My honoured Battlebrother,
within my last Letter, I told you about the culture of my people as well as their traditions and believes. I considered it important to understand that, or rather have a first glimpse into it, before I explain the military organisation and combat doctrines of my chapter, as the later has greatly influenced the aforementioned.
My chapters organisation is quite unorthodox. I am able to admit that today, but only because of my time at the Deathwatch. But most of my brothers and especially our chapter master and most of the chapters headquarter consider us to be “codex compliant, with a few minor exceptions”. To be totally honest, I am only one among very few within our chapter, which have slight doubts, that we’re true to every word Rogal Dorn ever said. I am convinced that we are true to his spirit. He would be quite content with our Chapter, although he would surely note some … peculiarities … to say the least.
Our chapters headquarter is a good bit bigger than those of codex compliant Chapters. We maintain a number of Warrior Schools on several Worlds as well as smaller monasteries which are constantly maintained – mostly by Brothers which no longer serve in active Companies. Those Brothers are counted as part of the Headquarter, and that’s for a good reason: Bianuk Tallshield, our current chapter Master is directly involved in the affairs of those Marines, and while some really only train young recruits, some of them have other duties like one man hidden ops, or negotiations, in the Name of the Chapter.
Ever since the days directly after the loss of The Mountain, the Chapter has significantly bigger Apothecarion, than other Chapters. It was initially needed to bring the Chapter to full size again. But already during the Genestealer Infections, that followed the Loss of The Mountain, the Apothecarii proofed to be of much worth. Usually the Apothecarion of the Thousand Fists has about 90 Members, of which 10 Apothecarii are more or less constantly at Campus Actuarii, mostly doing research on Genestealers and Tyranids, but of course also taking care of the Health of the Chapter. Another 10 Apothecarii doing special medical and research services throughout the Fleet and the World, on which we maintain a monastery. Every Brotherhood is accompanied by about 10 Apothecarii, which is a bit less then one Apothecarius for two squads. Two Squads are usually the smallest Unit to be sent on a mission, so almost every mission has “it’s own” Apothecarius. But to truly understand the role of the Apothecarii you need to know, that that healer was usually the a very influential member on a tribe, back in Campus Acturarii, and often they were the spiritualy leaders and sometimes also the political leaders. So the more important role of the Apothecarii is quite natural to us.
Unlike many other chapters, we have a dislike for tanks and other ground vehicles ever since our founding. We strongly focus on the use of infantry and even specialised in the warfare within spaceships, buildings during the last millennia. As a result the Armorium is a significantly smaller than in other Chapters. We prefer deployment via Transport-Flyers or Droppods. But as passionate defenders, we especially honour our armours, which is reflected by a quite large amount of venerable Terminator Armours. Thus the Master of the Forge, on the other Hand, as well as the Status of Techmarine are highly prestigious Ranks among the Thousand Fists.
The only exception to this rule are Dreadnoughts. They are even more revered within our chapter than among other astartes, as we praise defensive tactics and strength above most other virtues.
The Librarius has regular Size with 25 to 30 Librarians divided on the different Levels. The Reclusiam also has a regular Size of 10-12 Chaplains. The only difference is that the Librarius and the Reclusiam are combined in the so called Corvium (as a reference to the Fact, that Psykers on Campus Actuarii were called “White Ravens”) and Librarians as well as Chaplains are called “White Ravens” within the Chapter. They work closely together as spiritual leaders and as keepers of the Chapters Lore. Librarians and Chaplains of the Thousand Fists also usually colour their Armour in blue, yellow and red, like all other Marines, although some chaplains replace the blue with a darker blue or even black. This seems to be a direct influence of the Tribe Culture, where the (spiritual) Leaders of a Tribe are often White Ravens, and sometimes even Psykers, while even those White Ravens, who don’t have psykic Powers are considered having more powerful Spirits.
