Pretty much the subject title. How would a Space Marine spend his downtime? I can't imagine that they are always training against those drone things that they use.
Even the Emperors finest have to chillax, right? So how?

Prayer/meditation.

Add studies to the list, and does anyone know if they get proper sleep?

Yes, they get 4 hours a day.

I can see them playing racquetball and drinking mimosa

sarpedons-right-hand wrote:Pretty much the subject title. How would a Space Marine spend his downtime? I can't imagine that they are always training against those drone things that they use.
Even the Emperors finest have to chillax, right? So how?

Downtime? All fifteen minutes of it? Spacebook (space Facebook).

Finding out they have been lied to by the false Emperor.

Space Wolfs PARTY!!!!!

Rynsester wrote:Finding out they have been lied to by the false Emperor.

In response, sorry if I'm thread jacking, but what do the various chaos legions do for fun? One could easily guess for Khorne and Slaanesh, but Nurgle.......?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Daily_rituals_of_a_Space_Marine
what down time?

Nurgle marines try to pick up daemonetts.

acekevin8412 wrote:

Rynsester wrote:Finding out they have been lied to by the false Emperor.

In response, sorry if I'm thread jacking, but what do the various chaos legions do for fun? One could easily guess for Khorne and Slaanesh, but Nurgle.......?

Nurgle would have more downtime, their god is apathy after all. Thousand sons rbric marines probably shutdown, or just sleep until they're called for battle.

Revenent Reiko wrote:http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Daily_rituals_of_a_Space_Marine
what down time?

Right. All fifteen minutes. If that.

Waffen-SS soldiers might be close to space marines. Might want to check out what they did. But then again... they might be too human.

Shayden wrote:

Revenent Reiko wrote:http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Daily_rituals_of_a_Space_Marine
what down time?

Right. All fifteen minutes. If that.

Yup, bad times for the Marines

The only thing i can think of using that time for is catching a few extra minutes of sleep; which may be invaluable, given their line of work.

Well not necessarily, Marines can go weeks without sleep, but i know what you mean, id certainly get some extra sleep!

I had read somewhere that Marines can go months without sleep. I think it was 3rd Ed codex that said that a strike force of marines went something like 200 days without sleep.
I may be wrong of course!
As for the chaos suggestion, that's a great question..... As has been stated, Khorne and Slaanesh are kinda obvious. But as for Nurgle, I really have no idea.....

I'm pretty sure it varies between chapters, meditation and prayer is common, as is caring for equipment and reading the codex and various other texts. Space wolves party, I think blood angels actually take hobbies usually somehting like fencing or art (I'm serious) and try to become perfect at it. Salamanders probably forge things. IFs scrimshaw bones, emperor knows why.

sarpedons-right-hand wrote:I had read somewhere that Marines can go months without sleep. I think it was 3rd Ed codex that said that a strike force of marines went something like 200 days without sleep.
I may be wrong of course!
As for the chaos suggestion, that's a great question..... As has been stated, Khorne and Slaanesh are kinda obvious. But as for Nurgle, I really have no idea.....

They can go months without sleep but they shouldn't. 4 hours a night keeps them at 100% heretic killing efficiency.

If they are Space Wolves, they drink motor-oil, eat barely cooked turkey/space-turkey legs, and listen to stories told by their brothers.

Thousand Sons study and make magicks.

A lot of their time they practice is cages with servitors, and I imagine spend plenty of time on their version of the firing range. I imagine they have strategy discussion and contemplation of the codex astartes, perhaps moving around spent bolter shell casings on a table for their version of squads, and heavy bolter shells for vehicles

Some of them clean and break down their own weapons, maybe aspiring techmarines are down in the hanger with all their strike force's vehicles, tinkering. Some old veterans probably train with newer battle brothers, in the cages or strategy discussion.

Their whole lives revolve around making battle, so they probably do all sorts of stuff getting ready for that. I imagine they have more than 15m per day to do so. They probably do a ton of training while they are in warp transit for months at a time.

@Daedalus, lol at the SWs!
see the link i posted for lexicanum, not all Chapters follow this but a lot of them do, even when in Warp transit

If ou read the HH it tells how they relax.
Well first of all they have their own fighting games where they fight with blades for fun.

Also in the first HH series thecharacter Loken relaxed by reading books and sleeping.

Also there are many ceremonys that Space marines have where they talk, drink, talk more, and drink more.

