' and its variants, the Space Wolves rely on the '''Stormwolf''' to airlift battle-brothers to key locations, and the '''Stormclaw''' as a dedicated gunship. And yes, they're ''very'' wolfy in profile.

==Combat doctrine==
{{topquote|The best way to defeat a Space Wolf is to wolf his wolf. You must be careful, though, because if the Space Wolf wolfs your wolf first, then your wolf is wolfed.|Leman Russ himself ''On the Weaknesses of the Space Wolf Doctrine'' later Quoted by Wolf Rider Volk Wolfclaw, }}
{{topquote|A good way to get into a state of pure wolfness, would be that you shall wolf the wolf until the wolfing wolf wolfs. Then, when the wolf wolfs your wolfness, the wolves of the wild will wolf your wolf up. Wolf!|Attributed to Wolf Master Jonal Wolfhand, "The Call of the Nightblizzard''}}
{{topquote|Wolf wolf wolf wolf wolfity wolf. Wolf wolf, wolfo wolfy wolf wolf wolf. Wolf? Wolf!|Attributed to Wolf Lord Egil Ironwolf, ''On the Intricacies of Tactical Wolffare''}}

Jokes aside, Space Wolves doctrine normally builds their strategies around a "Pack" -- a group of unusually close battle-brothers that have very often been together since they were Blood Claws. While a Wolf Lord will generally set ''some'' broad strategies in a campaign, by and large he leaves the actual details and implementation to individual Pack Leaders. This... sort of works, as each pack's competitive nature eggs them on to one-up their buddies, but not so to the detriment of the campaign. This means that ''most'' of the time multiple packs will work together to accomplish a particular goal.

Space Wolves in general love a good scrap, and many will find that their "tactics" involve getting as close in as possible to their enemies and punching their lights out. Even the more sensible Long Fangs, who often roll their eyes at such youthful bravado, still indulge in the occasional brawl.

That said, all of this is still tempered by the Wolf Lord in charge of the Great Company. For example, Erik Morkai prefers stealth and very brutal ambushes, hence his preference for Wolf Scouts (and likely Reivers), while Engir Krakendoom likes going to war in all sorts of armored transports while escorted by Swiftclaw outriders.

== Criticism ==
As many on /tg/ will happily tell you, (and [[Magnus]] won’t stop [[RAGE|raging]] about) the Wolves are far from perfect. Where the [[Imperial Fists]] are inflexible and stubborn, the [[Dark Angels]] are unreliable and austere, and the [[Raven Guard]] are aloof and brooding, the Wolves are boisterous and arrogant. During the Heresy (and/or when Chris Wraight is writing them) they were incredibly brutal toward those they saw as oath-breakers, even if the oath-breaker in question was a fleeing, defenseless civilian.

The Ragnar Blackmane books further emphasize this and also portrayed the Chapter as willing to ignore the misdeeds of their heroes in spite of the importance they place on honor. This, combined with the Wolves hating the Thousand Sons for being psykers [[Rune Priest|while also using psykers]] led many to label the Wolves hypocrites, especially since the Space Wolves pick a fight with the Flesh Tearers for killing civilians in spite of their own troubled history in that regard.

Now, everyone including Wolves players admit that the Sons of Russ are entirely too short-sighted and prone to making enemies for their own good. During the Heresy, almost nobody liking them bit them in the ass at Alaxxes Nebula, but fast-forward to M41 and they're happily pissing off the Inquisition, Ecclesiarchy, Dark Angels, Ultramarines, etc. During Warzone Fenris, the galaxy at large is only too ready to write the Wolves off as heretics. Fans and detractors alike also note that it's [[Skub|arguable]] whether being so quick to make enemies and disobey orders to save civilians really saves more people in the long run, especially at Armageddon, where the Wolves' actions backfire badly.

== Civilians ==

Of all the inconsistently written aspects of the Chapter, this is by far the worst offender. Sometimes, the Space Wolves are written as brutal and merciless, giving zero fucks about collateral damage or civilian casualties. On the other hand, sometimes the Wolves [[Salamanders|put their lives on the line to protect the innocent.]] This can induce [[Rage]] in just about any fan, because some people get into the Space Wolves seeing them as heroes while others prefer their more savage, bloodthirsty tendencies.

The best fluff attempts to find a middle ground by presenting them as violent and pragmatic, but disciplined during the Heresy and increasingly heroic over time. By M41, the Wolves actively stop the Flesh Tearers from murdering Imperial civilians at Honour's End, disobey orders so they could protect the settlers at Thressiax, and play chicken with the Inquisition to save the people of Armageddon; this example is particularly notable, because the Wolves didn't just attempt to save the civilians from the Inquisition, for the first few months of the conflict they did so with passive resistance, defending civilian transports with the shields and hulls of their own ships, never firing back. This paints a picture of [[Awesome|a Chapter that actually becomes MOAR independent and heroic as the galaxy goes to shit around them.]] Or perhaps, they've remained the same and the galaxy has gone so grimdark that the Space Wolves now appear heroic in comparison.

Then Warzone Fenris happened. In it, the Wolves pretty much abandon their allies to focus on the Wulfen.

==Notable Members==
*[[Leman Russ]]: Primarch of the Space Wolves, Wolf King of Fenris, and Vikingest of the Viking Marines. Despite his tendency to be a pigheaded jackass, he was ultra-loyal to the Emperor and accepted his role without question, even when it involved things like [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Primarch#Two_Missing_Primarchs_.7C_The_Forgotten_.26_The_Purged disappearing another legion and primarch] or [[Rangdan Xenocides|purging entire worlds of mind-controlled humans]]. He and his legion didn't actually accomplish that much during the Heresy aside from fucking Prospero with no lube, though he almost managed to decorrupt Horus at Trisolian. Abruptly left Fenris for some reason in the aftermath of the Scouring and hasn't been seen since, though he promised his sons he would return for their final battle no matter what. May currently be pillaging his way through the Warp, searching for a means to resurrect the Emperor, or trying to find Magnus.
*[[Bjorn the Fell Handed]]: The oldest active loyalist Space Marine in the galaxy. He served at Russ' side throughout the Heresy and became the first Great Wolf of the chapter after Russ took off. Ultimately wound up interred in a Dreadnought and now alternates between napping in the Aett and yelling at [[Thousand Sons|those damn psykers]] and everyone else in the galaxy to get off his lawn.
*Hvarl Red-Blade: Jarl of either the 4th or 7th Grand Company [[Derp|because FW can't proofread for shit]]. Looks like Fat Bastard for some reason and was considered mildly insane by the rest of the legion, which is saying something.
*Ohthere Wyrdmake: Rune Priest who made friends with Ahriman only to screw him over at Nikaea by betraying his confidences as part of Russ' efforts to get the Librarius shut down. Ahriman tore his soul out during the fighting on Prospero.
*[[Logan Grimnar]]: Current Great Wolf of the chapter. Rides around in a wolf-drawn sleigh like grimdark Santa and is one of the most bro-tier Astartes in the Imperium, having squared up to the Inquisition and Grey Knights rather than let them purge a bunch of innocent civilians at Armageddon.
*[[Lukas the Trickster]]: Strong contender for the title of Galaxy's Best Troll. Has pulled off such feats of trolling as tricking a bunch of Word Bearers into landing on thin ice and drowning themselves, "accidentally" locking an Inquisitorial delegation in a grox pen, and fucking with Magnus himself during the Second Battle of Prospero. The Wolf Lords hate him because he's an irreverent dick, but Lukas couldn't give less of a shit about what they think of him. Is one of the few Space Marines known to have gotten laid. Has a stasis bomb wired into his chest where his second heart used to be (it got stolen by a Dark Eldar) so that whoever kills him will be frozen in time with his laughing face in front of them, forever.
*[[Ragnar Blackmane]]: Youngest Wolf Lord in the chapter's history. Has a long-running rivalry with Madox of the Thousand Sons and once hit Magnus right in the eye with the Spear of Russ. During the Psychic Awakening, he got into a fight with [[Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka|Ghazghkull]] that ended with Ragnar half-dead and Ghaz decapitated, but they both survived because [[Plot Armor|plot armor]]. Ragnar got Primaris'd up and is after Ghaz for a rematch.
*[[Ulrik the Slayer]]: High Priest and oldest Space Wolf in the chapter, not counting Dreadnoughts. Still talks to Logan Grimnar like he's a snotty kid and once killed three Khorne Berzerkers so hard that [[Angron]] himself saluted his sheer RAEG. Wears Leman Russ' helmet into battle.
*[[Arjac Rockfist]]: Wolf Guard who has a thunder hammer that teleports back into his hand whenever he throws it, making him the grimdark Thor to Lukas' Loki and Logan's Odin.
*[[Bran Redmaw]]: Wolf Lord/Wulfen who can somehow control his transformation to some degree. Tends to go off by himself in battle so he doesn't wolf out and accidentally kill his own dudes.
*[[Canis Wolfborn]]: He is a Wolf Guard whose first name means Dog and rides a giant wolf and leads a pack of [[Fenrisian Wolves]] that he commands by barking at them and was raised by wolves and probably has a wolf plushie that he cuddles at night. Basically Canis is what happens when the ''Wolf'' part of Space Wolves is taken to its logical extreme. Also at one point he had a BS of 2, [[FAIL|meaning that the average Ork could outshoot him]].
*Murderfang: Wulfen Dreadnought who has to be kept in stasis between battles because he's batshit crazy and has lost the ability to tell friend from foe.
*[[Svane Vulfbad]]: Former Wolf Lord who decided that the Imperium sucked and led his entire Great Company into Khorne worship. May or may not be dead; he got into a fight with Harald Deathwolf and right when Harald was about to kill him, a thunderbolt hit them and Svane disappeared, leaving behind a fragment of his frost axe lodged in the jaw of Harald's Thunderwolf. Only appeared in a single issue of White Dwarf and has never been mentioned again ever, which is kind of a shame.