The Fighting Forces of the Chapter are organised in seven Companies, which each contain about 80 to 220 Astartes – a Schema we adopted during several remarkable campaigns, in which almost the whole Chapter fought besides the Space Wolves. There are no specialised Companies, like Veteran or Scout Companies. Every Brotherhood has it’s own Veterans, Terminators, Dreadnoughts and Scouts. The true reasons for this variation of the Codex Astartes have been lost. Some Astartes think, that it has always been like that, as it reflects the strong tribal organisation of the chapter. Other assume, that this deviation has been made after the Loss of the Mountain, to faster rebuild the Chapter and reflect the fact, that we became a fleet based chapter. And – as I mentioned earlier – the Introduction of Terminators and Apothecary in each Brotherhood was a reaction to the need to board Space Hulks immediately when sighted to search for clues of the mountain and gather or capture specimen. The fact that we don’t have 10 Companies is usually justified by the fact, that we honour those three Companies, that got lost with the Mountain, although I have strong doubts that this is the true reason. I’d rather think, that it was a side effect of the larger Companies: An avarage Brotherhood of ours has far more Astartes than the regular 100, but in total, we are never more then 1000 Brothers. So reducing the Number of Companies is the only option to make this possible.
As no Company has a given purpose, they rotate through a fixed plan, that is only changed on dramatic Occasions:
- One Company at a time is constantly of the Chapters Flagship. Mostly they serve as an honour guard, but often enough the current chapter masters decides to enter conflicts himself together with this Company.
- One Company at a time is devoted to join our brothers of the Imperial Fists on the great crusade to rebuild the imperium of mankind.
- Two Companies at a time are constantly on patrol throughout sectors and Worlds we secured before. These Company also leads preemptive strikes against foes that might become threats, mostly Greenskins, Dark Eldars and lately Necrons.
- Up to two Companies at a time (but hardly ever both) are aiding other Forces elsewhere in the Imperium.
- One Company at a time has the right to pursue the search for the Mountain. Although it is only allowed to assign minor Space Ships and four Squads to that task. The Rest of the Company usually purges Space Hulks and reported Genestealer Infestations. In recent years, this Company also provides Scout-Ships to monitor the activity of several Hive Swarms, and take action when needed.
This organisational deviation from a the codex astartes together with the fact, that we command only seven companies leads to the fact, that Marines of the Thousand Fists are a rare sight on many battlefields, which has given us a mixed reputation: Some say we prefer to fight alone, some say we are picky, and some say that we’re just slow. Actually … a bit of everything is true.
Another Tradition of the Thousand Fists documentedly dates back to the Loss of the Mountain: In Honour of the Lost Companies, their newly build successors didn’t re-use the Numbers of the Lost Companies. Instead they were given a Name by their Captain. This was added as a general tradition, and all seven great companies now carry their own Names. The Tradition even developed beyond that: When the Captain of a Company dies, the current Missions of the Company are finished by an interims Captain. When all Missions are finished, the whole Company returns to the Chapters Flagship. The deceased Captain is brought to Campus Actuarii and buried in his Companies Burial Chamber, deep within the old monastery, which already contains all fallen Brothers of the Company since the day the Company was founded. Then the Company is dissolved. The Marines of the Company are either integrated into other Companies, added to the Headquarter or temporarily set off duty.
Then the Company is built anew from scratch. The Chapter master chooses a new Captain, taking advice from the Dreadnoughts als well as from the Chapters Master of the Forge and the Elders of the Apothecarion the Corvium, and the most venerated Brothers of the former Commpany. The new assigned Captain then builds his Command Squad; most often from among the most experienced Warriors of the former Company and his trusted Battlebrothers, but very often also from the Headquarter or other Companies, and always adding at least one Dreadnought, one Apothecarius, one Librarian and one Chaplain. The Captain also chooses a new Name for the Company, which often represents his view on warfare or a Totem, which might be, his personal companions.
The new Company’s Headquarter then starts recruiting more Men into the Chapter, starting with the Veterans, which then build up the regular Troops, which then build up the Scouts and Recruits. When the Company has reached Battle Size, it’s Burial Chamber is carved into the Rock beneath the monastery and the whole Company is assembled there, to be baptised by the Chapter Master or the current Master of the Corvium. From that day on, all Members of the new Company a burried in that Chamber, and the Chamber is continually expanded if needed, until the Companies Captain dies and again an new Company is founded.
