Ultramarines Honour Guard
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This article is about the firstborn unit; for the Indomitus-Era Primaris Honour Guard, see Victrix Guard. |
The Ultramarines Honour Guard is a highly elite group of Space Marines unique to the Ultramarines Chapter.[1]
Overview
In battle they act either as a group or as squad leaders. Each bears an Axe of Ultramar, potent weapons constructed from a rare metal found on Prandium. Only the most courageous of the Ultramarines ever come close to earning this honour, and then only some of them will achieve it. They are responsible for guarding the Chapter's ancient banner, the Banner of Macragge. Members of the Honour Guard are dispersed throughout the Chapter's companies. When the banner is taken into battle by a company, a squad will be formed from the company's Honour Guard members.[1]
Additionally, Honour Guard members may be seconded to the Deathwatch for brief tours to assist in missions concerning enemies of the Ultramarines in particular; such tasks may range in the number of Ultramarines sent from a single soldier to an entire strike force. Likewise, while most Ultramarine Honour Guards are sent to the Deathwatch for but a single operation, there are rare secondments that can extend to months, years or even decades.[3]
In battle, an Honour Guard Squad numbers between two and seven Honour Guards as well as the Chapter Ancient (bearer of the Chapter Banner) and the Chapter Champion. They are armed with bolters, Axes of Ultramar, and frag and krak grenades. The Chapter Ancient is the bearer of the sacred Banner of Macragge and is entrusted with a suit of Artificer Armour. The Champion is equipped with Powered weapons and artificer armour. They may be mounted in a Rhino, Razorback or Land Raider. They may also replace a single unit in a Command, Tactical or Devastator Squad.[1]
The Victrix Honour Guard were an even more exclusive and elite group of Ultramarines than the Honour Guard that acted as bodyguards for high-ranking Ultramarines. Every member of the Victrix Guard has been part of the Honour Guard, and they were handpicked for their selflessness.[5]
Notable Honour Guard Members
- Commander of the Guard Aloysius — sacrificed his life to single-handily hold back the Swarmlord and its attending Tyrant Guard at Cold Steel Ridge during the Battle for Macragge to allow Marneus Calgar, gravely wounded by the Swarmlord, to be evacuated off-world by the rest of his Honour Guard.[2]
Images
Miniatures
Marneus Calgar (centre) accompanied by Honour Guard
Ultramarines Honour Guard miniatures
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition) — Ultramarines Honour Guard
- 2: Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), pg. 13
- 3: Deathwatch: First Founding, pg.71
- 4: Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond Warhammer 40,000 - Ultramarines Honour Guard card - for details see Ultramarines Honour Guard/Sources
- 5: Codex Supplement: Ultramarines (8th Edition), pgs. 40-41
