What is the Legio? Explanation and your questions asked and answered

[Brother Tyler]

The Legio [Bolter & Chainsword] is the mascot of the Bolter and Chainsword community. At its core, the Legio is a vehicle for members to signify their membership in the community. Most players should be able to spare/find one loyalist Adeptus Astartes model that they could paint in Legio colors, and many players can probably find the resources to convert a characterful model that represents them. We've adjusted the lore on the Legio to give players as much flexibility as possible, allowing the use of both Legiones Astartes (i.e., Horus Heresy era) and Adeptus Astartes (i.e., Age of the Imperium era) models; and for those members of the community that can't get their hands on any type of loyalist Legiones/Adeptus Astartes model, we're providing some alternatives (see the Legio Auxilia and Legio Anathema below).

 

The Legio was created in 2002 and is a reminder of the site's origins as a discussion forum that solely covered the Adeptus Astartes. Though we have expanded the scope of the site to the point where we now cover all factions and all games in the Warhammer 40,000 setting, the Legio remains our mascot, and most of the imagery and thematic elements of the community are derived from the Legio.

 

The basic color scheme of the Legio - black armor with red helmets - was deliberately modeled after the Field Police depicted in the Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader rulebook in 1st edition. Since the Field Police (later reimagined as the Consul Opsequiari in The Horus Heresy Book Seven: Inferno, by Forge World) never received much of an explanation and hadn't been used since 1st edition, and since the colors matched up with the brand colors of the Bolter and Chainsword, we adopted the scheme, dovetailing off the role of the moderators to keep the peace within the community.

 

Our initial version of the scheme added the bone white chest decoration and left shoulder pad, as well as the black and white checks on the right knee/boot and the red kneepad. We later changed that so that the left shoulder pad was red and the chest decoration was white. In both versions, the Chapter badge of the Space Marine's parent Chapter was worn upon the right shoulder and the badge of the Legio was worn upon the left shoulder, in a manner similar to the Deathwatch (which were first released at around the same time that we were developing the Legio). The latest update to the Legio reverts back to the original scheme as our basic scheme, but provides a great deal of flexibility for variation. In addition, we have provided more information on the early/informal days of the Legio (though we always dated it back to the time of the Scouring) and we have allowed for "Prospectus" members - battle-brothers temporarily detached from their parent Chapters to train with the Legio. In addition, we've introduced the Mentor Squads and Sojourn concepts, both of which allow Legio members in parent Chapters. Practically speaking, the last three additions that were mentioned have been in the Legio's lore for years, but this update provides more information on each. The intent with all of these changes was to ensure that all Legio mini-me models that have been submitted over the years remain valid, and to provide more options for members of the community who might not otherwise participate in this ongoing project.

 

Unlike most other fan-created Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the Legio isn't intended as a serious effort to mesh with the established lore. Given the overlap with the Deathwatch (non-Codex Astartes organization, drawing from other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes) and our desire to have the Legio remain distinct from that official Chapter, our hope for as many of our members as possible to participate, and the challenges of trying to create some format allowing for even wider faction representation, the Legio is presented with a bit of hand-waving and a bit less detail and explanation than some members would prefer. Early efforts to explain everything and make everything fit the established lore proved unsuccessful, and this has become even more difficult as the lore has expanded and grown. Instead, the goal is to provide members of the community with a vehicle for signifying their entrance into the community, symbolically joining a larger community by creating a persona from their favorite loyalist Chapter.

 

The Legio doesn't have bespoke rules, though we provide some suggestions on how to use them in games. Similarly, the Legio isn't envisioned as some sort of "better" Adeptus Astartes. To paraphrase @BLOODSAINT, the original owner/creator of the Bolter and Chainsword and one of the key figures in the creation of the Legio, the Legio is more like a jersey one wears to represent their membership on a team.

 

Since the Bolter and Chainsword had expanded to include the Heretic Astartes by the time we created the Legio, our initial efforts to develop the Legio lore included a schism in which some members had fallen to Chaos, providing a rationale for fans of the Heretic Astartes to have representation. As we continued to expand the scope of the site, it became more and more difficult to rationalize how each faction in the setting could legitimately work together. We considered options such as a wide crusade of the Imperium, but that left traitors and xenos out. It's also difficult to envision Tyranids getting along with any of the other species. In the end, we decided to revert to the original concept - the Legio is simply a Chapter of loyalist Adeptus Astartes. Other factions within the Imperium might serve alongside the Legio in some fashion, and we consider them to be Legio Auxilia. The forces of Chaos and Xenos species, meanwhile, are the enemies of the Legio and we consider them to be Legio Anathema. For those hobbyists who can't submit a loyalist Space Marine, those two alternatives provide a means of "joining" the community via the Legio (as victims of the Legio ).

