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I feel like the topic of whether space marines are sexually capable and whether they can procreate comes up here far too often. Well, GW (by way of forge world) have finally explicitly stated that they cannot procreate in Horus Heresy: Inferno, page 113, speaking on the nature of custodes and space marines:

"Both are subject to extensive psychological and cognitive conditioning, and are physically and mentally reworked to render most of their baser drives inert and their beings rechanneled towards aggression, goal acquisition and the fulfillment of duty, and as a further safeguard against distraction and as a biological control, both are of course incapable of procreation. In both cases all that is left are beings of singular purpose"

So there we have it. Case closed!

that has been mentioned a few times over the past 20 years

So now we know the situation 10,000 years ago.

however over 10k years and over 1000 chapters, to say nothing of various splinter groups, traitors and Chaos Marines anything can happen.

Anything.

Case open.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
So now we know the situation 10,000 years ago.

however over 10k years and over 1000 chapters, to say nothing of various splinter groups, traitors and Chaos Marines anything can happen.

Anything.

Case open.

yeah because it's totally likely that the entire process, which has existed in stasis for 10 thousand years has changed,

BrianDavion wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
So now we know the situation 10,000 years ago.

however over 10k years and over 1000 chapters, to say nothing of various splinter groups, traitors and Chaos Marines anything can happen.

Anything.

Case open.

yeah because it's totally likely that the entire process, which has existed in stasis for 10 thousand years has changed,

For chaos the process is different, especially when you are a Slaneesh chaos marine

 Jehan-reznor wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
So now we know the situation 10,000 years ago.

however over 10k years and over 1000 chapters, to say nothing of various splinter groups, traitors and Chaos Marines anything can happen.

Anything.

Case open.

There's a song by pansy division that comes to mind...

yeah because it's totally likely that the entire process, which has existed in stasis for 10 thousand years has changed,

For chaos the process is different, especially when you are a Slaneesh chaos marine

BrianDavion wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
So now we know the situation 10,000 years ago.

however over 10k years and over 1000 chapters, to say nothing of various splinter groups, traitors and Chaos Marines anything can happen.

Anything.

Case open.

yeah because it's totally likely that the entire process, which has existed in stasis for 10 thousand years has changed,

Although you're being facetious, you're actually pretty accurate.

There have been 10,000 years of technological degradation since the Horus Heresy. It's eminently likely that the process has changed, even if the people undertaking the process have no idea what they're doing wrong/differently.

That's not to say anything about the physical degradation of the machinery and the geneseed itself.

I've always maintained that Space Marines have a pair of shrivelled raisins in their nethers.

And as for the Slaanesh marines, well, they don't necessarily need to be able to procreate. They only need to penetrate.

Now that is the big question still left unanswered.
We already knew they are infertile. But do Marines still retain their 'bits'?

I'm curious as to where before it's said categorically that they were infertile?

As to whether things had changed since the heresy, I am of the mind that due to the complexity of the process of making a marine and how much of an overhaul of their bodies occurs, that things likely haven't changed. But that's just my opinion.

 Fafnir wrote:
I've always maintained that Space Marines have a pair of shrivelled raisins in their nethers.

And as for the Slaanesh marines, well, they don't necessarily need to be able to procreate. They only need to penetrate.

That's what the tentacles are for.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jojo_monkey_boy wrote:
I'm curious as to where before it's said categorically that they were infertile?

As to whether things had changed since the heresy, I am of the mind that due to the complexity of the process of making a marine and how much of an overhaul of their bodies occurs, that things likely haven't changed. But that's just my opinion.

We've got so many gene seed mutations and problems, they are never going to give a clear answer as that will railroad them in the future.

 jojo_monkey_boy wrote:
I'm curious as to where before it's said categorically that they were infertile?

As to whether things had changed since the heresy, I am of the mind that due to the complexity of the process of making a marine and how much of an overhaul of their bodies occurs, that things likely haven't changed. But that's just my opinion.

With the sheer number o chemicals in there bodies, and in creation.
Its pretty sure normal human fuctions of that area will be effected in someway. Also the near total mental rebuild.

Are we really doing this again? These threads really are kinda pointless and always have the exact same answers.

tl;dr: Marines aren't about sex, they're about killing things. They are a gun, not a dildo.

I thought the flea-bitten mutts of Russ were known to get freaky with women? Granted, the women of their choice were probably as ugly as a farm animal, but that's besides the point?

Kinda glad Fenris is gone and those pricks are planet-orphans.

But how big are there penises? That's the important question.

 Melissia wrote:
Are we really doing this again? These threads really are kinda pointless and always have the exact same answers.

tl;dr: Marines aren't about sex, they're about killing things. They are a gun, not a dildo.

So true but if they were a dildo they would be huge

This is entirely a case of "how ever you want to imagine it" I would say.

Clearly, marines are a post-human organism. They have replaced the human concept of family with brotherhood, and everything in their indoctrination is designed to ensure loyalty to that concept. They are unconcerned with passing on their own genes, as only the primarch's genes, and in turn the chapter itself, matter.

But, the process has degenerated in numerous places over the past ten millenia. My Blood Angels are sporting fangs and thirst for blood, as much as they try to hide it. The Space Wolves are so degenerate they're flat-out turning into werewolves. The clean, reliable processes of the crusade are the crude, barely working methods of the Time of Ending.

So, if you want your marines to be ones who's process no longer properly makes them infertile, or leaves them with desires that are contrary to their purpose, well, it doesn't seem that much more shameful or freakish than turning into a vampire or wolf to me.

 Melissia wrote:
Are we really doing this again? These threads really are kinda pointless and always have the exact same answers.

tl;dr: Marines aren't about sex, they're about killing things. They are a gun, not a dildo.

Great, now I'm going to have to find a copy of Zardoz...

There was something in a 'Salamanders' book talking about the marines having families and staying with them and working with local communities.

 Melissia wrote:
Are we really doing this again? These threads really are kinda pointless and always have the exact same answers.

tl;dr: Marines aren't about sex, they're about killing things. They are a gun, not a dildo.

Not completly agree, from the 30k books you could see that there were some that were artisan, poets in their free time.
And Argel Tal seem to have felt more for Cyrene than just admiration.

At least in 30k they weren't the indoctrinated killing machines like the black templars are now.

When it comes to chaos it becomes a whole different thing as it becomes about terror, and sex is just another weapon in the arsenal
to please the chaos gods depending off course on which chaos god they worship.

They are still born to human parents, so theu have families in the sense of parents, siblings, nieces and nephews etc.

Like wise the Ultramarines seem to keep thier former identities intact, given that Sicarius comes from a noble family and retains that in his Astartedom, and there is fluff somewhere about two Astartes being from the same family. (cousins, or a generation or two removed from each other)

To be honest though I would be susprised if on some level given that it takes a pretty special combination of traits to make them compatible with implants etc, that thier gametes arnt being used for future generations

And thats part of why 30k is a piece of gak that gaks on Marine lore and helps ruin the grimdarkness of the setting.