What chapter and why?

I'd say the Lamenters. They're some of the most stoic astartes our there. Chapter has been down in the depths and back again, but never seem to lose faith. Their 'battle brothers' view them with superstition at best, other imperial forces will basically ignore them because of when they were founded. Even after the badab incident, they took their duty with honor and vigor. Now they are probably the most experienced in fighting the tyranids than anyone, save maybe those still alive from the Battle of Macragge.

Carcharodons.

Awesome name, awesome background. They're exactly what you want in your roaming shock troops for a brutal, fascist empire. Point 'em at the enemy, and there's no more enemy.

Just...y'know. Make sure your regular troops stand back far enough to not get covered in heretic bits.

Ultramarines. Their paint style is cool, I enjoy their lore and they have some pimping models.

Dark Angels. Most interesting fluff. Also, hilarious that they've abandoned IG in the midst of a firefight because "Oh, gotta catch the fallen!" Also, Lion beat Leman Russ in a fistfight

Grey Knights. The MIB of the far future.

I just like my standard ultramarines haha

Space Wolves. Viking werewolves from space.

Salamanders. They crashed a ship into f--ing Commorragh and lived to talk about it.

I'm assuming this means besides the Ultramarines who...
Literally wrote the book on being marines
Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back
Along with loyal successors, control over 500 productive worlds, and individually have 5 planets; including a Forgeworld and an Inquisitorial fortress world
Host the most prestigious marine war college at the Fortress of Hera, which regularly trains the captains of almost 300 chapters
Blunted a major tyranid hive fleet... twice
Have the closest to perfect geneseed known to the marines
Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion
Host the most pleasant government in the Imperium to live under
Are allowed to maintain their own auxiliary fleets and guard regiments
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

Because if you mean besides them,

I'd vote for alabaster Mongols in space: the White Scars...

After them it's probably DA and BT, but my opinion changes every day.

 jreilly89 wrote:
Dark Angels. Most interesting fluff. Also, hilarious that they've abandoned IG in the midst of a firefight because "Oh, gotta catch the fallen!" Also, Lion beat Leman Russ in a fistfight

Hunting the Fallen is a serious task! You're not a heretic, are you?

Space Wolves. They become wolves if they fail their training! Also Leman Russ.

I'll tell you what the worst chapter is: Gay Knights.
The best is the Sons of Orar.

 Lobukia wrote:

Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion

zero confirmed.

But of course its the word bearers!

Black Templars from their old Codex. Reason: Holy Handgrenade.

 total0 wrote:
But of course its the word bearers!

Not a chapter.

 the shrouded lord wrote:

 Lobukia wrote:

Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion

zero confirmed.

I wanted to post this

Definitely the World Eaters

 Lobukia wrote:
I'm assuming this means besides the Ultramarines who...
Literally wrote the book on being marines
Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back
Along with loyal successors, control over 500 productive worlds, and individually have 5 planets; including a Forgeworld and an Inquisitorial fortress world
Host the most prestigious marine war college at the Fortress of Hera, which regularly trains the captains of almost 300 chapters
Blunted a major tyranid hive fleet... twice
Have the closest to perfect geneseed known to the marines
Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion
Host the most pleasant government in the Imperium to live under
Are allowed to maintain their own auxiliary fleets and guard regiments
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

Because if you mean besides them,

I'd vote for alabaster Mongols in space: the White Scars...

After them it's probably DA and BT, but my opinion changes every day.

Ultramarine are without a doubt awesome. I really enjoyed slaying Orks as an Ultra Marine as Captain Titus in the best 40k game ever Space Marine. I think The grey knights are probably the most perfect Gene seed though. The emperor did in fact create them because he needed a more perfect marine to fight the forces of chaos. I'd proudly fight along side the Ultras against the forces of chaos. Sadly, we'd have to slaughter you afterwards if you were able to survive the twisted magic of daemon spawn - no chance at corruption can be tolerated. We are the Inquisition.

Flesh tearers. A Khornate cult, which basically calls him the Emperor instead of Khorne... Just love their paint scheme, savagery in battle and the idea of Darker side of Sanguinius embodied

I've always liked the Crimson Fists.
Despite being completely rekt by a massive waaaagh, they dont stand down and just keep killing- ultimate final stand really.
Petro Kantor is also a pretty nice guy

 Tod wrote:
I've always liked the Crimson Fists.
Despite being completely rekt by a massive waaaagh, they dont stand down and just keep killing- ultimate final stand really.
Petro Kantor is also a pretty nice guy

Pedro prolly killed more Orks than any other Marine.

lustigjh wrote:
Definitely the World Eaters

Not a chapter.

the answer is alpha legion.

off the top of my head they've destroyed or assimilated two whole marine chapters. no-one can even agree on what they look like or even whose side they are really on. or who is in charge. or where they live.

Char... Car...Karha... Spacesharks.
Because they don't muck about. Deploy, slaughter, leave.

Alpha Legion if considering Loyalists, Traitors and Undecided.

Any that have been tabled.

Crimson Fists cuz:

 kingbobbito wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
Dark Angels. Most interesting fluff. Also, hilarious that they've abandoned IG in the midst of a firefight because "Oh, gotta catch the fallen!" Also, Lion beat Leman Russ in a fistfight

Hunting the Fallen is a serious task! You're not a heretic, are you?

The most serious! Purge the Heretic!

Black Templar.

- No other chapter of marines has as many as them (estimated at around 6000).
- No other chapter has been on-going actively fightingas long as them.
- No chapter has more footholds on planets than them or recruit diversity.
- Every chapter thought that the "Emperor's Champion" was so cool, they had to have one.
- Blew through Earth defenses to lay a beating on Vandir for blowing up some of their fortresses, who was the higher power then?

Oh, face it, they are completely nuts.
It is far better to get into the face of your enemy to ensure they are truly dead than to blast them from afar... no wonder they recruit so heavily.
It is also better to have your raw recruits (Neophyte) to fight right along-side their sponsoring marine (Initiate): most likely to be used as a meat-shield.

