# Can Space Marines breed?



## Warped Raptor (Feb 21, 2009)

Can they? ive never seen it mentioned that they had any carnal desires 
or have any children? but i the gaunts ghost novel _First and Only_
Gaunts childhood friend says (even though its a lie) that his father was a space marine,Also the breeding would be very beneficial allowing no need for gene seed and reducing vastly the traiing cost = time and even if they couldnt become space marines , they could be *really* good imperial guardsmen.
so , Why cant they?.


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## Azezel (May 23, 2010)

No they can't. I'll spare you the details but it's a PRATT - search the archives.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

It would depend on the chapter and their method of creating a new marine.


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## Worldkiller (Jun 16, 2010)

Gaunt's friend was lying, SM's can't reproduce at all. They'd probably break the women if they tried.


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## MJayC50 (Oct 30, 2007)

the chemical stimulation of the geneseed renders them infertile. Plus the Genes they would pass on would be very much 'just human'. the emperor never had plans to make the space marine reproductive organs awesome or indeed proportional ;-)


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## gauntsghost025 (Apr 9, 2009)

Part of the transformation process sterilizes them.


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## Cruor99 (Mar 11, 2009)

gauntsghost025 said:


> Part of the transformation process sterilizes them.


And even if they could, they wouldn't have the time nor motivation.


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## Euphrati (May 24, 2009)

It is noted in the space marine battle novel _Rynn's World_ that the former Crimson Fist chapter master tested a breeding program with the failed aspirants (the ones that didn't die or were rendered sterile by the implants) and it failed epically. 

Although astartes can appreciate the female form visually, I doubt that they would have any urges to act perhaps beyond a desire to protect.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

They have the urges... Atleast the green ones do, although they simply write it off as unworthy lf a marine. Didn't know the implantation process zapped the testies.


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## Bionic-Weasel (Jul 10, 2010)

Sexual urges are something that would probably frowned upon by Astartes. We’re talking about an organization that allows only fifteen minutes of free time for contemplation a day, and there are quite a few chapter masters who consider that a “_dangerous distraction_” and eliminate it entirely.

I personally go with the theory that marines are infertile due to the various chemicals that would no doubt be pumped into their body during their creation, whether it’s intentional or not I don’t know but I’m certain it’s approved of. And mental indoctrination and therapy would go towards eliminating sexual desire entirely. I don’t think it’s anything major, like castration, because there are hints in background material that Slaaneshi Space Marines have engaged in rape.


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## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

That person in Gaunt's Ghosts may not be lying. His father might have later went on to become a space after fathering the kid. This would make him the son of a space marine. Or his mom got raped by a slaaneshi marine.

On the earlier topic of marines just being too powerful to engage with women then what about male on female space marines.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

.....Um there are no female space marine....unless your talking about a slannesh marine that got a sex change....and technicaly SOB aren't space marines.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Well thats on average. Some get more but yeah.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

locustgate said:


> .....Um there are no female space marine....unless your talking about a slannesh marine that got a sex change....and technicaly SOB aren't space marines.


WTF are you on about? No one said female SM.


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## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

Actually I did and for the record there is nothing to say that female marines do not exist. Here is a guy who if you look round his website will see plenty of female marines. They look good too. Website here


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Except of course for Index Astartes stating that for the implants and geneseed to work they need to be placed in a male.

The guy was lying about his father being a Space Marine, it's explained that he was.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Yeah... didn't even catch that. My eyes must shy away from stupid. lol NO I kid.. my bad. But anyway baron is right, there cannot be a female SM.


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## aboytervigon (Jul 6, 2010)

they dont need to be able to breed so it wasnt needed for them to make sure they could breed


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## Holmstrom (Dec 3, 2008)

I'm pretty sure that Space Marines are unable to breed, and that their sexual urges have all but been removed. They're devout killing machines whose purpose in life is to win wars before they begin. Killing, and if need be, dieing in the name of the mankind.

