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So basically as the title says would it be possible for a captain to get enlisted in death watch and say come back and take over as chapter master for a chapter that lost a significant amount of hq and troops? Like a returning hero role maybe?

Like Ragnar with his Wolfblade detail? I don't think so. Can't source it but I'm pretty sure they're in till death,

I think a Captain can join the Deathwatch, leaving command of his company to his second in command who is then promoted to Captain until he returns, but I can't see a Captain returning if the chapter's in a bit of a pickle. In the Watch, you stay until your Watch ends, either until a certain lease of time has passed, or you die.

Ya basically I'm trying to figure out fluff wise if a say my chapter is decimated and the chapter master dies. Could a former captain come from somewhere to take the helm

Typically, a captain wouldn't join the watch, because he has responsibilities he can't readily give up (command of his company).

The captains in the deathwatch are "Watch-captains" - marines who joined the watch as battle-brothers and got promoted to command responsibility within the Deathwatch. The counterpart to that is that they don't generally go home, but remain with the Deathwatch indefinitely.

The Inquisition isn't stupid, though, and nor are the Deathwatch, so if a chapter has lost its chapter master and isn't able to provide a replacement who's up to the job (i.e. you've somehow lost all ten Company Captains into the bargain), then it's not impossible that the Watch-Captain might seek to be released from his duties and return to rebuild his home chapter.

Note that he still wouldn't ever have been a 'captain' in the chapter's eyes, so he probably wouldn't be chosen in preference to any surviving actual company captain, but if he's the best there is, he will have a great deal of experience - albeit he'll have much more experience of politics and covert operations than of commanding large forces in open war.

Ehhh seems to much then. I'm not trying to kill off all ten captains in my chapter.

Wouldnt this be applied if an astral knights marine went into deathwatch (at the time the chapter desided to sacrifice themselves?)
Thus making him the only living astral knight?

Uriel Ventris, captain of the 4th company in the ultramarines novels, left command of his company and joined the death watch on one mission to destroy a hive ship. However the Codex astartes does not condone doing such things so he was sent on a suicide mission to atone for straying from the codex.

So he did it but people weren't very happy about it.

commander dante wrote:
Wouldnt this be applied if an astral knights marine went into deathwatch (at the time the chapter desided to sacrifice themselves?)
Thus making him the only living astral knight?

If he is the last Astral Knight, he will probably be permanently attached to the Deathwatch as a Blackshield.

Basically, you could join the Deathwatch as a Captain, but you would be leaving your company behind leaderless until someone else who is less competent than you takes over, which is quite selfish.
Then, you would probably only be treated like a regular Deathwatch Marine, so no command benefits or special privileges.
Next, you can't leave due to your Oaths, which only end when you have served your time in the Watch or you die. You may be discharged earlier due to special circumstances, such as your Watch Commander/Inquisitor letting you reinforce your former chapter, but this is probably rather rare and you would be more valuable in the hands of the Ordo Xenos.

Let's face it, you might not even be told about the tragedy that befell your chapter, so why would you return when there are other members of the Chapter who should be able to take over?

It could be a senior captain was getting ready to step down from command and join the honor guard? Do we know how marines get to be HG? Or taking deathwatch as an honorable out of a dead end job?

I could see a captain from one the the battle companies who was getting a little long on years ceding command of his company to a younger, more vibrant and healthy successor that he’d groomed well for the role. Depending on who the other captains were, he might have no chance to realistically advance to command one of the more prestigious companies or the chapter itself. He’s got experience, or he wouldn’t be a captain, but he realizes that he’s holding the chapter back, and that someone else would do his job better. But marines don’t have a retirement plan. So he ships off the the Deathwatch. Still serving the Imperium, and fulfilling a chapter obligation at the same time. The old war horse is useful again.

Flash Forward. Chapter suffers a grievous loss. It might be that all the senior captains are dead. It might be the “fresh blood” younger ones got the chapter in trouble, and they need someone old and cautious to lead them. Whatever the reason, they need him back. He answers, and returns.

 Nevelon wrote:
It could be a senior captain was getting ready to step down from command and join the honor guard? Do we know how marines get to be HG? Or taking deathwatch as an honorable out of a dead end job?