If these guys don't make testosterone levels go up, nothing will.

 daddyorchips wrote:
the answer is alpha legion.

off the top of my head they've destroyed or assimilated two whole marine chapters. no-one can even agree on what they look like or even whose side they are really on. or who is in charge. or where they live.

Not a chapter.

Interesting selections so far. Love the reasons given regarding some of the choices. Are there any Space marine companies that are fully listed in GW , WD, or FW?

Something along the lines of Chapter Master, Command Squad, and the 6 named tacticals, 2 assault and 2 devestator squads?

I say Iron Hands because they're a lethally efficient army of cyborgs. Also, Ferrus Manus made some of the best weapons literally with his bare hands

I'm going to say Iron Hands as well, shame they aren't covered as much as the other first founding chapters.

Also honourable mention to the Mentor Legion, just what I can remember of them is they were cool too for marines. From my understanding they're sort of like Eldar a bit.

Really smart and capable of learning a lot better than other marines, they also sort of work more as specialists. Instead of sending the entire chapter out they'll send out squads to fight along side other chapters and guard so they can learn more about that ally's fighting style as well. They gather and record this information. Because of this they're also usually higher skilled than other marine chapters.

The Emperor's Pointy Sticks. Cause they are back, at least partialy. Perhaps. Who knows?

I was always partial to Salamanders. For one thing, when I started 40k they were an army of black guys, which is awesome because you hardly ever see anyone but white people get representation in 40k. Then they retconned them into drow mutants with demonic red eyes...bleh...

But the main reason I like them is that they're less concerned about personal glory, like many other chapters, and are more devoted to the defense of humanity and the Imperium, possibly more than any other. In my opinion they are the ideal Space Marines, they are everything that the fluff says a Space Marine is supposed to be. Also dragons are cool and you get to paint flames on your models.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Salamanders. They crashed a ship into f--ing Commorragh and lived to talk about it.

That was kinda cool, too.

 Talizvar wrote:
Black Templar.

- No other chapter of marines has as many as them (estimated at around 6000).
- No other chapter has been on-going actively fightingas long as them.
- No chapter has more footholds on planets than them or recruit diversity.
- Every chapter thought that the "Emperor's Champion" was so cool, they had to have one.
- Blew through Earth defenses to lay a beating on Vandir for blowing up some of their fortresses, who was the higher power then?

Oh, face it, they are completely nuts.
It is far better to get into the face of your enemy to ensure they are truly dead than to blast them from afar... no wonder they recruit so heavily.
It is also better to have your raw recruits (Neophyte) to fight right along-side their sponsoring marine (Initiate): most likely to be used as a meat-shield.

If these guys don't make testosterone levels go up, nothing will.

Liar!
The Death Guard has been fighting for longer, and will fight on for 7777 years, for the glory of Nurgle!

I think the most awesome space marine chapter are all of the World Eaters' splinter warbands, who've been charging straight into IG tank gunlines and wagins wars composed entirely of assault infantry for 10 000years, pwning the entire Imperium several times :

Cerberus Insurrection, where the legion engaged a manly duel with Thunder Warriors escapees, showing them the true power of rage(despite losing 4 to 5 for each warriors). (Pre-Heresy)
The Cleansing of Arrigata (Pre-Heresy campaign. This was noteworthy in that the World Eaters slaughtered the entire world's population in a single day.)
Beat the gak out of the Space Wolves when they were asked to come with them to get "Help by some doctors to make them not crazy anymore" (Pre-Heresy)
Isstvan III
Isstvan V
Siege of the Emperor's Palace
Most of Failbaddon's Black Crusades
Cholercaust Blood Crusade - The World Eaters and Khornate followers in general curb-stomp the Imperium into the ground, until they're turned back by the fething Legion of the Damned because GW loves its stagnation and if they continued on they would have gotten to Terra and killed the Great Vegetable. But they're still rampaging around Imperial space so all the Imperials got was a Pyrrhic victory. This is also clear evidence that Khornates are the only Chaos Worshipers who get gak done.
Doombreed's actually successful black crusade.
Angron's Dominion of Fire campaign, where 50,000 World Eaters and Angron wasted over 70 Imperial Sectors in two Centuries. That's 2.85 sectors every years...which means that Khorne must have blessed Angron with extra heroin-induced RAEG to get gak done this quickly.
First war of Armageddon

Dark Angels. As they the only loyalist chapter that still have living primarch. Also fluf and some of the sexiest models too. Also they are like three armies in one. And well, they are the First.

Reinokarite wrote:
Dark Angels. As they the only loyalist chapter that still have living primarch. Also fluf and some of the sexiest models too. Also they are like three armies in one. And well, they are the First.

'
*mic drop*

Grey Knights. Thousands sons or Iron Warriors if we count traitors too.

Thousand Sons
Always loved the Egyptian theme and Ouroboros of the Thousand Sons, but I especially like that the standard troopers are all fleshless metal husks.

Death Guard
...and on the other end, the Death Guard's embrace of all life, holding all manner of diseases and pestilence within their own bodies and loving spreading their gifts to others.

 Lobukia wrote:
I'm assuming this means besides the Ultramarines who...
Literally wrote the book on being marines

...Which limits the use of battle-brothers' brain cells, and split the Astartes into barely capable tiny self-sustained armies, which have a full responsibility of their whereabouts. That's why we've got many chapters here and there either turning renegade, or outright start worshiping chaos gods, when there's no centralised system behind all this.
The book has some nice general rules about warfare, but to punctuate its every word and MANDATE it to every chapter, telling how to live and how to think and act as an Astartes? Please no. That's what I dislike in Ultramarines; some of them are just prancing by-the-book pricks. When they spot a chapter, which isn't fully/mostly codex-compliant, their jimmies get rustled.

 Lobukia wrote:
Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back

...But never defended Terra. Son of Dorn is angry of your arrogance.