==Daily rituals of a Space Wolf==

08:00 - Early Risers - Most of the Wolf Scouts and Reivers, having avoided the last rounds the previous evening, wake from their quarters. They give each other quiet nods of approval, before heading for the festhall for an early breakfast. 
08:30 - Morning Firing Drills -- The Wolf Scouts and Reivers take advantage of the otherwise unoccupied firing range to get their drills in. The Lone Wolves are appreciative of the Primaris Vanguard stealth training, while Primaris marvel at Lone Wolves sniper marksmanship. 
9:00 - Wilderness Training - Wolf Scout squads leave for their regular wilderness patrols, while Reivers try to stalk them. Most of the day will be filled with one trying to track down the other, or stalking a particularly worthwhile prey. 
13:00 - Wake Up with Hangover - The majority of Space Wolves battle-brothers awaken by this point. 
13:10 - Morning Piss - The Space Wolf empties the alcohol that has accumulated in his bladder(s) in the Sacred Alcohol Excretion Grounds. (Doing so anywhere else is hazardous as space wolf urine is capable of corroding ceramite) 
13:11 - Morning Fart - The Space Wolf empties his intestines. Pissing without farting is like going to a holy site without praying to the Emperor, which is heresy. 
13:20 - Morning Piss Ends - The Space Wolves have finally finished urinating. The surrounding landscape is scorched with a aura of menace resembling nurgle’s rot. 
13:30 - Ritual of the Hair of the Dog - The Space Wolf now cracks open his first cold one of the day. The first of many. Cheerios may be consumed as well. 
13:45 - Firing Drills - The Space Wolf consumes another liter of alcohol before going out back and shooting empty beer bottles with his bolter. This takes place far away from the Alcohol Excretion Grounds, after that one time Brother Brynjolf accidentally lit his own piss on fire. an entire company had to spend 6 months in the sickbay until their hair grew back and they were thus fit to be seen in public again. 
14:00 - Freeze your Balls - The Space Wolf sheds his armor and most of his clothing to wander around Asaheim for an hour. 
15:00 - Feeding of the Land Raiders - Space Wolf observes a feast with his brothers in honour of the chapter's revered battle machines. Blood Claws are still wandering around outside naked in the snow not grasping that the Long Fangs and Grey Hunters beelined for the chow hall as soon as the claws were out of sight. 
15:30 - Boozing of the Land Raiders - No feast is complete without metric fucktons of liquor. Fenrisian Ale, beer, and if available bylestim blend are poured and scrubbed all over the most honoured of the chapter's war machines. Many still have bullet holes, sometimes allowing beer to get into the exhaust ports and make for kickass explosions later. Blood Claws are still wandering around outside naked in the snow. 
16:00 - Wolf your Wolf - Grey Hunters and older Space Wolves take this time to play with their favourite 4-legged companions. Any Blood Claw who's showed up by now is made a Grey Hunter. 
16:30 - Save the Blood Claws - Blood Claws are brought in from the cold. Most are frozen blue or black - and hungry for more. 
17:00 - Evening feast - Eat. Drink. Start brawls. The usual non-warzone Space Wolf thing. 
18:00 - Try to wake up [[Bjorn the Fell Handed|Bjorn]]. 
18:10 - Give up, try to find something fun on the Vox Saga. 
19:00 - Night shitter break. 
20:00 - Night firing drills - Much to the Iron Priest's dismay, the Space Wolves practice writing their names in the snow with bolters. In runes. In the dark. 
21:00 - Ritual Intake of Narcotics and Purging of Testicles - bitches and blow. 
05:00 - Daily Rest - The Space Wolf passes out. 

==A Quick Word Out of Character==
The true reason for all this, is that, we at /tg/, in our pathetic, low-reaching mastery of comedy, have seen how idiotic it is that every goddamn Space Wolf codex unnecessarily uses the word "wolf" as a prefix or a suffix every 3rd sentence (similar to the [[Robin Cruddace|Tyranid codex]] shoe-horning the prefix ''bio-'' into every 3rd sentence). Since /tg/ is an easily angered monster, not unlike an [[Angry Marine]], we furiously attempt to link Space Wolves to furries (it's really fucking annoying), as we are as fucked up as [[Chaos Pretty Marines]].

It has been established in the ''[[Horus Heresy]]'' series that the VI Legion doesn't employ the word "wolf" as much as they appear to do. Wolves are readily apparent in their motifs, such as Leman Russ's titles as "Wolf-King" and "Great Wolf," as well as in the formal name of the Wolf Guard, but it's not as overblown as it's made out to be. Apparently, whoever did the Fenrisian-to-Gothic translation made a few errors. First off, they don't call themselves "the Space Wolves." When speaking formally, they refer to themselves as the ''Vlka Fenryka'', which we can look at a few ways. "Fenris" is easy, a reference to Fenrir from Norse mythology. "Vlka" has a couple options; if you walk it backwards through the Germanic ''Volk'' you get "Folk of Fenris". This supports a common theory on 1d4chan where a bunch of colonists landed on a planet, bred giant dogs from their great, great, grand-children (more on that in a minute) then thought, "You know what's better than planet Unicorn? Planet fucking Fenris". So the the ''Vlka Fenryka'' are literally the folk of Fenris. Alternately ''Vlka'' can be translated from Slavic to get the "Wolves of Fenris" again.

No matter what you conclude on, you get Dan Abnett using linguistics to reinforce his theme that the Space Wolves are misunderstood by the rest of the Imperium - calling the Space Wolves because of a mistranslated word. One could even argue they are actually called "Space People", would make sense since Ragnar referred to them as "Star warriors" in the William King novels and their Fenrisian ''Kaerl'' auxiliaries call them "sky warriors," but the lore from these novels has been left by the wayside so take that as you will. When speaking informally, they refer to themselves as "the Rout", solidifying their purpose as the Emperor's executioners (self-proclaimed)/snowflakes. Additionally, the post of "Wolf-Lord" is also a mistranslation, as they refer to their Company commanders as ''Jarl''. Finally, they don't call their fortress-monastery the Fang, but rather the ''Aett'', which can be literally translated as "clan home." There's also this in-universe [[meme]] "there are no wolves on Fenris." At all. This was started by one of the primarchs remarking that they should be called xenos, because they're natives of an alien planet, and it quickly morphed into a joke. As it turns out, this is literally true.

