Black Consuls
Warcry	Unknown
Founding	Second Founding (31st Millennium)
Successors of	Ultramarines
Successor Chapters	Unknown
Number	Unknown
Primarch	Roboute Guilliman
Chapter Master	Unknown
Homeworld	Unknown
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Black and Gold

The Black Consuls are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter that were a Second Founding Successor or Primogenitor Chapter of the Ultramarines. The Black Consuls were recorded as having been annihilated at the Siege of Goddeth Hive in 455.M41 by elements of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion. Their current status is unknown, though Imperial records indicate that a force of Black Consuls is still operating in the Jericho Reach as part of the Achilus Crusade.

Chapter History

The Black Consuls are a Primogenitor Successor Chapter of the Ultramarines. As true sons of Guilliman, they have appeared numerous times throughout the long history of the Imperium, ever ready to stand in defiance of the enemies of the Emperor. The Battle-Brothers of this Chapter were known to have made regular pilgrimages to the Shrine of the Primarch on Macragge, and several past Black Consuls Chapter Masters were counted amongst the most valued counselors to the Master of Macragge. The Black Consuls fought alongside their Progenitor Chapter on hundreds of occasions as well as other Ultramarines Primogenitor Chapters and many other Space Marine units.

Approximately 500 Terran years ago, the deeds of the Black Consuls fell silent, all but vanishing from the annals of Imperial history. A definitive account of the Chapter's disappearance has yet to be chronicled, although the White Consuls suspect their brother Chapter may have been entirely wiped out by a substantial force of Word Bearers Traitor Marines. Even if the bulk of the Black Consuls was annihilated, some of the Chapter's Battle-Brothers undoubtedly survived, scattered across the width and breadth of the Imperium while assigned to various detached duties. It is a rare occasion when the entirety of a Chapter is present at any given battle, even if their homeworld comes under attack. It is likely that individual Battle-Brothers or entire squads of Black Consuls were seconded to other Chapters or to the Deathwatch or were even on pilgrimage at the Shrine of the Primarch on Macragge when the rest of their Chapter met its fate.

Imperial records show that a small force of Black Consuls was operating within the Jericho Reach following the launch of the Achilus Crusade in 777.M41. Due to the vagaries of Warp travel and communication, it took several decades for word of the Chapter's reported demise to reach those of its Astartes serving in this isolated sector of the galaxy's Eastern Fringe. Upon hearing the foreboding news, the remaining Black Consuls took council and every Battle-Brother was allowed to speak. When they concluded the gathering they agreed that a single Astartes of their number would be despatched to investigate the truth of the Chapter's fate and bring back word to his brothers. The remainder of the Black Consuls would continue to fight on, fulfilling their binding oaths to serve the Crusade until the messenger returned. Nearly 250 years has passed, and still no word has reached the remaining Black Consuls as to the true fate of their Chapter. The Black Consuls continue to fight the enemies of Mankind within the Jericho Reach, even as their numbers dwindle due to attrition.

While they have yet to learn of their Chapter's true fate, many Battle-Brothers of the Black Consuls are resigned to the fact that they may very well be the last of their Chapter. These warriors will fight to the death, determined that the history of their Chapter will be one that ends in glorious battle.

Notable Campaigns

• Fate of the 4th Company (651.M37) - A Battle-Brother of the Deathwatch bearing no Chapter device arrived at Watch Fortress Erioch, located within the Jericho Reach. This Astartes called himself Hail, and was the lone Space Marine occupant of the rapid strike vessel Unquiet Angel. Hail claimed that he had learned the location of the remains of the vanished 4th Company of the Black Consuls Chapter, a force lost in its entirety a millennium before. Hail sought the aid of the Deathwatch Space Marines of Watch Fortress Erioch in seeking them out. Following the a meeting of the Chamber of Vigilance, a Kill-team joined Hail aboard the Unquiet Angel. Hail lead the Kill-team to a massive Space Hulk drifting in open space at the edge of the Phaegis System. The Kill-team boarded the vessel and succeeded in recovering the banner of the Black Consuls 4th Company and a number of other Black Consuls relics, despite being assaulted by scores of Warp Ghouls and other foul creatures. In gratitude for the eventual recovery of their fellow Battle-Brothers' remains some decades later after a conveyor ship despatched from Erioch reached their homeworld, the Black Consuls renewed their oaths to the Deathwatch and pledged to send three times the previous number of Astartes into the Deathwatch's service than the Chapter had before.
• Baliaris Majoris (Unknown Date.M38) - The Black Consuls fought on Baliaris Majoris against the worldwide uprising of a powerful Chaos Cult. In the end they proved victorious and burned the heretic prophetess Constanze as justified retribution.
• Siege of Goddeth Hive (455.M41) - The Black Consuls were recorded as being annihilated at the Siege of Goddeth Hive. Their current status remains unknown. According to Chapter Master Xydias of the White Consuls, the Black Consuls were indeed wiped out during this campaign, and a Word Bearers Traitor Legion Infernus-class Battleship known as the Crucius Maledictus was known to have been present during their destruction, making this Traitor Legion the primary culprit in the Black Consuls' demise.

Chapter Appearance

Chapter Badge

The Black Consuls' Chapter Badge was a white eagle head on a black background.

Chapter Colours

The Black Consuls painted their Power Armour black with gold trim.

Sources

• Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)
• Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition)
• Dark Creed (Novel) by Anthony Reynolds
• Deathwatch: Know No Fear (RPG), p. 7
• Deathwatch: Rites of Battle (RPG), p. 57
• How to Paint Space Marines
• Insignium Astartes

Gallery

A Black Consuls Tactical Marine

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