THE LAST WALL PROTOCOL! COULD IT BE GUILLIMAN'S SOLUTION?

This is where the Imperium's bad habit of totally erasing certain historical records could come back to bite them. The Lord Reagent really needs to know everything. Especially the most sensitive parts.

The Last Wall Protocol was activated during the War of the Beast . Technically, this was a last ditch protocol from Rogal Dorn & his sons. Dorn foresaw that a Legion prescence might be regarded as close to treason, but a necessary contingency. However, although Guilliman may have come across references, the High Lords & the Inquisition would have exspunged most information. However, the Deathwatch would keep their own records, including details of the War of the Beast. If Guilliman came across records of Vulkan being found, I think that he may not have been suprised as many think.

The breaking of the legions made sense, when civil war was your prime concern. In an age when alien bugs, space demons, and robot mummies are the prime concerns, a combined and organized legion is definitely an advantage.
Also once again, we see that the imperiums biggest Achilles heel, is their own paranoia and rules.

The discussion of the break-up of the legions in the codex usually focuses on the politics of the move. That humanity needed to be reassured no one man would be given the power to launch a replay of the Horus Heresy. I suspect that Guilliman cared more about a strategic rationale. Given how wounded the Imperium was, and how depleted the legions were, in the wake of the Heresy and the Scouring, breaking up the legions made a lot of sense. Baseline human forces could be repopulated much faster than the legions, so reassigning Astartes forces to act as semi-autonomous fast-reaction forces to supplement primarily baseline defenses was strategically vital to preserving what was left of the Imperium.

If that was Guilliman’s rationale, more than concerns over a replay of the Heresy, he wouldn’t take any offense to the Last Wall Protocol. He’d see it as eminently sensible, and see the secrecy around it as a necessary political move. I imagine he’d be proud of Dorn for both having the contingency and being subtle in preparing it.

I think Guilliman is going to think "why didn't I think of that" there logic behind it

Rho, normally I completely agree with you. I always love your videos.

BUT...I think you are forgetting something.

Rowboat Girlyman is the ultimate organiser. He "knows" things. He "knows" people. Just like Perty knows how to crack a castle and Rogal "knows" how to build one.
Smurf Daddy KNOWS people.
He especially KNOWS Rogal, as they had conflict.
I don't think he will be surprised. In fact, I bet he counted on Rogal issuing a secret "defend Terra" protocol.
Pappa Smurf knew that the Emperor issued the "protector of Terra" title to Rogal when Rogal had a legion, thus the duty fell upon his shoulders WITH his legion, as his method of defending Terra.

I don't think Rowboat would ever directly go against the Emperor's wishes.
Allowing Rogal to maintain the "last stand" protocol, while Rogal breaks his legion into chapters complies with both concepts. Big Daddy's desires are fulfilled, plus Big Daddy's failures are not relived.

We all saw how rowboat handled the sons of the wolf. He KNOWS the wolves never broke into chapters. NEVER.

It could be said...Roboute Guilliman counted on Leman Russ to be ready to strike, Rogal Dorn to be ready to defend, Lionel Johnson to burn the traitors...
This is why he is so good at organising. He KNOWS people.
If you want more evidence, look at his handling of the high lords of terra, the assassins, the Minotaurs... That is his masterclass in "knowing people".

I'm imagining Trazyn and Guilliman traveling across the universe to piece together history in a Rick-and-Morty style adventure series

The Guilliman of the 42k millenium would imho approve of the last wall protocole from a practical point of view. Chapters and legions were only tools, what matters was never the means but the end and Guillimand always stated the codex had to be a guideline, nothing more and certainly not a creed.

we don't know if Rogal was intending to let Roboute know about it or not. i think he would see the benefits of the Last Wall protocol. After all Guilliman knew that he could never plan for absolutely everything, having the ability to reform a legion relatively quick could be a very powerful contingency

The Lion: You made my Legion into a chapter.
(Azrael whispers)
The Lion: Oh thank you for making my Legion into "Chapter "...

The Last Wall protocol is the family reunion i hope the DaDornable finally answer it.

I could see him using a concept similar to the last wall protocol/the actions of the 9th bloodline during deviation. Having the chapters functioning as psudo legions. Multiple chapterss having to function together rather than completely individuals

Guilliman is forced to enact the Lastwall Protocol, Rogal Dorn shows up.

G: Dorn? How can this be? I was told you had died.

D: You have enacted the Lastwall Protocol. All Imperial Fists are to arrive.

I do think Guilliman was right to break up the legions but situations can call for certain actions to be undertaken

If the Last Wall Protocol was enacted, the remaining Celestial Lions would tell Bobby G about how they were massacred by the inquisition… now that would be spicy

You’re forgetting that Dorn never lied. Was likely the only way he’d agree to the codex and He probably told Gman straight up. And the Gman. Both primarchs are pragmatic

Is Guilliman really that petty? So small that, after everything he's been through, with the state the Imperium is in, he'd get pissy because Dorn had a backup plan? No. If Dorn returns, Guilliman will embrace his brother and beg for his help.

I think if the Legions are to be brought back, they should be brought back alongside the Chapters in full. The Chapters would continue to serve as powerful protective shields, maybe even increasing their maximum size to 2,000 or 3,000 and reforming the Legions to serve as the Imperium's blades.

Because simply calling to reform a legion from existing Chapters would draw them away from their stationed systems and sectors, creating debilitating vulnerabilities. Whereas if the Legions existed alongside the Chapters, no such vulnerabilities would form.

Being such a practical being I definitely could see Guilliman not only approving of the last wall protocol but encouraging the sons of Dorn to institute it when necessary but I could see the inquisition trying something stupid thinking the sons of Dorn were consolidating to much power and strength. They always come out of the woodwork to screw humanity as much if not more than help humanity. I mean they are already sort of hunting the Lion so who knows

Great points thanks Rho. Could he not use a half way house and up the numbers from 1 thousand to 10 per Chapter. Still low in grand scheme but much more able to react.