Ordo Astartes

[General Strike]

So, I just stumbled across them on Lex and 1d4chan, and couldn't find much information about them. Lex says they have 50 Inquisitors, but that is about it. It seems like they would be a much bigger section of the Inquisition since the Horus Heresy was a thing. With the release of the DW codex, I was thinking about painting my Death Watch to be Ordo Astartes, and maybe give them some Minotaur and Inquisitor allies. Any ideas on the color scheme, or where to get more information on them?

[Carlson793]

Only information I'm aware of is in the Inquisition Codex, and that just one line on a table listing of lesser Ordos.

 

 

+++Ordo Redactus report+++

+++Excerpt from Document: ‘Branches of the Inquisition’+++

+++Marked for deletion 978.M41+++

DESIGNATION - INITIAL FOUNDING - EST. STRENGTH - AREA OF VIGILANCE

Ordo Aegis - M40 - <<unknown>> - The Cadian Gate

Ordo Astartes - M32 - >50 Inquisitors - Chapters of Adeptus Astartes

Ordo Astra - M34 - <50 Inquisitors - Stellar Cartography

Ordo Barbarus - <<unknown>> - <10 Inquisitors - Pre-Industrial Worlds

Ordo Custodum - M35 - >50 Inquisitors - Terra

Ordo Desolatus - <<unknown>> - 1 Inquisitor - <<unknown>>

Ordo Excorium - <<unknown>> - >100 Inquisitors - Monitoring Exterminatus

Ordo Militarum - M35 - >500 Inquisitors - Imperial Guard

Ordo Necros - M37 - 5 Inquisitors - <<unknown>>

Ordo Sanctorum - M36 - <<unknown>> - The Ecclesiarchy

Ordo Scriptus - M38 - 6 Inquisitors - Officio Historica on Terra

Ordo Senatorum - M33 - <<unknown>> - <<unknown>>

Ordo Thanatos - <<unknown>> - <<unknown>> - <<unknown>>

Ordo Vigilus - M37 - <<unknown>> - Ordo Necros

[deathspectersgt7]

Red Hunters work closely with the Ordos .

[Carlson793]

Oh, and Ordo Astartes would not be an Ordo of Space Marines, but an Ordo investigating Space Marines. 

[General Strike]

Yeah, but what is better at killing Astartes than Astartes? That was my thinking, like Asterion Morloc (sp?)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Yeah, but what is better at killing Astartes than Astartes? That was my thinking, like Asterion Morloc (sp?)

 

This makes sense. When an Inquisitor of the Ordo Astartes finds heresy or disloyalty and needs to purge the guilty Astartes, using dedicated marine killers like the Minotaurs would make good sense. I don't think Inquisitorial Storm Troopers would be equal to that task, at least not alone.

[CaptainHelion]

Storm Troopers are up to the task of assassination, or taking out small units that have been corrupted. Anything more than that, you'll want Sisters or Astartes themselves.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Storm Troopers are up to the task of assassination, or taking out small units that have been corrupted. Anything more than that, you'll want Sisters or Astartes themselves.

 

Agreed, although as much as I like Sisters, I don't see them being that much superior to Storm Troopers*. I'd see Sisters and Storm Troopers as being roughly equal in terms of how many Astartes they could handle before being overmatched. I think for anything bigger you're calling in the Minotaurs or just drowning the Astartes in weight of numbers (and lots of lead hurled by Basilisks from afar) by inducting a LOT of Imperial Guard with liberal doses of Imperial Navy bombardment.

 

 

* Edited to add: As I see it, Sisters and Inquisitorial Storm Troopers are essentially equal when it comes to indoctrination, dedication, and training. Both are trained pretty much from birth in very rigorous settings. I've read through both the Sororitas and Militarum Tempestus codices and the fluff describes them as both being very tough and elite. In terms of equipment, Sisters have better armour (power armour), but the Stormies have better weapons -- in the fluff hotshot lasguns are better or at least equal to bolters, and the Stormies have access to a wider variety of weapons in addition to pretty much everything the Sisters have. Vehicle-wise, they're again pretty equal. Sisters have rhinos, immolators, and exorcists, Stormies have Valkyries and Taurox Primes. Certainly fluff-wise, and I think on the table-top, the Stormies have a slight edge here with more mobility and a bit more firepower all told. So on the whole I see them as pretty equal.

