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I have read a couple of SM boooks(ok, like 2) and i wonder. Do space marines get to choose their own battles?
Are they under the direct authority of the inquisition(i remember the celestial lions, while getting covertly destroyed, they refused the inq orders)
If they do choose their own engagements how do they find word about them?

They're nominally under the authority of the High Lords of Terra, who rule in the Emperor's name. In practice they pretty much do what they want. Because each Chapter Master is in command of a large and powerful military organization with its own set of traditions, loyalties, and resources, it's very difficult for the High Lords of Terra or anyone else to "order" them to do anything. However, they often receive "requests" which they may or may not respond to. Inquisitors or other imperial agents interfere with the Space Marines at their own peril. Although it's possible for them to rally other imperial military organizations, like the sisters of battle or the imperial guard, or other space marine chapters, in a direct confrontation with a space marine chapter, it's unusual and usually involves a massive body count. Put simply, no one wants to tangle with the space marines, and since they're generally a force for order in the Imperium, they tend to be left to their own devices.

They go where ever their chapter master thinks they are needed. Sometimes they recieve requests for help from other imperial organizations, sometimes they go on active crusades and invade enemy-held territory, etc. It's all up to the chapter master whether or not he wants to respond to requests for help, and what numbers in which to send it.

It's not like the modern military, in other words, where the president orders a general who orders a colonel and on down to the private. It's more like feudal Europe where the king gave certain trusted subordinates their own independent resources and trusted them to respond to his summons when he called. Except the king is dead so it's even more complicated. The imperium is a huge, sprawling, multi-headed beast. No one is really in charge.

The chapter master decides the majority of engagements the space marines undertake. AS GreatGunz said, they may receive requests, some of them more like demands, but in general, the chapter master or in some cases the captain decides which battles the space marines fight.

Space Marines in theory get to choose their own battles and do not necessarily have to answer any particular request for aid.

However if a Space Marine Chapter turned down every single request, it is possible suspicion of turning renegade or private empire building might fall on them.

Wise chaptermasters tend to respond to reasonable requests. They do so because it is their duty and because they know that antagonising the various powers within the Imperium by constantly ignoring them in the hour of need would sooner or later cause serious trouble for the chapter ( inquisitorial investigations, trade embargos by the Mechanicus and / or the administraturm and much worse things are all possible to discipline a wayward chapter ).

KingDeath wrote:Wise chaptermasters tend to respond to reasonable requests. They do so because it is their duty and because they know that antagonising the various powers within the Imperium by constantly ignoring them in the hour of need would sooner or later cause serious trouble for the chapter ( inquisitorial investigations, trade embargos by the Mechanicus and / or the administraturm and much worse things are all possible to discipline a wayward chapter ).

I would argue this is one of the easiest ways for a Chapter to go renegade rather than the cliche "warp artifact" suddenly turning the Chapter to Chaos and against everything they believed in. It would be easy for a Chapter, particularly one of those that view normal humans with contempt like the Iron Hands or the Marines Malevolent, to start justifying what amounts to self serving behavior, in a slippery slope effect.

Requests for aid might be turned down with the excuse of conserving strength for "more vital conflicts."

Increasing insularity might result in the rebuffing of normal Mechanicus geneseed audits or tithes, and like the Astral Claws, perhaps ultimately in opening fire on representatives of other Imperial institutions in the name of protecting Marine autonomy.

Like the Astral Claws, conquest and ruling of worlds might be justified with the excuse of making sure resources go towards those that can best defend the Imperium (i.e. the Marines), securing supplies of future recruits, and to maintain order (for the good of the populace).

In such a slippery slope fashion, a Chapter can end up being seen as renegade even though they may believe they are still serving the Emperor and Imperium. They may honestly deceive themselves into believing themselves still loyal when their actions end up being just private empire building.

Pretty much covered in the above- The chapters decide themselves, for the most part, though often get requests from other imperial forces to help out, and occasionally get told to do something, though this is very rare.

Practically, Marines go where they want and engage when they want.

Even the Inquisition doesn't have control over marine chapters beyond the threat of force(and individual chapters will be more powerful then individual inquisitors)


Only the High Lords have any authority over chapters, and they have better things to do then order Marines about.

Its only the largest and most serious conflicts that will see the possability of Marines getting told to do something, and in that case they are probably already there even before the High Lords get informed.

I rather think that they come under a nominal command chain, but retain the option of veto/ Chaptermaster / Captain can overrule.

Warmasters and Senior IG Generals seems to be able to Command by mutual respect, consent and a collegiate approach. Inquisitors also have a form of over Overarching Veto of unlimited power which they can exercise. Chapter Masters even defer to Inquisitors when using their Inquisitorial Powers, because to cross one is to invite disaster and possible being declared Renegades or Heretics and being dissolved. The Inquisition is more powerful than any Space Marine Chapter.

I see it all as checks and balances, no one arm is superior, the Inquisition keeps them all in balance as otherwise Space Marines would control humanity like they did during the Heresy.

The inquisition as a whole is more powerful then a Space Marine chapter, but they are far from a united group.

If an inquisitor tries to excommunicate a chapter because they refused to help him he better have a darn good reason to explain to his superiors.

If it was a relaitvly minor issue he needed help with and the marines had better things to do he might just get laughed away.


Inquisitors can't just do whatever they please, they have rules and regulations and common sense to follow. None of which make it easy to call a chapter traitors.

Inquisitors may not be united (that being one of their strengths). However their are Ordos which draw Inquisitors together. There is a rank structure and there are sanctions against wayward members, that is why they use secrecy, otherwise fellow Inquisitors or members of the Officio Assassinorium will pay a visit.

If an Astartes Chapter were to openly defy a Lord Inquisitor there would be dire ramifications. The Inquisition is not in the business of negotiating, nor does it believe in appeal or second chances.

Openly defying an Inquisitor is tantamount to defying the will of the Emperor himself. Even Logan Grimnar despite his hatred of the inquisitions methods after the 1st War of Armageddon, he has said he will never forgive them, but has avoided open confrontation because the Space Wolves are not in that strong a position in the eyes of the Inquisition, and certainly would not survive an open confrontation with the inquisition.