The Space Wolves were one of the twenty Space Marine Legions, being lead by their Primarch Leman Russ. They were later re-organized with the Second Founding as a smaller Chapter. Their single Sucessor chapter, the Wolf Brothers, suffered from mutation and was disbanded. It is currently unknown if there are any other descendant chapter(s) of the Space Wolves at all.
History
Primarch Leman Russ, like all other Primarchs, mysteriously vanished from the Emperor's laboratories in his infancy. He turned up on the distant planet of Fenris, a snow-covered world inhabited by primitive, warlike tribes of humans. He was raised by a pack of the massive Fenrisian Wolves that prowl the snowy lands. Among them, he grew to adulthood in only a few short years.
He was eventually discovered by a man named Thengir, King of the Russ. Thengir had organized a party of hunters to clear the wolf pack from his lands. Most of the wolves were slaughtered, and the young man was captured and brought to Thengir. Thengir took the man into his care, giving him the name Leman Russ. Leman learned the ways of man quickly, and many legends sprung up about him, such as how he could defeat a hundred men in only three minutes, or consume an entire Ox. Upon his adopted father's death, the leadership of the Russ passed to Leman. Leman became a mighty leader, winning many victories, often fighting alongside packs of Fenrisian Wolves, led by two of his Wolf-brothers who escaped Thengir's hunters.
Eventually, word of his exploits reached beyond Fenris, and to the ears of the Emperor. He travelled to Fenris, realizing that the exploits could only be the work of a Primarch. Leman Russ refused to pay him homage, boasting that he was far greater than the Emperor. He then proceeded to challenge the Emperor. He consumed three whole oxen, and drained the royal cellars dry. He then boasted that he could easily defeat the Emperor in a fight.
The Emperor raised his Power Fist, and knocked him out with a single blow that would have killed a lesser man.
After coming to consciousness (and his senses), Russ admitted defeat and swore fealty to the Emperor.
He fought well during the Great Crusade, gaining the reputation as a cunning and fierce, as well as slightly unstable, warrior and leader. During a particular battle, he let his rage get the better of him, and wound up in a fist fight with Lion El'Jonson the Primarch of the Dark Angels. This led to a bitter feud between the Legions (and subsequent Chapters), which lasts to this day - although recent events may finally have led to an end to the rivalry, though it is still customary for selected champions from both sides to engage in a (usually) non-lethal duel.
Just prior to the Horus Heresy, the Space Wolves came into conflict with their brother Space Marines once again. The Primarch of the Thousand Sons Space Marines, Magnus the Red, had ignored the Emperor's command to not dabble in sorcery. The Space Wolves were then ordered by the Emperor to Bring Magnus before the him to answer for this. Russ, however, decided to launch an attack on the Thousand Sons rather than attempt to negotiate. The surprise assault upon the Sons' home world of Prospero was furious, and rather successful; however, many of the Sons, including Magnus himself, escaped into the wild region of space known as the Eye of Terror. A blood feud still exists between the survivors of the Thousand Sons, who are now dedicated to the Chaos God Tzeentch, and the Space Wolves.
During the Horus Heresy, the Space Wolves were far from Earth, alongside the Dark Angels, and were unable to assist their loyalist brethren in the fighting at the capital world, Terra. Knowledge of the imminent arrival of the two Legions, which would tip the balance in favour of the loyalists, pushed Horus into allowing the Emperor to personally attack him in a gamble to swiftly end the war. The two Legions arrived just after the battle concluded, with Horus dead and the Emperor mortally wounded.
Leman Russ was devastated by his inability to save the Emperor. After the war was fully completed, and all resistance was crushed, Russ held a great feast, at which he declared he would be leaving, and would return for the 'final battle'. He then vanished, and is said to have gone into the Eye of Terror to continue hunting down the traitorous Marines who fought against the Emperor during the Horus Heresy. A large portion of the Legion followed him, and became marooned in the Eye until only recently; this lost contingent is known as the 13th Great Company. Another tale has it that the 13th went into the Eye on their own (disobeying orders) or were sent there by Russ, and that Russ himself vanished after chasing a Kabal of Dark Eldar who had raided Fenris right into their city of Commorragh.
Notable Battles
- Third War for Armageddon.6 The Space Wolves fielded 5 Great Companies in the defense of Armageddon.
- Thirteenth Black Crusade.7 The Space Wolves committed 12 Great Companies against this Black Crusade.
- Note: The Space Wolves are 1 of only 4 Space Marine Chapters to have fought in both the Third War for Armageddon and against the Thirteenth Black Crusade.6,7
Organization
The Space Wolves are known for their fiercely anti-authoritarian behavior. They strongly resist the central command structure of the Imperium, and refuse to follow the dictates of the Codex Astartes, which lays the structure and tactics to be used by all Space Marines. Their army has a strong Viking feel to them along with many wolf references, right down to their wolf-like teeth and heightened senses.
They are very superstitious and only rarely make use of advanced technology used by other Chapters, such as teleportation.
