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Just as the title says, what faction is the poster boy or most iconic in your opinion?

I'd say the Space Marines, whenever I mention Warhammer 40k to my friends or in a conversation with someone, they always bring up the Adeptus Astartes, and frankly I love that because the Astartes are my favorite faction. Without the Space Marines, I wouldn't have found out about Warhammer 40k.

Well, in my opinion, orks. They are the ones that draw the most attention from kids that I have seen. (yeh the kids will probably play space marines but posters with orks get them looking).

How is this even a question? It's 100% space marines.

Yeah what he said.

Ultramarines specificly. they're the literal poster boys.

Yep, Ultramarines.

Ever since I got in during 2nd Ed., it's always been Ultramarines.

Space marines, no contest.

Space Marines always, Ultramarines in particular since 4th ed.

Space Marines. As said, Ultramarines in particular in the 4th Ed. McNeill Codex where he shilled all his Ultramarine stories, every illustration had Ultramarine iconography, etc..

5th, for all the memes around Mat Ward's weird Ultramarines White Dwarf interview, actually did a lot to at least put the other (non-Space Wolves, non-BA/DA) chapters on the map.

Quite literally, Ultramarines. Very few posters of 40K have anything but an Ultramarine of one form or another. Orks would be the next most common, with Dark Angels and Chaos filling it out due to the Dark Vengeance sets.

these days I'm also seeing SOBs often depicted beside a Ultramarine. if they sell well I'd not be suprised to see GW start to give them shared billing on the posters with space marines. I don't think ANYONE would object to see sisters being more prominant, and it'd proably be a good thing for the hobby to display women more prominatly.

It's the Space goddamn Marines, at the expense of the much more interesting factions of the Imperium and Xenos.

 Bobthehero wrote:
It's the Space goddamn Marines, at the expense of the much more interesting factions of the Imperium and Xenos.

To be fair, the Space Marines are interesting sometimes. It depends on how they are portrayed.

I would agree with everyone that Space Marines and Orks are the two most prominent icons of 40K, with Ultramarines ultimately taking the top spot.

 Kroem wrote:

 Bobthehero wrote:
It's the Space goddamn Marines, at the expense of the much more interesting factions of the Imperium and Xenos.

To be fair, the Space Marines are interesting sometimes. It depends on how they are portrayed.

I would agree with everyone that Space Marines and Orks are the two most prominent icons of 40K, with Ultramarines ultimately taking the top spot.

The setting (and game) would be better as a whole if Space Marines remained near-mythical beings rarely seen in battle. Don't @ me.

The posters in my FLGS are custodes, sisters of silence, and orks.

Marines. No wonder, the 40k universe was built around them.

Space Marines are the primary protaganist of the setting.

Space Marines. Probably Ultramarines if you want to get very picky.

Yep, Space Marines without question.

Regardless of how interesting other races are, none have the universeral aesthetic appeal of Space Marines.

Google warhammer 40000 30th anniversary.

 Bobthehero wrote:
It's the Space goddamn Marines, at the expense of the much more interesting factions of the Imperium and Xenos.

Just because you think other factions are more intreasting doesn't mean others agree.

Initially I thought SM, and Ultramarines. but that was only because i was thinking "who does GW shove down our throats".

after reading...

 G00fySmiley wrote:
The posters in my FLGS are custodes, sisters of silence, and orks.

I have to say the poster boy for 40k at my FLGS is the Guard!! its actually hard to find the ultramarine products in store, but the Militarum, they are everywhere.

So locally I would wager there is different "poster boys" all over. but from Head office @ GW, overall it has to be the Ultrasmurfs.

Going back years i think it has changed a bit, and depends a bit on who you ask.

Space marines, certainly are what GW want to be the Poster boys.
But back when i started, it was more the Guard, Orks and eldar that really set the setting for players where i was.
Over the years it was just the lack of releases and updates that really thin out the crowd.

BrianDavion wrote:
Ultramarines specificly. they're the literal poster boys.

And this is why I like the Ultramarines.

 Jazzylee wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:
Ultramarines specificly. they're the literal poster boys.

And this is why I like the Ultramarines.

Yeah me too TBH. I think a lotta the hate they get is just people being all hipster regarding them

Raven Guard.

BrianDavion wrote:
Ultramarines specificly. they're the literal poster boys.

And this is why I dislike the Ultramarines.

 Hawky wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:
Ultramarines specificly. they're the literal poster boys.

And this is why I dislike the Ultramarines.

Why would being the poster boy affect your appreciation of a faction?

I'm just sick of seeing them everywhere. And I guess that's the major reason why people dislike them.
(also, fluff reasons)

If they presented a variety of chapters, not JUST ONLY the Ultras, I'd be a lot happier. They do it with other factions...

But that's a bit offtopic. It has been discussed many times before.

Do Games Workshop not have a great big [Expletive Deleted]-off statue of an Ultramarine outside their HQ in Nottingham?