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 BaconCatBug wrote:
Speaking of the "1000 Marine Myth", here is a blast from the past that is still relevant today.

https://maws40k.blogspot.com/2011/08/1000-marines.html

TL;DR A full strength chapter theoretically has anywhere from 1500-2000 fully functional Astartes when you factor in support roles, vehicle crews, dreadnoughts and command structure, along with an undetermined number of Scouts and menial staff.

My interpretation has always been +/- 1000 Marine "grunts" actively deployed. So not support staff, not trainers, not even tankers/aviators, not guys on leave, not guys in convalescence, not even guys who are stationed on a planet that isn't a combat zone currently. I'd even say Chapter Masters and the other command structures don't count, So probably closer to 15-20k. Not as many as the Imperium will need, sure, but it is fantasy.

jareddm wrote:
The new codexes make it clear that pilots and drivers are already counted, usually from the 6th and 7th companies or as Techmarines. They are not additional marines strictly for that purpose.

Which is insane and why I have my head cannon.

I think the 1k narrative worked ok when there were only, really, infantry Marines with a handful of of transport vehicles, or the occasional transport-with-heavy-weapons. With the explosion of different roles they now have models for there is no way a Marine chapter can be 1000 people if you include pilots, tankers, Medics, Librarians, Tech-Marines, Chaplains, various Blade Guard/other elites, Dreadnoughts, Centurions, heck the Scouts would need to be much bigger than the other companies.

In just a fully mechanized company you're down from 100 fighting Marines to just 90 with 10 taxi drivers. That's 10% of your company.

Throw in a Thunder hawk drop ship each has a crew of 2, but can carry 2 Rhino, so another 10 Marines to transport them, from 90 to 80. Soon you'll end up with zero fighting Marines

 kirotheavenger wrote:
My personal headcanon is that the Imperial Guard acts more or less like a modern military.
Even regiments that have a reputation for "human waves" aren't charging forwards like it's the Napoleonic era or Enemy at the Gates, they're still using actual fieldcraft. Rather like how the Red Army actually fought.

Eh, with the plethora of different Guard regiments and planets they've drawn from I wouldn't put it past some Regiments to have poor tactics. I do think it'll be more along the lines of a Vietnam, possibly Korea or even WWII style of warfare as opposed to WWI Western Front static lines and over-the-top-into-machinegun-fire assaults.

I've always thought the IG is 99% competent and decently led, with sufficient fieldcraft and expertise to be effective, but they're fighting super Xeno or even Chaos warriors many many times. About the only time they're on par is fighting Chaos cultists or sepratists/uncontacted. Most other cases they do have to stop the gaps in the disparity of forces with numbers. Even super agile, lightning fast reflex Eldar can't kill all the guardsmen before one eventually puts a lasbolt through their chest. Even Orks who can soak up lasbolts by the dozen can't withstand another dozen. Tyranids? Well unfortunately they use the same tactic and any losses you or they incur come back again tomorrow as respawned troops.

 kirotheavenger wrote:

I remember reading once that a Mordian general once had his men dressed in full parade uniforms just march up to an enemy fortress in full parade lines to take it "damned be the casualties".
It's just so ridiculous I mentally replace it.
l!

I agree. While we can (mostly) agree that the Napoleonic era style of blocks of infantry marching into place and presenting arms and firing is unlikely I do tend to imagine such stories along the lines of Bernard Cornwall's Sharpe's Fortress where they attacked Gawilghur.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Gawilghur

While it wasn't quite "full dress uniform and march into their guns" I do see how a rather bad commander could have written something like that in his memoirs.