Naval Operations of Ultramar

[Brother Pariah]

All right. Round three. Gather round, you Lexicania, Codiciers and Epistolaries. Take off those psychic hoods and put on your thinking caps. I have an idea for a... rather modestly-scoped... project which will amuse and edify you, while creating a lasting monument of Space Marines lore. The Naval Operations of Ultramar thread. Maybe this one will make it farther than the Codex Astartes thread did.

We will work together to compile every unique reference to the naval operations of Ultramar from every source available. This top post will be where I will compile everything into relevent categories. Each entry should contain the following:

1. An exact quotation from an official GW source. Put quotes around it so we know what's "canon."

2. Cite your source. This is important. Historical research requires verifiable sources. Any official Warhammer 40,000 material is fair game, even licensed stuff. Some discrepancies will inevitably appear, but that's part of the fun! Be sure to provide a copyright date if the edition could be in doubt and a page number, if applicable. Also, specify which country your White Dwarf is from, if it post-dates the UK/US White Dwarf split (WD 192?).

Anything about the naval operations of Ultramar is of interest. We're interested in all aspects of the Ultramarines and other denizens of Ultramar in space: What are the names of the ships? How many are there? What sorts of system defenses are there? Where are the ships made? What is the Imperial Navy's policy with regard to the Ultramar subsector? What sorts of tactics are employed? What does the Codex Astartes have to say about Space Marine naval operations? What sorts of evolution in Ultramarine naval operations have there been (particularly in reaction to Hive Fleet Behemoth)? I will add more categories if people suggest them.

We can use the same color-coding from the Timeline thread to keep track of the different eras of 40K:
1st Edition (October 1987-October 1993)
2nd Edition (October 1993-October 1998)
3rd Edition (October 1998-August 2004)
4th Edition (August 2004-July 2008)
5th Edition (July 2008-June 2012)
6th Edition (June 2012 - May 2014)

7th Edition (May 2014 - Present)

Unknown / Other (Further research required)

As usual, I'll "prime the pump" with the first entry (on Strike Cruiser Gulliman, below).

Naval Operations of Ultramar

Numbers

"Ultramarines can field five [battle Barges] as Ultramar traditionally depended on them for sector naval protection." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

"3 Battle Barges - Octavius, Caesar, Severian," (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

"The Ultramarines maintain a permanent fleet of ten strike cruisers, though this number has been known to increase as demand requires." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

"8 Strike Cruisers." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

"12 Rapid Strike Vessels." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

"32 Thunderhawks." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

There is additionally an Ultramar Defence Fleet, which seems to include standard Imperial ships, including Heavy Cruisers. (Codex: Tyranids, 2010, p. 12)

Ship Dimensions

Gloriana-class Battleship

Dimensions: 10km-26km long, 2.5-3km abeam at fins approx.

Space Marine Battlebarge
Dimensions: 8.2km long, 2.3km abeam at fins approx.
Mass: 52 megatonnes, approx.
Crew: 130,000 crew, approx. (1/10 of that for a Space Marine ship)
Accel: 2.5 gravities max acceleration (Fantasy Flight Games)

Space Marine Strike Cruiser
Dimensions: 4km long, 0.9km Abeam at fins approx.
Mass: 19.1 megatonnes, approx.
Crew: 60,000 crew, approx. (1/10 of that for a Space Marine ship)
Accel: 4.9 gravities max sustainable acceleration (Fantasy Flight Games)

Gladius-class Frigate
Dimensions: 1.8km long, 0.7km abeam at fins approx.
Mass: 5.8 megatonnes, approx.
Crew: 23,000 crew, approx. (1/10 of that for a Space Marine ship)
Accel: 5.4 gravities max acceleration (Fantasy Flight Games)

Nova-class Frigate
Dimensions: 1.5km long, 0.62km abeam at fins approx.
Mass: 5.7 megatonnes, approx.
Crew: 20,000 crew, approx. (1/10 of that for a Space Marine ship)
Accel: 6.1 gravities max acceleration (Fantasy Flight Games)

Hunter-class Destroyer
Dimensions: 1.3km long, 0.3km abeam at fins approx.
Mass: 5.2 megatonnes, approx.
Crew: 18,500 crew, approx. (1/10 of that for a Space Marine ship)
Accel: 6.7 gravities max sustainable acceleration (Fantasy Flight Games)

Thunderhawk Gunship
Dimensions: 26.6 meters long, 26.65 meters wingspan
Mass: 121 tonnes
Crew: 4
Max Speed: 2000 kph (Imperial Armor II, p.156)

Thunderhawk Transporter
Dimensions: 28.8 meters long, 26.65 meters wingspan
Mass: 105 tonnes
Crew: 2
Max Speed: 2000 kph (Imperial Armor II, p.157)

Drop Pods (personnel/dreadnought)
Dimensions: 7.7m tall/11.1m tall, 5.2m wide/7.5m wide
Mass: 16.5 tonnes/19 tonnes
Crew: 0
Max Speed: 12,000 kph (descent) (Imperial Armor II, p.144-145)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/veritas117/346976_md-SpaceMarineFleet.jpg


Ship Interior

Strike Cruiser's bridge (Defenders of Ultramar #1, 2008, p. 15)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/veritas117/mod/scan0003.jpg



Naval Order of Battle

Gloriana-class Battleship

Macragge's Honour: At 26km long, believed to be the largest of all Gloriana-class Battleships. Engaged the Infidus Imperator in a famous naval duel, both in realspace and the warp, coming out the victor and destroying the Word Bearers' ship. However, it was lost in the warp for quite some time. At some point it was returned to the Ultramarines chapter. Roboute Guilliman took it as his command ship during the Terran Crusade, but it was captured by the Red Corsairs in an ambush during the Terran Crusade. (Know No Fear, p.42, 2012; Gathering Storm III, p.58, 2017)

