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So as yous see I recently learned the the Grey Knights were given the # 666 for their... whatever you call it... but that doesn't make ANY sense at all, because you know... 666 is Satans number. But what is really weird is that it is given the most "holy" order of the adeptus astartes. I imagine it might just be their cruel joke to Satan saying like "Oh yeah, were gonna give these here daemon hunters # 666. You should be happy!!! But then again they want to kill you... and you cant even possess them, or even touch them for that matter... yeah... F*CK YOU B*TCH!!! HAHA!!!" And to me it kind of sounds like im on Satans side but I just want to make it clear I AM NOT!!! AT ALL!!! That would just be so messed up... GO JESUS! or something... So why are the Grey Knights chapter/ #/ legion/ whatever 666?

They're doing it ironically. They're actually massive hipsters.

it is the designation they where given, so far i don't know why.

As far as I now 666 has no real meaning in 40k universe. It could either be a fun thing added by the game devolopers or perhaps they were given that designation more as a nod to something like "ancient terra culture" when 66 meant something. Chaos demons =/= satan as far as I know.

The Acient belief in "Seytan" has nothing to do with chapter 666.

Because the emperor is the Antichrist and the GK are his "special" chapter.

In a universe with no God, the number 666 would have no meaning. Only to us in the real world associate that number with evil.

Grand scheme? IT DOESN'T MATTER AT ALL. IT IS A NUMBER.

Satan was proven to be a fake long before the Grey Knights were founded. The number 666 does hold significance for them though. There's 666 rites of something or other, 666 something else. It's all in C:GK somewhere, possibly bits in CH too.

One thing to remember, the number 666 was a significant number to many peoples earlier in Terra's history. Because of its ancient (though now defunct) spiritual meaning, it does seem a fitting place-holder number for a chapter founded with spiritual combat in mind.

Christianity is long dead by the time of the horus heresy, any significance it holds to us would be lost to the far future. The real oddity is why one of the earliest chapters is numbered so late.

The Emperor and Malcador would both be well-learned in the events and beliefs of Earth's antiquity, and numbering the Grey Kights as chapter 666 seems to fit the rather dry humor we've seen from the Sigilite in some of the HH books.

But the actual number is 616.

 Georgefancy wrote:
So why are the Grey Knights chapter/ #/ legion/ whatever 666?

Because they are.

Next topic please.

 Georgefancy wrote:
So as yous see I recently learned the the Grey Knights were given the # 666 for their... whatever you call it...

Clearly.

but that doesn't make ANY sense at all, because you know... 666 is Satans number.

The number of the beast (Greek: Ἀριθμὸς τοῦ θηρίου, Arithmos tou Thēriou) is the numerological identifier ascribed to the beast from the sea,[1] the first of two symbolic beasts described in the Book of Revelation's thirteenth chapter.[2] In most New Testament manuscripts, the number is rendered as 666, but the variant 616 is found in critical editions of the Greek text, such as the Novum Testamentum Graece. Catherine Cory has identified the number as having symbolic correlation to the Emperor Nero, whose Greek name transliterated into Hebrew has the numeric value of 666, whereas his Latin name written into Hebrew is 616 -Taken from Wiki.

... But then again they want to kill you... and you cant even possess them, or even touch them for that matter... yeah... F*CK YOU B*TCH!!! HAHA!!!"

Actually, if you read other codexes you will find that Grey Knights can indeed be corrupted.

6 is the number of Slaanesh. This pleases Slaanesh that they would honour him/her so.

 Kain wrote:
But the actual number is 616.

In the Novum Testamentum Graece it is, but not the King James edition.

Revelation 13:18: Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

By the 31st millennium when the Grey Knights are officially founded, Christianity and its doctrine as we know it is probably lost and forgotten. Even though the GK are Chapter 666, there were only about forty or so chapters at their founding. The bureaucrats who handle Astartes information find this odd but know better than to ask questions.

Perhaps Malcador assigned that number as a little ironic jab at the Grey Knights' enemies.

 Sir Samuel Buca wrote:
Satan was proven to be a fake long before the Grey Knights were founded. The number 666 does hold significance for them though. There's 666 rites of something or other, 666 something else. It's all in C:GK somewhere, possibly bits in CH too.

Yep, from their IA Article.