[Indefragable]

Off topic, but a couple of things that stand out to me from that list:

 

Ordo Custodum: an order for watching the Custodians? That doesn't make any sense. The Custodians are pretty much the most loyal people in the entire Imperium, especially considering they have pretty much one job. It would be more plausible to me if the Ordo Custodum acted as spies or such for the Custodians and/or were responsible for staving off plots and such. 

 

Ordo Militarum: seems....silly. For obvious reasons the Inquisition will want to keep tabs on the Astra Militarum....but it seems like overkill. Both this one and the Ordo Sanctorum seem like they would just fall under the Ordo Hereticus. 

Ordo Necros: intriguing

 

Ordo Vigilus: doubly intriguing, considering they watch over the Ordo Necros. This one makes the most sense of any of them in the Inquisition. I fully expect to see an Ordo Ordos: the Inquisitors that watch over other Inquisitors, who in turn have Inquisitors watching them. 

[Indefragable]

 

Storm Troopers are up to the task of assassination, or taking out small units that have been corrupted. Anything more than that, you'll want Sisters or Astartes themselves.

 

Agreed, although as much as I like Sisters, I don't see them being that much superior to Storm Troopers*. I'd see Sisters and Storm Troopers as being roughly equal in terms of how many Astartes they could handle before being overmatched. I think for anything bigger you're calling in the Minotaurs or just drowning the Astartes in weight of numbers (and lots of lead hurled by Basilisks from afar) by inducting a LOT of Imperial Guard with liberal doses of Imperial Navy bombardment.

 

 

* Edited to add: As I see it, Sisters and Inquisitorial Storm Troopers are essentially equal when it comes to indoctrination, dedication, and training. Both are trained pretty much from birth in very rigorous settings. I've read through both the Sororitas and Militarum Tempestus codices and the fluff describes them as both being very tough and elite. In terms of equipment, Sisters have better armour (power armour), but the Stormies have better weapons -- in the fluff hotshot lasguns are better or at least equal to bolters, and the Stormies have access to a wider variety of weapons in addition to pretty much everything the Sisters have. Vehicle-wise, they're again pretty equal. Sisters have rhinos, immolators, and exorcists, Stormies have Valkyries and Taurox Primes. Certainly fluff-wise, and I think on the table-top, the Stormies have a slight edge here with more mobility and a bit more firepower all told. So on the whole I see them as pretty equal.

 

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that we, as players/readers/consumers of 40k products, have a better understanding of the 40k universe than anyone actually in it, save maybe the Emperor himself. 

 

I've always thought that Inquisitorial Stormtroopers (IQST) were Stromtroopers/Scions that were actually briefed and trained on the Astartes. Everyone else in the Guard basically hears about the Space Marines in near mythical terms and only has a 5% chance of seeing one in the flesh. Especially on rebellious worlds, a good deal of the shock value comes from some trooper dropping both his jaw and gun and being like "those guys actually exist! Governor Tarkin told us it was all a lie! Oh **** we're DEAD!" 

 

Compare that to say an IQST unit with charts outlining exactly how an Astartes is built, equipped, trained and so forth:

 

 

 

"Keep in mind, an Astartes is 33% faster and 40% stronger on average than even the toughest of us. Standard Operating Procedure is to double-tap all downed Astartes to ensure they are truly neutralized. Now, Jenkins. You have an Astartes squad bearing down on you and your unit. What do you do?"

 

"Well, m' Lord, I would take up firing positions on elevated ground, and begin to--"

 

"BOOM! That's your head reacting to a bolt shell. You're dead, Jenkins, and so are all your buddies. An Astartes can fire 3 shots to each one you can, and is 50% more likely to hit when he does. You need to think, Jenkins! Carlson! What would you do?"

 

"M' Lord, I would fall back from the obvious firing positions, laying cluster mines and trip wires as we go, then set up in a reverse enfilade in order to afford a moment to pounce on their brief moment of confusion. Just like waht the 80th did against the xenos Crisis Suits at Tangere ridge." 

 

"Carlson, you may live through your first encounter. Jenkins! Report to the servitor bay for cleaning duty."  

