Actual Copy of the Codex Astartes

[Bonestomper]

Prelude

 

“They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give themselves to me. Like clay, I shall mould them, and in the furnace of war forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest guns will they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them. They will have tactics, strategies, and machines such that no foe can best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Space Marines, and they shall know no fear.”

 

—The Emperor of Mankind

 

Volume I

 

Chapter I – Order of Battle

 

Verse I: “My will be done.”
Verse II: “Of the Ultramarines, I decree that they be divided into twenty-four Chapters of ten companies each. No longer shall they be a horde under a warlord that follows him, but instead a hundred of thousands of individual Legionaries each in support of the other.”
Verse III: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse IV: “Each of a Chapter’s ten companies shall consist of one hundred Space Marines. Each company shall have a Space Marine Captain, Apothecary, Company Standard, and Chaplain.”
Verse V: “Existing outside the company-level organisation, each Chapter shall have an Armoury consisting of the Chapter's Techmarines, main battle tanks, and other armoured vehicles, a Librarium consisting of the Chapter’s Librarians, a Chapter Fleet and the Chapter Master, plus various headquarters staff and the Chapter's Servitors and human Chapter Serfs.”
Verse VI: “The first of the ten companies shall be a Veteran company. This 1st Company shall consist of Veteran Squads and Terminator Squads. Support for the 1st Company shall consist of Land Raiders and Venerable Dreadnoughts. Only the 1st Company may have the honour of donning the hallowed suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armour.”
Verse VII: “The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Companies of a Chapter shall be known as Battle Companies. Each Battle Company shall be split into six Tactical Squads, two Assault Squads, and two Devastator Squads comprised of ten Space Marines each. Companies may also make use of Command Squads comprised solely of Veterans to protect their officers or other specialists such as Apothecaries and Chaplains. The Assault Squads may instead be deployed as Bike Squadrons or on Land Speeders. Battle Companies shall have access to Rhino and Razorback dedicated transports, and Dreadnoughts for heavy fire support.”
Verse VIII: “The 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Companies of a Chapter shall be its Reserve Companies. The 6th and 7th shall be comprised entirely of Tactical Squads, the 8th of Assault Squads, and the 9th of Devastator Squads. The 6th Company may be entirely deployed on Space Marine Assault Bikes, and the 7th on Land Speeders. The 8th Company may use either Space Marine Bikes or Land Speeders. These forces shall be held in reserve to be deployed at the discretion of Force Commanders as tactical situations evolve.”
Verse IX: “The 10th Company shall consist entirely of Scout Squads. Scout Marines may be mounted on Space Marine Bikes, but shall not use Rhino or Razorback transports.”
