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Encyclopedia > Deathwatch (Warhammer 40,000)

In the tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Deathwatch are unique among Space Marine organisations. They act as the military arm of the Ordo Xenos, the alien hunting branch of the Inquisition. Tabletop game is a general term used to refer to card games, board games, parlor games, role-playing games, miniatures wargames, tile-based games and other games that are normally played on a table or other flat surface. ... Wargaming is the play of simulated military operations in the form of games known as wargames. ... This article is about the tabletop miniature wargame and the fictional universe in which it is set. ... The current Space Marine sourcebook (codex) cover The Space Marines are one of the major forces available in the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000. ... In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Ordo Xenos, (more commonly known as the Alien Hunters) are one of the three Ordos of the Inquisition, faced with counteracting the threat of alien species. ... The Inquisition (The Holy Orders of the Emperors Inquisition) is a secret organisation in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ...

Contents

Organization

As the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos, the Deathwatch is tasked with the study and, if necessary, the extermination of alien races encountered by the Imperium. They are also tasked with the observation of alien races, and the acquisition of their technology for further study by the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire that contains the vast majority of humanity in the forty-first millennium, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop. ... In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Adeptus Mechanicus is an institution of the Imperium dedicated to the preservation and restoration of science and technology. ...

Deathwatch marines. Note the different shoulder-pad insignias

The Deathwatch are uniquely organized in that the Marines that make up the Deathwatch are drawn from many different Chapters. They are then specially trained to counter Xeno threats and are sworn to serve a term with the Deathwatch before returning to their Chapter of origin. The Space Marine Legions and subsequent Chapters were bound by ancient oath to provide troops to the Deathwatch. However, particularly among some of the more radical Space Marine Chapters, this can be a great test of duty, especially for those that see the Inquisition as corrupt and an enemy of the independence of the Adeptus Astartes. Image File history File links Deathwatch. ... Image File history File links Deathwatch. ...


Although there is no question of any Chapter or Space Marine failing to fulfill their ancient pledges; Chapters like the Iron Hands, Dark Angels, and Blood Angels have a notoriously strained relationship with the Inquisition. It is not unheard of for radical Ordo Xenos Inquisitors to find the secondment of Deathwatch troops facilitated by aiding a chapter against the machinations of a puritanical Ordo Heriticus Inquisitor. Other Chapters such as the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists have a far closer relationship with the Inquisition as a whole and the Ordo Xenos itself. Marines from these Chapters are more frequently and in greater number inducted into the Deathwatch, although a Kill-Team may be made up of any variety of Marines as the resources of the Ordo Xenos Militant Order are moved around the galaxy. Marines making up a Deathwatch kill team can vary hugely in philosophy, culture and custom but are bound together by their loyalty to the Emperor and their zealous hatred of the alien enemies of mankind. A Space Marine will remain with the Deathwatch until the Inquisitor leading the detachment deems that necessary tasks have been completed. In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Iron Hands are one of the initial Space Marine Legions. ...


Combat Doctrine

Deathwatch Space Marines will usually operate in individual Tactical Squads, known as Kill Teams. Each Kill Team will be led by an Inquisitor, Brother-Captain or Librarian. Their missions ranging from those undertaken alone and without support, attempting to accomplish their goals with minimal combat engagement; to open battle re-enforcing allied forces against alien incursions.


The highly perilous and vital nature of their missions means that Kill Teams have access to exceedingly rare or advanced equipment, such as Heavy Bolter Gyro Suspensors, M.40 targeters, and numerous types of specialist ammunition, such as the fragmentation Metal Storm shells or the high-powered Kraken penetrator bolts. If the situation offers no alternative, they will utilize alien weaponry and equipment to accomplish their mission. The Deathwatch often utilises unconventional means of insertion, such as teleportation, high altitude grav-chute drops and Demiurg Termite tanks. In the tabletop miniature wargame Battlefleet Gothic, the Demiurg are an alien race of squat semi-humanoids, who share many traits with the typical fantasy dwarf stereotype: they are avid miners, expert traders, and, in some ways, further technologically advanced than humans. ...


Sometimes, the situation may be more than even a dozen elite Space Marines can handle, and because of this, Deathwatch members are able to freely requisition any and all Imperial forces they deem necessary to complete their task, from individual brother Space Marines to entire regiments of Imperial Guard. The current Imperial Guard sourcebook. ...


Appearance

When a Space Marine is granted the honour of becoming a member of the Deathwatch, he will ritually repaint his power armour black. As it is believed to be an insult to the armour's machine spirit if the armour is completely repainted, the shoulder plate bearing the original Chapter's symbol is left untouched and is moved to the right shoulder. The now vacant shoulder is covered with an ornate Deathwatch shoulder plate and a left arm with silver colorings.


Notable Characters

Battle Brother Artemis

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Artemis, Battle Brother

Artemis has the ability to sense and recognize alien incursions and influence. He was originally of the Mortifactors Chapter but was brought into the Deathwatch to put his abilities to use. Artemis commanded Deathwatch kill teams against the K'nib in the Donorian Sector. This was done at the request of the Kaslon Imperial Guard Regiment. Artemis personally slew Alcayde and ended their attack upon Imperial Space, even though the credit was given to the Kaslon regiment[1]. This is a list of known canonical Space Marine Chapters from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ...


He is quoted as saying: "Do not ask, 'Why kill the alien? rather, ask, 'Why not?'"[2] His model was released for the Inquisitor game and represents the Deathwatch there. He has his Space Marine Bolter, a Power Sword and his Power Armour as his equipment. Inquisitor is a tabletop miniatures game based in Games Workshops Warhammer 40,000 Universe. ...


Notes

  1. ^ Thorpe, Gav (2001). Inquisitor, 1th Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-077-3. 
  2. ^ Chambers, Andy; Haines, Pete and Kelly, Phil and McNeill,Graham and Reynolds,Anthony (2003). Index Astartes II, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-345-4. 

References

  • (August 2001) "Index Astartes – Purge the Unclean". White Dwarf: Australian Edition (260). ISSN 0265-8712. 

  Results from FactBites:
 
Warhammer 40,000: Information from Answers.com (2044 words)
Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K or just 40K) is a science fantasy tabletop miniature wargame, produced by Games Workshop set in the 41st Millennium (the 40k is a reference to the year 40,000 AD).
Warhammer 40,000 is the science fiction companion to Warhammer Fantasy.
The central and most popular elements of the Warhammer 40,000 universe are the Space Marines, anachronistic combinations of sci-fi super-soldiers and fantasy knights and the finest warriors of the Imperium of Mankind, a dystopian and degenerate galaxy-spanning empire.
Deathwatch (Warhammer 40,000) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (722 words)
In the tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Deathwatch are unique among Space Marine organisations.
As the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos, the Deathwatch is tasked with the study and, if necessary, the extermination of alien races encountered by the Imperium.
The Deathwatch are uniquely organized as the Marines that make up the Deathwatch are drawn from many different Chapters; specially trained alien fighters that are sworn to serve a term with the Deathwatch before returning to their Chapter of origin.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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