Battle Barges (active):
Aeternus: "The most venerable battle barge on the Ultramarine ship list." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

Adsidus: "Lord Canastra's Fleet Headquarters for the Hydra-9 strike where an entire planet was subdued during three days of continuous battle." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

Emperor Incarnatus: "Considered to be an unusually holy and hence 'lucky' ship." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

Lord Laomedon: "Built to replace the Pro Merito." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

Octavius: (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

Seditio Opprimere: "The battle barge "Seditio Opprimere was reduced to a near hulk at the Battle of Prandium. It was rebuilt as a gunship with powerful long-range plasma lances to give the Ultramarines stand-off fire support when fighting Tyranids using the new fleet tactics. This severely compromised the ability of the barge to deploy troops.... Destroyed the heretic cruiser Sporespitter." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 18, 22)
Severian: (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

Battle Barges (past):

Caesar: "7th Company serving as Master Guards on Caesar." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46) [destroyed in the Battle for Macragge, and in Chapter's Due]

Excelsior: The Ultramarines Battle Barge Excelsior is embroiled in battle when its Gellar field fails during translation from the Warp into realspace. Excelsior never rematerializes into reality. (Codex: Chaos Daemons, 2013, p.21)

Fist of Macragge: Brother-Captain Hektor commanded this Lunar-Class battleship during the Great Crusade. It was destroyed by the Furious Abyss, a Word Bearers ship, prior to the Battle for Calth. (Battle for the Abyss, p. 23)
Guilliman's Hand: (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 167)
Pro Merito: "Lost in the warp while in transit to put down a rebellion on Tar Centiri." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

Constellation of Tarmus: Destroyed in the Battle for Calth during the Horus Heresy. (Mark of Calth, 2013, p. 195)

Strike Cruisers (active):

Accipiter: (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)

Emperor's Mercy: "Counter-incursion - Gerio Sector." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)
Fidelis: (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)
Fist of Ultramar: "Joran VI Retaliation Force." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)
Fury of Descent: (Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, 2011)

Internecio: (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)
Iter Splendere: (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)
Primarch's Wrath: Crippled by collision with allied ship in Thousand Suns ambush during the Terran Crusade. (Gathering Storm III, p.48, 2017)

Righteous Fury: "Joran VI Retaliation Force." (Codex Space Marines, 1998, p. 46)

Sword of Honour: Transported the Ynnari to Macragge. (Gathering Storm III, p.13, 2017)

Vae Victus: "The most famous [strike cruiser]... often used on detached duties." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 22)
Valin's Revenge: Supported Imperial forces defending Ghosphora Hive by bombarding Ork lines from orbit, and then delivered Captain Sicarius and the men of the 2nd Company via Drop Pod assault so they could push the Orks off Ghosphora's walls during the Black Reach campaign. (Warhammer 40,000, 2008, p. 137)
Vengeance of Macragge: Utilized by the Tyrannic War Veterans and Chaplain Cassius in their anti-Tyranid duties. (Dataslate: Tyrannic War Veterans, 2014)

Will of the Emperor: While most of the Ultramar fleet was engaged in the Forian Crusade, the Will of the Emperor carried several squads of Terminators, lead by Commander Troilus, against the genestealer-infested space hulk Hunter of the Void. (US WD 201, p. 49-55)

Strike Cruisers (past):

Cassius: The Great Devourer, p. 8. (Originally published in Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 1) (Note: When was this published?)
Gulliman: "Number 4 company was immediately launched in drop-ships from their station on the Ultra-Marine's flagship 'Gulliman [sic]'." (WD 97, p. 44. Note: I infer that this ship is a Strike Cruiser because only one company was deployed.)
Indomitable Will: Deran II Campaign. ("Tyranid Special Characters.")
Shield of Vigilance: Destroyed by Eldar over Elysium. (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 170)

Escorts:
Arx-Praetora squadron (Gladius-class frigates): (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30)
Circes squadron (Gladius-class frigates): (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30)
Guilliman's Honour (Gladius-class frigate): Forced down on Espandor. Reclaimed from Ork looters by the 4th Co. (Defenders of Ultramar nos. 1-2)
Sword of Ultramar (Gladius-class frigate): The Chapter's Due, p. 64, 2010 [destroyed]
Grand Duke of Tallasar (Gladius-class frigate): The Chapter's Due, . 64, 2010 [destroyed]
Hera's Wrath squadron (Hunter-class destroyers): (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30)
Hera's Wrath (Hunter-class destroyer): The Chapter's Due, p. 64, 2010 [destroyed]
Invictas Squadron (Nova-class frigates): (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 31)
Guilliman's Spear (Nova-class frigate): The Chapter's Due, p. 64, 2010 [destroyed]

Thunderhawk Gunships:
Herald IV: "Thunderhawk Gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter, named Herald IV. It is the Chapter's fourth gunship. This aircraft was used by Marneus Calgar during the Devastation of Boros." (Imperial Armour, vol. II, p. 158. Note: The gunship has a "VI" marked on it in the picture, not a "IV.")
Gladius: Assigned to the strike cruiser Valin's Revenge. Extensively used by the 2nd company in the Assault on Black Reach. (C:SM, 2008, p. 36)
Lance of Jove: (Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, 2011)
Thunderstorm: Assigned to the strike cruiser Valin's Revenge. Saw action during the Damnos Incident. (C:SM, 2008, p. 38)
Vigilus-Di: Assigned to the Strike Cruiser Shield of Vigilence. (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 173)
Vigilus-Prime: Assigned to the Strike Cruiser Shield of Vigilence. (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 173)


