Topic: How many companies in a chapter?

[O lager]

Just a quick question, I'm working on fluff/squad markings for my IG and I'm going to say my Cadians fought in a battle/campaign along side a space marine chapter. My officers distinguished themselves well despite heavy losses. So the survivors become the core of the new battalion based off the format of the chapter.

So would like the company marking to line up. Like I know 1st company are the terminators so all my vets will be marked as 1st company. But I don't know how to label everything else like tanks, support, scouts, and just plain line companies. Thanks for any help you give me. 

[Autarch Koval'andril]

Well, I'm going to assume you don't have the Codex if you're asking, and further, I'm assuming you're not going to buy the Codex for the sake of one little tidbit of information.

So to answer your question, usually there are ten Companies (but not always; for example, the Salamanders have seven. I would mention the Space Wolves but their organisation just opens up a huge can of worms).
I have no idea where Lexicanum got this image from but it explains a standard "Codex" composition better, and more concisely, than I could describe it in words.

Also, must it be Cadians? If you're going so far as to have your Guard style themselves after their Astartes saviours, you can certainly come up with a new planet name in your sleep. I do it all the time, so you're welcome to steal Valmard Tertius if you're stuck.

[Grand Master Lomandalis]

FYI, that image is from the 3rd edition space marine codex.

[O lager]

Thanks that's perfect.  It's better then I hoped to get.  Again, thank you. 

[Azash76]

You don't have to follow that to the letter. If my memory still serves the Exorcists a founding off of the Ultramarines runs 12 Company's with the final 3 being Scout company's they have per the fluff adapted to that because of the high rate of losses since they like to hunt demons and such as enemies of choice.

With the Salamanders having 7 the 10 company thing is only a guideline not a hard and fast rule. Also the organization of the companies can vary the Dark Angels are a Codex organized chapter but they have a fairly unique organization when it comes to there 1st and 2nd companies (all termies in the 1st and all bikers and speeders in the 2nd).

[Autarch Koval'andril]

You don't have to follow that to the letter. If my memory still serves the Exorcists a founding off of the Ultramarines runs 12 Company's with the final 3 being Scout company's they have per the fluff adapted to that because of the high rate of losses since they like to hunt demons and such as enemies of choice.

With the Salamanders having 7 the 10 company thing is only a guideline not a hard and fast rule. Also the organization of the companies can vary the Dark Angels are a Codex organized chapter but they have a fairly unique organization when it comes to there 1st and 2nd companies (all termies in the 1st and all bikers and speeders in the 2nd).

I thought I covered this in my post, but fair enough. Ten Companies is certainly not an absolute. The Exorcists are a pretty poor example, though, because Guilliman left no fixed size for the Scout Company and it could be argued (by some, anyway) that the Exorcists' three Scout Companies all fall under the "Tenth Company" heading.

You'd have done better mentioning the Space Wolves, who have either twelve or thirteen depending on who you ask.

[Azash76]

The Exorcists are a pretty poor example, though, because Guilliman left no fixed size for the Scout Company and it could be argued (by some, anyway) that the Exorcists' three Scout Companies all fall under the "Tenth Company" heading.

You'd have done better mentioning the Space Wolves, who have either twelve or thirteen depending on who you ask.

Actually the exact wording in the Space Marine codex under the description of the Exorcists states "The Exorcists maintain two additional scout companies for a total of twelve companies in all". That pretty much means those who would argue they have one really big scout company would be wrong at least per the description of the chapter in the codex. Guilliman didn't  but Matt "I'm a DB" Ward pretty much did for whatever that's worth.

Also the space wolves are not a codex chapter. they have twelve or thirteen great companies but unlike the codex chapters there is nothing dictating the size of those companies there could be a thousand or two thousand space wolves in each great company not just a 100 like the codex companies. That strict limit to 1000 space marines in the 10 companies of 100 (not really they don't count the scouts in that total but they do add in the rest of the veterans, librarians, honor guards etc to get to at or near a 1000) is purely a Codex chapter thing ignored most notably by the Black Templars and the Space Wolves. Also bear in mind that 1000 is the max lots of chapters fall short of that number due to losses or high attrition rates a good example of this would be the Flesh Tearers.

The point here is if your going non Codex you can organize your Space Marines anyway you want and there is nothing that says you can't have a non Codex chapter if your using the SM Codex as the rules base.

[Autarch Koval'andril]

The Exorcists are a pretty poor example, though, because Guilliman left no fixed size for the Scout Company and it could be argued (by some, anyway) that the Exorcists' three Scout Companies all fall under the "Tenth Company" heading.

You'd have done better mentioning the Space Wolves, who have either twelve or thirteen depending on who you ask.

Actually the exact wording in the Space Marine codex under the description of the Exorcists states "The Exorcists maintain two additional scout companies for a total of twelve companies in all". That pretty much means those who would argue they have one really big scout company would be wrong at least per the description of the chapter in the codex. Guilliman didn't  but Matt "I'm a DB" Ward pretty much did for whatever that's worth.

I'm aware of that, but A) this is Matt Ward we're talking about, B) although the Exorcists are themselves a bit weird, the only real organisational difference from the Codex that we know of is in having multiple Scout Companies, which might cause other Chapters to turn their heads, but -- owing to an allowance for fluidity in Scout numbers -- wouldn't necessarily be "odd" in and of itself.

Also the space wolves are not a codex chapter.

That's more or less my point, although I didn't want to get into it too deeply myself because, well, can-o'-worms time!

The point here is if your going non Codex you can organize your Space Marines anyway you want and there is nothing that says you can't have a non Codex chapter if your using the SM Codex as the rules base.

Well, the OP didn't mention Codex or non-Codex. The impression I got was that he'd be emulating Astartes force organisation in his Guard army, hence the distinction between "standard Codex" organisation and the "notable exceptions". On that note, good call in mentioning the Dark Angels a couple of posts ago.

[Malfush]

Exorcists a founding off of the Ultramarines

Just a quick correction, it's stated that the Exorcists are descended from Grey Knights geneseed.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Exorcists

It was in the Heroes of the Space Marines anthology book.

[Azash76]

Exorcists a founding off of the Ultramarines

Just a quick correction, it's stated that the Exorcists are descended from Grey Knights geneseed.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Exorcists

It was in the Heroes of the Space Marines anthology book.

Interesting I was not aware of that very good to know. Just another bit of proof that Matt dip wad Ward fubared every codex the schmuck ever wrote. These guys should be an off shoot chapter you can create using the Grey Knights codex not in the Space Marine codex. Oh well I thought the Grey Knights codex was his 4th times a charm...