The History of the Space Wolves

Great Crusade

Primarch Leman Russ grew up on the distant planet of Fenris, a snow-covered world inhabited by primitive, warlike tribes of humans. He was raised by a pack of the massive Fenrisian Wolves that prowl the snowy lands.

He was discovered by a man named Thengir, King of the Russ, who had organised a party of hunters to clear the wolf pack from his lands. As most of the wolves were slaughtered the young man was captured and brought to Thengir who took him into his care, under the name of Leman Russ.

The Primarch learned the ways of man quickly, and many legends sprung up about him. Upon his adopted father's death, the leadership of the Russ passed to Leman. Leman became a mighty leader, winning many victories, often fighting alongside packs of Fenrisian Wolves, led by two of his Wolf-brothers who escaped Thengir's hunters.

The Emperor travelled to Fenris having heard word of the exploits of Leman Russ realising that they could only be the work of a Primarch. At first Leman Russ refused to pay him homage, going as far as challenging him.

The challenges consisted of three different contest, one being eating, the other drinking, and the third being a fist-fighting one. Russ managed to beat the Emperor at both eating and drinking, but the third challenge was more to the Emperor's liking. Having at first seemed like a disappointment, a drunkard and a boaster, the Primarch suddenly launched a furious attack. This very challenge proved to the Emperor that this was indeed one of his sons, Russ fighting with outstanding speed and power. After having the disappointment lifted from his spirit by his son's ferocity, the Emperor stopped holding back and quickly found an opening in Leman Russ' defences. The Emperor raised his power fist, knocking the Primarch out with a single blow that would have killed a lesser man. Leman Russ awoke later and blamed his loss on the alcohol, but in the end admitted defeat and swore loyalty to the Emperor.

He fought well during the Great Crusade, gaining the reputation as a cunning and fierce, as well as slightly unstable, warrior and leader. During a pacification war, the Dark Angels aided the Space Wolves, and the leader of this particular planet insulted Leman Russ's honour, and so he wanted to defeat the leader personally for the insult. The Dark Angels and Space Wolves, both led by their prospective Primarchs assaulted the tower where the leader was. Leman Russ burst into the throne room just in time to see Lion El'Jonson beheading the leader. Angry that the honour was not his, Leman Russ marched up to the Lion and punched him in the jaw. This lead to a battle that lasted a week or more, until finally Russ saw how immature their squabble was and started laughing. Lion El'Jonson took this as Russ mocking him and punched Leman Russ into unconsciousness before leaving the planet with his legion. This led to a bitter feud between the Legions (and subsequent Chapters), which lasts to this day - although recent events may finally have led to an end to the rivalry, though it is still customary for selected champions from both sides to engage in a (usually) non-lethal duel.7



Just prior to the Horus Heresy, the Space Wolves came into conflict with their brother Space Marines once again. The Primarch of the Thousand Sons Space Marines, Magnus, had ignored the Emperor's command to not dabble in sorcery. The Space Wolves were then ordered by the Emperor to bring Magnus before the him to answer for this. Russ, however, was convinced by Horus to launch an attack on the Thousand Sons rather than attempt to negotiate. The surprise assault upon the Sons' homeworld of Prospero was furious, and rather successful; however, many of the Sons, including Magnus himself, escaped into the wild region of space known as the Eye of Terror. A blood feud still exists between Wolves and the survivors of the Thousand Sons, who are now dedicated to the Chaos God Tzeentch.

During the Horus Heresy, the Space Wolves were far from Terra, alongside the Dark Angels, and were unable to assist their loyalist brethren in the fighting there. Knowing of the imminent arrival of the two Legions, which would tip the balance in favour of the loyalists, Horus allowed the Emperor to personally attack him in a gamble to swiftly end the war. The two Legions arrived just after the battle concluded, with Horus dead and the Emperor mortally wounded.

Post Heresy

Leman Russ was devastated by his inability to save the Emperor. After the war was fully completed, and all resistance was crushed, Russ held a great feast, at which he declared he would be leaving, and would return for the 'final battle'. He then vanished, and is said to have gone into the Eye of Terror to continue hunting down the traitorous Marines who fought against the Emperor during the Horus Heresy. Another tale has it that Russ vanished after chasing a Kabal of Dark Eldar who had raided Fenris right into their city of Commorragh. Any evidence for either theories is yet to be presented and there is a large possibility that both are mere fables. The true whereabouts of the Primarch remains a mystery.Apparently Magnus The Red knows but the Deamon Primarch and his Thousand Sons are not sharing that information with any outside their traitorous ranks.12

Harek Ironhelm was the chapter's Great Wolf during M32. Ironhelm sought for many years to bring Magnus to battle. Several times Magnus appeared to him in visions among the ruins of devastated cities and taunted the Great Wolf for his inability to stop him. After many fruitless efforts to catch up with the raiders Harek became obsessed, and took to searching worlds along the edge of the Eye of Terror itself. Eventually he found what he believed to be the Thousand Sons' secret base on Gangava and launched a full-scale attack against it. This was a deception to draw the Space Wolves from their homeworld, leaving it undefended; Gangava was held by a Chaos force allied to Magnus but it served only as a distraction, allowing a massive Thousand Sons' Fleet to besiege Fenris.

The Fang was held by only a small force of Space Wolves and their servitor-thralls. For forty days and forty nights the Thousand Sons assaulted the citadel. Bjorn the Fell-handed, most ancient of the Space Wolves dreadnoughts, was woken from his long sleep and took charge of the defence. The assault was held at bay as a force of scouts under Haakon Blackwing escaped to Gangava to locate Harek. Shamed and furious, Harek Ironhelm returned to meet Magnus in battle on the slopes of the Fang itself. Although Magnus was terribly wounded, Harek, a Marine, couldn't stand against a Primarch exalted to Daemonhood. Harek was slain, but the Thousand Sons were defeated and scattered.