 

This discussion is intended to serve as our meta discussion about all aspects of the Legio, as well as a location for members to ask questions about the Legio and to receive answers (and those answers might be incorporated into edits/updates of the other articles).

[Brother Tyler]

Consolidated Questions and Answers

 

This post consolidates all questions asked over the years and in the replies below, as well as the official responses to those questions.

 

Can my Legio mini-me be a firstborn?

Yes, the Legio has firstborn members. Keep in mind that the Legio was created shortly after the Age of Apostasy in M36, but proto-Legio forces existed in the form of the Heralds dating back to the time of the 2nd Founding and the Scouring. Your Legio mini-me may exist at any point during the Legio's existence, allowing for both firstborn and Primaris Space Marines.

 

Can my Legio mini-me submission be a painter image or similar?

No. An eligible Legio mini-me submission must be of a completely painted miniature.

 

Is there a specific theme I should employ on my Legio mini-me? For example, the Dark Angels are known for their robes, the Space Wolves for their furs and totems, etc.

No, there is no theme that you must use. Ultimately, we want as many members as possible to submit Legio mini-me's, so we're giving members as much freedom as possible in submitting a model that represents their preferences. We've identified minimum requirements (loyalist Adeptus Astartes, black armor, red helmet) and guidelines for colors (see the Insignium Astartes: Legio), but allow members to be as extravagant or simple as they desire.

 

Does my Legio mini-me have to be equipped with a bolter and chainsword?

No, Legio mini-me's do not need to have a bolter and/or a chainsword. In fact, your Legio mini-me can be equipped with whatever exotic weapons and wargear you desire, nor do they have to be game-/rules-legal (just keep things reasonable, however).

 

Do I have to use the Deathwatch shoulder pad on my Legio mini-me?

No, the Deathwatch shoulder pads are not required. While they are a handy way to have both the iconic skull and the lettering associated with the Deathwatch and the Inquisition, members are free to use any shoulder pad and skull icon they desire. There are decals for the Legio and a variety of skull options (plain, plain black, flaming, winged, yellow crux, red crux, black crux, blue crux) available in our Downloads. Members are also allowed to use freehand skulls.

 

How long does a Space Marine serve in the Legio?

Secondment to the Legio is for life. Members of the Legio may be granted periodic sojourns to their parent Chapter, often for the purpose of renewing their Chapter's oaths and training, as well as to earn recognition for veteran status and the like. These sojourns are always temporary and the Legio members will return to the Legio upon their completion.

 

Is it possible for a Chapter to have multiple members seconded to the Legio concurrently?

Yes, some Chapters send more than one member to the Legio at one time, though few send more than three. Members shouldn't be concerned with the submissions of other members, however. Choose whichever Chapter you prefer and ignore the fact that fifty other members of the Bolter and Chainsword have also submitted a Legio mini-me from that Chapter. For your purposes, none of those other Legio members exist.

 

Does the Legio have Scouts?

Yes. Unlike most other Chapters, however, the Scouts of the Legio are experienced battle-brothers.

 

Does the Legio have dreadnoughts?

Yes, there are a few dreadnoughts within the Legio.

 

Will the Blood Angels and their Successors second members who have succumbed to the Red Thirst/Black Rage?

No, such Space Marines will never be seconded to the Legio. In fact, the descendants of the Blood Angels Legion watch over each other while in the Legio and will take care that their curse is not revealed to those outside their gene-line. We're not going to go into detail about how that is accomplished - suffice to say that Sanguinius's sons do not want this secret revealed and they have been successful in their efforts.

 

How do the Unforgiven Chapters select members for the Legio?

Generally speaking, the Unforgiven Chapters will not second members who have been initiated into the secrets of the Hunt for the Fallen. Even then, all Unforgiven members who are seconded to the Legio are sworn to oaths of secrecy regarding certain aspects of the Unforgiven.

 

Will the Space Wolves and their Successors second members who have succumbed to the Curse of the Wulfen?

No, such Space Marines will never be seconded to the Legio. In fact, the descendants of the Space Wolves Legion watch over each other while in the Legio and will take care that their curse is not revealed to those outside their gene-line. We're not going to go into detail about how that is accomplished - suffice to say that Russ's sons do not want this secret revealed and they have been successful in their efforts.

