Sanguine Shields

"You will fight as our ancestors fought. You will fight as the men of the Imperial Guard fight. Remember, pride cometh before the fall. Only after you have learned to respect the men you will command, only after you have learned to value their sacrifice, will you, in the name of the Emperor, become a Space Marine." - Polemarch Aleksander the Magnificent.

Introduction:

Sanguine Shields
Battle Cry	"Witness me!"
Number	4,000 (Minimum)
Founding	22nd Founding
Successors of	Blood Angles
Chapter Master	Aleksander
Primarch	Sanguinius
Homeworld	Aleksandria
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Red/Tan

The Sanguine Shields are a successor chapter of the Blood Angels based on the planet Aleksandria, located in the Borea system, in the Ultima Segmentum. The chapter was founded in M37 during the 22nd Founding by Brother Aleksander the Magnificent, a former member of the Sanguinary Guard, upon the orders of the Senatorum Imperialis. The chapter took part in the Great Culling, where it established links with the Officio Assassinorum and the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Sanguine Shields are a non-Codex Astartes complaint chapter, and maintain their own unique culture, chapter structure, and series of ranks. The population of Aleksandria is divided between several hundred city states, termed demoi, which are nominally independent of the chapter. The chapter master of the Sanguine Shields rules Aleksandria as the Hegemon of the Aleksandrian League, but generally does not interfere in the affairs of the city states. The leaders of the city states are required to take an oath of loyalty to the chapter master upon their ascension. The city states maintain their own Imperial Guard regiments, termed Dune Riders, which favour hit-and-run tactics using light vehicles. As part of Aleksandria's tithe, the city states are required to send their best Dune Riders to the chapter. Most do not return, but those who survive are given the honour of becoming Neophytes.

The chapter is based in the Kleisoura, an orbital battle station that acts as the chapter's fortress-monastery. The day-to-day running of the chapter is mainly done by the individual tagmata commanders, the archontes, due to injuries Polemarch Alexander received during a skirmish with a group of Chaos marines, which necessitated his internment inside the chassis of a dreadnought.

Organisation:

• Chapter Master (Polemarch)
• Archontes (Tagma Captains)
• Tindanotai (Death Company)
• 9th Tagma (Scouts/Recruits)
• 8th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 7th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 6th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 5th Tagma (Buggies/Speeders)
• 4th Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)
• 3th Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)
• 2nd Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)
• 1st Tagma (Rhinos/Predators)

Rank Structure:

Officers:

• Polemarch (Master)
• Navarchos (Admiral)
• Konostaulos (PDF/IG)
• Archon (Line Captain)
• Lochagos (Sergeant)

Marines:

• Heitaeros (Honour Guard)
• Phalanges (Elite Marine)
• Thorakites (Devastator)
• Hypaspist (Line Marine)
• Peltast (Scout/Recruit)

Specialists:

• Athanatos (Dreadnought)
• Tindanotes (Rage/Thirst)

Chapter Fleet:

• Kleisoura
• Battle Barge
• Strike Cruisers
• Gladius Frigates