 

<me getting carried away with the idea>

 

 

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Off topic, but a couple of things that stand out to me from that list:

 

Ordo Custodum: an order for watching the Custodians? That doesn't make any sense. The Custodians are pretty much the most loyal people in the entire Imperium, especially considering they have pretty much one job. It would be more plausible to me if the Ordo Custodum acted as spies or such for the Custodians and/or were responsible for staving off plots and such. 

 

Ordo Militarum: seems....silly. For obvious reasons the Inquisition will want to keep tabs on the Astra Militarum....but it seems like overkill. Both this one and the Ordo Sanctorum seem like they would just fall under the Ordo Hereticus. 

Ordo Necros: intriguing

 

Ordo Vigilus: doubly intriguing, considering they watch over the Ordo Necros. This one makes the most sense of any of them in the Inquisition. I fully expect to see an Ordo Ordos: the Inquisitors that watch over other Inquisitors, who in turn have Inquisitors watching them. 

 

I don't know, Ordo Custodium makes sense to me. Even the watchers need to be watched, and history is replete with incidents of many a king or emperor's bodyguard turning against him. More than one Roman Emperor was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. I'm sure its the Ordo Custodium that keeps the Custodes as loyal as you say.

 

I think a major operating principle of the Inquisition is "don't trust anyone". Another operating principle would be the phrase that I've seen proved true many times in history, that "the corruption of the best is the worst". So the Custodes, being "the best" and most trustworthy, need to have someone keeping an eye on them to ensure it stays that way.

 

I agree that Ordo Militarum seems a bit redundant and would fall under the Ordo Hereticus. Don't see why a seperate ordo is needed for that.

[Jareddm]

Off topic, but a couple of things that stand out to me from that list:

Before I get into specifics, I think it's important to state that Ordos are not well-defined entities that were mandated into being.  They are simply groupings of Inquisitors who felt their talents and resources would be best spent focusing on a particular issue of the Imperium.  I imagine a good chunk of the minor Ordos were created by members of the Major Ordos who simply wanted to sub-specialize.  Ordos come and go as the interest in particular areas of investigation waxes and wanes and whether an Inquisitor can train acolytes and Interrogators to take up the mantle.  Compare to an Inquisitorial Conclave, which is not Ordo-specific, but instead is focused on a particular region of space.

 

In addition, there are plenty of Inquisitors that are much more studious or bureaucratic than the action-packed ones we always read about.  Inquisitors serving in the Ordo Redactus and Ordo Scriptorum, for instance may appear no different from heavily trumped up Administratum managers.

 

Ordo Custodum: an order for watching the Custodians? That doesn't make any sense. The Custodians are pretty much the most loyal people in the entire Imperium, especially considering they have pretty much one job. It would be more plausible to me if the Ordo Custodum acted as spies or such for the Custodians and/or were responsible for staving off plots and such. 

That's not what the Ordo Custodum is.  It's Inquisitors that watch over Terra itself.  The "Custodum" term in this case is in reference to an actual custodian, not the Adeptus Custodes.  They would watch over the safety of all of Terra, from keeping away freak warp storms to assisting the Arbites in stopping terrorist activity, to keeping down heretical cults that make their way to Terra among the pilgrims.

 

Ordo Militarum: seems....silly. For obvious reasons the Inquisition will want to keep tabs on the Astra Militarum....but it seems like overkill. Both this one and the Ordo Sanctorum seem like they would just fall under the Ordo Hereticus. 

As mentioned above, this and the Ordo Sanctorum were most likely Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors who felt it was important to sub-specialize, and really get to know one particular Imperial organization to its core. 

Ordo Necros: intriguing 

Ordo Vigilus: doubly intriguing, considering they watch over the Ordo Necros. This one makes the most sense of any of them in the Inquisition. I fully expect to see an Ordo Ordos: the Inquisitors that watch over other Inquisitors, who in turn have Inquisitors watching them. 

 My theory is that the Ordo Necros is studying and theorizing what exactly would happen should the Emperor die.  And I mean exactly.  How will the warp twist to fill the void?  What will happen to living saints currently in existence?  Which of the millions of different religious views concerning the Emperor may be most accurate?  How will the Astronomicon, the Webway breach, and the Golden Throne itself, all react?  What would happen if he were unplugged from the Throne, versus dying naturally, versus the Golden Throne killing him through some crazy feedback loop?  The Ordo Vigilus, in turn, makes sure that whatever knowledge the Ordo Necros gleans, absolutely none of it is ever used.  Especially that last part.

