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So, I've got a somewhat hypothetical question. I'm not really sure if it should go here or in the background section. What would happen if marines from one chapter, let's say the Blood Angels while clearing a space hulk came across a cache of equipment from another chapter, in this case let's say Dark Angels' Ravenwing vehicles. Would the Blood Angels keep that gear and repaint it/modify it, or would they return it to the chapter it belongs to? I know Chaos troops would certainly keep it, especially Iron Warriors. I ask because I'm finding myself really liking the new Nephilim fighter and I am kind of wanting to give it to my Relictors.

Two words; Blood Magpies.

Them damn blood ravens will take anything not bolted down. Not sure they'd waste time repainting it though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCRki6rs6U4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4om7AuID6BY

And if you read some of the wargear you get in DoW2 alot of it is from other chapters.

I think if they found a hangar bay with a couple of Nephilim fighters in it, they would very likely appropriate them for the purpose at hand and later repaint them in their Chapter colors. Especially depending on the whims of whoever might be in command.

If it were a case of a Chapter finding relics of another Chapter they are closely tied to (especially one they are successors of) , or even a Chapter that values honor highly, I think they would return them to their owners.

It really depends on the nature Chapter in question, and their relations with the Chapter who's gear they found.

 Fafnir wrote:
It really depends on the nature Chapter in question, and their relations with the Chapter who's gear they found.

This, to a certain extent.


On the other hand, it's a pretty big galaxy, and returning somebody's lost Land Speeder seems like a lot of effort, lol. Apologize to its Machine Spirit, then repaint the bitch.

I gotta agree as well. I would say that most Chapters would do the honorable thing and return it. There are also some Chapters that, while usually honorable, also have grudges with other Chapters. It's possible they wouldn't return gear to them. It's also possible, and I believe this has happened between the Space Wolves & Dark Angels once, where a Chapter that doesn't get along with another decides to return it as a sort of olive branch. But there are also some Chapters that barely operate within the bounds of the Imperium who won't give a who it belongs to, like the Carcharadons.

And yeah, you also got to consider how important the piece is that they found. A jet fighter is probably not worth ferrying across the Warp to return, especially since the Dark Angels aren't exactly warm towards most of their brothers. Maybe if another Chapter found the Sword of Silence or something, then yeah they would probably go out of their way to return it. Good luck to any Chapter that keeps a sacred relic of the Dark Angels and tries to keep it a secret.

Everybody stole our Land Raider Crusaders......

Nivek5150 wrote:


And yeah, you also got to consider how important the piece is that they found. A jet fighter is probably not worth ferrying across the Warp to return, especially since the Dark Angels aren't exactly warm towards most of their brothers. Maybe if another Chapter found the Sword of Silence or something, then yeah they would probably go out of their way to return it. Good luck to any Chapter that keeps a sacred relic of the Dark Angels and tries to keep it a secret.

There are a few chapters you don't mess with like the space wolves. If you steel their axe, they will find you destroy your homeworld kill your the rest of your chapter, and then beat you to an ever living pulp


Like Storm Ravens, Storm Talons, and Nephilim Fighters they are not relics they are just fighters nothing too special about them apart from they can fly.

I would think it would differ from chapter to chapter.

Ultramarine and the Blood angel would probably go out of there way to return the lost items: captain Ventris of the ultramarine return half a dozen ( or was it a dozen) power armor to the sons of guilliman.

But if you look at the Blood raven and the lamantersm they would keep it and use it them self.

Don't they find a pile of stuff in one of the salamander books? But yeah, they'd probably return armour and relics, but basic things they'd probably just keep it.

There's a bit of a legal dilemma in being permitted to use it with the list, but hypothetically you could take an HQ and a Tactical Squad from the Dark Angels book and paint them just differently enough from the rest of your force to be differentiable and call them an Allied Detachment.

Some Chapters would share some wouldn't. I would think if you want to use the Nephilm in your force and you run Vanilla Marines than give it the Stormtalon stat line and i'd think that would be fine on the tabletop. Now in the fluff, that changes all kinds of things. Imperial Fists would likely return it as an honorable chapter. Now if they found a stash of bolter ammo and food stuffs they might salvage it and send a letter of thanks to the chapter who owned it along with proper blessings. Now if Space Wolves found a supply of Dark Angel gear they would likely piss on it and go on their way and vice verse.

 dalsiandon wrote:
SNow if Space Wolves found a supply of Dark Angel gear they would likely piss on it and go on their way and vice verse.

They're rivals, not sworn enemies. They might not bother returning the gear at their own expense though... But what better little nuisance than to notify your rival he can pick it up at your HQ? You've been all nice to them, they have to thank you in a polite manner, you're laughing at them behind their backs and they know it.

In general I'd imagine the more honor-obsessed Chapters would make a decent effort to return lost SM gear to the owner, but it could take some time. A BT crusade isn't going to halt their advance in order to ship a relic halfway across the galaxy but the next time they send a ship off on an errand in the right direction the relic goes too. And IIRC many Chapters have ancient pacts with the Navigator Houses of Terra - marines not quite up to frontline service anymore can do something for their Chapter by acting as Honor Guards for a Navigator House leader. So when it's time to change the guard one might send along something that belongs to another Chapter that has a few marines there for the same reason.

Spetulhu wrote:


In general I'd imagine the more honor-obsessed Chapters would make a decent effort to return lost SM gear to the owner, but it could take some time. A BT crusade isn't going to halt their advance in order to ship a relic halfway across the galaxy but the next time they send a ship off on an errand in the right direction the relic goes too. And IIRC many Chapters have ancient pacts with the Navigator Houses of Terra - marines not quite up to frontline service anymore can do something for their Chapter by acting as Honor Guards for a Navigator House leader. So when it's time to change the guard one might send along something that belongs to another Chapter that has a few marines there for the same reason.

What's more, something like this could help build up the history and reputation of such artifacts.