Are sisters of battle on par with space marines?

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**Kayback**

PenitentJake wrote:
but they don't walk faster (even when she prays).

And this is where you go wrong. Marines have always been portrayed as faster than humans. Post-human dread is a thing when fighting things that are faster than a speeding bullet, can leap tall buildings in a single bound and are almost impervious to bullets. The SoB aren't that. They are good and on a normal human scale they are top tier and bloody good, but they are not top dogs.

That's been in fluff and hasn't been reflected in the rules.

That doesn't make it false.

Even if the primary cause was RT the fluff universe has taken over as the lore. The tabletop is just a reflection of that. Loke I said, descriptive not prescriptive.

**Lord Zarkov**

Kayback wrote:
PenitentJake wrote:
but they don't walk faster (even when she prays).

And this is where you go wrong. Marines have always been portrayed as faster than humans. Post-human dread is a thing when fighting things that are faster than a speeding bullet, can leap tall buildings in a single bound and are almost impervious to bullets. The SoB aren't that. They are good and on a normal human scale they are top tier and bloody good, but they are not top dogs.

That's been in fluff and hasn't been reflected in the rules.

That doesn't make it false.

Even if the primary cause was RT the fluff universe has taken over as the lore. The tabletop is just a reflection of that. Loke I said, descriptive not prescriptive.

Back when Initiative was a thing, Marines moving faster was reflected by having I4 rather than I3 like most humans.

They are also described in a lot of recent lore as walking/running faster, but clearly not by enough to escape the M6 bracket (remember stats represent a range, Marines will be at the top of the M6 range but not quite far enough to be M7

**Sgt_Smudge**

Rebel4ever85 wrote:So this is not a clear cut point, there are times space marines kill civilians without a second thought. The Sisters are much more likely to save people rather than kill people. So if your going to be saved in general the Sisters of battle would be a much better choice.

I'd actually disagree on this. Sisters are *super* zealous and fanatical, it's literally the source of their supernatural powers - and in 40k, being zealous and fanatical means killing anyone who isn't immediately faithful and strong enough. They'd see civilians as weak, and more likely band them into Frateris Militia groups to act as human meatshields, or just general treat them with disdain. At least most Marine Chapters are more likely to simply ignore them.

I'd trust Salamanders, Blood Angels, Ultramarines and Space Wolves any day to entrust civilian lives than to Sisters. Sisters are more likely to behave more like Black Templars, Marines Malevolent and Iron Hands, from my understanding.

**ArcaneHorror**

Sisters from the Order of the Bloody Rose and Our Martyred Lady may have a limited amount of compassion for civilians, but like Marine chapters, their orders are varied. Sister like the hospitallers are specifically tasked to take care of soldiers and civilians.

Also, I wouldn't put the Marines Malignant with the Iron Hands and Black Templars. The latter two are cold and ruthless, but the former are just borderline washout donkey-caves that no one likes.

**Rebel4ever85**

Tiennos wrote:
Rebel4ever85 wrote:
Sisters are better than marines in certain aspects...for example half the Space marines have turned traitor being corrupted by chaos. Last i checked there has NEVER been a Sisters of battles Order ever fall for chaos.

I wonder if this is true or if any information of sisters falling to chaos is kept under wraps by the Imperium. There's at least one sister that canonically switched team, is she really the exception or just the only one the Ecclesiarchy couldn't hide?

Keep in mind i said an ORDER or if you want space marine term - chapter. The Space marines were corrupted on mass...they sisters have never been subject to this.

**Lammia**

Rebel4ever85 wrote:
Tiennos wrote:
Rebel4ever85 wrote:
Sisters are better than marines in certain aspects...for example half the Space marines have turned traitor being corrupted by chaos. Last i checked there has NEVER been a Sisters of battles Order ever fall for chaos.

I wonder if this is true or if any information of sisters falling to chaos is kept under wraps by the Imperium. There's at least one sister that canonically switched team, is she really the exception or just the only one the Ecclesiarchy couldn't hide?

Keep in mind i said an ORDER or if you want space marine term - chapter. The Space marines were corrupted on mass...they sisters have never been subject to this.

You don't really need to specify... as a rule it doesn't happen. There have been a few other BL stories with sisters that have fallen to the temptations of Chaos, but that feels like it was because the author got hard vetoed on having a GK character fall...

**Nerak**

Warning, very spoiler heavy post. On the subject of SoB doing questionable things in somewhat large numbers.
this was from Redemption corps by Rob Sanders. It's the only occasion I can think of when sisters went mass... Well not traitor but radical.