Well they also meditate a lot. But Space Marine are not just warriors that only think of killing they also like to study, learn more, appreciate art, hang out with friends.

that was pre-heresy though, the Codex Astartes is what dictates the majority of Chapters these days.
Although the Sallies do still spend time in the forges and the BAs spend time 'nippling' their wargear (i am a BA player so i can say that), while the SWs do whatever they want most of the time

downtime varies from chapter to chapter.


the codex only allows for 15 minutes of downtime, but this isn't a hard fast rule.

some chapters eliminate the downtime, others might increase it.


i would imagine some might play at sport(all related to fighting of course)

Mastication. Lots and lots of mastication.

Salamanders forge, or build stuff for/interact with the civilians/families.

Grey Templar wrote:downtime varies from chapter to chapter.


the codex only allows for 15 minutes of downtime, but this isn't a hard fast rule.

some chapters eliminate the downtime, others might increase it.


i would imagine some might play at sport(all related to fighting of course)

Yer as the codex says Gulliman put in 15 mins 'reflection time', which most chapters do, but many find it annoying. I think down time is a misnomer as a marines life is highly regimented, they don't sit around watching tv, if they are not training they are praying, eating, working in their specialist area, maintaing their armour, the only chapter that really has proper down time is the Space Wolves (they know how to party).

BluntmanDC wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:downtime varies from chapter to chapter.


the codex only allows for 15 minutes of downtime, but this isn't a hard fast rule.

some chapters eliminate the downtime, others might increase it.


i would imagine some might play at sport(all related to fighting of course)

Yer as the codex says Gulliman put in 15 mins 'reflection time', which most chapters do, but many find it annoying. I think down time is a misnomer as a marines life is highly regimented, they don't sit around watching tv, if they are not training they are praying, eating, working in their specialist area, maintaing their armour, the only chapter that really has proper down time is the Space Wolves (they know how to party).

you forgot the Lazy marines

That's probably a 'typical' chapter on a 'typical' day. At war is different and if you're a Salamander it's going to be different than if your an Ultramarine. More different if you're a Spacewolf again!

Edit: To answer the atual question - to 'chill' I guess they would pray or craft weapons or shoot targets or whatever.

Attempt to learn to read (and fail). Desperately try to remember which side of their bolter you're supposed to point at what you want to die. Try not to drool acid all over themselves. Attend seminars instructing that the "best tactics ever" are a coverless frontal assault, and to be stealthy one must scream at the top of one's lungs. Collapse into a Mary-Sue singularity, hastened by the several metric tons of plot armor they're carrying around.

They create molds and they cast small models of tin and paint them up to look like marines and orks. Then they set up a table and some improvised terrain and bring out dice and rulers.

Depends on thier chapter. Here goes:

Ultramarines: Hang around polishing their awards.

Space Wolves: PARTY!!! Drink up, me hearties! And then, they hunt.

Dark Angels: Mope in their cells/ search for the fallen.

Blood Angels: Write poems about their impending demise. Good poems, mind you. Perfect poems.

Black Templars/ GK: Pray.

Angry Marines: ...Really? They're still just angry...

CSM: Whatver the they want... all time is freetime in the warp!

Salamanders: Make stuff.

White Scars: Duh. Bike races ftw!

Raven Guard: Brood and lurk in shadows.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and +1 at tarnish...

tarnish wrote:They create molds and they cast small models of tin and paint them up to look like marines and orks. Then they set up a table and some improvised terrain and bring out dice and rulers.

I find this picture appropriate.



Can you imagine how many days it'd take him to finish a 1500 point army!?

My guess is that many space marines spend their time maintaining and practising with their weapons and armour. Otherwise, they probably discuss battle tactics, or maybe even talk about their lives before they became marines.

chapter wide circle jerks!

Smitty0305 wrote:chapter wide circle jerks!

Eh?

In the IDF we got a maximum of 6 hours of sleep, an hour of free time in the evenings, and typically 30-45 minutes for meals. Religious soldiers received about an hour and a half cumulative of prayer time. The Space Marine schedule sounds like a fething ball-breaker.

Space wolfs just either
A. drink
b. fight
c.drink and fight

Id say they party hard if there anything like the Space Wolfs, Drinking and whoreing wile waiting for the next battle.

If your unlucky and in a chapter like the Dark Angles...well it seems you have a lot less fun.

