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.

1. Who can an Inquisitor recruit into his retinue? I know he can recruit guardsmen and other bodyguards, but can he recruit Grey Knights? or Commissars? or Deathwatch? etc.
2. Can he requisition vehicles? From cars to spacecraft.

1) Yeah but most Marines would be a temporary thing...
2) Yes. Easily.

purplefood wrote:1) Yeah but most Marines would be a temporary thing...
2) Yes. Easily.

But can he get a CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT!
?

Leonus Cohol wrote:

purplefood wrote:1) Yeah but most Marines would be a temporary thing...
2) Yes. Easily.

But can he get a CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT!
?

He can hope...
No one can force a CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT to do what they want.
What you have to do is:
Write your request upon parchment made of the skin of the Veejee bird and written in the blood of the Aramango otter.
Attach it to a sun rock and fire it from a catapult made of Angry mahogany.
Then you have to wait and hope...

An Inquisitor technically has unlimited authority. However, this is going to be limited by his/her ability to actually bring force to bear and/or the requisitioned forces' fear of said Inquisitor. Read the Eisenhorn trilogy for some good examples of this.

To address your question a little better, an Inquisitor can command anyone they want to be in their retinue. If that individual declines, the Inquisitor is certainly within his/her rights to shoot them, or order someone else to shoot them, or detain and charge them with treason, etc., or else go on their way.

An Inquisitor's authority is really only limited by their ability to command fear and obedience in Imperial subjects and organizations. They might be able to requisition an entire army of Imperial Guard, but be unable to persuade a single Space Marine to join their retinue. That Imperial Guard general's head would roll if he declined, but the Space Marine could say he had to shampoo his hair, and his chapter would most certainly back him up. Marines are one organization in particular that Inquisitors largely do not mess with.

purplefood wrote:1) Yeah but most Marines would be a temporary thing...
2) Yes. Easily.

I agree with all what purplefood said + some Marines can even reject his offer.

Brother Coa wrote:

purplefood wrote:1) Yeah but most Marines would be a temporary thing...
2) Yes. Easily.

I agree with all what purplefood said + some Marines can even reject his offer.

purplefood wrote:1) Yeah but most Marines would be a temporary thing...
2) Yes. Easily.

I was assuming that the Marine was willing. I doubt an Inquisitor would just say to a Astartes: "HEY COME WITH ME NOW!"

the Inquisition does not have direct authority over the Adeptus Astartes (except, perhaps, over the Grey Knights, which are permanently appended to the Ordo Malleus). However, they do have a LOT of leverage, and a chapter that refuses to aid an Inquisitor might go the way of the Celestial Lions, or of the Astral Claws. The entire Badab conflict was fought because of a dispute regarding the extent of Inquisitorial authority over Space Marines.

From what I have gathered, an inquisitor can do almost whatever he wants, and command anyone he wishes, with the exceptions of the Space Marines and the Ad mech...

An Inquisitor, on paper, has direct authority over every single Imperial Citizen, from High Lord to meanest feral world serf. This includes Space Marines.

In the reality of the situation, there's lots of politics and technicalities involved.

Remember, also, that an Inquisitor's retinue is his personal guard. These people are men and women who have formed bonds of trust and fealty and reliance with an Inquisitor over time, trials and tribulations. They're not people that an Inquisitor just pointed a finger at and said "You! Come with me!". A Space Marine might be a part of this retinue, especially one of the GK or DW Chapters, but this will be very, very rare, and really only to a very, very exceptional Inquisitor. Outside of this, an Inquisitor will most likely not take a Space Marine from another Chapter, as he recognizes that the Marine has a previous bond and oath to his Chapter, which inclusion in the retinue would violate. As they say, a man cannot serve two masters.

It all depends on where you look for fluff - 40k has little consistency between its sources when it comes to a detail like this one. The background sections of the TT rulebooks make an Inquisitor's authority appear pretty absolute and extending to everyone, including Marines and AdMech.

At least on paper, as Psienesis said. Due to the aforementioned politics and technicalties, a "no" in response to an inquisitorial command may not be out of the question. That said, there are also some studio sources which claim that a Chapter can be held responsible for such a response - in the violent and flamey way.

Different sources, on the other hand, frequently underline a supposed independence of both the Astartes as well as the AdMech from the Imperium, including the Inquisition, which is why this thread will have many different opinions. And none will be "wrong".

It's all a matter of interpretations and preferences, most likely based upon which books the individual likes more or has read first.

That's one way of putting it. Another is: the devil is in the details. On paper The Inquistion has unlimited authority but how that actually gets carried upon closer examination can be complicated.

I'm pretty sure inquisitors can't "legally" command a chapter around, this is of course ignoring the fact that a space marine would shove his bolter up the inquisitors bum if he even tried...

