Most powerful/influential Chapter

[Crazy Jedi]

Howdy folks, as I often do while reading 40k fluff stuff, I began to ponder which Space Marine Chapter is the most powerful.

I mean this as in using all their assets, and allies, whether they be successor chapters, their own numbers, or other allied Imperial forces.

So as a rough breakdown, my top five would have to be:
Ultramarines: Their own mini Imperium, and they retain close relations with many of their successor chapters.
Blood Angels: Those crazy abilities they have, and close ties with many of their successor chapters (i do believe that's the case with them, but its been a while since ive read that fluff)
Black Templars: 3-10,000 rock hard, mad as hell zealots. I'll take that.
Minotaurs: If I'm correct, isn't it hinted that they basically work with the Inquisition.
Dark Angels: Hints that they are secretly using their successors to legion build, and doing it pretty blatantly? My favorite chapter has to have the best lawyers.

This list is simply what I could think of, and it's quite early out here, so what are your thoughts on this topic?

[Wolfshade]

Ultramarines by far, as you say they have their own mini-empire. The huge number of sucessor chapters means that most war will be prosecuted the ultramarine way. They have the most stable geneseed.

I think BA are influential rather than powerful, their own geneseed is flawed and that instability means that they spend a lot of time and effort persuing an internal agenda. That being said, chapter masters have deferred to Dante on strategy before now, and his longevitiy gives him a lot of knowledge.

Templars I'd say were opposite of BA, their large numbers and that they are fleet based means that they are always ready to prosecute war, they are solely driven by the crusade in a way that others are not. It is their singlemindeness that I think makes them more powerful than influential as I see them doing what they wish to do when they want to do without really caring what else is going on around them.

In this regard DA are similiar to BT, DA are single minded but they persue their own agenda often without any heed of any "allies" that might stand in their way. The hunt for the fallen is a flaw that isolates them from the imperium, however their mastery of plasma must not go unoticed.

I think SW should be fairly high on the list, if they were a DnD character they would be Chaotic Good. They have a clear sense of right and wrong and will go to barberous lengths to persue this. This clear objective centred approach makes them very influential as their motives are very clear and the ferocity means that people would wish to stand out of their way or in support. Also, one must recall they are breed to be the marine killers.

Grey Knights to me would be at the extreme end of powerful, but have almost no influence. Their deeds and history are shrouded in secret and even those who fight along side them are often cleansed for their own benefit. While I get the impression they are not designed to fight a large and wide conflict, they are more the scapel to remove the cancer before it can grow. Devestatingly powerful in small numbers.

[Wildeybeast]

I'd give shout out to my beloved Raven Guard. Not particularly powerful, but thanks to the likes of Shrike, beloved by the common man. More importantly, they are indispensable to the Imperial war effort. They offer the ability to prosecute war in way nothing else in the Imperium can. In terms of troops, equipment and influence, obviously nothing tops the smurfs.

[Crazy Jedi]

Wolfshade, those are some great points. Especially about the Gray Knights

I didn't include Space Wolves because, though they are above chapter strength, I don't really think they have much influence beyond the Chapter and Fenris.

In my mind I guess im thinking of how difficult it would be to stop one of these forces if they say, wanted to conquer a certain system, so i think I rated them like that.

[DarkLink]

Not being well known doesn't necessarily mean you aren't influential. The Inquisition pulls strings everywhere. But in this case, yes, the Ordos Malleus probably handles the politics, the Grey Knights the fighting. Generally.

That said, all but the most powerful space Marine chapters tend to submit to the will of the inquisition, and most still willingly cooperate. At least one major chapter, I forget which, have willingly turned themselves over for risky memory wipes after a campaign fighting chaos.

[Nabterayl]

I imagine it's quite difficult, as a Grey Knight, to exercise influence beyond that which comes from being self-evidently a space marine. The problem with being a super-secret chapter that nobody is allowed to know about is that 99% of the time when you invoke the name of the chapter, the response is, "Who? Oh, some space marine chapter I've never heard of, I guess."

You can wield the influence of the inquisition, assuming the inquisitor you're working with has given you some evidence of your commission. You can wield the influence of being a space marine, because even though nobody has ever heard of you you are clearly a space marine. If you are lucky to be talking to one of the tiny number of people who actually (i) knows who the Grey Knights are and (ii) believes you to be a genuine Grey Knight (since, remember, there are plenty of people who will say, "The Grey Knights? That's a good one! Everybody knows the Grey Knights aren't real!"), then you probably have quite a bit of influence. Otherwise, you have to borrow it.

[daboarder]

Blood angels and there successors. Loved by the common man and feared by the enemies of the imperium. Even marneus calgar acknowledges dantes superiority

[Brian Wesley]

Wolfshade...actually the DA have the most stable geneseed, it tithe always shows no signs of deviation. It is the questionable relationship they have with the Imperium and the Inquisition that prevents more successor chapters from being created. But I do agree the UM are without a doubt the most powerful.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Oddly enough, I am going to throw the Salamanders hat into the ring. They are still a Legion, Vulkan did not agree with Guilliman's sorting of the Chapters and demanded that his Legion remained untouched, and it has.
They have no known Successors (though some are hinted at) and no one knows how many they are.
They also have one of the most elite 1st Companies in existance, the Fire Drakes, who are ridiculously well-trained, and have the best equipment available.
Let us also not forget the Artifacts of Vulkan, one of which is a SPACE LASER.
Speaking of equipment, lots of master crafted items, the finest forged weapons known to the Imperium.
Influence, these guys have tonnes of it, due to their humanitarian ways, they are famous for saving lives, and the Imperium loves them for it.

[Katharon]

Any and all of the First Founding Chapters will be the most influential within the Imperium of Man -- especially the Ultramarines, due to the fact that they founded so many successor chapters and have one of the most pure gene-seeds. However, they did not fight on Terra during the Horus Heresy, which gives more kudos and credit to the likes of the Imperial Fists, White Scars, and Blood Angels.

Who has the most power? That is, as they say, all relative. The most powerful single Chapter would undoubtedly by the Black Templar -- if only because they are unorthodox in the light of the Codex Astartes and have as many as an estimated 6-7 thousand Space Marines within their ranks. Almost as powerful as the Legions of old.

Political/Inquisitional power? The Grey Knights. By their word can any chapter be condemned for whatever they perceive to be heresy or a corruption of the Emperor's word. The Imperial Fists and Ultramarines come in second, due to the fact that the Ultramarines have one of the most efficient and powerful demi-kingdoms in the Realm of Ultramar and the Imperial Fists are still considered the praetorians of Terra, and recruit from there at need (often becoming involved in politics).

That's my two cents...