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Hey, I'm fairly certain that this is going to be a big fat no, but are there any chapters in which they are noted to being run by chaplains rather than the traditional Chapter Master?

Hmm... chaplains have specific roles in the Chapter hierarchy. There are chapters in which chaplains have a close link to chapter command (Dark Angels for one, and possibly Black Templars?) and I guess you could have a chapter with an ex-chaplain as chapter master, but I would say that a chapter master's responsibilities would get in the way of operating as a chaplain and vice versa.

IIRC Executors forces in Badab War was lead by their High Chaplain

Flinty wrote:Hmm... chaplains have specific roles in the Chapter hierarchy. There are chapters in which chaplains have a close link to chapter command (Dark Angels for one, and possibly Black Templars?) and I guess you could have a chapter with an ex-chaplain as chapter master, but I would say that a chapter master's responsibilities would get in the way of operating as a chaplain and vice versa.

Yeah, I knew that they were tied into high command, I just wasn't sure if there was a chapter that was run by Chaplain(s). I agree that the CM's responsibilities would get in the way of his chaplain duties, just curious is all.

Mezmerro wrote:IIRC Executors forces in Badab War was lead by their High Chaplain

I will check them out, thanks

I think it would definitely be possible for the same person to hold the rank of Reclusiarch and Chapter Master.

The Blood Ravens(which are a canon chapter) had their Chief Librarian also be their Chapter Master.


Every chapter is slightly different. An especially pious chapter could certainly be led by a member of the Reclusiam.

 Grey Templar wrote:
I think it would definitely be possible for the same person to hold the rank of Reclusiarch and Chapter Master.

The Blood Ravens(which are a canon chapter) had their Chief Librarian also be their Chapter Master.

Every chapter is slightly different. An especially pious chapter could certainly be led by a member of the Reclusiam.

I had forgotten about the Blood Ravens and their Librarians, I'll have to look into this.

I'm mostly trying to think of things for a custom chapter using the SM Codex, and was wondering if Chaplains had been a Chapter Master elsewhere in the Imperium.

Thanks for the help guys!

Some Chapters combine the roles of Chaplain with other duties. The Iron Hands' Chaplains also serve as Techmarines and Apothecaries while Space Wolf Wolf Priests do double duty as Apothecaries. Granted none of those secondary positions involve leadership qualities.

People tend to forget that Chaplains are experienced leaders in their own right. If there was an emergency, say the Chapter Master and his staff lost in an accident and no Captains able to step up, a Chaplain has the skills to lead. He might even have to assume the position of CM if there's no Captains available for a long time.

And ofc, some more religious Chapter might by tradition be lead by the Chaplains.

Blood Angels are led by their high sanguinary priest and their high reclusiarch when their chapter master is lost. They have to vet the new chapter master to ensure the correct one is chosen. That's technically a chapter being run by a chaplain.

There are none that are actively known as being led by a Chaplain - but fluff-wise it's certainly *possible*.
In game terms, a Chapter Master already has the 4+ save so you can pretend the Iron Halo is actually a Rosarius - and it's simple enough to give him a "Crozius" power maul. Unfortunately, I see no way to work Zealot or anything similar in there - though if you took BT Chapter Tactics, you could hand-wave it as him inspiring the entire army to run a bit faster and shrug off psykers better.

 Super Ready wrote:
Unfortunately, I see no way to work Zealot or anything similar in there

[crunchofftop]Relic standard. No fearless though, but grand morale and piniingtest rerolls which is actually even better tha Fearless with ATKNF[/crunchofftop]

Ahh, it wasn't the Fearless/Morale bit I was thinking of, though good point. More the "you hate these guys! SMITETH THEM HARDER" thing.

Although not entirely loyalist, the Word Bearers are led by Dark Apostles, who are essentially Chaplin's. The issue by being led by a religious leader however is that they don't tend to have as much battle experience as Captains. Hence why Word Bearers have Coryphaus, who actually know how to command a war host.

T

he Blood Ravens(which are a canon chapter) had their Chief Librarian also be their Chapter Master.

So are the Soul Drinkers. Sarpedon is their Chief Librarian. I know his route to command was quite a bit different, but I think it could happen in a more Codex chapter. I don't think there is any reason a Librarian couldn't be a company commander, so it would seem that the rise to Chapter master would be the same way.

 AegisGrimm wrote:
T

he Blood Ravens(which are a canon chapter) had their Chief Librarian also be their Chapter Master.

So are the Soul Drinkers. Sarpedon is their Chief Librarian. I know his route to command was quite a bit different, but I think it could happen in a more Codex chapter. I don't think there is any reason a Librarian couldn't be a company commander, so it would seem that the rise to Chapter master would be the same way.

And didn't that work out well for both of those chapters, lol.

Every chapter is different, I think a chapter whose Master was also the master of sanctity would be extremely interesting. They would need to be taking the more fanatical zealous approach though, similar the the Black Templars.

What a fantastic idea! You could take BT and a counts-as Grimaldus, who's suitably killy AND inspiring. ...-y.

 Brotherjanus wrote:
Blood Angels are led by their high sanguinary priest and their high reclusiarch when their chapter master is lost. They have to vet the new chapter master to ensure the correct one is chosen. That's technically a chapter being run by a chaplain.

Is Dante not still the CM?

 hazal wrote:

 Brotherjanus wrote:
Blood Angels are led by their high sanguinary priest and their high reclusiarch when their chapter master is lost. They have to vet the new chapter master to ensure the correct one is chosen. That's technically a chapter being run by a chaplain.

Is Dante not still the CM?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he still is. And has been for like over a millennium.

 c0j1r0 wrote:

 hazal wrote:

 Brotherjanus wrote:
Blood Angels are led by their high sanguinary priest and their high reclusiarch when their chapter master is lost. They have to vet the new chapter master to ensure the correct one is chosen. That's technically a chapter being run by a chaplain.

Is Dante not still the CM?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he still is. And has been for like over a millennium.

That's just the way they've organized the process of selecting a new Chapter Master. It was (IIRC) decided upon when one fresh CM went bonkers with the Black Rage before a successor candidate had even been chosen.

New Black Library book, Crown of Thorns answers this one easily...

Angels Respelndent, a Blood Angels successor chapter are run by their chaplains after......

I think if the Chapter was very pious or their founding chapter utilized chaplains in leadership roles you could probably have something like you want. It wouldn't be a very far jump to make honestly given how space marines are generally pretty religious dudes in one way or another, I think a chaplain leading them wouldn't be a problem.

From the various books and stories I've read, Chaplains can lead groups of marines, but generally I've found that they defer to Captains and higher when they're around. Of course you've got Grimaldus The Awesome who lead the defense of Helsreach which consisted of his own Black Templar, IG, and even Titans...so I suppose it depends on the fluff you want to create.