Switch Theme:

Ex-Deathwatch marines  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

A I understand it, most marines die before their tour with the Deathwatch is over, but some are let go and return to their chapters. I have a couple questions about what happens then:

1. are they generally recognized for their deeds in the Deathwatch? Like are all their missions kept under wraps nad they never talk about it, or do they return to their chapters and are showered with honours, possibly promoted to captain or honour guard if their service was exemplary?
2. do they keep the Deathwatch shoulder-pad? What about their other Deathwatch wargear?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/11/21 03:46:43


"The sword can be anklebiter as well as throatcleaver. We need no new weapons to defeat the sons of the hydra, merely new doctrines."
-Joriah Stendall, second Chapter Master of the Red Grail Crusaders 
   
Made in us
Oozing Plague Marine Terminator





IIRC, Deathwatch shoulder pads were originally found in the Sternguard kit, which would imply to me that they could continue to wear the badge if they chose to, much like Terminator Honors used to be a thing.
   
Made in us
Loyal Necron Lychguard





For what it's worth, the Scout Sergeant in Dawn of War II is ex-Deathwatch and while he never goes into the specifics of his missions he never says he can't go into specifics. He does provide descriptions and instruction on fighting the Tyranids that he learned during his service.
   
Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

 Arachnofiend wrote:
For what it's worth, the Scout Sergeant in Dawn of War II is ex-Deathwatch and while he never goes into the specifics of his missions he never says he can't go into specifics. He does provide descriptions and instruction on fighting the Tyranids that he learned during his service.


Best character in that game and I have brought shame upon my chapter for forgetting him.

"The sword can be anklebiter as well as throatcleaver. We need no new weapons to defeat the sons of the hydra, merely new doctrines."
-Joriah Stendall, second Chapter Master of the Red Grail Crusaders 
   
Made in us
Terrifying Rhinox Rider





In third edition, chapter approved gave rules for the Deathwatch killteam you could take as an HQ in Imperial armies. There were also rules that let you upgrade any character in a marine army to a Deathwatch veteran, which I believe just gave them True Grit and the option to buy one type of special round (at the time you couldn’t swap rounds mid battle).

Sternguard did not exist. There was a reddit ama, that’s since been deleted, by a GW designer who said stern/vanguard were invented because corporate required every new codex to have 2-3 new boxed sets, so they BSed veterans into two different types.

Btw True Grit meant you could count a bolter as a ccw for the bonus attack having two combat weapons.
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka




They get recognition for doing badass stuff but nobody talks about it beyond saying not to talk about it.

They can keep trinkets like a necklace but nothing decent like a necron sword.

tremere47-fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate, leads to triple riptide spam  
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





West Michigan, deep in Whitebread, USA

pelicaniforce wrote:
In third edition, chapter approved gave rules for the Deathwatch killteam you could take as an HQ in Imperial armies. There were also rules that let you upgrade any character in a marine army to a Deathwatch veteran, which I believe just gave them True Grit and the option to buy one type of special round (at the time you couldn’t swap rounds mid battle).

Sternguard did not exist. There was a reddit ama, that’s since been deleted, by a GW designer who said stern/vanguard were invented because corporate required every new codex to have 2-3 new boxed sets, so they BSed veterans into two different types.

Btw True Grit meant you could count a bolter as a ccw for the bonus attack having two combat weapons.


Yeah, back then it was described that their armor was repainted back to it's original chapter color, but they kept the Deathwatch shoulder pad as an honor of their service. This was echoed later by the inclusion of plastic Deathwatch pads in Terminator, and power armor sprues.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/11/21 14:00:38




"By this point I'm convinced 100% that every single race in the 40k universe have somehow tapped into the ork ability to just have their tech work because they think it should."  
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





In the Deathwatch role play it says basically they can’t talk about their deeds.
It’s kind of like doing Jury duty for a bit, but then you never discuss the case.

I’m sure I’ve read it somewhere else similar too
   
Made in us
Boosting Space Marine Biker





It used to be lore that when they left the deathwatch they kept their DW shoulderpad but moved it to the other side. But that hasn't been mentioned in lore in a while.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




I'd imagine that they would mostly keep the exact specifics to themselves but would share relevant experiences if it was pertinent to a battle. If they knew a specific way to fight xenos I doubt they would hold that back but sharing that the deathwatch use a bunch of xenos tech is probably not going to come up.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




HoundsofDemos wrote:
I'd imagine that they would mostly keep the exact specifics to themselves but would share relevant experiences if it was pertinent to a battle. If they knew a specific way to fight xenos I doubt they would hold that back but sharing that the deathwatch use a bunch of xenos tech is probably not going to come up.


