vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Mark of Nurgle - Mark of Nurgle: The Mark of Nurgle is a Mark of Chaos given to Nurgle's greatest followers causing them to become a living host to the powers of death, disease and decay. Heretics with the Mark of Nurgle are marked with either a physical mark corroded into their corrupted flesh or a hidden but no less permanent mark upon their soul. The Mark of Nurgle constantly releases pus like a festering wound, without taking any attention away from the bearer. A vast portion of Chaos Space Marines with the Mark of Nurgle are from the Death Guard Traitor Legion and their warbands. Chaos Space Marines with the Mark of Nurgle are likely to become Plague Marines, gifted with almost unstoppable resilience by the Plague Lord. These champions are compelled to constantly spread Nurgle's Rot throughout the galaxy.
Mark of Slaanesh - Mark of Slaanesh: The Mark of Slaanesh is a Mark of Chaos granted to those Champions of Chaos who have sworn their loyalty to the Chaos God Slaanesh, the Lord of Pleasure. The majority of those blessed with the mark are the Chaos Space Marines of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion. The most common bearers of this Mark of Chaos are the Noise Marines of the Emperor's Children. Recipients of Slaanesh's mark are marked by the Lord of Pleasure, either as a perfectly formed mark upon their body or a more secretive but no less permanent mark upon one's soul.Characters who bear this Mark must attempt to seduce those they encounter to the paths of lust and greed. When gifted with the Mark, the bearer becomes addicted to sensation of all sorts and craves new, more extreme pleasures. The bearers of the Mark of Slaanesh's excesses find their quest for sensation made easier by the supernatural glamour that cloaks them, unnerving and disturbing their adversaries.Bearers of the Mark of Slaanesh are fearless and possess the Warp Scream ability, in which the individual emits a piercing supernatural cry powered by Warp energies that disorientates his foes.
Mark of Tzeentch - Mark of Tzeentch: The Mark of Tzeentch is a Mark of Chaos given to the most devoted followers of Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways, bestowing them with potent psychic powers. The emblem glimmers with a distracting sparkle that flickers at the corner of the eye, almost like a gateway to the Warp. Heretics with the Mark of Tzeentch are marked with either a physical mark inscribed on a prominent part of their body, or a hidden but equally permanent mark upon one's soul.These characters are constantly compelled to discover hidden secrets to share with the God of Change. The greatest followers of Tzeentch are the Chaos Space Marines of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion, both their Chaos Sorcerers, and the Rubric Marines they control, are preferred agents of the Lord of Change's will. These sorcerers are the most powerful bearer of this mark.
Mark of Tzeentch - Sources: Black Crusade: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 82, 87Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), pg. 30Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition), pg. 25Codex: Chaos Space Marines (3rd Edition, Revised Codex), pg. 59Codex: Chaos Space Marines (3rd Edition, 1st Codex), pg. 29Codex: Chaos (2nd Edition), pg. 27Realms of Chaos: The Lost & The Damned (1st Edition), pg. 55
Marker Beacon - Marker Beacon: A Marker Beacon is a T'au vehicle system that consists of enhanced optical processors and long-range communicators.With a Marker Beacon, a vehicle can accurately guide the deployment of T'au Battlesuit-equipped warriors dropping into battle from transports far overhead.Devilfish assigned to Pathfinder scout teams are sometimes fitted with Marker Beacon systems, whilst all Tetras have one as standard.
Marker Drone - Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Technical Specifications: The technical specifications for this T'au unit have not been obtained or released by the Ordo Xenos.
Marker Light - Marker Light: A Marker Light is essentially an advanced T'au hand-held laser range finder that is used to "paint" targets for other T'au units to fire upon. When activated, a Marker Light projects a simple beam at the target which measures the exact distance between the Marker Light and the user.This and a torrent of other targetting information then is fed into the Cadre tactical network and becomes available on the wider T'au electronic battle network, relaying ranges to the marked target, triangulating optimum firing trajectories and superimposing aiming vectors.All of this information is transmitted to other T'au units to guide their fire and engage the enemy with unerring accuracy. During the Damocles Gulf Crusade, the Marker Light was also dubbed the "Valkyrie's Mark" by Imperial forces, because those marked with it were soon numbered amongst the dead. So far, all Imperial attempts to disrupt the T'au Marker Light networks are believed to have failed.
Marker Light - Capabilities: Marker Lights allow T'au Fire Warriors and vehicles to:Fire more accurately upon their targets.Be able to see and target enemies in darkness clearly.Call in Seeker Missiles on the target, either from Skyrays or missiles mounted on other T'au vehicles.Pin enemy units under fire from T'au troops more easily.Allow their aimed shots to strike more accurately at targets who take cover.
Marker Light - Tactical Role: The most common and effective use of the Marker Light is to guide indirect or standoff fire which is called in by Pathfinder Teams. Utilising a concealed position, a Pathfinder can direct his Marker Light at an enemy target without the foe being aware of his presence. Seeker Missiles carried by T'au armoured vehicles are then fed the targeting data captured by the Marker Light and fired, often from some distance away or from behind intervening terrain.The missile then “rides the beam,” which the Marker Light user must keep trained on the target until the missile strikes. Because Pathfinders are adept at working their way into flanking positions, they are often able to target the vulnerable sides and rear of their targets, which allows for the guided missiles to destroy them with ruthless efficiency. The only downside to the use of a Marker Light is that the beam, while invisible in normal conditions, becomes visible when it passes through dense airborne gas or vapour (such as smoke or fog) and, in so doing, risks giving away the user's position. Marker Lights must also be relatively stable when painting a target, making them of limited utility when a unit is on the move.