Ultramarines - Vanilla ice cream time!
Dark angels - Find the fallen. Harder.
Blood angels - OUR PRIMARCH IS DEEEEEAAAAAAAAAD!
Space wolves - Drink! Fight! Drink! Fight! Get a DUI in the Rhino!
Imperial fists - What downtime? Put another level on the fortifications!
Black templars - PURGE EVERYTHING!
Grey knights - Prank the inquisition! Who else can run through a crowded conclave of inquisitors screaming "DAEMON INCURSION!" and get away with it?
Salamanders - Heck with this, i'm going home to my five wives tonight.
Iron hands - Dude, let's go get piercings.

I guess it's developed into a joke thread at this point, but realistically, they feast, drink wine, and pursue a career-supporting hobby, like arms maintenance and study. Space marine fluff supports food, drink, sparring, art, poetry, reading, customizing gear, study, meditation, ect. They seem content to stick to either simple pleasures or monastery-style living. It is not too unreasonable to think that they do little "fun" stuff. You will find that, denied any opportunity for extracurricular activities, people just kind of do their job and hang around.

Aye. I believe GW had an article on the daily life of a battle brother a year or so ago (or more?) to answer this question pretty adequately, but like all of GWs fluff, the books give the impression that things are different. For example it seems that at minimum the higher ranking ultramarines have some time spent interacting with the upper society and politics of ultramar`s worlds if only to keep a presence. I suspect that going to them thar fancy dress parties would be happening semi-regularly. Though hopefully we will be spared the ultimate horror of Telion in a ball gown.

2100 - Evening Meal - A feast (by normal human standards) is provided by the Chapter serfs, and some Chapter Masters may allow alcohol to be consumed.
2130 - Night Firing Exercises - If the chapter is based on a planet where there is no perceptible night or they are based on a fleet, firing exercises are under taken in exotic environments such as underwater, through dense fog or smoke or in zero gravity.

Is it just me or is the night firing a bad idea if alcohol is allowed to be consumed beforehand

1300 - Midday Meal - Normally local wildlife killed during the morning activities.

With a bolter? Seriously? What local wildlife should that be not to be vaporized on impact?
And, shouldn't the local section of SWF (Space Wildlife Foundation) have something to say about that?

LastCameTheRaven wrote:

1300 - Midday Meal - Normally local wildlife killed during the morning activities.

With a bolter? Seriously? What local wildlife should that be not to be vaporized on impact?
And, shouldn't the local section of SWF (Space Wildlife Foundation) have something to say about that?

Bolter ammunition is far to expensive and destructive to be used for a simple meal. I wouldn't be surprised if they're expected to get the kill using their bare feet alone.

wamper111 wrote:2100 - Evening Meal - A feast (by normal human standards) is provided by the Chapter serfs, and some Chapter Masters may allow alcohol to be consumed.
2130 - Night Firing Exercises - If the chapter is based on a planet where there is no perceptible night or they are based on a fleet, firing exercises are under taken in exotic environments such as underwater, through dense fog or smoke or in zero gravity.

Is it just me or is the night firing a bad idea if alcohol is allowed to be consumed beforehand

normal alcohol isn't absorbed by a marines digesive system as he has a gland that prevents the absorbtion of poison.


but there is a plant on Fenris which has a chemical that essentially blocks this organ from functioning. Space Wolves will add this to their beverages. hence, Space Wolves can get drunk if they want to.




and for hunting, marines will probably use non-explosive bolt rounds when hunting for food. .75 caliber isn't so large that a solid slug would just rip an animal apart.

and marine homeworlds tend to have all manner of massive beasties. they will naturally pick on things that are pretty freakin huge.

smrufs they portably just eat puppy's and see there Thoths and speek of how Gert thay are
blood angles drink blood
world barres kill each other
i dont know the rest

SOFDC wrote:Ultramarines - Vanilla ice cream time!
Dark angels - Find the fallen. Harder.
Blood angels - OUR PRIMARCH IS DEEEEEAAAAAAAAAD!
Space wolves - Drink! Fight! Drink! Fight! Get a DUI in the Rhino!
Imperial fists - What downtime? Put another level on the fortifications!
Black templars - PURGE EVERYTHING!
Grey knights - Prank the inquisition! Who else can run through a crowded conclave of inquisitors screaming "DAEMON INCURSION!" and get away with it?
Salamanders - Heck with this, i'm going home to my five wives tonight.
Iron hands - Dude, let's go get piercings.

Amazing! Give this man an internet!

Grey Templar wrote:

wamper111 wrote:2100 - Evening Meal - A feast (by normal human standards) is provided by the Chapter serfs, and some Chapter Masters may allow alcohol to be consumed.
2130 - Night Firing Exercises - If the chapter is based on a planet where there is no perceptible night or they are based on a fleet, firing exercises are under taken in exotic environments such as underwater, through dense fog or smoke or in zero gravity.

