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mrFickle wrote:
Many people have pointed out that the numbers don’t really add up if each chapter is 1k astartes but they are also active across countless battle zones across the whole galaxy. Although some people do make it work in their head.

I also know that many chapters have more than 1k marines but often they keep that a secret.

So would it be better if GW wrote (for example) that Guilliman decided to expand the Ultramarines to even beyond HH levels, making them the poster boys of the imperium, making them visible on many imperium worlds to bolster the faith and morale of its citizens, whilst leaving the smaller chapter last to specialist activities and war zones that require a very specific skill set.

I don't think it's completely unreasonable. The entire Imperium isn't at war. Otherwise the setting just breaks. There's likely hundreds of thousands of worlds just going by day-to-day, providing their tithes to the Imperium. Growing the food, mining the resources, manufacturing the goods and weapons of war, mustering the manpower, etc.

Say for example 10% of the Imperium is at war at any one time. That's 100,000 worlds across the galaxy. Say 10% of those only require a marine response. The rest is handled by the PDF, the Guard and Navy, etc. That's now only 10,000 planets. That's actually somewhat achievable, there's 10 companies per chapter and 1,000 chapters, for a total of 10,000 possible deployments.

Now obviously not every company could be combat ready 100% of the time. They have to rearm, have to wait for new marines to replace losses, heal the injured , etc. But even in the lore that makes sense, marines can't always go to where they're requested and that's thematic to the setting.

* * * * *

What I don't like is how much focus is given on the 1st founding chapters. GW make it seem they're everywhere at once, fighting all over the galaxy, sometimes even after they supposedly lose half a company or sometimes nearly their entire chapter. They should really use more of their other named chapters more often.

Even if war is a near constant, very few theatres will the scale of Armageddon, Cadia et al.

Indeed I argue this is the true problem for The Imperium. Vast as it’s resources are, they have to be spread thin. To leave any world or system undermanned or worse entirely undefended is to invite piratical raids.

Sure small scale incursions are typically repulsed, but it’s still a distraction, something they need to counter, but in doing so prevents their full might be deployed to crush more serious aggressors quickly.

Consider Charadon, which I think is the largest known Orky Empire. Yes it’s vast. Yes it’s dangerous. But. If The Imperium had the opportunity, it absolutely has the means to eradicate it. It would be quick. The butchers bill would be truly staggering - but it could be done, in ideal circumstances of build up and deployment.

But…they don’t have that sort of opportunity. Too many fires in too many places. Even the smallest ones can’t be ignored, lest they spread and get larger.

Suffice to say had it not been for the great rift opening, the Primaris Project’s unveiling and unleashing could’ve change the Galaxy’s balance of power forever. Imagine forces of that scale, power and competence, lead by Guilliman, plunging into The Maelstrom and cleansing it. Definitely has the numbers to wallop The Red Corsairs straight out of existence. Or to plunge into Charadon and wipe out the Orks therein. Take out one or both of those particular threats, and a significant amount of pressure is relieved.

From there, fully garrison The Cadian Gate.

Of course that never happened and now never will happen, short a Pri-Primaris project being revealed in similar scale. But given how screwed things were looking, it still allowed Guilliman to go on the offensive, which is remarkable in itself.