Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Wait one second...

Each Space Marine chapter is divided into ten companies of a hundred men. I know the 10th company (scouts) has a theoretically unlimited number of soldiers, but is there a company dedicated solely to driving the others into battle? I'm saying this because if each company is divided into ten ten man tactical squads, they still need someone to drive the vehicles.

Also, Space Marines are essentially the cream of the crop Spec Ops troops, but is there any book where they actually fill that role? Most of the ones I've seen simply have them being tossed into a giant meat grinder until they die gloriously.

It's people like Frep and Kren.

http://tsoalr.com/?p=293

When it isn't the Machine Spirit driving by itself.

The official fluff is completely inconsistent in this regard. Take your pick: some sort of low-ranking techmarine (the "Turn Signals solution"), members of the Reserve Companies, or Chapter Serfs.

SM who don't drink so much, the "designated drivers" of the chapter

Kren and Frep drink about as much as they can lay their hands on.

I am sure they can find someone to drive the frigging LAND RAIDER.

P4NC4K3 wrote:SM who don't drink so much, the "designated drivers" of the chapter, on a bit of an OT note if your avatar is a pic of you, you look so much like my friend it's unbelievable

No, that's not me, and you're the second person to ask. I think I'm going to actually make it my picture to eliminate the confusion.

Okay, so all the marines vehicles are piloted by Orks. Since Orks are single minded in their defense of humanity.

In Soviet Imperium, Land Raider drives you!

I think the break down in the whole company thing is just a "guideline" that they can go by. You often see Terminators running around with 2nd and 3rd Company members. They cross over a lot.

When a place is garrisoned by SM, I dont think they are considered part of any major company. They are just off doing a garrison. So, I think when they explain that each Legion has 1000 Marines. They really mean 1000ish.....

Not to mention as a SM Legion, you do not have to follow the Codex. I dont believe the Space Wolves follow it really.....

Never, ever, ever try to look at the background or rules of 40K in any kind of a realistic way. It falls apart instantly.

Just accept and embrace the insanity!

The space marine veichle pilots don't count towards the 1000 marine rule. Only the companies themsevles count.

The machine spirit drives itself. The crew really just is there in case they need to reboot the windows Vista based OS.

Well if nay one cared to look at cronuses bio in the space marine codex it says that their are space marine tank commanders. I assume these are regular space marines that are used soley for the purpose of using the tanks.

Just thought id point that out.

yea that WOULD make sence since they made that UM tank commander whatshisface. I was gunna say they are piloted a rope tied to the joystick with a rock on the pedal

Drive ? All the ones i've seen are moved by giant hands from the sky....

I may be wrong but I read somewhere that one of the reserve companys (the devestator one) serve as drivers.

Yes, I can just see it now...

Captain: Congratulations brothers, you have trained for many years and today you four will be honoured by receiving holy heavy weapons with which to smite our foes.
Marine 1: Thank you Captain. Praise be to Dorn and to the Emperor.
Marine 2: Praise to them both!
Marines 3 & 4: Aye!
Captain: As members of the glorious 9th Company you shall be the thunder. You shall be the rain. You shall embody the fury of the Chapter, and the will of the Emperor.
Marine 2: We are ready to do our duty Captain.
Marine 3: Set us lose, and with our santified weapons we will cleanse this galaxy of the heretic, xenos and mutant!
Marines 1 & 4: Aye!
Captain: All in good time, my brothers. All in good time.
Marine 1: But Captain... why not now?
Captain: Oh, well, you see, one of the Battle Companies, y'know, the 'real' Companies. They're uhh... they're doing a 'Rhino Rush' - page 644838, section 11, paragraph 18-8859 of the Codex Astartes if ou want to look it up.
Marine 3: And?
Captain: Well we need someone to drive the Rhinos.
Marine 2: But...
Captain: Yes, you four. You'll need to leave your heavy weapons behind of course, but yes, you still remember how to drive a Rhino, yes?
Marine 4: Aye!


There are more than 1000 Marines in a Chapter. Far more than that. It wouldn't work otherwise.

BYE

Durandal wrote:The machine spirit drives itself. The crew really just is there for when they need to reboot the windows Vista based OS.

Fixed your typo.

Kilkrazy wrote:

Durandal wrote:The machine spirit drives itself. The crew really just is there for when they need to reboot the windows Vista based OS.

Fixed your typo.

When someone insults your OS you gotta insult their English (general funny statement).

Typeline wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:

Durandal wrote:The machine spirit drives itself. The crew really just is there for when they need to reboot the windows Vista based OS.

Fixed your typo.

When someone insults your OS you gotta insult their English (general funny statement).

The vista-based OS land raiders are those with BS 2

I cant find this land raider poster where the positions inside were explained,but i think chapter approved had crews for transport
vehicles and i remember land raider had a crew of 2 marines.
Rhino = 1 crew, razorback = 2 crew.

They draw straws the one who gets the shortest has to drive.

lol

but in the codices it normally says the crew of the vehicle right? or is it just the older ones? i remember it does in the witchhunters one. It simply said the exorcist was driven by sisters of battle, it seems a little vague to me...

Mekniakal wrote:Also, Space Marines are essentially the cream of the crop Spec Ops troops, but is there any book where they actually fill that role? Most of the ones I've seen simply have them being tossed into a giant meat grinder until they die gloriously.

Actually, Space Marines are the cream of the crop SHOCK TROOPS. Scouts would be the only marines that would possibly fit the bill (but with crap BS and WS, IDK about that even). Certain IG units would fit the spec-ops bill a lot better (snipers, certain doctrines). Hope that helps with that a bit. As for drivers, Once the marines leave the vehicle, its probobly opertated by the machine spirit, a techpriest, a serf, or even a designated driver And certain marine chapters utilise slaves, so maybe some are trained to drive. Regardless, unless GW specifies, no one really knows.

-MANRIC

Their is a company known as the armoured company, even in the smurfs(the biggest codex followers). Read the Cronus entry. He's in charge of at least 50 marines.

Zzzzzz wrote:Drive ? All the ones i've seen are moved by giant hands from the sky....

qft - this is the answer we're looking for... all vehicles are driven by the Guiding Hand of the Emperor!
makes me think I need to wear a gold glove when I play now... lol

Dreadwinter wrote:
Not to mention as a SM Legion, you do not have to follow the Codex. I dont believe the Space Wolves follow it really.....

just look at the Scythes of the Emperor, they have two companies... "The Scout Company", and "The Battle Company" - I play them..pretty fun fluff... don't have to get all detailed on shoulder trim color..hehe..that and the models are all beat to heck care of my modelling knife

Finally found the Land Raider poster.

Taken from this poster:

Plastic land raiders lack 2 things: the command chair (under the forward hatch) and the secondary lift (under the rear hatch).

The driver/gunner of the tank has control of all functions in his chair (cptn kirk?) and the second marine is the commander who
expends his time with orders and has to crew the secondary weapons (stormbolter/H-K miss.).

Land Raider Crew = commander + driver/gunner.

Dreadwinter wrote:When a place is garrisoned by SM, I dont think they are considered part of any major company. They are just off doing a garrison. So, I think when they explain that each Legion has 1000 Marines. They really mean 1000ish.....

Space Marines on garrison duty? Have you gone mad?

There's fluff where Space Marines are left to guard objectives for long periods of time.

See: the company of Dark Angels on Piscina V. Angels of Darkness

Squats drive the new land raiders, thats why they can fit more marines in them now!