# The Inquisition and Space Marine Chapters



## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

I just started the Blood Angels Omnibus, and am only about 40 or so pages into it, but so far there has been mention of an Inquisitor that has joined the Blood Angels in some special missions. Does this happen often, where an Inquisitor or a small group of the Inquisition would join a Chapter of Astartes for a short period of time?

If so, would it be possible to justify this when it comes to modeling? I'm sure whenever the new Daemon Hunters come out, I will want to buy some of the sweet new minis, but most likely won't jump on the bandwagon and start them up as a new army. Instead, I think it would be cool to incorporate a squad of them, or maybe an inquisitor into my current army, more for the mini than its stats, and use it as a counts-as Death Co or HQ choice. 


Any other examples of this occuring would be helpful. I always pictured the Inquisition as have a "guilty until proven innocent" mindset, and being wary and suspicious of everyone. 

Cheers


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## Necrosis (Nov 1, 2008)

It depends on the Inquisitor and the Chapter. Some Inquisitors have fought along side chapters and thus has earned there respect and thus has an easier time calling space marines to assist them. In some cases Inquisitors will fight along side space marines in order to gain there favor. Yes an Inquisitor can demand it but that's not the smartest things to do. Some space marine chapters like to serve with the Inquisition but others do not and others are in between. In the ends it comes down to the Inquisitor and the chapter.


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## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

Alright that makes sense, it seemed there were opposing views with some of the Blood Angels so far in the omnibus - one claims it almost a travesty that the chapter allow an Inquisitor to lay hands on a relic important to the BA, while another claims he has earned the right to.


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## Smokes (Nov 27, 2009)

Like previously said it all depends. An Istvaanian's wet-dream is having some influence over a Astartes Chapter but it all depends on reputation, influence and the Inquisitor's philosophy along with which Spezdispenser Muhreenz he/she is dealing with.


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## hailene (Aug 28, 2009)

I don't think Space Marines are beholden to an Inquisitor. An Inquisitor can yell until he's blue but if the Space Marines say no then that's it. An Inquisitor can request men and whoever is in command can decide whether or not to assist him or her. I would imagine only the most arrogant of marines would refuse. 

Then again this is balanced against what the Inquisitor wants to do. Something too menial, unimportant, or radical may dissuade Space Marine assistance.

Anywho, about Inquisitors teaming up with Space Marines:

There's one in the Iron Snakes book. He requests the assistance of a tactical squad.

In the Eisenhorn omnibus Space Marines, IG, PDF, and Inquisitors all work together to capture many Alpha+ psykers.

Space Wolf omnibus an Inquisitor has a pack of Blood Claws assist him to retrieve a couple of ancient relics.

The Black Templars assist an Inquisitor to hunt down a Daemon Prince (or was it a Daemon host?).

And then pretty much the entirety of the Death Watch.


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## Smokes (Nov 27, 2009)

Yeah it would be easier for an Inquisitor to go through "official" Ordo channels and get some Deathwatch Marines (If he is Ordo Xenos), the Grey Knights (Malleus) or some Bolter Bitches but if you are in the field and can't readily requisition them and the threat requires it a Tactical Squad should do fine. But if a Inquisitor, who has never worked with the Astartes, comes by and tries to shove his rosette up one of their mechanical arses it won't work. He'll either leave empty handed or end up like that Inquisitor who mysteriously died after trying to push a Chapter master around (Space Wolves? I forget which Inquisitor and Chapter). The rosette may carry absolute authority but that authority isn't always recognized and even when it is it carries dangerous consequences.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

There are also large scale operations where the Inquisitor will take command of an entire theater of war.

In _Warriors of Ultramar_, Inquisitor Kryptman commands the entirety of the Imperial forces defending Tarsis Ultra. He personally commands a squad of Deathwatch, as well as several regiments of Imperial Guard and elements from two astartes chapters.

In this case, there were disagreements but overall command belonged to the Inquisitor.


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## Brother Arnold (Aug 29, 2010)

Guilty until proven innocent? That's untrue. Innocence proves nothing, a plea of innocence is guilty of wasting my time etc.
Even if they did say "innocent" sometimes, then guilty until proven innocent would be flawed anyway. That means that the poor suspect gets executed immediately.