That's pretty consistent with how Cyrus is portrayed in Dawn of War. Folks know he served his Long Watch, but he doesn't share details beyond "here's how you fight the Nids, boys" when it becomes pertinent.
   
Made in gb
Norn Queen






It really depends on the Chapter. After all, not all Chapters send their "best" to the Deathwatch, for some it's a punishment or censure.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




 BaconCatBug wrote:
It really depends on the Chapter. After all, not all Chapters send their "best" to the Deathwatch, for some it's a punishment or censure.


That's definitely true, though I'd imagine any marine sent for that reason would at best become a lifer. That does beg the question though, is there any fluff where a marine wanted to come back and wasn't welcomed? That would make for an interesting story.
   
Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

HoundsofDemos wrote:
 BaconCatBug wrote:
It really depends on the Chapter. After all, not all Chapters send their "best" to the Deathwatch, for some it's a punishment or censure.


That's definitely true, though I'd imagine any marine sent for that reason would at best become a lifer. That does beg the question though, is there any fluff where a marine wanted to come back and wasn't welcomed? That would make for an interesting story.


The story I'm writing is kind of the opposite: a Flesh Tearer reaches the rank of Watch Captain, then is recalled back to his chapter to lead a company of marines he now despises as little more than mindless berserkers. He's also salty that he has to leave his fancy Necron sword behind.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/11/21 19:13:06


"The sword can be anklebiter as well as throatcleaver. We need no new weapons to defeat the sons of the hydra, merely new doctrines."
-Joriah Stendall, second Chapter Master of the Red Grail Crusaders 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User




Uriel Ventris was a member of the Deathwatch and he returned to the Ultramarines.
   
Made in fi
Confessor Of Sins




HoundsofDemos wrote:
 BaconCatBug wrote:
It really depends on the Chapter. After all, not all Chapters send their "best" to the Deathwatch, for some it's a punishment or censure.


That's definitely true, though I'd imagine any marine sent for that reason would at best become a lifer.


They might not send the best of their best, but the marine should at least be capable of working with others. The Space Wolves aren't going to send Lukas, for example - getting rid of him would be nice but the Chapter would lose face for it. Sending a gloomy Lone Wolf who wants a a glorious death in battle might be a better bet.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




I'd agree with the above. It's hard to imagine marine with the level of training and equipment they have to some how be a total F*** up and do something that a normal human would do in battle, like freeze up in a critical moment or run away without orders. Even the most malcontent or pain in the ass is going to be a force to be reckoned with and any marine that did somehow manage to be that much of a disaster would probably be taken out quietly in house . No chapter is going to want to lose honor.
   
Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Spetulhu wrote:
HoundsofDemos wrote:
 BaconCatBug wrote:
It really depends on the Chapter. After all, not all Chapters send their "best" to the Deathwatch, for some it's a punishment or censure.


That's definitely true, though I'd imagine any marine sent for that reason would at best become a lifer.


They might not send the best of their best, but the marine should at least be capable of working with others. The Space Wolves aren't going to send Lukas, for example - getting rid of him would be nice but the Chapter would lose face for it. Sending a gloomy Lone Wolf who wants a a glorious death in battle might be a better bet.


These questions are due to a character I'm writing who is an ex-Deathwatch marine, and that idea struck me as an interesting one: make one of his old Deathwatch brothers be a Lone Wolf. Good potential for drama and badassery.

"The sword can be anklebiter as well as throatcleaver. We need no new weapons to defeat the sons of the hydra, merely new doctrines."
-Joriah Stendall, second Chapter Master of the Red Grail Crusaders 
   
Made in ca
Preacher of the Emperor






IIRC it's just the shoulder pad they take with them. More limited resources like the dreadnought chasse, or fancy artificer armour are relics of the Deathwatch organization so stay with them, and the xenos derived tech and weapons are only trusted with the Deathwatch because the Ordo Xenos keeps an eye on them (literally the arrangement the first Deathwatch marines came up with).

The shoulder pad though, that's fair game. It's been established that marines serving in the Deathwatch get to take that as a badge of honour and I've not read more recent fluff to deny it.

The most recent example I can think of is one of the squad mates from Space Hulk: Deathwing has the whole silver arm going on.

   
 
Forum Index » 40K Background
Go to: