UM company strength

[Techmarine Harkus]

I'm a bit behind on my reading for the new edition but does anyone know which companies are in the best/worst shape prior to the primaris marines being added to the chapter?

 

I want to include some primaris in my collection but was thinking of painting them a different company to my usual 2nd Co (on account of my current collection has the 2nd as being near enough full strength). Since primaris are being used to reinforce chapters that have suffered heavy losses, I thought it would make sense to pick a company that has been worse off in the fluff just before the new marines arrived.

 

Does anyone know if any particular company is stated to take heavy losses in the events of the gathering storm / terran cruasde?

[Toxichobbit]

I don't know if any companies are currently under strength*, but what is clear from the Codex is that companies are now organised differently.

 

The first major change is that companies can go up to 20 squads. The company is still 100 Marines strong (give or take for command staff) but the new organisation allows for multiple 5 man squads. Where the extra Sergeants come from I don't know. I guess some guys get promoted.

 

The second thing is that additional squads from reserve companies operating with a different company now have the option of adopting different company colours. The example given is an Intercessor Squad from the 6th company and an Assault Squad from the 8th company both adopting 2nd company colours and operating as the 11th & 12th squads respectively.

 

*the 2 page spread of 2nd company has 83 Marines (excluding command staff and squads attached from reserve companies). This is due to the Primaris squads being 3 or 5 man. I don't know if this is the current fighting strength of the 2nd company, or if it's just GW matching squad sizes to the (then) currently available models. It's Intercessors, Hellblasters and Inceptors, who at the time C:SM came out were only available in Dark Imperium. The Primaris complement of 2nd company exactly matches the contents of Dark Imperium (again, ignoring command staff) and the Captain from Dark Imperium seems to be Acheran, the current 2nd company Captain so I don't think it's a coincidence.

Edited August 5, 2017 by Toxichobbit

[Nym468]

*******Dark Imperium Spoiler Alert*******

 

 

I've been having the same question in my head since the primaris marines showed up.

Dark Imperium opened the door to an eleventh company under Decimus Felix although the Codex makes no reference to him or the company.  Seeing as most of my companies have been laid out using standard marines I'm just going to go with the fluffy eleventh company instead.  Their shoulder trim is light blue.  I'll make the whole company Primaris.