The Great Companies
The twelve Great Companies are a defiance of the standardized Codex laid out by Roboute Guilliman soon after the Horus Heresy. Each Great Company is based in the Fang, the Space Wolves Chapter Fortress and is led by a Wolf Lord, chosen from the Wolf Guard, who answers only to the Great Wolf. Each Great Company is fully self-contained, made up of a body of fully armed troops as well as the spacecraft necessary to transport the Great Company. They each also have their own forges and customs. The size of each Great Company is unknown but the Space Wolves Legion was said to be one of the smaller Legions. As each Great Company serves as an independent army, they maintain a much greater number of troops as opposed to codex companies. Speculation has ranged from between 150 and 1000 marines per Great Company.
Each Great Company is made of a number of packs that function much like a Space Marine squad. However, their tactical usage varies greatly. Each squad is unique in that it doesn't ever receive reinforcements, making the higher level squads smaller in number compared to the lowest Blood Claw pack. Many Blood Claw packs start with as many as fifteen marines. However, losses take their toll, and by the time a Blood Claw squad reaches the level of Grey Hunter, normally only 9 or 10 are left. As they age, further losses limit the squad sizes of Long Fangs down to just 5 or less.
Blood Claws
The Blood Claws are young Space Wolves who have just finished their most basic training and initiation rites. They are given their Power Armour, Chainsword and Bolt Pistol and told to kill as many of the enemy as possible. Tactically, they function like Assault Squads, but they do not normally use jump packs, as Space Wolves fiercely distrust any fighting method that isn't rooted firmly on the ground. However, they are known to ride in Bike Squadrons as no other pack will do.
Grey Hunters
Grey Hunters are Blood Claws packs who have received honour and glory on the field of battle. The majority of the Space Wolves are Grey Hunters. These marines fill the Tactical Squad role. They are armed to take on a variety of foes from massed infantry to tanks. However, unlike normal Tactical Squads, each Grey Hunter will carry a Close Combat Weapon and use his bolters pistol grip. This allows him to use it in close combat, either as a Bolt Pistol or as an ornate club.
Long Fangs
Long Fangs are the next level up from Grey Hunters. These take the role of Devastator Squads. They are made up of the oldest of the Space Wolves and their knowledge of war is immense. It is often left to individual Long Fangs to choose what to target with their heavy weapons. Their battle-brothers are safe in the knowledge that they will choose a good target for their weapon.
Wolf Guard
The Wolf Guard are made up of those Space Wolves seen to have performed an exceptional feat of valour, courage or bravery and are invited to join the pack. These are the Veterans of the Space Wolves and often lead other squads as a Veteran Sergeant would in other chapters. They also form the bodyguards of important individuals on the battlefield, such as a Wolf Lord or Wolf Priest. The Wolf Guard sometimes wear Terminator Armour however much less so than in other chapters’ First Companies.
Usually Grey Hunters are invited into the Wolf Guard but it is not unheard of for Blood Claw to be invited; it is however, quite rare. One such Blood Claw was Ragnar Blackmane. The Wolf Guard are often trusted with leading sections of the army or, more rarely, an entire army in battle.
Wolf Scouts
Wolf Scouts are Space Wolves whose entire pack has been lost or that have left their pack for other reasons. They operate as Scouts do in a codex chapter, however they are trained to work alone behind enemy lines for long periods of time. They are known for showing up when and where the enemy least expects, often taking out artillery and tanks, or other valuable assets, before the enemy can react to force them back. Whilst this is their speciality, Wolf Scouts can also act as snipers or perform any other standard scouting duty.
Wolf Lord
Each Great Company has a Wolf Lord chosen from that company’s Wolf Guard. It is his duty to organize his Great Company. He has the powers of a codex Chapter Master within his Great Company; his word is law for those who follow him. When a Wolf Lord dies, his Great Company picks a successor from the Wolf Guard, usually through competitions. Much drinking and feasting will be done when the new Wolf Lord is chosen, and the Great Company’s mark will be changed from that of the old Wolf Lord to that of the new.
Great Wolf
The Great Wolf is chosen from the Wolf Lords and is the actual Chapter Master. The current Great Wolf is Logan Grimnar who has held the position for the past 600 years.
Wolf Priest
Wolf Priests take the roles of Chaplains and Apothecary within the chapter. They are selected from any part of the chapter but usually from the Long Fangs or Wolf Guard due to the greater wisdom of these marines. Instead of using codex medical equipment, Wolf Priests using healing potions and balms, using knowledge passed down from one Wolf Priest to the next.
Rune Priest
The codex role of Librarian is taken by the Rune Priest. It is his duty to keep the knowledge of the chapter’s history, reciting the great sagas of old. The entire history of the chapter is passed through these sagas; therefore the duty of keeping the knowledge is a heavy one indeed. The Rune Priests duty as a Librarian is carried out through the shamanistic rituals of the Fenrisian shaman traditions. One common power is to be able to summon a storm across the battlefield, covering the armies advance.
Iron Priest
The Iron Priest's duty is that of a Techmarine, but with additions. He is required to keep the equipment of his Great Company in working order, maintain the machine spirits of its vehicles, in addition to all other duties of a Techmarine. He is also required to tend to the spirits of the Dreadnoughts in the depths of the Fang, and it is his duty to rouse them from their deep slumbers if they are needed in battle. They are accompanied by "Thralls", Servitors created from those who failed the rites of initiation.