The only way for such an individual to reproduce is to do so before they become a Space Marine, perhaps cloning and maybe through some bazaar happening in the warp. And as far as cannon goes, I'm also fairly sure that there are only male Space Marines. Females serving as serfs, sure. But Marines? Unlikely.


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## ThatOtherGuy (Apr 13, 2010)

imagine, space marine + SOB = mentally insane uber marine... but that would never happen... or could it? :wink:


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## Chimaera (Feb 1, 2010)

Strange in the Space Wolves codex it makes a couple of references regarding personalities making a pass at the fairer sex. Maybe the Wolves have too much contemplation time?


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## Bionic-Weasel (Jul 10, 2010)

Stephen_Newman said:


> Here is a guy who if you look round his website will see plenty of female marines. They look good too. Website here


That's fan-created and, therefore, not canon.

GW is adamant about there being no female Astartes. Personally, I don't buy their reason behind it, it sounds like too much of a hand-wave. I suspect the real reason is the fear of making _spess mahreens_ less masculine.



Chimaera said:


> Strange in the Space Wolves codex it makes a couple of references regarding personalities making a pass at the fairer sex. Maybe the Wolves have too much contemplation time?


Well the Space Wolves are anything but standard marines. I'll have to find my Space Wolves codex again but I believe those passes at the fairer sex were _before_ they underwent transformation into an Astartes.


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## Katie Drake (Nov 28, 2007)

Bionic-Weasel said:


> Well the Space Wolves are anything but standard marines. I'll have to find my Space Wolves codex again but I believe those passes at the fairer sex were _before_ they underwent transformation into an Astartes.


No, I'm pretty sure they were already Blood Claws at that point. Space Wolves are just... different.


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## Chimaera (Feb 1, 2010)

Katie Drake said:


> No, I'm pretty sure they were already Blood Claws at that point. Space Wolves are just... different.


There is reference to a Wolf Lord also getting frisky. 

LOL the Space Wolves are the only Astartes in the Imperium with working todger's.


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## Bionic-Weasel (Jul 10, 2010)

Chimaera said:


> LOL the Space Wolves are the only Astartes in the Imperium with working todger's.


...that actually explains so much


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## Chimaera (Feb 1, 2010)

I always wondered why the rest of the Astartes had a big head shaving thing going on


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

ThatOtherGuy said:


> imagine, space marine + SOB = mentally insane uber marine... but that would never happen... or could it? :wink:


Seeing as the sisters of battle are just normal women, and its already been established that marines can't have sex with normal women; gonna go with a no.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Why can they not have sex?


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

Bionic-Weasel said:


> That's fan-created and, therefore, not canon.
> 
> GW is adamant about there being no female Astartes. Personally, I don't buy their reason behind it, it sounds like too much of a hand-wave. I suspect the real reason is the fear of making _spess mahreens_ less masculine.
> 
> ...


yeah and both times it was ragnar, before he became a space wolf, his last night before the big battle he lost his cherry and when he worked alongside a female inquisitor when he was a blood claw although that was more flirtatious then anything else
its not that they can't have sex but they dont want to, an over powering need to serve gene daddy and emperor over rides everything else. I thinkin Chapters due Uriel questions a part of his life, would he have given up the chance of a wife and family to still become a space marine, did he miss it and the answer was..no. 
i am not sure on the science of it and like baron adn others have said the testies get zapped and everything sterile (dear me thats enough to make my eyes water and i am woman!) but they just dont thihnk about it anymore. chances are as said, they lost thier virgiity prior to becoming marines and thats not to say they dont have children out there, they might have descendants running around from one night of love before becoming an astartes, that would be the only way that i can think of.


