6 Imperial Fists
Lore Overview: Imperial Fists
The only Space Marine chapter without a specific home world, the Imperial Fists are based on the 10,000-year-old mobile space fortress Phalanx, a massive fortress-monastery. During the Great Crusade, the Imperial Fists functioned as the Emperor’s personal bodyguards.[1]
Their Primarch is Rogal Dorn, a mastermind of tactical warfare. Dorn excelled in siege craft, both attacking and defending. He was known for his never-ending loyalty to the Emperor and the Imperium.[2]
Dorn was one of the oldest of the original Primarchs. He was presumed dead after the final attack on the Chaos Battleship the Sword of Sacrilege. The only evidence of his participation in the battle was his severed hand, which is currently stored on the Phalanx and considered a holy relic. Many Imperial Fists members hold onto the hope that Dorn is still alive and will one day be reunited with his chapter. The Imperial Fists pride themselves on upholding Dorn’s principles of loyalty, firmness, and tactical prowess to this day.[3]
Playstyle Overview: Imperial Fists
The Imperial Fists are known for holding the line. Fortification is the name of the game, and they will not stand down. Imperial Fists utilize bolter weapons, buildings, and vehicles to dominate the battlefield. While not extremely mobile, their abilities and tactics allow them to target their enemies that are hiding behind cover.[4]
Let’s take a look at the Imperial Fists specific abilities and doctrines found in their Codex Supplement.
Chapter Doctrine: Legacy Of Dorn
- While Devastator Doctrine is active, each time a model with this ability makes an attack with a heavy weapon against a vehicle or building unit, if that attach has a strength of +7 or more, add +1 to the damage characteristic of that attack.
Chapter Tactics: Siege Masters
- Each time a model with this tactic makes a ranged attack, the target does not receive benefits of light cover against that attack.
- Each time a model with this tactic makes an attack with a bolt weapon, an unmodified hit roll of 6 scores +1 additional hit.