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The fluff says Death Watch in most cases is led by an inquisitor yet GW seems to want to only promote Space Marine captains? The fluff says only in rare cases are they led by non-inquisitors.

Having an Space Marine force led by an non-Space Marine inquisitor would have been great and fluffy. Is the inquisitor in the codex with a formation or anything like that?

In the Inquisitor codex.

If they put in Inquisitors in every codex where they fluffiwise could appear there would be hell in updating them...Back to the time when smoke launchers worked differently depending on had you space marine or dark angel codex.

Are Inquisitors part of the Deathwatch? No? Then why would they be in the Deathwatch Codex?! The Inquisitors are in the Inquisition codex. They are Battle Brothers and adding one in is really easy.

I think that lore is wrong. I would say they advise more often than they lead far more. Since the Inquisitor just doesn't have the survivability of the Deathwatch marines I think he would only go if it is something only he could do or is super important. That's how I handled it in the rpg and it looks like that form the all DW army.

 Gamgee wrote:
I think that lore is wrong. I would say they advise more often than they lead far more. Since the Inquisitor just doesn't have the survivability of the Deathwatch marines I think he would only go if it is something only he could do or is super important. That's how I handled it in the rpg and it looks like that form the all DW army.

Inquisitors are hardly affraid of putting themselves to lead by example. They are more than capable and willing to be where fight is thickest.

Also they do fight often alongside deathwatch(what with deathwatch being military arm of ordo xenos).

But if you have Inquisitors in every codex where they could appear you end up with different versions of same unit all too easily as has been seen over and over in the history.

I never said they couldn't hold their own, but why go risking such a rare asset all wilyl nilly? They are capable of handling themselves but at the end of the day are just humans. They are harder to train and replace than any DW marine and their loss is more of a critical blow to Imperium due to their specialized skills and knowledge.

DW Marines will run hundreds if not more missions in a year. Why risk the Inquisitor on those unless its absolutely necessary? I know some like to take charge and they are being extremely foolish risking their lives just to set an example.

I stand by it that most won't lead missions unless they deem it important for some reason. Barring the unusual Inquisitor. They will likely brief all missions though or be a part of that.

he is watching from afar, directing the mission through a servo skull...
at least, that is how it was handled in the Deathwatch novel...

shame really, as the chance to build a cool Inquisitor that can get some use on the table in my customers' armies is always welcome...
Inquisitors have always been some of the coolest parts of the fluff, and have even had some great models...
as soon as i saw Artemis, i was hoping for a 28mm Eisenhorn model...
the one that came in the limited edition Black Library diorama was not the best sculpt :(

cheers
jah

The Inquistion has been written off as a smaller and smaller part in 40k. Since GK are no longer under the command of the inquisition (are they even part of the Ordo Malleus anymore?) and SoB are as un-updated as ever the Inquisition has become less and less of a represented faction. Even in the really old chapter approved deathwatch rules an Inquisitor wasn't even an option (http://www.borsoft.net/ilbastione/download/gw/deathwatch.pdf). As I recall the Alien hunters (ordo xeno) codex was one of the most frequently requested and was supposed to form a trio with witch hunters (ordo hereticus/SoB- https://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/gaming_and_diversion/Warhammer_40K_Collection/Warhammer%2040k%20-%20Codex%20-%20Witch%20Hunters.pdf) and deamonhunters (ordo malleus/GK- https://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/gaming_and_diversion/Warhammer_40K_Collection/Warhammer%2040k%20-%20Codex%20-%20Daemon%20Hunters.pdf) codexes but it was never released.
In most of the stories I've read the deathwatch operate alone under the command of an Inquisitor who most often takes the field after the Deathwatch has cleared it. The idea of an Inquisitor in power armour hanging out with the deathwatch appeals to me though. Come to think of it, isn't it strange that deathwatch space marines are not an option for ordo xeno inquisitors to put in their retinue?

As others has pointed out though, nothing stops you from grabbing an inquisitor from the Inquisition codex and putting him/her in the deathwatch.