Verse X: “Of the Tactical Space Marine, bedrock of his Chapter and paragon to his brothers, I shall tell thee. He shall be steeped in the lore of battle and schooled in all manner of weapons and strategy. With Combat Blade, Boltgun and Grenade shall he assail the foe. But these are mere tools: a Tactical Marine’s true weapons are his courage, his wits and his dedication to his brothers. He will bring the foe to battle in a manner and time of his choosing, never himself caught unready or ill-prepared for the task at hand. In defence he shall be as stalwart as the mountain, a bulwark stood firm against the enemies of Man. In attack he shall strike with the wrath of the Immortal Emperor, felling the foe without mercy, remorse or fear.”
Verse XI: “The Tactical Squad shall draw the enemy’s fire, thus allowing the Devastator Squad to attack from a position of strength.”
Verse XII: “A Devastator’s reach shall be without limit and his touch without mercy. Fire shall roar from his fingertips, but it shall consume him not. Thunder will roar when he calls, yet it will swallow him not. Let the Devastator Squad be thy blazing wrath, bringing the light of the Emperor’s justice to the darkest corners of the battlefield. Wherever he stands, that shall be his fortress of righteousness. He shall hold in his gift the fate of all who pass before his unblinking gaze. All shall fear him, and he shall fear no one.”
Verse XIII: “And of the Assault Marine so do I decree: He shall descend upon the perfidious foe as an Angel of Judgement from on high. Let the jump pack be his wings and the roar of its engines a hymn of retribution. Know, though, that although speed be the essence of war, he shall not use the jump pack to leap blindly into enemy fire. Let him instead allow neophytes from the 10th Company to guide his way.”
Verse XIV: “Let the chainsword be his sceptre of decree, its harsh voice singing joyfully with each and every blow. With it shall the Assault Marine bring bloody retribution to the heretic, the traitor and all alien transgressors who trespass on the Emperor’s domains. So will the Assault Marine be the hunter of warlords and the slayer of kings. His armour shall run slick with the life blood of the vanquished, and all shall honour his name.”
Verse XV: “Use your Bike Squad as a blade, striking the enemy and turning aside his counter-blows in equal measure. But in all things beware that speed is nothing without direction, just as even the mightiest weapon is worthless without careful aim. A Biker’s stance should always be resolute and dauntless, but never immobile or rigid. Speed is his advantage, and surprise his deadliest weapon. In fluidity he will find success and in success shall he find renown.”
Verse XVI: “A Captain leads from the front. By his example shall his men know what it is to be of the Adeptus Astartes, and from his teachings shall they learn the trade of battle in the Emperor’s name. No ordinary man can a Captain be, for many are the paths to victory and he must be master of them all. His very being shall be an extension of the Emperor's work. With every strike of his sword, with every word of his speech, does he reaffirm the ideals of our honoured master. He will vanquish darkness and heresy with every thought, word, and deed. So shall his coming be a sign of deliverance to the dutiful, and a herald of dismay to all traitors. No living man shall stay his wrath.”
Verse XVII: “And within each company, the mightiest warrior shall be anointed as Champion. He shall bear arms and armour of great craftsmanship, and he shall protect his Captain from all harm, though it cost him his life. Great honour shall be bestowed upon him in life and in death, and he shall be lauded with great praise.”
Verses XVIII-DCC: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter II – On Heraldry