I'm pretty sure inquisitors can't "legally" command a chapter around, this is of course ignoring the fact that a space marine would shove his bolter up the inquisitors bum if he even tried...

You would be pretty much wrong, and a Space Marine killing an Inquisitor who is within his right to demand aid has shown himself a traitor. The Inquisition, after all, legally acts with the voice and authority of the God-Emperor Himself.

However, this comes back on the technicalities and politics thing again. No Inquisitor worth his rosette is going to just barge onto a Space Marine home world and start making demands. He, or she, is going to pen a nice, formal letter to the Chapter Master that details the problem, the forces the Inquisition is up against, and why the might of the Emperor's Finest is required. If it has gotten to this point, then the enemies the Inquisitor is up against are the sorts of enemies that need Space Marines to deal with. Maybe the IG are simply too weak of will or force of arm. Maybe the enemy is the IG itself, as all the IG regiments in the area have gone rogue. Maybe the enemy is Traitor Legions, or cults known to possess Daemon Hosts, but there are no GK in the sub-sector to call upon, and time is of the essence.

Who knows? It doesn't matter. What does matter is that, if an Inquisitor is making the call to the Astartes, there are protocols to follow, and if that Inquisitor, heck, let's say it's a Lord Inquisitor, is following proper protocols... the Space Marines have very little room with which to legally refuse the request.

bombboy1252 wrote:I'm pretty sure inquisitors can't "legally" command a chapter around, this is of course ignoring the fact that a space marine would shove his bolter up the inquisitors bum if he even tried...

They can.

And the chapter cannot legally say "no" outright. They can stall or indirectly refuse in a vast number of ways.

And the inquisitor can say, "Hey, guess what, you're doing this right now, or else."

And the chapter can decide their independence is being trampled on, and more likely than not convince a couple other chapters of the same, and before you know it, you're looking at the Badab War Part Deux.

Moral of the story? Smart inquisitors don't issue commands to the Adeptus Astartes without knowing that the chapter's willing to help in the first place.

Seaward wrote:

bombboy1252 wrote:I'm pretty sure inquisitors can't "legally" command a chapter around, this is of course ignoring the fact that a space marine would shove his bolter up the inquisitors bum if he even tried...

They can.

And the chapter cannot legally say "no" outright. They can stall or indirectly refuse in a vast number of ways.

And the inquisitor can say, "Hey, guess what, you're doing this right now, or else."

And the chapter can decide their independence is being trampled on, and more likely than not convince a couple other chapters of the same, and before you know it, you're looking at the Badab War Part Deux.

Moral of the story? Smart inquisitors don't issue commands to the Adeptus Astartes without knowing that the chapter's willing to help in the first place.

Or you could bribe a Space Wolf to punch them in the face and get off scot free.

Why would the Space Marines refuse such a request though?
People here seem to be assuming the Space Marines would be grossly offended at a polite request to borrow a single Marine for a while.
I would picture it as the Commander gathering the men around and asking for any volenteers who want to help the inquisition.

Joey wrote:Why would the Space Marines refuse such a request though?
People here seem to be assuming the Space Marines would be grossly offended at a polite request to borrow a single Marine for a while.
I would picture it as the Commander gathering the men around and asking for any volenteers who want to help the inquisition.

Well, that depends on a lot of things:
1) Does the Chapter trust the Inquisitor in question?
2) Does the Chapter have anything to hide, such as a flaw in gene-seed or a Terrible Dark Secret?
3) Was the Inquisitor polite?
4) Does the Chapter think the Inquisitor's mission is worth their time?
5) Does the Chapter have something better to do with that marine?
6) Is the Marine willing to work with the Inquisitor?
7) What's in it for the Chapter?
8) What happens if the Marine dies? Who's going to retrieve that precious gear/gene-seed? Marines take care of their own, but might not trust outsiders to be so cautious.

and there are tons of other reasons why a Marine Chapter might not want to work with the Inquisition.

Joey wrote:Why would the Space Marines refuse such a request though?
People here seem to be assuming the Space Marines would be grossly offended at a polite request to borrow a single Marine for a while.
I would picture it as the Commander gathering the men around and asking for any volenteers who want to help the inquisition.

Some chapters aren't fond of the Inquisition. Some chapters are. There's always the chance the inquisitor's going to object to some aspect of the way your chapter does things and declare you heretical - it's happened before, in at least two cases, with a chapter that worshiped the Emperor as a snake totem, and a chapter that had some grisly post-battle rites. Essentially, it's like going out drinking with cops; it'll probably be fine, but why risk it?

The real question is why an inquisitor would want a single Space Marine rolling around with him. They're superhuman killing machines, sure, but they've indoctrinated and trained to fight as part of their chapter, part of a cohesive group. And since inquisitors often try not to stand out - especially Ordo Hereticus ones - the whole cover story of being a shoe merchant from Gibraltus IX would be blown by the eight-foot monster in ceramite warplate following you around.