Besides the company, the Squad has more meaning than in most other Chapters, a tradition we adopted form the Iron Snakes. Many Marines tend to form strong bonds within a Squad. Like in almost all codex compliant Chapters, the Squads are named. At the Thousand Fists squads also regularly choose Totems by themselves or a common style of warpaint. This is almost always done in compliance with the Companies Identity. Also mosts squads have a Squad Leader, which is often a Sergeant, but sometimes even a member from the Chapters Headquarter or Corvium. Sometimes Squads even resemble a similar life cycle as a whole company: When the squad leader dies in battle the squads request a dissolve and members of the squad are integrated within other squads until the squad is newly founded – often formed from newly promoted scouts. Also the other way is possible: When a squad has formed exceptionally tight bonds, they reject new recruits. Sometimes a squad gets reduced to only one Astartes, who becomes a lone hunter, but still gets treated and deployed in combat like a regular squad, although most often he is given special targets that suite his skills. Sometimes these last survivors get finally promoted to the companies command squad.
I already mentioned a few times that we focus on defensive combat doctrines. Let me explain a bit, what that means on the battlefield. Like I already mentioned, we prefer deployment via Transport-Flyers or Droppods. Usually a common Strike force consists of Tactical Marines as a central Base of Fire, Devastors for heavy and long range Weapon Support, Assault Marines with Jetpacks as a option to quickly move or outflank and Enemy and Terminators, which serve as living shields as well as heavy support or close Combat specialists. This scheme is supported by the common weapon choices among all Squads. Shields are a very often sight among Brothers of the Thousand Fists, especially when clad in Terminator-Armour, but also by Assault Marines, Officers and even Dreadnoughts wear them. Spears and Powerlances are often chosen, especially, when a defensive Situation on a open battlefield is to be expected. And finally flamers are very popular, and romanticised by many, who wear them as the torch against the beasts of darkness.
As our mobility on the battlefield often depends on our transport aircrafts, our Masters of the Forge have specialised on customising and extending the existing Models to our need. We even call three Stormwolfs our own; a gift, we just recently received from Egil Ironwolf himself for reconnaissance data about an Outpost of the Thousand Sons, we discovered, and valuable aid in the following operation.
There is also a deviation from the common way Chapters are lead into battle on the level of Strategy. We are a careful Chapter. We take a more time to analyse the current situation, think through the options, and develop careful plans. You never really know, what awaits you on the battlefield, that’s why we do everything to make sure. This also includes sending more forces than most other chapters would for the same task. It might take us longer to appear on a battlefield, but when we hit, we hit with all the might and force to make sure victory is ours. Of course the Loss of our Homeworld and The Mountain may be reasons for this Doctrine. But the real reason is: Loosing a Battlebrother is not only the Loss of a Man, the Loss of a Bolter – it’s the Loss of invaluable Experience, of Decades or even Centruries of Warfare. You just can not replace this with a new recruit, as you will certainly agree with me.
Although these variations of the Codex Astartes may seem pretty profound to you, we still have good reasons to consider ourselves as mostly codex conform: The overall Internal structure of any given company is very much the same, as in most codex compliant Chapters: Tactical Marines in Squads of Ten form the better part of each Company, complemented by Devastor Squads, Assault Squads, Brother in Terminator Armour and Dreadnoughts. And when an assembled strike force of the Thousand Fists appears on the battlefield, the only real differences to most major codex compliant chapters is the personal Warpaint and our focus on infantry tactics together with the lack of heavier ground based wargear.
I sincerely hope, that I my lengthly report was neither boring nor offensive to you. And I do have interesting news: On the Space Hulk Tempest of Souls I found a smaller version of the reproductive chambers we both have seen together on the bioship. I was able to extract what seemed to me as the most important parts and will keep you informed on further insight and experiments.
My the Emperor guide us in these dark days
Lucas Lacertil
Continue the story with Letter No. 6 – Important Members of the Chapter and Campaigns now …
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