 Gamgee wrote:
I never said they couldn't hold their own, but why go risking such a rare asset all wilyl nilly? They are capable of handling themselves but at the end of the day are just humans. They are harder to train and replace than any DW marine and their loss is more of a critical blow to Imperium due to their specialized skills and knowledge.

Tell that to Inquisitors. They keep fighting what they find their callings. Whether it's heretics, daemons or aliens. If there's threat to humans Inquisitors WILL fight it. They won't worry about putting themselves to risk.

Inquisitors aren't "lead from the back" type of guys. Well okay some are. But plenty of them are up in the front because they know it's worth it and it's something they CAN fight better than many others. Mere humans maybe but with technology, training and experience to make them more than just humans.

Then the Inquisitor with the specialized knowledge in how to stop their foe dies and the Deathwatch is rudderless.

Stupid. I prefer Tau for this reason. Practical. Deathwatch are my favorite Space Marines since they are so practical compared to the majority of the Imperium. I would never lead from the front as an Inquisitor lest I doom the Imperium. Not unless I needed to do something only I had the skills to do, and in nothing less than power armor.

If your Inquisitor is a "lead from the front"-kind of guy, then you use Codex: Inquisition.

Just like the Grey Knights do. It's a much neater solution than to have the Inquisitors doubled up in each Codex, where they could end up being wildly different depending on release schedules.

Grey Knights are still the militant chamber of the Ordo Malleus, Deathwatch their equivalent for the Ordo Xenos, and while not 100% the same, the Sororitas takes an equivalent role for the Ordo Hereticus.

I don't see why them not being in the codex makes the fluff any different. The Codex: Inquisition is there specifically for this kind of situation.

There isn't a single Tech Priest in codex: Skitarii, and they are always led by Tech Priests, without exception. Mostly from an orbiting vessel, but also at times on foot. (In Skitarius they are cut off from their Tech Priests and it's a very tumultous experience for them as they are cut off from the ever present hymns that basically rule their lives.)

And Inquisitors are incredibly diverse. Sure, many do like a hands-on approach and are known to fight it out (and those would be the ones in the Codex: Inquisition) but there are countless that take more of a political strategy to their leadership, choosing to either lead from a vessel in orbit, or even to simply send their Kill Teams and then go about their business.

TL;DR: you're all right.

In the oldie (but goldie) Deathwatch comic, the Inquisitor leading a DW Kill-Team is not too shabby in combat as well as diplomacy. And he's some old dude, so that is saying something, when he's cleaving Genestealers left and right.

The difference is, that whilst a inquisitor can hold there own.

The deathwatch will be more capable and even the most proud knows when the mission demands they stay behind to let the marines operate at peak effectiveness.

Tactical decision.
They also may be in command of the combat reserve, or say busy countering in other areas of the battlefield and tasked the deathwatch to behead the snake.

I could be wrong, but didn't they consider most kill team missions on the level of Suicide Missions?

I could see that being why they generally wouldn't have an Inquisitor leading the pack into a surgical strike location.

 Purifier wrote:
If your Inquisitor is a "lead from the front"-kind of guy, then you use Codex: Inquisition.

Just like the Grey Knights do. It's a much neater solution than to have the Inquisitors doubled up in each Codex, where they could end up being wildly different depending on release schedules.

Grey Knights are still the militant chamber of the Ordo Malleus, Deathwatch their equivalent for the Ordo Xenos, and while not 100% the same, the Sororitas takes an equivalent role for the Ordo Hereticus.

I don't see why them not being in the codex makes the fluff any different. The Codex: Inquisition is there specifically for this kind of situation.

There isn't a single Tech Priest in codex: Skitarii, and they are always led by Tech Priests, without exception. Mostly from an orbiting vessel, but also at times on foot. (In Skitarius they are cut off from their Tech Priests and it's a very tumultous experience for them as they are cut off from the ever present hymns that basically rule their lives.)

And Inquisitors are incredibly diverse. Sure, many do like a hands-on approach and are known to fight it out (and those would be the ones in the Codex: Inquisition) but there are countless that take more of a political strategy to their leadership, choosing to either lead from a vessel in orbit, or even to simply send their Kill Teams and then go about their business.