With regards to the [[Fenrisian Wolf|Fenrisian wolves]], the origin a little more freaky than expected: they're not wolves, but descendants of human-wolf mutants. Back when Fenris was first settled, the colonists had the ''Canis helix'' added to help them adapt to the harsh environment by adding wolf genes to their genetic-makeup. Unfortunately, it worked a little too well--the ''canix helix'' caused a number of settlers to degrade into wolfmen and wolfwomen. Following this, they bred and produced a new strain of wolf into the environment. So there are no ''wolves'' on Fenris. They're just the descendants of human mutants. Which might explain why, post-Heresy, only Fenrisians can become Space Wolves (assuming that's why the successor chapters couldn't handle Russ' gene seed).

So yes, naming the planet after the wolves means we really do just end up all the way back at Wolves of Wolves after all. Whelp.

Of course, that means that the Space Wolves are wearing pelts made of [[Fabius Bile|human skin]], but lets not dwell on that - after all it's fairly common in the Imperium to wear human skulls... WolfyWolfWolf {{BLAM|''' *BLAM*}}.

===The Wulfen issue aka "Fucking Furries"===
The blatant author favouritism annoys fans of the other chapters with "Dark Secrets". GW's treatment of the Wulfen makes it effortless for fans of other chapters to hurl [[Mary Sue]] accusations at them, unlike the [[Blood Angels]] and [[Dark Angels]]. The Wulfen are now out in the open; once they were exposed they get little (arguably no) punishment while the Inquisition and Grey Knights just "kept one eye open". The aforementioned chapters on the other hand have to keep their secrets from being found out by the Inquisition and the Imperium at large.

Despite the fact that Fallen Angels were paraded around on Terra, many would assume they were [[Ravenwing]] without their fancy bikes. While any claims of Dark Angels being the real traitors from the Fallen would have [[Guilliman]] retort back that they are full of shit (with more and longer words), as he knew exactly what The First was up to during the Horus Heresy with the exception the events that caused the destruction of Caliban. Of course, the Unforgiven would also be pissed if they found out if one of the predecessors of the Grey Knights killed a Dark Angel and were part of the reason their homeworld was destroyed and would demand censure.

The Blood Angels on the other hand have an infection similar to the Wulfen without mutating into some kind of half-human man-beast. The [[Red Thirst]]. The Blood Angels and their successors organize the afflicted into [[Death Company|Death Companies]] who are lead by their Chaplains into killing Xenos and foul traitors. If they somehow survive the mutated Blood Angels are {{BLAM}}ed.
Both chapters send their traitors/mutants into battle to be used as cannon fodder. A much more grimdark action that would be in character for Space Marines. [[White Scars|They wouldn't be the only]] [[Raven Guard|chapters to have done this either.]] Instead of treating mutants as fellow warriors.
Inserting noble bright into the setting where it doesn't belong. The same reasons that so many players also hated the Tau until GW retconned them into being more grimdark.

Making this all the more strange. In all likelihood [[Guilliman]] himself wouldn't see a problem with using mutated Space Marines as cannon fodder. Because he did so himself when he created the [[Moritat]]s after combat exercises with the [[Raven Guard]]. So chances are he would side with the other two former [[Imperium Secundus]] Legions. [[Ogryn|Due to not only favoritism but he and the rest of the Imperium at large would find it strange that the Space Wolves do not]].

If [[Guilliman]] ever found out about all three. He would most likely order [[The Fallen]] and [[Wulfen]] organized into [[Death Company|Death Companies]] style formations as well. Something that the Dark Angels are more or less doing already. This would just make it official. The Space Wolves would look like the bad guys if they objected, putting them in a tough spot.

=== Why people hate the Space Wolves, tldr version ===
One user on reddit summed it up with this. (fixed for grammar somewhat)

"The Space Wolves remind me of a 13 year old’s first D&D character: very cool, special, powerful barbarian hero who is morally flawless but doesn't listen to authority and always does the right thing but don't you dare cross them. They get away with shit because they're so special and the rules don't apply to them, guys. They got to wage war on the Inquisition with a slap on the wrist, while the Celestial Lions were slaughtered for merely questioning the morals of the Inquisition. [[Mary Sue|They get a free pass on mutation in a setting where that gets chapters purged.]] They drink and party while other chapters lose hundreds of brothers on meaningless, forgotten battlegrounds. They aren't even Vikings! The White Scars are Space Mongols. The Black Templars are Space Teutons. [[Ultramarines|There are Space Rome]]. [[Thousand Sons|Space Egypt]]. [[Raven Guard|Space Iroquois]]. But Vikings? No. They don't raid. They don't pillage. They don't terrorize. They don't explore, chart, map, and push boundaries. [[Mary Sue|They just fuck around, being special, unique perfect little dudes who don't suffer in GrimDarkness.]]

They exist in the wrong game."

So basically Space Wolves now have the same problem as the Tau did a few editions back.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Lightning2.jpg|'Tis only a matter of time until Steve Blum voices 'em. Apparently, this set somehow makes things you hit weigh less.
File:Warlord of Fenris by NachoMon.jpg|Totally not overcompensating...Yeah he's just <s>hiding a massive hardon with</s> supporting the skull with a massive hard-on.
File:Lemanruss39.jpg|Leman Russ. About to mercilessly fuck over the Thousand Sons.
File:Prospero.jpg|Is he carrying a wooden shield? Really? Against a bolt shell? It better be a Combat Shield.
[[File:http://l.wigflip.com/DucDpDtG/roflbot.jpg]]|Pretty cool guys to hang with.
File:SneakySpaceWolves.png|Good thing they brought the sneaking flag.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Bjorn the Fell Handed]]
*[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Space Wolves (9E)|Space Wolves Tactics]]
*[[Warriors of Chaos]] - With whom they get into bar brawls and drinking contests to see who is moar [[Viking]]
*[[Skyrar's Dark Wolves]] - Before calling your [[Dark Angels]] brothers [[Troll|traitors]] read [[Svane_Vulfbad|this]] first to understand [[Fallen_Angels|their]][[ rage]].
*[[Legion Consul]] - The old "Commissars" of the VI legion.
*[https://youtu.be/Bh_5ofa__pY/ Space Wolves theme song]

{{Marines-Official}}
{{Space Wolves}}
[[Category:Furry]]

Sanguinius

2022-03-11T15:33:16Z

2001:8003:1D0D:301:7C30:BA49:6478:984B: Undo revision 815303 by 86.181.204.247 (talk)

{{awesome}}
[[Image:SanguiniusArt5mt.jpg|thumb|400px|Papa Sang, as drawn by a [[Remembrancer]] during the Great Crusade. Looking ''100% FABULOUS''.]]
{{Topquote|A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.|Joseph Campbell}}
{{Topquote|Was there ever another Guardian so beloved by the people?|Paean to Saint-14, Destiny}}
{{Topquote|My good blade carves the casques of men, My tough lance thrusteth sure, My strength is as the strength of ten, Because my heart is pure.|Sir Galahad, Tennyson}}

'''Sanguinius''', '''The Great Angel''', '''The Brightest One''', '''Lord of Baal''', '''The Master of Hosts''', (also known as '''Papa Sang''', '''[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device|Fabulous Fucking Hawk-Boy]]''', '''Space Jesus''', '''Definitely Not Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant''', '''Primarch Fabulous''' to the people of /tg/), '''Sanguinius, Beloved by All''' was (and that 'was' is quite significant) the [[Primarch]] of the [[Blood Angels]] [[Chapter]] (formerly legion) of [[Space Marines]]. He was notable for the fuckhueg angel-like wings (not to be confused with the actual [[the Angel|Angel]]) that "mutated" out of his back during his childhood on his home planet, [[Baal]], as well as his heroic deeds during the [[Great Crusade]]. Unfortunately, Sanguinius was slain by [[Horus]] during his eponymous [[Horus Heresy|Heresy]], though it is widely believed that it was Sanguinius' weakening of the Arch-Traitor which made it possible for the [[Emperor]] to shut Horus's big, stupid, [[heresy]]-spewing mouth once and for all, and thus save mankind from the clutches of [[Chaos]].