Other Ships and Ships of Unknown Type:
Gauntlet of Macragge: "The Imperial Navigators reacted swiftly, bringing the six kilometre-long vessel under control." I would be inclined to designate this ship as a Battle Barge, based on ship's size. (Let the Galaxy Burn, p. 226) On the other hand, the ship is referred to as a Gothic cruiser (and as having a ten mile length!) in an earlier version of the same story. This one seems to be unclassifiable. (Inferno 1, p. 17-19)
Guardian: "The Ork flagship was forced down onto Womo (Gurun 4) by fire from chapter vessels 'Guardian' and 'Warshield'." (WD 97, p. 44.)
Imperator Rex: A "mighty vessel" destroyed by a Tyranid bio-ship during the Battle of Macragge. (US WD 255, p. 67.)
Warshield: "The Ork flagship was forced down onto Womo (Gurun 4) by fire from chapter vessels 'Guardian' and 'Warshield'." (WD 97, p. 44.)
Konor's Gulf: (The Chapter's Due, p. 98, 2010)
Ultramar Endures: (The Chapter's Due, p. 98, 2010)
Prandium Memoriam: (The Chapter's Due, p. 98, 2010)

Sons of Ultramar: Destroyed in the Battle for Calth. (Mark of Calth, 2013, p. 195)

Pride of Hera: Unknown Ultramarines or Ultramarines successor ship. Suffered daemonic invasion when Gellar fields failed during Terran Crusade. (Gathering Storm III, p.48, 2017)

Unknown ship, above: Confirmed identified as a Tyrant-class battleship. See discussion in this thread and confirming picture below. (Chaos Gate video game)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/veritas117/tyrantbb.jpg


System Defenses

"Armed battle stations hang overhead in geosynchronous orbit [over Calth]." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 17)

There are Starnova class Orbital Weapons Platforms in orbit over Macragge (Codex: Tyranids, 2010, p. 12)

Shipyards

"The second most important planet of Ultramar is the forgeworld Calth. This is an airless world with a surface of bare metallic-blue frozen rock illuminated by the lethal rays of a blue star.... Calth is the primary manufacturing centre for Ultramar. It is famous for its shipyards that build and service the Ultramar fleets of starships, both merchant and Space Marine vessels. These docks are unusual in being located on the surface of the airless planet rather than in orbit. The inhospitable smooth surface is perfect for starships. The dockyards are protected by tall surface-to-space torpedoes and puissant plasma cannon batteries. Armed battle stations hang overhead in geosynchronous orbit." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 17)

Officers and Crew

"Machinery and servitors carry out much of the work [on board the ship]. The rest of the crew are mostly chapter serfs up to junior officer level; marines make up only the senior officers and assault troops...any senior marine is expected to captain a starship or lead a fleet as necessary. The only outsiders in the crew...are the families of the Navis Nobilite who are bound...to supply warp navigators for the Astartes." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 20)

Private ships in the area can be commandeered by Marneus Calgar and crewed with those loyal to him in times of direst emergency; the approach of hive fleet Behemoth was one such time. (Codex: Tyranids, 2010, p. 12)

"A Space Marine is far too valuable to waste in manning a gun or watching a surveyor screen, and so only the officers aboard a vessel are likely to be Space Marines, as well as the few Techmarines who oversee the engines and perform other mechanical duties." (Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 54)

Almost all of the ship's systems are run and monitored by servitors; [they] are wired into the vessel's weapons, engines, and communications apparatus. There are also a few hundred Chapter serfs to attend to other duties, such as routine cleaning and maintenance, serving the Space Marines during meal times and other such honored tasks. These serfs are fanatically loyal to their superhuman masters, and are indoctrinated into many of the lesser orders of the Chapter's Cult. Although human, they still benefit from remarkable training and access to weaponry superior to that usually found on a naval vessel, making them a fearsome prospect in a boarding action." (Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 54)

"Usually, one of the Chapter's Captain will be appointed Master of the Fleet with overall responsibility for the Chapter's entire fleet. This will place at his disposal all the pilots, gunnery officers, command crews and navigators in the chapter. Whilst these serfs make up the vast bulk of crews aboard Space Marine vessels, the Master of the Fleet also has a number of Space Marines under his command, who act as high-ranking officers aboard the fleet's vessels, providing captains for individual vessels, leading specialised boarding parties." (Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 55)

"The exact organization of those Space Marines tasked with crewing the fleet varies from Chapter to Chapter. In some cases, it will be the Master of the Fleet's own company who provide these Marines, with each of his veteran captains acting as captain to a different vessel within the fleet while their own squad members each man a different vital area within that same vessel. In other cases, squads from different companies within the Chapter may be charged with manning the fleet, serving under the command of the Master of the Fleet in just the same way as a Space Marine battleforce may be made up of squads drawn from several companies across the Chapter under the battle-command of a single, nominated force commander." (Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 55)

"At an absolute minimum, a Master of the Fleet typically needs eighty to a hundred Marines to properly crew the fleet, its Thunderhawks and its landing craft, and most Chapters have measures in place to ensure that a astanding force of this size is permanently available to the Master of the Fleet, be it his own company in its entirety, or squads from across the Chapter left permanently at his disposal." (Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 55)

"As with all specialized roles which a Space Marine may be honored, serving in the fleet brings with it a variety of different titles and ranks...In this manner, a Space Marine force commander may well find that he is charged with command of both the battleforce and the transporting fleet, earning him additional honorifics such as Regent of the Fleet, Command at Sail and so on. A Marine's heraldry and personalized armor markings may well bear emblems of his service within the fleet, additional honors and titles gained there, or other emblems signifying their role within the fleet." (Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 55)

"In a dominion fleet (such as the Ultramarines, who rule over the domain of Ultramar under the Treaty of Macragge), many vessels are crewed entirely by Serfs, since the few available Space Marines are spread across a great many more vessels than is usual, perhaps even proving supporting crews to some of the Imperial Navy vessels."(Fanatic Magazine 6, p. 64)

The Imperial Navy and Ultramar

"The fleet practiced tactics with allies from Battlefleet Bakka." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 23)

"There are no significant naval assets in the subsector." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 19)

It appears that there is an "Ultramar Defense Fleet," which is distinct from the Ultramarines' fleet. (Codex Tyranids, 2010, p. 12.)