I could see a captain from one the the battle companies who was getting a little long on years ceding command of his company to a younger, more vibrant and healthy successor that he’d groomed well for the role. Depending on who the other captains were, he might have no chance to realistically advance to command one of the more prestigious companies or the chapter itself. He’s got experience, or he wouldn’t be a captain, but he realizes that he’s holding the chapter back, and that someone else would do his job better. But marines don’t have a retirement plan. So he ships off the the Deathwatch. Still serving the Imperium, and fulfilling a chapter obligation at the same time. The old war horse is useful again.

Flash Forward. Chapter suffers a grievous loss. It might be that all the senior captains are dead. It might be the “fresh blood” younger ones got the chapter in trouble, and they need someone old and cautious to lead them. Whatever the reason, they need him back. He answers, and returns.

This would work great, but I don't think leaving the Deathwatch is a thing you can do voluntarily. Not unless you got a lot of respect/authority in the Deathwatch.
As far as I know, Honour Guard are basically there to bodyguard and advise the Chapter Master. So they would need to be a good fighter and have a lot of experience. Either way, the role is very prestigious and would probably be chosen in favour over Deathwatch service. Also, if said Captain is getting old (do Space Marines age? That's another topic.), why hasn't he died on service yet?
I doubt Captains are required to "retire" to allow someone else with a better prospects to succeed them immediately: they should die/get promoted sooner or later.

Shadow-Captain Korvydae of the Raven Guard joined the Deathwatch as a penance for planning the failed assault on Kastorel-Novem. It doesn't say so in as many words, but presumably he gave up his rank to do so.

Is going to Deathwatch like a Blood Angel marine succumbing to the Black Rage?

 KaptinBadrukk wrote:
Is going to Deathwatch like a Blood Angel marine succumbing to the Black Rage?

No, the Deathwatch is an organisation serving the Ordo Xenos. http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Deathwatch

 Orblivion wrote:

 KaptinBadrukk wrote:
Is going to Deathwatch like a Blood Angel marine succumbing to the Black Rage?

No, the Deathwatch is an organisation serving the Ordo Xenos. http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Deathwatch

OK. Thanks.

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:

This would work great, but I don't think leaving the Deathwatch is a thing you can do voluntarily. Not unless you got a lot of respect/authority in the Deathwatch.
As far as I know, Honour Guard are basically there to bodyguard and advise the Chapter Master. So they would need to be a good fighter and have a lot of experience. Either way, the role is very prestigious and would probably be chosen in favour over Deathwatch service. Also, if said Captain is getting old (do Space Marines age? That's another topic.), why hasn't he died on service yet?
I doubt Captains are required to "retire" to allow someone else with a better prospects to succeed them immediately: they should die/get promoted sooner or later.

Valid points. I think Deathwatch requires to to serve one tour/mission (which can be fairly broad in scope) before your duty has been fulfilled. In my hypothetical example, the captain could have already done what was required, but hung out to help some more, as he didn’t really fit in back home.

The specifics of rank, position, promotions, etc. in marine chapters are vauge, and once you go into home-brew chapters who might not follow the “official” pattern, the sky is the limit.

Thinking about chapter politics and promotions, here is a what-if about the Ultramarines which could fit this scenario. Rumors have it that Sicarius is being groomed for the CM position. How do we think Agemman (the 1st company captain, and probably more traditions successor) would feel about serving under Sicarius? He’d probably be pissed, but probably not enough to cause some sort of revolt/treason. But what if there was some bad blood or ugly politicking involved in a CM’s rise to power? You can’t just take the losers out back and shoot them, and sending them on a suicide mission might get the rest of their company killed, which is unacceptable losses. Maybe the out-of-favor captain “volunteers” for the Deathwatch. As a sort of exile. Which also paves the way for their return, if the faction that was in power gets itself offed somehow.

The galaxy is a big place, and all sorts of things happen. If you want a certain event for your own chapter’s history/story, odds are you can make it fit. Some things might have to bend a little, but that happens all the time. While “forging the narrative” is often met with a little distain, it is exactly what needs to happen to make your own chapter.

 Nevelon wrote:

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:

This would work great, but I don't think leaving the Deathwatch is a thing you can do voluntarily. Not unless you got a lot of respect/authority in the Deathwatch.
As far as I know, Honour Guard are basically there to bodyguard and advise the Chapter Master. So they would need to be a good fighter and have a lot of experience. Either way, the role is very prestigious and would probably be chosen in favour over Deathwatch service. Also, if said Captain is getting old (do Space Marines age? That's another topic.), why hasn't he died on service yet?
I doubt Captains are required to "retire" to allow someone else with a better prospects to succeed them immediately: they should die/get promoted sooner or later.