[Indefragable]

 

I don't know, Ordo Custodium makes sense to me. Even the watchers need to be watched, and history is replete with incidents of many a king or emperor's bodyguard turning against him. More than one Roman Emperor was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. I'm sure its the Ordo Custodium that keeps the Custodes as loyal as you say.

 

I think a major operating principle of the Inquisition is "don't trust anyone". Another operating principle would be the phrase that I've seen proved true many times in history, that "the corruption of the best is the worst". So the Custodes, being "the best" and most trustworthy, need to have someone keeping an eye on them to ensure it stays that way.

 

I get that....but the Adeptes Custodes are NOT the ancient Praetorian Guard of Rome. The Praetorians guarded the office of the Roman Emperor, kind of like what the US Secret Service does in modern times. So the Praetorians were known to interfere since from their perspective, the person didn't matter as much.

 

The Adeptes Custodes guard the person of the Emperor. I mean really, they are bodyguards in every sense of the word. Otherwise Horus and all the Primarchs probably would have had their forces of Custodes guarding them. They are less Praetorians and more....family? I suppose? Like Michael and Sonny Corleone guarding Vito himself. 

 

The Secret Service kind of does both, actually, now that I think of it, but that's another issue. 

 

 

That's not what the Ordo Custodum is.  It's Inquisitors that watch over Terra itself.  The "Custodum" term in this case is in reference to an actual custodian, not the Adeptus Custodes.  They would watch over the safety of all of Terra, from keeping away freak warp storms to assisting the Arbites in stopping terrorist activity, to keeping down heretical cults that make their way to Terra among the pilgrims.

 

 My theory is that the Ordo Necros is studying and theorizing what exactly would happen should the Emperor die.  And I mean exactly.  How will the warp twist to fill the void?  What will happen to living saints currently in existence?  Which of the millions of different religious views concerning the Emperor may be most accurate?  How will the Astronomicon, the Webway breach, and the Golden Throne itself, all react?  What would happen if he were unplugged from the Throne, versus dying naturally, versus the Golden Throne killing him through some crazy feedback loop?  The Ordo Vigilus, in turn, makes sure that whatever knowledge the Ordo Necros gleans, absolutely none of it is ever used.  Especially that last part.

 

 

-Great point about guarding Terra. I wonder if that would extend to the Sol System or the Segmentum Solar as well? Sort of the Department of Homeland Security, grim-dark style. Intriguing indeed.

 

-That is a really interesting idea. By the Emprah, I can forsee all sorts of short stories exploring that angle. 

 

Hidden Content

 

Inquisitor X: "How dare you speak such treachery! The Emperor has protected us for 10,000 years and will continue to do so! To think otherwise is simply Heresy, even from a fellow Inquisitor!"

 

Inquisitor Y: "That is true....but were we not empowered to consider every threat to him? Even the threat of himself? What if he dies?"

Inquisitor X: "Impossible! It will never happen! Far too much depends on him!"

 

Inquisitor Y: "I know it is painful, but think about it. What if it did happen?"

 

Inquisitor X: "But....he....then............................................Throne! We'd......we'd........all of us would.......would.........."

 

Inquisitor Y: "Exactly, brother Inquisitor. It chills the soul to even contemplate. That is why only the very strongest of both mind and will can be considered for this duty. 8017-B: begin mind-wipe protocol of yourself and all servitors of this wing. Then set a course for the dark side of the planet. We go to Necros, brother Inquisitor. Welcome to a grave new duty." 

 

[Brother Tyler]

Getting back on topic, "Ordo Astartes - M32 - >50 Inquisitors - Chapters of Adeptus Astartes" means only that the Ordo Astartes was founded in M32 and at that time consisted of 50 Inquisitors and an undisclosed number of Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. My guess would be that this all happened concurrent with the 2nd Founding and that the Chapters in question were part of that founding (so directly descended from the Legions). The identities of the Inquisitors and Chapters is anyone's guess. And how the Ordo Astartes has developed over time is also anyone's guess. For all we know, the Ordo Astartes no longer exists as a separate entity and has been absorbed into one of the later ordos. Alternately, some of the Chapters that were associated with the Ordo Astartes in M32 no longer exist (perhaps they died off through the normal methods, or perhaps they fell, or perhaps something else).

