I'm pretty fuzzy on the whole recruitment process, but I'd imagine there are times when a chapter sees someone who has distinguished themselves but not to the degree that would warrant bringing them in as a scout.... someone thye've got their eye on, someone who's basically earmarked for consideration.

If this is the case, is there a name for this? If not, anyone care to offer something up? Something cool and Latin?

They are Candidates.

Or the latin translation; Candidates.

Bear in mind that the transformation into a space marine has to be done at a fairly young age, so if any potential candidates got too old, they could never be made a marine, no matter how good they are.

They are only candidates until they are actually chosen.

Then they become neophytes whilst undergoing their initial augmentations.

At a certain point in that process they are put into active duty as a scout.

Upon both proving themselves as scouts and "maturation" of the Black Carapace many go on to be assigned into one of the reserve companies (typically 6th-9th), with some few going to 2nd-5th battle companies dependent on their level of competence.

Basic Codex Astartes stuff.

-=Brother Praetus=-

There's also plenty of fluff material of 'failed' candidates and neophytes that survived whatever it was that made them fail their training- and/or impant-incubation period to become loyal serfs of the chapter. Working on the starships, in the manufactoria, cooking & cleaning etc etc. The really trusted and competent serf can be very valuable people for the chpater, being granted juvenat priocedures to also love decades, if not centuries longer than a normal human.

Meph said:

One example can be found in the novel "Rynn´s World" where Ramir Savales is the senechal of the Chapter. He was an aspirant for the Crimson Fists. Unfortunately the implants failed to attach so he could not become an Astartes. Instead he was apprenticed to the old major-domo of the Chapter. When the old major-domo died, Savales succeeded him.

It's not all roses for failed aspirants, though. In "Space Marine" the old Ian Watson novel about the Imperial Fists, there was a small percentage of candidates every year who suiffered spontaneous mutation as a result of the genseed implanation. I think the example given was the massive bone growth causing spikes to burst out of the aspirant's spine.

Such mutants were euthanised and kept in large jars of methalated spirits in the apothecarium...

Lightbringer said:

They actually kept their failures as specimens? Hhmmm, interesting. I would expect such embarrassments to be eradicated. The Admech and/or Inquisition delegation doing a geneseed tithe inspection would be really interested in seeing said specimens. "What are these... things ? Failed aspirants you say? And just how many percent of aspirants manifest this kind of mutation? 6 percent!? Are you serious? This won´t do. This really won´t do."

But yes, once chosen as an aspirant you really have only three choices. 1) Become an Astartes, 2) die or 3) fail non-fatally. Option three can have various outcomes depending on the situation. In the best case you become a Chapter serf. In the worst case you get turned into a servitor.

Aajav-Khan said:

The Ian Watson novels were very early Black Library works, and the general perception seems to be that the "Canon" has moved on a bit since that time. (Though personally I think all 40k material is equally valid and capable of neat reconciliation, if done carefully.) So yeah, that image does seem a little out of step with "modern" interpretations of the Marines and the regular Inquisitorial nosings-around their Apothecaria.

That said, modern doctors keep samples of aberrant tissue etc, so perhaps those chapters who are better at keeping their geneseed stable are the ones who face up to the risk of mutation and study it carefully? Those who have a more medieval mindset ("Burn the impure flesh!") might actually regard mutation as a spiritual impurity and burn it, rather than study it, thus damning their chapter's geneseed to further degeneration.

Although of course 40k's tendency towards accepting many viewpoints may also allow for such a medieval mindset to be totally correct!

It varies greatly from chapter to chapter. In the Space Wolves those who fail the tests to become a member of the chapter become monstrous wulfen. The wulfen in themselves vary massively from subject to subject some are little more than angry marines others are monstrous 9 foot tall werewolves. Your best bet would to be to focus on a specific chapter and research them, bearing in mind their geneseed and what might go wrong with it. You shouldn't think of Space Marines as having a clear career progression. Again some chapters like the Marines stick with the standard organisation of chapters while Space Wolves throw it right out the window. If you look at the history of Ragnar Blackmane he has become a wolf lord without being a Grey Hunter. Also again with Space Wolves their scouts are veteran marines not rookie marines. So choose your chapter first then work from there,