 

Verse I: “Of the Space Marine’s heraldry, I decree that he shall display his Chapter’s symbol upon his armour’s left pauldron, whilst his right shoulder guard shall be reserved for his squad markings. A Space Marine shall incorporate his company’s heraldic colour into his armour, displaying it on the trim of his pauldrons.”
Verse II: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse III: “Beware of friendly fire. Camouflage should not extend to the dishonour of the Chapter.”
Verse IV: “Each Chapter shall periodically revise its markings to confound the foe.”
Verse V: “Of the 1st Company, I decree that it shall wear White or Silver. Members of the 1st Company shall also paint their helmets in the company colour.”
Verse VI: “Of the 2nd Company, I decree that it shall wear Yellow or Gold.”
Verse VII: “Of the 3rd Company, I decree that it shall wear Red.”
Verse VIII: “Of the 4th Company, I decree that it shall wear Green.”
Verse IX: “Of the 5th Company, I decree that it shall wear Black.”
Verse X: “Of the 6th Company, I decree that it shall wear Orange.”
Verse XI: “Of the 7th Company, I decree that it shall wear Purple.”
Verse XII: “Of the 8th Company, I decree that it shall wear Grey.”
Verse XIII: “Of the 9th Company, I decree that it shall wear Blue.”
Verse XIV: “Of the 10th Company, I decree that it shall wear White.”
Verse XV: “Of Squad markings, I decree that the left pauldron of a Space Marine in Power Armour shall always display the Space Marine’s Chapter Badge. The right pauldron shall display the Squad Badge, which shall indicate the tactical specialty of the squad the Astartes belongs to, along with the number of his squad within his company.”
Verse XVI: “Of Veteran Squads, I decree that they shall bear the mark of a Cross of Malta.”
Verse XVII: “Of Tactical Squads, I decree that they shall bear the mark of an Arrow.”
Verse XVIII: “Of Assault Squads, I decree that they shall bear the mark of four Arrows pointing outwards.”
Verse XIX: “Of Devastator Squads, I decree that they shall bear the mark of an inverted V.”
Verse XX: “Of Terminators, I decree that they shall wear the Crux Terminatus on their left pauldron, and their Chapter Badge on their right.”
Verse XXI: “Of Sergeants, I decree that they shall bear the mark of a Red Skull. Back banners shall be left to the Sergeant’s discretion.”
Verse XXII: “Of helmets, I decree that those of Sergeants shall be Red.”
Verses XXIII-XLI: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse XLII: “Of a Chapter’s war machines and armoured vehicles, I decree that they shall be painted in the livery of their Chapter. In addition to the Chapter’s Icon, the vehicle’s hull shall also be emblazoned with unit, squad, and company markings. However, beware of complacency and the danger enemy intelligence can pose. Chapter Masters shall occasionally review these markings.”
Verses XLIII-CVII: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse CVIII: “A Chapter Master shall respect the most ancient vehicles, their mottos as well as honour badges and names; for their roll of battle victories is as illustrious as that of any breathing hero of the Chapter. Their colours shall not be marred.”
Verse CIX: “Of troop transports, Centurion warsuits, and armoured vehicles such as Assault Bikes, Attack Bikes, and Land Speeders, I decree that they shall carry the same heraldry and organisational squad markings as the Space Marines that crew, or ride inside them. Space Marine tank crew shall display their vehicle’s Chapter numerical designation within a roundel upon their right pauldron.”
Verse CX: “Of Space Marine battle tanks and Dreadnoughts, I decree that they shall be assigned a unique identification number within the company.”
Verses CXI-CL: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse CLI: “Of Captains, I decree that they shall always wear the heraldry of their company in addition to—and regardless of—any personal heraldry.”
Verse CLII: “Of Librarians, I decree that they shall always wear armour that is Blue, regardless of Chapter.”
Verse CLIII: “Of Chaplains, I decree that they shall wear armour that is Black, regardless of Chapter.”
Verse CLIV: “Of Apothecaries, I decree that they shall wear armour that is White, regardless of Chapter.”
Verse CLV: “Of Techmarines, I decree that they shall wear armour that is Red, in respect for the Treaty of Mars.”
Verses CLVI-CXC: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter III – On Gene-seed

 

Verse I: “The Adeptus Astartes are autonomous, independent from the Administratum. The only tithe they shall pay is in the form of five per cent of gene-seed, to the Priests of Mars.”
Verse II: “Apothecaries shall harvest and protect the progenoid gland, protect it with their very lives.”
Verses III-MCLVI: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Volume II

 

Chapter IV – On Duty

 

Verse I: “Know thy duty, and discharge it above all else.”
Verse II: “Consider the magnitude of your duty at leisure, but act without hesitation when action is required.”
Verse III: “The Pax Imperialis shall be Mankind’s, but war shall be ours. War is Hell. Embrace it.”
Verses IV-XXXIV: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse XXXV: “On the promotion of newly assigned Space Marines, I decree that it is a Captain’s duty to place legionary lives in harm’s way before his own. For the Emperor stands behind his sons as the Primarchs behind their Captains. There is too little glory in the galaxy to go around and officers must be generous in the trust they place in others—for one day such brothers must be Captains too.”
Verse XXXVI: “The warrior who acts out of honour cannot fail. His duty is honour itself. Even his death—if it is honourable—is a reward and can be no failure for it has come through duty. Seek honour as you act, therefore, and you shall know no fear.”

 

Chapter V – On Fortitude

 

Verses I-III: <CLASSIFIED>                                          

Verse IV: “Do not expect every foe to fall at the first blow, be ready to keep striking until they do.”                                                     

Verses V-MDCCIX: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Volume III

 

Chapters VI-IX – <LOST TO THE AGES>

 

Volume IV

 

Chapter X – Dispositions

 

