The Flesh Tearers Chapter are a Second Founding successor of the Blood Angels, created after the Horus Heresy and feared across the Imperium for their uncontrollable savagery. Their gene-seed flaw makes the Black Rage far more common than in other Blood Angels descendants, and they’ve been known to turn on their own allies to keep that secret.
Origins and the long crusade
The Chapter was founded in M31 when Roboute Guilliman’s Codex Astartes split the Blood Angels Legion into successor chapters. Nassir Amit, a veteran still grieving Sanguinius’s death at Terra, led the first Flesh Tearers. They were given a single battle barge, the Victus, and sent into deep space to destroy any world still loyal to Horus.
For three thousand years they crusaded. Their reputation for bloodletting reached the High Lords of Terra, but the long list of pacified worlds mattered more than the casualty lists, so the rumours were dismissed. Eventually Amit settled the Chapter on Cretacia, a deadly death world with a lost colony of primordial humans who made ideal recruits. He became obsessed with the planet, believing that taming its peaks might temper his own fury.
The flaw that’s killing them
A mutation in their gene-seed makes the Flesh Tearers far more prone to the Black Rage than other Blood Angels successors. The flaw has worsened over time. By late M41 the Chapter had only four full companies, less than half the normal number, and few marines live past two centuries. If the decline continues, they’re projected to number no more than 200 marines within a millennium.
They haven’t used the process of Insanguination for millennia, and few know whether that’s caused the wide presence of the Black Rage and Red Thirst among them. The savagery in combat is legendary, often blurring the line between righteous fury and uncontrolled slaughter.
Secrets, allies and Inquisitorial attention
Caught up in the madness of slaughter, the Flesh Tearers have been known to kill their allies in battle. It’s a strongly kept secret, and as a result they usually fight alone. In some cases, when Imperial forces have seen their true nature, the Flesh Tearers have used Cyclonic Torpedoes on their allies to keep the secret.
Over the years several Imperial bodies have questioned their combat doctrines and sanity. Many have refused to fight alongside them, disgusted by their savagery or fearing they’d get caught in the bloodshed. The Chapter has been under Inquisitorial investigation since the Kallern Massacres of M36.
Notable battles
The Flesh Tearers have fought across the galaxy. They took part in the War of the Beast in M32 and the Zurcon Massacres in M36. In M41, Strike Force Seth fought in the Crusade of Fire, and the Chapter was involved in the Acata Uprising in 371.M41.
Their most famous action came in 799.M41 on Acralem. Alongside nine regiments of Imperial Guard and elements of the Astral Knights, they helped the Grey Knights defeat the daemonic incursion of M’kar the Reborn. M’kar eventually fell to a young Kaldor Draigo.
The 3rd Company
The 3rd Company is one of the best documented in the Chapter. Captain Cain Severan leads it, carrying the ancient power sword Laceras. Chaplain Mateo Crucius sees to the company’s spiritual needs, while Champion Brutas Caleb and Ancient Garren Daenatos carry the banner.
The company includes Intercessor Squads like Kurgan and Gariel (the “Incensors”), Infiltrators such as Squad Morain, Assault Intercessors in Squad Zaevan (the “Trucidators”), and Aggressors in Squad Daerero (the “Extinctors”). Team Bast, Eliminators known as the “Negators”, are quietly envious of the melee-focused squads. Dreadnoughts Hadraniel (Redemptor) and Sariel (Ballistus) provide heavy support.
Most of the 3rd Company’s members and formations were created by Games Workshop employee Wade Pryce, which is why they show up so often in White Dwarf and Warhammer Community articles.
- Captain Cain Severan, wielder of the power sword Laceras
- Chaplain Mateo Crucius
- Champion Brutas Caleb
- Ancient Garren Daenatos
- Dreadnoughts Hadraniel (Redemptor) and Sariel (Ballistus)
Homeworld, organisation and colours
Cretacia is their homeworld, a hostile death world where survival is a daily struggle. The Chapter’s fortress-monastery is based there, and recruits come from the lost colony of primordial humans. They follow the Codex Astartes but focus on assault tactics. After the Devastation of Baal, their strength was reduced to around 400 marines.
Gabriel Seth is the current Chapter Master. He’s known for brutal honesty and a willingness to defy convention. Despite his scepticism, the Chapter received an influx of new Primaris Space Marine recruits after the Great Rift opened. Their colours are red with black helmet, backpack and pauldrons, though their original Rogue Trader scheme was different. They have no known successor chapters.
Key facts
- Second Founding successor of the Blood Angels, created in M31 after the Horus Heresy.
- Gene-seed flaw makes them highly susceptible to the Black Rage; only four full companies remained by late M41.
- Homeworld: Cretacia, a death world with a lost colony of primordial humans.
- Current Chapter Master: Gabriel Seth.
- Strength: around 400 marines after the Devastation of Baal.
- Under Inquisitorial investigation since the Kallern Massacres of M36; known to have used Cyclonic Torpedoes on allies to keep their secret.
FAQ
What makes the Flesh Tearers different from other Blood Angels successors?
Their gene-seed mutation makes them far more prone to the Black Rage, and they’re infamous for extreme savagery in battle, even by Space Marine standards. They’ve also been known to kill their own allies and have used Cyclonic Torpedoes to keep that secret.
Who is the current Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers?
Gabriel Seth is the current Chapter Master. He’s known for his brutal honesty and willingness to defy convention, though he was sceptical about accepting Primaris reinforcements.
What is the Flesh Tearers’ homeworld?
Their homeworld is Cretacia, a death world where they recruit from a lost colony of primordial humans. The Chapter’s fortress-monastery is based there.
Why are the Flesh Tearers under Inquisitorial investigation?
They’ve been under investigation since the Kallern Massacres of M36, largely because of their habit of slaughtering allies and the extreme savagery they display in combat.