Spoiler:

Other then that I guess is the case from Cains last stand by Sandy Mitchell where

Spoiler:

Oh and there's been a few times sisers had to do the dirty work of the inquisition like in Death or glory by Sandy Mitchell where

Spoiler:

I can recall a few stories where individual sisters have fallen to chaos, but appart from the redemption corps example I can't think of an incident where they've done weird things en masse. Maybe that Dark heresy incident with the false saint would count? Not sure how involved they where in that though.

Edit: haha, this is the 66 reply to this thread. Cool.

**BrianDavion**

Melissia wrote:
A.T. wrote:
Melissia wrote:
And yet the fluff specifically and repeatedly compares the two as equals.
Can you provide a source?
Most Sisters of Battle codices state it, starting with the third edition one.

You can say "that's just propaganda", but that's the nature of 40k lore so the objection would be pointless.

I've not argued here that Marines aren't physically superior with their massive generic enhancements, but oddly enough said genetic enhancements don't actually do much for their skill. Most of them just help with raw power and survivability.

Secondary heart: Survivability.
Ossmodula: Survivability
Biscopea: More muscles.
Haemastamen: Survivability
Larraman's Organ: Survivability
Catalepsean Node: Survivability
Preomnor: Survivability
Omophagea: An oddball one, allows them to gain basic intel by eating brains.
Multi-lung: Survivability
Occulobe: Low-light vision, better sight (Sisters get a similar boost through their helmets)
Lyman's Ear: Better hearing (Sisters get a similar boost through their helmets)
Sus-An Membrane: Survivability
Oolitic Kidney: Survivability
Neuroglotis: Superior sense of taste
Mucranoid: Survivability
Betcher's Gland: Acid/poison spit
Progeniods: Reproductive gland
Black Carapace: Neural link to power armor (Sisters have been retconned in to using cybernetics to have a similar effect, see the cyber-plugs on Repentia)

Of these, the only two that make the Marine have better reactions are the Occulobe and Lyman's Ear, however, it's noted since third edition that the Sororitas power armor helmet, particularly the Sabbat-pattern one worn by veterans, does a similar job (and there is no lore that indicates which one is actually better, but certainly a Space Marine out of power armor maintains their advantage in this regard where a Sister needs their power armor to keep up). A Space Marine is certainly stronger and certainly more durable than a Sororitas, but the skill a Space Marine has is not merely given to them, it's trained up over time. And the same is said of a Sister of Battle, thus why only veteran Sisters can match Space Marines in terms of skill.

Marines also have superior reach, due to their greater size, and due to their enhancements tire less fast. assuming equal skill levels, the Marine will have the advantage, and Marines durability means they can survive wounds that would kill a sister and return to the fight, with greater experiance as a result. but yeah, a sister with eneugh experiance can certainly compensate for this. but yeah Marines have, physically speaking, every advantage. And a Marine vetern is likely far far more experianced then a sister vetern

**Manchu**

Let’s please don’t start encouraging some reputation for Sisters being psychos like the Marines Malevolent or the Iron Hands, or Space Marines generally for that matter. First, the Adepta Sororitas is a far more ubiquitous and important institution in Imperial society than the vanishingly rare, overwhelmingly aloof Adeptus Astartes warriors. Sisters can be found pretty much wherever the Ecclesiarchy can be found. And in addition to its Orders Militant, the Adepta is comprised of other branches which minister to the faithful as their primary vocation. Every once in a while some Space Wolf or Salamander might idiosynractically do something nice for a mere “mortal” but the Sisters constantly take care of the poor and sick as part of their essential duty.

**Not Online!!!**

Manchu wrote:
Let’s please don’t start encouraging some reputation for Sisters being psychos like the Marines Malevolent or the Iron Hands, or Space Marines generally for that matter. First, the Adepta Sororitas is a far more ubiquitous and important institution in Imperial society than the vanishingly rare, overwhelmingly aloof Adeptus Astartes warriors. Sisters can be found pretty much wherever the Ecclesiarchy can be found. And in addition to its Orders Militant, the Adepta is comprised of other branches which minister to the faithful as their primary vocation. Every once in a while some Space Wolf or Salamander might idiosynractically do something nice for a mere “mortal” but the Sisters constantly take care of the poor and sick as part of their essential duty.

and yet it is their fanaticism that makes them just as dangerous.
It's a bit like radicalised religiously indoctrinated soldiers. They don't ask questions, they are easily abused for persons whith their own ambitions, and just as likely to torch you, torture you ,etc. for just disagreeing on religious dogma if not lead carefully.

