Founding - Founding: Most new Space Marine Chapters are not created piecemeal as required by the Imperium of Man's strategic needs, but rather in deliberate groups called a "Founding."The process by which a new Founding's creation is approved by the Imperial government is mysterious and arcane, subject to solar decades or even standard centuries of planning before it is announced.It is only by an edict of the High Lords of Terra that such an undertaking as the creation of new Chapters can be instigated, for it requires the cooperation and mobilisation of countless divisions within the Imperium's monolithic and vast governmental organisations. Establishing new Astartes Chapters on an individual basis is nigh impossible -- the mobilisation of such vast resources is beyond the ability of any single segment of the Imperium.The Adeptus Mechanicus plays an essential role in the process of a Founding, for its highest echelons are tasked with creating, testing and developing the gene-seed samples that will provide the genetic foundation of the new Chapters. Entire Forge Worlds may be turned over to the manufacture of the mighty arsenal of weaponry, ammunition, power armour, vehicles and starships that any such force will require.There are a myriad other concerns as well. A suitable homeworld inhabited by Humans must be identified for the new Chapter, which will likely provide not only a secure and defensible base of operations, but also a source of new recruits as well. Such worlds might have been reported by itinerant Rogue Traders and earmarked centuries before by Adeptus Mechanicus Explorators as potential Astartes homeworlds.A degree of environmental terraforming might be required and the natives of the world (if they are to become the source of the new Chapter's Aspirants) must be studied and tested by the Mechanicus' Magos Biologis and Genetors for many generations to ensure they are genetically pure and free of any strain of mutation that might later affect the Chapter itself.The construction of a Chapter's fortress-monastery may be one of the greatest undertakings of all, drawing on the genius of the Imperium's most accomplished military architects and engineers. If the Chapter is to be fleet-based, then even more work must be put into the construction of a "Chapter Barque," a mobile star fortress or unusually large battle barge to serve as the Chapter's mobile fortress-monastery and all of the related capital warships and escorts such a highly-mobile Chapter will require.The already extant Space Marine Chapters may also have a role in this process, though to what degree can vary greatly from Founding to Founding. Many of the First Founding Chapters maintain close links with Chapters created using their own gene-seed stocks, and the Chapter Masters might have a hand in planning future Foundings using that genetic material. It is said that the Disciples of Caliban, a Dark Angels Successor Chapter, was created following the direct appeal of the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels, an extremely rare request.In the more than 10,000 standard years that have passed since the First Founding of the 20 original Space Marine Legions by the Emperor of Mankind, there have been at least 26 subsequent Foundings of new Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes; with the most recent, the Ultima Founding of the Primaris Space Marines, occurring in ca. 999.M41, just as the Great Rift was forming.Even before a new Founding is announced, entire generations of Imperial servants may have toiled in preparation. Even once the process has been declared and is underway, it is likely to be at least a standard century before the new Chapters are ready to begin combat operations.In times of dire need for the Imperium, faster development has been attempted, but this has often resulted in disaster. Gene-seed cultured in haste is wont to degrade or to mutate, and a great many other factors may lead the entire process astray. And there is no foe more dangerous to the Imperium of Man than a Space Marine who has been corrupted by Chaos or gone Renegade for another reason.Not every Chapter can trace its genetic and cultural lineage to one of the primarchs. Over the millennia records have been lost, destroyed, tampered with or concealed. For some Chapters being ignorant of this part of their history is a source of immense frustration, and they take great pains to learn anything they can of their brotherhood's origins, waging entire wars for fragments of information.Others care little. They believe that it is their task to defeat and kill the Emperor's foes, and that knowing or recovering lost parts of their history contributes little to the successful fulfilment of their purpose.Rumours often abound around these Chapters regardless, as some demonstrate the traits of certain First Founding Chapters more than others, or even exhibit the characteristics of more than one equally.These Unknown Founding Chapters cannot count on the brotherhood often found among Chapters descended from the same primarch. Their alliances are hard-won, and the mystery that surrounds them sees them deemed unworthy by some. Nonetheless, they are loyal Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, and they fight furiously for the Imperium.The creation of the original 20 Space Marine Legions by the Emperor of Mankind is known as the First Founding and it took place at the beginning of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium. It consisted of 20 Legions of Space Marines each made up of roughly about 50 companies divided into various other units in the ascending hierarchy of battle, including Chapters, Great Companies or some other organisation depending on the Legion's own unique naming conventions.The Second Founding divided the remaining 9 Loyalist Space Marine Legions into units known as "Chapters" which were each about 1,000 Astartes strong after the events of the Horus Heresy in the early 31st Millennium. The Second Founding was deemed necessary by the Primarch and Lord Commander of the Imperium Roboute Guilliman in the wake of Horus' betrayal in order to prevent any one person like Horus from ever again possessing the full power of an entire Astartes Legion and the extraordinary threat it presented to the existence of the Imperium.One Chapter from each Loyalist Legion was permitted to retain the original colours, iconography, and name of their First Founding Legion, and these Astartes are known as the Chapters of the First Founding.