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.

This is a little topic that came up between a couple of my friends and I. I checked the forums to make sure this hasn't been posted before, sorry if it has and i missed it.

Five space marines vs five spartans
one marine has a power sword and bolt pistol
two just have bolters
one has a plasma gun
and one has a heavy bolter.

vs five spartans
one with an energy sword and magnum
two with assault rifles
one with a plasma rifle
and one with a machine gun turret

Personnally i'm in favor of the space marines (And not just because i play them lol)
just found this pic online

It isn't even close. The technology levels are so far apart it isn't funny. A spartan can be killed by 2 clips from a standard SMG. That would not even dent a space marine's armor. One bolter shot is about the equivalent of a brute shot, which only takes 3 shots to kill a spartan.

God, I thought i'd escape the filthy plague that is halo from that other forum.

Space marines would simply nail spartans to the ground, hands down. And probably smash in their faces for good measure.

Spartans are essentially still human, just with the cool armor.
Space Marines are a head taller, better armed, better armored, stronger, tougher and not afraid of anything.

No contest. Space marines would drop their guns out of pity and tear off the Spartans' arms. Then maybe use them as clubs to put the poor Spartans down.

Spartans are wannbe Space Marines. Astartes all the way.

ph34r wrote: A spartan can be killed by 2 clips from a standard SMG.

MAGAZINE.
SAY IT WITH ME.
MAG-A-ZINE.

Space Marines can beat them barehanded with little effort.

shadowfox1112 wrote:This is a little topic that came up between a couple of my friends and I. I checked the forums to make sure this hasn't been posted before, sorry if it has and i missed it.

Well, on these forums, you're bound to get an overwhelming cry of "SM ROOL!". This usedto pop up over on the WoW forums, there it tended to favor the Spartan. The problem is, a lot of voters do not really understand one or either of the contestants,

shadowfox1112 wrote:
Five space marines vs five spartans
one marine has a power sword and bolt pistol
two just have bolters
one has a plasma gun
and one has a heavy bolter.

vs five spartans
one with an energy sword and magnum
two with assault rifles
one with a plasma rifle
and one with a machine gun turret

Okay, Power Sword versus Energy Sword is roughly equal, although Bolt Pistol versus Magnum is overwhelmingly in favor of the hand cannon. Bolter versus Assault Rifle is not fair for the Assault Rifle, Bolter is just plain better. Plasma Gun versus Plasma Rifle is just ridonkulous. The Plasma Rifle is a standard issue submachine gun for the Covenant; it's a Pulse Carbine (equivalent). Heavy Bolter versus Machine Gun turret, I'd prolly go for the fist sized explosive rounds. Just based on weapons, the Space Marines seem to have an edge.

Armor is an interesting contest. The Astartes has a lot more of it (volume), and their armor is very, very tough physically. The Spartan has less volume of armor, although his armor is very heavy (Spartan 113 is about half a ton in his armor, how much does a standard SM weigh in armor?). The Spartan also has energy shielding to help mitigate incoming fire, and his shields can regenerate. Here, I'm not entirely sure which one to take as the victor. Frankly, I'm leaning towards the Spartan, due to regeneration.

Physical attributes are difficult to judge. Both have undergone massive amounts of physical alterations to increase their speed, strength, and toughness. I'm leaning towards a tie here.

Tactics and training, I'm going Spartan all the way. They're all capable leaders and have undergone surgery to increase their mental capabilities. Even the spartans that were "washed out" were retained by the UNSC to be advisors and scientists. If I recall correctly, a paper written by one of the Spartan wash-outs is critical in realizing that the Covenant were attacking Reach.

Unfortunately, this entire discussion is futile. Both are protagonists designed to LOLROFLSTOMP aything in their way.

@ RustyKnight
You seem to have established that the Space Marines have better weapons across the board, then decided that Spartans win anyway.
In terms of size and strength there is no comparison. Space Marines have two hearts, thicker skulls and a breastplate like ribcage.
The regenerating energy shield is the Spartan's only real defense, and one solid punch knocks that out. It takes much more to kill a space marine.
IMO Spartans are more on par with Stormtroopers than marines in terms of combat ability.