Tactics

"A classic marine engagement would involve; (i) reconnoitering a rebel world with rapid strike vessels before commitment of capital ship, (ii) closing with capital ships and suppressing orbital defenses, preferably by capturing them in a lightning assault using boarding torpedoes and Thunderhawk assault shuttles, but destroying them if necessary, (iii) suppressing ground defenses with orbital bombardment and drop pods, (iv) reinforcing the assault with waves of Thunderhawks, and (v) once a landing zone is secure ferrying down larger war machines." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 21)

"At first, streaming fire would be launched from bombardment cannons, targeted at key lance batteries upon the planet's surface, softening the way for the drop. On the back of this bombardment, the first wave of drop-pods would be launched, striking hard and fast, their mission to gain a foothold upon the surface and take out anti-air and flak emplacements. Further drop-pod waves would help establish this goal and eliminate prime enemy targets, before Thunderhawks descended towards designated landing zones, deploying more troops, supprt and armor in preparation for a counterattack. In all, a well-coordinated attack could be launched in minutes, giving the beleaguered ground forces little time to react." (Dark Creed, p. 203-204)

Crusade-Era Fleet Organization

"The principal class of warship in the Great Crusade was the battleship, with more than a thousand such mighty engines of war in operation at the height of the Imperium's expansion. Battleships are vast constructs, ranging commonly between 8km and 12km. They hold tens of thousands of crew, troops, and hundreds of war machines as well as swarms of smaller craft."

"Battle Barges, a development of the Great Crusade, are not a single designation or class as such, but rather a term given to any variant or refit of battleship class hulls modified and optimized for use by the Legiones Astartes specifically for Space Marine planetary assault and ship to ship boarding actions."

"Grand Cruisers are used as pocket battleships. They are intended principally to be capable of operation on their own rather than as part of a larger fleet."

"Light Cruisers and Heavy Cruisers are medium-size warships, ranging in general terms between 4km and 6km in length and with an on board complement ranging into the thousands. The difference between the two is role and specialization. Heavy...are designed to favor defense and firepower. Light Cruisers sacrifice some of those elements for greatly increased speed and maneuverability."

"Escort is a catch-all designation for the smallest division of warp-capable warships, seldom longer than 1km or 2km in length."

• "At the time of the Horus Heresy, the Imperial Fists had over 1,500 warships under their direct command and many more bonded by oath and fealty. This naval might was the greatest of any Legiones Astartes and was further enhanced by the fact that many of the ships were the largest in the Imperium. Even the Sons of Horus and the Ultramarines could not rival such strength alone."

"At the time of the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, the Iron Warriors Legion is estimated to have had...a very substantial war fleet of over a hundred Capital (Battleship) class vessels."

Horus Heresy, Book 3: Extermination, p.118, 2016

The Codex Astartes on Space Marine naval operations

"A Space Marine fleet has four functions: (i) to patrol Imperial space to watch for rebellion, heresy or xeno-intrusion - the investigation of space hulks is a vital marine duty, (ii) to provide an immediately available lift capability to move marines and their equipment anywhere in human space at a moment's notice, (iii) to assault defended planets and space installations so as to safely deliver marines and their equipment into combat, and (iv) to support marines fighting in ground combat. The Ultramarines, as a codex chapter, adhere to these guidelines rigidly..." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 20)

"The Ultramarines also added pure gunboats (albeit in limited number) to their fleet, something that they had always eschewed as incompatible with the Codex Astartes and their holy purpose." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 23)

Codex Astartes dictated procedure for launching an attack on an enemy planet: "At first, streaming fire would be launched from bombardment cannons, targeted at key lance batteries upon the planet's surface, softening the way for the drop. On the back of this bombardment, the first wave of drop-pods would be launched, striking hard and fast, their mission to gain a foothold upon the surface and take out anti-air and flak emplacements. Further drop-pod waves would help establish this goal and eliminate prime enemy targets, before Thunderhawks descended towards designated landing zones, deploying more troops, supprt and armor in preparation for a counterattack. In all, a well-coordinated attack could be launched in minutes, giving the beleaguered ground forces little time to react." (Dark Creed, p. 203-204, 2010)

Evolution

I (Seahawk) will paraphrase the first part of the Defence of Macragge, which is the Battle of Prandium. Basically, following the codex to the letter against the Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth was a catastrophic failure. Reworked tactics included striking hard, fast, and direct, killing the hive ships so that the little ones would mill about in confusion. (based on Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 18-23)

"The battle barge "Seditio Opprimere was reduced to a near hulk at the Battle of Prandium. It was rebuilt as a gunship with powerful long-range plasma lances to give the Ultramarines stand-off fire support when fighting Tyranids using the new fleet tactics. This severely compromised the ability of the barge to deploy troops." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 18)

"Lord Calgar initiated an energetic programme of retraining for the Ultramarine fleet. He instigated new training for marine naval commanders to familiarise them with the manoeuvres required for open space fleet actions and created a new title with new status, Master of the Fleet. The fleet practiced tactics with allies from Battlefleet Bakka." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 23)

"The Ultramarines also added pure gunboats (albeit in limited number) to their fleet, something that they had always eschewed as incompatible with the Codex Astartes and their holy purpose." (Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15, p. 23)

Naval Engagements

007/M41 The Fist of Macragge is ambushed and destroyed by the Word Bearers' ship the Furious Abyss. 500 battle brothers of the 7th Company and their captain are lost. A mixed force of Ultramarines, Space Wolves, Thousand Sons, and World Eaters, lead by Captain Cestus of the Ultramarines, sacrifice themselves to destroy the Furious Abyss as it makes its approach to Formaska, a moon of Macragge. (Battle for the Abyss, 2008, p.29, states that it takes place just prior to Horus's arrival at Istvaan III.)

