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As the title says, what makes a good Space Marine, as in what is considered honorable in the Adeptus Astartes or a sign of discipline or etc?

it varies from chapter to chapter. The Ultramarines for example might value disipline, restraint, philophesy etc. but the space wolves might value just the oppisite.

The ability to kill things very well?

Discipline.
The ability to keep secrets.
Killing the biggest, baddest thing around.
Not drinking blood.
Drinking lots of blood.
Collecting chunks of Daemons as trophies.
Purging Heretics.
Taking care of people.
Replacing your body parts with cybernetics.

It really depends on which marines we’re talking about.

Biological compatibility with the chapter's geneseed. Anything else can be fixed with hypno-indoctrination.

 Duskweaver wrote:
Biological compatibility with the chapter's geneseed. Anything else can be fixed with hypno-indoctrination.

This can't really be stressed enough. Many Chapters have some sort of dangerous tests where numerous prospects are killed (or at least failed) because it sounds more GrimDark like that, but actually being compatible is the only real requirement. A prospect can be the biggest, baddest youngster on the planet, capable of killing his childhood friends for a spot - but he'll still die or fail the implantation process if his body doesn't accept the geneseed. And killing off compatible young men at an age where they're unlikely to have kids means you lessen the chances of getting those in the next generation - not a problem if you test "a few" on a Hive world but if it's "all 10-12 year old boys" on a low-population death world if might be a problem.

Not to say all Chapters are that stupid, ofc. As I recall the ever-efficient Ultramarines do genetic tests on kids entering the military school system of Ultramar, then keep watching the training scores of those that check out as compatible. The training might still cause a few deaths - what doesn't in 40K? - but most compatibles that weren't picked as prospects for recruitment can go on to PDF duties and having a few compatible kids that can be tested when they come of age...

There is no such thing as "good" in the 40k universe, just things that actively want to kill you and things that don't care if they kill you.

 Dakka Wolf wrote:
There is no such thing as "good" in the 40k universe, just things that actively want to kill you and things that don't care if they kill you.

That is not what hes asking...

 Dakka Wolf wrote:
There is no such thing as "good" in the 40k universe, just things that actively want to kill you and things that don't care if they kill you.

I wasn't asking what makes a Space Marine a hero, I was asking what was considered honorable or a key element that shows your a model Space Marine, as in their own version of Chivalry.

Definitely discipline. Throughout the editions it's been the most standout trait with various incarnations of And They Shall Know No Fear, which is less about fear, and more about discipline. Other troops have been 'fearless', but Space Marines have had the discipline to continue acting as a cohesive, effective unit in the worst circumstances. A selfless pursuit of duty to the squad and the mission.

It's the trait that all loyalist marines share, and it's what sets them apart from the chaos marines, which have become more focussed on the self, personal glory, attainment, etc.

 Insectum7 wrote:
Definitely discipline. Throughout the editions it's been the most standout trait with various incarnations of And They Shall Know No Fear, which is less about fear, and more about discipline. Other troops have been 'fearless', but Space Marines have had the discipline to continue acting as a cohesive, effective unit in the worst circumstances. A selfless pursuit of duty to the squad and the mission.

It's the trait that all loyalist marines share, and it's what sets them apart from the chaos marines, which have become more focussed on the self, personal glory, attainment, etc.

perhaps, although this disipline manifests most often as a strong sense of brotherhood and espirt de corps. when a loyalist calls his fellow marines brother he means it. they are his brothers he'd lay his life down for them, CSMs, seem to have largely lost this;

I would think its the self sacrifice. I.e. Run into a mob of boys so that your chapter can secure that objective or can extract that VIP. And mainly just fighting to the death "for da emprah!!"

Mostly discipline, but varies from chapter to chapter.

Getting drunk or Leeroy Jenkinsing would bring honor to a Space Wolf. Doing either would bring dishonor to an UltraMarine.

Although many traits vary with each chapter as has been already affirmed like a thousand times, I'd say than courage and selflessness are the most common qualities a space marine must embody. Even the most unorthodox chapters such as -let's say- the blood angles or space wolfs will value this.

It also should make sure the space marine is not to willing to use the enormous powers he's been gifted for himself but instead for a greater entity- or more breifly turn to chaos.

 Duskweaver wrote:
Biological compatibility with the chapter's geneseed. Anything else can be fixed with hypno-indoctrination.

What this guy said. A good mind scrub solves all other problems*


*I remember when Marines were much less emotionless humans then now.

Bharring wrote:
Mostly discipline, but varies from chapter to chapter.

Getting drunk or Leeroy Jenkinsing would bring honor to a Space Wolf. Doing either would bring dishonor to an UltraMarine.

That makes sense for the Space Wolves, they're more into fighting in loosely coordinated melee charges compared to the Ultramarines, who prefer Roman style tactics and ranged weaponry combined.

"What makes me a good Demoman(Space Marine)? If I were a bad Demoman(Space Marine), I wouldn't be sittin' here, discussin' it with you now would I?"

Jokes aside, probably an unswerving loyalty and adherence to the mission. Combined with enough muscle and armour to get said mission done.

My chapter values how many daemons you can kill with your bare hands.

cody.d. wrote:
"What makes me a good Demoman(Space Marine)? If I were a bad Demoman(Space Marine), I wouldn't be sittin' here, discussin' it with you now would I?"

Jokes aside, probably an unswerving loyalty and adherence to the mission. Combined with enough muscle and armour to get said mission done.

That sounds like some reasonable qualities for an Astartes to have. Also, nice reference to the Demoman, got a good chuckle out of that one.

Sorry, I immediately read the title in the Demo's voice.

