Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

How often do chaos warbands attempt to steal geneseed to replenish their ranks, you could assume lacking the resources of the Imperium that they would occur quite frequently but is there any definitive answers in the fluff?

Not really, apart from them taking the gene seed from fallen foes.

Well a marine planet was attacked by huron so that he could get the geneseed.

I believe that all chaos legions have different sources for geneseed. For example red corsairs loot and plunder like pirates they are but fabius cooks geneseed for emperor's childen. Also assume legions take geneseed when possible like Durza said looting it from fallen enemies.

I recall one of the Ultramarines novels, the Iron Warriors stole some geneseed (forget if it was from the living/dead or from the vaults) and were flash clone growing new marines from it.

It's one of the inconsistencies of the Traitor Legions' Long War; how they survive for 10k years. Part warp time dilation, part demonic magic, part ruthless scavenging. How many Legions still even recruit isn't very clear; I don't know how the World Eater's can hold their gak together long enough to recruit anyone.

The World Eaters' apothecaries seem to not be insane, since they're able to lobotomise marines and create new Berzerkers, so I guess that they follow their brethren around claiming the spoils of war in the gene seed they need.

Not sure how frequently, but there are books covering the attacking for geneseed.

There is the Ultramarines book "Chapter's Due"

Nightlords and Red Corsairs in "Blood Reaver"

And last that I know of is the Iron Warriors novel "Storm of Iron"

Iron Warriors launched a massive siege on Hydra Cordatus to steal the gene seed stashed under the fortress. The Red Corsairs launched a raid on a Space Marine chapter (who's name eludes me atm) to steal almost all of their gene seed.

In an old short story, an Apothecary is trying to help a bunch of marine escape form the World Eaters and ends up harvesting 10 gene-seeds. He ships them off at the last second and he is captured by the World Eater's Head Chirugeon, who proceeds to rip out his gene-seed for funsies.

So one reason could be for fun. Another is to survive. Recruits need gene-seed. What better place to get some than a Space Marine? I do recall Honsou of the Iron Warriors wanting to use Ultramarine gene-seed to balance the recipe of gene-seeds for the Daemoncuabla on Medrengard.

Where exactly does geneseed come from?

Kaldor wrote:Where exactly does geneseed come from?

Lexicanum!

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Gene-seed#.T0CVTvEge68

blazinpsycho&typhooni wrote:

Kaldor wrote:Where exactly does geneseed come from?

Lexicanum!

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Gene-seed#.T0CVTvEge68

Ok, so the only way to create new geneseed is to harvest a progenoid gland?

But... that means that no NEW geneseed can be created. Each marine can only create one set, and as each marine will eventually die, then each unrecovered progenoid gland means a permanent reduction in the chapters numbers, correct?

Is there anyone in the Imperium that actually manufactures new geneseed?

Kaldor wrote:

blazinpsycho&typhooni wrote:

Kaldor wrote:Where exactly does geneseed come from?

Lexicanum!

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Gene-seed#.T0CVTvEge68

Ok, so the only way to create new geneseed is to harvest a progenoid gland?

But... that means that no NEW geneseed can be created. Each marine can only create one set, and as each marine will eventually die, then each unrecovered progenoid gland means a permanent reduction in the chapters numbers, correct?

Is there anyone in the Imperium that actually manufactures new geneseed?

Not all geneseed is left in the marine until death, they can be removed beforehand. Plus it's just one that's implanted into the marine, the other isn't really a geneseed. Kinda like a sheet of paper before it's printed on. 1 marine makes 2 geneseeds, only way more seeds can be made.

Course there are battlefield losses, but usually the bodies are recovered and the seed is harvested, not like all marines die in horrific last stands on planets about to explode

Ok, so the only way to create new geneseed is to harvest a progenoid gland?

But... that means that no NEW geneseed can be created. Each marine can only create one set, and as each marine will eventually die, then each unrecovered progenoid gland means a permanent reduction in the chapters numbers, correct?

Is there anyone in the Imperium that actually manufactures new geneseed?

1)No, the High Lords of Terra can have new gene-seed created by the Magos Biologis.

2)Each marine is given a gene-seed which grows a second. After reaching a certain age the new gland can be removed to create a new marine.

Upon death both would be removed and used to make 2 new marines.

3)The magos biologis and technically space marines.

Aha! I missed the part where there are two progenoid glands!

DeffDred wrote:

Ok, so the only way to create new geneseed is to harvest a progenoid gland?