**Deadnight**

Manchu wrote:
Let’s please don’t start encouraging some reputation for Sisters being psychos like the Marines Malevolent or the Iron Hands, or Space Marines generally for that matter.

Oh really?

Have you ever met the religious orders? As an Irish person, from a catholic background, I can say quite humorously that nuns are actually quite terrifying. Go watch father ted.

Now, if I want to darken the conversation, and point to the actual abuses that the religious orders got up to, covered up and have perpetuated in my, or in other countries, even in the most recent histories abuses of which I might add the nuns were no strangers to, and yes, the source material for sisters being psychos is a perfectly valid POV, especially considering the over the top times a thousand nature of 40k.

Manchu wrote:
First, the Adepta Sororitas is a far more ubiquitous and important institution in Imperial society than the vanishingly rare, overwhelmingly aloof Adeptus Astartes warriors. Sisters can be found pretty much wherever the Ecclesiarchy can be found. And in addition to its Orders Militant, the Adepta is comprised of other branches which minister to the faithful as their primary vocation. Every once in a while some Space Wolf or Salamander might idiosynractically do something nice for a mere “mortal” but the Sisters constantly take care of the poor and sick as part of their essential duty.

Surely their ubiquity makes them all the more terrifying. Our various churches were supposed to do that whole 'ministering to the faithful' thing as well and we're often quite nasty about it and did plenty other shady stuff besides.

I have no problems with the idea of sisters looking at the common rabble and hive scum of the imperium and viewing them with nought but contempt and not giving a whit what becomes of them.

**Sgt_Smudge**

Manchu wrote:Let’s please don’t start encouraging some reputation for Sisters being psychos like the Marines Malevolent or the Iron Hands, or Space Marines generally for that matter. First, the Adepta Sororitas is a far more ubiquitous and important institution in Imperial society than the vanishingly rare, overwhelmingly aloof Adeptus Astartes warriors. Sisters can be found pretty much wherever the Ecclesiarchy can be found. And in addition to its Orders Militant, the Adepta is comprised of other branches which minister to the faithful as their primary vocation. Every once in a while some Space Wolf or Salamander might idiosynractically do something nice for a mere “mortal” but the Sisters constantly take care of the poor and sick as part of their essential duty.

Yeah, no, still going to disagree there.

Aside from *dedicated* units like Hospitallers acting in civilian fields, I don't see your actual combat Battle Sisters caring in ANY way about the citizenry beyond that they're the Emperor's people. They don't care about *humans*, they care about the Emperor's faithful (and that's more just because of the Emperor). They are fanatical, single minded, and devout to the Church, not to the people.

Space Marines are devout to their own honour and codes of conduct. This can range from codes of absolute intolerance and fanaticism (just like the Sisters) in the form of the Black Templars, or to civilian protection and at least some thought being put towards them, in the form of the Ultramarines. Space Marines are more varied, yes, and are typically aloof and removed from humans - but saying that Sisters "constantly take care of the poor and sick" is simply not true. The non-combatant branches of the Sisterhood, yes - Hospitallers, Dialogus, Famulous - but the Orders Militant couldn't care less beyond the whole "you worship the Emperor? good enough" part, and will probably just see them as a writhing rabble. And touching on that "far more ubiquitous institution", yes, they are, but that's the ENTIRE Adepta Sororitas, not the Orders Militant. Orders Militant aren't going to be something you'll really see unless you're on a Shrine World or in a warzone where the Sisters are present.

I think the morale boost that Imperial citizens get from the Sororitas (Militant, at least) is less of something that the Sisters actually go out of their way to foster, and more just "we've been visited by the Emperor's faithful!" in much the same way it happens with Space Marines. Obviously, dedicated groups like the Hospitallers and Dialogus are more in touch with the people, but a Battle Sister? Couldn't care less.

**A.T.**

Not Online!!! wrote:
It's a bit like radicalised religiously indoctrinated soldiers. They don't ask questions, they are easily abused for persons whith their own ambitions, and just as likely to torch you, torture you ,etc. for just disagreeing on religious dogma if not lead carefully.

Strictly speaking one of their primary duties is to question the authority of the ecclesiarchy, and execute any of the priesthood who might be leaning the same way as Vandire.

