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So do all space marines(and captains/anyone) need to have the same facial features because they are clones or what's the deal? Do they need the same face throughout the entire game or just chapters or neither?

all space marines are unique because they are recruited from regular humans.

now the problem you run into is that marines have a gene seed that they use to absorb the traits of other marines that had that gene before them. so if physically they needed to change to get those traits maybe they did.

all the crimson fists are 'spanish' all the salamanders are coal black. it's just the chapter and how you want to view your own fluff.

Good question - the fact that they largely have the same or very similar faces isn't a fluff reason though, it's a modelling one - it's cheaper and logistically more sensible for GW to only provide a few different heads.

In the fluff, Space Marines come from a vast amount of harsh worlds, where they look for promising young individuals who show an extraordinary ability to survive and prosper in an environment such as extreme climates or the very violent culture of some of the hive cities. When they're found, they're pretty much kidnapped and started on the long procedure to become a Space Marine.

In the fluff, they undergo a series of extensive procedures, including gaining the ability to eat flesh to gain memories, and spit acid, so I doubt their face looks entirely like a human as we know it, but that doesn't seem to have been depicted (probably for keeping things abstract and simple, and not scaring kids too much).

So yeah, a Space Marine could look like whatever you wanted him to look like, have whatever skin tone, hair colour, hair line, or whatever bionic implants you wanted.

Mine do, but then my SM ARE cloned (they are descended from one of the 'cursed' foundings - which explains why they always lose).

Both wash-away and dwfait are correct. Another thing you will notice, not so much in the fluff and the 40k books but more in the models themselves, is that marines faces/heads often tie into their chapters look.

For example.
Space Wolves are pretty much space Vikings or Werewolves in space. They wear a lot of furs, have many fetishs and charms and so many Space Wolf heads are going to have a beard and wild looking hair and will most often be snarling or letting lose a warcry.


Blood Angels are often depicted as being very angelic and holy. So Blood Angel heads have kind of neat(ish) hair which gives their faces a rounder more cherubic look. They are the tradional blonde with blue eyes types.


Dark Angels are a very dour lot. Very stern and unforgiving. Very monastic. So theres not going to be a lot of facial expressions going around. Just lots of grimmices and glares. They are also a secretive lot so they wear alot of hoods, even over their helmets.


The Black Templers are very knightly and tutonic in aspects so most are bald and will sport 'taches and gotees.


The Ultramarines/generic marine heads are just that. I think all the generic marine heads are bald so that kinda gives you some options to work with. You can leave em bald, greenstuff some hair onto them or not use them at all! I hate painting skin tones so when i get around to making my marine army im going to use as few helmetless heads as possible. Or if it suits you do what Chromedog does and pretend they are clones.

So pretty much...
Space Wolves - Space Vikings.
Blood Angels - Angels.
Dark Angels - Monks.
Black Templers - Knights.
Ultramarines/Generic marines - Anything you like.

Hope this all helps.

I would agree with what Snrub said for the most part. Certain chapters tend to recruit out of certain worlds, thus it will affect the way their characters and marines look. Many chapters recruit from a singular world or worlds in the system of the home planet. Others, like Black Templar and Dark Angels travel the galaxy and recruit from many worlds, but often return to a select reliable few in order to obtain new recruits.

In the case of Black Templar it would appear that they are almost always white/light skinned and have short hair and a beard or knightly 'stache. I don't ever recall seeing any 'black' or darker skinned members of their chapter, although given their fluff I can see it being entirely possible (and also historical if you want to look into Crusader Knights in the Holy land etc) that there would be other 'races' of templars or bodyguards etc.

In the case of the Dark Angels, they recruit heavily from a place known as Plains World, which bears a similarity to Sioux and other Native American tribes. This can be reflected in certain models, however most Dark Angels choose to wear hoods or helmets to hide their identities. In my Dark Angels army I have a variety of skin tones to represent this. Just because they receive a gene seed does not mean that they would lose all of their characteristics. They may be altered though. I have a black/dark skinned terminator sergeant along with Native American looking Ravenwing sgt. I, of course, also have the standard bald screaming white man marine that is common in most armies. Also, certain characters are supposed to have a certain look. Azrael for example is from a Cannibal culture on a death world (if i am not mistaken) and thus has very pale skin and dark hair (which seems to be a common appearance as well as pale + blonde hair. Very European/Knightly as well).