But... that means that no NEW geneseed can be created. Each marine can only create one set, and as each marine will eventually die, then each unrecovered progenoid gland means a permanent reduction in the chapters numbers, correct?

Is there anyone in the Imperium that actually manufactures new geneseed?

1)No, the High Lords of Terra can have new gene-seed created by the Magos Biologis.

2)Each marine is given a gene-seed which grows a second. After reaching a certain age the new gland can be removed to create a new marine.

Upon death both would be removed and used to make 2 new marines.

3)The magos biologis and technically space marines.

Hold up. I thought two seeds were implanted in the new Recruit, one in the neck and one in the chest. This is shown in a lot of books.

The geneseed that is produced these days is not "new". Every Chapter is required to tithe a portion of their geneseed to the Mechanicus, so it can be stored on Terra/Mars/Wherever and tested for purity, as well as kept in stasis against future need.

When the High Lords decide to hold a new Founding and create a new Chapter of Space Marines, the Mechanicus takes some of the geneseed out of cold-storage and, depending on who's seed is the most plentiful and the most stable, starts implanting it into some potential Space Marines. Currently, Ultramarine/Ultramarine Successor geneseed is the most common and most stable, this is why 60% of all current Chapters are descendents of the Ultramarines, or one of their Successor Chapters.

This is a trend not likely to change any time soon, as most of the other geneseed samples have some... quirks. The geneseed of the Space Wolves, for example, is utterly lethal (or worse) to anyone not of Fenrisian origin. The Blood Angel geneseed tends to cause its recipients to go a little bit nuts... or maybe a whole lot of nuts, depending. The Blood Raven geneseed seems to have been lost and forgotten... the Mechanicus is *serious* about cleaning the office fridge out on Fridays, don't leave *anything* in there, it won't be there when you come back in on Monday. Also, since the Blood Ravens are a Chapter apparently cursed with the *worst* fething luck, it's unlikely there will be a BR Successor Chapter.

Psienesis wrote:The geneseed that is produced these days is not "new". Every Chapter is required to tithe a portion of their geneseed to the Mechanicus, so it can be stored on Terra/Mars/Wherever and tested for purity, as well as kept in stasis against future need.

When the High Lords decide to hold a new Founding and create a new Chapter of Space Marines, the Mechanicus takes some of the geneseed out of cold-storage and, depending on who's seed is the most plentiful and the most stable, starts implanting it into some potential Space Marines. Currently, Ultramarine/Ultramarine Successor geneseed is the most common and most stable, this is why 60% of all current Chapters are descendents of the Ultramarines, or one of their Successor Chapters.

This is a trend not likely to change any time soon, as most of the other geneseed samples have some... quirks. The geneseed of the Space Wolves, for example, is utterly lethal (or worse) to anyone not of Fenrisian origin. The Blood Angel geneseed tends to cause its recipients to go a little bit nuts... or maybe a whole lot of nuts, depending. The Blood Raven geneseed seems to have been lost and forgotten... the Mechanicus is *serious* about cleaning the office fridge out on Fridays, don't leave *anything* in there, it won't be there when you come back in on Monday. Also, since the Blood Ravens are a Chapter apparently cursed with the *worst* fething luck, it's unlikely there will be a BR Successor Chapter.

no one will ever convince me the blood ravens have bad luck. The Lamenters are the most unlucky Astartes to exist ever in 40K. Plus they look a hell of a lot cooler

Begel Dverl wrote:

DeffDred wrote:

Ok, so the only way to create new geneseed is to harvest a progenoid gland?

But... that means that no NEW geneseed can be created. Each marine can only create one set, and as each marine will eventually die, then each unrecovered progenoid gland means a permanent reduction in the chapters numbers, correct?

Is there anyone in the Imperium that actually manufactures new geneseed?

1)No, the High Lords of Terra can have new gene-seed created by the Magos Biologis.

2)Each marine is given a gene-seed which grows a second. After reaching a certain age the new gland can be removed to create a new marine.

Upon death both would be removed and used to make 2 new marines.

3)The magos biologis and technically space marines.

Hold up. I thought two seeds were implanted in the new Recruit, one in the neck and one in the chest. This is shown in a lot of books.

One is the seed, the other one is a new seed that's being grown... Like a blank seed of sorts....