Valid points. I think Deathwatch requires to to serve one tour/mission (which can be fairly broad in scope) before your duty has been fulfilled. In my hypothetical example, the captain could have already done what was required, but hung out to help some more, as he didn’t really fit in back home.

This makes sense, and probably does apply to many Captains in the setting!

The specifics of rank, position, promotions, etc. in marine chapters are vauge, and once you go into home-brew chapters who might not follow the “official” pattern, the sky is the limit.

Thinking about chapter politics and promotions, here is a what-if about the Ultramarines which could fit this scenario. Rumors have it that Sicarius is being groomed for the CM position. How do we think Agemman (the 1st company captain, and probably more traditions successor) would feel about serving under Sicarius? He’d probably be pissed, but probably not enough to cause some sort of revolt/treason. But what if there was some bad blood or ugly politicking involved in a CM’s rise to power? You can’t just take the losers out back and shoot them, and sending them on a suicide mission might get the rest of their company killed, which is unacceptable losses. Maybe the out-of-favor captain “volunteers” for the Deathwatch. As a sort of exile. Which also paves the way for their return, if the faction that was in power gets itself offed somehow.

The galaxy is a big place, and all sorts of things happen. If you want a certain event for your own chapter’s history/story, odds are you can make it fit. Some things might have to bend a little, but that happens all the time. While “forging the narrative” is often met with a little distain, it is exactly what needs to happen to make your own chapter.

Exactly. It is all possible, all that matters is if it breaks the setting too much. If it's too happy/noblebright, I'd avoid it.

My head canon for Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is Captain Titus gets conscripted into the Deathwatch because they need whatever warp-resistance he carries with him in order to complete a mission.

Basically, it's your 40k. If you make your story as to why there's a captain of a chapter in the Deathwatch and he somehow goes back, just own it. Fun thing about story telling is you get to make the mould or break ones currently established if the plot's good enough.

I don't think there is a lot of switching between chapters. I least I've never heard of it. The loyalty of a marine is probably to strong for that.

emperor>chapter>humanity
something like that. I think.

 SRSFACE wrote:
My head canon for Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is Captain Titus gets conscripted into the Deathwatch because they need whatever warp-resistance he carries with him in order to complete a mission.

Basically, it's your 40k. If you make your story as to why there's a captain of a chapter in the Deathwatch and he somehow goes back, just own it. Fun thing about story telling is you get to make the mould or break ones currently established if the plot's good enough.

We can make up what we want, but the game isnt considered canon so....

 Xenomancers wrote:
I don't think there is a lot of switching between chapters. I least I've never heard of it. The loyalty of a marine is probably to strong for that.

emperor>chapter>humanity
something like that. I think.

Deathwatch is not a normal chapter per-say. It’s a force assembled from volunteers for many different chapters and ordo xenos inquisition. Marines serve a tour, and then head back to their chapter. There is a lot of background out there, including a full RPG.

SRSFACE wrote:My head canon for Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is Captain Titus gets conscripted into the Deathwatch because they need whatever warp-resistance he carries with him in order to complete a mission.

Basically, it's your 40k. If you make your story as to why there's a captain of a chapter in the Deathwatch and he somehow goes back, just own it. Fun thing about story telling is you get to make the mould or break ones currently established if the plot's good enough.

You too, huh? Yeah, Titus is also my Watch Captain of choice. Seeing as we never got a conclusion to his plotline... (Curse you Relic!)

Nevelon wrote:

 Xenomancers wrote:
I don't think there is a lot of switching between chapters. I least I've never heard of it. The loyalty of a marine is probably to strong for that.

emperor>chapter>humanity
something like that. I think.

Deathwatch is not a normal chapter per-say. It’s a force assembled from volunteers for many different chapters and ordo xenos inquisition. Marines serve a tour, and then head back to their chapter. There is a lot of background out there, including a full RPG.

Yup, absolutely right. A bit like the Night's Watch from ASOIAF, but with less theives and rapists, more honour and glory, and gribbly xenos instead of ice zombies and wildings. And you might get to live at the end and return home.

 KingCronan wrote:
Uriel Ventris, captain of the 4th company in the ultramarines novels, left command of his company and joined the death watch on one mission to destroy a hive ship. However the Codex astartes does not condone doing such things so he was sent on a suicide mission to atone for straying from the codex.
So he did it but people weren't very happy about it.

But he was practically abandoning command, so you can't really blame the UM's for not liking about it.