TL;DR: you're all right.

I was under the impression that GK where no longer the chamber militant of the Ordo Malleus but rather more of an indipendent organization with ties to Ordo Malleus. I found this fluff incredibly stupd and an outright horrible retcon based on the idea that GK players didn't want their badasses to take orders from Inquisitors. I don't own the GK codex, will look for the thread where we discussed this....

 Nerak wrote:

 Purifier wrote:
If your Inquisitor is a "lead from the front"-kind of guy, then you use Codex: Inquisition.

Just like the Grey Knights do. It's a much neater solution than to have the Inquisitors doubled up in each Codex, where they could end up being wildly different depending on release schedules.

Grey Knights are still the militant chamber of the Ordo Malleus, Deathwatch their equivalent for the Ordo Xenos, and while not 100% the same, the Sororitas takes an equivalent role for the Ordo Hereticus.

I don't see why them not being in the codex makes the fluff any different. The Codex: Inquisition is there specifically for this kind of situation.

There isn't a single Tech Priest in codex: Skitarii, and they are always led by Tech Priests, without exception. Mostly from an orbiting vessel, but also at times on foot. (In Skitarius they are cut off from their Tech Priests and it's a very tumultous experience for them as they are cut off from the ever present hymns that basically rule their lives.)

And Inquisitors are incredibly diverse. Sure, many do like a hands-on approach and are known to fight it out (and those would be the ones in the Codex: Inquisition) but there are countless that take more of a political strategy to their leadership, choosing to either lead from a vessel in orbit, or even to simply send their Kill Teams and then go about their business.

TL;DR: you're all right.

I was under the impression that GK where no longer the chamber militant of the Ordo Malleus but rather more of an indipendent organization with ties to Ordo Malleus. I found this fluff incredibly stupd and an outright horrible retcon based on the idea that GK players didn't want their badasses to take orders from Inquisitors. I don't own the GK codex, will look for the thread where we discussed this....

How exactly is that stupid....

GW has rightly tried to avoid multiple entries for the same units in different books unless absolutely necessary lately. If you want a Xenos Inquisitor just ally one in, there is no reason for a separate entry in the deathwatch codex, when we have an inquisition codex.

HoundsofDemos wrote:
If you want a Xenos Inquisitor just ally one in, there is no reason for a separate entry in the deathwatch codex, when we have an inquisition codex.

Except the thing with transports...

"We'll be in the enemy midst shortly, Inquisitor. We're almost upon them. Team, when we touch down, be sure to-"
"Let me off here!"
"Is something wrong?"
"Airsick- oof! I shouldn't have had that grox burger before we left... Ugh... Stop the plane."
"But the Tau are right there, I can see their mechanical monsters on the horizon."
"Just put it in hover, will you? I'll just be a minute."

Forgot about that FAQ ruling. They really should carve out an exception for inquisitors, since that's what my gaming group does as a house rule.

Inquisitors do not always lead the Team directly, often times they show up, give a briefing and then head off to begin their next investigation.

Or they call for Deathwatch support, a Kill Team arrives the Inquisitor fights along side them or sends them to kill the thing while he kills this other thing.

Or the Inquisitor goes missing on a high profile investigation after checking in, the Inquisitor Lord and the Watch-Master think its important to send in a team to find him/her.

There are any number of reasons as to why the Team isn't being lead directly by the Inquisitor beyond the fact they are semi-autonomous strike forces.

 VictorVonTzeentch wrote:
Inquisitors do not always lead the Team directly, often times they show up, give a briefing and then head off to begin their next investigation.

Or they call for Deathwatch support, a Kill Team arrives the Inquisitor fights along side them or sends them to kill the thing while he kills this other thing.

Or the Inquisitor goes missing on a high profile investigation after checking in, the Inquisitor Lord and the Watch-Master think its important to send in a team to find him/her.

There are any number of reasons as to why the Team isn't being lead directly by the Inquisitor beyond the fact they are semi-autonomous strike forces.

But it would have been nice as an option neh?

Sometimes they are in the middle fo the action, sometimes as far away as possible.