Marker Light - Usage: Marker Light technology is commonly employed by T'au Pathfinders, and on T'au vehicles like the Tetra and the Sky Ray. Fire Warriors who achieved the rank of Shas'ui in the Fire Caste can also upgrade their Pulse Rifle or Pulse Carbine with a Marker Light, along with XV15 Stealthsuits and XV25 Stealthsuits who have attained the rank of Shas'vre, and Cadre Fireblades. Sniper Drone Team Firesight Marksmen also commonly make use of Marker Lights, whilst XV84 Crisis Battlesuits mount a spine-mounted Marker Light as part of their main systems. Marker Drones also carry Marker Lights and act as fire support for other T'au units.The Tetra Scout Speeder mounts a High Intensity Marker Light, which emits a far more powerful beam than normal Marker Lights. Drone-controlled gyros keep it steady as a Tetra moves, giving greater accuracy and also allowing multiple strikes to be performed on the one target. A Networked Marker Light is a more advanced version of the standard device and allows the user and his unit to benefit from the Marker Light's use, whereas normal Marker Lights do not aid the user's own fire.The T'au Sky Ray is a notable example of the use of a Networked Marker Light, where its twin-linked Networked Marker Lights allow for its own Seeker Missiles to be launched at the target. Many T'au aircraft Sun Shark bombers, DX-6 Remora Drone Stealth Fighters, Tiger Shark AX-1-0s, and Mantas are armed with a Networked Marker Light as standard issue.
Markog - Markog: Markog was a Heretic Astartes Chaos Champion of Slaanesh and the Chaos Lord of the Dolorous Guard warband of Chaos Space Marines who served as the honour guard of Seraphax after they joined the Sorcerer Lord's warhost of the Ten Thousand Eyes. He was slain by a group of former Fallen Angels known as The Risen during the battle between the awakened Primarch Lion El'Jonson and Seraphax on the world of Sable in the Imperium Nihilus.
Markog - History: Markog was originally an officer of the Ashen Blades Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes known for his intense pride. When the Ashen Blades' Chapter fleet was trapped in the Immaterium by the sudden onset of a Warp storm, the Chapter's Space Marines were consumed by infighting as Chaos slowly claimed them. When the survivors finally reemerged into realspace aboard their battle barge Blade of Truth after an unknown subjective amount of time trapped in the Warp, they had become Heretic Astartes commanded by Markog, who was now their Chaos Lord and a Chaos Champion of Slaanesh who had been drawn to the Dark Prince by his pride and ego.It was Markog who renamed the survivors of the Ashen Blades the Dolorous Guard and eventually brought them to join the warhost of the Ten Thousand Eyes commanded by the Sorcerer Lord Seraphax. Seraphax welcomed the Dolorous Guard, making the Blade of Truth the flagship of his Chaos fleet and naming Markog's warband his honour guard. Markog greatly respected the power of the Sorcerer Lord and gladly followed his every command.The Chaos Lord was suited to his new role, for as a Slaaneshi Champion he had been gifted the Daemon Axe Heartdrinker by his divine patron. As long as he held the weapon, Markog was able to heal any wound dealt to him and also teleport the Dolorous Guard through the Warp to wherever they needed to be. However, Markog's corruption by the Prince of Chaos had left him with intense cravings to feel the pleasure engendered by consuming Human flesh, especially those of his fellow Astartes.During the battle between the Ten Thousand Eyes and the returned Lion El'Jonson and his redeemed Fallen Angels known as The Risen on the world of Sable, Markog was slain by a group of The Risen that included the former Fallen Zabriel, Guain, Borz, Galad, and Launciel.
Marneus Calgar - Marneus Calgar: Marneus Augustus Calgar (pronounced Mar-NAY-us Cal-gar) is the current Chapter Master of the Ultramarines Space Marines Chapter, Lord Defender of Greater Ultramar and the Lord of Macragge, capital world of the Realm of Ultramar in the Eastern Fringes of the galaxy. He is believed to be the first known Firstborn Space Marine to undergo the arcane process to be transformed into an even more potent Primaris Space Marine.To know the deeds behind the legend of Marneus Calgar, one would have to journey into the depths of Macragge's fortress-monastery, the Fortress of Hera.At its heart lies a vault where records are kept of the labours performed by the greatest heroes of the Ultramarines. Thus far there are twenty-eight volumes dedicated to Marneus Calgar alone in this sanctum, a tally twice that of any other Ultramarine save Roboute Guilliman himself.Since rising to the rank of Chapter Master, Marneus Calgar has employed his flair for tactics in campaigns without number. Calgar does not throw his men uselessly at the foe, for he understands that while victories may begin with the general, it is the troops that carry the day. Calgar's warriors follow him not merely out of duty, but out of the unshakeable loyalty that his presence inspires.Though famous as a general, the Lord Macragge is no stranger to personal valour. It was Calgar who led the breaching assault on the Hive Ship designated Behemoth Primus -- one of the first actions of its kind against the Tyranids. They also show it was Calgar who held the gate alone against the Greenskin horde for a solar night and a day at the Siege of Zalathras.He leads from the front, the better to inspire his warriors -- when the endgame of his strategy is imminent, he leads his noble Ultramarines into the heart of the enemy's lines, crushing all resistance with pitiless efficiency.Even with Roboute Guilliman's recent resurrection, the people of Ultramar know they owe much to Calgar, and regard him as the epitome of Mankind's will to endure and triumph.In Marneus Calgar they have a leader who will fight until the stars turn cold, not only for the Lord Commander of the Imperium and the immortal Emperor, but for Mankind itself.
