Great Crusade/PH World Eater Legion organisation

[Pacific81]

Hi folks,

 

Just a quick question to anyone who has picked up on this through the HH or FW book literature. 

 

Do we know if there has been any specific mention of how the World Eater (or perhaps War Hound) organisation differs from the standard legion format around during the later Great Crusade era? (i.e. before the Heresy started or Angron had turned the Legion into a band of frothing lunatics?)

 

AFAIK standard arrangement is:

- Legion (of however many tens of thousands of marines)

- Broken down into Chapters (approx 1000 marines)

- Companies (100 marines - as in 40k)

 

I have seen other units of measure such as Batallions and Regiments

- Regiments = 2 Batallions

- Batallions = 5 companies (500 marines total)

 

Very grateful if anyone does have any info on this. 

[malika666]

Hmm, do you have the first FW Horus Heresy book? Otherwise...lemme see what info I can find for you.

[Pacific81]

Ah thanks very much. Its in that book is it? I will have a check.

[malika666]

It should be in there, it has the most in depth explaination about the World Eaters and their organisation. Otherwise you might also try to get your hands on the old Index Astartes article, even thought a lot of that is now outdated.

[Leif Bearclaw]

Well firstly GC/HH era Chapters and Companies weren't the 1000/100 divisions we know in 40k. For example even the Ultramarines (one of the only Legions that called their Chapters 'Chapters', though even FW have been very sloppy about remembering this) had 10,000 man Chapters.

 

'Generic' legion structure (as given in Betrayal) was 5 100 man Companies (or alternate names such as Maniple, Band or Brotherhood) to a Battalion (1st being veteran, 2nd-4th being 'line' 5th being 'specialist'), though it alos notes that Company size often fluctuated between Legions and varying circumstances, as well as using 7-10 Company Battalions. 2 Battalions (or Cohorts, Regiments, Battle Groups) made up a Chapter (or equivalent such as Great Company, Harrow or Millennial). Though of course by the outbreak of the HH literally no Legions followed this organisation.

 

That said, the WE may have been (surprisingly) one of the Legions who kept closest to the generic organisation. This may be just because Angron didn't care to change much when he took over. Notably the Legion called its Chapters 'Echelons', had their commands streamlined as much as possible and were biased towards line infantry units with a focus on tactical/close assault troops. The Legion is noted as getting a lot more 'tribal' when Angron took over, but it's unclear as to how much that really changed the already very direct and 'strongman' style of command practiced in the XII.

[Pacific81]

EDIT: Many thanks @Leif Bearclaw, I must have been reading Betrayal as you wrote that :) 

I didn't know that about Echelon. I believe I have read of Cohort being used at Battalion level for the WE so perhaps that one to? 

 

Thanks for the pointer Malika - I've now found the info. Had forgotten those books had so much detail!

 

The info I had before wasn't too far off the mark. For anyone else wanting to know the info here it is below. Bearing in mind this is just a guideline and the Legions varied in terms of their naming convention and size of each organisation (so this is just a rule of thumb)

 

Please excuse the very quick and dirty diagram! This isn't including all the numerous support personnel: auxiliary, Apothecaries, Librarius, armoured units, transports etc.

 

 

Chapters (also known as Great Companies, Harrows etc.): Originally 1000 marines, these vary depending on era of the Great Crusade and by Legion. 

Battalions (also known as Cohorts, Regiments, Battle Groups etc.): Comprised of 5 Companies as standard, sometimes as many as 7 or 10 for larger Legions. 

Companies (also known as Maniples, Bands, Brotherhoods etc.):  Each 100 Marines. Traditionally, 1st Company was Veteran. 2nd, 3rd and 4th Companies were line Companies. The 5th specialist Assault, Support or Destroyer detachments etc. 

Squads: Between 10-20 Marines for line squads, 5-10 marines for support squads. 

 

Rank Names

- Chapters are lead by a Lord Commander (also Chapter Master, Warmaster, Khan, Magister etc.)

- Battalions are lead by a Lieutenant Commander (also Commander, First Captain, Shadow Captain, Master Legate etc.)

- Companies are lead by a Company Captain (also Centurion, Prime, Wolf Lord, Blooded etc.)

- Within the Company squads or groups of squads are lead by a Lieutenant (also Dominar, Decurion, Pack Leader, Chieftan etc.) Apparently this varied a great deal. 

Edited May 23, 2020 by Pacific81

[Slips]

Heres the image for the Principa Bellicosa (which is what the OG Legion Organisation was called) found in Book 1

[Pacific81]

I think my power point just edges it but thanks for posting that