Dark Angels: LEG I CHAP 1 ORD 9

[Ordo Machinum]

I have posted big dream projects before and failed to complete them. This is the one I am really going to work on. Really.

I want to build elements of the Dark Angels Legion. Really. It's my own Warhammer 30K/40K Bucket List.



Horus Heresy Volume I: Betrayal provides a great example of a standard layout for a space marine legion. It explains how as the legions grew in size this format began to vary substantially by Legion. In practice many larger legions regularly exceeded the standard.

As I begin to build my Dark Angel Legion, I am going to revise the general layout to account for the various units and models that are available (and will be available) for 30K/40K wargaming. For example, the standard layout of a typical company of the line shows six tactical squads and three tactical support squads. Since there are more "Troop" choices than these, I want to reflect these choices in the disposition of my army.

According to Betrayal, a legion is comprised of tens of thousands of space marine legionaries. These numbers are further organized into chapters of roughly a thousand space marines each. Each chapter is subdivided into two battalions of five 100-marine companies. As the legions increased in strength, some legions maintained battalions of seven or ten companies.

This will be my overall goal: a Dark Angels Battalion of five to nine companies! Yes, it will be a lot of models. I will be doing this one unit at a time.

The following does not follow the Betrayal's gameplay Force Organization Chart or the standard 40K rulebook's chart either. It is my own interpretation of the squads within the battalion's forces. For playing, I will draw upon these individual squads as needed.

[Note: other squads not currently listed will be considered to be in an auxiliary or reserve status. I may only build one or two of such squads.]

[uPDATE! Now includes units from Horus Heresy Book II: Massacre]

Here is an update for my prospective Dark Angels Legion. I am adapting information from a few Horus Heresy stories.

Call of the Lion

(page 166)

‘What’s that?’ Astelan asked, pointing to a heraldic symbol on Belath’s right shoulder plate, where normally a Space Marine’s organisational and rank markings would be painted. It was decorated with a quartered shield, white and blue, emblazoned with a sword held in the grip of a taloned foot.
‘That is the symbol of my order,’ replied Belath, somewhat taken aback. ‘The Order of the Raven’s Wing.’

[Analysis: The Raven's Wing is one of the Dark Angels' "wings"]


Prince of Crows

(page 260)

Of the nine companies berthed on the Nightfall, he’d only risk one. His own. The Atramentar were coming with him.

(page 269)

Sevatar knew the STC Gloriana-pattern battleship as well as he knew the contours of his own armour. The Nightfall was born of the same breed.

(page 270)

A hundred of the VIII Legion’s best warriors had teleported aboard, in full Terminator wargear.

[Analysis: Nine companies aboard the Nightfall, a Gloriana-pattern battleship. The Night Legion's 1st Company, the Atramentar, equals 100 legionnaires. A Gloriana-pattern battleship can accommodate 900 legionnaires. Therefore, the Invincible Reason can accommodate 900 legionnaires.]

The Lion

(page 165)

‘I shall lead the task force personally. The Invincible Reason will be my flagship, Captain Stenius. The Fourth, Sixth, Ninth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth and Thirtieth Orders are to muster at Balaam.’
‘More than thirty thousand warriors!’ said Tragan, forgetting himself. He bowed his head in apology when the Lion directed a sharp glare at him.

[Analysis: An "Order" is over 5,000 legionnaires.]

Unremembered Empire

(page 108)

When there was only one Legion, that Legion had been obliged to contain all specialisms. Guilliman knew that the six hosts or ‘wings’ of the Dark Angels represented specialisms of every school, at subtle variance to the standard order of the Principia Bellicosa.
(page 110)

Holguin carried an executioner’s long sword upright before him in his two hands, the tip of the six-foot blade rounded over like a butter knife. His pauldron was marked with the crossed swords of the Deathwing. Redloss carried a massive war-axe, haftwise across his chest. His pauldron bore the skull-in-hourglass of the Dreadwing.

(page 142)

It was an assault squad of Dark Angels, warriors wearing the marks of the Stormwing, braced with boarding shields.

[Analysis: Six "wings". Ravenwing from an earlier story. Deathwing. Dreadwing. Stormwing.]