Verses I-CIV: <CLASSIFIED>

Verse CV: “Be conscious of both what victory means to you and what it means to your enemy. Never attack symbols in futile pursuit of decisive victory.”
Verse CVI: “In war, superior archeotech decides outcome. Value and honour the creations of Mars.”
Verse CVII: “Do not rely on archeotech alone, for only boots on the ground can secure hard-won territory.”
Verse CVIII: “If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss. The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy’s will to be imposed on him.”
Verse CIX: “Let intelligence be your guiding light, for it is the only way to truly know your enemy's center of gravity. Guard your own secrets jealously.”
Verse CX: “Should an enemy appear not to have discovered your stratagem, always assume he has. Turn thy enemy's own traps against him, by feigning ignorance of them.”
Verse CXI: “Respect your enemy, even the xenos. For, in all the history of war, there is no surer path to failure than falling victim to hubris. Beware of Pyrrhic victories.”
Verse CXII: “A Space Marine does not wait for the enemy to attack. Make your foe react to your movements instead.”
Verse CXIII: “When in doubt, attack—for fortune favours the bold.”
Verse CXIV: “The Sumaturan philosophers believed that one should never attack at night. One dynast, whilst winning a battle, chose to allow his enemy to retreat and regroup overnight. The following day, he was overwhelmed. Do not be concerned with false notions of honour. The only honour lies in killing your enemy and ingesting their remains.”
Verse CXV: “Win without fighting.”
Verse CXVI: “When outnumbered, retreat and harass the enemy with guerilla warfare. When outnumbering, lay siege to him. When evenly matched, attack.”
Verse CXVII: “The legends of Fenris tell of a young Scout who feigned having sighted a Fenrisian Wolf. The ruse garnered success the first time, but the Scout was never trusted again. Never employ the same stratagem twice, even if it has been successful. Always surprise and remain unpredictable. Do the unthinkable. Use maneuver and non-linear warfare to make the enemy fear you as a madman.”
Verse CXVIII: “In war one should seek to take and hold the high ground. From there the enemies’ movements are clearly visible and he will struggle to reach you, let alone fight you. High orbit is the highest ground there is.”
Verse CXIX: “The finest armies are the warpstorms, inclement weather, and tides. Study their ways. Use them as you would the Chapter, Company, and Squad.”
Verses CXX-CLXXII: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse CLXXIII: “Never employ mercenaries, for even humans without faith in Humanity’s manifest destiny cannot be trusted. A professional, meritocratic army is the keystone of victory.”
Verse CLXXIV: “The key to hegemonic control of the galaxy lies in the Imperial Navy. Know this before all else and never relinquish command of the void.”
Verse CLXXV: “Should command of the void be lost, thou shalt seek void denial through the maintenance of fleets in being.”
Verse CLXXVI: “An enemy defending its home will never surrender. Do not attempt to win hearts and minds. Tear, instead, the hearts and minds from their very bodies.”
Verses CLXXVII-CLXXX: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse CLXXXI: “Arrive late to duels.”

 

Chapter XI – On Operations

 

Verse I: “Of grand tactics, I decree that defence in depth should be avoided where possible. It is far more honourable to hold the line than fight from the shadows of one's own strategic depth.”
Verse II: “When forced to defend a vital objective, bombard your enemy with multiple simultaneous and devastating deep strikes using Drop Pods. Let this steel rain shock the enemy into relinquishing the initiative.”
Verses III-CMLIX: <CLASSIFIED> 

 

Chapter XII – Tactics

 

Verse I: “Thou shalt not fire till thou seest the whites of their eyes.”
Verses II-XIII: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse XIV: “Always attempt to flank and employ enfilading fire, and—if possible—form pincer movements or the hammer and anvil. Advancing in mixed order, allow columns to form a declined flank in order to achieve force concentration and, through echeloning, defeat in detail. The technobarbarian hunters of old used hounds to flush their prey toward them. Be the hunter. Allow your enemy a path of retreat. And then use it to crush them.”                                            

