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How many Space Marines serve in Deathwatch?

Each chapter is required a certain portion to serve in deathwatch. Some serve entire lives, some just a mission and some varied time in between. The amount depends on the threat theyre chasing. When there is a full blown waagh or nid hive fleet they can bring in more.

So that means that they can more then 1000 Marines?
Probably more then even BT if the threat is that much big?

In their fluff it says they have full authority to pull in whatever they need so I'd assume that means over 1k. Plus theyre also allowed to use xeno weapons if they want.

Brother Coa wrote:How many Space Marines serve in Deathwatch?

Depends on whether you look at GW or FFG fluff.

In the former, recruitment is focused largely on Codex-adhering Chapters (the Eastern Fringe was given as an example of having DW Marines from the Ultramarines, Lamenters and Scythes of the Emperor), who operate under the auspices of the Ordo Xenos. They were pretty elite and comparatively rare, just like the other two Chambers Militant of the Malleus and Hereticus.

In the latter, it seems to go into tens of thousands of Marines recruited from just about any Chapter (undoubtedly to allow the players more freedom for their characters), operating across the galaxy and beyond, with their own bases and fleets, as a fully-fledged Chapter independent of the Inquisition (the one sector FFG's Deathwatch RPG takes place in alone has hundreds of Deathwatch Marines).

True, but that one sector of space has a Tyranid Hive Fleet, some Tau, some Kroot, some Orks, some Eldar Corsairs, and Throne-knows-what-else all lurking about inside it.

... and we haven't even mentioned the forces of the Arch-Enemy that are present in the Jericho Reach.

The most recent one is talking about tens of thousands of Marines?
And I do know this: most of them are Ultramrines ( because of Tyranids ) and that only one Lamanter is in Deathwatch now.

Certainly over a thousand, the Ordo Xenos faces far more enemies and many more of them than the Malleus. Orks especially. Though the Ordo Hereticus is stated to be the largest in the Inquisition.

I have a hypothetical question.

What would happen if the big Deathwatch Captain/Master/Commander decided to rebel against the Imperium? Could he just bring every Sphess Mehren ever to his cause before hand by saying "There's a pretty big Ork over there"?

EDIT: And I know this would never happen. Its purely a hypothetical question.

LoneLictor wrote:I have a hypothetical question.

What would happen if the big Deathwatch Captain/Master/Commander decided to rebel against the Imperium? Could he just bring every Sphess Mehren ever to his cause before hand by saying "There's a pretty big Ork over there"?

EDIT: And I know this would never happen. Its purely a hypothetical question.

Each marine is an individual.
Their captains, although brave and heroic, probably aren't quite that good enough to convince everyone to join them...

Marines loyalty lie to their Chapter and their Primarch of origin first and foremost so a Deathwatch Rebellion wouldn't go so hot for the instigator.

Lynata wrote:

Brother Coa wrote:How many Space Marines serve in Deathwatch?

Depends on whether you look at GW or FFG fluff.

In the former, recruitment is focused largely on Codex-adhering Chapters (the Eastern Fringe was given as an example of having DW Marines from the Ultramarines, Lamenters and Scythes of the Emperor), who operate under the auspices of the Ordo Xenos. They were pretty elite and comparatively rare, just like the other two Chambers Militant of the Malleus and Hereticus.

In the latter, it seems to go into tens of thousands of Marines recruited from just about any Chapter (undoubtedly to allow the players more freedom for their characters), operating across the galaxy and beyond, with their own bases and fleets, as a fully-fledged Chapter independent of the Inquisition (the one sector FFG's Deathwatch RPG takes place in alone has hundreds of Deathwatch Marines).

Most of this is true, but I think the most important thing to remember is that there's kind of two things going on with the Deathwatch.

You have those Astartes who "volunteer" for the Deathwatch(Shadow-Captain Korvidae, after the raid on Kastorel-Novem volunteered to do a 10 year stint in the Deathwatch as his repentance) and those who are "recruited".

Draigo wrote:Plus theyre also allowed to use xeno weapons if they want.

SM with gauss flayers would kick some serous xenos behind!

I'm not familiar with the RPG books, but I recall the Deathwatch had a shifting number of members at any given time.

But as they are often refered to as "Kill Teams" I think they would be called upon less often.

I always thought of them as specialists in Genestealer Cults and the like. Aswell as having the honor to confront any new race discovered by an Inquisitor or Rogue Trader.

If they had extremely high numbers then it would seem the different chapters keep in touch on a regular basis.

"Hey, brother Goltha, long time no see, how goes your chapter? Let me grab your luggage and show you to your bunk. You ever meet a Space Wolf? Man, those guys can party!"

You can see it now... all these different marines, waiting, while on warp transit, all the different shoulder pads standing in little circles staring the others down from across the deck.

Id say definatly over 1000 (although no chapter is ever 1000 strong, closer to 1500). As chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos they will be required to fight on many fronts, the grey knights supposedly have 3000 marines. Id say in the 3000-5000 mark.