 Lobukia wrote:
Along with loyal successors, control over 500 productive worlds, and individually have 5 planets; including a Forgeworld and an Inquisitorial fortress world

That's mostly because Guilliman decided to promote himself temporarily as the Lord Commander of the Imperium (vice-Emperor), when the dusts of Horus Heresy began to disperse.
The 500 worlds they originally had, was because the Ultramarines had THE largest legion during the Crusade, and thus had plenty of time to micromanage the worlds under Imperial compliance.

 Lobukia wrote:
Host the most prestigious marine war college at the Fortress of Hera, which regularly trains the captains of almost 300 chapters

...Of which most - or possibly all - are Ultramarines descendants, which also happen to be spread nearby Macragge. I don't see anything incredible here.

 Lobukia wrote:
Blunted a major tyranid hive fleet... twice

In the first battle, the Ultramarines got a massive aid from Blood Angels, don't forget their honourable assistance!
In the second, while Calgar was doing glory-hungry duel with the Swarmlord, the allied Astartes got wiped out. Scythes of the Emperor, and Lamenters, to be exact. Thanks, guys.

 Lobukia wrote:
Have the closest to perfect geneseed known to the marines

*audible snickering of Red Scorpions Apothecary*

 Lobukia wrote:
Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion

Citation needed? Who else, besides the rumoured Alpharius?
Fulgrim KO'd two primarchs (Gorgon & Guilliman), and his primarch killcount is considered the highest at the moment.

 Lobukia wrote:
Host the most pleasant government in the Imperium to live under

YMMV

 Lobukia wrote:
Are allowed to maintain their own auxiliary fleets and guard regiments

Because First Founding, and Guilliman's Lord Commander hijinks.

 Lobukia wrote:
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

...Like many of the other chapters are - at least influenced by?

***

Oh yeah, my favourite chapter?
Black Templars:
- Angry, manly crusading chapter which respects the ways of the grand old days (almost as numerable as a small legion, still follows the edicts of Nikaea)
- Codex Astartes? What Codex Astartes?
- Massive melee-hordes everywhere, I love it!
- Marshals - leaders of hundreds of battle-brothers, dozens of veterans, and usually more than one or two BATTLESHIPS. The codex-compliant captain WISHES he had so much honour and power!
- Both during and after the battle, they're humble as heck.
- They don't comprehend the term "rest". Their crusades end only when the whole galaxy belongs to the Emperor. The Imperial Fists - their very father-chapter - are STRUGGLING to keep up with their pace.

 Inkubas wrote:
Interesting selections so far. Love the reasons given regarding some of the choices. Are there any Space marine companies that are fully listed in GW , WD, or FW?
Something along the lines of Chapter Master, Command Squad, and the 6 named tacticals, 2 assault and 2 devestator squads?

GW once gave the option to buy an entire Ultramarines Company.
Blood Angels now have a Detachment that allows them to field their entire Archangels-company, it's in the Exterminatus-book.

Is that what you mean?

The Grey Knights are the greatest Space Marine chapter, because they fight the true enemy (rather than each other).

SJ

Legion of the damned.

Why?

Teleporting, ghost/zombie space marines that shoot rounds that melt through armor, have no battle cry, fight is pure silence, dont ever seem to die, then when they are finished, they vanish back into the warp.

 jreilly89 wrote:

Reinokarite wrote:
Dark Angels. As they the only loyalist chapter that still have living primarch. Also fluf and some of the sexiest models too. Also they are like three armies in one. And well, they are the First.

'
*mic drop*

Except they're the only Chapter so lazy that they don't even take off their bathrobes before leaving the house.

If you answered anything other than Angry Marines, then you're wrong.

 Veteran Sergeant wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:

Reinokarite wrote:
Dark Angels. As they the only loyalist chapter that still have living primarch. Also fluf and some of the sexiest models too. Also they are like three armies in one. And well, they are the First.

'
*mic drop*

Except they're the only Chapter so lazy that they don't even take off their bathrobes before leaving the house.

Have you worn a fuzzy robe? It's what bears feel all year long. Hell yeah I'd take a robe into battle!

KingDeath wrote:
The Emperor's Pointy Sticks. Cause they are back, at least partialy. Perhaps. Who knows?

Uuuh, care to elaborate? Is TSOLR continued again?

Marines Malevolent...
In a imperium of D-bags, these guys just embrace the D-bagness and go with it..

What ever it takes to win..just the results matter.

Plus using the word Malevolent in a name..that took work!

I've got 2 I can't decide which.

Blood Angels. I used to think they were pretty boys but they've been through so much crap despite putting more effort into the imperium than other faction. They were one of the few who actually fought at the battle of Terra and they're primarch made the ultimate sacrifice there and what do they get for it? A curse that turns them insane which they nobly deal with. Dante and The Sanguinor are cool as well.

The other is Crimson Fists cause they're stubborn and Pedro is a real good guy.

 Tod wrote:
I've always liked the Crimson Fists.
Despite being completely rekt by a massive waaaagh, they dont stand down and just keep killing- ultimate final stand really.
Petro Kantor is also a pretty nice guy

I was going to say something about how much of a baller Pedro Kantor is, but a few already have, so I'll echo this, I guess. Best loyalist chapter for sure.

Anti authoritarian Wolves of Fenris

 Psienesis wrote:
If you answered anything other than Angry Marines, then you're wrong.

OFT

Imperial Fists.

Held the line at the Palace during the battle of Terra.

Raven guard, because stealth thunderhawk (shadowhawk).
also covert ops.

 crashhead wrote:
Raven guard, because stealth thunderhawk (shadowhawk).
also covert ops.

Also Edgar Allan Poe

Space Wolves - despite being terribly effective they are one of the rare chapters that actually cares about the people they serve and will do anything to avoid the easy Extermnatus out when things get tough!

Aren't the legions divided into chapters?

kingleir wrote:
Aren't the legions divided into chapters?