Of course in the current rules they can't even get forcefields - cos thats not a thing with the Inquisition, or their own customised flyers / vechicles or - or "sigh" many things

 Mr Morden wrote:

 VictorVonTzeentch wrote:
Inquisitors do not always lead the Team directly, often times they show up, give a briefing and then head off to begin their next investigation.

Or they call for Deathwatch support, a Kill Team arrives the Inquisitor fights along side them or sends them to kill the thing while he kills this other thing.

Or the Inquisitor goes missing on a high profile investigation after checking in, the Inquisitor Lord and the Watch-Master think its important to send in a team to find him/her.

There are any number of reasons as to why the Team isn't being lead directly by the Inquisitor beyond the fact they are semi-autonomous strike forces.

But it would have been nice as an option neh?

Sometimes they are in the middle fo the action, sometimes as far away as possible.

Of course in the current rules they can't even get forcefields - cos thats not a thing with the Inquisition, or their own customised flyers / vechicles or - or "sigh" many things

But have access to Rad Grenades, Conversion Beamers, Servo Skulls, DAEMONBLADES,Jokero,Crusaders,Emprean Brain Mines,Needle Pistols, Coetaz,HARAMBE'S REVENGE Build,Psyk-Out Grenades,PSYCHOTROKE GRENADES and the Grimoire of True Names
Oh and Goid Old Inquisitor Krazypants with his Infinite Use Orbital Bombardment (which has 3 Variants)
So its Kinda a Trade off, Plus Hector Rex has a Storm Shield and Sanctuary....

 Mr Morden wrote:

 VictorVonTzeentch wrote:
Inquisitors do not always lead the Team directly, often times they show up, give a briefing and then head off to begin their next investigation.

Or they call for Deathwatch support, a Kill Team arrives the Inquisitor fights along side them or sends them to kill the thing while he kills this other thing.

Or the Inquisitor goes missing on a high profile investigation after checking in, the Inquisitor Lord and the Watch-Master think its important to send in a team to find him/her.

There are any number of reasons as to why the Team isn't being lead directly by the Inquisitor beyond the fact they are semi-autonomous strike forces.

But it would have been nice as an option neh?

Sometimes they are in the middle fo the action, sometimes as far away as possible.

Of course in the current rules they can't even get forcefields - cos thats not a thing with the Inquisition, or their own customised flyers / vechicles or - or "sigh" many things

You have the option though, by taking an Allied Inquisition Force, they dont need to be in the book because their own "book" was designed specifically with them being allies in mind.

Also, you can take Solomon Lok who does have a Force Field in an Inquisition Force if you have the book with his rules. And he'd be somewhat fluffy as he is Ordo Xenos, though D-99 was his bag.

 Nerak wrote:

I was under the impression that GK where no longer the chamber militant of the Ordo Malleus but rather more of an indipendent organization with ties to Ordo Malleus. I found this fluff incredibly stupd and an outright horrible retcon based on the idea that GK players didn't want their badasses to take orders from Inquisitors. I don't own the GK codex, will look for the thread where we discussed this....

Well, I guess the new Codex doesn't explicitly state that they are, but rather says

The Grey Knights were created alongside the Inquisition and their goals intertwined. They would be the staunch allies of the Inquisition’s Ordo Malleus

So it's a case of determining if that invalidates all the old fluff on the subject. I honestly don't believe that's the case. The new codex is just very short on the whole subject and is mostly dedicated to telling us how the GK are so awesome that no one knows they exist.

commander dante wrote:

 Mr Morden wrote:

 VictorVonTzeentch wrote:
Inquisitors do not always lead the Team directly, often times they show up, give a briefing and then head off to begin their next investigation.

Or they call for Deathwatch support, a Kill Team arrives the Inquisitor fights along side them or sends them to kill the thing while he kills this other thing.

Or the Inquisitor goes missing on a high profile investigation after checking in, the Inquisitor Lord and the Watch-Master think its important to send in a team to find him/her.

There are any number of reasons as to why the Team isn't being lead directly by the Inquisitor beyond the fact they are semi-autonomous strike forces.

But it would have been nice as an option neh?

