Captain (Space Marine) - Role: Each captain is a hardened Veteran Astartes, a master strategist who has proven his prowess in battle as a member of the Chapter's elite 1st Company, or through distinguished service in his own company as a squad sergeant prior to the death of his predecessor.In addition to his Chapter rank, each captain also bears one or more honorific titles associated with the command of a particular company or responsibility.Some, such as Master of the Watch and Master of Recruits, are common titles in use across almost all Space Marine Chapters whilst others, such as the White Scars Master of the Hunt, are products of a specific Chapter's history and culture.These titles often bring with them additional duties and responsibilities. For example, the Master of the Fleet must be just that: not only a skilled commander but an expert at void warfare who looks to the upkeep, deployment and – on occasion – command of his Chapter's battle barges, strike cruisers and escort frigates.Equally, the Master of the Rites has a secondary role that tallies closely with that of the Chaplains of the Reclusiam. To him falls the honour of leading many of his Chapter's most sacred rituals alongside the Master of Sanctity, and it is his responsibility to ensure that all companies are joined by a sufficient strength of Chaplains.Other titles are products of a particular Chapter's history, culture and military specialties. The captain of the White Scars' 4th Company is traditionally the Master of the Hunt, while the Aurora Talons Chapter, specialising in space warfare, maintains no less than five Master Bombardiers among their company captains.The Raven Guard, for example, name their company officers "Shadow Captains," whilst the Black Templars use the epithet "Marshal."Individual captains can also be assigned to command missions that require the deployment of elements of the Chapter beyond their own company. In these situations an individual captain takes on the temporary rank of Force Commander and gains precedence over even other captains assigned to this mission.It is not enough for an Astartes captain to be a skilled warrior -- each Chapter boasts many such warriors amongst its roster -- he must also have a superhuman grasp of military strategy and combat tactics, as well as the intelligence to employ them in the ever-changing arena of warfare.It is commonly said in the Imperium that in terms of raw military might, every Space Marine is easily worth a dozen or so Imperial Guardsmen. Under the command of an experienced captain, this value can swell tenfold.A Space Marine captain is not simply a master of warfare, he must also have the gift of diplomacy and political adroitness.While most Imperial planetary governors and commanders are more than happy to receive aid from the Space Marines when in trouble, there are those whose arrogance must be carefully negotiated in order to prevent a battle's collapse into a true disaster for the broader Imperium through unnecessary political infighting.This is not to say a Space Marine captain lacks for ultimate authority when dealing with hubris and failure to the Emperor -- as Shadow Captain Kayvaan Shrike of the Raven Guard's 3rd Company once proved by executing a vacillating Cardinal Dostok on the spot.That said, subtler methods of diplomacy are best employed in grim situations -- the necessary punitive measures can be enacted after the threat has been ended.A Space Marine never bends the knee lightly to any non-Astartes, but the needs of the Emperor's realm must override any personal feelings. The mission is always all. Humanity shall be saved from its own petty failings, even if this must be done one world at a time.