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The UM are also responsible for over half of the SM Chapters existing in M41. Seriously. 60% of the current Chapters in the Imperium are UM Successors. They are the granddaddy First Founding Legion that no other, single Legion-Turned-Chapter can hold a candle to.

They are the "default" Space Marine. They don't have the baggage that any other published Chapter has, if you want to approach them as someone who might be new to the game but is somehow well-versed in the lore. The UM hasn't pissed off every other organization in in the Imperial body-politic (like the Space Wolves), they aren't tied to a specific Imperial faction (like the Grey Knights), they aren't stuck chasing down their own traitorous members from 10,000 years ago (like the Dark Angels), they aren't Vampires in Space (like the Blood Angels). They aren't crippled by a freak battlefield accident (like the Crimson Fists), and they aren't stuck in the middle of the Imperium defending a planet that doesn't see a whole lot of action (like the Imperial Fists), and they aren't a one-trick pony of a Chapter (like the White Scars).

They are versatile in their adherence to the Codex Astartes. They have so many off-shoots that you can easily create a home-brew Chapter and use the UM army lists as a guideline. Borrow three of their eleventy million SCs/ICs, slap a new name on them, and, bam, done.

 Super Ready wrote:
Oh, yeah... looks like even I forgot one too.

Veteran Sergeant - completely agree on your points about the Ultramarines. It's your flagrant disregard for the need for a separate BA Codex that I take personal umbrage to. I am duty-bound to defend its ineffective, dated honour!

Haha, I actually don't care that the BA get their own book. I'm just using it as an example of the hypocrisy of whining about the Ultramarines getting a book when nobody whines that the Blangels, Dangels and Spwolves get a book. I mean, if those three Chapters "deserve" a book, why don't the Ultramarines?

Anyway, here's the proof in the Pudding for a "Big Four", right out of GW's own designer's mouth.

It's like telling coke they are not advertising diet or cherry coke enough. Can't one of them have the limelight? They're good beverages too.

Except that Diet Coke isn't very good, really. Diet Cherry Coke is, however.