[[FAIL|And for some reason the Black Library likes drawing him with silly hair rolls]]. Though at least his model accurately depicts his FABULOUS flowing hair, second only to the Emperor himself. Cry me a river [[Fulgrim]].

==Origins==
Like the rest of the Primarchs, Sanguinius was bio-engineered on [[Terra]] to serve as a general in the [[Emperor]]'s armies, and was stolen in his infancy and carried away across the galaxy by daemonic agents of [[Chaos]] in an attempt to foil the Emperor's efforts to unite humanity. Landing on [[Baal]], he was found by the Folk of the Blood, a local tribe who raised him to manhood. They were going to kill him for being a mutant, but when it became clear that Sanguinius was a badass warrior-prodigy the likes of which they'd never seen, they decided he was worth keeping. After all, Sanguinius was actually a pretty nice guy for [[Warhammer 40,000|40k]], and he was pretty handy at fighting off those other mutants that kept attacking them from Baal's radioactive deserts, which he could walk through without any protection. As such, Sanguinius quickly ascended as a leader among the tribes of Baal and drove back the hordes of mutants threatening their hold on the world, eventually attaining a near god-like status among the planet's denizens.

After the Emperor found Baal and bade Sanguinius to assume his rightful place among his armies, Sanguinius wept a single tear of joy because he's manly enough to be in touch with his feelings and bowed before the Emperor. (Of the [[canon|canonical]] Space Marines, his chapter is to this day one of the most batshit-loyal to the Emperor himself.) The greatest of Sanguinius' tribal warriors were extended the honor of joining the [[Space Marines|Adeptus Astartes]], and were thereafter implanted with the gene-seed drawn from Sanguinius' genome. These men became the first members of the ninth Space Marine legion to be founded, and the [[Blood Angels]] were born (not from Terra at least).

==The Great Crusade==
[[File:7d9a85e6e4a368bb435e943fc891a25b.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|Sanguinius (left) and Horus whooping some ass together before [[Erebus|SOMEBODY]] had to go and damn the Imperium to an eternity of [[Grimdark|war, cultural stagnation, paranoia and self destructive behaviour]].]]
Joining the [[Great Crusade]], Sanguinius became best buds with fellow Primarchs [[Horus]], [[Roboute Guilliman]], [[Magnus the Red]], [[Jaghatai Khan]] and [[Rogal Dorn]]. Ironically (and later, tragically), his friendship with Horus is said to have been closer than that of any of the other Primarchs. Which, this being Warhammer, went straight to hell when the [[Horus Heresy]] started. He was easily the most [[Pretty Marines|fabulous]] of all the Emperor's generals (SUCK IT [[Fulgrim|FULGRIM]]); he wore a glowing, ornate set of golden artificer armor adorned with huge rubies which represented Terra, Baal, and Baal's moons, and his magnificent white wings would spread behind him as he took to the skies of the battlefield. At the same time, he gave the impression that he'd be happy to cast off his finery, whereas Fulgrim would rather die. Basically, in Sanguinius' case, [[Games Workshop|Geedubs]] abandoned all pretense of being subtle about the whole "the Emperor is God, the primarchs are the archangels, and Horus is Lucifer" thing—like, to the point that Sanguinius became known simply as "The Angel" among the armies of mankind.

He did some pretty cool shit during the Crusade too, at one point taking on an entire blood-mad Eldar Craftworld with a third of his Legion. Admittedly it was a struggle - the Craftworld fielded Wraiths in large numbers - and had to deploy the Ordo Sinister psy-Titans after massive Eldar Wraith machines destroyed his Legio Fureans allies, but still, Sanguinius managed to tear the head off one of the walkers. Not a sparkly, feathery man to fuck with.

Though not first in favor among the Emprah's Primarchs (that position belonged to Horus, pre-heresy), [[Magnus the Red|or the biggest psychic powerhouse]], [[Roboute Guilliman|or the best at empire-building]], [[Lorgar|or even the one who looked most like Dad]], Sanguinius was said to have the best ''blend'' of the Big E's attributes (which, considering the fact that space marines are a toned-down version of their primarchs, may imply the Blood Angels are the most similar to the Emperor). While a lot of the Space Marine legions and their generals fought in the Great Crusade just for the sake of glory and a good battle, Sanguinius and his Blood Angels fought for what the Emperor himself did: [[Noblebright|a better galaxy, a peaceful galaxy, one where humanity would be united, happy, and prosperous]]. During the Crusade, the Blood Angels formed a friendly rivalry with the [[World Eaters]] legion (yet another relationship the Horus Heresy would royally buttfuck), because both were noted for being assault-oriented shock troops; however, while they were pretty evenly matched in their level of prowess, saddled with the Butcher's Nails, the World Eaters were straight-up lunatics in combat, whereas the Blood Angels' ferocity was channeled and refined when it needed to be by Sanguinius' wisdom.

Also, everyone loved the guy. Even at the depths of his heresy, even ''Horus'' wished Sanguinius was one of his generals. [[meme|And he was a good guy who doesn't afraid of anything]].

===Signus Prime and Ka'Bandha===
[[Image:Signusianclash.jpg|thumb|left|400px|''"[[Awesome|If you truly do hail from the realm that men once called hell, when you return there, tell your kindred it was Sanguinius who threw you back.]]"'' —Sanguinius, taking a small moment to deliver this line after decapitating a [[Keeper of Secrets]] and [[rip and tear|"relieving"]] [[Khorne]]'s mightiest servant of his wings, and just generally setting the stage for Ka'Bandha's future [[butthurt]].]]

At one point during the Great Crusade, Sanguinius and the Blood Angels were tasked by Warmaster Horus with reclaiming the Signus Cluster from a supposed [[xenos]] infestation and liberating the humans there from their oppressors. However, when they arrived, they found that the entire system had been consumed by the evil influence of the [[Chaos Gods]], and specifically a [[Keeper of Secrets]] calling itself Kyriss [[/d/|the Perverse]]. This was actually a trap set by Horus in an attempt to eliminate Sanguinius early on, because he feared him more than any of his other fellow Primarchs as he was nearly his equal in both combat and commanding. Also this was after Horus's corruption and Sanguinius was not aware of the Isstvan conflicts at the time. Long story short, the Blood Angels were stranded in-system, caught off guard, and lost a lot of Marines, ships, and crew, but eventually regrouped and conquered the armies of cultists and Chaos [[daemons]] in the Signus system. Kyriss even manifested on the bridge of the Red Tear, the Blood Angels flagship, from the frames of [[Khorne|eight]] servitors, to taunt Sanguinius. This was also Horus's first true defeat, as there was no benefit gained from the campaign.

But a greater threat soon emerged: [[Ka'bandha]], a powerful [[Bloodthirster]] and one of [[Khorne]]'s greatest servants. He attacked the Blood Angels while taunting Sanguinius in the middle of the battle and claimed that Horus had betrayed him. Refusing to believe this, Sanguinius attacked in [[rage]], and managed to stab his sword right into the daemon's chest and wound him severely. Ka'bandha, almost beaten, distracted the primarch with the truth of horus’s betrayal. Ka'bandha then lashed out with his whip, ensnaring Sanguinius' legs and crushing them. Then, leaving Sanguinius alive for [[Plot armor|some]] [[rage|reason]] (perhaps fearful Sanguinius really would become an angel if he died), then charged off to slay a few hundred Blood Angels. The Red Thirst, already a problem for the Blood Angels, was exacerbated by the psychic shockwaves of each of his sons dying, and Sanguinius vowed that he would take vengeance on Ka'bandha for this atrocity. In the Chaos temple at the centre of the battle, Sanguinius duelled Ka'Bandha again, ripping off a wing and then throwing him off a platform and back through a portal into the realm of Chaos. To top it off, Sanguinius then faced Kyriss and beheaded that sick fuck, promptly ending his rule and Chaos' hold on the system.