But much like the Thunder Warriors before them Marines were designed to perform a pretty straight forward task. Kill the things that Big E wants dead. All the other skills were usually brought in by the Primarch's influences. Trying to make their legions more relevant after the crusade.

Guilliman has almost stated that in one of the Dark Millennium novels, as he reasons why he tries to teach his marines how to be statesmen so they aren't just obsolete once the fighting is all said and done.

 Duskweaver wrote:
Biological compatibility with the chapter's geneseed. Anything else can be fixed with hypno-indoctrination.

That's actually requirement #2 - hypno-indoctrination works properly.

Sons of Dorn follows three imperial fists recruits. Essentially:

1) A handheld auspex check for first level compatibility decides who got taken in the first place.
2) A hypno-casque 'taught' them Gothic. If it didn't take in one session, they didn't bother trying again and consigned them to crew the deck gangs.
3) An apothecary did a more detailled medicae check.
4) A librarian poked around inside their brain for any sign of chaotic taint

Anyone still around at this point was handed over to the 10th company chaplain and officially considered an aspirant.

Spetulhu wrote:
Not to say all Chapters are that stupid, ofc. As I recall the ever-efficient Ultramarines do genetic tests on kids entering the military school system of Ultramar, then keep watching the training scores of those that check out as compatible. The training might still cause a few deaths - what doesn't in 40K? - but most compatibles that weren't picked as prospects for recruitment can go on to PDF duties and having a few compatible kids that can be tested when they come of age...

IIRC in the Horus Heresy novels, this is noted as being the main reason the UMs outnumber other Legions. They have a large recruitment pool and an efficient recruitment system while other Legions tend to follow traditions inherited from their homeworld and Primarch.

 Karhedron wrote:

Spetulhu wrote:
Not to say all Chapters are that stupid, ofc. As I recall the ever-efficient Ultramarines do genetic tests on kids entering the military school system of Ultramar, then keep watching the training scores of those that check out as compatible. The training might still cause a few deaths - what doesn't in 40K? - but most compatibles that weren't picked as prospects for recruitment can go on to PDF duties and having a few compatible kids that can be tested when they come of age...

IIRC in the Horus Heresy novels, this is noted as being the main reason the UMs outnumber other Legions. They have a large recruitment pool and an efficient recruitment system while other Legions tend to follow traditions inherited from their homeworld and Primarch.

In fairness they also had a large recruitment POOL. Space Wolves recruited exclusivly from Fenris, Iron Hands from medusa, etc.. the Ultramarines meanwhile had 500 friken worlds.

BrianDavion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:

Spetulhu wrote:
Not to say all Chapters are that stupid, ofc. As I recall the ever-efficient Ultramarines do genetic tests on kids entering the military school system of Ultramar, then keep watching the training scores of those that check out as compatible. The training might still cause a few deaths - what doesn't in 40K? - but most compatibles that weren't picked as prospects for recruitment can go on to PDF duties and having a few compatible kids that can be tested when they come of age...

IIRC in the Horus Heresy novels, this is noted as being the main reason the UMs outnumber other Legions. They have a large recruitment pool and an efficient recruitment system while other Legions tend to follow traditions inherited from their homeworld and Primarch.

In fairness they also had a large recruitment POOL. Space Wolves recruited exclusivly from Fenris, Iron Hands from medusa, etc.. the Ultramarines meanwhile had 500 friken worlds.

While I think some of it is Guilliman being good at his job I think a lot of people gloss over how Guilliman had a HUGE headstart on most other Primarchs in terms of Legion building and general learning.

A lot of that was simply being reasonable.

Bharring wrote:
A lot of that was simply being reasonable.

not really, most Primarchs landed in shitholes Gulliman is one of the ones who landed on comparitvely stable prosperous and advanced worlds, that all where essentially space fareing even before the arrival of the emperor. off the top of my head only Dorn seems to have as advantagous a upbringing (and MAYBE Alpharus whom it's hinted left his homeworld before meeting the emperor)

and even in the case of Dorn vs Gulliman, Inwit is a pretty harsh world compared to Mccragge. no Bones about it, Gulliman was the "Lucky primarch" insofar as homeworlds are concerned

1) Genetic purity and integrity. Or else you won't be able to take all the upgrades.
2) Hypno-indoctrination compatibility. Not everyone can take the indoctrination procedure well, and those who do learn more from it than those who don't.

Argive wrote:The ability to kill things very well?

It's kinda imperative that they do it. otherwise there wouldnt be many astartes.

I think Duty and all that it entails is what makes a Marine "good".

Now good is relative;


If your planet needs help and the Grey Knights answer, good in that whatever warp based tomfoolery will be dealt with. But bad for you since they'll put a bolt through your skull.

If your planet has same problem as above but the Salamanders respond, an entirely different outcome than the GK.

Racerguy180 wrote:

Argive wrote:The ability to kill things very well?

It's kinda imperative that they do it. otherwise there wouldnt be many astartes.

I think Duty and all that it entails is what makes a Marine "good".

Now good is relative;


If your planet needs help and the Grey Knights answer, good in that whatever warp based tomfoolery will be dealt with. But bad for you since they'll put a bolt through your skull.

If your planet has same problem as above but the Salamanders respond, an entirely different outcome than the GK.

If believe good stands for efficient and loyal in that case. Honestly, it is hard to find any goody in 40k and genetically enhanced merciless murderers endoctrinated into serving blindly the list excruciatingly absurd regime ti ever exist can't really be "good" in that sense.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
But other than that what you say remains true that they may be more or less radical.

The Ultramarines apothecaries?