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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
cleaning up the mess left for me
The Iron Snakes are a [[Second Founding]] Successor Chapter of the [[Ultramarines]].{{Fn|9}} Their founder was [[Saur Damocles]], Captain of the [[Space Marine Legion|Legion's]] [[6th Company (Ultramarines Legion)|6th Company]] during the [[Horus Heresy]].{{Fn|9}} The current [[Chapter Master]], [[Seydon]], is the eighteenth to bear that title since the foundation of the Chapter.{{Fn|1a}}
The first-ever squad-leaders of the [[Chapter]] have become immortalized within its ranks, as their names have been retained as the official designation of the squads they first led. Every squad in the Chapter is therefore known by the name of its first commander and careful attention is paid to recording the deeds of each squad and the glory they have accumulated.{{Cite Marker End}} Over the centuries, several squads judged to have accumulated particularly impressive and glorious histories became referred to as "Notable" squads and are seen as the pre-eminent units in the entire Chapter. There are at least five Notable squads within the Iron Snakes: Skypio, Parthus, Veii, Thebes and [[Damocles Squad|Damocles]]. Skypio is the senior squad of the entire chapter and is the closest thing to a Codex [[First Company]] the Iron Snakes could be said to have.
The Iron Snakes recruit from [[Ithaka]], a world largely covered in very deep oceans home to a variety of sea-life, including the great [[Wyrms]]. Ithaka does possess significant landmass, including tropical islands and viciously cold polar regions. Iron Snakes are therefore able to train in a number of environments, although the sea is most precious to them, to the point where each marine carries a vial of Ithakan seawater with him when on active duty, and with which he anoints the soil of any other planet he steps on. Their actual [[Fortress-Monastery]] is located on Ithaka's moon, [[Karybdis]], and features a great bell as large as a Space Marine [[Drop Pod]].{{Fn|1}}
===The Reef Stars===
[[Image:IronSnake.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Detail of an Iron Snake.]]
The Iron Snakes appear to have been stationed in the sector of space known as the [[Reef Stars]] many thousands of years ago, and charged with its protection as their primary mission. The inhabited worlds of the Reef, while varied in their technological development, each appear to have some form of summoning aid from the Iron Snakes ritualized into their society. The Iron Snakes are a myth or legend to some worlds, an awe-inspiring reality to others. Regardless of how they are viewed, the Iron Snakes of [[Ithaka]] take their duty to the [[Reef Stars]] as seriously as only Space Marines can, and will go to any lengths possible to protect the sector and its citizenry.{{Cite Marker EndFn|1b}}
The actions they have fought in the [[Reef Stars]] are numerous, as the whole area appears to be under constant threat by [[Dark Eldar]] raiding parties. As a result, the Iron Snakes have amassed considerable experience fighting these particular [[xenos]], whom they (and the people of the Reef Stars) also refer to as the '''primuls'''.{{Fn|1}}
===The Phratry Squad===
[[Image:IronSnakesSquad.jpg|thumb|right|500px|Iron Snakes squad.]]
Each squad, named after its first-ever squad leader, is treated as an individual tactical formation held equal in placement in the line of battle with almost all of the other fratery units. Only those squads referred to as the Notables are seen as an elite, and even then the Notables do not properly represent a pooling of veteran Marines. This is due to the way in which the Iron Snakes field their [[Neophyte|new recruits]]. Recruits, referred to as "petitioners" with the chapter, do not appear to take to the field as [[Scouts]]; instead they operate as Chapter staff and personal servants for the full [[Space Marine|Battle-Brothers]].{{Cite Marker End}} When casualties incurred require the elevation of petitioners to the rank of full Marine, the petitioners try out for the positions by engaging their potential squadmates in single combat competitions. Winners of these competitions, or those judged particularly skillful by the squad-leader, are chosen to become full Brothers and fratery-members. Places in the Notables are competed for in the same way as in other squads, which means that the Notables are just as likely to have new recruits in their ranks as they are to have hardened veteran marines. Of course, the petitioners that manage to win a place in a Notable squad are likely to be the best of their generation.{{Cite Marker EndFn|1c}}
When a squad is completely wiped out, it is reconstituted under the original name, with its new squad-leader being promoted from the ranks of the elder and more veteran Battle-Brothers of the other squads. Each squad-leader is expected to eventually nominate a successor from within his squad, who will be chosen to accompany him to officer-level briefings and take over command in the event of his death. This Brother will likely remain tied to his squad until his own death, as such 'seconds' are not promoted out to command other squads. Each squad will also contain a standard-bearer, who fixes the squad colors to a special mounting upon his armour, and a support weapons trooper (with the [[Plasma Gun]] and [[Flamer]] appearing to be Chapter favorites). The Notable squads also appear to customarily include an [[Apothecary]] as one of their number, and such specialist Marines are a common feature of other squads as well; the number of field-Apothecaries in the Iron Snakes appears likely to be higher than that of a Codex chapter.{{Fn|1}}
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Brothers of the Snake (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|1a}}: Part Seven: Undertaking to Ganahedarak, Chapter XVII
**{{Endn|1b}}: Part 1, IV
**{{Endn|1c}}: Part 7, I
*{{Endn|2}}: [[The Sabbat Worlds Crusade (Background Book)]], {{Cite Marker End}}
*{{Endn|3}}: [[Insignium Astartes]], pg. 52
