Deathwatch 'Lead by Example' Squad Mode Ability

Question

I have a question concerning the Squad Mode Ability stated in the title.

As the rules state, Chapter Squad Mode Abilities can only be used and taken benefit of by members of the specific Chapter. (With the exception, that a Tactical Marine has taken the 'Tactical Expertise' Ability)

Now the 'Lead by Example' Chapter Attack Pattern specifically states that 'all Battle-Brothers in Support Range' benefit from it, where the others just state 'Battle-Brothers in Support Range'. Does this indicate a different handling of this particular Squad Mode Ability?

Example: A Space Marine from the Ultramarines Chapter, who will be able to use this ability, as it is an Ultramarines Chapter Ability, is in Squad Mode and decides to use this ability. He will now gain a bonus equal to his fellowship bonus to all tests. There are two more members of his Kill-Team within support range, but they are from a different Chapter. Is this Ability now handled differently and they can benefit from it?

I thought it might make sense with the pretext of the ability stating: " Off all Chapters, the Ultramarines pride themselves as among the most loyal and bravest of all the Emperor's chosen, a fact that they like to impress upon their fellow Battle-Brothers."

I guess in general I am wondering about the usefulness of Chapter Squad Mode Abilities if there is no Tactical Marine present with 'Tactical Expertise'. I understand that it is desired to have a Kill-Team made up of different Chapters, because it is one important part of the role playing that the characters can grow together and form a team, even overcoming Chapter rivalries and so on. But if you have a Kill-Team in which no Chapter is ever present twice than only the player from the given Chapter might ever benefit from the Chapter Squad-Mode Abilities and it might as well be a Solo-Mode Ability, or am I missing something?

Answer 1

The Ultramarine squad mode only works for other Ultramarines despite the ambiguous wording. If you don't have a tactical marine with tactical expertise you can do one of 2 things: 1. Get the deed (at character creation) Strike Team Specialist which will allow you to use and take part in attack patterns of your allies at the cost of 1 extra cohesion. This only affects you and the battle-brother whose attack pattern you are calling. Defensive Genius is the same for defensive patterns. (Rites of Battle p82). 2. The whole squad spends 500xp each to get Forging the Bonds which allows you to share squad mode abilities for 3 extra cohesion at rank 1 which goes down to 2 then 1 at ranks 4 and 6. (Rites of Battle p226).

If you GM allows Oaths can have challenges and rewards. Our GM allows us to take Oath of Loyalty with the challenge that we must end the mission at full cohesion. If we succeed we unlock one player's chapter (the leader) abilities for all members of the kill team.