Lord Commander (Legiones Astartes)

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Lord Commander was a title intended for the leader of a Chapter within the organisational frame of the Space Marine legions during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.^[1a] It was often granted to the praetors of a legion, officers of exceptional skill and battle prowess.^[1b]

Before the primarchs were found again and modified the organisation of the chain of command to suit their needs^[2a], a similar title was born by some legion masters.^[3]

Post-Heresy, the rank of lord commander is still known to be used by the Death Guard legion, with each lord commander leading one of their seven plague companies.^[7]

Equivalent Title by Legion

By the conclusion of the Great Crusade, each Legion had developed its own distinct character, due to the influences of the worlds they recruited from and the development of customs and hierarchies within each Legion.^[2] As such the title of Lord Commander could be Chapter Master, Lord Commander, First Captain, Khan, depending on the tradition of their Legion.^[1b]

• Dark Angels - Knight-Commander^[5], Paladin-Commander^[6] or Marshal^[8]
• Emperor's Children - Prince of War^[2b]
• White Scars - Noyan-Khan^[4]
• Space Wolves - Jarl / Wolf Lord^[2c]
• Imperial Fists - Sigismund was the First Captain, the second-in-command. Commanders were temporarily appointed on particular theatres of war and bore various titles, such as Marshal, Fleet Master, Siege Master, Lord Seneschal or Lord Castellan.^[2d]
• Night Lords - Kyroptera^[2e]
• Blood Angels - no standing Chapters to command per the Legion organisation^[2f]
• Iron Hands - Chieftain, Iron Lord or Iron father^[2g]
• Ultramarines - Chapter Master^[2h], Legatus or Fief-Commander^[9]
• Sons of Horus - no standing Chapters to command per the Legion organisation^[2i]
• Salamanders - Protector^[2j]

Sources

• 1: The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal, 2011
  • 1a: pg. 31
  • 1b: pg. 188
• 2: Horus Heresy: Age Of Darkness 2nd Edition Rulebook:
  • 2a: pg. 30
  • 2b: pg. 45
  • 2c: pg. 59
  • 2d: pg. 61
  • 2e: pg. 65
  • 2f: pg. 71
  • 2g: pg. 73
  • 2h: pg. 81
  • 2i: pg. 93
  • 2j: pg. 102
• 3: The Horus Heresy Book Two - Massacre, pg. 65
• 4: The Horus Heresy Book Eight - Malevolence, pg. 147
• 5: The Lion: Son of the Forest (Novel), Chapter 17
• 6: Leman Russ: The Great Wolf (Novel), Chapter 4
• 7: Codex: Death Guard (8th Edition), pg. 12
• 8: Liber Astartes (2nd Edition), pg. 170
• 9: The Horus Heresy Book Five - Tempest, pg. 82