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## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

The whole "guilty until proven innocent" meant that they are wary of everyone, and need to earn the trust before believing that individual is in fact loyal


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## jack (Oct 30, 2008)

Ive heard that the crimson fists are friendly with the Inquisition.


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## xXDeathCompanyXx (Dec 17, 2011)

But would it be safe to say that if a Chapter likes a particular Inquisitor as much as to follow them, like commanded by them...?


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

There are a few chapters that were actually founded to be used by the Inquisition. The most obvious one to spring to mind is the Exorcists, who were monitored by the Inquisition and the GKs duting founding and field testing. It wouldn't be a big surprise to see an Inquisitor hanging out with them. Then you have the renegade Relictors, who would attract like minded extremist Inquisitors.


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

If a Chapter refuses to aid an Inquisitor he can easily get them into a lot of trouble with the Imperium.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Malus Darkblade said:


> If a Chapter refuses to aid an Inquisitor he can easily get them into a lot of trouble with the Imperium.


Not really. The SWs have told the Inquisition and AdMech to f*** off a few times, and the Inquisition have decided that discretion is the better part of valour. 

They would also run the risk of having a repeat of the Badab war, where essentially loyal chapters sided with a fellow chapter they saw as being victimized by the Inquisition and other organs of the Imperium. Facing down a SM chapter could get very sticky very quickly unless there is massive back up from forces other than astartes.


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

Doesn't' matter what the SW have or haven't done. 

The power at an Inquisitor's fingertips can end or make a Chapter. They represent the Emperor.


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## Emperorguard500 (May 5, 2010)

thats why i didn't like the ending to the space marine video game (potential spoilers)


the inquisistion accuses Titus of Heresy, but the inquisition has no right to trial, accuse, arrest titus... shouldn't the investiagation of titus fall under the chapter's jurisdiction..per say


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

The Astartes are also a completely autonomus organistaion, they are all independant and any single person can only control a chapter at best unless in very rare circumstances. This is to prevent something like a little thing called the Horus Heresy from happening again. If any =I= could take control of any Chapter whenever they wished this would defeat the purpose of limiting the size of a chapter to around 1000, likewise if any =I= could make or break a chapter on whim then around half of the surviving first legions and their successors would have been destroyed by now. 

As previously mentioned the Badab War was ultimatly caused by people other than Astartes ordering around Space Marines and then taking issue when they didn't do what they were told. 

For a chapter to be declared Tratiors a lot of wheels have to turn, accustations and proof must be provided of actual taint; whether that be in the gene seed or their actions being suspicous consistantly or generally open conflict with multiple other branchs of the Imperium. Simply not helping out when asked and not doing what they are told by some random guy they've never met before whi has started flashing his badge around an't going to be enough to get them into hot water by itself.

Shooting the guy with the badge in the head, flaying his body and shoving it on standard before viris bombing his pals home base might do it. But even then if they had a good reason they could probably get away with it.


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## MEQinc (Dec 12, 2010)

Malus Darkblade said:


> The power at an Inquisitor's fingertips can end or make a Chapter. They represent the Emperor.


Space Marine are the the Emperor's Angels of Death, his genetic heritage. They represent the Emperor just as much as the Inquisition. 

The power at an Inquisitor's fingertips is... nothing. They rely entirely on other people to provide them with military units. Other people who will be extremely reluctant to take on a SM Chapter, especially one of the founding Legions. Declaring war on a Chapter also declares war on that Chapters holdings and allies, most of whom will also be SM Chapters. That is multiple thousands of the finest warriors in the galaxy all bent on your destruction, not a foe to be taken lightly. Yes an Inquisitor can summon the power to destroy a Chapter but they must be very careful and very patient in doing so. 



Emperorguard500 said:


> but the inquisition has no right to trial, accuse, arrest titus... shouldn't the investiagation of titus fall under the chapter's jurisdiction..per say


The Inquisition is in charge of all things Chaos, Space Marines are in charge of all things Space Marine. When these two intersect (as with Titus) things become blured as to who has juridiction. However I believe ultimately that the Inquisitor is well with it's rights to accuse, arrest and ultimately execute anybody they want, though they should definitely prove the parties guilt to their Chapter.