In a moment of hesitation, Sanguinius was tempted by the offer of becoming a Chaos Champion in exchange for curing the Red Thirst and Black Rage. Seeing this, Meros jumped straight into the portal, telling his Primarch not to give up hope, turning into the Daemon known as the Red Angel (Meros' geneseed would later be transplanted onto Arkos)

Inspired by his sacrifice Sanguinius was able to say no to the Daemons. This gave him the courage to resist the temptation of Chaos later on when Madai offered the same deal

===During the later Horus Heresy===
{{topquote|Blade with whom I have lived, blade with whom I now die, serve right and justice one last time, seek one last heart of evil, still one last life of pain. Cut well, old friend, and then farewell.|Sir Orin Neville Smythe}}

After Signus Prime, the majority of the Blood Angels found themselves on the wrong side of the Ruinstorm. Drawn to Macragge by the Pharos, Sanguinius learned that his brothers Guilliman and the Lion were trying to set the beginnings of a second Imperium. Sanguinius reluctantly accepted the premise, and was instated as the Emperor of the Imperium Secundus. Being Emperor didn't sit easily with him, and much of the day-to-day ruling was done by Guilliman and the Lion. After Curze paid him a nasty visit / scrying competition, the Angel demanded more oversight into the affairs of the new Empire. When Curze was finally captured, all three members of the Imperial Triumvirate realised that Terra had not yet fallen, but that Sanguinius would be doomed to die by Horus's hand.

The Angel had in truth already foreseen his death at the hands of Horus, and knew what it would mean for his sons. However, he accepted that his sacrifice was necessary to preserve his father's works in the long run and took solace in the fact that the Blood Angels would continue to follow in his footsteps even as they grappled with the Black Rage. Moreover, via the temptations of chaos he endured with his brothers in the Ruinstorm--he found that the false hope he had been given, namely that he ''could'' survive the end of the Horus Heresy and even triumph, but learned it would come with a terrible cost. He would gain power from Chaos and slay Horus and save his sons from the curse to come--as a [[Wat|Greater Daemon of Chaos Undivided]] made mention that Horus had become an imperfect vessel and that papa-Sang was to take his place as the Angel of Ruin. So in a nutshell it's The Last Temptation of Sanguinius, but with less Willem Dafoe. Naturally space vampire Jesus didn't take the daemon up on the offer and fought his way through a daemon throng until he pinned the daemon halfway through the materium and the warp. In his mind a last defiant act, choosing to neither be slain by Horus or choose chaos, but to die holding the daemon in between the rift to the warp so his Brother-Primarchs could Orbitally Bombard Davin into dust. Unfortunately through vision he realized that the Black Rage would be inevitable, as the proto-rage had filled him by that point, its origins being explained as the violent hatred and rage at the Betrayal of Horus against him and the Emprah, and the sheer pain of his death, existing in the past and future as it resonated through time--and the grief of the death he hadn't experienced yet. [[Doctor Who|Timey Wimey bullshit shenanigans]] aside, if the Jesus metaphors weren't strong enough, [[Sanguinor|Sanguinius' Herald]] stepped up to the plate and planted his sword in the Daemon's spine and held it there so Sanguinius wouldn't have to die there. And with that last act the flickers of hope that had died in Sanguinius rekindled and witnessed the miracle of a new Angel coming into being. The Herald was empowered by the warp, glowing a radiant gold with the outline of wings springing from his shoulders as he became in the Primarch's own words the "Son of my hope". Explaining the origins of one of the Blood Angel's specialest of snowflakes, making him a Draigo/Celestine-esque Daemon Prince of Sanguinius. That sound you're hearing is the noise of every Puritan Inquisitor's blood-vessels bursting in their eyes.

On a positive, because of the Triumvirate of Primarch's success on Davin the [[Warp Storm|Ruinstorm]] abated revealing a straight shot to Terra, on a negative, Horus had left a massive fleet to protect the way there [[Just As Planned|(how he knew that THAT place would be the way that opened for them is a bit of a mystery)]] and all tactical scenarios concluded that if they tried to engage them simultaneously they would only be mired down so that none of them could reach Terra. So the Primarchs decided to split up, taking a page out of the Codex of Brother Vincentius Lombardius, they would split the defense and rush the goal: Guilliman using the sheer bulk of his larger fleet to engage the traitors while the Lion fell back and attacked the traitor Legion's homeworlds, burning them with extreme prejudice, while the Blood Angels hung back long enough for Guilliman to break the bulk of the armada and the Lion to draw away and contend with the forces that splintered away as he burnt their homes, giving us a nice tidy bow of exactly where the hell the other primarchs were when shit happened. As Sanguinius corroborated his visions with Curze, he felt that he had come across a revelation - hence the need for his Legion to be the ones to reach Terra. He may have been fated to perish at the hands of Horus, but even if destiny was set, the consequence could be altered. He would fight and die, but his sacrifice would allow the Imperium to persist. He let Curze in on this, letting him in on the razor-thin hope of the future's mutability; he said he could take the Night Haunter to the Emperor, and that the Big-E could do something Konrad had never thought of exploring: he could forgive him. Just as a spark of hope entered his eyes, Sanguinius promised that he wouldn't allow that for Curze, that he would freeze Curze in stasis and jettison the pod, preserving him for millennia if necessary, and that Konrad Curze had no fucking chance of outrunning or changing his future death, [[Awesome|terrifying 40k batman so hard he'd probably be locked in an eternity of despair as he's frozen in stasis.]]

Good is not nice, indeed.

[[File:Horus vs The Emperor.jpg|thumbnail|right|500px|Unfortunately, this is the image most people know Sanguinius from. (He's the fabulous dead guy lying on the floor.) This also is the least fabulous image of him.]]

With the help of the [[Dark Angels]] and the [[Ultramarines]], the Blood Angels were able to make it back to [[Terra]] in the closing days of the Horus Heresy to defend it from the traitor legions and their daemonic allies. Sanguinius and his legion led the defense of the Imperial Palace itself when the forces of Chaos closed in around it, and the Primarch slew innumerable daemons, traitors and other assorted scum in the process. Fortunately for Sanguinius, Ka'Bandha also turned up during the battle, and the two went at it again rather majestically atop the Eternity Gate to the Emperor's throne room. Not to be beaten again, Sanguinius managed to [[Awesome|SNAP KA'BANDHA'S SPINE OVER HIS MOTHERFUCKING KNEE]] and hurled the bastard's corpse back into the throng of Chaos filth below, and the Blood Angels who had died by the Bloodthirster's hand were thus avenged in the most spectacularly badass of ways.

But this is Warhammer 40,000, and [[noblebright]] doesn't last very long against [[grimdark]], even when it's badass noblebright. Eventually, the Big E himself, along with Sanguinius, [[Rogal Dorn]], Rogal Dorn's mustache, and a contingent of their respective Marines, launched a last-ditch assault against Horus, teleporting aboard his [[Battle Barge|battle barge]] and taking the fight to the Warmaster himself. As fighting broke out across the capital ship, Sanguinius got sequestered from the rest of the assault party, and when he found Horus, he was alone. Horus, perhaps out of some small, lingering sense of brotherhood with Sanguinius, offered his former friend, for the final time, a chance to turn to Chaos. But Sanguinius said '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEhDjz0WAZs"NEVAH!"]''' and the two Primarchs proceeded to battle for the fate of mankind. Though Sanguinius was one of the most powerful of the Primarchs, he was wounded and wearied from the fight on Terra and already at a disadvantage, and Horus had been granted terrible power by the gods of Chaos to boot (terrible indeed, because he apparently wasn't as good at warp poker as the EMPRAH and batshit insane by then. He even called one of his sons Maloghurst at some point as recently revealed in "Saturnine". Horus therefore slew Sanguinius so hard that it psychically traumatized the Blood Angels for ages to come, and the [[Black Rage]] became the ([[Mephiston|almost]]) inescapable mental scourge it is on the chapter today.