DxM Scotty MxD wrote:

Psienesis wrote:The geneseed that is produced these days is not "new". Every Chapter is required to tithe a portion of their geneseed to the Mechanicus, so it can be stored on Terra/Mars/Wherever and tested for purity, as well as kept in stasis against future need.

When the High Lords decide to hold a new Founding and create a new Chapter of Space Marines, the Mechanicus takes some of the geneseed out of cold-storage and, depending on who's seed is the most plentiful and the most stable, starts implanting it into some potential Space Marines. Currently, Ultramarine/Ultramarine Successor geneseed is the most common and most stable, this is why 60% of all current Chapters are descendents of the Ultramarines, or one of their Successor Chapters.

This is a trend not likely to change any time soon, as most of the other geneseed samples have some... quirks. The geneseed of the Space Wolves, for example, is utterly lethal (or worse) to anyone not of Fenrisian origin. The Blood Angel geneseed tends to cause its recipients to go a little bit nuts... or maybe a whole lot of nuts, depending. The Blood Raven geneseed seems to have been lost and forgotten... the Mechanicus is *serious* about cleaning the office fridge out on Fridays, don't leave *anything* in there, it won't be there when you come back in on Monday. Also, since the Blood Ravens are a Chapter apparently cursed with the *worst* fething luck, it's unlikely there will be a BR Successor Chapter.

no one will ever convince me the blood ravens have bad luck. The Lamenters are the most unlucky Astartes to exist ever in 40K. Plus they look a hell of a lot cooler

Or the Mantis Warriors. While not bad luck persay, they still got roflstomped. Side note: it's strange how the Carcharodons seem to be most like the Angry Marines, if the Lexicanum is anything to go by.

The Blood Ravens have lost, what, two Homeworlds now? Captain Whats-his-face from DoW1 went all Exterminatus-happy on the first one, and the other one had a Great Unclean One pop out of the drain in their main temple area/Chapter house thing. Not to mention the Chaos forces and Tyranid roflstomping every standing structure within like a parsec of the place. Oh and then, of course, we have the main Chapter stronghold hosting parties for the Khornate Sorcerer Chaptermaster that the Inquisition has got word of and is rolling in to just lay the feth waste to everything in the quadrant.

Ok, so, maybe they're not *quite* the Lamenters... but I'm not seeing any BR Successor Chapters getting spit out any time soon.

I think, even if the BR continue to be considered a Loyalist Chapter, rather than a Renegade Chapter, following all this really whacked-out stuff, it's going to be something like:

High Lords of Terra: Magos, we need to have another Founding of Space Marines. What geneseed is available in the banks?

Tech-Priest: Well, Lord, we have a sale on a twelve-pack of Ultramarine Geneseed. Imperial Fist seed is at an all time high, and our stores of Black Templar Geneseed is rather... skimpy, at the moment.

HLoT: Eh, I'm tired of chapters in blue, what else you got?

TP: Um, well... we *do* have some of that... mystery mix that gave us the Blood Ravens. However, they did just have that problem with losing a Homeworld, losing a ton of Marines to the Orks on... whatever that planet is called and then dying to a man on Kaurava... losing an entire Company. Oh, and, there was that thing. With the Great Unclean one and their Chapter Master being, secretly, a pawn of the Ruinous Powers. Hmm.... do you think that this might be... too soon?

HLoT: <nods> Too soon. Blue-boys it is.

Psienesis wrote:
I think, even if the BR continue to be considered a Loyalist Chapter, rather than a Renegade Chapter, following all this really whacked-out stuff, it's going to be something like:

High Lords of Terra: Magos, we need to have another Founding of Space Marines. What geneseed is available in the banks?

Tech-Priest: Well, Lord, we have a sale on a twelve-pack of Ultramarine Geneseed. Imperial Fist seed is at an all time high, and our stores of Black Templar Geneseed is rather... skimpy, at the moment.

HLoT: Eh, I'm tired of chapters in blue, what else you got?

TP: Um, well... we *do* have some of that... mystery mix that gave us the Blood Ravens. However, they did just have that problem with losing a Homeworld, losing a ton of Marines to the Orks on... whatever that planet is called and then dying to a man on Kaurava... losing an entire Company. Oh, and, there was that thing. With the Great Unclean one and their Chapter Master being, secretly, a pawn of the Ruinous Powers. Hmm.... do you think that this might be... too soon?

HLoT: <nods> Too soon. Blue-boys it is.

If you keep making great to read posts like this. Im going to have to pay Dakka Dakka for a subscribe button.