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.

In all the genocidal threads we have had, I don't think we explored what it takes to commit genocide on the space marines. How hard would it be to destroy a chapter and leave it unable to recover? How would it be done and by who?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Fall_of_Vilamus#.TvE5n5gcOFI

Horus

Alpha Legion shattered the Emperor's Swords

Astral Knights were virtually wiped out taking out the Necron World Engine.

Hive Fleet Behemoth consumed the Death Shadows. Hive Fleet Leviathan took out the Mortificators homeworld and that probably saw them mostly destroyed. There's more examples of whole chapters being wiped out by the Tyranids as well but I can't remember the details.

To me it seems that most wiped chapters fall in a "last stand" situation, either there is no point of falling back just kill as many before the grim end or buying time for others to escape a threat. As mentioned before Nids wipe out many small chapters that never really stood a chance but fought the good fight.

Victories of the Space Marines: the short story "The Long Games at Carcharias:

The Alpha Legion fairly easily wipes out a chapter. It took a lot of planning to pull off, but it worked. I have been told this clashes with newer Alpha Legion fluff somewhere but have not been read that yet.

Harriticus wrote:Hive Fleet Behemoth consumed the Death Shadows. Hive Fleet Leviathan took out the Mortificators homeworld and that probably saw them mostly destroyed. There's more examples of whole chapters being wiped out by the Tyranids as well but I can't remember the details.

Kraken reduced the Lamenters to about 300 Marines, though they were still fighting when that was reported.

Invaders were almost completely annihilated by Alaitoc, but they were under-strength when they were hit.

Wiping out an entire chapter is difficult, because it'squite rare to find a whole chapter in one place, and when you do the chances are it's got considerable backup (because a threat sufficient to mobilize a whole chapter is pretty dire and the chances are a lot of other stuff is scrambling to meet it as well)

It seems to be mostly 'nids that pull it off. Other than the Astral Knights I don't think a chapter's ever been killed to the last man, but there are a fair few that will probably never recover.

Shadow Wolves were wiped out by the Nids as well. Their homeworld was in the path of the hive fleet, so they all rushed there to defend it (and were eaten).

Crimson Fists pretty much did it to themselves...

I recall from Andy Hoare's Ordo Hereticus Strike Force article that the standard approach for the drop-podding Sisters would be to "disable the entire organisation from the top down", targeting the Chapter's command structure in preparation for the rogue Marines' complete termination. Apparently, the Chapter Master's role is considered quite vital in that it would weaken his forces considerably were he to be removed, even though (I assume) there is a solid chain of succession that would have one of his Captains assume leadership. When attempting to put down a bunch of Space Marine, every little bit of demoralization helps, I guess. Apart from the considerable loss of experience and personal combat prowess, of course.

Well the imperial navy would destroy their fleet, easily. Both navy and marines ships are about equal. And the navy has more. Then virus bomb the planet. Or use that one that cracks open the planet. Chapter Dead.

Didnt the Space Wolves executed their entire second founding chapter?

Mattlov wrote:Crimson Fists pretty much did it to themselves...

They're also pretty good at taking out other ones as well.

Lynata wrote:I recall from Andy Hoare's Ordo Hereticus Strike Force article that the standard approach for the drop-podding Sisters would be to "disable the entire organisation from the top down", targeting the Chapter's command structure in preparation for the rogue Marines' complete termination. Apparently, the Chapter Master's role is considered quite vital in that it would weaken his forces considerably were he to be removed, even though (I assume) there is a solid chain of succession that would have one of his Captains assume leadership. When attempting to put down a bunch of Space Marine, every little bit of demoralization helps, I guess. Apart from the considerable loss of experience and personal combat prowess, of course.

I am Alpharius .. BANG ... I am Alpharius ... BANG ... I am Alpharius ... Bang ...

Other ways would be to piss off the Inquisition or to kill the Chapters Apothecaries.

The Celestial Lions are a great example of both situations

for anyone who hasent played retribution, azariah kyras almost did the blood ravens to become an exalted thirster
open a chaos storm on the homeworld.
call back chapter to fight it.
exterminatus
profit
left about 5 marines, but thats relic lore, not neccesarily cannon

Scythes of the emporer copped it didn't they? Nids again? Memory fails me

Wasn't one entire Chapter annihilated after the Necron tomb world on which they'd unwittingly built their fortress-monastery woke up? Can't remember the name but iirc it's mentioned in the SM 'dex.