Here is a question, do they actually want SMs? I always pictured the inquisition using more expendable troops because there assignments are ether to far above the ability of even SMs (no one comes out alive) or because they need more agile and varied troops. (Are SMs good at tracing genestealer cults?)

Tell me what I got wrong.

That sort of situation greatly depends on the individual Inquisitor, though.

While some Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors are all cloak-and-dagger type people, some most certainly are not. They arrive in-system with fleets of Ecclesiarchal ships and Sisters of Battle and Frateris Militia and Guard regiments and Arbiter legions and put entire populations to the pyre for the merest hint of heresy.

Here is a question, do they actually want SMs? I always pictured the inquisition using more expendable troops because there assignments are ether to far above the ability of even SMs (no one comes out alive) or because they need more agile and varied troops. (Are SMs good at tracing genestealer cults?)

Tell me what I got wrong.

You're looking at only part of the Inquisition. Ordo Xenos, especially, will often find itself in open warfare with Orks, Genestealer cults, Enslaver hives, Yuuvath gatherings, mind-flayers and space-fish and whatever other horrors the galaxy can throw at the Imperium. This is no time for subtlety or stealth. Though the OX has the Deathwatch to call upon in such situations, there may be no elements of that Chapter nearby, or it may simply be that the threatened world in question falls under the domain of a given Chapter (like a world in, say, Segmentum Ultima).

Perhaps the investigation of a cult has revealed the hand, and presence, of the Night Lords, or the World Eaters, or the Alpha Legion. Any one of these Traitor Legions is going to all but demand the retribution of the Space Marines... and, in fact, the local Chapter (if any) may feel slighted if the Inquisitor *doesn't* call upon them to assist in the purgation.

In these sorts of situations, an Inquisitor would love to have SM around.

I doubt they would ever acquire or need a Marine for a retinue. They situation when they're required the Inquisitor would surely requesition a Company of Marines not a solitary one.

Power armour is a different matter though if your trying to justify using a Space Marine model for a retinue.

In Eisenhorn a bunch of Inquisitors had to invade a planet. Each one got their own personal Space Marine.

KamikazeCanuck wrote:In Eisenhorn a bunch of Inquisitors had to invade a planet. Each one got their own personal Space Marine.

Didn't they get a temporary Deathwatch attache?

Probably.

Yeah, that was an invasion of a xeno-held world, where not only were they fighting xenos, but Traitor Marines as well, iirc. Remember what I said about cult-activities suddenly becoming much, much bigger? It was basically that.

FerrusFair wrote:

Joey wrote:Why would the Space Marines refuse such a request though?
People here seem to be assuming the Space Marines would be grossly offended at a polite request to borrow a single Marine for a while.
I would picture it as the Commander gathering the men around and asking for any volenteers who want to help the inquisition.

Well, that depends on a lot of things:
1) Does the Chapter trust the Inquisitor in question?
2) Does the Chapter have anything to hide, such as a flaw in gene-seed or a Terrible Dark Secret?
3) Was the Inquisitor polite?
4) Does the Chapter think the Inquisitor's mission is worth their time?
5) Does the Chapter have something better to do with that marine?
6) Is the Marine willing to work with the Inquisitor?
7) What's in it for the Chapter?
8) What happens if the Marine dies? Who's going to retrieve that precious gear/gene-seed? Marines take care of their own, but might not trust outsiders to be so cautious.

and there are tons of other reasons why a Marine Chapter might not want to work with the Inquisition.

A few more for the list...
9) How many marines are available?
10) When can they expect the marine back (if he survives)?
11) What type of marine is the inquisitor asking for?
12) What type of inquisitor is it? (Black Templars may not listen to a request from an Ordo Xenos inquisitor)
13) Are there marines available?

Leonus Cohol wrote:1. Who can an Inquisitor recruit into his retinue? I know he can recruit guardsmen and other bodyguards, but can he recruit Grey Knights? or Commissars? or Deathwatch? etc.
2. Can he requisition vehicles? From cars to spacecraft.

Grey Knights hav the right to say no (as from their codex). Fluff would show that Inquisitors wouldn't usually request a chapter for a few marines unless they had strong ties, such as the Exorcists, or they could just use Deathwatch marines.

Most Inquisitors would not want a marine in their retinue due to the crossing of loyalties and the fact that they are massive, most Inquisitors work in the shadows so want loyal people that can blend in.

Under a situation that would require space marines (such as an invasion) it would be more than likely that Astartes forces would already be present and would accompany any Inquisitor as it would make tactical sense to do so.

This is 40k. The only rules and laws are the ones that can be enforced at gunpoint.

Anyone can do whatever they want, as long as they're willing to kill everyone who wants to stop them.

Yes, but the Inquisition can pull out some awfully large guns...