 

Do the Deathwatch or Grey Knights second members to the Legio?

No, these two Chapters never send members to the Legio.

 

Will the Cursed Founding Chapters second members who exhibit their various curses?

No, such Space Marines will never be seconded to the Legio. And while these Chapters hope to preserve their secrets, many have failed in this when their battle-brothers in the Legio have succumbed to their curses. It is for this reason that some of these Chapters have been eradicated by the Inquisition and their allied Space Marine Chapters.

 

Can my Adepta Sororitas/Astra Militarum/Adeptus Mechanicus/Assassin/etc. character join the Legio?

No, the Legio is a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes and its membership reflects that. As with other Chapters, there are Chapter thralls and servitors, but these are not true members of the Legio. The Legio often serves alongside other elements of the Imperium, and these elements may be honored as Legio Auxilia.

 

The Legio dates back to the time when the Bolter and Chainsword website was focused on the Adeptus Astartes. Though we have expanded the scope of our subject matter since that time, we have preserved the Legio as our mascot and as the source of our imagery. Even as a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, the Legio is difficult to mesh with the official lore as a result of our desire to have the Legio reflect the diverse interests of our members. It would be impossible to create an organization that is remotely believable if we were to expand to include more (sub)factions. For those members who refuse/are unable to submit loyalist Adeptus Astartes as Legio mini-me's, we have created the Legio Auxilia and Legio Anathema. Neither of these results in a badge, but they allow members to symbolically join the rest of the community through the submission of a painted miniature, the first being some member of the Imperium that has fought alongside the Legio and the second being some enemy of the Imperium that has died at the hands of the Legio.

 

Why doesn't the Legio follow normal Codex Astartes Chapter organization?

While the Legio follows the normal Codex Astartes teachings with regard to tactics and squad composition, one of the aspects of the Legio is that it seeks to maximize the flexibility and adaptability of its members. In this, while each company consists of about 100 Space Marines, each company varies its organization according to the Codex Astartes (e.g., battle line, etc.). Each company is assigned to one of the Great Companies, each of which is more like a permanent detachment.

 

Real-world answer: This isn't something for which we'll ever develop a detailed explanation, especially since the goal of the Legio is not to be strictly adherent to the lore, but rather to provide a vehicle for the community to come together.

 

How does the Legio get its specialists (apothecaries, chaplains, techmarines, librarians)?

Chapters very rarely second specialists to the Legio, especially since those specialists are so rare and valuable. More often, a battle-brother who is seconded to the Legio will have the aptitude for the specialty, but that aptitude will not have been identified by their parent Chapter. When that aptitude is identified by the Legio, that battle-brother will undergo the necessary training and induction into their specialty order.

 

Some Chapters refuse to allow psykers into their ranks. When these Chapters identify that a recruit has psyker potential, instead of executing them, they may instead turn them over (i.e., second) to the Legio.

 

The Legio has also been sanctioned to recruit psykers directly from the Black Ships.

 

With Roboute Guilliman's approval of the Legio and the direct secondment of a number of greyshields to the Legio, the number of battle-brothers with aptitudes for various specialties, including psykers for the Librarium, has increased considerably, allowing the Legio to build the numbers of these specialty orders to a point where they rival the numbers in most other Chapters. While these greyshields were directly seconded to the Legio, their gene-seed lineage is known and one of their progenoids is returned to a Chapter descended from the same line upon their passing. The other progenoid is retained by the Legio to sustain the number of psykers within its ranks.

How large is the Legio?

At nominal full strength, the Legio is about 1,000 Space Marines or larger, and has tended to be larger ever since the return of Roboute Guilliman and the induction of Primaris Space Marines into the ranks of the Legio.

 

Who controls the Legio?

The Legio is controlled by the captains of each of the three Great Companies, each of whom is comparable with a Chapter Master in a regular Chapter. The Legio serves as the chamber militant of the Ordo Astartes of the Inquisition. As with any other Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, the Legio is autonomous and the captains of each of the Great Companies decides where and when his forces are committed. The High Lords of Terra may exert influence, and the Legio is generally receptive to their missives. Similarly, Inquisitors, especially those of the Ordo Astartes, may exert influence. Aside from those senior members of the Imperium, others must petition the Legio.

 

Is there a Heretic Astartes/Chaos Space Marines version of the Legio?

No, there is no traitor version of the Legio. For our purposes, the Heretic Astartes counterpart to the Legio are the Red Corsairs.

 

Can members of the Fallen join the Legio?

The Legio allow black shields to join, and some among those may be from the ranks of the Fallen.