Space Marine Banners
"The Index Astartes contains numerous strictures concerning Marines banners (more than anything else, it is this section of the Index Astartes that has shown the most variation, and it is difficult to say whether the system currently operating is the official system.) Each Chapter has many Chapter Banners, ancient and powerful relics with a rich history all of their own and which generally include names of important battles in which the Chapter has participated. A Chapter Banner is entrusted to the care of one particular marine, usually an officer or Chaplain. In certain circumstances a normal marine may be allowed to carry one and decorates his armour to acknowledge the honour. A Chapter Banner is only carried into battle if the Commander, or Lieutenant Commander are present (The use of Lt Commander was a rank used in Rogue Trader times in the distant past with representative models...now discontinued in use by Space Marines... Brother Captain Nosferatu). In addition, each Company has its own banner. The design of this is usually quite simple - the Chapter symbol and Company Banner will be carried by a trusted marine, who could be any marine on the field. The Company banner is flown whenever the Company is in action. Of particular note are the Salamanders banners, which always have the same colour field. They are distinguished from each other by the patterns printed on them that are visible in the infra - red spectrum; these can be seen by the Salamnder Marines because they all have slight infra vision. The First Company usually contains those Marines trained in the use of Terminator armour and they therefore replace the numeral one on their banner with the Terminator Honour badge. This does not apply to those banners flown by the First Company vehicles. Finally each Marine carries his own banner, stored in his backpack. Although these are most often used on ceremonial occaissions, they may also be flown on the battlefield. It is common for one marine per squad to fly his Backbanner, usually the sergeant. Officers and specialists, except for Techmarines are less restricted, and most will fly their banners as a matter of course. The Backbanners designs vary even within a single chapter, although there is usually some common links: Sergeants and normal marines usually bear a facsimile of their Company banner, while higher officers usually display their own personal heraldry. Specialists (Medics, Chaplains, Techmarines, and Librarians) often display a variation of their own identification badge. Those squads that are particularly noteworthy may be allowed to display all their backbanners during battle, and on very rare occaisions, an entire detachment may do the same." I hope that you all may find this historic document of interest, it explains the origin and use of the glorious banners we fight under today.. *** thanks to Cthorpe for sharing this bit of history with us! :)
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