The Fifth Wing: White Dwarf 126 (1990)

The "Ironwing" is mentioned as one of the three separate battalions within the Dark Angels. Although this designation fell out of usage in later editions, I decided to resurrect it for one of the Dark Angels "wings". Afterall, there are too many available tanks in the Horus Heresy motor-pool to simply ignore them.

What I consider to be the Sixth Wing

With all of the specialists covered, where are the basic core troopers? My own designation for these valiant armoured knights is... "Knightwing". Not to mention the current 40K Dark Angel codex now has units of Deathwing Knights and Ravenwing Black Knights. It's a precursor to what was to follow.


My Own Conclusions

The Horus Heresy Book I: Betrayal explains the Strategic Disposition of a Space Marine Legion. Suffice it to say, it briefly delves into a Chapter's breakdown into Battalions and then further into Companies.

As referenced above, the First Legion incorporated all of its specialties or "wings", into its structure. Therefore, each Dark Angel Chapter within the Legion should include each of the six "wings".

Originally I thought "Order" represented "Chapter". Then, as the term Chapter was being used, it appeared "Order" was the term for a Dark Angel Company. Now, as the references show, an "Order" is over 5,000 legionnaires. If it was 5,000 exactly, the quote above wouldn't have stated "more than thirty thousand warriors."

I chose to divide the six "wings" into 5,000. It doesn't arrive at a very "even" number for unit organization. Rounding down to 4,800 does, but six orders wouldn't be more than 30,000 troops. Rounding up to the next factor of six, 5,400 works better. The result is 900 troops per "wing".

Hey, and doesn't the Invincible Reason have a capacity for 900 legionnaires? Why, yes. Yes, it does.

In fact, in several stories, the occasional references for the 9th Order always place them aboard the Invincible Reason with the Lion. No other Order captains or companies are there. This means the Lion has an entire "wing" of his own aboard the flagship. It seems to fit nicely in my opinion.

Going one step further, the Lion wouldn't simply limit himself to just one "wing", right? His flagship's personal "wing" should have a range of all six specialized groups at his disposal. This would give a standard size of 150 legionnaires per "wing". Each Dark Angel company would be one and a half times the size of any standard legion company. Again, to me, it suits the First Legion.

This seems to be the most sensible route to represent a segment of the Dark Angel Legion. So, without further ado, here is my current list:

LEGIO I - DARK ANGELS
1st Chapter, 9th Order - located aboard the flagship Invincible Reason

LEGION COMMAND
HQ Legion Primarch Lion El'Jonson
HQ Legion Honour Guard

ORDER COMMAND
HQ Legion Praetor of the 9th Order, Captain Alajos
HQ Legion Command Squad - including Corswain, Paladin of the 9th Order
HQ Legion Deathwing Centurion - Sergeant Halguin
HQ Legion Ravenwing Centurion
HQ Legion Ironwing Centurion
HQ Legion Stormwing Centurion
HQ Legion Dreadwing Centurion - Sergeant Redloss
HQ Legion Knightwing Centurion - Sergeant Tragan

ORDER APOTHECARIUM (assigned to wings as needed)
EL Legion Apothecarion Detachment (3)
EL Legion Apothecarion Detachment (3)
EL Legion Apothecarion Detachment (3)

ORDER MECHANICUM (assigned to wings as needed)
EL Legion Techmarine Covenant (3)
EL Legion Techmarine Covenant (3)
EL Legion Techmarine Covenant (3)
EL Legion Rapier Battery (2)
EL Legion Rapier Battery (2)
EL Legion Rapier Battery (2)

FA Legion Tarantula Sentry Gun Battery (2)

FA Legion Tarantula Sentry Gun Battery (2)

FA Legion Tarantula Sentry Gun Battery (2)

DEATHWING (150 legionnaires + dreadnoughts)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Terminator Squad (10)
EL Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (10)
EL Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (10)
EL Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (10)
EL Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (10)
EL Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (10)
EL Legion Destroyer Squad (10)

EL Legion Dreadnought Talon (?)

EL Legion Contemptor Dreadnought Talon (?)
EL Legion Mortis Dreadnought (?)
EL Legion Mortis Contemptor Dreadnought (?)

