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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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→Early History: corrected cite
==Early History==
Chapters were originally an organisational unit used by the [[Thunder Warriors]]. During the [[Great Crusade]], the Space Marines were organised into [[Space Marine Legion|Legions]], further divided into [[Space Marine Company|Companies]]. Chapters were adopted by some of the Legions as an intermediate level of organisation.{{Fn|2b}} The [[Ultramarines]] Legion, led by [[Roboute Guilliman]], became the largest of all the Legions, thanks to Guilliman's tactical mastery and a steady flow of new recruits from [[Ultramar]].{{Fn|1a}} At the time of the [[Horus Heresy]], the Ultramarines Legion was divided into twenty-five Chapters, each composed of ten Companies, each company composed of roughly one thousand Marines.{{Fn|2a2b}}
Following the Heresy, Guilliman, as [[Lord Commander]] of the [[Imperium]], ordered the Space Marine Legions divided and re-organised into smaller Chapters, to ensure that no future rebel such as [[Horus]] could gain control of such a large military unit as a Legion again.{{Fn|1a}} Newly formed Chapters created in this new system which originated from the remaining loyalist Legions became known as '''Successor Chapters'''.{{Fn|3a}}