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

Katie Drake said:


> No, I'm pretty sure they were already Blood Claws at that point. Space Wolves are just... different.


yeah vikings of the wh40k world, they just about went after eveything with a pulse and a skirt :taunt::laugh:


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## Chimaera (Feb 1, 2010)

gothik said:


> yeah and both times it was ragnar, before he became a space wolf, his last night before the big battle he lost his cherry and when he worked alongside a female inquisitor when he was a blood claw although that was more flirtatious then anything else
> its not that they can't have sex but they dont want to, an over powering need to serve gene daddy and emperor over rides everything else. I thinkin Chapters due Uriel questions a part of his life, would he have given up the chance of a wife and family to still become a space marine, did he miss it and the answer was..no.
> i am not sure on the science of it and like baron adn others have said the testies get zapped and everything sterile (dear me thats enough to make my eyes water and i am woman!) but they just dont thihnk about it anymore. chances are as said, they lost thier virgiity prior to becoming marines and thats not to say they dont have children out there, they might have descendants running around from one night of love before becoming an astartes, that would be the only way that i can think of.


Actually you are incorrect. Both references in the codex are definitely not to Ragnar & both are fully fledged Astartes.


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

i stand corrected but i know the space wolf i read about was ragnar


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## Chimaera (Feb 1, 2010)

gothik said:


> yeah vikings of the wh40k world, they just about went after eveything with a pulse and a skirt :taunt::laugh:


Space Wolves aren't stupid! They know without a pulse they won't get breakfast in the morning :biggrin:


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

Chimaera said:


> Space Wolves aren't stupid! They know without a pulse they won't get breakfast in the morning :biggrin:


LOL or a flagon of ale to wet the appertite:biggrin:


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

gen.ahab said:


> Why can they not have sex?


You joking? Its like superman having sex with a normal woman. Marines are normally able to crush a person's skull without to much effort, imagine what they can accidentally do in the throws of intimacy.


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## Chimaera (Feb 1, 2010)

darkreever said:


> You joking? Its like superman having sex with a normal woman. Marines are normally able to crush a person's skull without to much effort, imagine what they can accidentally do in the throws of intimacy.


Jeez....I am sure they would have the good grace to remove their powerfist first :crazy:. Plus they could always let they lady take charge, if you catch my drift.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

darkreever said:


> You joking? Its like superman having sex with a normal woman. Marines are normally able to crush a person's skull without to much effort, imagine what they can accidentally do in the throws of intimacy.


Here let me explain something for you...... you don't have to do all the work.


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## Geist (Mar 9, 2010)

Okay, first things first. I'm not sure, but I believe that Space Marines are, at least now, based on the celibate knightly orders(Templars, Hospitallers, etc...(Didn't do my research, but there were some knightly orders that were forbidden to get married or have sex). No sex, no marriage, loyal to god, fight the infidel. Basically, a typical space marine.

And then there are space marines, who are so different from the norm they would try to do it. Not sure if I like them lots for being rebels or not so much for acting like idiots.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

You have to have chapters that deviate from the norm. Makes them all that much cooler. And to be clear, the wolf lord made a pass but wouldn't actually go through with it.


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## GhostDog (Apr 16, 2010)

I know it's slightly different (and I think it's been retconned) but I read an article (might have been a WD) once that mentioned that Jaghatai Khan had children and they became Space Marines. I can't remember exactly if they had kids afterwards but I think they did for a while before the dynasty ended.
This was around 2nd edition time so a lot has changed since then. Although since then I think it's become that Space Marines can't impregnate woman although they still have the urges just suppress them (except maybe the Wolves. We know how to have a good time. :grin


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## Tel Asra Nejoar (Mar 16, 2010)

darkreever said:


> You joking? Its like superman having sex with a normal woman. Marines are normally able to crush a person's skull without to much effort, imagine what they can accidentally do in the throws of intimacy.


i think your analogy is flawed, as the big S-man did have a son, with a woman, in both the graphic novels, and in the latest film. So he CAN have intercourse. i know the ultras recruite the ancestors of their marines (uriel ventris was recruited because of this). i dont know if they can, or want to, but ancestors gotta come from somewhere...