Battle of Calth. A massive naval battle occurs over Calth as the Word Bearers ambush the Ultramarines in an attempt to cripple their power for the rest of the Heresy.

Battle for Macragge

M'kar's invasion

Gathering Storm invasions

Fleet Assets of Other Chapters

Blood Angels

- 2 Battle Barges (Blade of Vengeance, Bloodcaller)

- 7 Strike Cruisers (Blood of Vengeance, Angel's Sword, Baal's Fist)

- 16 Rapid Strike Vessels

Blood of Vengeance: Strike Cruiser that was part of the Blood Angels taskforce in the 3rd War of Armageddon. (Imperial Armor II, p. 187, 2004)

Angel's Sword: Strike Cruiser that acted as Captain Raphael's command ship during the boarding action of the Sin of Damnation. (Space Hulk 3rd edtition, 2009)

Angelus Belarius Squadron: Gladius Class Frigate Squadron. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30, 2002)

Red Fury: Storm Raven. (Codex: Blood Angels, p. 21, 2009)

Dark Angels

The Rock: More massive than the heaviest class of vessel, this "vessel" is warp capable and crossed with hundreds of weapons batteries and launch bays. (Codex: Angels of Death, p. 13, 1996)

Unrelenting Fury: Battle Barge. (Dark Millenium, p. 76, 2014)

Sword of Caliban: Strike Cruiser. (Dark Millenium, p. 76, 2014)

Sword of Defiance: Strike Cruiser, crashed on Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade and destroyed. (Gathering Storm I, 2017)

Fortitude Squadron: Three Hunter Class Destroyers. (Dark Millenium, p. 76, 2014)

Terminatus Squadron: Three Hunter Class Destroyers. (Dark Millenium, p. 76, 2014)

Lion's Claw Squadron: Hunter Class Destroyer Squadron. (Dark Millenium, p. 77, 2014)

Dark Knights of Caliban: Nova Class Frigate Squadron. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 31, 2002)

Imperial Fists

Phalanx: Mobile battle station. (Codex: Space Marines, p. 41, 2012)

Shield of Valor: Strike Cruiser lost above Malodrax. (Codex: Space Marines, p. 44, 2012)

Titus: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 75, 2002)

Raven Guard

Black Talons: Hunter Class Destroyer Squadron. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30, 2002)

Silent Blade: Frigate of Unknown type. Destroyed in starship graveyard during the Terran Crusade. (Gathering Storm III, p.55, 2017)

Shadowhawk: Most ancient and revered Thunderhawk Gunship in the Raven Guard's armory. (Codex: Space Marines, p. 63, 2012)

Space Wolves

- 2 Ramilies Class Star Forts
- 8 Battle Barges (Notable ships: Spear of Russ, Herald of Morkai, Allfather's Honor, Firemane's Fang)

- 30+ Strike Cruisers (Notable ships: Seawolf, Wolfborn, Wolf of Fenris [lost] )
- 20+ Hunter Class Destroyer Squadrons (Russ' Claws)
- 20+ Gladius and Nova Class Frigate Squadrons

(Codex: Space Wolves, 2014; Gathering Storm I, 2017)

White Scars

- Fortress Monastery

Jaghatai's Pride: Battle Barge that defended Chogoris from a Necron Tombship. (Codex: Space Marines, p. 38, 2012)

Plainsmaster: Battle Barge renamed as the Silent Horseman. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 133, 2003)

-----------------------------

Black Dragons

Ebon Flame: Battle Barge. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 133, 2003)

Black Templars

Eternal Crusader: Battle Barge that is the flagship and fortress monastery of the Black Templars Chapter. (Codex: Space Marines, p. 53, 2012)

Sigismund's Light: Battle Barge in the Donian Crusade. (Codex: Black Templars, p. 65, 2005)

Dorn's Sword: Strike Cruiser in the Donian Crusade. (Codex: Black Templars, p. 65, 2005)

Scourge of Heretics: Strike Cruiser in the Terran Crusade. (Gathering Storm III, p.44, 2017)

Heracles: Forgeship in the Donian Crusade. (Codex: Black Templars, p. 65, 2005)

Doom Eagles

Doombearer: Battle Barge assigned to defence of the Cadian Gate, 13th Black Crusade. (Imperial Armor II, p. 190, 2004)

Herald of Battle: Strike Cruiser assigned to defence of the Cadian Gate, 13th Black Crusade. (Imperial Armor II, p. 190, 2004)

Emperor's Storm: Strike Cruiser assigned to defence of the Cadian Gate, 13th Black Crusade. (Imperial Armor II, p. 190, 2004)

Baptism of Fire: Strike Cruiser assigned to defence of the Cadian Gate, 13th Black Crusade. (Imperial Armor II, p. 190, 2004)

Exorcists

Punisher: Battle Barge. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 22, 2003)

Redeemer: Battle Barge. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 22, 2003)

Hunter: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Captain Augusta: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Eternal Defiance: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Fire Hawks

Raptorous Rex: Fortress Monastery lost in the warp. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 26, 2003)

