Summary
The Adeptus Astartes, more commonly known as Space Marines, are humanity’s last line of defense within theWarhammer 40ksetting. These genetically engineered super-soldiers, created by the Emperor of Mankind, have the strength to take on the galaxy’s most dangerous threats. As some of the greatest heroes humanity has produced, becoming an Astartes is no easy feat. Split into various chapters, the Space Marines are at the forefront of the battle againsthumanity’s enemies.
Throughout the history of the Imperium, there have been those among the Space Marines who have risen above their brothers. They have become legends among the Emperor’s angels of death and are spoken of with the greatest reverie and respect by the rest of humanity.
Updated Jul 07, 2025 by Andy Chapman: Tabletop wargame and grimdark sci-fi setting Warhammer 40k continues to grow and gain new fans yearly. With the impending Amazon TV series in production and the recent announcement ofSpace Marine 3, 40k is set to grow even more.
Games Workshop continues to expand the setting, bringing new factions and characters to the lore and tabletop. The most recent being the Emperor’s Children, ancient warriors in service to the dark god of excess, Slaanesh. This article has been updated with additional entries to give a broader view of the many loyalist characters featured in Warhammer 40k’s lore.
23Kayvaan Shrike
Master Of Shadows
Kayvaan Shrike is the current Chapter Master of the Raven Guard and is a formidable warrior and master of ambush and stealth assault. During the war against the Orks on Targus VIII, Kayvaan would become stranded in enemy territory for over two years, leading a successful guerrilla campaign against the greenskins.
His legend would only grow with his mastery of infiltration and stealth attacks, winning countless battles. As Master of Shadows in the Era Indomitus, he embraced the new Primaris Marines as saviors to his depleted chapter. He also made the dangerous decision to cross the Rubicon, becoming Primaris himself.
22Ragnar Blackmane
The Youngest Marine To Become Wolf Lord
Ragnar Blackmane is among the most distinguished members of the notorious Space Wolves chapter. As the youngest Astartes to ever hold the rank of Wolf Lord, Ragnar has become one of the most respected names within the chapter.
His manyvictories and achievementsare too numerous to fully list, but include thwarting the return of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion and more recently taking the head of the legendary Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Thraka. A battle that would almost see Ragnar dead before he crossed the Rubicon and became a Primaris Space Marine. Ragnar is often considered the natural successor to current Chapter Master Logan Grimnar.
21Lemartes
A Living Weapon of Rage
The famed Guardian of the Lost, Lemartes, leads the Blood Angels’ Death Company into war. A warrior of limitless willpower, Lemartes is the only Astartes known to have overcome the Black Rage. This curse, caused by the death of their Primarch Sanguinius, inflicts all Blood Angels and turns them into rage-fueled berzerkers. Those newly fallen to the rage are sent into war as the Death Company and are either killed in battle or executed by Astaroth the Grim.
Lemartes was one such warrior. After falling to the Black Rage, he was overtaken by the all-consuming anger. However, he would not let it defeat him. He retained his self-control and remained coherent. Astaroth decided to spare Lemartes and placed him in temporary stasis. He was then named the leader of the Death Company and elevated to Chaplain to lead his Death Company brothers into battle. Lemartes remains cursed with the Black Rage. He is kept in stasis, only unleashed during times of war.
20Cato Sicarius
Knight Champion of Macragge
Cato Sicarius is a former Captain and the current Commander of the Ultramarines Victrix Guard, hand-picked by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. He is among the most respected and skilled warriors within the chapter and is considered the next in line to Marneus Calgar.
While Sicarius is known for his heroism and combat abilities, he is also a savvy and commanding leader, who can quickly analyze and adapt to almost any situation, leading his forces to victory. His deeds and exploits are many. Among a chapter not lacking in legendary figures, Cato Sicarius stands among the very best the Ultramarines have produced.
19Asterion Moloc
Ruthless & Mighty
Of all the many Astartes successor chapters in Imperium of Man, The Minotaurs are one of the most feared and mysterious. Their history and lineage are closely guarded secrets that even the Inquisition is not wholly privy to. They savagely battle the enemies of the Emperor with a berserk fury and intensity that has made them feared and respected by both friend and foe. They have also long been suspected to be closely aligned with the High Lords of Terra.
