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Note: This page is about the Space Marine Chapter. For the Primaris Space Marine unit, see Inceptor.


The Inceptors are a Loyalist Codex Astartes-compliant Space Marine Chapter. It is a Second Founding Successor Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion.

The Inceptors participated in the Macharian Crusade, and were involved in a regrettable incident during the Macharian Heresy in the early years of the 41st Millennium.

Chapter History[]

Inceptors Battle-Brother

Inceptors Chapter Colour Scheme as displayed by a Firstborn Space Marine of the 2nd Company.

Of the thousand or so Space Marine Chapters extant throughout the Imperium the great majority can be considered Codex Astartes-compliant. One such Chapter is the Inceptors Chapter. Founded in the dark days following the Horus Heresy the Inceptors Chapter is a Primogenitor Chapter of the Ultramarines, created during the Second Founding.

This Founding involved the division of the existing Loyalist Space Marine Legions into the far smaller, 1,000-man autonomous Chapters of the Space Marines as decreed by the new Codex Astartes, written by the Ultramarines' primarch, Roboute Guilliman. The remaining Loyalist Space Marine Legions were divided into smaller Successor Chapters -- one Chapter maintained their parent Legion's original name, badge and colours, while the remaining Chapters took new names and heraldry.

Each Second Founding Chapter initially shared their parent Legion's gene-seed -- subsequently each Chapter's gene-seed was isolated by the Adeptus Mechanicus, forming new genetic lines. Because the Space Marines that made up each of the Second Founding Chapters originated from one of the Legions that first served the Emperor, the Chapters that were created were called "Primogenitors," or "First Born," a title not given to later Chapters of the many subsequent Foundings that have been carried out by the Imperium. Like their forebears, the Inceptors have continued to proudly carry on the legacy of Guilliman.

Euxcine Incident[]

Most recently, the Chapter fought during the Macharian Crusade from 392-399.M41, and won great glory. Following the death of the crusade's leader, Lord Solar Macharius in 400.M41, the domains conquered by the Imperium fell into civil war as each senior commander vied for the right of overall command. Soon the various regions fell into anarchy and chaos. This lamentable period of history came to be known as the Macharian Heresy, which would last until 470.M41. The High Lords of Terra called in several Adeptus Astartes Chapters to quell the violence and restore a semblance of order.

One of these Chapters was the notorious and brutal Minotaurs Chapter. During this period, the Inceptors and the Doom Warriors Chapter had become locked in a bitter conflict. The two Chapters had come to blows over a matter of honour and were embroiled in a long-running and highly protracted conflict fought under predetermined rules of engagement in the Euxine System. Refusing to cease and desist their internecine rivalry, the Minotaurs were dispatched by the High Lords of Terra to quell the dispute.

The Minotaurs cared nothing for the causes or the rights of the two belligerent Chapters, opting to attack both of them in full force, catching both by surprise with their initial strike. The Doom Warriors were outmatched and broken, and were forced to flee the system in a barely organised retreat. The Inceptors were not so lucky, for they found themselves trapped on Euxcine, the majority of their warships either destroyed or captured in orbit. The Inceptors had effectively trapped themselves on the planet, forced to face the Minotaurs' wrath.

This Second Founding Chapter was encircled and destroyed piecemeal, until the last remaining Inceptors Space Marines, numbering fewer than 100 battle-brothers, were forced into humiliating surrender. The Minotaurs dishonourably stripped the fallen of many Chapter relics for themselves as well as their ravaged Chapter's flagship, a Great Crusade-era assault transport that had served the Inceptors since their Founding, as a spoil of war.

This incident and the circumstances surrounding it sent shockwaves through many of the Space Marine Chapters. It was unheard of for such an ancient and revered Chapter and close scion of the Ultramarines to be almost annihilated in such a fashion, and with the tacit consent of the High Lords themselves. Subsequently, the ranks of the Inceptors were sorely depleted and many of their Chapter relics lost. All across the Realm of Ultramar the Minotaurs were denounced for their perpetrated atrocities and were forbidden to enter its borders. Many of the scions of Roboute Guilliman have sworn vengeance against the Minotaurs, especially if the opportunity arises and honour permits them to carry this vengeance out.

Notable Campaigns[]

  • Euxcine Incident (ca. 400-425.M41) - Following the death of Lord Commander Solar Macharius, the great demesnes he had conquered for the Imperium fell into civil war and anarchy. Many of those within the Macharian Crusade turned upon one another, vying to fill the power vacuum left in the wake of the Lord Commander Solar's death. Space Marine Chapters drew their swords in anger against each other as well. This dark period in history came to be known as the Macharian Heresy. Forced to act decisively, the High Lords of Terra called in several waves of fresh Space Marine Chapters to bring the civil conflict to an end by exterminating heretical forces and bringing order to the region. The infamous Minotaurs were one such Chapter operating under the High Lords' authority. During this period, known as the Suppression of the Macharian Heresy, the Minotaurs' most notable action which gained them much infamy during the Macharian Heresy was the near-destruction of two Space Marine Chapters who had become locked in bitter conflict -- the Inceptors and the Doom Warriors. Caring not which Chapter was in the right, the Minotaurs proceeded to attack both of the belligerent Chapters. The Doom Warriors were beaten and broken, and barely escaped in an unorganised retreat. The Inceptors were not so fortunate, as the Minotaurs nearly destroyed the severely depleted Chapter. Fewer than a hundred battle-brothers survived, and to make matters worse, the Minotaurs claimed many of the Chapter's sacred relics as spoils of war. This enraged many Chapters who are descendants of Roboute Guilliman, who have sworn to carry out their vengeance against the upstart Minotaurs, honour permitting.

Chapter Appearance[]

Chapter Colours[]

The Inceptors' Chapter colours are forest green with golden trim on both shoulder plates. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest is silver. The eye lenses on their helms are red.

The white squad specialty symbol designates operational specialty -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command. A forest green Low Gothic numeral, indicating squad number, is stenciled in the centre of it. The colour of the shoulder plate trim indicates company number in accordance with the dictates of the Codex Astartes -- i.e. white (1st Company), yellow (2nd Company), red (3rd Company), green (4th Company), etc.

Chapter Badge[]

The Inceptors' Chapter badge is a white letter "I" representing their name. The Inceptor's Chapter symbol incorporates the upside down Greek letter Omega symbol of their ancestral Chapter centred in the letter "I", representing that they are a successor of the original XIII Legion.

Sources[]

  • Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet)
  • Codex: Space Marines (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 115
  • Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 8
  • Imperial Armour Volume Ten: The Badab War - Part Two, pp. 107, 109
  • Shadow of Ullanor (Novel) by Rob Sanders, Ch. 1

Gallery[]

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