just having a quick flick through the rules section and became mildly curious about what factor contribute towards the selection of one ordos over another. In general i go for Heriticus purely based on the fact that it's much easier for them to have a motive for being in that particular place as opposed to others. what about you guys?
I look at the ordos a little more fluidly than most. In my opinion they're fairly political entities which will vary from region to region and an individual's membership in a given ordos may have less to do with their field of interest than it may have to do with who has the resources the given Inquisitor needs in a certain time and place.
Certainly I'm not saying that an Inquisitor would hop from ordos to ordos on a whim, but I imagine (and have some characters who) have been members of more than one ordos. In one case the individual will spend time in a given ordos to learn more about an area they felt lacking in on a previous investigation via the resources at their disposal, a different Inquisitor moved from an ordos which was a smaller fringe one in the given sector (malleus) in order to accept the title of Lord Marshal of the current crusade and mandated that he throw his chips in with the more power (in that sector) Ordos Hereticus.
Sepulturum. Because I like obscure things.
Hell, there's no particular reason you *have* to go for an Ordo at all, it's just useful to gain access to that Ordo's resources.
Hmm...ordo-less Inquisitor pursuing his own investigations, getting by on his own resources and those he can negotiate through personal relationships rather than his loose affiliation to an ordo...
Not forgetting 'Orders' too, a group of like minded Inquisition figures banded together in a common goal (Orders tend to be much larger than a cell, and less circumstantial/stationary than a conclave).
It's not hard to find justifications for any Ordo turning up at areas outside their immediate speciality: They were in the area, an ally in another Ordo asked them to take a look at something, it's not what it first seemed - or even that their navigator got lost and they didn't mean to be here but things seemed fishy enough they had to take a look...
I don't choose Ordos based on whether they'll be easier to write them into a campaign, I choose them as part of who a character is.
Admittedly, of my six Inquisitors who are either in model form or are major players in my background, four are Ordo Perditus (my own Ordo Minoris, if you're confused) and the other two are Hereticus - so not a huge range, but that's because they all tie together and I'm more likely to get the motivation and ideas to build a character if they link into what I'm already doing.
I have ideas for Inquisitors of other Ordos down the line, but I've got to sort out what I've already got first - and after that, some non Inquisitorial warbands to break the trend for a bit.
As many here will know, I date back to the dawn of Rogue Trader so a lot of my thoughts on this sort of thing are out-dated if not downright archaic...
That said...
The Ordos were never branches of the Inquisition, they aren't the equivalent of the Army, Navy and RAF, you aren't Ordo Hereticus and then an Inquisitor, you're an Inquisitor first and foremost.
The Ordos are more like secret societies, particularly with the Ordo Malleus - who hold the greatest secrets of all humanity.
The Ordo's may provide a support network but no Inquisitor should ever fly away from a planetary rebellion because it's led by rogue Psykers rather than Aliens, the safety of humanity is their calling, not the consideration of a single threat.
To be honest, I blame the recent GW publications for 40k which seem to imply that all inquisitors are forced into one of the 'Big Three' (sound familiar elsewhere in GW?) and neglect the fact that there are 'other' minor ordos, orders, conclaves, cells etc. Indeed, the INQ rulebook itself didn't really spend that much time focusing on outlining the major/minor ordos (and neither really have the DH books).
I think people need to read more Ian Watson and less Dan Abnett.