Astartes Who Actually Help People?

[Julgolax]

Is it entirely unreasonable for an Astartes Chapter created specifically to provide assistance to the citizenry of Imperial worlds? Specifically, a chapter that not only provides military assistance of course, but also possesses an expanded Apothicarion and Medicae wing that has more authority in the chapter than usual. Perhaps even the assistance of the Techmarines, Librarians, and the Victualler's company.

 

Maybe even take it so far as to make the chapter's command the Apothicarion, with special brands of Apothicary-trained marines!

 

Would that be too far out there?

 

I mean, if the Death Watch, Mentors / Mentor Legion, Grey Knights and Exorcists can exist, why not this?

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

Mentors do this. Ultramarine legion did this on conquered worlds back in the day. Most 40K chapters don't have the time to linger and help humans with trivial non-combat tasks.

[deathspectersgt7]

Salamanders I can see doing this and also the Storm Giants.

[Olis]

Is it entirely unreasonable for an Astartes Chapter created specifically to provide assistance to the citizenry of Imperial worlds?

 

While the Imperium is vast and there's room for almost anything in 40k... I'd say yes. Astartes are bred for war. The usual Imperial citizenry are the concern of planetary governors. This kind of thing is outside of the remit of an Astartes chapter.

 

I mean, if the Death Watch, Mentors / Mentor Legion, Grey Knights and Exorcists can exist, why not this?

 

This is basically comparing a group of things that have one thing in common (fighting Imperial enemies) with the exact opposite (providing care for humanity). Astartes are a surgical scalpel, compared to the Guard's hammer. Astartes 1) don't have the manpower to make any real difference, medically speaking, and 2) it's simply not a matter for them to bother caring about. They live and die for battle.

[Julgolax]

wow, that's quite a stark trio of answers. You'd think there'd be at least a single Ultramarines or maybe even some kind of Blood Angels successor who take the application of medical prowess to the masses of a saved or even conquered world. And the Astartes of this kind of chapter would certainly not do this alone. I was inspired by the suspiciously genestealer-looking medical servitors seen in this artwork piece. Imagine a chapter who, while very capable as a military force and come to the rescue of beleagured imperial worlds within the Dark Imperium, their primary goal is in fact to help keep these worlds healthy and functioning, if not improve upon the populace with the applications of drugs, genetic supplementation, prosthetics / augmetics, and Imperial indoctrination.

 

Again, I reference the other examples who, while are geared entirely towards annihilating enemies of the Imperium, are still geared VERY specifically towards a certain task within that realm of use. the Death Watch train to fight all kinds of alien monsters and horrors from the length and breadth of the galaxy and in turn these hardened xenos killers are sent back to their respective chapters to pass on that knowledge to others. The Exorcists allow the very Daemons of the warp to inhabit their bodies if only to gain an understanding of what they face and develop the willpower in order to defeat them. The Mentors Legion operate and train alongside Guardsmen in order for these human soldiers to benefit from their centuries of battle experience as well as their mere inspiring presence. The Grey Knights, while the epitome of cheesy mary sue writing, are indeed the single most specific and well trained chapter of space marines in the galaxy, save perhaps for the Legio Custodes. An army of some 3000 pseudo-librarians wearing and wielding the best and most specifically designed equipment the Mechanicus can create, again save for the Legio Custodes.

 

It's just the idea of an Astartes chapter created to be fully autonomous with the specific purpose of mending and healing a broken Imperium starting from the ground floor, it's citizenry.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

The whole point of marines is to be living weapons.

[Adeptus]

Using Astartes to provide medical aid would be like using a battle tank as an ambulance. You could but it would be a gross misuse of resources.

[sultansean]

Makes sense to me that the Imperium would want to preserve one of its resources (people).  Also I could see easily see a chapter being Nobly minded and compassionate towards people, I know the Ravenguard are known for trying to protect ordinary Imperium citizens.  I would like to think my Ravenguard successor chapter the Emperor's Shadow would provide humanitarian assistance when they can. No reason another chapter couldn't take it a step further. 

[Iron Lord]

Using Astartes to provide medical aid would be like using a battle tank as an ambulance. You could but it would be a gross misuse of resources.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkava#Merkava_Tankbulance

[Kua]

Before answering the question whether Astartes would or wouldn’t, first tell us:

What could they do better than regular people to justify their use there?

They are strong, fearless and what not, but for what civil tasks do you need strong and fearless superhumans?

[BassWave]

I think it would be a better idea if the chapter had a large pool of chapter serfs that were trained in medicine that provided medical aid for the populous. This way the marines are free to do what they do best. It also allows for a larger medical staff since it's easier and quicker to train regular people to be medics or doctors rather than marines.

[Adeptus]

 

Using Astartes to provide medical aid would be like using a battle tank as an ambulance. You could but it would be a gross misuse of resources.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkava#Merkava_Tankbulance

 

Well, I meant for civilian use, but touche!

[deathspectersgt7]

Read some of the 40k Salamander Novels you get a glimpse on how they interact with Mortals.

[Arkangilos]

There are entire organizations of the Imperium that exist solely for this reason. Space Marines exist to slay bodies, not save nobodies.

[old git]

I'd have to say no. The time, materiel resource and expense (not necessarily in monetary terms) needed to produce and maintain an entire chapter just can't be wasted on looking after your average citizen. Marines are created and trained solely to fight the Emperors wars and are, as said, living weapons, not caretakers.

[Ciler]

In A Thousand Sons, it is made quite clear that on their home world of Prospero, the Thousand Sons did allow mortals to use the apothecarion.

[Sete]

Black Templars help all of mankind.

