The Game

The Armies of the 41st Millennium
- Space Marines.
- Dark Eldar.
- Tyranids.
- Sisters of Battle.
- Eldar.
- Chaos.
- Imperial Guard.
- Orks.
- Heroes of the Imperium.

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Long ago, the Emperor needed soldiers to help him in his great crusade to reunite humanity after the terrible Age of Strife. The Emperor knew that he required something better than his normal troops if there was to be any chance of succeeding, thus the Space Marines were born.

Genetic manipulation was used to make the Space Marines stronger, faster, and tougher. At the same time, extensive surgery was performed to implant special organs to make them absolute masters of the battlefield.

The Space Marines have become the ultimate human soldier, though it could be argued that they are no longer still human. A Space Marine is well over seven feet tall and easily able to crush a man's skull with his bare hands. Space Marines can fight for days at a time, heal wounds in minutes, and survive the most treacherous conditions. With his constant training, boltgun and power armour, the Space Marine is the most feared warrior throughout the galaxy.

Having become too large and unmaneuverable for the tasks assigned to them, the tremendous Space Marine Legions of the Emperor were broken down into more manageable and harder-hitting armies. The Space Marine Legions became Space Marine Chapters - smaller, sleeker, and much more powerful.

A Space Marine Chapter is more than just a self-contained fighting force. By now, most Chapters are millenia old, and each has its own history, traditions and heroes. Today, there are over a thousand Chapters in existence, from the noble and unyielding Ultramarines, to the intense, fierce, and not entirely trustworthy Blood Angels. Though they may differ in organization and methods, the one thing they all have in common is their absolute loyalty to the Emperor of the Imperium.

Though each Space Marine Chapter is relatively small, they are easily able to defeat armies many times their size. They do this with superior weaponry, armour, vehicles, and tactics. While the Imperial Guard are about as subtle as a sledgehammer, the Space Marines carry out missions with all the skill and precision of a surgeon's scalpel.

Space Marine Captains have many different types of troops and vehicles to choose from in assembling their forces. From the ever versatile Tactical Squads to the rapid-strike Land Speeders, Space Marines always have the right tool for the job.

Each and every Space Marine is so well trained that they have little difficulty pounding the enemy into the dirt no matter what the situation. Because of their flexibility, most Space Marines fight in Tactical Squads. Tactical Squads are generally equipped with bolters and grenades, but some members of the unit may use more exotic and heavier weaponry, such as missile launchers and flamers.

On some occassions the Space Marines need to get to blows with the enemy quickly, that's what Assault Squads are for. Armed with close combat weapons and jump packs, Assault Squads can get into hand-to-hand combat blindingly fast! Plus, their jump packs let them move over the battlefield with ease. These troops are an absolute nightmare for the enemy, especially when they start to close in on you!

With the Tactical Squads moving forward, and the Assault Squads attacking at the very heart of the enemy force, even Space Marines need a little heavy support now and then. Devastator squads consist of Space Marines armed with some serious firepower - Lascannons, Heavy Bolters, Plasma Cannons, and more. These Space Marines concentrate on taking out vehicles and war machines, leaving the Tactical and Assault squads to do their jobs without worrying about getting blown to pieces by enemy tanks.

Before a recruit can properly join his battle brothers as a full-fledged Space Marine, he must earn his place by becoming a Space Marine Scout. Scout Squads operate far in advance of the Space Marine battleline, providing intelligence and sabotaging the enemy's supply lines and communications.

Space Marine Scouts will often sneak forward before the battle starts and wait for the enemy to arrive. From these positions, the Scouts can either launch an all out assault, trying to break the enemy quickly, or stay in cover and start picking the enemy off one by one with their sniper rifles.

When things start to get difficult, or there is a particularly dangerous mission that must be accomplished, the Space Marine commander will call upon his very best troops. Space Marines who have been in countless battles and shown exceptional bravery and skill are taken from their regular units and assigned to the Chapter's First Company.

These Space Marines are the only ones equipped with the incredible Terminator Armour. This venerable piece of ancient technology transforms a normal Space Marine into a walking tank! With their impenetrable armour and potent weapons, a Terminator squad of Space Marines is practically unstoppable.

When mortally wounded, some especially heroic Space Marines are placed in the mechanical body of a Dreadnought, in this way the injured Space Marine can continue to serve the Emperor and his Chapter.

Dreadnoughts are an awesome sight to behold on the battlefield. Their heavy armour lets them simply ignore incoming fire, shrugging off hits like raindrops. As they advance, Dreadnoughts will cut loose with their powerful weapons. The Blood Angel Dreadnought at left is equipped with a multi-melta and a powerclaw/storm bolter combo. The Multi-melta can turn an enemy tank to slag in seconds, while the powerclaw/storm bolter will deal with anyone foolish enough to get in its way!

Space Marines prefer to strike fast and hard, often defeating an enemy force before it even really knows what has happened. Assault Squads are perfect for getting to the enemy quickly, but if they don't get proper support from other fast-moving squads, like Land Speeders and bikes, the Assault Squad could be easily overwhelmed (Okay, not so easily, we are talking about Space Marines after all.).

The Land Speeder (above) is perfect for fast strafing attacks on enemy infantry and vehicles. Built with anti-gravitic engines, the Land Speeder is easily able to get to the flanks and rear of the enemy and can simply cruise over terrain that would be impasseable on foot. The Land Speeder can be equipped with many different weapons so you can tailor it to your needs, whether you have tanks to destroy or infantry to roast, the Land Speeder can do it all.

Unfortunately, the Land Speeder can be rather fragile, one good hit can send it crashing to the ground. This is where the Space Marine Bikes and Attack Bikes come in. These vehicles get squads of Space Marines into action quickly, and with a good amount of firepower. The bikes are equipped with twin-linked bolters, while the Attack Bike can be fitted with a heavy weapon. Assault Squads, Land Speeders, and bikes at the forefront of a Space Marine army often spells doom and utter defeat for their opponents.

Of course, the Space Marines have access to other vehicles besides Land Speeders and bikes. Sometimes you just have to call in the big guns, and the Space Marines are no exception.

The Rhino and the Razorback (right) are the Space Marines' standard transports. The Rhino can carry a full squad of Space Marines right to the where the fighting is thickest. The Razorback can also be used as a transport, but it sacrifices some space to mount additional weapons in the turret. So, after the Space Marines disembark, it will stay around and lend support to the Space Marines as they advance.

From the Predator tank to the awesome destructive power of the Land Raider (coming soon!), the Space Marines have several tanks to choose from depending on the job they need done. Predators will wipe out enemy vehicles and war machines, while the Whirlwind uses its missiles to barrage the enemy as they advance. Space Marine Commanders need to select just the right blend of troops, vehicles and tanks to win the day!

Games Workshop is in the process of creating a series of supplements for Warhammer 40,000. The first of these is Codex: Space Marines, a book devoted entirely to fielding, painting, and collecting a Space Marine army.

The Codex: Space Marines contains the complete army list, with new troop types and all the special rules that apply to the Imperium's mightiest heroes. There is even a section devoted to all the different weapons and equipment that you can incorporate into your army.

There are also lots of great painting and modeling tips, a section devoted to Space Marine tactics, Special Characters you can include in your Space Marine force, and even a "How to" section on painting your own Space Marines, including examples of different Space Marine Chapters. Of course, there are tons of terrifically painted Citadel Miniatures by our world famous 'Eavy Metal team, and loads of great new art!