The Novamarines are a Second Founding successor Chapter of the Ultramarines, raised in M31 and counted among the ten Shield Chapters of Ultramar. They’re known for their quartered blue and bone armour, rapid-response tactics, and a stubborn streak that’s been aimed at xenos threats for ten thousand years.
Where they came from
Their first Chapter Master was Lucretius Corvo, an Ultramarines Captain who earned fame during the Horus Heresy. Besieged on Astagar, Corvo and his men held out for six days, destroyed a traitor Warlord Titan, and broke free. Guilliman himself decorated him for it, and that honour is now a sacred relic kept in the Novamarines’ fortress-monastery.
Guilliman gave the new Chapter the pre-Imperial Fortress World of Honourum, the northernmost point the Ultramarines had reached in the Great Crusade. Their oath was to guard the whole of Ultima Segmentum, a duty they’ve largely stuck to.
Homeworld and recruitment
Honourum’s tribes are feral by Imperial standards, and recruits bring their customs with them. The quartered colours come from Corvo’s personal heraldry, and unarmoured Novamarines tattoo their skin as a spiritual armour and a record of their deeds.
Sources disagree on whether the Chapter is truly homeworld-based or fleet-based. Honourum is the traditional answer, but some records treat them as operating primarily from ships.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Founding | Second Founding, M31 |
| Parent Legion | Ultramarines |
| Homeworld | Honourum (or fleet-based, sources conflict) |
| Fortress-Monastery | The Fortress Novum |
| Colours | Quartered blue and bone |
| Specialty | Rapid response, anti-xenos warfare |
| Notable descendant | Dark Sons |
What they’re known for
The Novamarines lean toward fast, flexible warfare. During the Badab War they committed two companies aboard three Strike Cruisers, plus smaller attack craft, and were used as a fire brigade: rushing to bail out other Astartes and guarding supply lines.
After two years they withdrew to face an Ork invasion threatening Honourum. Some accounts say the Inquisition reassigned them instead, worried they wouldn’t be enthusiastic enough about the war’s murkier politics. Either way, they left.
- One of the ten Shield Chapters of Ultramar
- Fought the emergent Tau and other xenos threats in the 41st Millennium
- Badab War service: two companies, three Strike Cruisers, fire-brigade role
- Known relics include the Armour of Brotherhood and the Laurels of Ultramar
How they fit into the wider lore
As Ultramarines successors, the Novamarines sit inside the network of Chapters Guilliman set up to guard his realm after the Heresy. They aren’t Ultramarines in miniature, though. The tattoos, the tribal recruitment, and the quartered heraldry give them a distinct identity.
Their descendant Chapter, the Dark Sons, carries the line further. If you’re reading about the Shield Chapters or the Badab War, the Novamarines are one of the names you’ll keep running into.
Key facts
- Second Founding Ultramarines successor Chapter, founded in M31
- First Chapter Master was Lucretius Corvo, decorated by Guilliman himself
- Homeworld is Honourum, though some sources say they’re fleet-based
- Armour is quartered blue and bone, taken from Corvo’s heraldry
- Specialise in rapid response and anti-xenos warfare
- One of the ten Shield Chapters of Ultramar; their descendant Chapter is the Dark Sons
FAQ
Who are the Novamarines’ parent Chapter?
They’re a Second Founding successor of the Ultramarines Legion, raised in M31 from Ultramarines stock.
What colours do the Novamarines wear?
Quartered blue and bone, based on the personal heraldry of their first Chapter Master, Lucretius Corvo.
What is the Novamarines’ homeworld?
Traditionally Honourum, though some sources describe them as fleet-based. Honourum is the safer answer if you need one.
Did the Novamarines fight in the Badab War?
Yes. They deployed two companies in three Strike Cruisers and served in a rapid-response role before withdrawing to deal with an Ork threat to Honourum.