[Julgolax]

I just thought it would be cool to have a chapter that was founded for the purpose of bringing medical aid and enhancements to the throngs of Imperial Citizenry. Wasn't the Emperor's original vision to uplift humanity to the level of demi-gods anyway? The Primarchs are the goal, and the space marines are the  Combat Jeep to the Primarch's Humvee. Perhaps the chapter would revere the actual work of the Emperor and try to emulate this among select individuals whom they bring medical aid to.

 

I dunno. I see this isn't going anywhere positive. :(

[Olis]

I just thought it would be cool to have a chapter that was founded for the purpose of bringing medical aid and enhancements to the throngs of Imperial Citizenry. Wasn't the Emperor's original vision to uplift humanity to the level of demi-gods anyway? The Primarchs are the goal, and the space marines are the  Combat Jeep to the Primarch's Humvee. Perhaps the chapter would revere the actual work of the Emperor and try to emulate this among select individuals whom they bring medical aid to.

 

I dunno. I see this isn't going anywhere positive.

 

As a point of (incidental) order, I believe the aim of the Emperor was to enable humanity to become a race of psychics that didn't depend on the warp for interstellar travel. And the primarchs were, ultimately, merely tools to bring about this vision, as were the space marines. However, since the events of the Horus Heresy neither goal can be achieved (especially since the Emperor is stuck on the Golden Throne, being half-dead and what-not) and so the remaining loyal marines have done the best they can to keep prosecuting their collective goal: Protect the Empire of Man by attacking the Imperium's enemies.

 

Now, this is by-the-by. I can only advise you based on what I know and can surmise. While I may disagree with you on the validity of your idea, it is entirely up to you whether or not you go through with it. If you so wish, then by all means do so. My opinion should not be an obstructive wall to you - merely advice. You can take it, or leave it.

 

If you really do wish to see this through, then I invite you to explore and build upon the idea in the Liber Astartes subforum. I suggest, if you do so, then link back to this thread to show what discussions and opinions have been made of the idea so far. Aside from that, there's not much more help for you that I can suggest, brother. 

[Kua]

If you wish to make a chapter with a medical character trait, do it:

Let it have many apothecaries, let them have even more human (non-SM) helpers and let them supervise/improve the training of medical personal on human worlds in times of relative peace.

Just don’t let the SMs actually play ambulance, this would be implausible and dull.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

I just thought it would be cool to have a chapter that was founded for the purpose of bringing medical aid and enhancements to the throngs of Imperial Citizenry. Wasn't the Emperor's original vision to uplift humanity to the level of demi-gods anyway? The Primarchs are the goal, and the space marines are the  Combat Jeep to the Primarch's Humvee. Perhaps the chapter would revere the actual work of the Emperor and try to emulate this among select individuals whom they bring medical aid to.

 

I dunno. I see this isn't going anywhere positive.

 

I think if you took a more sinister and grimdark take to it, it could fit perfectly. Imagine the Red Scorpions sending out their apothecaries to "help" the population, when in reality they're really just trying to keep the recruiting pool pure and locating the best and purest recruits. Helping out the entire population is just a side effect.

 

A chapter whose only purpose is to go around helping the sick and hungry and poor just makes no sense. Marines know they serve humanity best by fighting the enemies trying to destroy it. Bandaging wounds isn't going to stop Abaddon's crusades.

 

40K isn't Feel Good Land, either. If something like an incurable Nurgle's plague hit a world, these guys would totally quarantine and euthanize them. They wouldn't wade in there trying to cure this new disease. I think if it was that kind of take on this concept, it'd fit pretty well. I know SoB have something similar to a hospital wing, Orders Hospitaller. Even though it says they're pretty decent fighters, they're still pretty much just healers. Allowing the healer part to override the main identity of marines, which is warriors first and foremost, just doesn't seem like a great idea.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Tyberos the Red Wake

[Trevak Dal]

Astartes in their modern, company/chapter basis are the best way to utilize post human super soldiers, elite infantry that can break a siege, capture and destroy an enemy ship, or rapid response to combat crisis.

 

Let's look to modern day. Seal team six doesn't stay around and render aide, neither to my knowledge does the SAS, GSG9, Spetznas etc. They go in, :cuss up the bad guys and then the regular army comes in and helps the locals with hearts and minds.

 

Special Forces smash enemy resistance in small areas, so that regular troops can hold the ground afterwards.

 

Ground in the 41st millennium happens to be planets, solar systems and subsectors.

 

 

One thing they could do is have very well renound apothecaries so that when they fight alongside other astartes, they can act in the stead of a chapter's own apothecaries if they are overwhelmed with casualties.

 

This reputation also allows them to aide civilians during times of siege.

 

 

The thing is though, the Imperium has a dim view of humans.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Trevak Dal

[Captain Idaho]

There is always room for YOUR interpretation, but let's also consider that one of the best things about 40K is just how horrible a universe it is.

 

Those Imperial Space Marines who turnt up to liberate your planet from Xenos suppression or a Heretical Tyrant, leave you to Imperial bureaucracy where your individual rights are nonexistent and life is cruel and oppressive.

 

Lovely. :)

[Brother Casman]

I feel I should point out that, while the Adeptus Astartes often don't have the time to help a human population directly (outside of fighting on their behalf), there is another group of people who do take care of the populace's medical needs. The Orders Hospitaller of the Adepta Sororitas. :)

 

Edited to add: I see Tyberos has also mentioned the Orders Hospitaller above, but it's still a good point to reinforce. The Imperium has many groups dedicated to the many, many aspects of administering to the vast collection of Humanity. The Adeptus Astartes don't have to do it all.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Brother Casman

[Arkangilos]

That's why I said there are already organizations made specifically for that task :p