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## Davidicus 40k (Jun 4, 2010)

Tel Asra Nejoar said:


> i think your analogy is flawed, as the big S-man did have a son, with a woman, in both the graphic novels, and in the latest film. So he CAN have intercourse. i know the ultras recruite the ancestors of their marines (uriel ventris was recruited because of this). i dont know if they can, or want to, but ancestors gotta come from somewhere...


Superman is a Boy Scout. He beats baddies up, he doesn't tear off their heads or blow their chests open or rip them in half. 

Superman can hold back. Space Marines aren't doing their duty if they hold back. I think an "accident" with a Space Marine is much more likely than with Superman.

But the whole thing is irrelevant since, yes, they're sterile. If they could do it though, they'd make one hell of a baby. Imagine a little tot lifting a car or something.


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

Euphrati said:


> It is noted in the space marine battle novel _Rynn's World_ that the former Crimson Fist chapter master tested a breeding program with the failed aspirants (the ones that didn't die or were rendered sterile by the implants) and it failed epically.
> 
> Although astartes can appreciate the female form visually, I doubt that they would have any urges to act perhaps beyond a desire to protect.


The emperor is said to have had a few children. So I don't think its to far to imagine that space marines can't breed though I wouldn't go as far as saying they breed "space marine" children. I imagine a human and a space marine could be compared to breeding a donkey and a horse. You get a mule, however you get little to no traits that perhaps you would like from the horse... seeing as you would the traits of the more "useful" or "used" animal. Not to mention the would most likely be sterile. 



darkreever said:


> You joking? Its like superman having sex with a normal woman. Marines are normally able to crush a person's skull without to much effort, imagine what they can accidentally do in the throws of intimacy.


ahh yes, however if you watched the second superman you find out he has a son with that reporter chick.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

ckcrawford said:


> ahh yes, however if you watched the second superman you find out he has a son with that reporter chick.


I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess your referring to Superman Returns, in which case isn't that the fourth movie or something?

Edit: Well its actually the fifth movie, but it is considered the sequel of the first, and to an extent the second though it ignores the third and fourth. Technically you could argue its the third, but only kind of.


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## Katie Drake (Nov 28, 2007)

darkreever said:


> I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess your referring to Superman Returns, in which case isn't that the fourth movie or something?
> 
> Edit: Well its actually the fifth movie, but it is considered the sequel of the first, and to an extent the second though it ignores the third and fourth. Technically you could argue its the third, but only kind of.


Right, but then you take into account what a horrible train wreck that movie was as far as the fans were concerned and that a reboot of the franchise is in the works and then you can pretty much write Superman Returns off as canon.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

That’s relevant how?


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## Katie Drake (Nov 28, 2007)

gen.ahab said:


> That’s relevant how?


Stretch your brain muscles.  Point is, if it isn't accepted as canon then it didn't really happen, which makes it an invalid example.


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

haha true, but hollywood can make anything happen including child space marines.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Katie Drake said:


> Stretch your brain muscles.  Point is, if it isn't accepted as canon then it didn't really happen, which makes it an invalid example.


Did it get busted for copyright infringement? No. Well that would make it official.k: Official means cannon. Simply because you thought it sucked doesn't really change jack shit. So.....


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## Aramoro (Oct 7, 2009)

gen.ahab said:


> Did it get busted for copyright infringement? No. Well that would make it official.k: Official means cannon. Simply because you thought it sucked doesn't really change jack shit. So.....


Official does not mean canon. 

This is offical but last time I checked the Marvel Universe still existed. 

Retcons and rewrites are the norm in 40K, otherwise we'd just re-read the Rouge Trader background and see a totally different universe. 

Aramoro


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Then what constitutes cannon? It has just as much validity as anything else in that shit hole of a universe.


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## klaswullt (Feb 25, 2012)

Chaos Space Marines probably can reproduce sexually given all the mutations and other wierder things.

The Thausand Sons can create space marines like binding souls of Space Marines to victims without using geneseed
and Lucius who is always reborn possessing in the body who killed him
and always as a space marine.



