Created in the distant past through genetic manipulation and arcane science, Space Marines are Humanity's ultimate warriors, dedicated to the defense of the Emperor and the Imperium of Man. A Space Marine army is a compact force of elite warriors

each one the equivalent of ten normal men. From the steadfast reliablity of a Space Marine Tactical Squad to the alien-blasting power of the Predator Annihilator Tank, a Space Marine Army is flexible enough to defeat any opponent!

Long ago, the Emperor needed soldiers to help him in his great crusade to reunite humanity after the terrible Age of Strife. The Emperor knew that he required something better than his normal troops if there was to be any chance of succeeding thus the Space Marines were born.

Genetic manipulation was used to make the Space Marines stronger, faster, and tougher. At the same time, extensive surgery was performed to implant special organs to make them absolute masters of the battlefield.

The Space Marines have become the ultimate human soldier, though it could be argued that they are no longer still human. A Space Marine is well over seven feet tall and easily able to crush a man's skull with his bare hands. Space Marines can fight for days at a time, heal wounds in minutes, and survive the most treacherous conditions. With his constant training, boltgun and power armour, the Space Marine is the most feared warrior throughout the galaxy.

Having become too large and unmaneuverable for the tasks assigned to them, the tremendous Space Marine Legions of the Emperor were broken down into more manageable and harder-hitting armies. The Space Marine Legions became Space Marine Chapters - smaller, sleeker, and much more powerful.

A Space Marine Chapter is more than just a self-contained fighting force. By now, most Chapters are millenia old, and each has its own history, traditions and heroes. Today, there are over a thousand Chapters in existence, from the noble and unyielding Ultramarines, to the intense, fierce, and not entirely trustworthy Blood Angels. Though they may differ in organization and methods, the one thing they all have in common is their absolute loyalty to the Emperor of the Imperium.

Though each Space Marine Chapter is relatively small, they are easily able to defeat armies many times their size. They do this with superior weaponry, armour, vehicles, and tactics. While the Imperial Guard are about as subtle as a sledgehammer, the Space Marines carry out missions with all the skill and precision of a surgeon's scalpel.

Space Marine Captains have many different types of troops and vehicles to choose from in assembling their forces. From the ever versatile Tactical Squads to the rapid-strike Land Speeders, Space Marines always have the right tool for the job.