The six hundred and sixty six Rituals of Detestation enable the Space Marines of the Grey Knights to face terrifying foes without fear and withstand pain that would cripple a 'normal' Space Marine.

... Because when the writers invented the Grey Knights, they giggled and snorted at each other, and made the 'holiest' of their anti-demon space knight toys have the number that silly people throw around as "evil"...

It's a joke.

 Georgefancy wrote:
So as yous see I recently learned the the Grey Knights were given the # 666 for their... whatever you call it... but that doesn't make ANY sense at all, because you know... 666 is Satans number. But what is really weird is that it is given the most "holy" order of the adeptus astartes. I imagine it might just be their cruel joke to Satan saying like "Oh yeah, were gonna give these here daemon hunters # 666. You should be happy!!! But then again they want to kill you... and you cant even possess them, or even touch them for that matter... yeah... F*CK YOU B*TCH!!! HAHA!!!" And to me it kind of sounds like im on Satans side but I just want to make it clear I AM NOT!!! AT ALL!!! That would just be so messed up... GO JESUS! or something... So why are the Grey Knights chapter/ #/ legion/ whatever 666?

The Grey Knights aren't "holy" in the sense that you're using it. They make use of the blackest of rituals, darkest of sorceries and the most vile of tools to defend the Imperium from the threat of Chaos. That none have yet fallen to the lure of the Arch-Enemy is a testament to their strength of will and purity of their faith. They are more akin to the early Gnostic cults than anything we would recognize as a Judaeo-Christian faith in the modern era.

In any case, the number of the beast is actually 616 in the oldest texts where such a number is described. Ill try and find a page which explains why, as I cant recall the details....

BEHOLD: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_beast

The worship of the Saxon goddess Eostre has been extinguished on Earth for over a millenia, yet the practices of painting eggs and worshipping bunnies are still carried out by Christians every year. Just because Christianity had been extinguished by the 31st Millenium doesn't mean certain of its practices and superstitions couldn't survive. Given the psychoreactive nature of the warp the mere belief in the number 666 (since very few actually know it was originally 616) could give it power, or the number could even have been planted in scripture in our past by a follower of Tzeentch..

At any rate it has been noted as being regarded as suspicious, one of the old rhino (or possibly predator?) articles mentioned that every 13th Rhino chassis to be forged is ritually purified, whilst every 666th chassis is ritually purified then melted down again.

I don't think it was 'a joke' (and frankly, have to raise an eyebrow whenever anyone calls it such), rather it was simply to play up their occult significance.

Adding on from my previous point, clarified by Pilau Rice (cheers buddy), words and numbers are weapons to the Grey Knights as much as storm bolters and Nemesis force weapons.
See pages 6, 7 and 10 for bits about words holding power.
Page 27 details how the Liber Deamonica, the book that every Grey Knight carries, is a weapon itself.
Page 30 mentions that each aspiring Paladin must hunt one of the six hundred and sixty-six (there's that number again!) most powerful daemons to enter realspace.
Those are what I found just flicking through my copy of C:GK, mentions of words and numbers holding power, and the number 666 being of importance.
I'm sure if I read through it properly I'd find more, I'm sure there's more instances of the number popping up in relation to the Grey Knights too, I just can't think where.

So yeah, maybe naming them as Chapter #666 gives them power too, everything else about them seems to give them leverage over daemons, so who's to say that their chapter number doesn't too?

There have been a lot of inside jokes, references, and easter eggs in 40k over the years. Its just been the way that GW writers keep themselves sane.

 Slaanesh-Devotee wrote:
... Because when the writers invented the Grey Knights, they giggled and snorted at each other, and made the 'holiest' of their anti-demon space knight toys have the number that silly people throw around as "evil"...

It's a joke.

Yes, this and numerous other things like the "rainbow marines" were originally just the creators having a cheap laugh. But now everything is examined through the lens of serious business and secret intention where there was no intention.

 HerbaciousT wrote:
In any case, the number of the beast is actually 616 in the oldest texts where such a number is described. Ill try and find a page which explains why, as I cant recall the details....

BEHOLD: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_beast

Except that the historian Irenaeus in the 2nd century already refered to 616 as a 'typo' a full century before the oldest remaining document containing the 616 reference.