Strike Force Ultra
"Strength is greatest when focussed into an unyielding fist."
Strike Force Ultra is a Space Marine Strike Force often utilised by the 1st Company of multiple chapters, involving the most elite forces available to the Astartes.[1][2]
Overview
The strike force utilises as many 1st Company Veterans in Terminator Armour as available, combining them all under the leadership of the First Captain. The Strike Force is used to deliver decisive blows that quickly destroy large enemy targets, such as Titans.[1] It has been known to be used by the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists chapters.[2]
Formed around a core of Terminators, the Strike Force is backed up by heavy firepower from Land Raiders, Stormraven Gunships, and Venerable Dreadnoughts.[1][2] After the introduction of Primaris Space Marines, the Strike Force has been expanded to include Veteran Intercessors transported in Repulsors, and Veteran Inceptor Squads for close-range firepower.[1]
Strike Force Ultras are able to deploy incredibly quickly by teleportation, Land Raider, or Stormraven.[2]
Specific Strike Force Ultras are typically named after their leader, the 1st Company Captain.[2]
History
The Strike Force Ultra's origins lie in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, when Guilliman devised the formation as part of the Codex Astartes. As such, the Ultramarines were the first Chapter to field the Strike Force.[2]
The Strike Force was initially loose about its structure, allowing for any form of Veteran, Terminator or not, to make up the force. However, in M35, the Ultramarines fought the Psyker conclaves of the Obdurate Prince, using Librarians to locate the Psykers before teleporting in Terminators to efficiently kill them. Due to the success of this action, the Ultramarines' Strike Force Ultra was reorganised to only allow Terminators, for maximum efficiency.[2]
Another change to Strike Force Ultra's organisation was a few centuries later, when Gerius the Unbowed, a Ultramarines Dreadnought, joined a Strike Force and was able to crush the skull of the Daemon Prince Dar'gule.[2]
In 766.M37, Strike Force Ultra Myriadon of the Imperial Fists destroyed the Space Hulk of Ork Warboss Sunspitta during the greenskin assault on Rylan, with the resulting debris storm killing over half of Sunspitta's army.[2]
By M41, the Stormraven Gunship had been included in the formation of the Strike Force.[2]
In 548.M41, Obsidian Glaives First Captain Dynares noted the efficiency of the Land Raider in covering ground within confined spaces, when he fought Eldar pirates on the Space Hulk Mote of Darkness, using the Land Raider Valour Maximal to transport Terminators of his Strike Force Ultra through the expansive ship.[2]
During the Battle for Prandium in 745.M41,[3] a Strike Force Ultra destroyed the Tyranid bio-ship Eye of the Behemoth.[2]
Sources
- 1: Codex Supplement: Ultramarines (8th Edition), pg. 12 - Strike Force Ultra
- 2: Dataslate: Space Marines Strike Force Ultra (Background Book)
- 3: Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition), pg. 8
