A defense of Female Space Marines

[Connor MacLeod]

I suppose that if gamers were really hard pressed to shoehorn female space marines into canon, they can always opt for one of the "unknown" legions lead by one of the unknown primarchs. Or go with one of those foundings that turned out bad (like the Cursed foundings).

Out of universe, I think the whole idea of "female space marines" is unlikely to have cropped up in the late eighties/early nineties. I mean the company was just startting out, and they probably were angling directly for geeky guys first, that women might be interested in teh games or universe probably came as a surprise to them.

Of course by then I bet the fluff mateirals involving all the known space marine stuff becomes pretty well entrenched, as does the GEoM stuff. As others have noted, there's not really much room for "canon" Female Space Marines, at least not in any mainstream manner. So they got the Sororitas.

Decades later, I doubt you could actually integrate the idea of Female SM's without a significant reboot of the universe, or by sacrificing some of the ambiguity they love to leave to the gamers to fill in on their own (and if it came to that point, its cheaper/easier for them to let the gamers do the latter than for them to do the former.)

In universe, we have some of the obvious and already mentioned objections to Female Spacec Marines. I'll add a few others:

1.) TEstosterone tends to give males an advantage where Spacece Marines are concerned (fearlessness and aggressiveness, which is an asset especially close up.)

2.) Women can birth babies, men can't. This is of course very not PC and old fashioned, but its still true. The Imperium likes to have the limitless resource of its human subjects, and women and pregnancy are a big partt of sustaining that. This would, IMHO make them (marginally) more useful than men, and thus (marginally) less disposable. Women are and probably the cheapest and most accessible means of perpetuating humanity in the Imperium.

[Connor MacLeod]

Yeah, but let's face it, Sisters of Battle just don't have anywhere near the badass factor of Space Marines.

Why? Lacking the bulk of a Space Marine isn't really a disadvantage where Sororitas are concerned. Since they're parrt of the ORdo Hereticus, that tends to mean they have some access to some very neat shit that can compensate. Moreover, read "let the galaxy burn" or "The Bleeding Chalice". Counter writes up some stories about the SoB that kick ass. Grey Knights is good too (They get fucked over by the GKs, but then again, who doesn't.)

I really have to say that the "badsass" aspect of Spacec Marines is overrated. I tend to like the Guard myself, and regard the Spacec Marines as either being noble yet tragic figures in some cases (especailly if they tend to be facing Honsou) or they are total jackasses (IF they are Dark Angels or Soul Drinkers.)

[Ford Prefect]

Yeah, but let's face it, Sisters of Battle just don't have anywhere near the badass factor of Space Marines.

Why? Lacking the bulk of a Space Marine isn't really a disadvantage where Sororitas are concerned. Since they're parrt of the ORdo Hereticus, that tends to mean they have some access to some very neat shit that can compensate. Moreover, read "let the galaxy burn" or "The Bleeding Chalice". Counter writes up some stories about the SoB that kick ass. Grey Knights is good too (They get fucked over by the GKs, but then again, who doesn't.)

When you think about it a little harder, you tend to realise that the Sisters are basically going be all-female, better equipped Storm Troopers; at the very least they come from the same School of Hard Knocks for Orphans. Storm Troopers are pretty much harder than all known physical substances (scientifically proven!). 1+1=2, gentlemen.

[MJ12 Commando]

But are Storm Troopers harder than Depleted Ninjinium?

Seeing as, being made out of crystalline distilled ninja, it is an unknown substance.

[Ford Prefect]

But are Storm Troopers harder than Depleted Ninjinium?

Seeing as, being made out of crystalline distilled ninja, it is an unknown substance.

Setting aside the pure lameness of your post for the moment, I simply point you towards the boys supporting Gregor Eisenhorn, who didn't hesitate to go hand to hand with a daemon. Not even slightly. Eisenhorn didn't even know what the fuck was going on.

[Molyneux]

But are Storm Troopers harder than Depleted Ninjinium?