Verse XV: “When shooting downhill, aim low.”
Verse XVI: “A Space Marine advances from cover to cover, employing fire and movement tactics, for he is no mere mortal following a creeping barrage. While on overwatch, use reconnaissance by fire to encourage your enemy to expend ammunition and rush upon your schiltrons and phalanxes.”
Verse XVII: “Mobility on the battlefield is the foundation of tactical doctrine. Do not adhere to a given tactic should it fail you. Move and adapt.”
Verse XVIII: “Beware of Parthian shots, decoys, and traps. Never blindly pursue a fleeing enemy.”
Verse XIX: “To die without purpose is not a service to the Emperor. It is a heresy to waste lives entrusted to you as an Imperial officer. There is nothing shameful or disloyal in righteous retreat. But in withdrawing from the enemy’s presence, allow him no succour. That which cannot be saved must be destroyed. Leave no weapons, armour, transport, food or water in your passing. Scorch the earth at his feet, and leave him desert and desolation as his victory gifts.”
Verse XX: “Of armoured assaults, I shall tell thee. Arrange your armour in a boar's head so as to break through the enemy lines with shock tactics. Support such assaults with vertical envelopment through combined arms."
Verses XXI-MCLXXXI: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse MCLXXXII: “Both with flyers and in the void, attack in echelon formation with the sun at your back.”
Verse MCLXXXIII: “If attempts to cross the T should fail, never forget the Gelthor Touch.”
Verse MCLXXXIV: “Ships of the line, given weather guage, shall deliver raking fire unto their enemies.”
Verse MCLXXXV: “Ships shall go into battle with their full complement of craft. No ship shall launch boarding actions without first having disabled close-in batteries.”
Verse MCLXXXVI: “Boarding actions shall only be attempted with a three to one superiority of fire.”
Verses MCLXXXVII-MMCMIII: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse MMCMMIV: “No one, not even one such as I, can anticipate every possible outcome of battle. My words are not some holy writ that must be obeyed. There must always be room for personal initiative on the battlefield. You and I both know how one spark of heroism can turn the tide of battle. That knowledge and personal experience can only be earned in blood, and the leader in the field must always be the ultimate arbiter of what course of action should be followed.”

 

Chapter XIII – On Armaments

 

Verse I: “I am the fist, clenched tight in ceramite, smashing with the force of a Legion. I am the blade, awaiting my foe’s flesh, as keen as the Emperor could make me. I am the bolt, fired from afar—fleet and true, an end to all who stand before the Imperium of Man.”
Verse II: “With combat knife, boltgun, and grenade, the Space Marine shall assail his foe. The chainsword is the will of the Space Marine made manifest. The Space Marine shall master all weapons, and all battlefields. When harried, the Space Marine shall drive his enemies back. The Space Marine will never know defeat.”
Verse III: “Respect the boltgun, for it is the soul of the Space Marine. It is not enough to merely clean the boltgun. Pray to its machine-spirit daily.”
Verse IV: “Hold the chainsword as if it were a bird; firmly enough to prevent its escape, yet not so strongly as to crush it. Turn the blade of the power sword so as to avoid the rib cage.”
Verses V-XCII: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse XCIII: “As you are a knight in service of the Emperor, so is the Rhino your steed. Honour it, respect it, see that its needs are met, and it shall serve you well through all the battles you must face.”
Verse XCIV: “Make the Predator’s virtues your own. Let your resolve become as impervious as the Predator’s armoured hull and let your rage strike with the righteous fury of its guns. As it crushes the foe beneath its remorseless advance, so shall you smite the traitor and the alien without hesitation or regret. Know that to take the field alongside a Predator is to fight at the side of one of Mankind’s most honoured guardians. To strive with less than your all beneath its Iron Gaze is to dishonour yourself and your Battle-Brothers before one of Mankind’s greatest heroes.”
Verses XCV-MMDCIII: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse MMDCIV: “As a commander your tools and devices shall be myriad, yet the wise man knows that battles are won by flesh, not the machine. Flesh can learn, whilst the machine must be forever instructed. Flesh knows loyalty to its brothers and veneration of its Emperor, whilst the machine knows not these things. Whenever the day is darkest and victory in doubt, look not to the machine for aid, but to your Battle-Brothers. The machine can only bring victory if you tell it how such a thing can be done. Your brothers will walk through fire, they will stride through the most terrible carnage at a single word from your lips and they will bring you victory simply because you ask it of them.”