There is also this official short story where the battle sisters kicked the priest they were guarding to the curb so that the local civilians might live a little longer -
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/03/13/tales-from-vigilus-13-aqua-sanctus/

**Sgt_Smudge**

In all fairness, that extract can also be interpreted as the Sisters choosing the path of least complication - waste ammunition on rioters already past the defences, possibly lose control, and jeopardise your own troops, or let them go and preserve your own authority and troops.

If I'm not mistaken, the Sisterhood are more than happy to let parts of the planet fall, regardless of the civilian populations.

**A.T.**

Sgt_Smudge wrote:
In all fairness, that extract can also be interpreted as the Sisters choosing the path of least complication

It could be interpreted as many things, but ultimately this was the water supply keeping the sisters alive so surrendering it to avoid excess ammunition expenditure makes little sense.

That and the sisters being fanatical elite soldiers expected (and seen) to charge into battle against the likes of giant blade wielding necrons seem unlikely to bail out at the first hint of insurrection from a crowd of cowed, starving civilians with torches and pitchforks.

**Mr Morden**

Sisters are fanatical and true believers but there are some who have some compasion for others - but its limited.

the lore definately has them as if in doubt burn them......but given what they fight thats not a bad thing

**Manchu**

First of all, this isn’t the place to discuss IRL religions. First and last warning on that front.

Second, I think you all need to keep in mind that we are talking about Warhammer 40,000. The baseline is not empathy. Nobody in the Imperium is “nice.” What I’m saying is that Sisters should not be misinterpreted as less empathetic with the common people of the Imperium than Space Marines, since that was the initial claim. This isn’t even close to being arguable. The Adeptus Astartes chapters overall have roughly no contact with mortals. For one thing, it is very much beneath them, from their own point of view as a general matter. For another, relative to the vast population of the Imperium, there are almost no Space Marines. By contrast, many orders of magnitude more Imperial subjects will at the very least have seen some member of Adepta Sororitas than Adeptus Astartes, not least of all because the Sisters have a duty to minister to the faithful. To actually be around them and be with them. Nothing about the way of life led by Space Marines necessitates any contact with, concern for, or obligation to the average Imperial subject. But the exact opposite is true of Adepta Sororitas. Objecting that Sisters are fanatical is irrelevant considering that so are faithful subjects of the Imperium. These two groups share the same faith. Faith in the Imperial cult is a fundamental aspect of Imperial society — something that not only do Space Marines not share but also is a source of contempt for the common people among Space Marines.

**Skinflint Games**

In the interest of keeping things light, and since someone mentioned Father Ted...

Now imagine them with power armour and bolt guns...

I see it as Guard = Army, Sisters & Scions = Rangers/ Marines/ Paras, Astartes = SAS crossed with the Terminator

**Overread**

One fact that I think is worth repeating is that one has to consider that any discussion of 40K lore hits a major barrier - size. The Imperium is VAST. It's honestly beyond our comprehension to really appreciate its scale and size.

As a result within the Imperium there is extreme diversity. You have manufacture worlds where the air and water are toxic, where most people live in squalor slaving to work mundane tasks at manufacture and production; through to huge nations of people who spend each day in tedium administrating worlds. Ontop of that you've got worlds that aren't that bad all told; it still has the very strong feudal system, but the serfs don't live "that bad" and the air is nice and the water clean. There's huge green worlds where its nothing but healthy farm living. Trading worlds; production; religious; hell; death; divine.

This is before we even touch on time. Even within the millennium there are hundreds of years and the Imperium stretches out over many thousands.

So any discussion of factions can hit a wall in that in one story they might be more benign than in others. The Sisters might be shown to be uncaring in one story and caring in another toward the civilians. Neither story outright retcons the other. Different chapters; different situations; different experiences; different periods in time and political and military pressures.

There are themes and overall generalities that spread through the setting that allow a sense of unity; but at the specifics things do change around. Also a lot of the popular lore often focuses around certain types of setting - we are far more likely to get stories and snippets from hive worlds and manufacture worlds than peaceful farming or feral worlds.

**Manchu**

Even taking into account the great variety of the Imperium, it remains true that Sisters live and work just about wherever the faith can be found. They have the vocation to minister to the faithful and the training and experience to live it out, whether on the pleasant agriworlds or the pollution shocked hive worlds.

**123ply**

Melissia wrote:
A.T. wrote:
Melissia wrote:
And yet the fluff specifically and repeatedly compares the two as equals.
Can you provide a source?
Most Sisters of Battle codices state it, starting with the third edition one.

You can say "that's just propaganda", but that's the nature of 40k lore so the objection would be pointless.

