I will answer as best I can.

1. Sure, but they likely still won't commit all that many more

2. Exclusive to their time in the deathwatch.

3. I don't think so. In the wargame version though you used to be able to take a unit of death watch marines, though they were currently active.

4. If they encountered heretics and daemons they would fight them, but their field of expertise is with xenos. I mean the whole order of inquisitors in specialized in that field and the death watch is just one weapon in that arsenal.

>last part

I'd just fluff it as an active squad of death watch marines personally and you can still use the idea that they have close ties.

>>4. Does the Deathwatch fight Heretics and Daemons too or is their role restricted to Xenos only?

They specialise in counteirng xenos threats, but that doesn't mean that they're ignorant of other threats and will deal with them if they cross their path. Say a Kill-Team is in transit to be dropped off on a Tau world for a reconnaisance mission. If they pass a ship under attack from Chaos raiders on the way, they're not going to just shrug their shoulders, say "sorry bud, not my jurisdiction" and sail on.

>>14112394
>Is it unheard of that a chapter contributes a greater amount of marines to the Deathwatch than usual?
Apparently most of the Deathwatch are Ultramarines due to Tyranid-stomping experience. Generally, though, the numbers of marines seconded to the Deathwatch from any given chapter will be variable. You could happily have a chapter that seconds a larger than normal number of marines.

>Can battle-brothers who have returned to their chapter still wear the shiny silver pauldron or is that pauldron exclusive to their time in the Deathwatch?
Only while they're in the Deathwatch do they wear those colours.

>Has there been mention of a chapter fielding an entire squad consisting of ex-Deathwatch Marines?
Not to the best of my knowledge. Generally speaking you'd have too few and their valuable experience would be best disseminated amongst your chapter rather than sequestered.

>Does the Deathwatch fight Heretics and Daemons too or is their role restricted to Xenos only?
The Deathwatch are specifically the militant chamber of the Ordo Xenos. Ordo Hereticus uses the Sisters of Battle and Malleus has the Grey Knights. Depending on specific circumstances, of course, they might have to fight anything, but their intended purpose is an anti-Xenos one.

>>14112460

This basicly. Just like Sisters won't ignore Orks or Tau.

Not so sure about GK. They are very specialised. Though I imagine the same applies to them, though less so.

OP here.

There goes my idea of fielding a squad of ex-Deathwatch marines with shiny pauldrons, but there's probably some way to make it work, just gotta figure out how.

So /tg/ I come here before you with the following question:

What would be a good fluffy explanation as to why a chapter would have a Squad of DeathW marines who watchare technically still in service to the DW and thus still wearing their shiny pauldrons?

(Really, I ordered 10 Deathwatch Pauldrons + 2 that I have from the commander sprue and I want to fluff up my chapter some more)

>>14112513

Easy, just say that the Deathwatch squad has been attached to your army to help fill a manpower shortage in a time of crisis, and to keep an eye on your force commander in deference to the Inquistor's Secret Suspicious Agenda(TM), allowing for a bit of mystery in the background.

>>14112477
The GK are pretty much a "weapon of last resort".
When the Inquisitor realizes he's in over his head
When the SoB are unable to contain/neutralize
When all hope is lost, and the Greater Daemon strides the material plane, and the world is burning

They call the Grey Knights

>>14112513
>There goes my idea of fielding a squad of ex-Deathwatch marines with shiny pauldrons, but there's probably some way to make it work, just gotta figure out how.
Play Blood Ravens.

>>14112534

OP again.

It's just that I kinda want the DW brothers to be from the chapter they're attached to, not just for one engagement, but over longer periods of time. Would a long engagement (crusade) warrant such an action?

>>2. Exclusive to their time in the deathwatch.
>>Only while they're in the Deathwatch do they wear those colours.

Not true. Once a battle-brother has left the Deathwatch, they are permitted to wear the pauldron to denote their time of service. There is a reason the tactical marine sprue comes with one.

>>14112548
Fluff is malleable. They're only supposed to be wearing that shit while they're in the Deathwatch but if your chapter has especially close ties to the Ordo Xenos and the Deathwatch it's conceivable they could be allowed to keep the fancy pauldron to signify their service. I'm pretty sure they can make more when they need to.

>>14112535
When there's something strange
In your neighborhood
Who you gonna call
Grey Knights!

Crimson Fists used to contribute a higher than average amount of marines to deathwatch but then the rynn world disaster

>>14112649
did it accidentally the whole thing?

>>14112572
this is true. Some brothers are also known to bring back a small selection of special issue bolter rounds from their time in the death watch.

And the fluff is very malleable, I wanted to make my Black Templar look "special" so I ordered a shitload of DW shoulderpads and the fluff behind my crusade is that helbrecht has loaned the crusade to an inquisitor lord to help purge the xenos from a sector. Inquisiton colors and templar colors work very well together and the army looks nice when fielded even if it's not entirely canon.

>1. Is it unheard of that a chapter contributes a greater amount of marines to the Deathwatch than usual? From what I understand, fluffwise, only a few battle-brothers are seconded to the Deathwatch every centrury or so (don't quote me on the exact time though, I've been unable to find that out)
There are a few chapters, like the Mantis Warriors, which make a point of sending as many Brothers as they can spare to the Deathwatch. (First Deathwatch novel has the Mantis Warriors completing their redemption in service to the Deathwatch, two brothers becoming posthumously inducted after the events in the book.) It depends on how the chapter sees membership in the Deathwatch--to some it is an onerous burden, while to some successor chapters it is the only way they can prove their honor and worthiness in the greater hierarchy of the Adeptus Astartes. Having a Brother accepted to the Deathwatch from a chapter that previously hasn't had any inducted is considered the first sign that the chapter has "made it."

>2. Can battle-brothers who have returned to their chapter still wear the shiny silver pauldron or is that pauldron exclusive to their time in the Deathwatch?
The silver pauldron is a badge of honor akin to the Crux Terminatus. They wear it always. In addition, according to the novels some leave their armor painted Deathwatch-black when they return to their home Chapters, causing some friction, just because they want to be ready to return to service the instant the Deathwatch calls them back.

3. Has there been mention of a chapter fielding an entire squad consisting of ex-Deathwatch Marines?
Nope, but I can imagine that this would happen regularly, because Deathwatch Marines are not allowed to share their experiences in the Deathwatch with anyone except others who have been likewise inducted. It makes sense that they'd stick together afterwards.

4. Does the Deathwatch fight Heretics and Daemons too or is their role restricted to Xenos only?
While they are in theory beholden to the Ordo Xenos, they really operate as an elite special forces unit that get called in whenever there is a threat that the parties involve believe needs someone with more expertise than your average Space Marine. The Deathwatch can be anywhere.

>>14112727

OP Here, that's actually brilliant, them sticking together as they may only share stuff together. That's actually better than brilliant as that's definitely what I'm going to be using.