==After Death==
[[Iskandar Khayon]] revealed an interesting fact about the [[Vengeful Spirit]], after letting himself be captured. Apparently, those who died aboard it had echoes of themselves bound to the ship, manifesting as crystal statues that let you experience a part of their death if you touched them.

Sanguinius's statue is the most talked-about in both Black Legion books. It seems to move around and regenerate somehow when no one notices. Khayon uses shards of Sanguinius's crystalline ghost along with shards of his sword to create Khayon's excellent force sword, which is probably equal to a master-crafted one if not even better. Doing this with a piece of Sanguinius’s couldn’t possibly end badly for a Chaos Sorcerer.

Interestingly this might mean Sanguinius could eventually be resurrected should the statue be captured. No statue of Horus exists on the Vengeful Spirit, so this might be the ghost of the Angel, trapped forever in his final moments. The fact that the Black Rage traps his sons in the exact same state may imply that the Rage is not the backlash of Sanguinius's death, but rather the echoes of his current statuesque existence.

Of course that would require [[Advancing the Storyline|ACTUAL PLOT,]] so it probably won't happen. It could ruin Girlyman's [[Yvraine|date night.]] This is also Khayon we're talking about, so it's also likely he's full of shit, as this phenomenon would've flooded every possible inch on the ship with crystallized corpses given how short the lifespans are for the Slaves working on it. (Because dying of natural causes in the [[Warp]] must happen all the time. Discounting possible Nurgle-entropy related stuff.)

During the Devastation of Baal, after being introed by the [[Sanguinor]], the spirit of Sanguinius appeared before [[Dante]] when the latter was in a near-death state after killing the [[Swarmlord]] and [[Awesome|proudly declared Dante his greatest son]]. After Dante expresses a desire to join his Primarch in death, Sanguinius sadly informs his long-suffering son that his duty has not yet ended, and uses his warp powers to heal and reinvigorate Dante, before he is painfully yanked back into the world of the living. Subsequently, in the time not long after [[Awesome|Dante's appointment as Regent of Imperium Nihilus by Guilliman]], [[Mephiston]] underwent the Rubicon Primaris, turning him into a [[Primaris Marine]]. During the procedure, he too was visited by Sanguinius in the spirit realm, which brought Mephiston to tears. Yes, you read that correctly; Mephiston, The Lord of Death him-motherfucking-self, literally (not figuratively) fell to his knees and began to weep when greeted by Sanguinius, and immediately addressed him as "my father". Just let that sink in. Interestingly, during his convalescence, in a conversation with Dante, Mephiston was able to recognize that Dante too had been visited by and conversed with their father. Though Mephiston expressed some uncertainty as to whether or not it had actually been Sanguinius whom they had spoken with, not wishing to be disappointed, Dante on the other hand knew better and was adamant.

==Legacy==
Although Sanguinius lost to Horus, it is widely believed that the Emperor would not have been able to destroy Horus afterwards were it not for the chink that Sanguinius put in Horus' armour. Second, it is also widely agreed that if Horus hadn't come to save his legion's ass that day on Terra, it would have been ground out of existence by Sanguinius and the Blood Angels. Lastly, it is also agreed that Sanguinius was tired after several days of fighting (he defied the likes of Ka'bandha and fucking ''Daemon primarch'' [[Angron]] on the battlements!), is already bleeding and wounded (as shown by Ruinstorm) and if he had been totally refreshed, Horus would have had a lot more than just a chink in his armour. However, in the Horus Heresy Collected Visions, it details the battle between the Emperor and Horus, and makes it clear that the main reason Big-E didn't kill him immediately is because he thought he might be able to save him… A sentiment that seems to be inching further and further to the fore as ''The Siege Of Terra'' series progresses, incidentally. Though it was a hope which was dashed as soon as The Emperor saw Sanguinius' body. However, in Visions of Heresy, Big-E still held back, even after seeing Sanguinius' body. It wasn't until the Emperor was mortally wounded on the floor that this changed. It says that as he's lying, waiting for the final blow, [[Ollanius Pius|a certain adamantium-balled Imperial Guardsman]] (exemplifying everything it means to be one) appears and rushes toward him, Horus contemptuously kills the Guardsman without barely an effort, laughing maniacally as he did so. It was this utter contempt for taking a life which FINALLY made the Emperor realise there was no saving his son.
[[File:Sanguinius by noldofinve-d4xpxx5-5157.jpg|thumbnail|right|400px|Look, if I HAD to bang a dude... just sayin'.]]
In short, if Horus is Lucifer and The Emprah is God, then Sanguinius is Jesus. Sanguinius died for your sins…just like Optimus Prime does on a daily basis.

Sanguinius also bears the rare distinction of being one of the few Primarchs (alongside [[Horus]], [[Ferrus Manus]], [[Leman Russ]], [[Perturabo]], and [[Roboute Guilliman]]) who were capable of lasting more than 3 seconds against [[Angron]], who had Sanguinius's strength, but was much quicker to go all-out. Furthermore, though we won't know for sure until the conclusion of the ''Siege Of Terra'' novels, consistently the concensus in the fluff seems to be that especially following Angron's "ascension" to a Daemon Prince of Khorne, only Horus or Sanguinius would be able to surpass and kill Angron (though The Lion and Leman Russ would also probably give him a run for his money). It should also be noted that, unlike his brothers, who each embodied one of the Emperor's traits ([[Roboute Guilliman]] was his strategy, [[Angron]] was his ferocity, etc.), Sanguinius was the embodiment of the Emperor as a whole. So, you could argue that the Blood Angels are the Astartes closest to the Emperor (suck it, Ward).

In the 41st millennium, Sanguinius is the Primarch most beloved by the [[Imperium]] for his [[Dreadnought|heroic sacrifice]] (despite what [[Matt Ward|he who shall not be named]] would say about [[Roboute Guilliman|our Spiritual Liege]]), and is a hero of the Imperial Cult. Across the Imperium a celebration called the Sanguinala is held in his honor, where adepts wear the iconography of the Blood Angels. A festival dedicated to [[Leman Russ]] would have been a better party, but would also have involved more property damage and alcohol-related deaths. Also, apparently, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBVxcGxRv_I Reclusiarch Grimaldus is not a huge fan of it].

The mysterious entity known as the [[Sanguinor]] is believed to be the incarnation of Sanguinius' better nature, or the first [[Sanguinary Guard]] Herald Azkaellon, miraculously preserved through time. Its actual origin, though, is far more mundane: when Sanguinius was named Emperor of [[Roboute Guilliman|Guilliman']]s [[Imperium Secundus]], he and Azkaellon invented the figure by sealing one of the Sanguinary Guard into his own armour, erasing his identity and allowing him to act as Sanguinius' public face and deal with petitioners, whilst Sanguinius himself could be elsewhere, you know...[[Get shit done|dealing with stuff]]. By the end of the Horus Heresy, Sanguinius' herald went through some kind of apotheosis on Davin while taking his Primarch's place in the opening of a warp portal, and Azkaellon would be the only member of the Sanguinary Guard to actually survive the Horus Heresy, so most people think the current incarnation is him. In modern 40k, outside of perhaps the Sanguinary Guard themselves, the only "living" people who know the truth of the Sanguinor's origin is [[Lion El'Jonson|the Lion]], but he's in no position to tell anyone, and [[Roboute Guilliman]], who cannot provide the origin of the Sanguinor without having to explain why the [[Heresy|"Emperor"]] needed a proxy. Since nobody else in the 42nd millennium is entirely certain of the truth, it's getting the [[Inquisition]]'s panties in a bunch. But whether or not the modern and original Sanguinor are the same person, something warpy had to happen since then, since the Sanguinor pops in and out of the immaterium, [[Legion of the Damned]] style.

