Space Marine Chapter Homeworld - Space Marine Chapter Homeworld: A Space Marine Chapter Homeworld, also called a Chapter planet, is an Imperial planetological classification for a world that serves as a base for a Space Marine Chapter's fortress-monastery. For some Chapters the world also serves as their sole recruiting world; other Chapters draw their recruits from several planets.A "Chapter planet" is an Astartes world which is both governed by the Chapter as a feudal possession of the Imperium of Man and which serves as the base for their fortress-monastery. Only Terra itself will be of greater importance to a Space Marine Chapter, and only to the Emperor do the populace of a Chapter planet owe greater loyalty.Astartes homeworlds may be Imperial planets, while some are not planets at all, but take the form of orbiting voidcraft, space stations, deserted moons or asteroids.The master of the Chapter is often also the traditional feudal ruler of the Chapter planet, in which case the Chapter Master also holds the rank of planetary governor and Imperial Commander.Many Astartes homeworlds are Death Worlds, Feral Worlds and Feudal Worlds, whose primitive, conflict-prone societies provide the best natural warriors for recruitment.These worlds possess tenacious and hardy populations, people who endure bitter struggles for survival on a daily basis. On these worlds, life itself is a near impossible test that only the toughest survive, and the Space Marines seek in their aspirants the qualities required to succeed in these conditions.Whether they are forced to by high casualties or gene-depletion on their homeworld, or simply choose to, many Chapters -- such as the Imperial Fists, Black Templars and Blood Ravens -- recruit from more than one world. Some demand aspirants from a world they have saved from invasion. Others have ancient ties with neighbouring worlds which provide aspirants on a regular basis.Though some might call this a dilution of their recruitment pool, many Chapters that do this heavily indoctrinate their "outsider" recruits so that soon they are virtually indistinguishable -- culturally and in outlook -- from a locally recruited aspirant.The culture of many Chapters is thoroughly intertwined with their homeworld. The Salamanders embrace the way of the smith and the forge, just as the people of Nocturne mine and work the rich metals extracted from their planet's rock.The Space Wolves' feasting and drinking halls mirror those of the tribes they are recruited from, and their warriors bear hunting trophies just as do the tribal chieftains and heroes of Fenrisian myth.Most Chapters have a political sphere of influence that reaches beyond their homeworld, even if it is just to the boundaries of their home star system, but a significant number have seen this increase. In these dark times of the Era Indomitus, many areas of Imperial space have been given over to direct Space Marine control for security and stability.In the Imperium Nihilus especially, a growing number of worlds cede some or even all of their authority to Space Marine Chapters based nearby, or offer resources, aspirants and serfs to them in exchange for protection.A great many Chapter homeworlds have been inundated with refugees as war drives many of the Imperium's teeming trillions to flight. In the case of some Chapters, such as the Ultramarines, their realms have the resources and means to absorb these great throngs to some degree.Others, who oversee inhospitable fiefs, have no means of accommodating these masses, often demanding they serve the Chapter directly in exchange for sanctuary, or leaving them to fight for themselves on their deadly worlds. For these unfortunate souls, life scarcely improves at all.Fleet-based Chapters do not possess homeworlds, and instead recruit from any convenient and promising worlds they pass near in the course of their duties.Several Space Marine Chapters guilty of crimes against the Emperor but still deemed redeemable by the Inquisition and the High Lords of Terra, such as the Mantis Warriors and Executioners, have been forced to forfeit their homeworlds -- which requires them to become fleet-based Chapters.The origin stories of a Chapter's dominion over their homeworld are as diverse as the Chapters themselves. For most of the First Founding Chapters, their homeworld is that which was their primarch's. For those of later Foundings, some now rule worlds their primarch seized in the Great Crusade.Others liberated their planets from tyranny, or captured them from heretics or xenos. Others still received them as gifts of gratitude or reward for heroic deeds.A great many Chapters cannot account for how their Chapter planet came to be, all records lost, forgotten, destroyed or even hidden over the long millennia. All they know is that their homeworld, and the mighty fortress-monastery built there, is their realm and bastion, and they will defend it unto death.