The Grey Knights Chapter is organized into Brotherhoods, formations roughly equivalent to a Space Marine Company, consisting of around 100 Battle Brothers.
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Each Brotherhood is overseen by a Grand Master There are eight known Grey Knights Brotherhoods plus the Purifier and Paladin Orders. Most of the Chapter’s strength is spread through the Imperium, ensuring that the fighting skills of the Grey Knights can be quickly called upon by the Ordo Malleus wherever a daemonic incursion may occur. These small forces are often stationed thousands of light years from their fortress-monastery for decades at a time, and are usually organised into small teams that have trained and fought together for their entire lives.
Brotherhood History
- 1st Brotherhood ‘The Swordbearers’ : This Brotherhood maintains and administers the Chapter Armoury and as such are called upon when the Grey Knights require armored or aerial support. In their ranks are the finest pilots of the Chapter as well as the Grey Knights Techmarines. The Battle-Brothers of the 1st Brotherhood are drilled to fight in perfect unison with these war machines.
- 2nd Brotherhood ‘The Blades of Victory’ : This Brotherhood is known for its rapid deployment and swift strikes, making large use of Interceptor Squads and Strike Squads. Using mass teleportation tactics to outmaneuver their foes and create a beachhead for heavier troops to follow, the 2nd is often in the vanguard of Grey Knights assaults. The Grand Master of the 2nd, Admiral of the Grey Knights Fleet, excels at the art of maneuver and deployment. He relies heavily on the Prognosticars to provide him with vital tactical information.
- 3rd Brotherhood ‘The Wardmakers’ : According to legend this was the Brotherhood of Janus, first Supreme Grand Master of the Grey Knights. The 3rd has thus fostered many of the Grey Knights greatest heroes such as Kaldor Draigo and Arvann Stern. The Grand Master of this Brotherhood is the Warden of the Librarius, having authority over the Librarium Daemonica and Chapter Librarians.
- 4th Brotherhood ‘The Prescient Brethren’ : Within the ranks of the 4th are the Chapter’s most potent Psykers, and it is from this Brotherhood that the new Prognosticars are often chosen. The Prognosticars ability to predict danger before it occurs has made the 4th home to some of the greatest duelists in the Chapter’s history. The Grand Master of the 4th is the Keeper of the Augurium.
- 5th Brotherhood ‘The Preservers’ : The 5th is responsible for training the Grey Knights Apothecaries and overseeing the management and preservation of precious Gene-Seed. The Grand Master of the 5th is Chief Apothecary of the Chapter as well as Protector of the Sanctum Sanctorum. The 5th are also the managers of the Grey Knights Dreadnoughts.
- 6th Brotherhood ‘The Rapiers’ : The 6th are known as stringent taskmasters and strategic thinkers. The Grand Master of the 6th, the High Seneschal of the Citadel of Titan, is tasted with crafting the most elite and deadly strike forces. Rather than mass firepower, the 6th relies on surgical strikes of elite smalls quads. When mass manpower is necessary, the 6th will deploy mindless Servitors to bog down the enemy to allow the Grey Knights to focus on higher risk targets.
- 7th Brotherhood ‘The Exactors’ : The 7th have a long history of operating alongside the Ordo Malleus and certain respected Inquisitors may call upon them in turn. In return, the 7th relies on the Inquisition to give them intelligence and supply them with auxiliary forces. The 7th often fight alongside other Imperial troops requisitioned by Inquisitors, such as the Imperial Guard. Those brave mortal troops that survive these battles continue to serve the 7th as mind-scourged Servitors.
- 8th Brotherhood ‘The Silver Blades’ : The 8th is charged with recruiting and training new Grey Knights. However upon the completion of their training a warrior may choose to stay within the 8th, something many choose. The 8th is known to fight in fluid configurations, changing tactics swiftly during combat. Any available weapon is put to use and no strategy or maneuver is preferred over the other. The Master of the 8th acts as the Master of Recruits for the Grey Knights.
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About the Author: Juan Lopez