 

I see the Ordo Astartes serving as a sandbox for hobbyists to play in ... until GW actually does something with them.

 

We are playing with the Ordo Astartes in our development of the Legio. Our association is understated and behind the scenes, and it doesn't preclude other more orthodox Chapters from sharing an association with the Ordo Astartes, but the Ordo Astartes is the logical Ordo of the Inquisition for the Legio to have some kind of understanding.

 

Looking at canon material, there are a number of Chapters that might have some association with the Ordo Astartes: Red Hunters and Minotaurs come instantly to mind. The Crimson Fists have also been known to serve the High Lords of Terra in a capacity as punishers of wayward Chapters. Not having a complete list is probably a good thing as it gives players an opportunity to work this identity into their DIY Chapters.

[Yodhrin]

Off topic, but a couple of things that stand out to me from that list:

Before I get into specifics, I think it's important to state that Ordos are not well-defined entities that were mandated into being. They are simply groupings of Inquisitors who felt their talents and resources would be best spent focusing on a particular issue of the Imperium. I imagine a good chunk of the minor Ordos were created by members of the Major Ordos who simply wanted to sub-specialize. Ordos come and go as the interest in particular areas of investigation waxes and wanes and whether an Inquisitor can train acolytes and Interrogators to take up the mantle. Compare to an Inquisitorial Conclave, which is not Ordo-specific, but instead is focused on a particular region of space.

In addition, there are plenty of Inquisitors that are much more studious or bureaucratic than the action-packed ones we always read about. Inquisitors serving in the Ordo Redactus and Ordo Scriptorum, for instance may appear no different from heavily trumped up Administratum managers.

Ordo Custodum: an order for watching the Custodians? That doesn't make any sense. The Custodians are pretty much the most loyal people in the entire Imperium, especially considering they have pretty much one job. It would be more plausible to me if the Ordo Custodum acted as spies or such for the Custodians and/or were responsible for staving off plots and such.

That's not what the Ordo Custodum is. It's Inquisitors that watch over Terra itself. The "Custodum" term in this case is in reference to an actual custodian, not the Adeptus Custodes. They would watch over the safety of all of Terra, from keeping away freak warp storms to assisting the Arbites in stopping terrorist activity, to keeping down heretical cults that make their way to Terra among the pilgrims.

Ordo Militarum: seems....silly. For obvious reasons the Inquisition will want to keep tabs on the Astra Militarum....but it seems like overkill. Both this one and the Ordo Sanctorum seem like they would just fall under the Ordo Hereticus.

As mentioned above, this and the Ordo Sanctorum were most likely Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors who felt it was important to sub-specialize, and really get to know one particular Imperial organization to its core.

Ordo Necros: intriguing

Ordo Vigilus: doubly intriguing, considering they watch over the Ordo Necros. This one makes the most sense of any of them in the Inquisition. I fully expect to see an Ordo Ordos: the Inquisitors that watch over other Inquisitors, who in turn have Inquisitors watching them.

My theory is that the Ordo Necros is studying and theorizing what exactly would happen should the Emperor die. And I mean exactly. How will the warp twist to fill the void? What will happen to living saints currently in existence? Which of the millions of different religious views concerning the Emperor may be most accurate? How will the Astronomicon, the Webway breach, and the Golden Throne itself, all react? What would happen if he were unplugged from the Throne, versus dying naturally, versus the Golden Throne killing him through some crazy feedback loop? The Ordo Vigilus, in turn, makes sure that whatever knowledge the Ordo Necros gleans, absolutely none of it is ever used. Especially that last part.

I wrote out a big reply then kept reading the thread and realised Jareddm had already covered it much more clearly.

