Siranui said:

Again it depends, is the chapter attackign something that the Techmarine beleives beloigns to the AdMech (see the Soul Drinker novels) at some point the Imperial Fist say that they would have attacked the AdMech too add things been different but the Soul Drinker did not hesitate, different chapters and different Ad Mech representative...

Some Magos (if it was not Fabious like in the Blood Angels novel) help the marines do illegal things to further the chapters own goal, maybe genetical modifications , etc that are agaisnt the Ad Mech normal views.

The more I actually look at it, the more I find conflicting fluff. The core book calls out that they're Marines first and Tech second,, but other non-rpg material seems to indicate that once the Techmarine comes back from the AdMech, they're treated differently and kept out of the loop regarding the Chapter's deepest secrets and rituals due to their dual nature. They're never trusted quite as much as they were before because they spent 30 years being indoctrinated by the AdMech.

To me this speaks that once again, like so many things with marines (and in 40k in general) "it depends."

However, I do think it is safe to say that in general a Techmarine would side with his brothers in a heated conflict- if nothing else because day in and day out for who knows how many years those are the people that have had his back, and have pulled his fat out of the fire. This isn't to say they wouldn't protest or say it's a bad plan. Now that's not exclusive, and as crisaron says, "The Empire is vast and the possible permutatino infite"

Charmander said:

This.

I've been playing a Black Templar Techmarine for about a year now and it has been great for roleplay. Solomon spends a lot of time in whatever chapel is closest as he tries to reinforce his faith and struggles with these very questions (and spending that fate point every mission to get that resistance to psychic powers) . Each battle the Kill Team wins, each time he see to the seals on their armour or help them clear jams or bless their weapons makes him lean towards Chapter. But then in our roleplay sessions where Solomon spends more time away from the team in the Forges he falls back into knowing he is separate from many of his battle brothers.

You may find, like me, that you sway between the two and the great moments of character development come when you need to make the hard decisions. There are tasks that Solomon is given on a mission regarding tech that the rest of the team are not given. The choice on how much to share is always left in my hands as the player by an understanding GM. And every mission is a struggle on how much greater risk to place the Kill Team in to ensure the will of the Forges is enacted.

Solomon's 'basic' allegiance at start was to Chapter (BT) > Kill Team > Chapter (DW) > Adeptus Mech > Ordo Xenos > Imperial Forces. After 12 months it has become Kill Team > Chapter (DW) > Adpetus Mech > All others. The Kill Team are those who will always lay their lives on the line to see our mission succeed.

Enjoy your character choice. I have and it's given me great opportunities for RP with a long time group of gamers. My only regret is the the Black Templars and Storm Wardens haven't see the same love as the other starting chapters in subsequent books. Here's hoping that stuff is coming.

EDIT: The actually techmarine right up states quite simply that even after induction he is and shall ever remain a Space Marine.

AdamJWhite said:

That's where the conflict is- in the RPG it's fairly clear (probably to avoid this problem) but in other previously existing fluff there is a difference. Not that the game hasn't already changed/retconned things such as making the DW an independant organization of the Inquisition.

You're right though, also see page 118 of RoB for additional ammo to that "A Forge Master is commonly a close confidant of the Watch Commander and acts as a central cog to the functioning of the whole Watch Frotress and its associated Kill-teams." I don't think a Commander would keep him such a close buddy if there was a snowball's chance that he'd betray the Watch for the AdMech.

Retcon, perhaps, and if it leaves a bad taste in the mouth leave it out- or if you like that aspect of the split loyalties.

AdamJWhite said:

Nice post.

I also play a Black Templar Techmarine and it's been interesting to see how my character's allegiances have evolved over the campaign. When initially commissioned to DeathWatch, my Techmarine was charged by a Black Templar Chaplain to "keep an eye" on Deathwatch psykers. So he has a bolt round with the psyker's name on it. After campaigning for some time, interestingly he's allied himself to his Kill-Team's librarian (of all people!) due to Inquisition intrigue and factionalism. Like yours, my marine put his Kill-Team Battle Brothers "in the trenches" as his top allegiance. Fun stuff.

Seeing as there is a Necron god inside Mars, all Tech Priests and Tech Marines have been brain-washed to follow the machine god. Once the god wakes up, the Dragon I think it's called, there will be a mass uprising from within the imperium and marine chapters, involving their tech revolting against them.

So I'd say the Tech Marines are really loyal to the Necrons.

**Gets out a 30-06 in case more zombies come back to life.**

Well, recent background indicates the dragon isn't so much as sleeping as locked away for all eternity by the Emperor.

And locked away on purpose so his crazy tech-focus would give rise to the Adeptus Mechanicus!

The Emperor's real name has got to be Xanatos (or at least his middle name!)

Ah but the Necrons tried to wake him/it up. If they succeed on a later attempt......

Perhaps even aided by some nasty chaos warband.... now there's a Black Crusade adventure idea.... ;D