Deathwatch Champion

Which Alien should I skullfuck next? Lion for life, Dogfuckers!

The ultimate alien fucker. Deathwatch Champions are among the mightiest of the Emperor's Chosen. A Deathwatch Champion fears no alien monstrosity or xenos death machine, his skills and armaments the equal of anything the foe can bring to bear as he proceeds to skullfuck any inhuman son-of-a-bitch in his way. His coming is an inspiration to his Battle-Brothers and a terror to his enemies, for he is an all-destroying broforce of MAXIMUM FUCK blazing across the battlefield in an arc of Humanity Fuck Yeah. A Watch Fortress will often have several Champions operating with different Kill-teams in a range of missions, their presence fortifying and exhorting their fellow Space Marines to greater efforts against the deadliest of foes.

Deathwatch Champions excel at killing aliens and are masters of dispatching them in close combat with expert blade thrusts and crushing blows. As a result of this fearsome martial prowess the Champion has the ability to outright kill xenos with a single well-placed blow.

How can I become one?

Well, other than the low chance of already becoming a Space Marine, to be inducted as a Deathwatch Champion is only rivaled by the ball crushingly tough Grey Knight initiation rites.

Once inducted into the Deathwatch, a Space Marine in the Deathwatch may be elevated to the status of Champion by several means. Most commonly, it is bestowed by a Watch Captain in recognition of a mighty feat of arms in battle. However, Champions can also be elevated based on the strength of their longstanding courage and steadfastness, by the turn of the Emperor's Tarot, or by common acquiescence of their Battle Brothers.

A Deathwatch Champion might already be a hero of great renown before attaining his station, long noted as being destined for great things; or he could easily have been a newly arrived Space Marine, just beginning his Vigil and virtually unknown among the Deathwatch, up until the point in which he performs a feat so daring it demands the recognition of his peers.

Equipment

Deathwatch Champions wield Power Swords and a Combat Shields as standard issue wargear. As per tradition, the deepest armory-vaults are opened and the most sacred vestments of war are brought forth to garb a newly-raised Champion. They wear the Mark VIII: Errant Armour; the most finely crafted armor of ceramite and adamantium which is then fitted to their body and heavily laden with purity seals and inscriptions praising their ultimate progenitor — the Emperor. Weapons of the most illustrious heritage are proffered for the Champion’s selection, from ancient and deadly chain blades with glitter teeth of mica to flashing Thunder Hammers and powerfists once wielded by great heroes of the past.

Fate of a Champion

A Deathwatch Champion may fight on for decades, or endure for only a single engagement. It may be a Champion’s destiny to participate in a righteous purgation of xenos races beneath a dozen alien suns or to eliminate a single mighty enemy of sufficient stature to change the course of a war. Often they are tasked with setting right a blemish on the Deathwatch's reputation, an offense done to them or a failure to eliminate an individual target (a situation particularly common regarding the Orks and Eldar). Few Champions survive to eventually rejoin the ranks of their Chapter, and those that do usually bear terrible wounds.

Even through their death a Deathwatch Champion can serve a higher purpose. The naming of a champion is not a thing done lightly; the honor of the Deathwatch rests upon them, and if they fall in battle then it is imperative to the Deathwatch that their death be avenged, and their geneseed and wargear recovered. Other watch fortresses will commit aid if necessary to set right the loss of a fortress's champion.

Should a fallen Champion prove truly unreachable through even the most determined efforts of his Battle Brothers then Kill-Ships will follow. The Kill-ships will unleash their hellish payloads onto the enemy, turning the site of the Champion’s martyrdom into a funeral pyre of continental proportions.