Quick Question About Fleet Based Chapter

[Knarlak]

I'm currently working on an AI for my DIY Space Marine Chapter that should be up tomorrow, all going well. I'm just wondering does anyone know how many battle barges a fleet based Chapter would have? Would the Fortress Monastery be confined to one battle barge?

[Lysimachus]

The simple answer is: it varies! An average Chapter would obviously need enough ships to deploy all its forces, so 10 Companies worth. Basic estimates would be something like:

 

0-3 Battle Barges

1-10 Strike Cruisers

(Logically, the more BB you have, the less SC you need)

 

Plus all the various escort vessels (30-40 ships easily)

 

Now, most Chapters will probably have more than the basic minimum to allow flexibility in their deployment options, and may even have enough to rotate ships in and out of service.

 

And a Fleet based Chapter is reasonably assumed to be even better equipped. They might also have a wider variety of support ships (Forgeships, etc), combat vessels (rarer escorts or even Navy ships). They might even follow the pattern of having a super-ship as their Fortress Monastery, like the IF's Phalanx, DA's Rock (more a mobile space station than a ship, but still...), or the BT's Eternal Crusader.

[Knarlak]

That's prefect thanks.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I tried to answer that question myself:

 

The Iron-hearted Angels [my Flesh Tearers descendant] operate 59 ships in total: one battle barge, 16 strike cruisers, and 42 frigates.  The large number provides redundancy, allowing the Chapter to continue the mission despite equipment malfunction, loss of communication, unforeseen delays, and other vagaries of war.

 

The battle barge "Burden of Truth" provides transportation and logistics support for First Company's 100 Marines (160, if one counts Techmarines and vehicle crewmen).  Originally designed to transport 300 Marines at once, an arms manufactory now occupies much of the interior space, allowing the Company to sustain itself on extended campaigns; the barge is capable of smelting ore, forging metal, and assembling equipment the size of Thunderhawk Master gunships.  Two of 10th Company's frigates accompany this monument to Nassir Amit's memory at all times.

 

Second to Ninth Companies each operate two strike cruisers and four frigates.  Each cruiser is responsible for 48 Marines' transportation and logistics support; integral manufactories, capable of assembling equipment the size of Land Raiders, provide the latter.

 

10th Company operates 10 "scout frigates."  Each frigate is responsible for 10 Marines (16, if one counts Techmarines and vehicle crewmen); their integral manufactories can assemble equipment the size of Predator battle tanks.  When Second to Ninth Companies' ships sail, one of 10th Company's frigates will be attached to their flotillas; this allows the Neophytes to learn from others' experiences, and to serve as attrition replacements in case of heavier-than-expected casualties.

Note the total number of Marines is 1600, NOT 1000. Of this number, 1000 are front line combat troops. The rest are Techmarines and vehicle crewmen, i.e., warship captains and mates, gunship pilots and gunners, tank drivers and gunners; plus all the Techmarines who stand in the hangars and garages, repairing damaged vehicles and building new ones, as necessary.

[Doctor Perils]

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Ultramarines#Chapter_Fleet

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Space_Wolves#Chapter_Fleet

 

According to Wikia, Chapters usually have 4 or 5 battle barges, and the space wolves have 15 [capital] ships in total (we can suppose 5 battle barges and 10 strike cruisers)

 

Now, I thought I'd seen a source saying that there weren't supposed to be more than 3 battle barges in a chapter (except for progenitors) as Lysimachus says, but I can't remember where that was.

 

I'd say you can compose a fleet rather easily from that. Remember too that some fleet based chapters have "Chapter Barques" - ships larger even then Battle Barges - that serve as the Fortress Monastery. I would remain on the side of caution though, and not have fleet larger then a first founding chapter, even one that is not fleet based.

[Legatus]

In the 3rd Edition Codex Space Marines there was a list of all the Ultramarines' assets in 745.M41, shortly before the first Tyrannic War. At that point they had 3 battle barges and 8 strike cruisers. Perhaps these were only the ones on active duty. In the BFG sourcebook 'Imperial Fleets' it is stated that most Chapters control two or three battle barges.

 

Over the years there have been other battle barges attributed to the Ultramarines, seemingly by authors without recourse to the older material.

[Doctor Perils]

In the 3rd Edition Codex Space Marines there was a list of all the Ultramarines' assets in 745.M41, shortly before the first Tyrannic War. At that point they had 3 battle barges and 8 strike cruisers. Perhaps these were only the ones on active duty. In the BFG sourcebook 'Imperial Fleets' it is stated that most Chapters control two or three battle barges.

 

Over the years there have been other battle barges attributed to the Ultramarines, seemingly by authors without recourse to the older material.

These numbers do indeed sound more reasonable to me :)

[Arkangilos]

I want to say BFG also has a section for fleet based chapters, but I'm away from it right now. Work and all.

[Grand Master Belial]

Now, I thought I'd seen a source saying that there weren't supposed to be more than 3 battle barges in a chapter (except for progenitors) as Lysimachus says, but I can't remember where that was.

 

I want to say it was the Index Astartes: Battle Barge article that came out as an eBook a few years ago.

[Sete]

BT had at least 4 named Battle Barges at Armaggedon

Eternal Crusader (Battle Barge) - The Eternal Crusader is the personal flagship of High Marshal Helbrecht and serves essentially as the Chapter's mobile Fortress-Monastery, home to the Black Templar's Reclusiam, primary Armouries and the vaults containing all of the Chapter's relics and precious artefacts.

Divine Fury (Battle Barge) - The Divine Fury served in the Armageddon Crusade and was the flagship of the Solemnus Crusade.

Light of Purity (Battle Barge) - Flagship of High Marshal Helbrecht during the Third War for Armageddon.

Night's Vigil (Battle Barge) - Part of the Eternal Crusader's escort fleet during Third War for Armageddon.