Great Company

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The badges of the Space Wolves Great Companies at the time of the Thirteenth Black Crusade[7]

The Great Companies are the twelve primary organisational units of the Space Wolves, analagous to a Company in another Chapter. In defiance of the Codex Astartes, which dictated the reorganisation of the Adeptus Astartes after the Horus Heresy, the Space Wolves Chapter has twelve companies instead of ten.[1a]

Character and Organisation

Each Great Company is responsible for its own recruitment, maintenance, and running, each acting as a separate force altogether, each lead by a Wolf Lord in a semi-feudal system. The Wolf Lord of the leading Great Company is also the Great Wolf, the Chapter Master of the Space Wolves.[1a]

Great Companies are named and represented according to their current Wolf Lord as well as their past deeds and exploits. Some Great Companies have used dozens of sigils throughout their history, while others have maintained the same one for long periods. Each owns a sacred standard known as a Wolf Totem. Some like the Spirit Wolf have not been seen for millennia, while others like the Hunger Skull of Jorghun Vor are seen as bad omens.[3][6]

During the Great Crusade, each Great Company nominally consisted of 10,000 Astartes.[4] In M42, however, their size is unknown and varies by time or function. All that is known is that they are larger than typical Codex Space Marine Company.[5]

Current Great Companies

The 13th Company

Main article: 13th Great Company

There was once a 13th Great Company, and rumours still abound as to the reason for its disappearance[1b]. Some state that they disappeared into the Warp during the attack on Prospero, the traitorous Thousand Sons' homeworld; others claim they disappeared after the Primarch Leman Russ himself went missing. Regardless, there is currently hardly any information concerning the company in the Imperial records.[7]

Former Great Companies

Heresy-era Companies

  • 1st Great Company (Onn) — Known as the Breakers of Rings. Consisted of at least 3,000 Terminators. Commanded by the Jarl Gunnar Gunnhilt.[13]
  • 2nd Great Company (Twa) — Known as the Thread Cutters. Consisted of at least 800 Veterans and 60 Dreadnoughts. Commanded by Jarl Holmi Longganger.[13]
  • 3rd Great Company (Tra) — Known as the Eagle's Keepers. Consisted of at least 9,800 Space Marines in Assault Squad and support armour roles. Commanded by Jarl Ogvai Ogvai Helmschrot.[13]
  • 4th Great Company (For) — Known as the Blood-worm's Masters. Consisted of at least 8,600 Space Marines in Breacher Squads with self-propelled artillery. Commanded by Jarl Lufven Close-Handed.[13]
  • 5th Great Company (Fyf) — Known as the Blood-Ice Storm. Consisted of at least 10,000 Space Marines in mixed roles with light support armour. Commanded by Jarl Amlodhi Skarssen Skarssensson.[13]
  • 6th Great Company (Sesc) — Commanded by Jarl Skunnr.[13]
  • 7th Great Company (Sepp) — Known as the Wight-Flame's Wielders. Consisted of at least 5,200 Space Marines in Destroyer squads and immolation units. Commanded by Jarl Hvarl Red-Blade.[13]
  • 8th Great Company (For-twa) — Known as the Slaughter-Fire Heralds. Consisted of at least 9,500 Space Marines in Reconnaissance roles. Commanded by Jarl Baldr Vidunsson.[13]
  • 9th Great Company (Tra-Tra) — Known as the Serpents of the Battle-Moon. Consisted of at least 7,900 Space Marines in support, heavy weapons, and Rapier units. Commanded by Jarl Sturgard Joriksson.[13]
  • 10th Great Company (Dekk) — Commanded by Hemtal.[13]
  • 11th Great Company (Elva) — Known as the Sea-Flame's Bearers. Consisted of at least 9,200 Space Marines, primarily veterans drawn from Terra before the discovery of Leman Russ. Commanded by Jarl Varald Helsdawn.[13]
  • 12th Great Company (Tolv) — Known as the Shield-Gnawers. Consisted of at least 8,700 Space Marines in close assault roles. Commanded by Jarl Jaurmag.[13]
  • 13th Great Company (Dekk-Tra) — Known as the Corpse-Renders. Consisted of at least 600 Space Marines, primarily light assault infantry. Commanded by Jarl Jorin Bloodhowl.[13]

Sources

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