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

MEQinc said:


> Space Marine are the the Emperor's Angels of Death, his genetic heritage. They represent the Emperor just as much as the Inquisition.
> 
> The power at an Inquisitor's fingertips is... nothing. They rely entirely on other people to provide them with military units. Other people who will be extremely reluctant to take on a SM Chapter, especially one of the founding Legions. Declaring war on a Chapter also declares war on that Chapters holdings and allies, most of whom will also be SM Chapters. That is multiple thousands of the finest warriors in the galaxy all bent on your destruction, not a foe to be taken lightly. Yes an Inquisitor can summon the power to destroy a Chapter but they must be very careful and very patient in doing so.


Nothing? The Grey Knights, closer to the Emperor than any Astartes answer to the Inquisition.

Relying on people? Why not when everything in the Imperium is yours to command?

How many Chapters has the Inqusition deemed Excommunicatus or whatever the term is and destroyed? 

The only reason they are careful in punishing the Astartes is because they need them in their war against Chaos and because they are rare and hard to come by not because they fear them.



MEQinc said:


> The Inquisition is in charge of all things Chaos, Space Marines are in charge of all things Space Marine.


What else is there besides a Chaos-tainted Space Marine?


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Malus Darkblade said:


> Doesn't' matter what the SW have or haven't done.


Of course it does. The point is they have given the =I= the finger numerous times over the last 10,000 years, yet they have not been declared traitors because the =I= is _afraid _of them. IIRC the DA have also ignored the =I= when they come across a hint of one of the Fallen. 

An Inquisitor can only sanction a chapter if he has another chapter or two and a segmentum fleet to do it. Those chapters will not do anything without investigating the allegations themselves, and if they find them groundless they too will give the =I= the finger. 

As MEQinc said, they rely on others to uphold their authority.

As to the GKs, their numbers are limited, they answer only to the Ordo Malleus, and would only come into the reckoning if the allegations involved being warp tainted. There are more than enough demons to fight without putting marines of dubious morals on their to-do list as well.


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## MEQinc (Dec 12, 2010)

Malus Darkblade said:


> Nothing? The Grey Knights, closer to the Emperor than any Astartes answer to the Inquisition.


The GK answer to their Chapter Masters, they are not commanded by the Inquisition. An Inquisitor can request their assistance but the GK can easily say "Oh sorry, we're busy with something else right now." and their is not a thing the Inquisitor in question can do about it. Plus, their are no more GK than their are Marines in a single Chapter and that's assuming they would all fight together (a feat that I believe is without president and very risky for the Imperium).



> Relying on people? Why not when everything in the Imperium is yours to command?


Except it's not yours to command, it is yours to request/demand the assistance of. Any commander can say no. They aren't likely to, because the Inquisitor can shoot them and his buddies can have them arrested, but they can, will and have.



> How many Chapters has the Inqusition deemed Excommunicatus or whatever the term is and destroyed?


Destroyed completely? I can't think of one. Engaged in combat and eventually defeated? Several, however each has proved a difficult opponent and required lots of assistance in taking out. And the crimes for which they have been Excommunincated for have been very serious, Chapters have gotten away with the outright murder of Inquisitorial agents in the past. 



> The only reason they are careful in punishing the Astartes is because they need them in their war against Chaos and because they are rare and hard to come by not because they fear them.


Bull. Everyone fears the Astartes, their power and lethality is without question. An Inquisitor will not go against a Chapter with anything shy of other Marines as support.


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## RedThirstWill Destroy (Nov 10, 2011)

Potential spoiler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



"This is my command, for the glory of the Emperor and Sanguinius. Dante, Chapter Master of the Blood Angels."

This was an Order. If Steele could do as he wished then he would have done as he willed but he couldn't and if you've read the full set you know what happens.


I would take this as a fact that the =I= can't comendeer whomever they want for whatever they want


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

They can if they report back to Terra and get a few thousand Imperial Navy ships with them.

They themselves can't physically force an Astartes to do their bidding (then again an Inquisitor in Terminator armor is another matter entirely. See '_We are One_' by John French). But they are more than capable of dealing with them as they have with several Chapters through sanctions or extermination. 

But of course the burden of proof is on the Inquisitor for why the Chapter in question has '_turned to the ruinous powers_' for refusing to comply.

However, founding Legions turned Chapters like the BA/Space Wolves for example of course have some forms of protection in regards to accusations like the above. 

Second/Cursed founding Chapters I would argue not so much.

They don't want to anger the Astartes by insulting their pride which bossing them around would lead to hence why they're diplomatic with them.


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