Editing Ashen Claws (section)

==An (Unnecessary) Analysis of their Numbers==
Being an unsupported Renegade Chapter from the Nineteenth Legion, which was ''already'' undermanned before the clusterfuck that was the Horus Heresy, it'd be reasonable to assume that the Ashen Claws number less than a traditional Chapter by the turn of the 42nd Millennium. However, the lore seems to imply that the opposite is the case.

The Raven Guard are stated to have lost almost 75,000 Astartes during the [[Drop Site Massacre|Battle of Isstvan V]], to the point where only around 4,000 combat-effective battle-brothers remained; however, this number leaves out the unknown number of Marines operating alone in the far reaches of space, meaning that the Ashen Claws were probably not included in this total.

At the outset of the Heresy, it's stated that the Ashen Claws had around 4,000 Astartes at their disposal, give or take a few hundred or so with attrition from a nine-year Crusade. Nonetheless, this is still several magnitudes larger than a typical Chapter today, not even taking into account that they were taking thousands of potential recruits prisoner during their so-called "Second Crusade" in the 31st Millennium. Even if only a small proportion of these prisoners are worthy of becoming new Ashen Claws, this still means that over the course of more than ten millennia, the Ashen Claws could not only have replenished their numbers to pre-Crusade levels, but may even have surpassed it altogether. This would be supremely ironic, given that the Raven Guard have a reputation as a perpetually-understrength Chapter (along with the [[Salamanders (Chapter)|Salamanders]]).

Additionally, considering the fact that the Carcharodons actually rely on the Ashen Claws and no other Chapter for their Aspirants may imply that the Ashen Claws themselves have manpower to spare, but just don't have enough equipment to fit out so many potential Marines; this could also be due to the fact that their relationship as fellow exiled Chapters might make them more kindred spirits than it seems, but I digress.

Ultimately, the Ashen Claws are either slightly below 4,000 Marines strong, or large enough to rival the goddamn ''[[Black Templars]]'' for the title of "largest current Chapter" (meaning more than 6,000 active Marines are in the field). Make of this what you will.