Blood Angels are almost always the same. I believe they have a very unstable gene-seed that leads to a lot of the chapter looking very similar. This breakdown explains a lot of the intability and red thrist etc that plagues this Chapter. I would say that they look angelic i.e. blonde hair, blue eyes, light skin, but Cherubs they are NOT haha. More like insane vampiric angels. I see a lot of flowing blonde/white hair and sunken, dark eyes to reflect their emotional instabilities at times. Just my thoughts.

Crimson Fists have a very Mediterranean/Spanish look and feel to their soldiers but cna be interpretted many ways. I believe that Ultramarines and Imperial Fists bear a similar 'Roman" feel to them as well, but such powers often had a good amount of variety in their armies.

Space Wolves are pretty accurate. Thing anything that is Nothern European/Viking/Celt/Germanic tribe and you have what you ar elooking for. Very fierce and barbaric versions of the same sort of knightly look that DA and BT would reflect. Lots of hair, beards, light skin and big teeth and furs.

-VardenV2

VardenV2 wrote:In the case of Black Templar it would appear that they are almost always white/light skinned and have short hair and a beard or knightly 'stache. I don't ever recall seeing any 'black' or darker skinned members of their chapter, although given their fluff I can see it being entirely possible (and also historical if you want to look into Crusader Knights in the Holy land etc) that there would be other 'races' of templars or bodyguards etc.

You know i've always pictured the Emperors champion as a cross between Samual L Jackson and Morgen Freeman. A nice guy, but piss him off and you wont know what hit you.

VardenV2 wrote:In the case of the Dark Angels, they recruit heavily from a place known as Plains World, which bears a similarity to Sioux and other Native American tribes. This can be reflected in certain models.

That would explain the feathers wouldnt it?

VardenV2 wrote:Blood Angels are almost always the same. I believe they have a very unstable gene-seed that leads to a lot of the chapter looking very similar. This breakdown explains a lot of the intability and red thrist etc that plagues this Chapter. I would say that they look angelic i.e. blonde hair, blue eyes, light skin, but Cherubs they are NOT haha. More like insane vampiric angels. I see a lot of flowing blonde/white hair and sunken, dark eyes to reflect their emotional instabilities at times. Just my thoughts.

You'll have to forgive my knowledge of Blood angels. Havent read the codex so im not all that familer with them.

Oh, it's perfectly alright. That is what these posts are for haha. I haven't actually READ the codex but have seen pics and read some minor fluff etc.

In terms of the Dark Angels feathers it can be interpretted as feathers due to Native American style/heritage or due to ANGEL imagery. It may also be both. I know for a fact that when the Deathwing went and painted their armor white (a war color in Native American tribes i think) they gave up their Dark Angel names and took up teir original tribal names in honor of their Plains World brethren that had been killed. So for example, a guy named Gabriel nay have then reverted back to his name Striking serpent or Running Wind or w/e. Just for he time being. Of course, those members who were not of Plains World would have kept their original names.

Snrub wrote:

VardenV2 wrote:In the case of Black Templar it would appear that they are almost always white/light skinned and have short hair and a beard or knightly 'stache. I don't ever recall seeing any 'black' or darker skinned members of their chapter, although given their fluff I can see it being entirely possible (and also historical if you want to look into Crusader Knights in the Holy land etc) that there would be other 'races' of templars or bodyguards etc.

You know i've always pictured the Emperors champion as a cross between Samual L Jackson and Morgen Freeman. A nice guy, but piss him off and you wont know what hit you.

The emperors champion isn't just one person, according to fluff they choose a new emperors champion befor each battle base upon a dream or vision the marine has. So it changes from time to time.