I've not argued here that Marines aren't physically superior with their massive generic enhancements, but oddly enough said genetic enhancements don't actually do much for their skill. Most of them just help with raw power and survivability.

Secondary heart: Survivability.
Ossmodula: Survivability
Biscopea: More muscles.
Haemastamen: Survivability
Larraman's Organ: Survivability
Catalepsean Node: Survivability
Preomnor: Survivability
Omophagea: An oddball one, allows them to gain basic intel by eating brains.
Multi-lung: Survivability
Occulobe: Low-light vision, better sight (Sisters get a similar boost through their helmets)
Lyman's Ear: Better hearing (Sisters get a similar boost through their helmets)
Sus-An Membrane: Survivability
Oolitic Kidney: Survivability
Neuroglotis: Superior sense of taste
Mucranoid: Survivability
Betcher's Gland: Acid/poison spit
Progeniods: Reproductive gland
Black Carapace: Neural link to power armor (Sisters have been retconned in to using cybernetics to have a similar effect, see the cyber-plugs on Repentia)

Of these, the only two that make the Marine have better reactions are the Occulobe and Lyman's Ear, however, it's noted since third edition that the Sororitas power armor helmet, particularly the Sabbat-pattern one worn by veterans, does a similar job (and there is no lore that indicates which one is actually better, but certainly a Space Marine out of power armor maintains their advantage in this regard where a Sister needs their power armor to keep up). A Space Marine is certainly stronger and certainly more durable than a Sororitas, but the skill a Space Marine has is not merely given to them, it's trained up over time. And the same is said of a Sister of Battle, thus why only veteran Sisters can match Space Marines in terms of skill.

Its not neccesarily reactions, but reflexes. People usually have split second delays with reaction reflexes, Marines have mostly physical enhancments, and I can totaly see how some of them would let their bodies move instantaneously with their minds, especially when you include all their training. They would be faster to react due to reflex, and would be faster at finishing said reflex.

Imagine dropping a glass of water. You think the marine wouldnt react to it quicker? They totally would. Even if they dont, when they do react, they will still shoot their arm to grab the cup and put back on the table or whatever much faster than you or I could.

Besides, the Geneseed is kind of ambigious in what it really does. My headcannon is that all mental enchancments are done gradially, from when the Geneseed is insterted to whenever it is fully developed, and Im pretty sure Geneseeds are developed fully by the time the marine becomes a battle brother, if not a scout.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

pm713 wrote:
PenitentJake wrote:
I know, mechanics again.

But since 6's always save, and 6's always wound, a sister with enough 6's in the Miracle Dice pool can kill anything one on one, not just marines.

Marines may have better training and transhuman physiology and all that tripe, but miracles come from the Emperor himself and only Sisters get them.

Fluff is great, but where it contradicts rules, it is incorrect. If the game was based on the fiction, it would be a different story, but in GW's case, the fiction is based on the game.

That is the exact opposite of how things work.

So how do you manage the wild inconsistency? Are Eldar faster walkers than guardsmen or the same speed? How do they decide whose turn it is to fight in a planetary scale? The idea that game mechanics override fluff is ridiculous.

I never thought Id ever, EVER see somebody say that rules are more valid than fluff. You showed three examples of why and Im interested to see what the response is

**epronovost**

Sgt_Smudge wrote:
Sisters are more likely to behave more like Black Templars, Marines Malevolent and Iron Hands, from my understanding.

From my readings of their novels, most Sisters of Battle Orders behave like Salamanders and Ultramarine more often than Black Templars or Iron Hands. Of course, it varies depending on the Order. The SIlver Shrouds are very much like Salamanders while the Bloody Rose, no surprise, behave more like Blood Angels.

**A.T.**

Sgt_Smudge wrote:
I'd trust Salamanders, Blood Angels, Ultramarines and Space Wolves any day to entrust civilian lives than to Sisters. Sisters are more likely to behave more like Black Templars, Marines Malevolent and Iron Hands, from my understanding.

Of the primary orders Martyred Lady and Bloody Rose are vengeful like the templars, Valorous Heart and Argent Shroud are more stoic, Ebon Chalice are obstinate and judgemental, and Sacred Rose are comparatively measured.

In terms of Marines Malevolent style behaviour - during the 3rd war for armaggedon the sisters of the Argent Shroud witnessed another 'friendly fire' incident this time by the Flesh Tearers against militia forces - their opinion was that the Flesh Tearers should be exterminated for their actions. As for the Iron Hands, much of the sisters work involves protecting civilian positions and pilgrimage routes which is the complete opposite of the Iron Hands 'protect yourself or die' attitude towards civilians.