Harbingers

Unrelenting Fury: Battle Barge. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 26, 2003)

Hawk Lords

Wings of Glory: Frigate of Unknown type. Destroyed by Thousand Suns ambush during Terran Crusade. (Gathering Storm III, p.48, 2017)

Red Talons

Emperor's Blade: Battle Barge. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 75, 2002)

Holy Execution: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Claw of Justice: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Silver Skulls

Obliterators: Gladius Class Frigate Squadron. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30, 2002)

Warmongers

Allegiance of Terra: Battle Barge assigned to the Jakal II Intercept Force. (Imperial Armor II, p. 189, 2004)

White Consuls

Sword of Truth: Battle Barge. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 22, 2003)

Hermes: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Hope and Fire: Strike Cruiser, crippled by collision with allied ship during Terran Crusade. (Gathering Storm III, p.48, 2017)

Eternal Faith: Strike Cruiser. (Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, p. 23, 2003)

Holy Shields: Nova Class Frigate Squadron. (Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual, p. 30, 2002)

--------------------

Thought for the day: Let the alien bow down before our sword.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Seahawk

[Seahawk]

Ooo, how exciting! I love naval stuff.

 

Let's start with a biggy, shall we? Most of this article is about what we want.

 

Battlefleet Gothic Magazine 15 (May? 2003)

As penned by John Lambshead

Pages 18-23

- "A Space Marine fleet has four functions: (i) to patrol Imperial space to watch for rebellion, heresy or xeno-intrusion - the investigation of space hulks is a vital marine duty, (ii) to provide an immediately available lift capability to move marines and their equipment anywhere in human space at a moment's notice, (iii) to assault defended planets and space installations so as to safely deliver marines and their equipment into combat, and (iv) to support marines fighting in ground combat. The Ultramarines, as a codex chapter, adhere to these guidelines rigidly..."

 

- "Machinery and servitors carry out much of the work [on board the ship]. The rest of the crew are mostly chapter serfs up to junior officer level; marines make up only the senior officers and assault troops...any senior marine is expected to captain a starship or lead a fleet as necessary. The only outsiders in the crew...are the families of the Navis Nobilite who are bound...to supply warp navigators for the Astartes."

 

- "A classic marine engagement would involve; (i) reconnoitering a rebel world with rapid strike vessels before commitment of capital ship, (ii) closing with capital ships and suppressing orbital defences, preferably by capturing them in a lightning assault using boarding torpedoes and Thunderhawk assault shuttles, but destroying them if necessary, (iii) suppressing ground defences with orbital bombardment and drop pods, (iv) reinforcing the assault with waves of Thunderhawks, and (v) once a landing zone is secure ferring down larger war machines."

 

- I will paraphrase the first part of the Defence of Macragge, which is the Battle of Prandium. Basically, following the codex to the letter against the Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth was a catastrophic failure. Reworked tactics included striking hard, fast, and direct, killing the hive ships so that the little ones would mill about in confusion.

- The battle barge "Seditio Opprimere was reduced to a near hulk at the Battle of Prandium. It was rebuilt as a gunship with powerful long-range plasma lances to give the Ultramarines stand-off fire support when fighting Tyranids using the new fleet tactics. This severely compromised the ability of the barge to deploy troops."

 

- "Lord Calgar intiated an energetic programme of retraining for the Ultramarine fleet. He instigated new training for marine naval commanders to familiarise them with the manoeuvres required for open space fleet actions and created a new title with new status, Master of the Fleet. The fleet practiced tactics with allies from Battlefleet Bakka."

 

- "The Ultramarines also added pure gunboats (albeit in limited number) to their fleet, something that they had always eschewed as incompatible with the Codex Astartes and their holy purpose."

 

 

- "The second most important planet of Ultramar is the forgeworld Calth. This is an airless world with a surface of bare metallic-blue frozen rock illuminated by the lethal rays of a blue star./.../Calth is the primary manufacturing centre for Ultramar. It is famous for its shipyards that build and service the Ultramar fleets of starships, both merchant and Space Marine vessels. These docks are unusual in being located on the surface of the airless planet rather than in orbit. The inhospitable smooth surface is perfect for starships. The dockyards are protected by tall surface-to-space torpedoes and puissant (adj.: strong, mighty) plasma cannon batteries. Armed battle stations hang overhead in geosynchronous orbit."

 

Ships of the Ultramarines

Current Battlebarges (of 5):

Aeternus - the most venerable battle barge

Emperor Incarnatus - considered to be an unusually holy and hence 'lucky' ship

Adsidus - Lord Canastra's Fleet Headquarters for the Hydra-9 strike where an entire planet was subdued during three days of continuous battle

Lord Laomedon - Built to replace the Pro Merito

Seditio Opprimere - destroyed the heretic cruiser Sporespitter

 

Current Strike Cruisers (of 10):

Vae Victus - the most famous, often used on detached duties

Iter Splendere

Fidelis

Internecio

Accipiter

 

Past Battlebarges:

Pro Merito - lost in the warp while in transit to put down a rebellion on Tar Centiri (the planet was later put to death by exterminatus due to their MIA)

 

New source:

The Horus Heresy Vol. IV: Visions of Death (2006)

Past Battlebarges:

Gauntlet of Power

Macragge's Honour - Roboute Guilliman's flagship (oh boy this one is a beaut too! <_<)

 

Past Strike Cruisers:

Mlatus

 

 

And I know of two more sources at least, one of which is at home (I'm away at school) and the other is in my box of White Dwarf's, but I don't want to go rooting around in it tonight. So many magazines!

Edited October 30, 2007 by Seahawk

[Seahawk]

Don't forget in the Firewarrior game. The Ultramarines were on hand to force a truce between the Imperials and Tau to fight the greater threat: Chaos. What captain was there? Ardias? (spoiler)

Anyway, they ended up exacting exterminatus with a good amount of ships.