Yes. After the Horus Heresy however, it was decided that the Legiones Astartes was to be broken down into 1000 strong forces aka Chapters. This was an effort to prevent another mass rebellion.

Raven Guard: Sweet black/white colours, tactical and clever tactics and actually *gasp* use their Scouts for anything useful! They are defenders of the misused and the defenseless to this day, and so go with...

Salamanders: Not much for their iconography and colours, but I love their style - Heavy, hammering and hardy! Real bros, too.

Ultramarines: The Marine Marines, you can't discount the originals Has moral complexety, identity problems and get nothing but gak for their bettering of the Imperium... Nice colour scheme, if a bit base.

Raptors: Surprise melon-fethers! in superhuman cans. Boring colourscheme, though.

Grey Knights: My favourite models. Again, moral complexety, because they defend the Imperium by doing anything - ANYTHING - to stop the daemonic... I like that. Also, paladins in space.

Defenders of the Covenant: Almost unknown, one of my favourites. Very academic and wears red robes.

Blood Angels: I have something for the angelic, and these guys do it best! The blood motif is good for contrast and makes them stand out in a distance, compared to, say, Iron Fists.

Lost Sons Chapter

I made up their own fluff:

Basically they were a large legion detachement on a mission, then heresy kicked off. While trying to get back to Terra to defend humanity and their beloved emperor they got waylaid in the warp and by miraculously surviving the warp storm, they managed to make it out... But only to find their beloved emperor long entombed in the golden throne for thousands of years. As such they headed straight for the EOT to hunt down the rebellious swine hiding within. Never stopping. Never ending. Never resting. Until all heretics are dead at their feet and the wrongs of old put right...

If I had to pick one of actual "official" chapters it would have to be DA because they were the first, and they have "secrets"..

Also, I like bathrobes. Shoot me.

Cool discussion so far. I was asking if there was a company breakdown of each squad names and load out for any chapter

Talons of Anathrax.

We don't really have anything apart from their name, but it suggests a fast-moving, hard-hitting chapter (Talons you know, birds of prey, all that...) striking from several different directions at once.
And we know that Anathrax is a Daemon world in the eye from the CSM codex, and that Anathrax himself is Daemon Prince of Nurgle that can attack all around the galaxy, and not just in the eye (see the Crusade of Fire campaign).

Sadly, IA 2 second editions mentions a Fire Hawks contemptor dread that apparently participated in the purginf of the Argent Hammers (the old name of the Talons before they fell to Chaos).
:( That made my homebrew fluff a bit complicated, to say the least.
We just presume that they split up, kinda like the World Eaters, and that each company does their thing to corrupt and destroy the Imperium of Man, in the name of Nurgle himself!
But still using space marine tactics and rapid assaults, as their tactical sense didn't rot away with their brains

Fire Hawks, because they all dead and came back as the Legion of the Damned.

 hellpato wrote:
Fire Hawks, because they all dead and came back as the Legion of the Damned.

Wait, really?
Because (like I just said earlier), I had always believed that the Fire Hawks still existed, right?
Because seeinf as FW said that they existed to kill some heretics in M37 (the talons of Anathrax), and I had always believed that the Legion of the Damned were waaaaay older.

Am I wrong, or is this just another case of GW screwing up?

Imperial Propaganda.

Black Templars. To hell with your "Chapter" crap, we'll just cruise around space in a bunch of armadas so you don't know how many of us there are and keep our legion numbers, thank you.
Plus we're bloodthirsty maniac monks that aren't LITERALLY bloodthirsty (looking at you, BAs).

Angry Marines first and foremost. They have Power feet, power bats, power pipes, power 2x4..you get the idea. their tanks shoot angry marines to get into battle faster. Just an all around awesome chapter. Besides, how can you say no to this guy

For legit cannon chapters I love the Imperial Fists, Even if Dorn had anger issues.

Even though I know it's not true, I'm voting for vampires in spess.

 Talon of Anathrax wrote:

 hellpato wrote:
Fire Hawks, because they all dead and came back as the Legion of the Damned.

Wait, really?
Because (like I just said earlier), I had always believed that the Fire Hawks still existed, right?
Because seeinf as FW said that they existed to kill some heretics in M37 (the talons of Anathrax), and I had always believed that the Legion of the Damned were waaaaay older.

Am I wrong, or is this just another case of GW screwing up?

Google and warhammer 40k wiki is your best friend

I am just a bit partial so... Dark Angels ofcourse... the fluff is AWESOME! O like that they are hardcore, somewhat crazy and have quite a bit of a dark side.

But as a second choice I think that Ultramarines have got a bad rep for no reason. They are awesome too. Little too much lawful good though

for fun, I'll bite

 Tigramans wrote:

 Lobukia wrote:
I'm assuming this means besides the Ultramarines who...
Literally wrote the book on being marines

...Which limits the use of battle-brothers' brain cells, and split the Astartes into barely capable tiny self-sustained armies, which have a full responsibility of their whereabouts. That's why we've got many chapters here and there either turning renegade, or outright start worshiping chaos gods, when there's no centralised system behind all this.
The book has some nice general rules about warfare, but to punctuate its every word and MANDATE it to every chapter, telling how to live and how to think and act as an Astartes? Please no. That's what I dislike in Ultramarines; some of them are just prancing by-the-book pricks. When they spot a chapter, which isn't fully/mostly codex-compliant, their jimmies get rustled.

you mean which limits disasters like the Badab War and kept the marines viable units that when the 10% go bad, the other 90% can put them down and move on?
For every Cato Sicarius (exactly like the historical Cato Minor that he's based off of), there's a Marneus Calgar (also like his historical counterpart, Gaius Marius) who allows innovation, expansions and revision (he did create a new 1st Company that completely breaks traditional codex organization).

Someone has to police the police afterall, and who besides the Ultras has the power to do so, and a reputation for both compassion and administration?