**oldravenman3025**

Mistresspaige wrote:
Hi guys forgive my ignorance on the lore but I’ve looked up Sisters of battle and from my understanding they’re supposed to be the equivalent of female space marines correct? Curious how do they compare? Are they biologically enhanced like the space marines are? Do they have power armour? How do they work exactly?

In a word, no. The orders militant of the Adepta Sororitas are among the Imperium's elites. But they are not on par with the Adeptus Astartes pound for pound. The Space Marines are the cream of the crop, so to speak.

**epronovost**

oldravenman3025 wrote:
But they are not on par with the Adeptus Astartes pound for pound. The Space Marines are the cream of the crop, so to speak.

Actually, if you want to count "pound for pound" a Sister of Battle is probably much superior to a Space Marine. I think the average Space Marines is around 500 kilos in armor. An avergae Sister is probably 150 kilos in armor and a Space Marine is pretty much worth 2 or maybe three Sister at most in terms of raw effectiveness. Thus, pound for pound, Sisters are much better. In fact, pound for pound, Guards are probably better than Marines. Though you are completely correct and I'm just being very pedantic just for fun.

**BobtheInquisitor**

Depends on what you’re using them for. For boarding actions or surgical strikes, Space Marines are the superior choice. For a protracted conflict in a massive scale, Guard are best. To defend a holy site against demons or cleanse a chaos cult, or inspire the guard against similar enemies, the Sisters are best.

**Duskweaver**

epronovost wrote:
I think the average Space Marines is around 500 kilos in armor. An avergae Sister is probably 150 kilos in armor

To take the pedantry a bit further, both these figures seem far too low.

I'd expect a SM to weigh somewhere in the region of 500kg naked, and his power armour to be much heavier (it's noted in multiple stories that SMs find it difficult to move in unpowered power armour). The heaviest man to have lived (as far as we know) was 635kg, and his weight was mostly fat (which is much less dense than muscle), he was only 6'1" tall (compared to 7'+ for a SM) and he didn't have super-dense bones and a solid ribcage.

Taking female professional wrestlers, boxers and MMAs as a guide, 70kg seems a decent average for a naked SoB. Sororitas power armour is noted as being more lightweight than the Astartes version, and it is obviously much less bulky, but even so 80kg seems far too light. Like SM, Sisters who lose power to their armour find it very difficult and exhausting to move in it. That suggests to me it must weigh 200kg or so at least.

**A.T.**

Duskweaver wrote:
That suggests to me it must weigh 200kg or so at least.

The FFG books puts power armour at 180kg for marines, 35kg for sisters.

Which seems improbably light - 35kg would get you perhaps 2mm of steel plate across that surface area (going by medieval armour weights)

**Duskweaver**

I think we can safely ignore FFG's nonsense.

**Insectum7**

Duskweaver wrote:
epronovost wrote:
I think the average Space Marines is around 500 kilos in armor. An avergae Sister is probably 150 kilos in armor

To take the pedantry a bit further, both these figures seem far too low.

I'd expect a SM to weigh somewhere in the region of 500kg naked, and his power armour to be much heavier (it's noted in multiple stories that SMs find it difficult to move in unpowered power armour). The heaviest man to have lived (as far as we know) was 635kg, and his weight was mostly fat (which is much less dense than muscle), he was only 6'1" tall (compared to 7'+ for a SM) and he didn't have super-dense bones and a solid ribcage.

Taking female professional wrestlers, boxers and MMAs as a guide, 70kg seems a decent average for a naked SoB. Sororitas power armour is noted as being more lightweight than the Astartes version, and it is obviously much less bulky, but even so 80kg seems far too light. Like SM, Sisters who lose power to their armour find it very difficult and exhausting to move in it. That suggests to me it must weigh 200kg or so at least.

Hafþór Björnsson "The Mountain" is 6'9" and weighs ~180 kg. Space Marines are 7' tall and a bit broader, so normal human density wouldn't get them anywhere close to 500 kg. The kicker is the fact that their bones are actually more dense. However, even pumping the size of The Mountain a bit to be taller and broader, upwards of 250 kg would seem unlikely at human density. Add a bit for extra bone density, sure, but doubling to 500 kg? I wouldn't think so. I'd think 300-350ish.

There's also some issues around being too heavy with all your gear, you're gonna start falling through floors. And how many tons of marine can a Rhino carry? It should be faster without it's cargo