Is it just me or is the night firing a bad idea if alcohol is allowed to be consumed beforehand

normal alcohol isn't absorbed by a marines digesive system as he has a gland that prevents the absorbtion of poison.


but there is a plant on Fenris which has a chemical that essentially blocks this organ from functioning. Space Wolves will add this to their beverages. hence, Space Wolves can get drunk if they want to.

Theres a rare plant that does this as well (but i cant find it, Lexicanum you have failed me!), its Red something i think.
Also, i thought that Fenrisian Mead is nearly 100% proof, hence why it can overwhelm a SWs glands and get them drunk?

Revenent Reiko wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:

wamper111 wrote:2100 - Evening Meal - A feast (by normal human standards) is provided by the Chapter serfs, and some Chapter Masters may allow alcohol to be consumed.
2130 - Night Firing Exercises - If the chapter is based on a planet where there is no perceptible night or they are based on a fleet, firing exercises are under taken in exotic environments such as underwater, through dense fog or smoke or in zero gravity.

Is it just me or is the night firing a bad idea if alcohol is allowed to be consumed beforehand

normal alcohol isn't absorbed by a marines digesive system as he has a gland that prevents the absorbtion of poison.


but there is a plant on Fenris which has a chemical that essentially blocks this organ from functioning. Space Wolves will add this to their beverages. hence, Space Wolves can get drunk if they want to.

Theres a rare plant that does this as well (but i cant find it, Lexicanum you have failed me!), its Red something i think.
Also, i thought that Fenrisian Mead is nearly 100% proof, hence why it can overwhelm a SWs glands and get them drunk?

its both


100% proof(inreality, more like 98%, there is some flavor) and they add that plant.

Grey Templar wrote:

Revenent Reiko wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:

wamper111 wrote:2100 - Evening Meal - A feast (by normal human standards) is provided by the Chapter serfs, and some Chapter Masters may allow alcohol to be consumed.
2130 - Night Firing Exercises - If the chapter is based on a planet where there is no perceptible night or they are based on a fleet, firing exercises are under taken in exotic environments such as underwater, through dense fog or smoke or in zero gravity.

Is it just me or is the night firing a bad idea if alcohol is allowed to be consumed beforehand

normal alcohol isn't absorbed by a marines digesive system as he has a gland that prevents the absorbtion of poison.


but there is a plant on Fenris which has a chemical that essentially blocks this organ from functioning. Space Wolves will add this to their beverages. hence, Space Wolves can get drunk if they want to.

Theres a rare plant that does this as well (but i cant find it, Lexicanum you have failed me!), its Red something i think.
Also, i thought that Fenrisian Mead is nearly 100% proof, hence why it can overwhelm a SWs glands and get them drunk?

its both


100% proof(inreality, more like 98%, there is some flavor) and they add that plant.

Thats it! Thanks GT Those crazy Doggies... *shakes head*

Strip Club... Nuff' said

Well, a low velocity, non jacketed round (most modern days hunting rounds) of that caliber should be more than capable of handling even the biggest creature on modern day heart... so I suppose a high velocity, AP round would rip apart an unarmored target in a fairly gruesome manner... as for using less-lethal rounds, what would be the fun in that? And even more, what would be the tactical value? (I suppose SMs train their marksmanship as much as they experiment how to deal maximum damage to a potential target, likely armoured, extremely though or massive; which, apart from a simulator, should be difficult to obtain without live, full operational ammo).
As for massive beasts on their home planets, I think a full chapter would depopulate the area of live game in a short time, if it used it as a target... (hasn't the image of a SM exploding a bunny with a heavy bolter/cooking it with a flamer/smashing it with a PF crossed anyone's mind?)

Back on topic, I agree with meditation/personal study or more typical, chapter-related activities. anyway, does any chapter allow battle brothers to keep any form of contact with their originary family? Or doing something good for their world?

Black Templars probably spend their time playing darts, with pictures of various psykers pasted over the board.

