The Blood Angels are the IX Legion of Space Marines, sons of the primarch Sanguinius. They’re the Imperium’s most beautiful killers, and also its most tragic, because their gene-seed carries a flaw that turns them into the very monsters they hunt.
Who they are
The Blood Angels started out as the Revenant Legion, the IXth of the original twenty Space Marine Legions. They got their current name and character when they were reunited with their primarch, Sanguinius, who was found on the radiation-blasted moon of Baal Secundus.
Every Blood Angel carries Sanguinius’ gene-seed, and that’s where the trouble starts. Their primarch was the most angelic of the Emperor’s sons, but he was also a mutant with wings and a hidden bloodlust, and those traits got passed down.
Why they matter
The Blood Angels are one of the most storied Chapters in the setting. They held the Eternity Gate during the Siege of Terra, and Sanguinius died fighting Horus aboard the Vengeful Spirit, which makes them central to the Horus Heresy’s climax.
In the 41st millennium they’re still a First Founding Chapter, still based on Baal, and still led by Chapter Master Dante, who’s one of the oldest living Space Marines. They also have more successor Chapters than almost anyone else, because their gene-seed breeds true even when it’s cursed.
- Legion number: IX
- Primarch: Sanguinius
- Homeworld: Baal, fortress-monastery Arx Angelicum
- Chapter Master: Dante
- Colours: red with black, helmet colour marks squad type
- Battle cry: ‘By the Blood of Sanguinius!’
The Flaw
The Blood Angels’ gene-seed carries a defect known as the Flaw. It shows up as two things: the Black Rage and the Red Thirst.
The Red Thirst is a craving for blood that every Blood Angel feels to some degree. The Black Rage is worse. It’s a psychic echo of Sanguinius’ death that overwhelms a battle-brother, making him relive the primarch’s final moments and fight with suicidal fury until he’s killed. Marines lost to it are formed into the Death Company, and they’re not expected to survive the battle they’re sent into.
How they fight
Blood Angels favour close assault and deep strikes. They drop right on top of the enemy, often from jump packs or drop pods, and tear through them at melee range. Their pre-Heresy specialty was orbital drop operations and decapitation strikes on a massive scale, and the modern Chapter keeps that aggressive, shock-assault style.
The Sanguinary Guard, Dante’s elite bodyguard, and the Death Company are the two most distinctive formations. Sanguinary Guard wear golden armour and jump packs; the Death Company are black-armoured berserkers led by a Chaplain, and they’re pointed at whatever needs to die.
How they connect to the wider lore
The Blood Angels sit at the crossroads of several big Warhammer 40k threads. Their primarch’s death is one of the defining tragedies of the Horus Heresy, and the Black Rage is a direct psychic consequence of it that still haunts the Chapter ten thousand years later.
They’re also tied to the Devastation of Baal, when Hive Fleet Leviathan invaded their home system and nearly wiped them out. That campaign brought them into the era of the Great Rift and the Indomitus Crusade, and it’s where Dante’s story picks up in modern lore. Their successor Chapters, like the Flesh Tearers and the Lamenters, each deal with the Flaw in their own way, which makes the Blood Angels bloodline one of the richest in the setting.
Key facts
- The Blood Angels are the IX Legion, originally called the Revenant Legion.
- Their primarch is Sanguinius, who died fighting Horus during the Siege of Terra.
- Their homeworld is Baal, and their fortress-monastery is the Arx Angelicum.
- Their gene-seed carries the Flaw: the Red Thirst and the Black Rage.
- They specialise in assault, jump-pack charges, and deep strikes.
- Chapter Master Dante leads them in the 41st millennium.
FAQ
Who is the Blood Angels’ primarch?
Sanguinius, the winged primarch of the IX Legion. He was killed by Horus during the Siege of Terra, and his death is the source of the Black Rage.
What is the Black Rage?
A genetic and psychic curse in the Blood Angels’ gene-seed. It makes a Marine relive Sanguinius’ final battle and fight in a berserk fury until he dies. Those lost to it join the Death Company.
Who leads the Blood Angels now?
Chapter Master Dante, one of the oldest living Space Marines. He’s based at the Arx Angelicum on Baal.
What are the Blood Angels known for?
Close-quarters assault, deep strikes, and their tragic curse. They’re also famous for their artistry and refined culture, which sits oddly next to their bloodlust.