A Master of the Watch is the title of a Space Marine captain who in a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter serves as the sentinel of the fortress-monastery.
He is responsible for the defence of his Chapter's base of operations and homeworld in the absence of the Chapter Master.
This title is usually given to the commander of the 2nd Company though the company that is actually charged with garrisoning a Codex-compliant Chapter's fortress-monastery is changed on a rotational basis.
Notable Masters of the Watch
- Dorghai Khan (White Scars) - Commander of the "Plainstalker Brotherhood" (7th Reserve Tactical Company).
- Captain Donatos Aphael (Blood Angels) - Commander of the 2nd Company, known as "the Blooded."
- Captain Cato Sicarius (Ultramarines - Commander of the 2nd Company, known as the "Guardians of the Temple."
- Captain Pellas Mir'san (Salamanders) - Commander of the 2nd Company.
- Captain Olbyn Kadena (Crimson Fists) - Commander of the 6th Company.
Trivia
Wachtmeister (master-sentinel; watch-master) is an Austrian and Swiss military rank for a non-commissioned officer (NCO). The Watchtmeister was initially responsible for the guard duty of the army.
Later he became the Feldwebel ("field usher") equivalent to an NCO in the cavalry and artillery. Besides Austria and Switzerland today, the rank was also used in Germany and Russia.
Sources
- Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pg. 9
- Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 17
- Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pg. 171
- Wikipedia - Wachtmeister, Germany