space mairnes and their serfs

[jgebi]

I am thinking about dressing up as a serf for supernova in november as a chapter serf but before I start I just need a little verification that I can't really find anywhere so I've come here. On to the question.

Are all chapter serfs trained in combat? I know this is a little of a no brainer but still some people have said no so I'll ask

Could a chapter serf be taken by an Inquisitor? I know they out rank all but could they really?

What do you think they would look like in combat dress?

Are they responsible for weapon matanence/care? as in the night lords books the little serf is but i know that's diffrent,derp derp it's called an artificer

Thanks in advance to anyone can help with this, even if it's just one question.

[Nabterayl]

Standard caveats of "varies by chapter" apply ...

I am thinking about dressing up as a serf for supernova in november as a chapter serf but before I start I just need a little verification that I can't really find anywhere so I've come here. On to the question.

Are all chapter serfs trained in combat? I know this is a little of a no brainer but still some people have said no so I'll ask
I'm not aware of any definitive data, but I would say no. I don't see any reason to assume that the guys who make sure that the chapter monastery has enough food to eat are soldiers. "Serf" is not the same as "subject of a space marine chapter," remember - while a chapter might have hundreds of thousands or millions of armed subjects (comprising the PDF(s) of their world(s)), the ratio of serfs to battle brothers in a chapter is likely somewhere between 1:1 and 1:3.


Could a chapter serf be taken by an Inquisitor? I know they out rank all but could they really?
Well ... if you mean "taken" literally, not really. You don't "take" anything from a space marine chapter without a space marine strike force, an Imperial Guard battlegroup or a commandery of sisters militant. But if you mean could a chapter serf plausibly serve in an inquisitor's warband, yes. Battle-brothers serve in inquisitorial warbands from time to time for their own reasons, so there's no reason to assume that no chapter would ever second its serfs to an inquisitor for the chapter's own reasons, either.


What do you think they would look like in combat dress?
The biggest group of armed serfs by far has got to be the crews of the chapter fleet - 1700 serfs and servitors handle the administrative duties of the Ultramarines, which is probably barely enough to crew the entire chapter fleet, if it is enough. With that in mind, I expect that any given armed serf is most likely outfitted for naval boarding actions. To me, that says carapace armor plus a shotgun, autogun, or autopistol, and not unlikely (this being 40K and all) a naval cutlass or boarding axe. Based on their capabilities in BFG, armed serfs are very high-quality troops, so their gear would look like the high end of the Imperial Guard (but equipped for boarding - more like veterans and less like storm troopers).


Are they responsible for weapon matanence/care? as in the night lords books the little serf is but i know that's diffrent,derp derp it's called an artificer

Thanks in advance to anyone can help with this, even if it's just one question.
If you mean to ask whether they assist the techmarines, no. The chapter's wargear is the responsibility of the techmarines, who are assisted by their own servitors; we have a pretty good idea of what things serfs do, and they aren't related to the armory at all. Most chapters seem to have about 30 techmarines, which seems like more than enough engineers for a chapter. But if you mean do they know how to maintain their own gear, then almost certainly yes. Even guardsmen conscripts are taught how to maintain and service their wargear.

[jgebi]

the artificers are trained to maintain but more embellish marines wargear and the techmarines are their to rebuild and make more wargear/tanks

[bfmusashi]

Deathwatch's core book has an entry for serfs in the back. In short they seem to be in charge of keeping the Chapter running in the background. So, if it has a practical application it's the serf's job. Also, the Marines can't tell them apart and that amuses me to no end.
It's probably how Alpha Legion gets things done.

[ElectricPaladin]

Some "chapter serfs" are BAMFs on their own. Lots of times the crew of Space Marine battle-barges and act as unusually effective PDFs for the chapter's homeworld.

Of course, for other chapters, their serfs are almost all brainless servitors.

At one point I asked a question about which chapters are "nice" and offer opportunities to their serfs. The Dornish chapters (except Black Templars - they're d*cks) and Salamanders came up, as did the Space Wolves, though there was some debate about them.

[Magpie]

If you're looking for some background on Serfs the Black Library's "Legion of the Damned" has some SM serfs in it that are developed as characters much more than in any other book I have read.

[Psychosplodge]

You often read "highly trained" and "loyal" when the serfs are referenced.
And I'm sure I've seen them being used as a pdf equivalent more than once.
but it might be old fluff...