Dreadnoughts
Amongst the number of Dreadnoughts in the Space Wolves chapter, some are extremely ancient, carrying warriors who walked beneath the same sky as the Emperor himself, and who stood beside Leman Russ in battle. These dreadnoughts are revered and so respected is their skill in battle that on rare occasions, a Dreadnought may be called upon to lead an army into battle. The troops following in his footsteps will chant his name, remembering the many sagas they have heard of his exploits. This is a fearsome scene to behold for any enemy. In honor of Leman Russ the Space Wolves keep a number of Leman Russ Exterminators in their inventory. They use these in battle rarely but to devastating effect, the tanks fearsome array of weaponry enhanced further by the skills of the marines inside.
Notable Space Wolves
- Leman Russ (primarch) - Space Wolves Primarch
- Logan Grimnar - Space Wolves Great Wolf (Chapter Master)
- Ragnar Blackmane - Space Wolf Wolf Lord
- Ulrik the Slayer - Space Wolf Wolf Priest
- Bjorn the Fell-Handed - Space Wolf Dreadnought
- Njal Stormcaller - Space Wolf Rune Priest
Iconography
Symbols and Colours
The Space Wolves wear blue-grey coloured armour with other colours as highlights, notably red, yellow, black and white, and often adorned with tokens taken from wolves, such as furs and teeth. The Legion symbol is a silhouette of a snarling wolf.
Great Company Badges
The Space Wolves have a rather different system of markings than that used by more Codex adherent Chapters. Rather than using the company markings as laid down in the Codex Astartes, the Space Wolves use a number of different wolf symbols to denote the different Great Companies that make up the chapter. These are normally a stylized wolf emblem denoting some aspect of the native Fenrisian mythology. These are chosen by a new Wolf Lord upon his election from the ranks of the Wolf Guard, and are adopted by all of the Space Wolves within the Great Company as a mark of fealty. They are also woven onto the various Great Company banners, The symbol remains with the Great Company until the Wolf Lord falls in battle, whereupon a new Wolf Lord is chosen, and so the badge changes.
Even these marks bow down to the Space Wolves reputation for nonconformity, and hence lack of any formal uniform system. There is never only one way to represent a Great Company badge, and within a Great Company you are likely to find a number of variants of the badge being used at the same time. Indeed, there are currently three different stylizations of the Blakmane Wolf emblem (currently used by Ragnar Blackmane's Great Company) in Imperial records. Indeed, over the centuries many hundreds of different styles of badges have been recorded by Imperial scribes.
The one company that does not change its icon is the household of the Great Wolf. The household uses "The Wolf That Stalks Between Stars", the badge of Leman Russ himself, as it's emblem. This badge is perhaps unique within the Space Wolves, as there are no recorded variants of it, a testament to the respect that the Space Wolves have for their Primarch. It is this badge that represents the Space Wolves as a chapter, and is woven on the Chapter's banner.
Also, many of the Space Wolves most honoured and treasured relics carry this symbol, having been in the possession or service of the Chapter (and hence the Imperium) since the days when Russ walked among the stars. Many of the Chapter's most sacred Banners have a rendition of this symbol on them, a tangible link to the time when Russ walked among them. Whilst many of these are treasured in their own right, perhaps the most treasured of all is the Dreadnought Bjorn the Fell Handed, who fought alongside Russ during the Great Crusade. He carries the mark on his Dreadnought armour to show this perhaps unique distinction.
Honour Badges
The Space Wolves have a long, varied, and altogether proud warrior heritage. The especially appreciate acts of bravery, courage and skill among there own close comrades, and proudly display badges that denote these acts. These badges are normally painted or carved onto the armour and weapons of the Space Wolf.
As with most Space Wolf displays, there is no formal system of awards, it only matters that those the Space Wolf fights with understand the significance of the symbol. However, some symbols have acquired a special significance to the Space Wolves over time, and the Sergeant and Veteran badges are good examples of this. There are also some more general symbolism which is used in the honour badges; badges with bones tend to signify wounds suffered in battle, knife and claw symbols represent ferocity and bravery in battle and wolf tails signify great courage in battle.
Army Badge
It is quite common for Space Wolves of different Great Companies to find themselves fighting alongside one another in the same task force. In order to aid identification, and to provide a greater amount of task force cohesion on the battlefield, an army marking is usually applied to the Space Wolf's armour, as well as to the vehicles of the task force. As with all badges, there are some that are preferred over others. Of particular note is that used by the current task force of Ragnar Blackmane; A fanged skull superimposed on two crossed bones, mounted on a black lozenge. This particular badge has appeared many times in the past, and therefore probably has some special significance to the space wolves.
Sources
- 1 Codex: Space Wolves (1st Ed.)
- 2 Codex: Space Wolves (2nd Edition)
- 3 Codex: Space Wolves (3rd Edition)
- 4 Codex: Space Marines (4th Ed.)
- 5 Index Astartes Volume II
- 6 Codex: Armageddon
- 7 Codex: Eye of Terror