Seeing as, being made out of crystalline distilled ninja, it is an unknown substance.

They are if they have unobtainium armor!

[MJ12 Commando]

Setting aside the pure lameness of your post for the moment, I simply point you towards the boys supporting Gregor Eisenhorn, who didn't hesitate to go hand to hand with a daemon. Not even slightly. Eisenhorn didn't even know what the fuck was going on.

Oh yeah, I remember this.

I don't know if that was total badass or just evidence of really good brainwashing myself.

I would lean towards the latter except this is 40k and some people really ARE that badass.

[Jaevric]

Never mind that most Guard regiments are already 50/50 in genders, and in all likelyhood are probably encouraged to do so, lest their homeworlds' genetic pools are reduced from being tithed to total war-levels of drafting.

Out of curiousity, where are you getting this idea? My understanding, based on Ciaphas Cain's surprise at the gender-integrated Valhallan 597th, was that most Guard regiments are single-sex; all-female regiments existed, but I don't recall specific ratios of males to females in the Guard. The Tanith regiments in the Gaunt's Ghosts novels were entirely male (until the addition of the Vervunhive troops), and I don't remember mention of any females in the regiment that the Ghosts were integrated with while Gaunt was on Gereon the first time either.

I don't have any particular problem with the idea of men and women being equally represented in the Guard, I'm just wondering where you read that gender-integrated regiments are the norm.

[Sidewinder]

It'd be easier to detect if serious suggestions just like it didn't exist on the internet. :P

The Fabricator-General gathers his lex-mechanics and servitors together around a table of scrolls and data-crystals.

"Four words, men: Sculpted. Camel toe. codpieces."

Finger-mounted quills quiver in excitement.

I have GOT to use this line when I write a WH40K story.

[Vehrec]

Never mind that most Guard regiments are already 50/50 in genders, and in all likelyhood are probably encouraged to do so, lest their homeworlds' genetic pools are reduced from being tithed to total war-levels of drafting.

Out of curiousity, where are you getting this idea? My understanding, based on Ciaphas Cain's surprise at the gender-integrated Valhallan 597th, was that most Guard regiments are single-sex; all-female regiments existed, but I don't recall specific ratios of males to females in the Guard. The Tanith regiments in the Gaunt's Ghosts novels were entirely male (until the addition of the Vervunhive troops), and I don't remember mention of any females in the regiment that the Ghosts were integrated with while Gaunt was on Gereon the first time either.

I don't have any particular problem with the idea of men and women being equally represented in the Guard, I'm just wondering where you read that gender-integrated regiments are the norm.

Cain also hints a couple of times that the 597th has a few problems running with mixed genders. For one thing, members of the unit are constantly forming relationships, breaking up, and even having babies. The effects of this on Morale could go either way, but Cain does mention having to shift quarreling couples to different squads to break up fights. The other problem is the issue of who is going to raise those few kids that are undoubtedly crawling around the troopships of the 597th. The Guard is not a Daycare, no matter how cute they are!

In addition, Amberly states that only 10% of the guard is female, and that most of them are serving in single-gender units. By default, single gender male units will form the bulk of the Guard.

[Gullible Jones]

Hmm. I'm assuming Imperium doesn't have the capability to render their soldiers temporarily sterile while on duty, or at least to supress their sex drives?

[NecronLord]

Hmm. I'm assuming Imperium doesn't have the capability to render their soldiers temporarily sterile while on duty, or at least to supress their sex drives?

It does (we have such things - frequently administered to child molestors) but it doesn't really care to use them.

[Gullible Jones]

That's kind of strange, given what else I know of them. Is it that they're sufficiently hell-bent on expansion that any form of sterilization, other than what is absolutely necessary (e.g. Space Marines), is considered disgusting and reprehensible?

[Teleros]

Well, given that Guard regiments are sometimes allowed to found new colonies after several years of fighting, I can't see them sterilising all that often . Even if it were temporary, you just know there'd be problems...