Marneus Calgar - History: As one might expect from an embodiment of the Ultramarine's nobility, Calgar is immune to fear and is resolutely courageous under fire; where lesser men would dive for cover when being fired upon, Marneus Calgar takes quick stock of the situation, decides the best course of action, and will only leap into cover when there is no tactically viable alternative. The achievements and deeds of Calgar are recorded in 28 volumes stored within a vault in the Ultramarines' fortress-monastery known as the Fortress of Hera on Macragge, surpassed in number and magnitude only by the achievements of the Ultramarines' Primarch Roboute Guilliman.These achievements include: leading the breaching assault on the Tyranid Hive Ship Behemoth Primus, single-handedly holding the gate against an Ork horde for a night and a day at the Siege of Zalathrax, defeating an Eldar Avatar of Khaine in single combat, thus leading to the rout of Eldar forces at the Battle for Orar's Sepulchre in 888.M41, and recapturing the star fort Indomitable from the daemonic hordes of M'kar the Reborn, who he then supposedly cast back into the Warp with the help of the Inquisition. In truth, M'kar was not banished but only bound within the core of the star fort, and would return to plague Ultramar once more and offer Marneus Calgar his greatest challenge.
Marneus Calgar - First Tyrannic War: The arrival of Hive Fleet Behemoth in the Eastern Fringe in 754.M41 would prove to be the single greatest threat to the realm of Ultramar since the darkness of the Horus Heresy. On Macragge, the ancient homeworld of the Ultramarines, would the future of the whole sector be decided. Once the Ultramarines learned of the imminent threat of Hive Fleet Behemoth, Marneus Calgar, Lord of the Ultramarines, ordered Macragge's formidable defences to be placed at a heightened state of readiness. Between a vast fleet of warships and the planet's mighty orbital defence stations, everyone on Macragge readied themselves to face the Tyranid menace. Only a few scant solar weeks later, the Tyranids’ vanguard fleet attacked.Hundreds of bio-ships swept through the Ultramarines’ blockade and swarmed over Macragge, and thousands of alien beasts soon rampaged across the planet. Deeming the Tyranid threat too massive to oppose piecemeal, Calgar combined his ground forces into three armies. The first and second task forces garrisoned each of Macragge's polar fortresses. Taking the fight directly to the foe, Calgar himself led the third force in a series of rearguard actions in an attempt to slow the Tyranids' advance.
Marneus Calgar - Cold Steel Ridge: Using every ploy and tactic at his disposal, Calgar utilised the landscape of Macragge as a weapon, luring the swarm into valleys and onto ice-bridges where their superior numbers could not be bought to bear. Ultramarines' gunlines held back the tide whilst long-range barrages and enfilading fire reaped a bloody harvest. Tactical Squads launched daring attacks, diverting the swarm's attention whilst Assault Marines struck at the hive-control synaptic organisms and armoured transports carried Battle-Brothers to outflank the horde. Bike Squadrons and Scouts fought feigned withdrawals to draw the largest aliens into the fire of waiting battle tanks.However, at Cold Steel Ridge, the Space Marines' fortunes changed for the worse, as the Tyranid advance refused to be halted. It was during this fateful battle that the Ultramarines faced the most dangerous Tyranid creature yet encountered; one whose instinctive grasp of warfare matched their own tactical acumen. Somehow this Hive Tyrant, this "Swarmlord," thwarted the Ultramarines' strategies, and the Tyranids under its psychic dominion began to overrun the Space Marines’ positions. Knowing that to remain planetside was to doom his warriors, Calgar ordered Thunderhawk gunships to extract the Ultramarines to the orbiting Battle Barge Octavius. Sensing its prey was about to escape, the Swarmlord plunged into the fray alongside a horde of elite hive-warriors, cutting a path straight towards Calgar. The Lord of Ultramar stood his ground, laying waste to xenos horrors with every swing of his fists. But the Tyranids were too many, and Calgar's body was rent and torn. When he came face-to-face with the Swarmlord, he was on the verge of death, yet still would not yield. Locked in a mortal duel, they fought like mythic gods, and though Calgar struck with his last ounce of strength, he was laid low by the monster's blades.Before the Swarmlord could deliver the killing blow, Calgar's Honour Guard threw themselves in front of their lord, forming a shield with their own bodies. Slowly, they drove the Swarmlord back from their fallen commander, their Bolters roaring and blades flashing. With their courage and their lives, they held back the tide until the Thunderhawks arrived. As the rest of the Honour Guard got Calgar to safety, Brother Aloysius was hacked down by the Swarmlord's four crackling Bonesabres, as the Chapter Master's Thunderhawk gunship lifted off to safety. Thanks to the noble sacrifice of Aloysius and his fellow Ultramarines, Marneus Calgar would live to fight again, but Cold Steel Ridge was lost.
Marneus Calgar - War for Thrax: In 762.M41, Marneus Calgar led the remnants of his Chapter against the daemon-corrupted Forge World of Thrax. Under Calgar's leadership, the Ultramarines banished thousands of daemons and recovered crucial data-records from the twisted manufactoria. With the mission complete, Calgar issued the order for Exterminatus.