RAVENWING (150 legionnaires)
FA Legion Outrider Squadron (10)
FA Legion Outrider Squadron (10)
FA Legion Outrider Squadron (10)
FA Legion Outrider Squadron (10)
FA Legion Outrider Squadron (10)
FA Legion Attack Bike Squadron (5 A-BK) (10)
FA Legion Attack Bike Squadron (5 A-BK) (10)

FA Legion Seeker Squad (10)
FA Legion Jetbike Skyhunter Squadron (10)
FA Legion Jetbike Skyhunter Squadron (10)
FA Legion Jetbike Skyhunter Squadron (10)
FA Legion Jetbike Skyhunter Squadron (10)
FA Legion Jetbike Skyhunter Squadron (10)
FA Legion Land Speeder Squadron (5 LS) (10)
FA Legion Land Speeder Javelin Squadron (2)

FA Legion Land Speeder Javelin Squadron (2)

FA Legion Land Speeder Javelin Squadron (2)
FA Legion Storm Eagle Assault Gunship (2)
FA Legion Primaris-Lightning Strike Fighter (2)

IRONWING (150 legionnaires - incl. tank crews)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Heavy Support Squad (10)
HS Legion Predator Strike Armour Squadron (3 Preds) (6)
HS Legion Predator Strike Armour Squadron (2 Preds) (4)
HS Legion Predator Strike Armour Squadron (2 Preds) (4)
HS Legion Land Raider Battle Squadron (3 Phobos) (6)
HS Legion Land Raider Battle Squadron (3 Proteus) (6)
HS Legion Land Raider Battle Squadron (3 Achilles) (6)
HS Legion Artillery Tank Squadron (3 Basilisk) (6)
HS Legion Artillery Tank Squadron (3 Medusa) (6)
HS Legion Artillery Tank Squadron (3 Whirlwinds) (6)

HS Legion Whirlwind Scorpius (2)
HS Legion Vindicator (2)
HS Legion Spartan Assault Tank (2)

HS Legion Sicaran Battle Tank (2)
HS Legion Caestus Assault Tank (2)

STORMWING (150 legionnaires)
TR Legion Assault Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Assault Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Assault Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Assault Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Assault Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Assault Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Despoiler Squad (10)
TR Legion Despoiler Squad (10)
TR Legion Despoiler Squad (10)

DREADWING (150 legionnaires)
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad (20)
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad (20)
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad (20)
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad (20)
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad (20)
TR Legion Breacher Siege Squad (20)
TR Legion Reconnaissance Squad (10)
TR Legion Reconnaissance Squad (10)
TR Legion Reconnaissance Squad (10)

KNIGHTWING (150 legionnaires)
TR Legion Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Tactical Squad (20)
TR Legion Tactical Support Squad (10)
TR Legion Tactical Support Squad (10)
TR Legion Tactical Support Squad (10)

[deathspectersgt7]

Good luck and I mean it.

[Wraith776]

Hope you make it this time

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

I wish I had your disposable income...

[GhostMalone]

ill help inspire you to reach this goal :)

im doing the same with my world eaters brother.

[Ordo Machinum]

Good luck and I mean it.

Thanks, your words mean a lot.

Hope you make it this time

So do I. I am exhausted with planning and planning and nothing to show for it. I let myself get too distracted and then life intrudes a bit more than I should let it.

I wish I had your disposable income...

Believe me, I don't have much disposable income. In fact, if my significant other knew the amount of $$ spent in this hobby, I'd soon be disposable. In the long run, yeah it's a lot of money. I don't have any other vices, and I plan to do this a unit at a time so it shouldn't be much of a drain on my wallet.

ill help inspire you to reach this goal

im doing the same with my world eaters brother.

Thanks, I'll need it. I love how your WE are coming along. Very inspiring. It's nice to know I'm not alone in my insanity for grand projects!

Thanks again to everyone for their comments. My next post have some pictures when I begin building.

[GhostMalone]

The only good goal is an insane goal, otherwise life can be pretty dull

[GrandMagnus]

Quite an undertaking, I salute you, brother.