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 Nevelon wrote:
It’s an argument that gets tossed around from time to time. 1,000 literal, or 10 companies of 100 fighting marines (plus support, drivers, command, etc). Which if you do the math works out closer to 1,500.

I’m more of a believer in the “fighting force” of 1,000 marines and don’t count the drivers etc as part of that. Both sides have their adherents. Pick whichever one you think is cooler and run with that.

I'm in the camp that Guiliman put 1,000 as the "target" for a combat effective Chapter under most circumstances. The realities of combat being what they are, it would take far too long for a Chapter to go from 1,000 up to the 100,000+ numbers of the Legions. However, I don't see why a Chapter wouldn't have well over 1,000 Astartes alone. The 10th company should be able to field 100 scouts to augment the battle companies, plus have a number of trained replacements ready for the battle and reserve companies, plus it would have dozens of aspirants, plus trainers for all the aspirants. Thus, the size of the 10th is only limited by recruitment and available geneseed. As horrid as Imperial recordkeeping is, I don't see a fat little beancounter in the basement keeping up with every geneseed of 1,000+ chapters. The size of the 1st company is also unlimited, as veteranship is granted by the Chapter for heroic battlefield performance, rather than waiting for a slot to open up. Plus, a Chapter should have the capability to squash a renegade company on it's own with the overwhelming firepower of the 1st, without receiving crippling casualities.