Marneus Calgar - Siege of Zalathras: In one of his most notable feats, in 797.M41, during the defence of the hive city of Zalathras, Marneus Calgar held the gates alone against an entire Ork horde for a night and a day.
Marneus Calgar - The Darkhold Ambush: In 921.M41, Marneus Calgar was ambushed by a Night Lords Traitor Legion warband whilst en route to the Darkhold battle zone. The Chapter Master's crippled vessel made planetfall on the sparsely settled Imperial Feudal World of Barathred. Several hundred Night Lords Chaos Space Marines made landing shortly thereafter, but Calgar rallied the planet's feudal population to defeat them in heroic battle.
Marneus Calgar - M'kar the Thrice-Born: M'kar, known also as the Thrice-Born, was a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided who had once been a Chaplain and then a Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion named Maloq Kartho during the Horus Heresy. Following his mortal death and apotheosis into a fully-fledged Daemon Prince, M'kar eventually manifested in the Materium and in 878.M41, now as M'kat the Reborn, he led a Chaos pirate fleet and attacked Ultramar once again.This time, his fleet was destroyed by a force led by the Ultramarines 2nd Company and its Captain, Cato Sicarius. Captain Sicarius confronted M'kar in the Helamar Rift and destroyed much of his pirate fleet. M'kar himself managed to escape back into the Warp.In 935.M41, he reemerged from the Warp and led a Chaos force in seizing the star fort Indomitable in Ultramarran space, which was then boarded by the Ultramarines, led by their Chapter Master Marneus Calgar. Calgar defeated M'kar in single combat, but M'kar's hatred of the Imperium and Ultramar was so strong that it was not possible to banish him to the Warp, even with the help of the Inquisition.The best the Imperials could do was bind M'kar to the Warp core of the star fort; this ingenious bond meant that every time M'kar struggled to escape into the Materium, he would be pulled tighter within the core. The star fort, garrisoned with fully half the 5th Company of the Ultramarines, was then ordered to plot a secret course through the remote, uncharted areas of Ultramar.The fate of M'kar was kept secret; possibly fearing that someone might eventually seek to free him, the "official" Ultramarine version of the battle was that Chapter Master Calgar had torn M'kar "limb from limb" and sent him reeling back into the Warp.
Marneus Calgar - The Kraken Attacks: In 993.M41, the Ultramarines quashed a rebellion on the Industrial World of Ichar IV, , but found themselves at the forefront of a desperate defence against Hive Fleet Kraken. Accompanied by Chaplain Cassius and Veterans from the First Tyrannic War, Calgar launched a daring assault that severed the Tyranids' synaptic control, a battle won in no small part due to the fury with which Cassius led his brothers into the fray.In a replay of history, Marneus Calgar, having narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Swarmlord during their confrontation on Macragge, faced the reincarnation of the same beast on the blood-soaked fields. This time, however, Calgar triumphed, slaying the beast with his bare hands.Without the Swarmlord to counter Calgar's brilliant military strategy, the Ultramarines proceeded to dismantle the remaining xenos swarms piecemeal. However, the Space Marines' victory came too late to save the planet itself, for the Tyranids had already reduced it to a smoking charnel house of death and destruction.Perhaps worse for the Imperium, the Hive Mind re-absorbed the Swarmlord's consciousness yet again, and having learned from its defeat, its next reincarnation would prove to be more cunning and dangerous than ever before.
Marneus Calgar - Return of M'kar: Calgar's failure to banish M'kar came close to spelling disaster for Ultramar, as the daemon was freed by the Iron Warriors Warsmith Honsou in 997.M41, and then proceeded to ally with him in a campaign to destroy the Ultramarines and their stellar empire. In the end, Calgar met the Daemon Prince on the battlefield of the Ultramaran world of Talassar, and was finally able to "annihilate" him using a strange blade dating back to the ancient Battle of Calth during the Horus Heresy that was known as a Shard of Erebus.In the aftermath, a chastened Calgar is said to have become a person of greater humility. Yet, even though they were disappointed by their leader's previous misrepresentations regarding M'kar, the officers and ruling masters of the Ultramarines have undiminished love and respect for their heroic Chapter Master.
Marneus Calgar - Indomitus Crusade and Plague Wars: Though he remained the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines throughout the period of the Indomitus Crusade as Guilliman was occupied governing the Imperium as its new Lord Commander, his title was changed from Master of Ultramar to Lord Defender of Greater Ultramar. Only Guilliman was recognised as the true ruler of Ultramar.During the Plague Wars, Calgar personally put down the multiple anti-Imperial uprisings and mutinies by the Ultramar Auxilia in the Illyrian region of Macragge. He later slowed an Ork offensive towards the Forge World of Metalica through the use of rapid strike tactics.At some point during this period, Marneus Calgar became the first traditional Space Marine to undergo the surgical process required to be transformed into a Primaris Space Marine. Despite the fact that Belisarius Cawl himself would perform the procedure, Calgar was warned there was a 61.6% chance of failure and death, as the process had not yet been perfected.Calgar was cut open from crown to heel and then the three additional Primaris gene-seed organs, the Magnificat, the Belisarian Furnace and the Sinew Coils, were implanted within his body. To jump-start the transformation process, his metabolism had to be shut down and restarted. Though he was clinically dead for over twenty solar minutes, the Belisarian Furnace eventually activated and restored Calgar to life. Though it was far from easy and extremely risky, Calgar proved to the other traditional Space Marines that a new path was possible for the Adeptus Astartes.After his transformation, Calgar began to wear the Armour of Heraclus, a specially-crafted suit of Mark X Gravis Power Armour now sized to fit his larger, Primaris frame.
