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Do the Dark Angels have any form of PDF or indoctrinated guardsmen in a similar manner to the Ultramarines? Obviously they wouldn't on The Rock but how about recruiting worlds and the like?

As far as I am aware, the Dark Angels are an aloof chapter, that doesn't maintain an empire such as Ultramar, and as such has no permanent PDF.

This is becasue they recruit primarily from feral worlds, which lack a standing PDF, However, their chapter doesmaintain a variety of serfs, although these are not intended for combat.

It is not outside the realms of possibility for the inhabitants of the recruiting worlds to have fought alongside the Dark Angels in the face of some major threa, but this has not yet been documented.

Dark Angels don't have their own PDF because they are not on a planet but a peace of rock that was formerly known as Caliban.
All chapters that have some kind of homeworld have PDF, but those PDF are usually under the command of local Planetary Governor.
Not even the ultras have their own PDF, no matter if they have an empire of their own.

I imagine on worlds they establish fortresses on there are indeed local security forces, it's impossible for the tiny chapter to support all these locations on their own.

And the Ultramarines do have a PDF, the Ultramar Auxila. It's as good as any Guard Regiment.

The Ultramarines are unusual in maintaining direct control over a small sector of space and maintaining a PDF/Guard from their recruiting worlds; most Chapters don't. We get to see the Blood Ravens' recruiting worlds in Dawn of War 2, they have to call in regiments from Vendoland because their own forces won't cut it.

 Brother Captain Alexander wrote:
Dark Angels don't have their own PDF because they are not on a planet but a peace of rock that was formerly known as Caliban.
All chapters that have some kind of homeworld have PDF, but those PDF are usually under the command of local Planetary Governor.
Not even the ultras have their own PDF, no matter if they have an empire of their own.

when answering questions it is best to use actual fluff.

The Ultramarines are clearly described as having control of PDF forces within Ultramar and also sending regiments to the IG (this is in C:SM), the training of these PDF forces is left to the planetary governments of each world, however when Ultramar is under attack they then become under direct control of the Ultramarines command.

As to other chapters, very few will have a PDF (human regiments) to defend the chapter's homeworld. This is due to the fact that the majority of chapters recruit from feral or other low population and early civilisation worlds where it would be impossible to maintain active regiments. Most chapter worlds are defended by automated defence systems, off campaign marines, the armoury and chapter serfs. Most Chapter worlds would not even have a planetary governor as they are not under IoM control and would have little to govern.

With regard to the Dark Angels, fluff about recruitment worlds (only one example, plains world) showed that they did not garrison recruitment worlds, however due to the events of plains world they may now have small garrison forces, but these are probably not PDF (although PDF stands for planetary defence force, there is a destinction between a garrison of space marine scouts/marines/serfs defending a world and a standing army of humans as seen on IoM worlds)

They are on a rocket powered asteroid sailing through the galaxy. They don't need a PDF.

 BluntmanDC wrote:

The Ultramarines are clearly described as having control of PDF forces within Ultramar and also sending regiments to the IG (this is in C:SM), the training of these PDF forces is left to the planetary governments of each world, however when Ultramar is under attack they then become under direct control of the Ultramarines command.

I didn't know that, thanks for the info.

Space Marine recruiting worlds are under their direct control.

So they will have a PDF on planets where they are the ruling organization.

It is, however, unlikely they will concern themselves directly with the affairs of governing the planet.

A marine will probably be designated as the commander, but he will likely delegate the task to human subordinates.

Alternativly, an elderly marine who has grown too old for direct combat duties may get such a desk job. Its not a position which marines enjoy. I know the UMs do this. Marines that suffer injuries that require extensive prostetics or impact their ability to function properly will often get appointed as "governor" on a planet the chapter is in charge of.


Said "PDF" units will just be for system security.

I don't think the Dark Angels even have much for serfs, As they also have the "Watchers in the Dark" that apparently assist the way servitors and serfs would in other chapters.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Space Marine recruiting worlds are under their direct control.

So they will have a PDF on planets where they are the ruling organization.

It is, however, unlikely they will concern themselves directly with the affairs of governing the planet.

A marine will probably be designated as the commander, but he will likely delegate the task to human subordinates.

Alternativly, an elderly marine who has grown too old for direct combat duties may get such a desk job. Its not a position which marines enjoy. I know the UMs do this. Marines that suffer injuries that require extensive prostetics or impact their ability to function properly will often get appointed as "governor" on a planet the chapter is in charge of.


Said "PDF" units will just be for system security.

As already said, most chapters recruit from feral worlds. Worlds with tiny populations and little to no understanding of technology or the outside world. They would be no use as a regimented PDF and chapters would not want to pollute the breeding strock in ways that would change their way of life.

When people take about PDF they are talking about regimented standing human armies of IG level that defend an IoM world. Most chapter worlds do not have this.

Chapters who recruit from multiple worlds like the Imperial Fists or the Dark Angels do not have direct control of recruitment worlds but do have binding recruitment rights (for an example the Imperial Fists have no say in how the produce of Necromunda is used but are allowed to go into the lower hives to select candidates).