LastCameTheRaven wrote:Well, a low velocity, non jacketed round (most modern days hunting rounds) of that caliber should be more than capable of handling even the biggest creature on modern day heart... so I suppose a high velocity, AP round would rip apart an unarmored target in a fairly gruesome manner... as for using less-lethal rounds, what would be the fun in that? And even more, what would be the tactical value? (I suppose SMs train their marksmanship as much as they experiment how to deal maximum damage to a potential target, likely armoured, extremely though or massive; which, apart from a simulator, should be difficult to obtain without live, full operational ammo).
As for massive beasts on their home planets, I think a full chapter would depopulate the area of live game in a short time, if it used it as a target... (hasn't the image of a SM exploding a bunny with a heavy bolter/cooking it with a flamer/smashing it with a PF crossed anyone's mind?)

Back on topic, I agree with meditation/personal study or more typical, chapter-related activities. anyway, does any chapter allow battle brothers to keep any form of contact with their originary family? Or doing something good for their world?

a codex chapter is only 1000 guys.


even a thousand, 400 pound, megamen couldn't strip a planet of large game.


and it is extremly rare for the entire chapter to be at its home. they are constantly campaigning.

they rotate the companies out, letting a company rest, resupply, rearm, and replace lost members for a few years before they return to fighting.


it isn't unheard of for companies to sometimes be seperated from the chapter for extended periods of time(maybe several decades)

dagsta2 wrote:smrufs they portably just eat puppy's and see there Thoths and speek of how Gert thay are
blood angles drink blood
world barres kill each other
i dont know the rest

I swear this isn't English...

Haha, fair enough.

whoa dude.


thats inappropriate on a site that is used by children.

smudgethekat wrote:Black Templars probably spend their time playing darts, with pictures of various psykers pasted over the board.

Pictures? They nail living psykers on the board!

Jackster wrote:

smudgethekat wrote:Black Templars probably spend their time playing darts, with pictures of various psykers pasted over the board.

Pictures? They nail living psykers on the board!

Eldrad didn't actually get eaten by slannesh.

the BTs are using him as a dartboard

Jackster wrote:

smudgethekat wrote:Black Templars probably spend their time playing darts, with pictures of various psykers pasted over the board.

Pictures? They nail living psykers on the board!

Gave me a good laugh, that did.

I bet they also have a weekly live-fire exercise with some psykers.

I'm sure you can guess what role they play.

StormRaven wrote:Space Wolfs PARTY!!!!!

HELL YEAH THEY DO! They also play war games! Drink! Feast! Dance and Brawl!

I think its mostly dinking... they do hunt Fenrisian Game, though, and fight, and bet with eachother over it... I think they have it best out of all the chapters. Just seems like the most fun.

Blood angels paint and sculpt and do embroidery.
I'm not even joking.

If we go by the latest established canon, Space Wolves don't do that much "drinking", at least not in the sense everyone here is using that word. They don't drink booze, since it's impossible for a Space Marine to get drunk anyway. The mjod they drink is a combination of blood, various nutrients, combat stimulants, and something akin to battery acid.

I mean come on, the idea that these utterly devoted warriors will spend their downtime getting wasted is quite ludicrous. The whole Viking thing is slowly being bled out of the Wolves, thankfully.

Omegus wrote:If we go by the latest established canon, Space Wolves don't do that much "drinking", at least not in the sense everyone here is using that word. They don't drink booze, since it's impossible for a Space Marine to get drunk anyway. The mjod they drink is a combination of blood, various nutrients, combat stimulants, and something akin to battery acid.

What?
They do drink booze, as GT already explained (and myself as well), there is a rare herd found on Fenris (and other places) that overcomes a SMs natural resistance to alcohol (poisons). The mead they drink is also ridiculously strong and helps to overwhelm them.

Booze not mentioned in Prospero Burns, nor in Battle of the Fang. Doing anything that reduces their mental faculties just seems extremely out of character.

I personally like those personifications of Space Wolves, rather than the King versions where they all come across as stupid teenagers that fight and fart and drink all day. The time you say they are drunk they would more likely spend on more training. YMMV.

Dude, its not out of character. THese guys are insane viking maniac bersekrers, who run around naked on fehting FENRIS. Why else would they do that but booze and bravery?

Again, the latest canon kind of bled out the silly viking stuff. Getting drunk on a deathworld = super stupid. They described as drinking mjod, not alcohol.

Grey Templar wrote:

wamper111 wrote:and for hunting, marines will probably use non-explosive bolt rounds when hunting for food. .75 caliber isn't so large that a solid slug would just rip an animal apart.

I disagree, a .75 caliber (3/4 of an inch in diameter) is just smaller than a 20mm cannon that being .78 caliber. That size round hitting anything but the elephant size or above is the like hitting hitting a rabbit with a 12 gauge slug. It's not going to leave alot of usable meat. IMHO