Space Marines vs Halo in close combat would be FUNNY.
A space marine could get his arm lopped off by a power thingy, but he would simply ignore the pain, pick up his arm, and beat Spartan 117 to death with it.

Has anybody seen Red vs Blue? It would be like the situation where Tex (black) beat someone to death with their own skull (How is physically possible!) (That's what he said...)


Automatically Appended Next Post:
To be fair I would say that a spartan is more the equivelant of a human IN power armour (but I am including genetics and training)

Any the spartan shield would be like a 5+ refractor field or AT BEST a 4+ Rosarius.

Mad Rabbit wrote:@ RustyKnight
You seem to have established that the Space Marines have better weapons across the board

The bolter weapons are superior to the Spartans bullet weapons, but CC weapons wise they're about the same. The Plasma Gun and the Plasma Rifle are not equivalents. The Spartan has no quivalent to the Plasma Gun.

Mad Rabbit wrote:In terms of size and strength there is no comparison.

Not true. Spartans also have denser bones, and they have metal alloys mixed in if I recall correctly. The Spartan's also have increased muscle mass.

Mad Rabbit wrote:The regenerating energy shield is the Spartan's only real defense, and one solid punch knocks that out.

You mean in the game and only in the most recent one), it takes one punch to take down a Spartan's shield. In the books, Spartan shields are capable of taking quite a bit more physical abuse (course, Plasma Weapons also seem to take them down faster in the books).

Mad Rabbit wrote:The regenerating energy shield is the Spartan's only real defense, and one solid punch knocks that out.

Stormtroopers are more on par with ODST's. A Spartan would dismantle a stormtrooper.

Yep, a spartan is definitely a step above a stormtrooper.

Space Marines have my vote. MOAR SKULLS!

Space Marines are eight feet tall, weigh over a ton in their armour, and are armed with .75 caliber (19.05mm) automatic rifles as standard. It's hardly a fair contest.

Read the Halo novels. Spartans get wounded all the time. John-117 had his shield depleted and his shoulder ripped open by a hunter's spines and Linda-058 almost died from being hit with a fuel rod gun.

Space Marines would shake injuries like that off and force-feed you your own balls.

Just to get it out of my system:

THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!
*kicks down well*

Yea marines would rip spartans to shreds.

Spartans are poor man's Space Marines just as Space Marines are glorified and competent Star Wars Storm Troopers.

How about Clone Troopers vs. Space Marines?

(Actually, Clone Troopers strike me more as Kasrkins.)

Theres this thing called plot armour, The best armour designed by man. Only one team can have it.. You pick they win.

Though it has to be said that The guy with the baby skull fashioned to his chest plate would have my vote.

Woohoo another spartan vs space marine poll..............been done 2x before..................

Spase Merhienz!!!!1 Hurr!!

Spartans are enhanced human soldiers that have great armor and weapons afforded to their exceptional tactical and combat prowess.

Space Marines are Metahumans that have transcended our definition of what it is to be Human, and have what is more accurately considered articulated tank armor and rocket-propelled grenade launchers afforded to their multiple decades (if not centuries) of combat experience.

One other thing to consider is that Spartans in the books are stacked. In the game, you can get thrashed by a couple of Grunts if you're careless. Same goes for Spess Mehrienz, who are so ridiculously powerful in the fluff it's not even funny, whereas in the tabletop game you've got a trooper that's still head and shoulder above most else, but is not at the herculean levels described by the stories. Essentially, we have 4 possible combinations:

Fluff Spartans vs (Fluff Marines)
(Fluff Spartans) vs Tabletop Marines
Game Spartans vs (Fluff Marines)
Game Spartans vs (Tabletop Marines)

My vote for the winner of each is parenthetically marked. Overall, I can't see 37,000+ years of technological advancement (though some of that was backward advancement thanks to the Age of Strife and all that crap) losing to some human in cool looking body armor who's been juicing.

CK

*puzzles trying to figure out the practical diffrence between "enhanced humans" and "meta humans"* having only read Ghosts of Onyx, and been surprized that the Spartans were generally pre-teens*

Tactically I'd give it to the Space Marines, Stragetically I'd give it to the Spartans..

