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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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"''They shall be pure of heart and strong of body, untainted by doubt and unsullied by self-aggrandisement. They will be bright stars in a firmament of battle, Angels of Death whose shining wings bring swift annihilation to the enemies of Man. So shall it be for a thousand times a thousand years, unto the very end of eternity and the extinction of mortal flesh.''" - [[Roboute Guilliman]], [[Primarch]] of the [[Ultramarines]] *<sup>10</sup>
The '''Adeptus Astartes''' (commonly known as '''Space Marines''', and colloquially as '''Angels of Death''') are the most elite and feared fighting forces of the [[Imperium|Imperium of Man]]. The primary unit of organization is the Chapter, a self-contained army fully equipped with its own transport, non-combatant support staff, etc. There are around a thousand Chapters, each comprising a thousand Space Marines. There are far too few Space Marines to form the Imperium's main military forces; instead they operate as highly mobile strike forces. They are entrusted with the most dangerous missions, such as lightning raids behind enemy lines, infiltration and tunnel fighting<sup>6</sup>. Through selection, training and conditioning, Marines are physically, mentally and spiritually superior to any other Imperial soldier.<sup>5</sup>[[Image:space marines deployments.jpg|thumb|right|Space Marine Deployments|250px]]
*<sup>8</sup>:[[Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition)]]
*<sup>9</sup>:[[Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)]]
*<sup>10</sup>:[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Warhammer_40k_Wiki]
==External links==
*[http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?community=&catId=cat1350002&categoryId=400028&aId=9600100 Space Marine Chapter Gallery]
