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Helbrecht is the High Marshal of the Black Templars, heir to Sigismund's eternal crusade. He is also reckoned the greatest naval commander among the Adeptus Astartes.
He wields the Sword of the High Marshals and leads the Black Templars in their eternal crusade. He fought at Armageddon against Ghazghkull, and during the Great Rift's opening led a crusade to defend the Imperium. He crossed the Rubicon Primaris and continues to lead his Chapter. Helbrecht is High Marshal of the Black Templars and the greatest naval commander in the Adeptus Astartes. During the Third War for Armageddon he commanded all Space Marine warships. He has sworn to pursue Ghazghkull across the galaxy. In the Era Indomitus he ordered the Black Templars to launch Crusades to defend every Ministorum world threatened by the Great Rift.
Origins
From early in his career it was clear he was destined for greatness. He showed the Templars' stubbornness, honour and unbending loyalty to the Emperor.
Black Templars records say Helbrecht first earned notice as an Initiate when he held Deathcore Ridge against Tyranids. He later fought in the Vinculus Crusade of 833.M41 and became one of the Chapter's Sword Brethren. He was elected High Marshal in 989.M41 after leading the crusade that subjugated the Xenarchs of the Sigilare Nebula.
Codex: Adeptus Custodes (9th edition, p. 29) reveals an unexpected part of his childhood. He grew up in the underhives of Piety in the Drusus Marches. Guided by Doomscryers' prophecies, Custodians of the Aquilan Shield under Grateion Artabane secretly watched over him until the Black Templars recruited him. Codex: Black Templars (4th edition, p. 44) describes his rise. He made his name in brutal campaigns such as the Vinculus Crusade and joined the Sword Brethren after killing a vampire that had taken power on Cephian IV. When Marshal Daidin died, the crusade elected Helbrecht to replace him. In 989.M41, after High Marshal Kordhel fell to a Chaos champion, the Marshals unanimously chose Helbrecht. He spent eight years fighting the Cythor Fiends in the Ghoul Stars, only to find their homeworlds empty, and then Armageddon called.
Key events
- Fought the Necrons of Imotekh the Stormlord on Schrödinger VII and swore an Oath of Vengeance against them.
- Destroyed the Necron vessel Inevitable Conqueror over Davatas, fulfilling his oath.
- Led the Black Templars against Ghazghkull in the Third War for Armageddon, then vowed to hunt the warlord.
- Regathered his scattered fleets after the Great Rift for new crusades alongside the Ecclesiarchy.
- Fought on in the Era Indomitus as one of the Ecclesiarchy's foremost crusading allies.
Codex: Space Marines (6th edition) says that after his defeat by Imotekh he led a five-year crusade of penance and then made a pilgrimage to the hand of Rogal Dorn aboard the Phalanx. There he decided that losing his hand mirrored his Primarch's sacrifice and was a sign from the Emperor, and his faith returned. The 9th-edition Black Templars supplement describes Guilliman's visit. Helbrecht expected to be rebuked for ignoring the Codex Astartes, but Guilliman instead asked him to accept the Greyshields. Helbrecht welcomed the Primaris process, believing it contained a spark of the divine. When Guilliman criticised his personal vendetta against Ghazghkull, Helbrecht was ashamed. He promoted Sword Brethren to Marshal and sent new crusades, including Holgher's Purgus Crusade, to protect Ecclesiarchy worlds along the Rift. War Zone Octarius has him kill Warboss Tuskagrob Wurldkilla on Sigma-Ulstari.
Marc Collins's novel Helbrecht: Knight of the Throne follows a vision of Dorn fighting Iron Warriors. Helbrecht, the Emperor's Champion Bloheim and Grimaldus followed it to Hevaran, where the Iron Warriors destroyed their frigate and stranded them. Sword Brother Nivelo died saving Helbrecht. The Templars then led a band of pilgrims against the fortress of Warsmith Torven Vakra, and Helbrecht killed him as the keep collapsed, while Bloheim recovered a shard of Dorn's armour. Helbrecht came away believing he was only the Emperor's instrument. Crusade: Armageddon sets him against Angron during the Season of Blood, arguing with Logan Grimnar, who feared a repeat of the Months of Shame. In the end he allowed only limited purges around Hive Infernus.
Battles & campaigns
- Ghoul Stars Crusade: His first Crusade as High Marshal led the Chapter into the Ghoul Stars.
- Third War for Armageddon: With Admiral Parol he held the Ork fleet.
- Imotekh: He was defeated by the Necron Stormlord but later took revenge.
Personality
Zealous, tireless and fierce; he treats every war as a holy duty.
He is a zealot who believes that the Emperor's will must be done. He is fierce in battle and relentless in pursuit of his foes. His leadership is uncompromising, and he expects his warriors to match his zeal.
Weapons & Vehicles
The sacred two-handed obsidian greatsword of Sigismund and the Black Templars' Emperor's Champions, forged to slay the greatest champio…
A master-crafted blade sheathed in a crackling molecular disruption field that parts ceramite, bone and steel with effortless lethality…
A short-ranged thermal sub-molecular agitation weapon that flash-melts battle tank armour, bunker doors and heavy walkers into bubbling…
The signature .75-calibre rocket-propelled mass-reactive firearm of the Adeptus Astartes, firing self-propelled explosive bolts that de…
Explore all 48 entries in the Weapons & Vehicles armoury.
Connections
Characters (4)
Darnath Lysander successor chapter · Imperial FistsThe Black Templars descend from the Imperial Fists, Lysander's Chapter.
Imotekh the Stormlord enemy · NecronsHelbrecht swore an Oath of Vengeance against Imotekh after Schrödinger VII.
Factions
- Black Templars primary faction
Some links are thematic parallels (marked "parallel") rather than recorded meetings. See the connections web.
Legacy
Helbrecht is the High Marshal of the Black Templars and perhaps the most zealous crusader in the Imperium. His oaths against Imotekh and Ghazghkull, and his refusal to rest while heretics, mutants and xenos endure, carry on Sigismund's legacy. In the Era Indomitus his fleets are among the Ecclesiarchy's most trusted swords. Each oath he swears, whether against Imotekh or Ghazghkull, sets the course of whole crusades, showing how personal vows drive the Chapter's strategy. His Crusades in the Era Indomitus carry the Black Templars' zeal across the Imperium.
Appearances & sources
- Codex: Space Marines (Black Templars background)
- Codex: Black Templars
- Era Indomitus campaign books
Contested & retconned lore
An older Codex account instead says he joined the Sword Brethren after slaying a warp-spawned vampire that had seized control of the hive world Cephian IV.