 

Chapter XIV – On Weapon Production

 

Verses I-LXXV: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XV – On Bolt Shells

 

Verses I-CLX: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XVI – On Ammunition Production

 

Verses I-X: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XVII – On Distribution of Ammunition

 

Verse I: “Amateurs speak of strategy. Professionals speak of logistics.”

Verse II: “More sacred than the boltgun, cleansing flamer, and missile launcher is the supply line that keeps the clips, promethium, and missiles flowing unto battle. Never neglect logistics.”
Verses III-DLIX: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Volumes V-VI

 

Chapters XVIII-XXIII – <LOST TO THE AGES>

 

Volume VII

 

Chapter XXIV – On Administration

 

Verse I: “In the early days of Terra, support staff proliferated to dwarf fighting men. Beware the bureaucrat.”
Verses II-MDCC: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XXV – On Training

 

Verse I: “Of Morning Prayer, I decree that it shall commence at 0400hrs.”
Verse II: “Of Morning Firing Rites, I decree that they shall commence at 0500hrs.”
Verse III: “Of Battle Practice, I decree that it shall commence at 0700 and 1500hrs.”
Verse IV: “Of the Midday Prayer, I decree that it shall commence at 1200hrs.”
Verse V: “Of the Midday Meal, I decree that it shall commence at 1300hrs.”
Verse VI: “Of Tactical Indoctrination, I decree that it shall commence at 1315hrs.”
Verse VII: “Of Evening Prayer, I decree that it shall commence at 2000hrs.”
Verse VIII: “Of the Evening Meal, I decree that it shall commence at 2100hrs.”  

Verse IX: “Of Night Firing Exercises, I decree that they shall commence at 2130hrs.”
Verse X: “Of the Maintenance Rituals, I decree that they shall commence at 2315hrs.”
Verse XI: “Of Relaxation, I decree that it shall commence at 2345hrs.”
Verse XII: “Of Rest, I decree that it shall commence at 0000hrs.”
Verses XIII-MMCLXXV: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse MMCLXXVI: “Use chance tumblers and the Emperor’s Tarot for simulation, not regicide as, even with the fog of war simulated through Kriegspiel rules, its firm logic is unlike that of war.”
Verse MMCLXXVII: “Overcome any lingering mortal aversion to bloodshed through constant desensitization and righteous indoctrination.”
Verse MMCLXXVIII: “Train until you and your squad flock as one, unthinking. Thought and reflection come before battle, not during.” 

 

Chapter XXVI – On Bread

 

Verse I: “A hungry army cannot fight.”
Verses II-XV: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XXVII – On Water Distribution

 

Verses I-XVI: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XXVIII – On Ration Distribution

 

Verse I: “A Captain shall partake of the same rations as his men.”
Verses I-CMXXIII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XXIX – On Storing Rations

 

Verses I-CCLI: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XXX – On Food Cycling

 

Verses I-C: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter XXXI – Thoughts

 

Verse I: “Politics is history in the making.”
Verse II: “War is politics carried on through other means.”                  

Verse III: “War is deception.”       

Verses IV-LXXIII: <CLASSIFIED>                                      

Verse LXXIV: “War is not your recreation, it’s the reason for your existence, prepare for it well.”

 

Volumes VIII-XIV

 

Chapters XXXII-LII – <LOST TO THE AGES>

 

Volume XV

 

Chapter LIII – On Auxiliary Forces

 

Verses I-MCLXXV: <CLASSIFIED>
Verse MCLXXVI: “Employ Imperial Army cavalry units so as to create Cantabrian circles of continuously reloaded automatic fire.”
Verses MCLXXVII-MCDIII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LIV – On Troop Morale

 

Verse I: “In early Terran history, there was once a Panpacific warlord who destroyed his ships and fought with his back to a river. Be that warlord. Defend with the void at your back and your men will be duly motivated.”
Verse II: “Unit cohesion is everything. Thou shalt not allow braggarts to undermine it. Employ mission-type tactics to make every man a commander—for no plan survives contact with the enemy.”
Verse III: “Never wish for danger. Danger needs no help. There is no such thing as fate that can be tempted, but morale is never improved by an active lust for war.”