 Lobukia wrote:
Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back

...But never defended Terra. Son of Dorn is angry of your arrogance.

Saved the Imperium.... reconquered the vast majority of lost territory, and notably didn't foster a strategy that put the enemy at the gates... way to go Dorn

 Lobukia wrote:
Along with loyal successors, control over 500 productive worlds, and individually have 5 planets; including a Forgeworld and an Inquisitorial fortress world

That's mostly because Guilliman decided to promote himself temporarily as the Lord Commander of the Imperium (vice-Emperor), when the dusts of Horus Heresy began to disperse.
The 500 worlds they originally had, was because the Ultramarines had THE largest legion during the Crusade, and thus had plenty of time to micromanage the worlds under Imperial compliance.

Just saying, we had the 500 worlds before the big E gave us the largest legion... maybe because we deserved it?

 Lobukia wrote:
Host the most prestigious marine war college at the Fortress of Hera, which regularly trains the captains of almost 300 chapters

...Of which most - or possibly all - are Ultramarines descendants, which also happen to be spread nearby Macragge. I don't see anything incredible here.

Far enough, but in 10,000 years nobody's done it better

 Lobukia wrote:
Blunted a major tyranid hive fleet... twice

In the first battle, the Ultramarines got a massive aid from Blood Angels, don't forget their honourable assistance!
In the second, while Calgar was doing glory-hungry duel with the Swarmlord, the allied Astartes got wiped out. Scythes of the Emperor, and Lamenters, to be exact. Thanks, guys.

 Lobukia wrote:
Have the closest to perfect geneseed known to the marines

*audible snickering of Red Scorpions Apothecary*

Wait, what? The RS have a gland that doesn't function correctly, are forbidding anyone outside their favorite Inquisitor to even see their geneseed, and have only their own belief and claims to purity to back up any claim at a purer geneseed. At best they have a faulty geneseed that is 5% more stable than the Ultramarine's... which is still less faulty than their's and doesn't give people the spits and paranoia.

 Lobukia wrote:
Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion

Citation needed? Who else, besides the rumoured Alpharius?
Fulgrim KO'd two primarchs (Gorgon & Guilliman), and his primarch killcount is considered the highest at the moment.

Well I said "traitor Primarch", I'll have to find it, but there's a short story somewhere with Omegon furious in 40k that the Ultras killed bro in 30k... I seriously need to find this in my library, as this comes up a lot. This is a thread on chapters, so Fulgrim (who was possessed once, and a daemon prince the other time) isn't in the running. I should not that Guilliman went toe to toe with Konrad, Angron, ascended Lorgor, and Alpharius (so far) and could claim at worst a draw each time and certainly some victories.

 Lobukia wrote:
Host the most pleasant government in the Imperium to live under

YMMV

no arguement

 Lobukia wrote:
Are allowed to maintain their own auxiliary fleets and guard regiments

Because First Founding, and Guilliman's Lord Commander hijinks.

Success has its perks... especially when mopping up others' failures... again, and again, and again

 Lobukia wrote:
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

...Like many of the other chapters are - at least influenced by?

Yeah, but these guys are the 13th (that'd be Caesar's personal veterans) and are a direct graft of late Republic Rome. Someone seriously did their history work when making the UM fluff. I won't go through it all, but these guys are pure Rome... which I like (MA in Roman history and such).

***

Oh yeah, my favourite chapter?
Black Templars:
- Angry, manly crusading chapter which respects the ways of the grand old days (almost as numerable as a small legion, still follows the edicts of Nikaea)
- Codex Astartes? What Codex Astartes?
- Massive melee-hordes everywhere, I love it!
- Marshals - leaders of hundreds of battle-brothers, dozens of veterans, and usually more than one or two BATTLESHIPS. The codex-compliant captain WISHES he had so much honour and power!
- Both during and after the battle, they're humble as heck.
- They don't comprehend the term "rest". Their crusades end only when the whole galaxy belongs to the Emperor. The Imperial Fists - their very father-chapter - are STRUGGLING to keep up with their pace.

 hellpato wrote:

 Talon of Anathrax wrote:

 hellpato wrote:
Fire Hawks, because they all dead and came back as the Legion of the Damned.

Wait, really?
Because (like I just said earlier), I had always believed that the Fire Hawks still existed, right?
Because seeinf as FW said that they existed to kill some heretics in M37 (the talons of Anathrax), and I had always believed that the Legion of the Damned were waaaaay older.

Am I wrong, or is this just another case of GW screwing up?

Google and warhammer 40k wiki is your best friend

Yeah, you're right
I misread Red Talons for Fire Hawks somehow, it must be the lack of sleep in my cave.
Must... Turn... off... Internet...

 Lobukia wrote:

 Lobukia wrote:
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

...Like many of the other chapters are - at least influenced by?

Yeah, but these guys are the 13th (that'd be Caesar's personal veterans) and are a direct graft of late Republic Rome. Someone seriously did their history work when making the UM fluff. I won't go through it all, but these guys are pure Rome... which I like (MA in Roman history and such).

The 13th was the legion that accompanied Caesar across the Rubicon, and were one of his veteran legions at the time.

However, the 13th was not one of his original legions (VII, VIII, IX Hispana, X) or from his first levy (XI, XII), nor his personal preferred legion (X).

The 10th Legion would have been a much more fitting spot for the Ultramarines, given Caesar's preference to the 10th.

Their 'history work' could have been a bit more thorough, although it is nice to see a little thought about it.


Edit: forgot to put my opinion in!

The Salamanders are the most awesome chapter IMO.

That they protect the weak, live alongside people in Nocturne, and their overall focus on smithing, from flamers to hammers to customized weapons are the main reasons my opinion is so.

Is there a source listing all known "legit" (Pff) canon chapters ?
I never played marines for the record

Black Templars.

Followed by Imperial Fists.