Space Marines. They carry an automatic grenade launcher. Two shots. Bye bye! Space marine armor deflects bullets with ease, the Spartans have SMG's and Battle rifles. Those are autoguns in all sense.

The Space Marines would eat the Spartans. SM are just too tough and superiorly equipped.

Amen

Just for the sake of doing so, I am going to stat Spartans in 40k.
WS:4 BS:4 S:3(4) T:3 W:1 I:3 A:1 Ld:9 Sv4+
Squad: 6-10 Spartans

Equipment:
Assault Grenades

Battle Rifle
24" S:3 AP:6 Assault 2

Spartan Powered Armor
Spartan powered Armor grants the Spartan a 4+ Armor save, 6+ Invulnerable save (shield) and +1S

Single Close Combat Weapon

Options: One Spartan may be upgraded with a spartan laster at 20 points. The Spartan Laser has the following profile:
36" S8 AP1 Heavy 1

One Spartan may be upgraded to the Missile Pod at 15 points. The Missile Pod has the following Profile:
36" S7 AP4 Heavy 1, Blast

One Spartan May be Upgraded to the Pistol at 75 points. The Pistol has the following profile:
72" S10 AP1 Assault 5, Lance, Pinning, Melta.

That was awesome Rory! Spartan with a pistol please!

Canonness Rory wrote:Just for the sake of doing so, I am going to stat Spartans in 40k.
WS:4 BS:4 S:3(4) T:3 W:1 I:3 A:1 Ld:9 Sv4+
Squad: 6-10 Spartans

Not even close. WS and BS are too low. Spartans are in fluff and in game capapble of putting a bullet exactly where they want it. They are very, very strong. Like pulling apart tanks with bare hands. Like single blow KO's strong. Spartan 113 (and he wasn't the strongest) as a teen took ouy four marines in hand to hand combat. Toughness wise, spartans are extremely tough. They have metal in their bones. They get shot and keep on going all the time. Wounds wise, spartans aren't going to stop after one wound. Initiative wise, Spartans are stupid fast. I'd prolly say they're faster than SM. Like bullet dodging fast. Like hmmm-is-he-going-to-punch-me-?-oh-I-guess-he-is-I'd-better-break-his-leg-before-he-does fast. Attack wise, nope. Save wise, I'd prolly give them a 3+/4+. The armor isn't unstoppable, but it still deflects a ton.

Lol Canonness has clearly played too much Halo 1. Also you forgot to add Sniper

unclehomefries wrote:Lol Canonness has clearly played too much Halo 1. Also you forgot to add Sniper

Sniper would make it worse.

It would only wound on a 4+. And would only have one shot that couldn't move.

Sounds about right Canoness Rory, but probably a slightly higher initiative.

Marines can rip apart tanks with bare hands to.

I would say Spartan to be about AS strong as a Space Marine, but not as tough.

RustyKnight wrote:
Not even close. WS and BS are too low. Spartans are in fluff and in game capapble of putting a bullet exactly where they want it. They are very, very strong. Like pulling apart tanks with bare hands. Like single blow KO's strong. Spartan 113 (and he wasn't the strongest) as a teen took ouy four marines in hand to hand combat. Toughness wise, spartans are extremely tough. They have metal in their bones. They get shot and keep on going all the time. Wounds wise, spartans aren't going to stop after one wound. Initiative wise, Spartans are stupid fast. I'd prolly say they're faster than SM. Like bullet dodging fast. Like hmmm-is-he-going-to-punch-me-?-oh-I-guess-he-is-I'd-better-break-his-leg-before-he-does fast. Attack wise, nope. Save wise, I'd prolly give them a 3+/4+. The armor isn't unstoppable, but it still deflects a ton.

Most of what you said goes the same for space marines.

Rip apart tank? Check
Put a bullet where they want it? Check
Faster than Humans? Check
Takes more than one round? Check

On the other hand I don't recall where in the books they mention metal being grafted into their bones.

Also it was Spartan One One Seven that took of the Marines and won. A Space Marine could probably take on more that four normal humans.

Any way I'd say that Spartans would probably be the equivalent of 4th Edition Space Marine Scouts, but give them a Six or Five plus invuln save on top of their four plus armour save.