Verses III-DCCCIX: <CLASSIFIED> 

 

Chapter LV – Siegecraft

 

Verse CXIX: “Of sieges, I shall tell thee. There are two kinds of siege. One is where you starve the foe. One is where you assault. Know the difference.”
Verse CXX: “Never defend a beachhead. The key to defence lies in surprise gained through the proper placement of fortifications. Force your enemy to bring superior numbers into a bottleneck. Defenders have the advantage of time to build emplacements. Use it well.”
Verse CXXI: “When constructing fortifications, be certain to allow for overlapping fields of fire and multiple corners that prevent charges.”
Verse CXXII: “Thou shalt construct layers of defence around thy lodgements.”  

Verse CXXIII: “Walls, trenches and towers are no obstacle, lack of imagination and lack of will are obstacles.”
Verse CXXIV: “Of impromptu defenses, I decree that they shall be in the form of a fish hook—or, if absolutely necessary, an infantry square—to neither weaken the line nor neglect comms, reinforcement, and logistics.”
Verse CXXV: “When forced to defend, and where the terrain permits, armour shall adopt either hull-down or—if absolutely necessary—turret-down reverse slop defence.”

 

Chapter LVI – On Reserves

 

Verses I-MCMDXLIV: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LVII – On Viral Outbreaks

 

Verses I-MMDIII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Volumes XVI-XXXIII

 

Chapters LVIII-LXXI – <LOST TO THE AGES>

 

Volume XXXIV

 

Chapter LXXII – Of the Foul Xenos

 

Verses I-MMDIX: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXIII – On Heretics

 

Verses I-MCMII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXIV– On Mutants

 

Verses I-MMCDLXXII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXV – On Exterminatus Extremis

 

Verse I: “Abandon all hope, all ye who wage war on Mankind. Repent, for thy end is near.”
Verses II-LII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXVI – On Interrogation

 

Verses I-CXXV: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXVII – On Propaganda

Verse I: “Knowledge is power.”
Verses II-LXIV: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXVIII – On Casus Belli

Verse I: “All war is just war.”
Verses II-IX: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter LXXIX – Coda

Verses I-CXIV: <CLASSIFIED>                                      

Verse CXV: “Only the eager martyr hoards a battle.”

 

Volumes XXXV- XLVI

 

Chapters LXXX-CIX – <LOST TO THE AGES>

 

Volume XLVII

 

Chapter CX – On History

 

Verses I-MMMCDLVIII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Chapter CXI – Hymnals

 

Verse I: “Honour the craft of death .”                                  

Verses II-DCCLXIII: <CLASSIFIED>                                 

Verse DCCLXIV: “May the armour's shade protect your body. May the weapon's hue help slay those that doubt. May the banner's livery proceed before you. May you illuminate the darkness with the Emperor's light.”
—The Litany of Decoration                                            

Verses DCCLXV-DCCLXXXIII: <CLASSIFIED>

 

Codicils

 