White Consuls
-they live right on the doorstep of the eye of terror
-there loyal to the point of worshiping the emperor as a god
-poked Kairos Fateweaver's beady eyes out,bashed his heads together and hurled him back into the warp,just for the fun of it
-they're pretty nice guys by all accounts

 Argive wrote:
Is there a source listing all known "legit" (Pff) canon chapters ?
I never played marines for the record

Lexicanum.

 HeroeJuice wrote:
White Consuls
-they live right on the doorstep of the eye of terror
-there loyal to the point of worshiping the emperor as a god
-poked Kairos Fateweaver's beady eyes out,bashed his heads together and hurled him back into the warp,just for the fun of it
-they're pretty nice guys by all accounts

And turned back the Word Bearers largest post heresy incursion. What I expect from Sons of Guilliman.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Windchild wrote:

The 10th Legion would have been a much more fitting spot for the Ultramarines, given Caesar's preference to the 10th.

I get your point, but the 13th were the beginning of something new at the Rubicon and of the reformed legions they went everywhere and did everything. Much more fitting for the UM. Plus the 10th started as a mounted unit. Not a fitting UM legacy. Maybe Ferrus and Khan should have been switched.

Space wolves because:
-Logan Grimnar know insults that would make blush an ork, and throw them all to the inqusition.
-And Logan is one of the most charismatic and beloved heroes of the impire, where others feel like blue gods of war , Logan instead like to get drunk and eat beside all his battle brothers, and instead of giving medals or shining junk, he just give a clap on the back and puff, you are know a wolf guard, just a great and wise leader.
-They really fight for the little guy, alongside with the salamanders and the raven guard (also two of the best chapters) they stand their ground for the people, where others chapters choose to secured militar objetives only (cought ultrmarines cought) and leave the defence of the people to the dying planetary defence army, the wolves, ravens and dragons stand their ground where they belong, right besides the poeple they swore protect.
-Because where other chapter give their renagades (read here, marines who think outside the box) to martial judgent to recieve punishment (cought the ultramarines againts Uriel Ventris cought) or give their own people to the inquisition becuase they show a new ability against chaos (cought ultramarines againts captain Titus cought) the space wolves give the chance to remedy their mistake (Ragnar sent to Terra as a Wolfblade, to learn about politics and the institutions, making new allies) or promote them when they decide to disobey an order in favor to save more civilians...
-Almost forget it, they give the finger to the inquisition and the space nuns

 Lobukia wrote:

Windchild wrote:

The 10th Legion would have been a much more fitting spot for the Ultramarines, given Caesar's preference to the 10th.

I get your point, but the 13th were the beginning of something new at the Rubicon and of the reformed legions they went everywhere and did everything. Much more fitting for the UM. Plus the 10th started as a mounted unit. Not a fitting UM legacy. Maybe Ferrus and Khan should have been switched.

The 10th earned the nickname Equestris following a ruse where Caesar had them mounted as his bodyguard during a parlay.

They were not originally a mounted unit, just mounted due to the aforementioned ruse.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Salamanders. They crashed a ship into f--ing Commorragh and lived to talk about it.

To be fair. It wasn't the Salamanders who crashed the ship into Commoragh, it was Vect and friends. And it was Vect who left the webway portal conveniently open for the Psyker who was conveniently on said battlebarge to call for help.


Really Salamanders where just toyed into coming into commoragh before being allowed to leave.


I think the Minotaurs are the most awesome. Mysteriously have access to all the newest toys? All sorts of relics? Experts at killing marines? Asterion Mawloc who comes in like a wrecking balls yes please.

Angry Marines, because FETH YOU! Thats why!

Easy to decide: Let's look at the required checklist.
-Do they have a future-seeing Primarch with angelic wings?
-Do they have insane Marines that kick-ass and think they are their Primarch?
-Do they have Marines in golden armour with angelic wings?

So far only the Blood Angels can put a check-mark on all these three.

 Spinner wrote:
Carcharodons.

Awesome name, awesome background. They're exactly what you want in your roaming shock troops for a brutal, fascist empire. Point 'em at the enemy, and there's no more enemy.

Just...y'know. Make sure your regular troops stand back far enough to not get covered in heretic bits.

Agreed with and exalted!

 Psienesis wrote:
If you answered anything other than Angry Marines, then you're wrong.

Well Sir, If angry Marines is your thing then you gotta give it up to Death Company Blood Angels. Likely doesn't get anymore angry than thinking your a Primarch and that everything you fight is your beloved Brother and Best Friend Horus who has betrayed you!

In all seriousness my vote goes to Blood Angels , Imperial Fist and White Scars, because they were the only ones who could be bothered to defend the Emperor himself!!! and weren't off chasing some dog bone mission....... looking at you Space puppies.....looking at you!!


(**please note my space wolf crack is a running joke between me and a friend ** )

The guy putting down the ultramarines while raising up the sons of Dorn made me chuckle.

If Gulliman didn't save the Imperial Fists at the Iron Cage, there would be no Imperial Fists anymore. Dorn took his entire legion on a revenge run and nearly got obliterated.

The Imperial Fists held the Palace, true. But The Ultramarines held the Imperium.

 Lobukia wrote:
you mean which limits disasters like the Badab War and kept the marines viable units that when the 10% go bad, the other 90% can put them down and move on?
For every Cato Sicarius (exactly like the historical Cato Minor that he's based off of), there's a Marneus Calgar (also like his historical counterpart, Gaius Marius) who allows innovation, expansions and revision (he did create a new 1st Company that completely breaks traditional codex organization).

Of which I still feel puzzled; what IS their actual attitude towards the Codex, and why are there those by-the-book pricks whining to other Chapters for not reading the Codex like they want it to be read?

Someone has to police the police afterall, and who besides the Ultras has the power to do so, and a reputation for both compassion and administration?

Thus, this begs the question: who watches the watchers?