I think the Captain would need to ask for a permission from the Chapter Master, and if he agrees, another Captain is given command of his company while he is in Deathwatch.

Since no one else here has any sort of imagination, I'd like to tell the OP the tale of Captain Crunch of the Marine Marines (you can change the names if you like).

Captain Crunch was a skilled warrior from the Planet X, where he fought against dinosaurs and dinosaur-riding xenos (bonus points if they have shark and snake-heads). After nearly dying in battle (Ragnar-style) he was indoctrinated into the Marine Marines, and rose through the ranks by employing tactics he learned as a Dino-Rider, I mean, native warrior.

The Chapter Master, a fine solder who believed strongly in the importance of being codex-compliant, eventually began to regret promoting Crunch to the rank of Captain, as soldiers in other companies adopted his unorthodox strategies. Before things could come to a point, however, Captain Crunch chose service in the Deathwatch to avoid conflict with his noble- but orthodox- Chapter Master. He makes lots of friends in other Chapters- many of them from Chapters that are less than codex-compliant. After finishing his term of service, he elects to stay longer, wishing to avoid conflict in his beloved Chapter.

Eventually, the Chapter Master dies in battle. After the death, the Captain returned to his chapter, no longer fearing a confrontation with his brother.

He rises to Chapter Master.

A note of warning- if you use a similar plot and Veteran Sergeant hears about it and finds out I inspired you, he will gak all over it simply because I came up with the basic premise.

While there are a few "permanent" Marines in the DeathWatch, most of them come from other Chapters on a tour of duty (I think ten years?) and are then rotated back to their Chapter, bringing with them new knowledge and tactics regarding various Xenos, as well as having fought side-by-side with Marines of other Chapters, and so has learned something of their cultures, tactical philosophies, and practices.

Overall, a tour in the DeathWatch is seen as an honor, and the Marines sent to serve are generally considered exemplary members of their Chapters, who will stand as representatives of the Chapter as a whole before the Inquisition and the Marines of other Chapters.

 EmpNortonII wrote:
Since no one else here has any sort of imagination, I'd like to tell the OP the tale of Captain Crunch of the Marine Marines (you can change the names if you like).

Captain Crunch was a skilled warrior from the Planet X, where he fought against dinosaurs and dinosaur-riding xenos (bonus points if they have shark and snake-heads). After nearly dying in battle (Ragnar-style) he was indoctrinated into the Marine Marines, and rose through the ranks by employing tactics he learned as a Dino-Rider, I mean, native warrior.

The Chapter Master, a fine solder who believed strongly in the importance of being codex-compliant, eventually began to regret promoting Crunch to the rank of Captain, as soldiers in other companies adopted his unorthodox strategies. Before things could come to a point, however, Captain Crunch chose service in the Deathwatch to avoid conflict with his noble- but orthodox- Chapter Master. He makes lots of friends in other Chapters- many of them from Chapters that are less than codex-compliant. After finishing his term of service, he elects to stay longer, wishing to avoid conflict in his beloved Chapter.

Eventually, the Chapter Master dies in battle. After the death, the Captain returned to his chapter, no longer fearing a confrontation with his brother.

He rises to Chapter Master.

A note of warning- if you use a similar plot and Veteran Sergeant hears about it and finds out I inspired you, he will gak all over it simply because I came up with the basic premise.

except you're assuming that the codex is talking about unorthadox tactics being bad. even Uriel Ventris got into trouble not for the tactics he used, but because rather then staty in command of his men during a seige situation and send one of his many highly capable subordinates with the deathwatch, he left someone else in charge and went off to do it himself. thats what he was in trouble for. A commander does not abandon his post like that. his job was to stay with his troops... in command. instead the guy went off seeking glory and to relive his golden days when he served with the deathwatch

Something like this would very from chapter to chapter, a space wolf lord would never leave his company to help the inquisition, but a chapter that may respect the inquisiton may allow a captain leave to serve, however he would need to appoint a sub or give up control of his company, In an extremely rare case i don't see why a entire company can't join the watch.

chazz huggins wrote:
Something like this would very from chapter to chapter, a space wolf lord would never leave h you s company to help the inquisition, but a chapter that may respect the inquisiton may allow a captain leave to serve, however he e would need to appoint a sub or give up control of his company, In an extremely rare case i don't see why a entire company can't join the watch.