[Renik]

wd 284 uk has very handy article on ultramarine fleets in battle fleet Gothic will give you list of ultramarine battle barges for you if u want more info from the article just ask

 

ultra marine battle barges

 

pro merito; lost in the warp while in transit to put down a rebelion on tar centiri the planet was declared exterminatus by the inquistion when the ful extent of daemonic possession of the aristocracy was realised

 

aeternus; the most venrebale battle barge on the ultramarine ship list

 

emperor incarnatus; considered to be an unusually lucky ship

 

adsidus: this ship was lord canastra's fleet headquarters for the hydra 9 strike where an entire planet was subdued during three days of continuous battle

 

seditio opprimere: destroyed the heretic cruiser sporespitter and was reduced to a near hulk at battle of prandium but was rebuilt as gunship

 

lord laomedon; built to replace the pro merito

 

edit- ok teach me for not reading posts fully didnt catch that ship list had already been posted

Edited October 30, 2007 by Renik

[Brother Pariah]

Whew! That was a lot to format!

 

I added a category for "officers and crew."

 

New source:

The Horus Heresy Vol. IV: Visions of Death (2006)

Past Battlebarges:

Gauntlet of Power

Macragge's Honour - Roboute Guilliman's flagship (oh boy this one is a beaut too! :confused:)

 

Past Strike Cruisers:

Mlatus

 

Would you mind slapping some page numbers on there, please? I don't have that book myself.

 

I'm not quite sure what to do with the Fire Warrior reference.

[Captain Idaho]

lets not forget the multiple mentions of the Ultramarine battle barges that contradicts the article by John Lambshead.

 

mentioned in 3rd edition Codex Spacemarines (vol 1) for definite, but i cant remember the exact additional references to the 3 ships. Codex Tyranids (2nd edition) mentions one, maybe the WD which detailed the Battle for Maccragge mentioned it (though a good source of ultramarine fluff and there is 2 references to naval engagements.

 

sorry i cant be more helpful, have left home a while ago and i dont have access to any of my mags or old books!! forgiveness please!

[Brother Pariah]

All righty, here's another moldy oldy from the early days of Rogue Trader:

 

"The Ork flagship was forced down onto Womo (Gurun 4) by fire from chapter vessels 'Guardian' and 'Warshield'." (WD 97, p. 44. I assume that these are destroyers or frigates of some kind.)

[Seahawk]

I highly doubt, even though Ork flagships are comedic at best, that mere frigate and destroyer class vessels could force it down. More likely it was a pair of strike cruisers or, if a space hulk, then a pair of Battlebarges!

[I_Hector_I]

I remember in Codex: Space Marine 3rd Ed there was a page with the ultramarine force chart, it named 3 battlebarges in this fleet and then it also named some strike cruisers in the force currently on duty.

 

Someone like to check it up?

Edited October 31, 2007 by I_Hector_I

[Brother Cornelius]

Ive been reading the Black Library short stories compilation, Let the Galaxy Burn. In Jonathon Green's short story, Salvation, it mentions an Ultramarines ship called Gauntlet of Macragge.(p226). it doesn't state what type of ship it is or what year the story takes place, but it does mention that the ship is "...the flagship of the Ultramarine fleet..." and is BIG.

"The Imperial Navigator's reacted swiftly, bringing the six kilometre long vessel under control."

I guess that would make it at least a strike cruiser. I don't know whether Black Library short story sources make the grade as official, but there you have it.

[Brother Cornelius]

3rd Ed Codex lists the Ultramarines as having 3 battle barges - Octavius, Caesar and Severian. 8 Strike Cruisers, and 12 Rapid Strike Cessels are listed but are not named.

[I_Hector_I]

3rd Ed Codex lists the Ultramarines as having 3 battle barges - Octavius, Caesar and Severian. 8 Strike Cruisers, and 12 Rapid Strike Cessels are listed but are not named.

Go to the bottom of the page, there are a few forces deployments and from memory they name a few of the strike cruisers there.

Edited October 31, 2007 by I_Hector_I

[Brother Pariah]

I highly doubt, even though Ork flagships are comedic at best, that mere frigate and destroyer class vessels could force it down. More likely it was a pair of strike cruisers or, if a space hulk, then a pair of Battlebarges!

 

The flagship is merely the ship where the admiral has transferred his flag. It could be a dingy. I guess that would be a "flagboat," but you get the idea.

 

The reason I suspected that the Warshield and the Guardian are escorts is because they were fighting alongside the Gulliman, but they did not deploy troops (that we know of).

 

Thanks for a tips, everyone. I'll edit the top post some time tomorrow, when I've had a chance to grab a copy of Let the Galaxy Burn.

[I_Hector_I]

Found it: From CSM 3rd Ed

 

Battlebarge: (Fleet command section)

Octavius

Caesar

Severian

 

Strike Cruisers:

Fist of Ultramar (Joran VI retaliation force)

Righteous Fury (Joran VI retaliation force)

Emperor's Mercy (Counter-incursion - Gerio sector)

[Brother Pariah]

Okay, I removed the references to Guardian and Warshield being escorts, as there is contention and it was only my inference.

 

Added the ships from CSM 1998, both names and numbers.

 

There just isn't a single point of agreement between CSM and the BFG Magazine article, is there? :) Oh well. All part of the fun, I guess.

[Brother Pariah]

Thunderhawk Gunships:

 

Herald IV: "Thunderhawk Gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter, named Herald IV. It is the Chapter's fourth gunship. This aircraft was used by Marneus Calgar during the Devastation of Boros." (Imperial Armour, vol. II, p. 158. Note: The gunship has a "VI" marked on it in the picture, not a "IV.")

