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Can anyone fill me in on this? I can't remember if they're just cold hearted killing machines or if they can actually exhibit more emotions than just hatred towards Xenos and heretic scum, it's been awhile since I read the lore, like do they ever cry?

They have emotions yes. They can be happy or annoyed or miserable. I can't think of one crying though, their cultures don't really include crying as a response.

Do they have tear ducts? ,

I thought they did but years of psychosomatic conditioning, chemicals and indoctrination made them fairly sterile, some have shown compassion especially heresy era.

It is well known that space marines know only two emotions. They start at the "loyalist" emotion, and then later in life switch to the "heretic" emotion.

In original RT fluff they are pretty robotic, at least in combat.

Yeah, they have emotions. In particular pride, anger, determination, etc.

It's funny, as I was watching ST:TNG with my oldest this year and the notion that Data doesn't have emotions is a really weird conceit because despite Brent Spiner's best efforts dude comes across as having a rich emotional life and zero self-awareness.

yes, they have anger, peaves, regrets and and get annoyed at stuff.

I think this comes down to the ATSKNF rule. they do know fear, they do know rage and many other emotions such as brotherhood and loss. however any reaction to those emotions does not prevent them from combat efficiency.

You kill a marines battle brother who they served with for centuries, they will feel. it will not stop them killing you in a slow and painful manner with little to no loss of effectiveness.

Logan Grimour lost a packmate, and oldest of freinds in one book, or close to.. he did not lose it, but did react in experincing then tactically working out, and sending Ragnar with task of dealing with the crime, and exacting vengeance.

Of course. They are just far better at controlling them to not lose combat effectiveness than your average human is. Training and conditioning allow them to operate much better under stress; and probably ironed out many of humanities less useful emotional responses.

But I'm sure once the battle is over, they can enjoy the celebrations with their (surviving) battle brothers just as well as the next super-human.

In the Wisest Primarch thread there are a few quotes of Magnus crying. Obviously primarchs are a different breed to the line space marine, but there it is.

 Kcalehc wrote:
Of course. They are just far better at controlling them to not lose combat effectiveness than your average human is. Training and conditioning allow them to operate much better under stress; and probably ironed out many of humanities less useful emotional responses.

But I'm sure once the battle is over, they can enjoy the celebrations with their (surviving) battle brothers just as well as the next super-human.

True, some mourn heavier than others.

still effective, but some in novels seem to form very tight bonds, thus more intense loss. Depends on chapters, but the tight brotherhoods and nature of space wolves seems to intensify both sides, Just avod coming into future contact with pack brothers you gravely wronged lol

There grudge holding is quite spectacular

nareik wrote:
In the Wisest Primarch thread there are a few quotes of Magnus crying. Obviously primarchs are a different breed to the line space marine, but there it is.

Golden Hawk Boi also cries at the loss of his sons.

 jhe90 wrote:
it will not stop them killing you in a slow and painful manner with little to no loss of effectiveness.

Isn't that the opposite of how space marines operate as they are all about quick surgical strikes (The Emperor's Scalpel, whereas The Imperial Guard are the Hammer), like efficiency and timeliness always seemed important as in most situations space marines are at numbers

disadvantage (with most chapters only having 1000 man limit).


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Marxist artist wrote:
Do they have tear ducts? ,

I thought they did but years of psychosomatic conditioning, chemicals and indoctrination made them fairly sterile, some have shown compassion especially heresy era.

Now that I think about it they probably do cry maybe not due to sadness but so they have the ability to flush out particles that irritate the eyes.

 Cheesecat wrote:

disadvantage (with most chapters only having 1000 man limit).

That's a myth, it's closer to 1500

 BaconCatBug wrote:

 Cheesecat wrote:

disadvantage (with most chapters only having 1000 man limit).

That's a myth, it's closer to 1500

That still isn't big numbers, especially when you look at the size of some Ork or Tyranid armies. Space Marines could only work well in few situations.

Space Marines certainly have emotions - they're well known for being prideful and not letting fear influence their actions even if they feel it. All the psychoindoctrination and training they receive probably makes it easier for them to control themself, but they do feel things.

And ofc, humans can't actually function too well without emotions. People that have taken damage to the area of the brain that processes emotions are almost paralyzed by basic everyday choices like what to eat, what to wear, even what to do - they don't become logic-driven superhumans, they become indecisive wrecks who can't decide why one option would be better than another.

Perturabo breaks down and cries after killing his sister.

A space marine crying is probably VERY rare, but possible.

w1zard wrote:
Perturabo breaks down and cries after killing his sister.

A space marine crying is probably VERY rare, but possible.

Oddly enough, they're very susceptible to chick flicks.

w1zard wrote:
Perturabo breaks down and cries after killing his sister.

Perturabo was not a space marine.

The Angry Marines certainly feel a flicker or two of emotion

 DarknessEternal wrote:

w1zard wrote:
Perturabo breaks down and cries after killing his sister.

Perturabo was not a space marine.

I'd argue Primarch is a type of space marine. But I get your point, they aren't really like the 'normal' space marines.

If this thread has taught us anything it is that the Primarchs are a bunch of cry babies.

I guess it is meant to show how deep their struggles are that EVEN A PRIMARCH is reduced to tears.

nareik wrote:

 DarknessEternal wrote:

w1zard wrote:
Perturabo breaks down and cries after killing his sister.

Perturabo was not a space marine.

I'd argue Primarch is a type of space marine. But I get your point, they aren't really like the 'normal' space marines.

If this thread has taught us anything it is that the Primarchs are a bunch of cry babies.

I guess it is meant to show how deep their struggles are that EVEN A PRIMARCH is reduced to tears.

I've often thought Primarchs made more sense when viewed through the lens of Greek gods. in that they are humanity magnified, they take what makes us great and expand it, but they also have our flaws magnified.

There's also the fact that 30k doesn't have the indoctrination of 40k so the Astartes and Primarchs are much more in touch with emotion. They can empathise with others and care much more about personal things.