Marneus Calgar - War of Beasts: During the multi-sided conflict that became known as the War of Beasts, Marneus Calgar led the Imperial defenders of the Sentinel World of Vigilus, a highly strategic location in the Dark Imperium.The Emperor's servants faced assaults from Orks, Genestealer Cults, Craftworld Aeldari and Drukhari raiders. But the greatest threat came in the form of the Black Legion force of Heretic Astartes led by the Chaos Lord Haarken Worldclaimer.
Marneus Calgar - Canon Conflicts: White Dwarf 97 stated that following a skirmish against the minor Tyranid Hive Fleet Perseus in 976.M41, Calgar lost all four limbs as well as large areas of body tissue and his left eye. Now fitted with bionic replacements, he is more machine than man. However, he remains in firm control of the Ultramarines Chapter and one of the greatest champions of the Emperor and the cause of Mankind who has ever lived.While Calgar is often shown with a bionic eye, no other source has ever repeated the notion that most of the rest of his body is now augmetic. The same source held that Calgar was found amongst those taken by the Tyranid Hive Fleet Locust, at approximately age 14 and that he was then recruited into the Ultramarines as a Neophyte in the armoury and rose quickly through the ranks to serve as Master of the Household before finally becoming the Lord of Macragge.This is contradicted in several later sources which state that Hive Fleet Behemoth was the first recorded contact of the Imperium with the Tyranids during the First Tyrannic War and that Calgar was not only a member of the Ultramarines at that time, but already their Chapter Master.
Marneus Calgar - Sources: Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (8th Edition), pp. 29, 95Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), pp. 26, 37, 46, 53-54, 57, 59-61, 63, 65, 141, 246-248Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 16Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition), pp. 19, 52Codex: Tyranids (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Ichar IV"Codex: Tyranids (3rd Edition), pg. 46 (inside back cover)Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition), pg. 72Dark Imperium (Novel) by Guy Haley, Ch. 12Gathering Storm - Part III - Rise of the Primarch, pp. 8-47Iron Warrior (Novella) by Graham McNeillChapter's Due (Novel) by Graham McNeillCalgar's Siege (Novel) by Paul KearneyWarhammer Community - Breaking News from the Vigilus Open DayWarhammer Community - Marneus Calgar and Haarken Worldclaimer Rules PreviewWhite Dwarf 305 (US), "Purge the Alien"White Dwarf 97 (US), "Ultramarines," by David Wise and Rick Priestly, pp. 39-49Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant (8th Edition), pp. 28, "The Rubicon Primaris," 72Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Ablaze (8th Edition), pg. 37
Mars-class Battlecruiser - Mars-class Battlecruiser: The Mars-class Battlecruiser is a powerful starship of the Imperial Navy and a very common and respected sight across Imperial space.It represents the apex of Human engineering in void combat and it is a truly multi-role vessel capable of engaging and defeating a large variety of threats to Imperial dominance in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Mars-class Battlecruiser - History: The Mars-class is a very common vessel in the Imperial Navy of the 41st Millennium and hundreds of these starships can operate in just a handful of fleets in a single segmentum. The Mars-class is regularly used as a flagship for small squadrons of starships on patrol or as the bulky lead vanguards of a full Imperial battlefleet.The Mars-class fulfills many tactical criteria for the Imperial Navy that is normally impossible for Imperial military starships that are rarely designed with the flexibility required to be considered multi-role voidcraft. The Mars-class excels at orbital bombardment, close ship-to-ship warfare, and attack craft carrier roles.Only the Dictator-class Cruiser is as multi-role a starship since it can serve the carrier function but lacks the Mars' ability to hit targets from a distance. The Mars-class is well-armed and equipped for its various roles and it mounts a Nova Cannon, a Lance battery, fighter/bomber launch bays and multiple other point defence weapons batteries.The Mars-class' name is a hallowed one; a name that echoes the great Forge World of Mars because it was unique to the orbital shipyards of the Red Planet's Ring of Iron prior to the Gothic War. While many Imperial Navy strategists reckon the class is undergunned for its size in comparison to a similar vessel, it is still sought after in many battlefleets and the vessel still comprises a major part of the Imperial Navy's order of battle.
Mars-class Battlecruiser - Design: The Mars-class was first built in the orbital shipyards known as the Ring of Iron above the massive construction facilities of Mars, and this class was also exclusive to the Martian orbital shipyards.However due to the combined criticisms of many Imperial captains about how effective the Mars-class is in combat, especially a belief that it is undergunned, eight Terran centuries prior to the Gothic War, the production of the class was discontinued indefinitely until that conflict proved the class' enormous utility and it began to be mass-produced by Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World orbital shipyards across the Imperium, ending Mars' monopoly on the class.The Mars-class was originally envisioned as an "all rounder" battlecruiser, capable of dealing with virtually any combat scenario. Equipped with powerful weapons batteries, attack craft launch bays, dorsal Lances, and a Nova Cannon, the Mars had a diverse weapons load.However, it fell afoul of changing military philosophies within the Imperial Navy. The Martian shipyards discontinued production of the warships more than two standard millennia ago in the late 39th Millennium, and since then a few orbital shipyards continue to build this battlecruiser only in limited numbers.However there are many aspects of the vessel that have to be admired. The Mars-class was designed to fill a gap in Mankind's lack of multi-role cruisers.While adopting the traditional Imperial bulky hull with the adamantium armoured, wedged-shaped prow and the "wings" located at about three quarters of the way down the keel, the Mars-class is a starship that is very recognisable. Its key features include the distinctive Nova Cannon and a dorsal armament bristling with Lances, but more distinctive than that are the launch bays positioned half way down the ship -- home to four squadrons of Fury fighters and/or Starhawk bombers depending on mission requirements.However, the Mars remains popular amongst many in the Imperium, particularly in the Calixis Sector. The warship is an extremely versatile combatant, able to handle a wide variety of combat situations.In addition, many captains appreciate the combination of Nova Cannon and attack craft squadrons, as it allows them to pound their foes at range without closing within equal range of an opponent's guns. Several frontier battlefleets make extensive use of the Mars as a squadron command vessel.Despite their scarcity, these starships are in many ways the perfect Rogue Trader vessel, offering withering firepower and extensive launch bays for any operation. Their only drawback is that the design of the Mars precludes many refits, as the hanger bays and Nova Cannon mounts are almost impossible to remove without scrapping the entire vessel.