And kudos, because that's the first hypothesis about the Ordo Necros that I've actually liked, and now I want to write out a mini campaign for INQ28 where a Radical Ordo Necros Inquisitor tries to turn the Emperor off and on again and must be stopped at all costs

[Grand Master Laertes]

--Nevermind--

[Jareddm]

Getting back on topic, "Ordo Astartes - M32 - >50 Inquisitors - Chapters of Adeptus Astartes" means only that the Ordo Astartes was founded in M32 and at that time consisted of 50 Inquisitors and an undisclosed number of Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. My guess would be that this all happened concurrent with the 2nd Founding and that the Chapters in question were part of that founding (so directly descended from the Legions). The identities of the Inquisitors and Chapters is anyone's guess. And how the Ordo Astartes has developed over time is also anyone's guess. For all we know, the Ordo Astartes no longer exists as a separate entity and has been absorbed into one of the later ordos. Alternately, some of the Chapters that were associated with the Ordo Astartes in M32 no longer exist (perhaps they died off through the normal methods, or perhaps they fell, or perhaps something else).

Two things.  First, the "greater than 50" is their current estimated size, so they definitely still exist, though like you say possibly not as an independent entity.  At their inception, they could've been far greater (or less).  Second, the 2nd founding happened in 021.M31.  A thousand years earlier, at the minimum.  Assuming the creation of the Ordo Astartes happened after the events of The Beast and The Beheading, since I'm pretty sure Ordos in general didn't exist yet, then we'd already be up to the 5th founding.  Heck, it's possible that the Ordo Astartes may have originally been a major Ordos!

 

This could be especially true if you take into account how stability was reestablished in the aftermath of The Beheading, with fifty chapter masters marching onto Terra and forcing the establishment of twelve new High Lords.  Not exactly the kind of heavy-handed political environment the Imperium's elite would appreciate having around.

[General Strike]

I'm thinking of doing a paint scheme similar to the Knight-Errant color scheme, using my DW. I have two thoughts on it, since I'm not sure how I'm going to make my army yet. If I end up making SM DIY chapter using Minotaur, Ultras or so on, then I will Ally in my DW and for fluff they will be the "Tyrannic War Vets" equivalent of the Marine Hunters, they're the most highly trained baddest of the bad within a chapter of marine hunters. If I ally them with some other imperial force, then the color scheme will just be their chapter colors, having it be similar to the Blackshields. Maybe instead of them being marines taken from other Chapters, or Marines without chapters, they're marines grown using gene-seed and such specially chosen by the Inquisition, who then trains them to have no allegiance to anything but the Ordo and the Emperor. I would do a pure DW army, but they seem to lack bodies, and I want to run them as I see them intended to, toys before boys. That being said, I feel even a Minor power in the Imperium is usually more than most countries can muster in our world, since the Imperium is countless and hundreds of Chapters exist.

[CaptainHelion]

 

Storm Troopers are up to the task of assassination, or taking out small units that have been corrupted. Anything more than that, you'll want Sisters or Astartes themselves.

 

Agreed, although as much as I like Sisters, I don't see them being that much superior to Storm Troopers*. I'd see Sisters and Storm Troopers as being roughly equal in terms of how many Astartes they could handle before being overmatched.

 

My thinking on this was that Storm Troopers don't tend to fight in the larger scale in the way Sisters do. They tend to be deployed in very much the surgical strike fashion, which is fine for between one and five Astartes level opponents, but anything more? You're going to want a proper army that's used to fighting as an army.

[Sandlemad]

The tendencies of the inquisition to monitor the chapters has much older support than the other subjects on the list, even if not stated as an ordo. Wolf Blade had some sort of faction that was very leery of an astartes presence on Terra. They had a souped-up death cult assassin armed with some sort of toxins designed to mess up space marine organs. Sounds like the kind of thing that could sort of be represented with Eversor rules perhaps?

 

I think Jarredm's spot on about how 'formal' these ordos are but seeing as concern/distrust of marines - keeping an eye on genetic deviancy, heresy and overstepping the bounds of imperial division of power - is probably one of the oldest and more consistent habits of the inquisition, I'm actually surprised the given numbers are so low. You could probably get a fair bit of internal argument and division about the appropriateness of using astartes (Grey Knights, aligned chapters like the Red Hunters or favoured chapters like the Crimson Fists) to put down astartes.

 

Given the tendency of the inquisition towards factionalism and the hints in The Emperor's Gift, Blood of Asaheim and Ahriman: Sorceror, there's probably a smaller ordo devoted specifically to keeping an eye of the Space Wolves alone...