My favorite chapter, and one virtually annihilated by the Inquisition, are the Celestial Lions. The general consensus are that this chapter is pretty much done, but I sure hope somewhere, somehow, they can come back and kick some deserving Inquisitorial butt.

As for how the chapter gets decimated it's all here: http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Celestial_Lions

Another option: when a Chapters numbers fall to low (lets say less then 50) they will disband and join the Deathwatch as permanent members(blackshields).

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Crimson_Consuls#.TvHsdjWmjIU

Very sad story...

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Flame_Falcons#.TvHuDLLheGU

Flame Falcons, they were loyal and could spontaneously combust in battle, yet remained unharmed by it. An Inquisitor quickly declared them Excommunicate Traitoris.

Don't forget the rumor that the Space Wolves eliminated the second and eleventh Legions.

As to the comment about the Lamentors chapter it was the Badab War that reduced them to about 300 battle brothers and then their penatant crusade ran straight into Hive fleet Kraken.
Nom nom nom Lamentors stay crunchy even in milk.... There is a Lamentors dreadnaught with the Blackwatch that believes he is the last of his chapter.

So basically the only way to kill off a chapter is either by the Tyranids or Inquisition. When your allies are one of the few things that can kill off a chapter, it would seem like never going near them ever at all would be a good thing to do.

Harriticus wrote: Alpha Legion shattered the Emperor's Swords

Astral Knights were virtually wiped out taking out the Necron World Engine.

Hive Fleet Behemoth consumed the Death Shadows. Hive Fleet Leviathan took out the Mortificators homeworld and that probably saw them mostly destroyed. There's more examples of whole chapters being wiped out by the Tyranids as well but I can't remember the details.

Doombreed destroyed two chapters in the second black crusade.

just throw mephiston in there and tell him that they all called him a pussy

JohnnoM wrote:Didnt the Space Wolves executed their entire second founding chapter?

No, the Wolfbrother chapter was disbanded by the Inquisition because of geneseed mutation.

Lol random, but does anyone ever picture Donald Trump saying "you're fired" before a commissar executes someone?

McNinja wrote:So basically the only way to kill off a chapter is either by the Tyranids or Inquisition. When your allies are one of the few things that can kill off a chapter, it would seem like never going near them ever at all would be a good thing to do.

Well, there are several imperial organisations which all have sufficient power to take on a chapter. We can start with the ecclesiarchy ( wars of faith ), the Imperial Navy ( high ranking admirals are extremely powerful individuals ), other chapters of course, the Inquisition and perhaps even particularly powerful Rogue Trader Dynasties.
The question is, why would anyone wish to openly attack a spacemarine chapter? Without a realy good justification such an action would only
invite severe censure ( in adition to a realy pissed of chapter of superpsychopaths ).

Lynata wrote:I recall from Andy Hoare's Ordo Hereticus Strike Force article that the standard approach for the drop-podding Sisters would be to "disable the entire organisation from the top down", targeting the Chapter's command structure in preparation for the rogue Marines' complete termination. Apparently, the Chapter Master's role is considered quite vital in that it would weaken his forces considerably were he to be removed, even though (I assume) there is a solid chain of succession that would have one of his Captains assume leadership. When attempting to put down a bunch of Space Marine, every little bit of demoralization helps, I guess. Apart from the considerable loss of experience and personal combat prowess, of course.

A strike at the Chapter's command structure would presumably include taking out any Librarians, Techmarines, Apothecaries and Chaplains that aren't on assignment. And if they hit the main fortress there goes the armory and the genetic-materials storage... no more new marines before a surviving Apothecary has a shiny new facility. It would be an even worse blow than just losing the Chapter Master - he's a leader and a symbol, but ultimately he can be replaced. The capacity to make new marines is worth more than any lone marine, even if that marine was Marneus Calgar or Commander Dante.

Which severely depleted Chapter was it that joined the Armageddon wars with the intention to rebuild later, only to resign to a heroic last stand as their lone surviving Apothecary was shot and killed on landfall?