Mars-class Battlecruiser - Notable Mars-class Battlecruisers: Fist of Russ - Formerly known as the Resolute, this vessel was captured by Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist's predecessor and brought into the service of the Space Wolves Chapter.Golden Ratio - The Golden Ratio was a semi-retired Mars-class Battlecruiser that acted as the flagship of Battlefleet Callivant, a small Imperial fleet detached to defend the isolated Knight World of Fabris Callivant. As flagship of Grand Admiral Tigra Gorch, the Golden Ratio was given the honour of firing the first shot against the Orks at the Battle of Fabris Callivant in 414.M41.Gryphon - The Gryphon is an ancient and redoubtable warship, said to be constructed in the Jovian shipyards more than five Terran millennia ago. Like most Mars-class Battlecruisers, she is equipped as a fleet flagship and carrier vessel, preferring to remain out of range of her opponents so she can pummel them with Nova Cannon and long-range Lance fire, then smother them with waves of attack craft.Imperious - This notable vessel was commanded by Captain Compel Bast and was seen during the Gothic War. He had the Imperious retrofitted with an enhanced targeting array salvaged after the Orar Raid, during which it caused the destruction of the Slaughter-class Cruiser Soulless, giving its weapons batteries improved accuracy.Marquis Lex - A notable vessel that served under the command of Captain Luther Kent during the Gothic War. One of only two Mars-class Battlecruisers within the Imperial fleet at the time, its achievements tended to be overshadowed by the exploits of the Imperious and its commander, Captain Compel Bast.Pax Imperium - This notable vessel served as the flagship of Lord Commander Solar Macharius during the Macharian Crusade. Macharius preferred it over a battleship due to its speed, and maintained his flag upon it until it was heavily damaged during the Battle of Charaxdis.Unmerciful - A veteran of the Gothic War, where it fought at Port Maw, the Unmerciful was sent out to the Trail of Saint Evisser in protection of the capital world of Volcanis Ultor. Through deceit, the Unmerciful was manipulated into confronting the Grey Knights' strike cruiser Rubicon which it severely damaged.
Mars-class Battlecruiser - Dimensions: Hull: Approximately 5.4 kilometres long, 0.85 kilometres abeam at finsClass: Mars-class BattlecruiserCrew: Approximately 107,000 crewAcceleration: 2.3 gravities maximum sustainable acceleration
Mars - Mars: Mars, also known as the "Red Planet," is the first and greatest Forge World -- the "Forge World Principal" -- of the Imperium of Man. It is located in the Sol System of the Segmentum Solar, and produces vast numbers of weapons, vehicles and other advanced technology for the Imperium and its war efforts throughout the galaxy.Mars is also the homeworld and headquarters of the Adeptus Mechanicus and a planet sacred to the faith of the Cult Mechanicus, which is one reason why travel to the Red Planet for Imperial personnel who are not members of the Mechanicus and share its peculiar faith is restricted.The Red Planet is the birthplace of the Cult Mechanicus, and is considered the holiest of all celestial orbs in the galaxy to the adherents of that faith. So vaunted is Mars that across the stars a hundred worlds have been terraformed and settled in exactly the same manner.Millennia of incessant construction have turned Mars into a smog-choked hellscape. The surface is covered with massive forge complexes, sprawling refineries, towering monuments to the glory of the machine and weapons shops that scrape the skies. The massive orbital conglomeration of thousands of drydocks and other starship manufacturing facilities in a geosynchronous orbit that turn above the Martian equator are known collectively as the Ring of Iron.It was the shipyards of the Ring of Iron that constructed the vast exploratory and Expeditionary Fleets of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium and even today produce the majority of the Imperial Navy's capital ships. Spacecraft are constructed within the Ring's extensive orbital factories, and many of the ships of the Battlefleet Solar are based in its huge floating docks. The moon Deimos is absent from Mars' orbit, seconded to the Grey Knights of Titan in aeons long past.It is possible that Mars is also the world where the ancient and terrible C'tan known as the Void Dragon has chosen to slumber the eons away.