It is a well-known fact that every female (human, xenos, and daemonette) in the the whole grimdark galaxy wants Sanguinius sexually, as well as most males, including <s>[[Khorne]]</s> '''{{Blam|WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT?!}}''' and [[Slaanesh]]. Many [[Sisters of Battle|Sororitas]] (and some [[Space Marines|Astartes]]) cry themselves to sleep at the knowledge that they won't ever be able to hold his beautiful golden mane as he slays their quivering love pudding with his mighty, throbbing, enormous power sword.

<s> A recent flub on Twitch TV has revealed that Sanguinius may actually not be dead after all, but rather in Stasis... God damn it GW!!</s> Actually they meant to say his model would be released for Horus Heresy along with the rest of the Primarchs who still don't have models.

Take note, this article contains a considerably smaller amount of the usual humor found on this wiki. That's just how revered Sanguinius is. People don't like joking about him.

As is the nature of the shifting turbulent cluster-fuckery that is Warhammer 40k lore, in a strange turn of events, Primarch Sanguinius is also the only <strike>Primarch</strike> <strike>Human</strike> ''being?'' that has garnered the respect of Szarekh, the Silent King of the [[Necrons]]. That's right, the King of ''a 60-million-year-old race, of space zombie-robot Egyptians that hates all life and views all other civilizations as inferior beings to be completely wiped out and almost harvested the entire galaxy'' [[awesome|seems to regard Sanguinius in significant esteem]]. When he met with Dante, he was wearing ''a freaking gold Sanguinius mask'' out of respect for the Great Angel. In fact, one of Szarekh's own heralds says to Dante of Sanguinius that "if there was ever a human to be mourned, noble Szarekh would say it was him." Holy crap. The single oldest material being in the entire setting outside of the C'tan seems actually to ''regret'' Sanguinius being dead. Revered indeed.

==Tabletop==
[[File:Sanguinius7sp.jpg|thumbnail|right|400px|The angel himself, modeled here trying desperately to free his cape from the rock it's stuck on, however, even here his fabulousness doesn't let him down, as he strikes a pose similar to [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Guido_Reni_031.jpg Archangel Michael]. Not shown: the deluxe base featuring a daemon taking the place of Satan in that same painting.]]
Oh hell yes
{| class=wikitable
! || Pts || WS || BS || S || T || W || I || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Sanguinius:''' || 485 || 9 || 5 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 7 || 6 || 10 || 2+/4++
|}
The Archangel makes his appearance on the table at last! Sanguinius is a pretty mobile Primarch, as he can use his <s>Jump Pack</s> '''Great Wings''' in both the movement and assault phase, [[Forgeworld|which would be impressive if he didn't have fleet and could therefore do that anyway]], still he allows all Blood Angels with Jump Packs to do so as well, and also prevents his unit from scattering when he deep strikes. Speaking of buffing nearby squads his sons are so inspired by his '''Angelic Presence''' that if they are within 3" they add +d3 wounds to combat resolution. While you're flying about into combat, you can '''Sky Strike''' a unit you moved over, which is a single S6 AP2 vector strike that causes D3 hits on Zooming Flyers and Swooping MCs, making him the only Primarch that can reliably take down a flyer. He rounds out these buffs by making Dawnbreaker Cohorts into troops.

As Raven Guard and Night Lord players are well aware, Primarchs with Jump Packs are very very good at getting the charge, and Sanguinius comes with a host of buffs to make the most of it with a S10 AP2 HoW attack, his '''Regalia Resplendent''' providing the 2+/4++ saves that are standard for Primarchs and lets him reroll that Invuln on the charge, being the '''Sire of the Blood Angels''' gives him +1 I (to a Fulgrim-tier '''8''') and A on the first turn of combat (so he has Rage and Counter-Attack basically). Not enough for you? Good, you greedy bastard, because if you equip him with the '''Spear of Telesto''' he gets '''+3S''' on the charge with [[Awesome|Master-Crafted Instant Death AP1 attacks that double if you roll a 6 to wound]], alternatively, if you're an idiot, you can [[Derp|throw it away]] for ONE SINGLE S7 AP1 armourbane instant death attack at 12". Sure, if you take the Spear you have a backup MC Duelist Edge (I9 on the charge!) Blinding sword that scores double hits against daemons and psykers, but it's [[Fail|AP3]], do you really want to leave Papa Sang bouncing off an artificer sergeant?

Alternatively, you could equip him with the '''Blade Encarmine''' replacing both Telesto and Moonsilver with a S+1 AP2 Shredding sword that also grants Rampage for a possible maximum of '''11''' attacks on the charge, putting him on par with Angron with his Butcher's Nails attacks maxed out. This will likely be slightly overkill most of the time against baseline infantry, while the lack of potential S9 and Instant Death is a huge drawback against both vehicles, monsters and multi-wounded units. Take it if you want Papa Sang to butcher one of his brothers and any cocky motherfuckers with Eternal Warrior, or annihilate anything with a single Wound. Otherwise, go for the Spear of Telesto instead.

As for guns, he's got that attack with the Spear, frag grenades and a one-shot meltagun that's assault 2, one that doesn't even have the Melta rule. That's it. So make sure he gets stuck in, will you? Also make sure it's where you want him because he lacks the Hit and Run rule for some reason.

====Sanguinius VS Other Primarchs====
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
Primarch fighting, while fun to see, isn't a very competitive thing to do as it'll usually tie up both Primarchs for the entire game without either of them dying. With that in mind this section is all about how Sanguinius fares against other Primarchs mathhammer wise. Please note that all the various abilities, with the exception of Blind, are taken into account (Blind is ignored because it is just too random and unreliable to come into play) and the match-ups assume the Primarchs are the only ones involved in the fighting, so various abilities like Angron's "The Butcher's Nails" and Rampage do not provide any bonuses. Also all of the Primarch use their most powerful weapons (because why have a contest if you don't do your best?), so Sanguinius will use the Blade Encarmine except against Angron. Furthermore the math is based on a standing start, which severely gimps Sanguinius as many of his buffs are on the charge.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

* Sanguinius VS Horus
**Horus hits 3 times (Talon), wounds 2.667 times, 1.33 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 1.383 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.049 wounds at the start of the next turn.
***Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 5.574 times (including HoW), 1.858 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.525 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.185 after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.852 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Horus wins. Even if Sanguinius gets the charge, the Talon will cripple him in a couple of turns.

* Sanguinius VS Angron
**Angron Round 1: hits 4.5 times, wounds 3.75 times, 1.875 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.54 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Angron Round 2: hits 3 times, wounds 2.5 times, 1.25 times after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.917 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4 times (Spear), wounds 2.667 times, 1.333 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1 wound at the start of the next turn.
***Sanguinius on the charge: hits 4.5 times, wounds 5.333 times (including HoW), 2.528 after saves and FNP (HoW affected) and IWND will take that down to 2.194 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius Round 2+: 3.5 times, wounds 2.333 times, 1.167 after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.833 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**They kill each other. Well well!
**Note: On the charge Sanguinius wins with the Spear while achieving a mutual kill with the Blade. Negating Angron's FNP makes the Spear the better weapon.

* Sanguinius VS Mortarion
** Mortarion hits 2.5 times, wounds 1.667 times, 0.833 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.5 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 3.5 times, 1.75 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.194 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 4.833 times (including HoW), 2.417 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.861 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3 times, 1.5 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.944 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins.

* Sanguinius VS Fulgrim
**Fulgrim Round 1: hits 3 times (Fireblade), wounds 2.333 times (Child of Terra), 1.167 after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.833 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Fulgrim Round 2: hits 3.5 times, wounds 2.722 times, 1.361 times after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.028 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 1.383 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.049 wounds at the start of the next turn.
***Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 5.574 times (including HoW), 1.859 after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.525 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.185 after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.852 wounds at the start of the next turn.
**Sanguinius loses (!) as Fulgrim has a chance of killing him in round 5 (5.94 wounds average), and even if not Fulgrim has the higher initiative in round 6.
**Note: On the charge Sanguinius can beat Fulgrim by round 5 (5.93 wounds average) while lowering Fulgrim's own chances, but if he doesn't Fulgrim wins.

