I would not expect Grey Knights for a few reasons. First, they are Ordo Malleus, and the book is about the Deathwatch, who do not recruit from them.

Second, the Grey Knights are different to 'ordinary' Space Marines. Their equipment, training, mental toughness and psychic ability are better. Roughly, I think Grey Knights are to Space Marines as Stormtrooper Regiments are to Guard Regiments.

This opens up the possibility they may come out in a supplement, but supplements tend to keep the theme of the core game.

Lyinar said:

Sadly, according to a playtester on Bell of Lost Souls, they are specific chapters, two of which are Blood Angels and Space Wolves.

I would presume that since the "fluff" of the Deathwatch are that members are chosen from all different chapters that players will have the choice oh many different chapters which will probably dictate players core advantages and disadvantages and then be given the choice of what type of space marine they are, e.g. Techmarine, Assault Marine, Librarian, Captain, etc.

I could be wrong but that is what way I am thinking they will do it.

One thing to consider about this RPG is that although people will be playing Space Marines the enemies that you will be facing will probably be a lot tougher than you.  It would be the only way to maintain balance in a game where every player is a 7 foot tall armour clad super soldier.

AArchetype: Tactical Nuke -> Flesh Tearer.

Wulfen said:

     There are various ways of being "tougher" and not all them physical. Weird physiology ( immune to certain types of damage ), highly intelligent/psychic manipulators that work through proxies and possessors are all challenges that can´t be resolved just by bolters. The trick is to generate situations where the Astartes must work outside their normal comfort zone ( direct application of force ) and use their brains. Remember, the Deathwatch are supposed to be the specialists on unconventional anti-Xenos warfare.

I'd like to see Dark Angels included in the mix. While they generally keep to themselves and hunt for the "heretics" of their order, you'd figure they'd want to have a few of their members with the Deathwatch so they can execute traitor Dark Angels before they are interrogated by the inquisition. Wouldn't want their deep, dark secret getting out, would they?

I would also think that you'd have template marine chapters as well. While I don't think they'd fill in the game in the same manner as DH careers, they would have a certain bent to their characters to give them an edge based on their chapter.

Tech Priest: I agree that Iron Hands makes sense from having the techno edge to their chapter.

Guardsman: Ultramarines make sense to represent the codex chapters and be the baseline fighter.

Coolness factor: Blood Angels love to represent in Deathwatch so I'd expect to see them and I'd love to see the "Black Rage" in action.

Cleric : Black Templars are the most prolific of the Marine chapters. All told they have between 6500 and 10,000 marines still in their legion and they are spread out all over the galaxy. I'd expect to see them in the Deathwatch for sure if I were a betting man.... and I'm not. (Clerical)

Psyker: Blood Ravens will probably be included because of their popularity through the video games (Psyker)

Feral Worlder:  Space Wolves are awesome and FFG would be ridiculous not to include them

The following canon Chapters are relatively close to the regions of space thus far identified within both DH and RT; generally operating in or around the Segmentum Obscurus.  Source; Codex: Space Marines 5th Edition, pg. 30-31.

• Blood Swords
• Dark Angels
• Dark Sons
• Exorcists
• Fire Hawks (chapter destroyed)
• Iron Knights
• Legion of Night
• Night Watch
• Storm Hawks

Ultimately, there are a lot of possibilities if a GM wants to put a little effort into options for their players.

-=Brother Praetus=-

I wouldn´t expect to see the Blood Ravens in due to licensing reasons; I would however love to see them in, as they have a really interesting backstory. In general, however, I don´t think there´s a huge problem with the fact that only 6 chapters are in. After all, many chapters can be made by using the ones we´re gonna be given as a basis. Keep in mind that a good 50% of the chapters are successors of the Ultramarines. The Imperial Fists are easy to do based on Black Templars (remove some zeal, add psykers, and make them less assaulty). And so on.

LeBlanc13: IIRC, according to their codex, the Black Templars only have a "mere" 5,500 Marines.  The Space Wolves are the next-largest Chapter at 3,500, also from the BT Codex, and also IIRC.