 Lobukia wrote:


Saved the Imperium.... reconquered the vast majority of lost territory, and notably didn't foster a strategy that put the enemy at the gates... way to go Dorn

Fine. Before this discussion turns into "our Primarch was better than your Primarch!" pissing contest, allow me to address: All Primarchs had their role to play before and after the HH. While Guilliman began the logistic and political reform, Dorn was too busy thinking of such stuff, and began a bitter payback crusade. As a vindictive personality myself, that's what I like in that demi-god. (You took my bait, though )

 Lobukia wrote:

Just saying, we had the 500 worlds before the big E gave us the largest legion... maybe because we deserved it?

It definetely became the largest during the same times the Forgotten and Purged Legions got removed from Imperial records. It makes me wonder...

 Lobukia wrote:

Far enough, but in 10,000 years nobody's done it better

*Pulls another YMMV card from the deck*

 Lobukia wrote:
Wait, what? The RS have a gland that doesn't function correctly, are forbidding anyone outside their favorite Inquisitor to even see their geneseed, and have only their own belief and claims to purity to back up any claim at a purer geneseed. At best they have a faulty geneseed that is 5% more stable than the Ultramarine's... which is still less faulty than their's and doesn't give people the spits and paranoia.

Really? Gotta check that myself.

 Lobukia wrote:
Yeah, but these guys are the 13th (that'd be Caesar's personal veterans) and are a direct graft of late Republic Rome. Someone seriously did their history work when making the UM fluff. I won't go through it all, but these guys are pure Rome... which I like (MA in Roman history and such).

*the More You Know jingle*

 Lobukia wrote:
I do like the BT (have a force of them myself)... and I also have a CF force... the IF successors are pretty sweet... Dorn, Alexis Polux, Kantor, Alessio Cortez, Lysander, Pugh, Vorn HAgen, Sigismund, the Phalanx, Hervald Strom, Zachariah Kersh, Feast of Blades... yeah

The good ol' men of Polux. *handshake*

 Filch wrote:
Angry Marines, because FETH YOU! Thats why!

Angry Marine = Lamenter on crystal meth...

The Fists of Dorn in general. Love the Crimson Fists and the Black Templar because of the Declates Crusade, and I love the Imperial Fists because... well... yellow.

Blood Ravens. I came to this conclusion after the greatest speech ever made in history:
Batul Brovas!
SPEHSS MEHREENS! Todeh Ve Enemeh Is At Oua Dor, We No Oua Juty An We Will Do Eet! We Fite For Oua Ona As Blod Rehvens, As SPEHSS MEHREENS An We Fite In Teh Nehme Of THE EMPRAH! An If We Die Vis Deh, We Die In Gloreh, We Die Heros Deffs, But We Shall Not Die. No! It Is Teh Enemeh Hoo Will Tehste Deff An Defeet! As You No, Most Ov Oua Batul Brothers Are Steshoned In SPEHSS, Pruphered To Deep Strike! Oua Purimeter Has Bin Pruphered In The Even Vat Oua Enemehs Shud Be So Bold And So Fewlish! We Hav Plehced Numerus Beakuns, Allowing For Multhiple, SIMULN-TANEOUS And Devastheting Defensiv Deep Strikes. Meenwial, Oua Ground Fosses Will Enshewa Teh Full Defens Of Oua Hedkwaters. WE ARE THE SPEHSS MEHREENS, WE ARE THE EMPRAH'S FUREH!!!

 Lobukia wrote:
I'm assuming this means besides the Ultramarines who...
Literally wrote the book on being marines
Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back
Along with loyal successors, control over 500 productive worlds, and individually have 5 planets; including a Forgeworld and an Inquisitorial fortress world
Host the most prestigious marine war college at the Fortress of Hera, which regularly trains the captains of almost 300 chapters
Blunted a major tyranid hive fleet... twice
Have the closest to perfect geneseed known to the marines
Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion
Host the most pleasant government in the Imperium to live under
Are allowed to maintain their own auxiliary fleets and guard regiments
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

Yeah, they wrote the book. *slow clapping*
After that they forgot how to think for themselves and started to follow it blindly.
"Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back" Eh..?
Guilliman basically declared himself an Emperor of his Imperium Secundus, and he would've kept it if Lion and Sanguinius wouldn't have came to him and asked to stop the bulls**t. Real noble, yeah.
How does the "we are perfect"-type of attitude make them awesome...? I'm confused, is this meant to be sarcastic?
As said, zero Primarch kills confirmed.

Saying that the Ultramarines are the most awesome chapter is the same as saying that the geeky kid in the class who gets straight A's is the coolest one of them.

 soomemafia wrote:

 Lobukia wrote:
I'm assuming this means besides the Ultramarines who...
Literally wrote the book on being marines
Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back
Along with loyal successors, control over 500 productive worlds, and individually have 5 planets; including a Forgeworld and an Inquisitorial fortress world
Host the most prestigious marine war college at the Fortress of Hera, which regularly trains the captains of almost 300 chapters
Blunted a major tyranid hive fleet... twice
Have the closest to perfect geneseed known to the marines
Killed more traitor Primarchs than any other legion
Host the most pleasant government in the Imperium to live under
Are allowed to maintain their own auxiliary fleets and guard regiments
Plus are cool blue Romans in space?

Yeah, they wrote the book. *slow clapping*
After that they forgot how to think for themselves and started to follow it blindly.
"Twice saved, ruled, the entire Imperium and then nobly gave it back" Eh..?
Guilliman basically declared himself an Emperor of his Imperium Secundus, and he would've kept it if Lion and Sanguinius wouldn't have came to him and asked to stop the bulls**t. Real noble, yeah.
How does the "we are perfect"-type of attitude make them awesome...? I'm confused, is this meant to be sarcastic?
As said, zero Primarch kills confirmed.

Saying that the Ultramarines are the most awesome chapter is the same as saying that the geeky kid in the class who gets straight A's is the coolest one of them.

