I understand the apprehension of GMs allowing any starting character the ability to grab gear that was designed for advanced DW marines to use. Give the players an inch and they will take a mile.

I also understand that in the fluff (which with GW tends to change) for any marine to be selected for DW they have to have proven themselves on the battlefield already. Hence the 1,000 points you are given at character creation to reflect this.

I would say that as a "giving GM" it wouldn't be broken or to crazy to allow all players a 1d5 Renown at starting character generation. The only requirement would be that the starting Renown could not exceed your Fellowship bonus.

The only marine to ever get renown for jumping back into the Deathwatch would probably be Scout Sergent Cyrus of the Blood Ravens.

HAH!

No seriously though why the heck would anyone give away renown required items? To shorten a campaign?

if you want marines to have specific equipment, simply state it is brought from their chapter, so if it gets damaged it won't get replaced.

As to renown, you start at 0, though I would imagine as a GM you can give what you want.

I certainly wouldn't base it on fellowship though, doesn't make a great deal of sense.

If you want random, allow them to choose a stat to base it on based on their class

Assault: WS, Ag
Tac: BS, Fel
Dev: BS, T
Lib: Wp, Int
Apo: Int, Fel
Tech: Int, Ag

or along them lines. The renown should be tailored to their speciality.

read page 270 it says how to gain it and xp

Don't forget that in the requisition rules it is said that the GM could give any equipment he wants to the kill team, ignoring the requisition / renown system. If the mission will be confronting an Eldar seer council, receiving a psychic from the watch captain would be an omen of survival...