So I'd really like to put together a tactical marine for a game of deathwatch that I might at some stage be playing in.

I've got two ideas, either an Imperial fists seige sepcialist or Relictors chaplain wannabe.

What will decide it for me is something that gives the character a real flavour rather than just taking whatever makes him kickass, so any suggestions would be good. Will post more info later.

Three things that will help, is personal demeanor, skill choices, and signature gear.

The personal demeanor you choose sets the tone for the character. A siegemaster will be a siegemaster regardless, but gregarious one vs a dour one gives you different 'flavors' of a concept.

Skill choices for what the character can do both in their speciality(meaning the siege stuff in the above example) and beyond it. Say he's got tactics(recon and stealth) on top of tactics(siege) and SLore(Codex Astartes). RPing him, he'd want to spend some time doing personal recon to find a structures weak point and justify that plan to the others using the Codex. Influenced by his demeanor, this could be a solemn debate or a raucous brawl with the space wolf for whose plan gets followed

Signature Gear-And I don't mean just the talent, what does he usualy requisition as well. How does your marine prefer to take the war to his enemies? He might be able to use a variety of gear, but coupled with the previous two areas, it can alter. Using the continued example, I could see this marine taking a camo cloak as signature gear so he may 'better observe' the enemies fortifications. Making sure his bolter has at least a clip of kraken rounds, keeping a few extra krak grenades or a melta bomb would also be in character.

I'm thinking I might go with a bit of both, but the major focus is the Imperial fists and seige warfare.

Skills-wise I'm pimping him out with the likes of trade(miner) and when I can get it, demolitions. Obviously we're taking tactics(seige) at +10, but I'm not sure what the normal slot will be.

Demeanour, for an Imperial fist? Like you have to ask, stubborn as a mule.

Take both knowledge Traitor Legions and Hatred. This boy has gone toe to toe with the Fists' oldest enemy.

History we'll go for forlorn hope. We can tie that in with hatred of the Iron Warriors.

Stick in strike team specialist, since it works with the above.

Wargear? Interesting, I could have gone down the stealth road, but looking at the above, really, he's all about backs to the wall and getting stuck in. We'll give him a back banner, also, we'll push for the oldest suit of armour we can lay our power articulated gauntlets on, and try and throw in any cohesion boosts we can find. This is mostly inspired by the art in the book itself, with the fists advancing in Mk2 and Mk3 armour, bolters blazing.

Finally, to round it all out, we'll take eye of vengeance at our first chance and spend our signature wargear talant on stalker pattern boltgun. It's just too good an opportunity to pass up.

It's worth noting that there is not tactics (siege) skill. Mainly because it would be a bit unbalanced, as it would cover the ground of two other tactics skills: Assault and Defensive. So just pick whichever you prefer at first... or both, seeing as Fists get ridiculously cheap Tactics fro some reason.

Also: You may want to take a look at the Appraise skill...

Siranui said:

You're right about that, my post was written off the top of my head. My main point was using Demeanor/skill/gear choices as a way of helping to 'flesh out' the personality of the character as those elements all blend together in a single space marine.

for the siege master what about someone who loves demolitions and explosives he could be a practical joker setting smoke bombs and minor charges as jokes in other marines lockers etc when not on mission or for ever tinkering with new mines and traps beneath this would lurk a keen and analtical mind knwoing just where to place charges for maximum effect, maybe one of these jokes went wrong in the past and thats why he joined deathwatch

(I knew blowing up the chapter masters bike was a mistake )