CANNON STATES that the recruits to Space Marines, that is before the geneseed
can be genetically enginered to be fitt recruits.
That is basically next to the same thing as sexually produced space marines
becouse Space Marines can only be made from super humans anyway.

Also, there are other lesser genetically enginered humans out there
and anyone can use power armour.
Why not settle with that.



I think they are asexual and impotent not becouse of side effect
but design and neglect.

They are biologically design killing machines and sexuality wasnt part of their design
so they took away everything that was not necessary.

Their primary biological urge is to kill to die die or kill to live kill again, then kill till they die, not to reproduce that is the biological urge of humans.


It is obvious that the geneseed cannot be passed on sexually,
the geneseed can only reproduce in geneseed.
The genes are not stored in the gender organ.


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## Davidicus 40k (Jun 4, 2010)

I'd think that to say Space Marines can biologically reproduce is fluff rape. No pun intended.

Also, this thread. Is a zombie. Kill it with fire.


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## Robfu (Feb 14, 2012)

In my humble opinion, Space Wolves fight hard to get the booty, then drink hard and get the booty! They have serving wenches in their chapter/mead halls. Whatever happens in the mead hall stays in the mead hall. If you want your marine chapter to have sex and drink and have fun after work, then let them. You can say they are a "cleaner" version of the Space Wolves or something. The man thing is that the process to make each marine is slightly different in each chapter, so if chastity is a must they will make it easier to be chaste.


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## Diatribe1974 (Jul 15, 2010)

If the whole sterilization process doesn't knock out the whole "Gotta get me some poon!" urges, I'm sure the inclusion of the Hypno-Indoctrination removes it completely.


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## Agarwaen (Oct 8, 2011)

It wouldn't surprise me if the emperors children or other slaaneshi marines have 'experimented' with each other...


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## Darkoan (Oct 18, 2010)

So theyre sterile and obviously immune to any VDs?

Woohoo no condoms! 

Another blessing from the God-Emperor!


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Being sterile will not protect you from STD's (of which VD is one)

It is Canon not Cannon the first is information accepted as genuine, or a camera the second is an artillery piece.

Pleasure seeking is the bastion of Slaanesh and hence heresy. You will all be cleansed


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## Karak The Unfaithful (Feb 13, 2011)

Why shouldn't space marines be able to reproduce?

they are still human after all (in a loose sense of the word) 

In my eyes Space marines are basiclly Human beings with more muscle and an improved mental attitude.


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## MEQinc (Dec 12, 2010)

Are Space Marines biologically capable of reproducing? No. The process that makes them chemical sterilizes them.

If they could (which they can't) would they want to? No. Hypno-indoctrination and their duties leave them with no such urges. Though they are capable of recognizing physical attractiveness and Space Wolves are apparently willing to go as far as flirting. 

If they could and wanted to would it actually be worthwhile? Probably not. The size, skill and other enhancements of the Space Marine would not be passed on as these things are not inherent to his genes but rather to the process that made him. Further, marines are typically recruited from death or feral worlds, in other words worlds where recruits will be fierce, brave and skilled but not necessarily big and strong (due to malnutrition). The thing that makes an aspirant worthy of marine-hood is his willpower, his genetic compatibility is at most a secondary concern. You choose worthy men and hope they're compatible, not the other way around.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Karak The Unfaithful said:


> In my eyes Space marines are basiclly Human beings with more muscle and an improved mental attitude.


Don't forget the near two dozen additional organs marines possess. You know, things like the third lung, second heart, gland that lets marines spit acid, sub-dermal plating, organ that produces Laramin cells, and other things like that.

Space marines are like human beings in the most loose sense.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Even if Astartes possess intact sexual organs, I highly doubt their physiology contains the hormones necessary to replicate their DNA into a transportable package otherwise known as sperm.

Well, wouldn't the transference of geneseed from one Astartes to the other count as breeding? Too tired to look up the definition of breeding, but is it specifically sexual reproduction or sexual & asexual?

And for the record, carnal desires can relate to a number of things (I think). Slaughter, intoxication or other vices for example.


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