I'd love to see the First-Founding chapters that get less exposure than the Wolves, Smurfs, and both flavours of Angel.  Salamanders, White Scars, Iron Hands, Raven Guard, Imperial Fists...  They all have compelling stories waiting to be told (and in the case of the Raven Guard, horribly sledgehammerish Edgar Allen Poe references to rise above).

The Blood Ravens would be a good late-founding chapter to flesh out a bit more, and their oddly high number of Librarians would give that background a pretty good class focus.  They really need to leave that history-block firmly in place, though.  The wild speculation about them is too fun for someone to put the boot down on. ;)

I believe, or at least I hope, it's likely that FFG will six chapters that give the broadest array of character types.  If they do then six chapters might as well be a thousand.  That is unless they get too specific with each description.  Then we may end up having five chapters and a bunch of codex boyscouts to choose from (seeing as Ultramarines are pretty much certain to be in the book and so bland that they can stand in for many other chapters).

That said, I highly doubt that it will be difficult to adapt pretty much any chapter to the game.  For the most part, aside from actual geneseed mutation, there really shouldn't be all that much in the way of game mechanics to seperate one marine from another.  There are some exceptions of course, but chapter choice really should be much more oriented towards roleplaying than actual game mechanics. 

By the way.  Not all chapters traditionally second battle-brothers to Deathwatch.  In fact, I would imagine a significant portion don't.  Space Marine chapters are, for the most part, autonomous, and many have an active dislike for the Inquisition.  In particular, the Black Templars' hatred for psykers would seem in conflict with the fact that a very large percentage of Inquisitors, if not virtually all, are either psykers themselves or heavily employ pysker agents.  Likewise, Dark Angels and Iron Hands are highly insular and distrustful as chapters, and generally are not known to work with others if they can avoid it.  That isn't to say that they have never or will never second people to Deathwatch so much as to say that they shouldn't be among the six core chapters presented in a game called "Deathwatch".  Chapters such as the Ultramarines, Crimson Fists, and Space Wolves fit that bill far, far better. 

As much as I love the Crimson Fists, they can't really afford to spare any Marines, can they? Aren't they down to less than 500 able-bodied Marines after what happened on Rynn's World?

If they can, they'd make great Ork Hunters.

SonofDorn said:

There's quite a bit of fluff that suggests that they work pretty closely with the Inquisition.  Pre-Rynn's World I'm almost certain they probably did second men to Deathwatch on a regular basis.  Afterwards might be a different matter, but a handful of marines (I doubt many chapters second more than half a dozen at a time)  isn't going to make much of a difference even if they only have around 500.  Though now that I think about it if the timeline is the same as Dark Heresy, it does seem less likely seeing as they would likely only number 300-400 at that time.  Remember that they were actually reduced to roughly one hundred after Rynn's World.

So ultimately you probably have a point.

Atheosis said:

To be honest, the Space Wolves dislike and distrust the inquisition for their own reasons; namely, the Canis Helix and how easy its effects can be perceived as a sign wanton genetic deviance and possible Chaos corruption.  There have been those who attempted or recommended censure of the chapter for this reason (both presented in their old codex and the novels).  Never mind that Russ himself showed signs of the wulfen.  That being said, the Space Wolves are all about duty, honor, and glory.  It is their duty to second battle brothers to the Deathwatch when requested and available.  It is an honor to serve one of the chamber militant of the Holy Inquisition.  It is a call to greater glory in service to their Emperor, their Primarch and their Chapter.  That, and an opportunity to both build respect with ones peers and learn new tricks.  Logan Grimnar is a cunning old wolf, after all.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Atheosis said:

Last I heard, the Crimson Fists and Scythes both are no longer seconding actual Battle-Brothers...but are contributing well-trained Scout squads to the Deathwatch prior to their ascension to full Battle-Brother status.

Brother Praetus said:

All very true.  I simply singled out the Space Wolves because the lore makes it pretty clear that they second to Deathwatch on a regular basis.  In all honesty, the Space Wolves' relationship to the Inquisition is kind of puzzling...