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On another thread, another user and myself went a little off-topic and started to discuss whether Space Marines are redundant in the Imperium. Whilst I massively disagree, the opposition had some very good and valid points.
So I ask you now, are Space Marines now useless in the current state of the Imperium? Are their traditions and low numbers making them more bother than they're worth. Discuss Dakka.

They keep large areas of Imperial space stable.
They can take out some of the toughest threats when others can't...
They are very much an elite force.
Unfortunately they aren't used as one in the fluff.

^They're the ones who make the impossible possible, sometimes having enough Guardsmen to make the difference is too bulky a force, or they aren't even capable of making a decent stand at a point. The Space Marines are the strike force, the ones who are able to take out the most vital targets on missions where small numbers work best, the missions that seem impossible, yet they succeed, where sometimes you need a couple dozen soldiers holding their ground against hordes of unfathomable horror, giving their all without needing the motivation of a commissar hanging over their heads. The IG and the SM both have their purpose, a purpose that makes sense in the setting give.

Every force in the Imperium has its place.
Redundant would mean there is a replacement.

And there is none for space marines.

-They are the interceptors of the IoM. Others are bound in defending and campaigning, the space marines are free to join.
-They provide fast and hard hits, won't break and never tire.
-They add to the efforts, like all of the forces. But unlike others, they are self-sustaining and don't need support of the mechanicum or munitorum or the imperial navy to operate at all.

IDK why people ignore the background and the combined effort of the Imperial "warmachine" in there.

The only useless thing in 40k are some of GW's authors.

The uniforms of the Imperial Guard are camouflaged in order to protect their wearers by hiding them from sight.

The principle is that what the enemy cannot see he cannot kill. This is not the way of the Adeptus Astartes. A Space Marine’s armour is bright with heraldry that proclaims his devotion to his Chapter and the beloved Emperor of Mankind. Our principle is that what the enemy can see, he will soon learn to fear.

Every army in the Imperium has its place. Do you honestly see an army of men with flashlights banishing a daemon? Do you see any Commissars (Though great men) killing a Chaos Lord? The Space marines are the descendants of the Emperor. They are Irreplaceable.

I think plenty of Commissars have killed Chaos Lords...
Gaunt and Cain to name a few.
Hell, Straken strangled a Chaos Space Marine Lord to death with a plant.

Maybe Gaunt and Cain,they're exceptional men but what about army vs army?

purplefood wrote:I think plenty of Commissars have killed Chaos Lords...
Gaunt and Cain to name a few.
Hell, Straken strangled a Chaos Space Marine Lord to death with a plant.

For some strange reason there are very few Space Marine Captains/ Chaptermasters who are strangled to death by a lowly cultist...hrm...

Erm, but regarding the op's question, no, i don't think that Space Marines are redundant. Unlike the Imperial guard they are highly mobile and pack a lot of punch for their very low numbers.
When it comes to clearing spacehulks or quickly destroying / crippling the most well defended most critical targets ( enemy leaders, com stations, orbital defence stations and the like ) then their
combination of self sustainability, toughness and high firepower for each marine makes them ideal.
Of course, for actually winning a war i would always rely on the Imperial Guard because they have the required numbers and the required heavy support for long campaigns.

SM are more of a supporting force rather tha the main body of a crusade (Regular not BT flavour)

The way I see it, SM are called in when you need something dead, and you needed it dead yesterday,

first thing that comes to mind, the guys that killed Osama, if we were in the far future, they would have been Space Marines.. and there would have only been 5-10 of them, not 40 or whatever,

To say that Space Marines are redundant is to make everyone IQ drop by the base of 10.

-Space Marines are symbol of the Emperor, his chosen warriors that bare the gene of his sons. When they are on the battlefield they inspire other troops to fight harder.
-Due to battlefield experience, training and equipment alone, one Space Marine is worth like 300 ordinary Guardsman.
-They are best in taking down strong defensive positions, eliminating great enemies that no army can't eliminate ( Deamon Princes, Tyranid Broodlords or Hive Tyrants, Eldar Avatar... ), holding down weak point's of defense line for days...
- The Space Marine controlled sectors are one of the most secured in the Imperium, and bring a lot stability to other sectors, PDF under Space Marine watch is usually better trained.

The only problem is there are not much Space Marines ( a little over million while Imperium have around million worlds ), so they are best suited for fast, lightning strike on enemy strongholds etc...

If you want to wage a war, you use Imperial Guard. If you want to face traitors or could you use SoB, if you want to defeat daemons you use Grey Knights, if you want to eliminate xeno threat you use Deathwatch, if you want to assassinate someone you use Officio Assasinorium, if you want to quickly win a war you use Collegia Titanica and Adeptus Mechanicus.

In 40k, no Human force is redundant when it comes to the question of war. There are to many enemies for Mankind to spare the luxury of redundancy. Beside, every faction is excellent for it's specialty. Except that Space Marines are also good in a few more described, but I will let that to critics to decide.