Chapter (Warhammer 40k)



A Chapter is a completely autonomous military unit made up of one thousand of the superhuman warriors known as Space Marines or Astartes and their related vehicles, starships and support personnel. Each Chapter serves collectively with the others of its kind as part of the Imperium of Man's Adeptus Astartes. Every Chapter is entirely autonomous from every other Adepta of the Imperium, including the Inquisition, and takes its orders only from the High Lords of Terra themselves.

Most Chapters have feudal title to an entire planet of the Imperium which serves as its Chapter homeworld or to a large fleet of powerful and massive starships that serves as a mobile headquarters if the Chapter is fleet-based.

The majority of Space Marine Chapters follow the dictates of the Codex Astartes, a sacred tome written by the Ultramarines' Primarch Roboute Guilliman. The Codex Astartes details the proper organizational structure and mobilization methods for a Space Marine Chapter. The Codex has been adopted by the vast majority of Space Marine Chapters as their organizational blueprint.

Consequently, most Space Marine Chapters are considered "Codex Chapters" or "Codex-compliant Chapters" due to their adherence to the Codex Astartes. It is believed that there are about 1,000 Chapters of Space Marines operating throughout the galaxy at any one time, though this number can fluctuate greatly as time and circumstances determine.

In When the Cold Breeze Blows Away, more and more Chapters are made by both the Imperium, the Future Alliance and the rest of the Grand Alliance throughout World War III.

However, when the Imperium of Man became neutral after the Imperium of Man Civil Rights March and the North African Crisis, the Chapters are either disbanded and/or transferred to other armies of the Grand Alliance.