Mars - Planetary Data: Mass: 6.42 x 1023 kgDiameter: 6787 kmMean density: 3940 kg/m3Escape velocity: 5000 m/secMean distance from Sun: 1.524 AURotation period: 1.026 solar daysRevolution period: 686.98 solar daysObliquity: 25°Orbit (inclination degree): 1.85°Orbit eccentricity: .0.093°Max. surface temperature: 310° KMin. surface temperature: 150° KVisual geometric albedo: 0.15Highest point on surface: Olympus MonsAtmospheric components: 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argonSurface materials: basaltic rock and altered materials
Mars - Map Key: Glaivid HiveOxygos HiveOlympus Undae HiveHyperboreae UndaeCollegia TitanicaMare ChroniusTantalus HiveMilancovic Fusion ReactorArcadia solar collector fieldsOmnid AperturaThe Grand Temple of the OmnissiahMareotis Forge TempleAcheron Fosse Forge TemplesArsia MonsFabricator-General Forge TempleTemple of the Frictionless PistonTemple of All KnowledgeDeep core minesAscraeus MonsDodecai Elevatus PrimeDodecai Elevatus SecundusNavis Imperialis assembly yardsEsperanos Space PortDeus Manus Space PortIpluvien MaximalFortress temple of Knight House TaranisPavonis MonsNavis Imperialis Mars DocksXanthosFortress temple of Legio TempestusNoctis Labyrinthus (Anathemor)Haunted Dunes of Solis PlanumCandor CasmaVarnaliaMondus Terrawatt II complexLybia Montes forge templesLethe ZoneAntionradi Forge TempleMondus Gamma Forge TempleMechavitae Forge TempleThe Rust WastesCthoniaAutonoct DesertsSorniaNilosyrtis HiveSydonian TetrahedraProtoservitor CradleSydonian MistseaSydonian MaskAcidalia PlanitiaSea of Iron CursesVastitas Borealis
Mars - Legiones Skitarii: Mars' Skitarii Legion is the most glorious of all its cybernetic kind. Its warriors consider it a great privilege to wear the ancient heraldry of the Red Planet, and are fiercely defensive of their Forge World despite its unchallenged position of power in the Cult Mechanicus. Perhaps because of the acquisitive nature of their masters, the red, silver and black of Mars' Skitarii War Cohorts is a common sight in each segmentum of the Imperium.Each Skitarius is but a single cog in a war machine that spans the entire Imperium. Controlled by the neurosync imperatives of their Tech-priest masters, the Skitarii are organised into regiments called "War Cohorts" capable of overcoming any foe. They work in glorious concert, every footstep or twitch of the trigger finger optimised to further the cause of the sacred Cult Mechanicus.The original maniples that crossed the desert reaches of Mars on foot were armed only with Galvanic Rifles. They escorted their masters from north to south across an equatorial belt infested with cannibal servitors and rogue machine intelligences. As the standard centuries marched past, these escorts were refined over and over again until they evolved into the Battle Maniples of the 41st Millennium. Many variants have been codified, from the Maniples Automata of the Legio Cybernetica to the teeming Auxilia Ordinatus, but the core fighting formation remains the War Cohort.Like its fellow Forge Worlds, Mars' Skitarii Legion is divided into a number of "macroclades," which are in turn broken down into smaller units called "cohorts" and "maniples." The vast majority of Skitarii War Cohorts are not borne into battle by armoured machines or aircraft, but simply stride to the front line without stopping, even should they have to start the journey solar months in advance of their allies. They will wade through poisonous swamps and bubbling lakes of tar to arrive at the front line on schedule, rank upon rank of Skitarii marching around chains of Onager Dunecrawlers in imitation of Mars' nomadic caravanserais. Their tireless pace echoes the constancy of their dutiful souls -- it is said that a Skitarius would rather walk themself to death than disobey a direct imperative.
Mars - Glory to the Omnissiah: In all the Cult Mechanicus, there are no Forge Worlds more holy or more blessed than Mars. The favour of the Machine God can be seen in the powerful optimisation granted by every static-ridden psalm incanted by his most faithful followers.
Mars - Mars Iconography: The holy cog-and-skull of Mars, the Cog Mechanicum, graces many Martian Skitarii warriors and vehicles, a reminder that all must play their part in the greater war machine of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Mars - Mars Forge World Colours: Like other Forge Worlds, Mars maintains its own Skitarii forces to protect its interests, annihilate the enemies of the Tech-priests, and fight at the vanguard of the Quest for Knowledge. The Skitarii cohorts of Mars wrap themselves in flapping crimson robes which are reminiscent of the rolling toxic deserts of their homeworld.Long ago, this was doubtless a means of camouflage among the ruddy landscapes of the Martian wilderness, but it has since become a symbol of the might of the Adeptus Mechanicus across the length and breadth of the Imperium. Adorning the hems of these crimson robes and the sculpted chest plates of the Skitarii are ancient symbols and icons, each one heavy with meaning sacred to the Cult of the Machine God.The white toothed iconography which rings the hoods, sleeves and hems of their robes is reminiscent of the teeth of a cog, a symbol of great significance to the Tech-priests of the Cult Mechanicus. This pledges their allegiance to the Machine God, and is thus important to all his servants.Skitarii Vanguard and Skitarii Rangers alike wear combat robes emblazoned with the icon of their Forge World. Skitarii infantry usually have their squad number emblazoned upon the hem of their robes for easy identification, while Sicarian Princeps and Skitarii Alphas bear their unit's maniple sigil, and sometimes a skull marking their status as overseers. Lower-ranked Sicarians often bear no markings other than the colours of Mars.Some specialist units, such as Sicarian Ruststalkers and Infiltrators, may wear a number on their helm or chestplate. The armour plates of Skitarii vehicles are the same hue as those worn by the Legion's Sicarians.The Tech-priests Dominus of Mars may wear variants of their Forge World's heraldry, but always incorporate the dull silver of industrial sprawl, the matte black of scorched carbon residue, and the deep red of the Martian sunrise.The Electro-priests of Mars wear robes the deep red of their home planet, in keeping with the traditions of the Cult Mechanicus. Congregations may be distinguished by different decorative metals or markings upon their robes.Each Kastelan-class Robot is a totem of the Omnissiah's might and so is accorded a unique recognition symbol, commonly borne upon the knee and shoulder. Maniple sigils may also be applied to robots and the armour of their attendant Legio Cybernetica Datasmiths.
