Lore Overview: Ultramarines

Hailing from the home world of Macragge, the Ultramarines are the most recognized and highly honored of the Space Marines. They are known for single handedly repairing the Imperium after the Horus Heresy. Their aesthetic matches that of Old Earth’s Roman Empire, with member names and building designs to match. The name “Ultramarine” is a nod to the chapter’s history, being the source for the gene seed of more Astartes chapters than any other founding legion.^[1]

Their Primarch is Roboute Guilliman. Guilliman is currently holding the entire Imperium together in the Emperor’s absence. After the Heresy, Guilliman reformed the bureaucratic and military divisions of the Imperium, leading to the current organization of the Administratum.^[2]

Playstyle Overview: Ultramarines

The Ultramarines are the poster boys for Warhammer 40,000. When someone wants to start playing Warhammer, everyone points to the Ultramarines for their first army.

The big men in bright blue armor are known for their adaptability in battle. Ultramarines are great for an “advancing gunline” build because of their ability to move and shoot. Their chapter abilities allow redeployment, which is great for new players who may not fully understand positioning yet.^[3]

Let’s take a look at the Ultramarines specific abilities and doctrines found in their Codex Supplement.

Doctrine: Scions Of Gulliman

• While the Tactical Doctrine is active, models with this ability that moved in your movement phase, but did not advance or fall back, can make attacks with ranged weapons in the following shooting phase as if their unit had remained stationary this turn.

Chapter Tactics: Codex Discipline

• Add +1 to the Leadership characteristic of models with this tactic.
• Units with this tactic are able to shoot in a turn in which they fell back, but if they do, then until the end of the turn, each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack, subtract -1 from that attacks hit roll.

Bonus Stratagem: Rapid Redeployment (Cost: 2 Cp)^[4]

• At the start of the first round before the first turn, select up to three Ultramarine units from your army on the battlefield. Remove them from the battlefield and set them up again as described in the deployment section of the mission (if both players have abilities that redeploy units, roll off; the winner chooses who redeploys first).