What sets the Ultramarines apart?

[DogWelder]

A pretty long screed. But I kinda wanted to explore some of the philosophy behind the Ultramarines and delve into what drives the 13th legion. Lemme know what you think 

 

In my opinion, the Ultramarines fight for ideals above all. They don't have a combat specialization or a particularly strong set of traditions but what they do have is a complete commitment to the ideas that drove Roboute Guilliman. In a sense, these are the same ideas that drove the Emperor.

 

Notice that I didn't say these ideas belonged to the Emperor or Guilliman. That is because both of they are much older than both these individuals. The ideas that I'm referring to are that of order, society and civilization. From the earliest age of mankind, humans have had the drive to band together into groups to achieve that which they could not do individually. First into tribes, then into villages, then into cities, to countries and finally into whole Empires. This overriding drive to civilize, to build up not just structures but entire societies based on meritocracy, order and discipline: that is what constitutes the spirit of Ultramar, and what motivates the Ultramarines.

 

Why do you think Roboute Guilliman spent so much time on the worlds he conquered? He could have simply handed them off to Imperial authorities and moved onto the next battle and gotten the accolades for the victory. No, he wanted much more than that. He could not stand to see humanity reduced to living in mud huts in feral worlds or killing each other in pointless wars in the more advanced ones after the Long Night. He wanted to raise up those worlds. Make them live up to the same standards of the hyper-civilized Primus words of Ultramar (Konor, Maccrage, Occluda, Saramanth and Iax).

 

Roboute Guilliman did not want to be a famous warlord. To him, war was simply a means to an end. He wanted to raise up a great Empire where all citizens were treated equally. Where there existed a society based on the core principles of meritocracy and continuous progress to an ever brighter future. Bigger cities, a growing populace, new advances in technology, ever-higher standards of living for the citizens, exploration and colonization of the galaxy. This is what he wanted: civilization.

Make no mistake, I'm not saying that this approach is entirely moral either. Unlike the Salamanders, the Ultramarines would graciously accept horrendous civilian casualties if it meant achieving a higher strategic objective. For example, Uriel Ventris, Captain of the 4th Company of the Ultramarines was willing to subject an entire planet to biological and nuclear weaponry just to protect the borders of Ultramar from the merest hint of Tau activity.

 

In fact, the Ultramarines would have gladly put every single man, woman and child in an entire sector to the sword if they deemed it was for the greater good. They would commit acts of savagery that would be on par with the Night Lords if Roboute Guilliman convinced them that this would help advance their cause.

 

The don't fight for the common citizenry of the Imperium (like the Salamanders).

 

They don't fight to repent and bring redemption to the name of the primarch (like the Dark Angels)

 

No, they fight to achieve the dream of their Primarch. The most ancient human dream of civilization.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Caius Tadius

[Captain Idaho]

I think you've got the Ultramarines slightly inaccurate there my friend. Ultramarines are indeed idealists and pragmatists in equal measure and as such they would never gladly commit genocide to achieve a higher goal.

 

If the wider picture requires something unsavoury then a decision will be made to ensure a decision is made that is appropriate. The Ultramarines at Monarchia were unhappy about their role in its destruction and Guilliman resented the whole affair.

 

The Ultramarines were always careful to preserve the worlds they conquered, including protecting civilians.

 

Indeed, modern 40K has the Ultramarines bending their strength to protect the surviving Hive Cities at Armageddon, to use but 1 example.

 

The Ultramarines, in my mind, are a curious mix of the pragmatist and idealist. Marrying the 2 in a single personality is a difficult task and it is their great struggle.

[IronDrake28]

The balance between pragmatism and idealism is what makes the Destroyer Companies so interesting in 30k. They're just a little too far from the rest for Guilliman. Edited May 25, 2017 by IronDrake28

[Captain Idaho]

I agree but it makes for a superb plot hook.

[Seahawk]

Indeed, I'm inclined to disagree as well. They do fight for the citizenry; they maybe don't care as much as the Salamanders, but they are probably 2nd after them in caring for the regular folk. After all, without them, the space marines lose meaning, something that is expressed in nearly all novels involving Ultramarines characters. They'll do their damndest to protect and serve, and if that means laying down their lives they'll do it. 

 

Even destroying decaying ruins of humanity makes Guilliman discomforted. Better that they can do their job professionally and without collateral damage than otherwise.

 

Will they commit a world to Exterminatus? Absolutely, but only after all other options have been exhausted, and even then only in direst of circumstances.

[Liege]

If you guys had the time, is there any chance you could write up what makes the Ultramarines special to you? I've got a mate who hates them because they are 'generic' marine which I don't believe (The Glory That is Rome Marines!) and I'd like to see what the true fans have to say!

[Seahawk]

I read Ultramarines stories, and I feel like I'm reading mythologies of ancient Greece. The Heroes, the epic tales and battles, tragedy and comedy, and ideals to strive toward. Where most people online see "Rome", I actually see the realm of Ultramar more like Sparta with Roman trimmings. They toss weak babies into the mountains so only the strong survive, and a saying of the ancient Battle Kings of Macragge is that a warrior should return from battle either carrying his shield, or carried lifeless upon it. 

 

 

Drier reading below.

 

 

The Internet's perception is the inverse of the truth. 

What people see as boring is actually deep and well thought out, but because it doesn't come with a gimmick, it's "boring". They don't realize that there ARE people who enjoy working with a celebrated, vaunted, "flawless"* hero, and GW caters to 20+ different tropes with their established chapters. There's something for everyone.

May as well ask why nerds are made fun of in school. The reasons are EXACTLY the same. 

 

* newsflash: they aren't, but where the transgression elsewhere tends to be "murders all the wrong people", for the Ultramarines it's more like breaking the chain of command or something. 

 

The Ultramarines require reading to understand, mainly because their gimmick isn't obvious at all. That makes even their cliffnotes a longer read, thereby getting people to wander off in search of a short, short version. This leads to the internet, which is full of "Mary sue" and "golden child" one liners that are not only far from the truth, but also doing a great disservice to the depth of writing they get. Thus, that's all they are seen as, because someone couldn't be bothered to spend more than 15 minutes reading thoroughly their background and what makes them tick. Understandable nowadays when everything can only be understood in 140 character doses, but still a mighty pain to deal with.

 

Reading the Ultramarines Index Astartes shows me how hard aspirants compete to potentially be chosen to become a space marine, and from there they learn to become the most professional soldiers (for Astartes) in the galaxy. It's certainly full of its share of struggles, implied or explicit.

 

I read that they are the best because they earned their position. Others read just that they are the best because GW says so. *shrug* Guess it's just a matter of what you read.

 

 

[blackoption]

Of the twenty legions, The Ultramarines most personify a Roman-based professional soldier.  That is what drew me to them.  They keep that professionalism throughout everything that they do. 

 

I'm not saying the other legions are not professionals, but they do not strike me as professional soldiers.  The Fists are closer to a Germanic Order of knights, the Dark Angels are a Monastic order of knights.  The Scars are Mongols while the Wolves are Vikings. ect. 

 

The fact that the Ultra's are also my favorite color is a bonus as well.