Their chapter master, Asterion Moloc, exemplifies this savage and ruthless image. This famed leader is a powerful and brutal warrior, known as The Bringer of Wrath, and the Spear of Judgment. He wields a Custodes-like weapon called the Black Spear with a vicious rage. While he is also a master tactician and skilled fighter, he has cultivated a reputation as a spiteful and paranoid man who takes pleasure in the utter destruction of his enemies.
18Gabriel Seth
Guardian of Rage
Gabriel Seth is the Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers, one of the most notorious and cursed of the Blood Angels' successor chapters. The Flesh Tearers are known to be particularly bloodthirsty and are prone to falling the Black Rage curse. While the chapter has been on the brink of oblivion many times due to their savage natures, Gabriel Seth has brought them back to the Imperial fold, with renewed ties to the Blood Angels.
A towering warrior and fearsomely loyal leader, Gabriel Seth battles not only the enemies of the Imperium but also the dark reputation his chapter has garnered. The Flesh Tearers embrace their nature more than other Blood Angels' successors. They are known for their ruthless and barbaric practices that, during the Third War of Armageddon, even made the Orks turn tail and retreat. Few Space Marines embrace their rage like Gabriel Seth while remaining loyal to the Emperor. He has led The Flesh Tearers for over a hundred years to countless victories and remains one of the most feared warriors in the galaxy.
17Vulkan He’stan
The Last Hope Of The Salamanders
Vulkan He’Stan is the latest in a long line of heroes to be named Forgefather of the Salamanders. Only the greatest of the chapters are named Forgefather, and it is an honor of immense pressure and responsibility. He’stan is tasked with finding the nine lost relics of their beloved Primarch Vulkan. It is said that when all nine are found and returned to their homeworld, Nocturne, Vulkan will return to lead his warriors again.
Only four artifacts remain to be found, and He’stan devotes every second to finding the lost relics. The search has led him through countless battles and placed him in the crosshairs of the Necron leader, Trayzn the Infinite, who seeks the artifacts for his collection. Vulkan He’stan is the embodiment of the Salamanders chapter and had distinguished himself as a leader and warrior long before he was named Forgefather. He represents the best of the Salamanders and their persistence and fiery determination.
16Captain Darnath Lysander
The Imperial Fist’s First Captain
One of the most renowned and respected warriors in the Imperium, Captain Lysander led the Imperial Fist’s 1st Company for over two decades. His tenure would abruptly end when he was held captive by the Iron Warriors after his ship became lost in the warp and re-emerged in enemy space.
After miraculously escaping the Chaos-held planet with no weapons or armor, he once again made his way home to the Imperial Fists after many centuries away. After being found free from Chaos taint, he was reinstated as Captain of the 1st Company. He is a renowned warrior and strategist, using his famed Titan Hammer formation, which was successful in bringing down numerous Chaos Titans.
15Nykona Sharrowkyn
The Lost Warrior of the Raven Guard
This legendary warrior of the Raven Guard legion during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy would become separated from his brothers during the infamous Isstvan V Drop Site Massacre. Miraculously surviving the brutal onslaught, he would eventually join up with other survivors, known as the Shattered Legions, on the strike cruiser, Sisypheum, where he would continue to wage war against the traitors throughout the Heresy.
Sharrowkyn, like much of his legion, was a master of stealth. His martial skill was legendary, and he even came close to killing Lucius of the Emperor’s Children in single combat. His deeds and victories are many throughout the Heresy, with his story ending when he entered hibernation to safeguard the Magna Mater, the relic containing the genetic material of the Primarchs.
14High Marshal Helbrecht
A Superior Naval Commander
After the Horus Heresy, the armies of the Legiones Astartes were split into numerous successor chapters. These elite forces contained around 1,000 Space Marines as set out in Roboute Guilliman’s Codex Astartes. However, not every chapter would follow this tome to the letter.
The Black Templars are one of the most famous and renowned chapters in the modern imperium. As a fleet-based chapter, they are present in numerous corners of the galaxy, with numbers rumored to approach legion size. The current chapter master of the Black Templars is High Marshal Helbrecht. This respected leader commands one of the largest fleets in the Imperium. While his martial skills are formidable, his true strength lies in his strategic mind and stubborn and dogged personality. His fame was earned during the Third War of Armageddon, where he commanded his fleet to victory against a far greater force of Orks.