* Sanguinius VS Ferrus Manus
** Ferrus hits 2.5 times, wounds 2.083 times, 1.042 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.708 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 3.5 times, 1.167 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.833 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 4.833 times (including HoW), 1.611 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.278 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3 times, 1 wound after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.667 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius loses, needing 8 rounds whereas Ferrus needs 7.
** Note: On Sanguinius' charge the odds are reversed, with Sanguinius needing 7 rounds whereas Ferrus needs 8.

* Sanguinius VS Curze
** Curze hits 3 times, wounds 2.25 times, 1.125 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.792 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 2.074 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.741 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 5.574 times (including HoW), 2.787 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 2.454 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.778 wound after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.444 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins.
** Note: With the first turn charge, Widowmakers and H&R Curze can achieve a mutual kill in Round 4, however Sanguinius regaining +1I and +1A in Round 3 lets him do 5.89 wounds average ''before Curze attacks'', so things could go badly for the Batman.

* Sanguinius VS Vulkan
** Vulkan hits 2 times, wounds 1.667 times, 0.833 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.5 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 3.5 times, 1.167 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.611 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 4.833 times (including HoW), 1.611 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.056 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3 times, 1 wound after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.444 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius loses.
** Note: As with Ferrus, Sanguinius wins on the charge.

* Sanguinius VS Lorgar
** Lorgar hits 3 times, wounds 2.5 times, 1.25 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.917 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 3.889 times (assuming Lorgar uses Dark Fortune), wounds 2.881 times, 1.44 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.107 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 4.444 times (assuming Lorgar uses Dark Fortune), wounds 3.959 times (including HoW), 1.979 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.646 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.778 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.444 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins.
** Note: As usual, psychic powers not included. You know how it would end anyway...

* Sanguinius VS Perturabo
** Perturabo hits 2 times, wounds 1.667 times (Forgebreaker), 0.833 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.5 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Perturabo (with Sanguinius blinded) hits 2.667 times, wounds 2.222 times (Forgebreaker), 1.111 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.778 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 1.383 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.049 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 4.833 times (including HoW), 1.611 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.056 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.185 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.852 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius (blinded): hits 2 times, wounds 1.778 times, 0.593 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.259 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius loses depending if/when he fails blind checks, even on the charge. He needs to not be Blinded for 2-3 rounds excluding the first to win.

* Sanguinius VS Rogal Dorn
** Dorn hits 2 times, wounds 1.5 times, 0.75 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.417 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 2.074 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.741 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 5.407 times (HoW affected by Auric Armour), 2.704 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 2.37 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.778 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.444 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins.

* Sanguinius VS Corvus Corax
** Corax hits 4 times (Scourge)/3 times (Shadow-walk), wounds 3/2.25 times, 1.5/1.125 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.167/0.792 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Scourge)/3.5 times (Shadow-walk), wounds 4.148/3.111 times, 2.765/2.074 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 2.432/1.741 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 4.667 times (Scourge)/3.5 times (Shadow-walk), wounds 4.981 times/3.944 times (including HoW), 3.321/2.63 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 2.988/2.296 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times (Scourge)/3 times (Shadow-walk), wounds 3.556/2.667 times, 2.37/1.778 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 2.037/1.444 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins, even if Corax Hit & Runs.

* Sanguinius VS Alpharius
** Alpharius hits 2.667 times, wounds 1.701 times, 0.851 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.517 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 2.074 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.741 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 5.574 times (including HoW), 2.788 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 2.454 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.778 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.444 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins.

* Sanguinius VS Roboute Guilliman
** Guilliman Rounds 1-3: hits 2.5 times, wounds 2.222 times (Gladius), 1.111 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.778 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Guilliman Round 4: hits 3.333 times, wounds 2.963 times (Gladius)/2.778 times (Hand), 1.481/1.389 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.148/1.056 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 4.148 times, 1.824 wounds after saves (including AoR) and IWND will take that down to 1.491 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 5.574 times (including HoW), 2.537 wounds after saves (including AoR) and IWND will take that down to 2.204 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2: hits 4 times, wounds 3.556 times, 1.528 wounds after saves (including AoR) and IWND will take that down to 1.194 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 3+: hits 3 times, wounds 2.667 times, 1.083 wounds after saves (including AoR) and IWND will take that down to 0.75 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins.

* Sanguinius VS Magnus the Red
** Magnus hits 2 times, wounds 1.667 times, 0.833 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.5 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 3.5 times (Blade), wounds 3.111 times, 1.556 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.222 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 4 times, wounds 4.389 times (including HoW), 2.194 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.861 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 3 times, wounds 2.667 times, 1.333 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1 wound at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius wins, psychic powers not included.

* Sanguinius VS Leman Russ
** Russ (Axe): hits 3.5 times, wounds 2.917 times, 1.458 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.125 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 2.333 times (Blade), wounds 1.778 times, 1.037 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.703 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 2.667 times, wounds 3.204 times (including HoW), 1.602 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.269 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 2 times, wounds 1.778 times, 0.889 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.556 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius loses. Even if he charges, he's gimped badly in the later rounds by the -1 to hit.

* Sanguinius VS Jaghatai Khan
** Khan hits 4 times, wounds 2 times, 1 wound after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.667 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 1: hits 4.667 times (Blade), wounds 3.5 times, 1.167 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.833 wounds at the start of the next turn.
*** Sanguinius on the charge: hits 5.333 times, wounds 4.833 times (including HoW), 1.611 wounds after saves and IWND will take that down to 1.278 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius Round 2+: hits 4 times, wounds 3 times, 1 wound after saves and IWND will take that down to 0.667 wounds at the start of the next turn.
** Sanguinius narrowly loses due to the Khan striking first.
** With the charge Sanguinius will beat the Khan even if he Hit & Runs.

* TL;DR version: Sanguinius is (un?)surprisingly middling in the duels, the main reason being his bonuses requiring the charge. In fairness, he is mobile enough to get it. His various charge bonuses significantly improve his damage, but more importantly rerolling his saves just once boosts his average (for a Primarch) defense, which is why he distinctly has the charge situation crunched.
* On the choice of weapons: The Spear of Telesto's damage skyrockets on the charge, but due to the length of primarch duels the Blade Encarmine overtakes it in a few rounds, especially against 3++. The exception is Angron who is really hurt by Instant Death.
* Note: The Angel's Wrath Rite of War gives Sanguinius Hit & Run. With that and the Spear of Telesto, Sanguinius should be able to beat most primarchs. The exceptions are Precog Lorgar and Horus, with Ferrus, Perturabo and Lion close (good defense and varying abilities to neuter H&R).
</div></div>

==Gallery==
{{Promotions}}
<gallery>
File:SangSpear.jpg|Alternative model of Papa Sang posing for a Renaissance Art Fair.
File:Heretic.png|Sanguinius gets the bitches. All of 'em. Every last one.
File:Sanginuscool.jpg|Is it time for Sanguinius to choke some bitches again? '''Hell yes, baby.'''
File:Astartesjealousy.jpg| Sanguinius: The most bishie of bishies.
File:Sanguinius by koowanchee-d484eu4.jpg|Don't you wish your Primarch was hot like me?
File:Fear to tread.jpg|Sanguinius, only slightly less fabulous than usual.
File:Sanguinius1.jpg|He's fabulous. [[Fulgrim]] wishes he could be that fabulous.
File:Tsundere Ka'Bandha.png|This counts as [[Extra Heresy]].
File:879E3111-548D-402E-AD3F-AC82158F5EE9.jpeg|Spear or sword? Pick one or he gives you both.
File:Sanguinius by Syberfab.png|It's not gay if it's Sanguinius
</gallery>

{{Primarchs}}

[[Category:Imperial]]
[[Category:Blood Angels]]