[CaptainHelion]

There's probably three, and they all think each other are traitors and heretics.

[Malcifer]

Getting back on topic, "Ordo Astartes - M32 - >50 Inquisitors - Chapters of Adeptus Astartes" means only that the Ordo Astartes was founded in M32 and at that time consisted of 50 Inquisitors and an undisclosed number of Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. My guess would be that this all happened concurrent with the 2nd Founding and that the Chapters in question were part of that founding (so directly descended from the Legions). The identities of the Inquisitors and Chapters is anyone's guess. And how the Ordo Astartes has developed over time is also anyone's guess. For all we know, the Ordo Astartes no longer exists as a separate entity and has been absorbed into one of the later ordos. Alternately, some of the Chapters that were associated with the Ordo Astartes in M32 no longer exist (perhaps they died off through the normal methods, or perhaps they fell, or perhaps something else).

I bet all 50 of the Ordo Astartes Inquisitors came from the Deathwing, just to make sure no one finds out about The Fallen, cause they hate those heretic Astartes so much.

[MagicHat]

Everytime I read that list, Ordo Vigilus makes me chuckle.

 

I don't know, the size of the Minor Ordo seems too... Minor.

 

10 guys checking all the maps of the entire galaxy? 

 

50 for the Marines and 500 for the guards also seems very little, especially considering that there are untold billions of guardsmen out there.

[Servant of Dante]

Storm Troopers are up to the task of assassination, or taking out small units that have been corrupted. Anything more than that, you'll want Sisters or Astartes themselves.

Agreed, although as much as I like Sisters, I don't see them being that much superior to Storm Troopers*. I'd see Sisters and Storm Troopers as being roughly equal in terms of how many Astartes they could handle before being overmatched. I think for anything bigger you're calling in the Minotaurs or just drowning the Astartes in weight of numbers (and lots of lead hurled by Basilisks from afar) by inducting a LOT of Imperial Guard with liberal doses of Imperial Navy bombardment.

* Edited to add: As I see it, Sisters and Inquisitorial Storm Troopers are essentially equal when it comes to indoctrination, dedication, and training. Both are trained pretty much from birth in very rigorous settings. I've read through both the Sororitas and Militarum Tempestus codices and the fluff describes them as both being very tough and elite. In terms of equipment, Sisters have better armour (power armour), but the Stormies have better weapons -- in the fluff hotshot lasguns are better or at least equal to bolters, and the Stormies have access to a wider variety of weapons in addition to pretty much everything the Sisters have. Vehicle-wise, they're again pretty equal. Sisters have rhinos, immolators, and exorcists, Stormies have Valkyries and Taurox Primes. Certainly fluff-wise, and I think on the table-top, the Stormies have a slight edge here with more mobility and a bit more firepower all told. So on the whole I see them as pretty equal.

. . . I'm incredibly biased but I still want to say that I will put a Sister head and shoulders over a Storm Trooper even if they are both given identical equipment.

The main thing here is the strength of will and faith. I see sisters as completely devoted, while I see Storm Troopers as guardsmen + (and this implies that I think Sisters are more than guardsmen +, which I do)

I don't want to start an argument, there's really no reason to. I doubt I'm likely to convince you to change your view (and it's not like I gain anything if I do), and, while I acknowledged your interpretation as perfectly valid, I don't plan on changing my interpretation of the scenario.

I just wanted to jump in and let you know what I think . . . anyway, I appologize if any of this comes of as belligerent, that is certainly not my intent (please chalk up my incoherence to tiredness ).

Immediate Edit: I want to point out that guardsmen are awesome and easily among the bravest of the Imperium's defenders (I love the army is what I'm saying)

[Servant of Dante]

Everytime I read that list, Ordo Vigilus makes me chuckle.

 

I don't know, the size of the Minor Ordo seems too... Minor.

 

10 guys checking all the maps of the entire galaxy? 

 

50 for the Marines and 500 for the guards also seems very little, especially considering that there are untold billions of guardsmen out there.

Eh, while I agree, I feel the FFG DH games put way too many Inquisitors out there. I imagine a system gets a visit from an Inquititor maybe a couple times a decade, if it's especially unlucky and bad things are happening, and even then most of the time they won't ever know he/she was there.