Remark I: “They shall be pure of heart and strong of body, unsullied by doubt and untainted by self-aggrandizement. They will be bright stars in the firmament of battle. Angels of death whose swift wings bring extermination to the enemies of man. So it shall be for a thousand times a thousand years, unto the end of eternity and the extinction of mortal flesh.”
Remark II: “Let them bestride the galaxy like the gods of old. Sheltering Mankind from destruction at the hands of an uncaring universe.”
Remark III: “To admit defeat is to blaspheme against the Emperor. Whatever the Emperor’s will is, be sure it will find you out.”
Remark IV: “What does not kill me... is not trying hard enough.”
Remark V: “Whatever wins the fight, wins the fight.”
Remarks VI—CXLI.i: <CLASSIFIED>
Remark CXLI.ii: “Two things to note there, Sergeant. One is that there is no such thing as a minor detail. Information is victory. One cannot and should not dismiss any data until one is in a position to evaluate its significance, and that only comes with hindsight. So all detail is important until circumstances render it redundant.”
Remark CXLI.iii: “Space Marines excel at warfare because they were designed to excel at everything. Each of you will become a leader, a ruler, the master of your world and when there is no more fighting to be done, you will bend your talents to order, governance and culture so that the Imperium will stand eternal.”
—Roboute Guilliman to his gathered Chapter Masters (duty servo-transcription, hours prior to the Battle of Calth)
Remark CXLI.iv: “It is the great irony of the Legiones Astartes: engineered to kill to achieve a victory of peace that they can then be no part of.”
—Shortly before the Battle of Calth
Remark CXLI.v: “My brother, hear me. Warriors of the XVII Legion, hear me. This violence is against the code of the Legiones Astartes and against the will of our father, the Emperor. In the name of the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar, I implore you to cease fire and stand down. Open communication with me. Let us speak. Let us settle this. This action is an error of the most tragic kind. Cease fire. I, Roboute Guilliman, give you my solemn pledge that we will deal with each other frankly and fairly if these hostilities can be suspended. I urge you to respond.”
—Vox transmission, Battle of Calth, Mark 0.00.01
Remark CXLI.vi: “Lorgar of Colchis. You may consider the following. One: I entirely withdraw my previous offer of solemn ceasefire. It is cancelled, and will not be made again, to you or to any other of your motherless bastards. Two: you are no longer any brother of mine. I will find you, I will kill you, and I will hurl your toxic corpse into hell’s mouth.”
—Vox transmission, Battle of Calth, Mark 1.57.42
Remarks CXLI.vii—CC-XX-III.XVI: <CLASSIFIED>
Remark CC-XX-III.XVII: “If you must strike a dangerous foe, your blow must be so severe that you need never fear of his vengeance.”
Remarks CC-XX-III.XVII.i—CC-LXXX-IV.i: <CLASSIFIED>
Remark CC-LXXX-IV.ii: “For our enemies will bring us to battle on the caprice of chance. The alien and the renegade are the vagaries of the galaxy incarnate. What can we truly know or would want to of their ways or motivations? They are to us as the rabid wolf at the closed door that knows not even its own mind. Be that door. Be the simplicity of the steadfast and unchanging: the barrier between what is known and the unknowable. Let the Imperium of Man realise its manifold destiny within while without its mindless foes dash themselves against the constancy of our adamantium. In such uniformity of practice and purpose lies the perpetuity of mankind.”
—The Coda of Balthus Dardanus, 17th Lord of Macragge, entitled Staunch Supremacies
Remarks CC-LXXX-IV.iii—MX-VII-IX: <CLASSIFIED>
Remark MX-VII-IX.i: “Gather your wits, as the traveller gauges the depth of the river crossing with the fallen branch, before wading into waters wary.”
—The Wisdoms of Hera
Remarks MX-VII-IX.ii—MCMX-XLVI-I.iv: <CLASSIFIED>

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Impressive, but I must ask if this is an original work, or if this is a collection of 'Codex Astartes' snippets from Games Workshop codices and codex supplements, novels and novellas, comic books, video games, etc. If it's the latter, I must ask that those works be cited- not only to satisfy my curiosity, but for you to protect yourself from charges of plagiarism and copyright violation.

[Bonestomper]

Good point. Yeah, it's both. It's a collection of all the quotes I could find, plus my own work (and I'd love for others to add to it, so that, as a community, we could work it up to proper length). Anyway, here are the pages I took the quotations from (each with its own list of references)...

 

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Codex_Astartes#Codex_Astartes_Excerpts

 

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Codex_Astartes

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/forum/200-index-astartes/

[Olis]

I've removed the 1D4chan link, brother. Though it can be an informative/humorous site, it contains f-bombs reasonably frequently - something that we don't entertain here. 

[Bonestomper]

OK, sorry. Yeah, most of the quotes were from other places anyway (i.e. there was a lot of overlap).