Mars - Sources: Battlefleet Gothic - 2002 Annual, pp. 10-11Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (8th Edition), pp. 6, 8-10, 12, 14-23, 29-35, 39, 41, 45, 48-49, 52, 54, 61, 72, 74, 82, 95, 98-99, 100-101Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus - Skitarii (7th Edition), pp. 22-27, 55-64Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus - Cult Mechanicus (7th Edition), pp. 6, 8-9, 25-26, 36-38, 52, 60-66, 68, 70Codex Imperialis (2nd Edition), pg. 42Codex: Necrons (3rd Edition), pg. 11Cult Mechanicus Painting Guide - Crusaders of the Machine God (Painting Guide), pp. 4-17Heralds of the Siege (Anthology) edited by Nick Kyme and Laurie Goulding, "Myriad" by Rob SandersHorus Heresy: Collected Visions, pg. 369Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard & Imperial Navy, pp. 81, 160Skitarii Painting Guide - Legions of the Omnissiah (2015), pp. 3-19The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 16Titan Legions (2nd Edition), pg. 10-13Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (8th Edition), pp. 25, 27, 33, 40-42, 48, 50, 60, 73-74, 277-279Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (5th Edition)White Dwarf 246 (UK), "Steel Chariots - The Space Marine Land Raider"White Dwarf 178 (UK), "The Titan Legions," by Rick PriestleyMechanicum (Novel) by Graham McNeillThe Hunt for Vulkan (Book Seven) (Novel) by David AnnandaleThe Last Wall (Novel) by David Annandale, Ch. 9
Marsalis Sector - Marsalis Sector: Marsalis Sector is a sector of Imperial space located to the galactic west of the galactic core. Since the opening of the Great Rift in the Era Indomitus the Kin of the Greater Thurian League have dispatched numerous Prospects west beyond the circumnuclear disc that marks the boundary of the galactic core. They have deployed forces into the neighbouring Marsalis and Sepulchor Sectors in numbers not seen outside the galactic core since the Kin first settled there.The remit of these forces is to claim new worlds for those Thurian Kindreds dispossessed by the Chaos invaders pouring from Warp Storm Örgvayr near Thurian space in the core, and identify safe star systems for the league to fall back to should its defences fail or the fight become too costly. Imperial planetary governors throughout both sectors have responded to this apparent invasion with a predictable mix of panic and zealotry, hurling armies at the encroaching Kin even as their astropaths' fragmentary distress calls wing their way out to the wider Imperium.
Marshal (Black Templars) - Marshal (Black Templars): A Marshal is a high-ranking officer and a Veteran Space Marine who leads the individual crusades of the Black Templars Chapter and is equivalent to a captain in a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter. These ferocious Space Marines possess superb tactical abilities, second in experience to only the High Marshal himself.The purity and ultimate success of a crusade is entrusted unto the Marshal and such a duty is a sacred and glorious responsibility. Only the most inspirational and determined Black Templars warriors may rise to become a Marshal, after they have proved their courage and determination within the ranks of the Sword Brethren or as a Castellan (equivalent to a lieutenant in a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter) leading a fighting company of the Chapter.The Marshals are able to coordinate the Space Marines under their command and lead them and his Crusade to ultimate victory, whatever the opposition.
Marshal (Black Templars) - History: Within the chain of command of the non-Codex Astartes-compliant Black Templars, Marshals serve as the highest-ranking officers beneath the High Marshal, essentially as unusually powerful Space Marine captains. They are great warriors who lead the individual crusades of the Chapter. The purity and ultimate success of a crusade is entrusted unto its Marshal and such a duty is a sacred and glorious responsibility.A Marshal is not only a warrior so deadly that he will rarely meet his match on the field of battle, but one whose expertise includes concerns beyond the battlefield, for the leading of a Black Templars crusade is a mighty task indeed. As a result, only the most inspirational and determined warriors may rise to become a Marshal, having long proved their courage and determination within the ranks of the Chapter.A Marshal is able to coordinate the warriors under his command and lead them and his crusades to ultimate victory whatever the opposition. There are few heroes of the Imperium in the galaxy better able to wage war than the Marshals of the Black Templars.
Marshal (Black Templars) - Wargear: Power Armour (Any Firstborn or Mark X pattern)Terminator Armour (Optional)BolterBolt Pistol (Optional)Crusader Seals - Crusader Seals are waxen or metallic tokens with vows of piety and Chapter blessings inscribed on hanging strips of parchment that are bestowed upon Black Templars Astartes of proven zeal and courage.Storm Bolter Optional for Marshals in Terminator Armour)Close Combat Weapon (Choice of Power Sword, Chainsword, Lightning Claws, Thunder Hammer, Power Fist; if chosen weapon is one-handed, a Storm Shield may also be used)Frag GrenadesKrak Grenades
Martellus - Martellus: Martellus was a Techmarine who served with the Blood Ravens Chapter of Space Marines during the Aurelian Crusades that marked the most trying time for those Astartes in the late 41st Millennium.