Black Consuls
| Black Consuls | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Founding | Second Founding | |
| Successors of | Ultramarines | |
| Homeworld | Cyclopia | |
| Strength | Fully rebuilt thanks to the Primaris Marines | |
| Allegiance | Imperium of Man | |
| Colours | Black armor, white chapter badge, shoulder trim company color | |
The Black Consuls are a primogenitor chapter of space marines formed from the 22nd Chapter of the Ultramarines legion during the Second Founding. Its first master Arrias Cordos was known as "The Bane of Lorgar". Originally they were a fleet based crusading chapter much like the Black Templars, operating from the star fort: Noctis Obscurum until it was blown up by Dark Eldar infiltrators, causing them to lose all of their armoury, relics and written records. Those that were away at the time of its destruction later settled on Cyclopeia, a Hive World where the gangers were noted for tattooing the names of fallen comrades on their flesh, a tradition which carried on to the Space Marines that adopted them.
They were recorded as annihilated in 455.M41 at the siege of Goddeth Hive. While many marines certainly survived because they were elsewhere at the time (it is uncommon for an entire chapter to fight together), the great majority of the chapter was destroyed when the Iron Warriors they were about to defeat detonated the hive's nucleonic stacks and wiped out the whole northern continent.
History and noted Engagements
- M.38 On Baliaris Majoris, the Black Consuls fought against a cult's uprising lead by the heretic prophetess Constanze.
- Late M.40/ Early M.41 The Black Consuls used to be a space borne chapter until their star fort -the Noctis Obscurum- was destroyed by Dark Eldar Saboteurs. The chapter then moved to the planet of Cyclopia, and spent the next three centuries beating the living shit out of each and every one of them in a war that stretched across 15 star systems and ended up collapsing an entire sub-dimension of the webway. That alone puts them on the list as a candidate for GW's very own angry marines chapter, except they are almost dead.
- 455.M41 The Black Consuls were recorded as annihilated at the Siege of Goddeth Hive. Details are scarce but the Iron Warriors were about to be overrun and instead of taking it they detonated the Hive they were defending. And somehow the Word Bearers were also involved.
Chapter Tactics and Character
Before getting royally screwed by the Iron Warriors and Word Bearers the Black Consuls were some of Roboute Guilliman's biggest fans. They are one of the most strict adherents to the Codex Astartes and several past chapter masters have formed some of the most valuable counselors to the Lord of Macragge.
The Black Consuls are renowned for starting off their campaign with a massed drop pod assault conducted by the entire chapter. Less of a steel rain tactic than a Steel Fuckstorm. This makes them one of the very few Chapters to realize that the Chapters were intended to fight the same way they did during the Great Crusade. Back then, Space Marines usually operated through individual Chapters just like they do now. Except back then the entire Chapter deployed together. Which is probably what Guilliman understandably expected the Astartes to continue doing as they always had. The Black Consuls were (are?) one of the 20 Astartes Praeses Chapters who were (are?) tasked with guarding the outskirts of the Eye of Terror.
Current Status
The fact that possibly entire squads survived (the Black Consuls contributed a lot of members to the Deathwatch and as aids and advisors to other chapters and war zones) is a very bad thing for the Iron Warriors (and Word Bearers who are also believed to have had a hand in their defeat.) This is because the Black Consuls have a noted tendency to hold genocidal grudges against enemies who have hurt them, like the Dark Eldar for instance;
While it is not unknown for a chapter to come back from the brink or even to kick ass while there, such as the Emperor's Scythes or the Crimson Fists, it's going to take several centuries for the chapter to regain full strength, if they do at all. Reports of the Black Consuls' strike cruisers have been sighted making swift attacks across Segmentum Pacificus, so the chapter is still kicking ass and taking names.
Also, there is definitely a small force on campaign in the Jericho Reach on the Achillus Crusade. They decided to stick around until a messenger came back, but apparently 250 years isn't too long to wait, so they're still there, slowly being depleted through attrition.
Cyclopia is still presumed to be their homeworld. Cyclopia is a Hive World in Segmentum Obscurum in the Calixis sector. This is not to be confused with the planet Cyclopea, which is a forge world in the same sector.
As of Codex: Space Marines 8th Edition, they have been fully rebuilt, thanks to an influx of Primaris Marines during the Ultima founding. The Word Bearers are in for it now...