Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-208.75.99.217-20151025015600/@comment-18016240-20151101212302

While it is true that the Ultramarines had the most marines at the end of the Heresy, that's not so much due to any actual combat skill and more due to circumstances. The Blood Angels, White Scars, Iron Hands, Salamanders, Raven Guard and Imperial Fists were all in the thick of it while Guilliman and his Ultramarines were being led around by the nose thanks to Alpharius and Omegon, then they decided to create their backup Imperium in case the Emperor lost rather than participate in the defense of Terra. To add to that, Guilliman was alive and in full control of himself while the other primarchs were either dead (Sanguinius, Ferrus Manus, maybe the Lion), busy chasing the Traitor Legions (Jaghati, maybe Corax and Russ) or trying to repair their legions or otherwise incapacitated (Dorn, Vulkan).

Basically, the Ultramarines were in the right place at the right time.

Of course, that doesn't mean that Ward's decisions weren't...displeasing to many people. Notably dissing many other legions and chapters in favor of the Ultramarines, Khornate Knights and the like.