[Capt tyranus]

I figure I'm going to start by digging into some of the mustier places of the 40K fluff universe.

 

I'll let Brother Pariah decide how "canon" these are:

 

1) Shortly after the events in "Nightbringer" the Strike Cruiser "Vae Victus," commanded by Lord Admiral Lazlo Tiberius, delivered a force from the 4th Company of the Ultramarines (led by Capt. Ventris of course) that destroyed the Ork and Genestealer infested space hulk code named "Death of Virtue" as it approached the 6th planet of the Tarsis Ultra system.

 

From the short story "Leviathan" by Graham McNeill found in Inferno #34, pages 5-19.

 

 

This one is probably less "canon," though it is better written and thought out

 

2) Some time after Ichar IV, the Gothic Cruiser "Gauntlet of McCragge," commanded by Commander Tiberius, led an Ultramarine Fleet that repulsed a Tyranid incursion into the recently rediscovered world of Jaroth, located in the eastern fringe of the Ultima Segmentum, destroying a Tyranid Mother Ship during the naval portion of the battle, which included elements of the 1st Company of the Ultramarines fighting the Tyranids on the ground.

 

From the short story "Salvation" by Jonathan Green in Inferno #1, pages 17-26.

[Brother Pariah]

This one is probably less "canon," though it is better written and thought out

 

As I stated in the top post, any official material is fair game.

 

2) Some time after Ichar IV, the Gothic Cruiser "Gauntlet of McCragge," commanded by Commander Tiberius, led an Ultramarine Fleet that repulsed a Tyranid incursion into the recently rediscovered world of Jaroth, located in the eastern fringe of the Ultima Segmentum, destroying a Tyranid Mother Ship during the naval portion of the battle, which included elements of the 1st Company of the Ultramarines fighting the Tyranids on the ground.

 

From the short story "Salvation" by Jonathan Green in Inferno #1, pages 17-26.

 

Wow! Good catch! A Gothic cruiser, huh? Neat!

 

EDIT: Huh. I wonder what ship it was referring to, exactly. Inferno #1 came out in 1997, two years before BFG introduced the Gothic-class cruiser. Of course, there was a Gothic-class battleship for Space Fleet (BFG's predecessor). The plot thickens, wot? I suppose we should just call it a Gothic-class cruiser, even though the ship hadn't been detailed elsewhere yet.

Edited November 3, 2007 by Brother Pariah

[Brother Pariah]

Okay, I'm at work right now, and don't have access to my master Naval Operations file, but I want to get a bit of work done on this, so I'm going to clean up and format some of this stuff.

 

1st Edition (October 1987-October 1993)

2nd Edition (October 1993-October 1998)

3rd Edition (October 1998-August 2004)

4th Edition (August 2004-present)

Unknown / Other (Further research required)

 

Battle Barges:

Guilliman's Hand: (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 167)

 

Strike Cruisers:

Shield of Vigilence: Destroyed by Eldar over Elysium. (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 170)

 

Thunderhawk Gunships:

Herald IV: "Thunderhawk Gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter, named Herald IV. It is the Chapter's fourth gunship. This aircraft was used by Marneus Calgar during the Devastation of Boros." (Imperial Armour, vol. II, p. 158. Note: The gunship has a "VI" marked on it in the picture, not a "IV.")

Vigilus-Di: Assigned to the Strike Cruiser Shield of Vigilence. (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 173)

Vigilus-Prime: Assigned to the Strike Cruiser Shield of Vigilence. (Tales from the Dark Millennium, p. 173)

 

Other ships:

Gauntlet of Macragge: "The Imperial Navigators reacted swiftly, bringing the six kilometre-long vessel under control." I would be inclined to designate this ship as a Battle Barge, based on ship's size. (Let the Galaxy Burn, p. 226) On the other hand, the ship is referred to as a Gothic cruiser (and as having a ten mile length!) in an earlier version of the same story. This one seems to be unclassifiable. (Inferno 1, p. 17-19)

[Captain Idaho]

heres a little confirmation on a modern battle barge confirmed by GW, the aeterus. bare in mind GW have stated that the Ultras have 3, but they have mentioned a 4th.

 

Link

[Capt tyranus]

The Dauntless class light cruiser Benedictio was boarded by a Tyranid vanguard force and was destroyed during the early stages of the Battle of MaCragge as it attempted to deliver a cargo of Ultramarine geneseed from Belios IV to MaCragge.

 

From the Battle for MaCragge rulebook, page six (more or less, the pages aren't numbered).

[Seahawk]

Quick question. Do we want to create our own fluff through engagements we play? Seeing as how it's such a rare thing that BFG players even exist it might be kinda fun. It'd be kept seperate of course.

 

New reference!

Battlefleet Gothic 2002 Annual

pg 30-31

 

Famous Escort Squadrons:

Hunter Destroyers: Hera's Wrath

Gladius Frigates: Circes, Arx-Praetora

Nova Frigates: Invictas Squadron

Edited November 5, 2007 by Seahawk

[I_Hector_I]

Imperator Rex (US WD 255, p. 67) - Imperator Rex pass too close to one of the hulking craft, becoming ensnared by some loathsome organ that dragged the ship into the embrace of thousands of tearing claws and scything blades that broke the mighty vessel in two.

 

I suppose this is a strike cruiser?

[Seahawk]

Does it specifically mention it as an Ultramarine battle and ships? If so, then yea I'd bet strongly on it being a Strike Cruiser. Or, failing that, a ship of the line in the Imperial Navy.

[Brother Pariah]

I have qualms about the Benedictio and the Imperator Rex. I was under the impression that both of these vessels were Imperial Navy ships.