If the Deathwatch ever called on a Captain to join, for whatever reason they had, they would probably need to join. Don't forget that the Deathwatch is less closely affiliated with the Inquisition than you think. Whilst it is the militant arm of the Ordo Xenos, the main commander of the Deathwach is the Watch Commander of each Watch Fortress.
With regard to the idea a whole company could join the Deathwatch, it has never occurred before. Ever. It doesn't make sense that a whole company could join the Deathwatch. After all, this has two effects: their home chapter is now hamstrung as they lose 10% of their Chapter. The company that leave will be spilt off from their home chapter, unable to receive reinforcements from them or send men/valuable geneseed back to their home Chapter.
Secondly, the Deathwatch would split up the company so they would never work together as part of the Deathwatch. This would create problems, as now the Deathwatch have a ton of Astartes all from the same Chapter, with the same beliefs. If this company had a defect or taint, they could cause huge damage to the Deathwatch.
TL;DR There has been no precedence for an entire battle company to join the Deathwatch, nor is there any reason to.

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:

chazz huggins wrote:
Something like this would very from chapter to chapter, a space wolf lord would never leave h you s company to help the inquisition, but a chapter that may respect the inquisiton may allow a captain leave to serve, however he e would need to appoint a sub or give up control of his company, In an extremely rare case i don't see why a entire company can't join the watch.

If the Deathwatch ever called on a Captain to join, for whatever reason they had, they would probably need to join. Don't forget that the Deathwatch is less closely affiliated with the Inquisition than you think. Whilst it is the militant arm of the Ordo Xenos, the main commander of the Deathwach is the Watch Commander of each Watch Fortress.
With regard to the idea a whole company could join the Deathwatch, it has never occurred before. Ever. It doesn't make sense that a whole company could join the Deathwatch. After all, this has two effects: their home chapter is now hamstrung as they lose 10% of their Chapter. The company that leave will be spilt off from their home chapter, unable to receive reinforcements from them or send men/valuable geneseed back to their home Chapter.
Secondly, the Deathwatch would split up the company so they would never work together as part of the Deathwatch. This would create problems, as now the Deathwatch have a ton of Astartes all from the same Chapter, with the same beliefs. If this company had a defect or taint, they could cause huge damage to the Deathwatch.
TL;DR There has been no precedence for an entire battle company to join the Deathwatch, nor is there any reason to.

I was kind of thinking an entire company could join the watch if their chapter was doomed to extinction, and the chpter had no real future. But it would be extremely unlikely that an entire company would up and leave to go put on cool black armor for no reason. however an inquisitor could take a company to accomplish their goal and have said company do essentially the same work as the watch. ( I only meant this as a hypothetical in extreme circumstance).

chazz huggins wrote:

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:

chazz huggins wrote:
Something like this would very from chapter to chapter, a space wolf lord would never leave h you s company to help the inquisition, but a chapter that may respect the inquisiton may allow a captain leave to serve, however he e would need to appoint a sub or give up control of his company, In an extremely rare case i don't see why a entire company can't join the watch.

If the Deathwatch ever called on a Captain to join, for whatever reason they had, they would probably need to join. Don't forget that the Deathwatch is less closely affiliated with the Inquisition than you think. Whilst it is the militant arm of the Ordo Xenos, the main commander of the Deathwach is the Watch Commander of each Watch Fortress.
With regard to the idea a whole company could join the Deathwatch, it has never occurred before. Ever. It doesn't make sense that a whole company could join the Deathwatch. After all, this has two effects: their home chapter is now hamstrung as they lose 10% of their Chapter. The company that leave will be spilt off from their home chapter, unable to receive reinforcements from them or send men/valuable geneseed back to their home Chapter.
Secondly, the Deathwatch would split up the company so they would never work together as part of the Deathwatch. This would create problems, as now the Deathwatch have a ton of Astartes all from the same Chapter, with the same beliefs. If this company had a defect or taint, they could cause huge damage to the Deathwatch.
TL;DR There has been no precedence for an entire battle company to join the Deathwatch, nor is there any reason to.

I was kind of thinking an entire company could join the watch if their chapter was doomed to extinction, and the chpter had no real future. But it would be extremely unlikely that an entire company would up and leave to go put on cool black armor for no reason. however an inquisitor could take a company to accomplish their goal and have said company do essentially the same work as the watch. ( I only meant this as a hypothetical in extreme circumstance).

Yeah, that sounds more feasible. Instead of joining the Watch, they are approached by an Inquisitor to embark on dangerous missions until death in service of the Emperor claims them. A little bit like the Company of Misery CSM Warband.