Sometimes they are in the middle fo the action, sometimes as far away as possible.

Of course in the current rules they can't even get forcefields - cos thats not a thing with the Inquisition, or their own customised flyers / vechicles or - or "sigh" many things

But have access to Rad Grenades, Conversion Beamers, Servo Skulls, DAEMONBLADES,Jokero,Crusaders,Emprean Brain Mines,Needle Pistols, Coetaz,HARAMBE'S REVENGE Build,Psyk-Out Grenades,PSYCHOTROKE GRENADES and the Grimoire of True Names
Oh and Goid Old Inquisitor Krazypants with his Infinite Use Orbital Bombardment (which has 3 Variants)
So its Kinda a Trade off, Plus Hector Rex has a Storm Shield and Sanctuary....

Not really a trade off - just lazy codex writing - only a few named characters can even get invulnerable saves - that's to represent the organisation with the ability to get whatever it wants.

Meanwhile more and more stuff just keeps getting added to the Astartes armoury.

Deathwatch should have loads of cool stuff - Inquisitors should do as well, more of it - they should have a huge list of stuff they can get and not be so restricted that they can't even get an invulnerable save.

It's gotta say something that there are more SM unit types than there are for any other faction.

I guess the lack of Inquisitors is probably due to the scale of things. Inquisitors lead investigations, not full scale attacks. So a single kill team would likely have an Inquisitor as they search to uncover the xenos. The Codex: Deathwatch is supposed to represent a scenario where the xenos has been uprooted and is now being exterminated on a large scale. At that point, the Inquisitor steps back and unleashes his dogs.

Its why Codex: Inquisition is built the way it is, it is supposed to be an allied force, not the main army.

 Mr Morden wrote:

Not really a trade off - just lazy codex writing - only a few named characters can even get invulnerable saves - that's to represent the organisation with the ability to get whatever it wants.

That is definitely my biggest peeve with the Inquisition codex. It absolutely makes no sense that they can't get force fields while every IG captain and even a lowly preacher can. I really hoped they would have fixed that (and some other things) when they moved Inquision to their own codex from GK codex, but instead they just copypasted the old text with out changing pretty much anything.

And yes, Inquisitors should be able to join DW and GK in their transports; it doesn't make any sense that they can't.

 ClassicCarraway wrote:
I guess the lack of Inquisitors is probably due to the scale of things. Inquisitors lead investigations, not full scale attacks. So a single kill team would likely have an Inquisitor as they search to uncover the xenos. The Codex: Deathwatch is supposed to represent a scenario where the xenos has been uprooted and is now being exterminated on a large scale. At that point, the Inquisitor steps back and unleashes his dogs.

Its why Codex: Inquisition is built the way it is, it is supposed to be an allied force, not the main army.

Inquisitors do what is neccesary - if that means a covert operation they ride shotgun on - thats what they do - if it means commanding an entire Crusade - they do that and everything in between.

Some Inquisitors will want to be on the front line - some in orbit or even further out in the system

Amberely, Eisenhorn and pretty much all the others do both depending on the situation and their goals.

 Mr Morden wrote:

 ClassicCarraway wrote:
I guess the lack of Inquisitors is probably due to the scale of things. Inquisitors lead investigations, not full scale attacks. So a single kill team would likely have an Inquisitor as they search to uncover the xenos. The Codex: Deathwatch is supposed to represent a scenario where the xenos has been uprooted and is now being exterminated on a large scale. At that point, the Inquisitor steps back and unleashes his dogs.

Its why Codex: Inquisition is built the way it is, it is supposed to be an allied force, not the main army.

Inquisitors do what is neccesary - if that means a covert operation they ride shotgun on - thats what they do - if it means commanding an entire Crusade - they do that and everything in between.

Some Inquisitors will want to be on the front line - some in orbit or even further out in the system

Amberely, Eisenhorn and pretty much all the others do both depending on the situation and their goals.

And like has been said, if you want to represent them, you have the option of using the Inquisition Codex (gimped though it may be). If you want a Xenos Inquisitor with a Force Field, there is Solomon Lok from Forge World, who's rules are in the Anphelion Project.