Ideas for a Police/ Law inspired Space Marine Chapter?

[BloodWolves]

I'm trying to come up with some lore and paint schemes for a Police/ Law inspired Space Marine Chapter. Im a fan of the Arbites and I know having Space Marines as a police force is overkill. But Im hoping to create a Space Marine Chapter still with the concept of a police service. I'm exploring the ideas to have them based from the Deathwatch/ Night Lords. I chose those because I'm going to write up some Special Issue Ammo stats based from Judge Dredd and Night Lords due to their thing about harsh justice and whatnot. Any help or ideas? I've read up on the Space Marine Field Police rank as well but Im thinking like that but on the scale of an army.

[old git]

Maybe a Field Police company. That way you can use the units from the codex without any problem, including Deathwatch. The colour schemes are even similar.

[Spinsanity]

I'd suggest taking a look at Hyperion's Counts-as-Deathwatch squad:

Oh okaaay, I'll post a WIP update. Get ready for the Rogue Trader retro - it's the return of the FIELD POLICE!

+Edit: Realized I had linked to a WIP. Here's the completed squad:

Vow complete!

In regards to fluff/background, maybe take a look at the Horus Heresy Ultramarines Vigil Opertii...

[shandwen]

If only you wanted EMS. I want to say 4chan made a Amber-Lances chapter. Hilariously fitting traits and all.

[Doghouse]

Well to be honest there isn't really anything to stop you making a marine police themed army at all. Traditionally space marines have been a strike force, hit hard, hit fast and cut the head from the enemy but at the same time they are often seen as being responsible for their own sectors and some like the Ultramarines pretty much are responsible for their own mini empires.

 

There are also existing examples of single squads of Astartes being garrisoned to planets. Sergeant Constantinus and his tactical squad of the Sons of Guilliman is one example, although he did turn to chaos and kind of took over the planet but this shows just how hard these duties are.

Black Templars also have Keeps scattered around as do the Death Watch so this is a well established part of the lore right here.

 

I'd say the best way to go would be have the Chapter specialise in garrison duties in some of the harshest scummiest parts of the galaxy. Astartes recruitment worlds that belong to your chapter would be a good one. This would expand their role from punishing to locating and capturing the hardest and most violent hive dwellers for recruitment.

 

There are two ways I'd go about this. Firstly there is the Chapter option where you just have little garrisons dotted all over but the bulk of the chapter are off fighting wars much like the Imperial Fists in some respects. The second option, which would fit your idea a bit better is to expand on the above and have dedicated companies, much like the death wing of the dark angels, that are given the task of policing their recruiting worlds. So you have the bulk of the chapter off fighting then a couple of specialist companies policing violent Hive worlds that are vital to your chapter. Call them Wardens, Magistratus, Custodi Legemor or something and while the rest of the chapter uses regular codex rules for huge battles these guys can be set apart but say using the Death Watch codex instead. 

 

Including Chaplains in their role of internal police would be a nice little nod to the fact that these guys would need to be watched over from within given that they are going to be away from their chapter so much and extremely isolated where temptations such as the lure of chaos can take hold. The main reason these guys are monitored pretty much all their lives and under go hypnosis, prayer and other forms of control are they are basically supermen in the service of a cause. Isolate them removing them from this scrutiny results in them getting their own ideas about right and wrong which leads to heresy, so vigilance within is going to be just as important as vigilance on the streets of the Hive. 

[Kinstryfe]

I believe, if my memory serves, that the Inquisition has an Ordo Astartes tasked with monitoring space marine Chapters. Perhaps a chapter that's a policing arm of them, led by a counts-as Inquisitor as a librarian. They could basically be charged with investigating and policing accusations and signs of taint in Astartes chapters.

[RandyB]

I believe, if my memory serves, that the Inquisition has an Ordo Astartes tasked with monitoring space marine Chapters. Perhaps a chapter that's a policing arm of them, led by a counts-as Inquisitor as a librarian. They could basically be charged with investigating and policing accusations and signs of taint in Astartes chapters.

 

Your memory serves correctly. And that is a fantastic idea.