McNinja wrote:
I would actually think they like the Grey Knights, what with the whole killing the crap out of Chaos thing.

Black Templars Codex, Page 23 wrote:Abhor the Witch
Such is the sacred revulsion in which the Black Templars
hold Witches and Warlocks that they will never fight
alongside such abominations. No model with psychic
powers may be fielded as an ally to the Black Templars
and they will not fight as allies to any army that includes
any models with psychic powers, with the exception of
Grey Knights Space Marines.

 OlGreye wrote:
I thought the GK clause was sixth edition errata though. I was pretty sure classic fluff has them despising GK. but as we all know, fluff doesn't dictate rules, except where fluff dictates rules.

 d3m01iti0n wrote:
They are relatively cool with Guard, if they prove to have big enough balls to hang with em. Yarrick and the entire Steel Legion are BFFs with the Templars.

So, it has come to my attention that some of my brethren here do not know very much about the lesser chapters of the adeptus astartes. Therefor, I am writing this guide to inform you, veterans and neophytes alike, about the other genetically modified superhuman warriors of the Imperium. Please note that this guide is for informative purposes only, and the lesser chapters in no way be emulated (you will see why when you read on). While their methods may be inferior, it is important to know them, because all of us will encounter these lesser marines at some point and we have to know how to deal with them. To start:

Lesser Chapter Organization:
Most lesser chapters follow the tenets of the Codex Astartes (Templars with a high enough security clearance can find this book in the "restricted" section of our data-files). This means that they are organized very differently than we are. First of all, each chapter maintains only 1000 battle-brothers. Why they would keep to such a restriction, which only hurts themselves, is something that our chapter's leaders gave up debating thousands of years ago (Incidently, this is one reason why the book is in our restricted section. We don't want any initiates getting bad ideas). Each chapter has exactly ten companies, each of which consists of ten squads, each of which has ten marines in it. Such precision is more suited to the Guard than the Emperor's Finest, but I digress. Also, the individual marines have no say about where they are assigned, unlike in our chapter where we allow the initiates to chose which squad and fighting company they join. This is possibly because the lesser chapters cannot trust their marines to chose their own comrades, or more likely they just want to make sure all of their squads and companies have the exact number of marines that their codex dictates. (Note: When dealing with the lesser chapters, it is best not to mention this obsession with exact numbers, it can make them angry). Each squad is lead by a veteran marine called a "sergeant," who is responsible for directing the squad. The fact that they would need such a officer in every squad just proves how little they trust their own battle-brothers (Even they recognize their own inferiority). The most experienced marines in the chapter are part of the first company, which could be roughly equated to our Sword Brethren. Each Company is lead by a captain, a rank about equal to our rank of Castellan. They have a Reclusism and chaplains, but their teachings are not the same as ours, so it is best not to go to a chaplain of another chapter for spiritual guidance. There is one more important part of a lesser chapter that needs to be mentioned. Most of you have heard of it already, but for those who have not I will provide an explanation. Some of you may wish to skip this section because it is so distasteful. The abomination I speak of is called the "Librarium." It is a special department of the lesser chapter that trains, and utilizes, witches. You read that right. Witches. Filthy Disgusting HERETIC EVIL CHAOS WARP-SPAWNED SCUMBAGS! Ugh, the very idea of a witch serving in the army of the Emperor... KILLKILLKILL NO REMORSE NO PITY NO FEAR KILLKILLKILL... This is a difficult subject to discuss. As you have seen, it is basically impossible to not lose it while talking about the librarius department. Suffice to say, if you see one of these creatures in a lesser chapter, kill on sight. They lesser chapter will be better off for it (If they survive). Now, let us leave this distasteful subject behind and move on...

Lesser Chapter Recruitment and Training:
Some chapters, like us, take recruits from a large variety of worlds, but others confined their recruitment to one specific homeworld. Each chapter has it's own selection process, but they all usually involve some sort of test of physical might and mental fortitude. Once the recruits have entered the chapter, they are sent to the tenth company for training. The lesser chapters do not apprentice their neophytes to a initiate, but instead group nine of them together under the tutelage of a veteran sergeant. This is, quite frankly, one of the more stupid practices of the lesser chapters, as each neophyte gets about one ninth of the attention he would in our chapter, and therefor would take about nine times as long to learn all he needed to know. However, I can tell you for a fact that they no not spend nine times as long in training as our neophytes, which may be the reason for their marines general inferiority. The sergeant of the neophyte unit does not even wear power armor, meaning he can be easily killed and leave his charges without a leader in the midst of battle. The superiority of the Knight-Squire system is obvious here.

Lesser Chapter Tactics and Weaponry:
The vast majority of the lesser chapter's marines are employed in "tactical" squads, which use boltguns as their primary weapon. Only a small minority of the typical chapter uses close combat weapons, which may seem strange until you realize that the lesser chapters do not recognize that close combat is the most honorable and righteous way to dispatch the enemies of the Emperor. How exactly they got this idea is unknown, but it is best not to debate it with them. What close combat weapons they do have are used mainly by jump pack troopers and officers. Also of note are the so-called "Devastator" squads, which is just a glorified name for "cowards who use heavy weapons so they don't have to go near the actual fighting." The neophyte squads I mentioned earlier are called "scout" squads, which range ahead of the main force so they can be killed first and the other units will survive (similar to how we use our neophytes tactically, but we don't put them in a different unit). Also of note are bikes, land speeders, Dreadnoughts, predators, Land Raiders, vindicators, and Land Raider Crusaders they stole from us. They also have some cool gear we don't, such as the Land Raiders Redeemers, Thunderfire Cannons, and a neophyte speeder called the land speeder storm. Their 1st company veterans are formed into three main groups: Sternguard, who like another type of guard wield impressive firepower because they aren't good enough for close combat; Vanguard, who are one of the few groups in the chapter that actually have the right idea about close combat, and Terminator squads. Some of the lesser chapters posses more or less of each tactical asset. Generally, the lesser chapter will rely on shooting to defeat their enemies, with a few powerful close combat units dealing with major threats. While effective, these tactics have little room for faith zeal, and hate, which are an Astartes' greatest weapons. The lack of these weapons is the main reason we refer to them as "lesser" chapters

Notable Lesser Chapters:
Here I will discuss each of the major lesser chapters in the Imperium.

Blood Angels: One of the few chapters that takes close combat seriously. While admirable, this does not make up for their use of librarians, and their genetic flaw that causes them to periodically go insane become beserkers that kill everything in sight. They also have a bad record of successor chapters deviating or even going renegade.

Ultramarines: The boys in blue, they are what most of the Imperium thinks of when they think of marines. They are good for PR, but not much else. They also are the strictest followers of the codex astartes, which their primarch wrote. Overall, it's best to leave them alone to strut in front of the public.

Dark Angels: No one knows much about them, and they may have had something to do with the Opidum Gulf. If you ever encounter them, watch your back and have your sword ready.

Imperial Fists: The Sons of Dorn, one of the few chapters we get along with. These guys are our spiritual ancestors, but they do use librarians, so we have a rather neutral relationship with them.

Crimson Fists: You have to admire these guys for what they came through, they make good allies (if scarce ones). Still have a problem with using filthy witches though.

Salamanders: As Grimaldus found out, this is a chapter of panzees. They spend too much effort defending civilians that will likely die anyway (It's the Grimdark 41st millenium, idiots). Grimaldus sets a very good example for how we should treat them.

Grey Knights: They are witches, but they are incredibly pure and they do have the Emperor's Geneseed... It's a tough call. You'll have do decide if you like them or not on your own.