Yep. Don't get me wrong, I think the Ultramarines are fine and some of their fluff is okay, but the Primarch REALLY feths it up for them. Second, if he had kept up with his 2nd Emperor crap, Lion would've punched him just like Russ Guilliman is that guy at the office who always narcs on people for breaking rules

Agreed.

I'd like to add that there's actually nothing that bad about Ultramarines, they did their job like everyone else.
I'm just tired of people putting them on spotlights and giving them awards for that. And their schoolboy-attitude doesn't help at all.

I like the Crimson Fists, they are pretty cool and where probably my favorite chapter, Untill I came across the Minotaurs.. They are friggin awesome! Crazed berzerkers who dident give a f about rules or orders from the other imperial forces causing them to become outcasts, they they vanished for a few hundred years, Before returning from nowhere fully armed and stocked up with the latest and best gear, Following orders slavishly and without hesitation, Seemingly under direct control of the High Lords of Terra!

And they pissed off the Ultramarines so bad that the Ultramarines and their successors refuse to work with the Minoaturs, They also forbade the Minotaurs from traveling through Ultramar space.. And they are specialized in hunting other space marines!

Merellin wrote:
I like the Crimson Fists, they are pretty cool and where probably my favorite chapter, Untill I came across the Minotaurs.. They are friggin awesome! Crazed berzerkers who dident give a f about rules or orders from the other imperial forces causing them to become outcasts, they they vanished for a few hundred years, Before returning from nowhere fully armed and stocked up with the latest and best gear, Following orders slavishly and without hesitation, Seemingly under direct control of the High Lords of Terra!

And they pissed off the Ultramarines so bad that the Ultramarines and their successors refuse to work with the Minoaturs, They also forbade the Minotaurs from traveling through Ultramar space.. And they are specialized in hunting other space marines!

Also, their Chapter Master looks like this:



Baller? Baller.

 jreilly89 wrote:
[
Guilliman is that guy at the office who always narcs on people for breaking rules

Worse. He is Dwight Schrute. Narcs on other people for breaking minor rules, and the second the boss is out of the picture, steps in and trys to take over.

Crimson Fists. Because Orkz.

Blood Angels. For the following reasons:
Death Company
Death Company Dreadnought
Furioso Dreadnought
LIBRARIAN Dreadnought
Dante
Have their own tactical squad and terminator squad
Epic fluff and cool successors
Formation with four elite slots
DEATH COMPANY
Melta Spam
Baal Predators

 MajorStoffer wrote:

Merellin wrote:
I like the Crimson Fists, they are pretty cool and where probably my favorite chapter, Untill I came across the Minotaurs.. They are friggin awesome! Crazed berzerkers who dident give a f about rules or orders from the other imperial forces causing them to become outcasts, they they vanished for a few hundred years, Before returning from nowhere fully armed and stocked up with the latest and best gear, Following orders slavishly and without hesitation, Seemingly under direct control of the High Lords of Terra!

And they pissed off the Ultramarines so bad that the Ultramarines and their successors refuse to work with the Minoaturs, They also forbade the Minotaurs from traveling through Ultramar space.. And they are specialized in hunting other space marines!

Also, their Chapter Master looks like this:



Baller? Baller.

The Minotaurs are quite awesome i agree.

I love The Minotaurs.

They have an awesome color scheme. And some of the most interesting tactics.

Black Templars of course.
Because really, who else has AC/DC singing a song about them?

Hmmmm... This is tough for me. I sort of have a three way tie between Exorcists, Raptors, and the Space Sharks.

Exorcists: To become a full fledged marine, they have to have a daemon exorcised out of them. They were created to battle the forces of chaos especially daemons but also fight xenos threats and the occasional rogue chapter. They don't kill you for being saved by them. And Captain Silas Alberec is a beast.

Raptors: Embrace adaptable and guerilla tactics. Use camouflage paint schemes. Seem to prefer shooting and engaging targets from a distance rather than get into melee. Generally pretty nice guys.

Space Sharks: Cold, brutal, and put the shock in shock troops. Willing to go to arguably excessive lengths to get the job done. And getting a war to pause when making their presence known because both sides are hoping that they're not about to have to fight the Space Sharks? Badass.

But if we throw in non-canon chapters... Sorry Angry Marines, the Ostrogoths have that special place in my heart.

Arguing from a wholly personal standpoint with no disrespect to most of the other awesome legions I have to put in my vote for the Iron Hands.

heres why
(The following is purely a light hearted observation)

Their primarch died and they still get stuff done... Witbout going all "blood Angels-y" and starting to hallucinate that they are fighting their primarch'a last battle. Sure they started turning themselves into a chapter of Darth Vaders, but that just gives them more longevity as a chapter. Why recruit when you can rebuild?

seriously though, the Blood Angels are an awesome chapter, I've just always wondered why they got all sorts of awesome "my primarch died so I'll kick twice the butt in half the time" rules, while the Iron Hands just carry on, business as usual? (I know they did that thing where they don't have a chapter master, but that just means that in game terms blood Angels get death companies and iron hands get... No named characters?)

JMS wrote:
Arguing from a wholly personal standpoint with no disrespect to most of the other awesome legions I have to put in my vote for the Iron Hands.

heres why
(The following is purely a light hearted observation)

Their primarch died and they still get stuff done... Witbout going all "blood Angels-y" and starting to hallucinate that they are fighting their primarch'a last battle. Sure they started turning themselves into a chapter of Darth Vaders, but that just gives them more longevity as a chapter. Why recruit when you can rebuild?

seriously though, the Blood Angels are an awesome chapter, I've just always wondered why they got all sorts of awesome "my primarch died so I'll kick twice the butt in half the time" rules, while the Iron Hands just carry on, business as usual? (I know they did that thing where they don't have a chapter master, but that just means that in game terms blood Angels get death companies and iron hands get... No named characters?)

To be fair to Blood Angels, their Primarch was a very powerful psyker. To my knowledge, Ferrus Manus wasn't. Or if he was, his psyker powers manifested a different way to the other Primarchs as all of them were in some way or another.