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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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A [[Space Marine Chapter]] normally comprises ten separate [[Space Marine Company|companies]] each commanded by its own [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]]. Company Captains are superb leaders with a depth of experience excelled only by the [[Chapter Master]] himself. A Chapter's Captains are inducted into the greatest secrets and mysteries of their order with the most binding and terrible oaths and when it is time for a new Chapter Master to be chosen he will most likely be elevated from among their ranks. As well as leading their Space Marines in battle, each Captain holds titles and responsibilities in relation to the functioning of their Chapter and their homeworld such as [[Master of the Fleet]] or Guardian of the Temple.{{Fn|2}}
It is a position of tremendous responsibility to command a hundred of the [[Emperor]]’s Space Marines. The hammer blow delivered by a Space Marine company can devastate a battle zone or strike with pinpoint accuracy, and this decision is also the responsibility of the Captain. Collateral damage may be inevitable, or even desirable; civilian casualties will often be unavoidable. Space Marines will not hesitate to sacrifice themselves in the cause of victory, but it falls to the Captain to make the decision on when and where such sacrifices must be made. A moment’s hubris could bring about a disaster that decimates the company’s ranks but every campaign demands boldness and an aggressive fighting spirit. The Captain must weigh all of these factors as he plans for battle; the burden is his to bear alone.{{Fn|2}}
It takes a resolute and often ruthless commander to command a Space Marine company in battle. The unflinching zeal of the Battle-Brothers is one of their greatest weapons and must be exploited to the fullest. As the enemy tires, Space Marines must relentlessly attack with redoubled fury. Foes in retreat must be mercilessly crushed and put to flight before they can regroup, their strongpoints eliminated, their defences bypassed. A Space Marine Captain will seize the initiative and keep it, orchestrating a rising crescendo of mayhem that shatters the enemy force into bewildered fragments fleeing from the battlefield.{{Fn|2}}
A Space Marine Captain can win great glory for himself and his company, entering the annals of Chapter history as a celebrated hero. A Captain leads from the front, his words and deeds an inspiration to the mighty warriors at his command. Their individual prowess with blade and [[boltgun]] is peerless, as it must be to command the respect of the Space Marines in their charge. Captains are often lionized by their Battle-Brothers in the company, and forge an unshakeable mutual bond of loyalty and trust across decades of war.{{Fn|2}}
Removed portion fit for Captain (Space Marine) but unnecessary for Deathwatch Captain
==Overview==
These individuals are often [[Battle-Brother]]s who have served in [[Kill-team]]s with great distinction and taken multiple tours of service. As such, it is not uncommon for those skilled Battle-Brothers to be called to serve many times with these veteran alien-hunters and given the honour of being awarded the rank of Watch Captain. Those that accept this duty know that they will not return to their parent [[Chapter]] for many years as their time as Watch Captain is counted as a single "mission." Their role is to oversee one or more Kill-teams, where they have the duty of watching over every aspect of equipment, recruitment and training. They are also responsible for their Battle-Brothers' record of deeds in battle and ensure, if possible, that the [[geneseed|remains]] of fallen [[Astartes]] are returned to their parent Chapter with all due honours. It is unusual for Watch Captains to accompany their warriors on a mission, though they will do so in cases where they face a particularly dangerous foe and where their personal intervention may aid in achieving victory in the battle.{{Fn|1}}
In most cases, Watch Captains oversee missions from nearby posts such as [[Thunderhawk]] gunships that are equipped to serve as command centers, emergency surgery, arsenal and quarantine facilities for captured enemies. From the gunship, they are able to monitor the progress of the mission where they are able to see each Battle-Brother's operations by way of multi-band sensors that are built into their [[power armour]]. Through this post, a Watch Captain can monitor the physiological condition of his Kill-team which ensures that no [[Xenos]] biological contaminants are transmitted to the [[Imperium]] upon the return of his warriors. On those occasions when they take to the battlefield, their presence can help turn the tide of battle as a Watch Captain serves as an experienced leader and inspires his men to greater acts of heroism. In addition, they are fearsome warriors who have seen every horror the galaxy has to offer and stood against them all. They are known to stand unshaken before massive alien terrors that are able to devastate entire armies and still determine a weakness in this foe. Watch Captains of the Deathwatch are amongst the most heroic servants of the Imperium, even if their names or deeds are not known by anyone except their Battle-Brothers.{{Fn|1}}
A Space Marine Captain has to be a remarkable individual. He must be a scholarly adept of the teachings of the [[Codex Astartes]] and show himself to be an astute tactician through the maelstrom of uncounted battles. He must be a diplomat and act as a representative of the Chapter to [[Imperial]] authorities. He must be charismatic hero able to win the confidence and respect of his Battle-Brothers in both triumph and adversity. Under their Captain’s command a company of Space Marines can defeat seemingly insurmountable odds, the individual prowess of the Battle-Brothers magnified a hundredfold when coordinated by the ferocious tactical acumen of their leader.{{Fn|2}}
Space Marine Captains are clear-eyed enough to understand the necessity of the [[Deathwatch]]. When the time comes they dutifully set aside their own desires to remain with their company and undertake their [[Vigil]] with humility. The Deathwatch traditionally extends the rank of Captain to a Space Marine company commander during their Vigil, but most Captains entering the Watch refuse to accept such a lofty position until they have earned it. Thus, the scarred hero of a thousand battles will accept a role in a Kill-team as a simple Battle–Brother under the command of an individual centuries his junior until he feels he has learned the ropes.{{Fn|2}}
There is wisdom behind the pride of such an approach. A Deathwatch Captain must learn how to fight a new kind of war, a shadow war against opponents on a dozen fronts where a single Kill-team must tip the balance. The methods, tactics and targets of the Deathwatch are best learned in the field, and a Space Marine Captain will stand side-by-side with his Battle-Brothers to learn their way of battle before presuming to take command of them. Deathwatch Captains are also raised from Battle-Brothers that have served in the ranks of the Kill-teams with great distinction and undertaken many vigils in the watch. A particularly skilled [[xenos]]-hunter may be called to duty with the Deathwatch repeatedly. Eventually such a renowned Battle-Brother may be afforded the honour of assuming the rank of Watch Captain and leading the Kill-teams he has fought as a part of for so long.{{Fn|2}}
The demands on a Deathwatch Captain are very different to those found in other Space Marine Chapters. A Deathwatch Captain is usually placed in charge of several Kill-teams and given guidance on broad objectives by the [[Watch Commander]]. Beyond that and advice from [[Chaplain]]s and [[Librarian]]s the Watch Captain sets his own missions and organizes his [[Kill-team]]s appropriately. He is responsible for every detail of their recruitment, training, equipment and deployment. It is also his solemn duty to record their deeds in battle and, where possible, to return the remains of a fallen Battle-Brother to their parent Chapter with all due honour.{{Fn|2}}
It is unlikely the Watch Captain will ever have a full hundred Battle-Brothers to command in the Deathwatch, and the handful of Space Marines available will always be widely scattered across the vast area under the scrutiny of a single Watch Fortress. Instead the Watch Captain must learn how to best employ a changing roster of Battle-Brothers from different Chapters to assemble the most effective Kill-teams for the missions required.{{Fn|2}}
