+ inload: Fifth Chain, XIXth Muster, Stratopedon Tumult +

+ Lodges, Legions and Star-forts +

+ Unification +

+ During the Unification Wars, Legionaries on deployment would prepare a base of operations, which typically consisting of a reinforced command post, barracks for the Legionaries, and a number of storerooms or warehouses. These were typically shaped like a four-pointed star, and became well-known – both for good and ill – throughout Imperial space. All Legions used the basic form, though the IVth, VIIth, XIVth and XVIIIth were well-known to use it in preference to the more fluid, temporary organisations preferred by the IXth, XIth and XIXth. +

+ Crusade +

+ As the Great Crusade began, the growing Legions switched to structures more suited to swift, ship-based organisation as their wars became less concerned with holding ground and the Imperial Army and Militia took over garrison duties. As a result, the growing Astartes Legions tended towards new groupings such as the Company and Wing/Grand Company/Chapter, almost all larger than five hundred marines. +

+ In contrast, the IVth Legion were often broken down into tiny garrison fragments, where they found the rigid structures of the newer Legion organisation lacking. As a result, the Stratopedon – the Olympian term for the star-fort structures – concept became an important organisational tool to the Legion, which helped to patch over the difficulties of micro-management. Indeed, the shape becoming so associated with the Iron Warriors that it was occasionally added as an honorific, typically to the chest. The Stratopedon became a common grouping that sat outside and across the military structure of the Legion, and allowed the Iron Warriors to operate effectively even when split into mere handfuls of men on deployment. +

+ Post-Perturabo +

+ After Perturabo's discovery, and the gradual increase in focus on engineering and meticulous planning amongst the Legion, Stratopeda became more and more complex and involved; with examples of the physical Stratopedon becoming more specialised – some extended deep into the ground, or being entirely temporary and mobile arrangements, with Rhino armoured personnel carriers forming the walls as they stopped. Others were orbital, with six, eight or ten-pointed 'stars' of ships being arranged, bristling guns facing broodingly outwwards. In concert with the physical deployments, the clear-eyed Primarch saw the benefits of an complementary underlying structure to his Legion, and encouraged it to be developed, strengthening and reinforcing the bonds that ran parallel to the rigid hierarchy of the Legion. Eventually, the concept distanced itself from the physical structure, and instead became a mindset: a closed grouping within which the Legionary could be sure of support, regardless of rank – as Perturabo rewarded and punished the members of Stratopeda together. The Iron Warriors' mentality became still more closed and inward-looking; suspicious of outsiders as the Legion bonded together impregnably. +

+ A legionary would thus be officially part of a Company, but would have duties towards his Stratopedon, where he might meet and mingle with Iron Warriors from different Companies. Unfortunately, it also proved the vulnerable point of the Iron Warriors. It was through the infiltration of such structures that the Lodge system became firmly inculcated into the Iron Warriors; the insidious Word Bearers demonstrating a form of emotional siegecraft against which the IVth Legion never thought to develop defences. +

Fifth Chain, XIXth Muster, Stratopedon Tumult

+ Five members of Stratopedon Tumult; representing the core of a Legionary Tactical Squad. Such squads were organised in household chains; with two, four or (more unusually) eight chains forming a Muster. The exact number depended on the specific duties and the number of available legionaries. Chains lived and worked closely together, typically attended by one attendant-slave for every two members. Such chains were then assigned to a Muster, and a representative of each Muster (who might be a Captain, or might be a Legionary) would then meet as headsmen to form a new working group, which became the operational Stratopedon. Over the course of a campaign, a Legionary would thus work with a number of Stratopeda in an overlaying, interlinking mesh; learning to work with Legionaries from all across the Grand Company – and even beyond. +