Why aren't there any female space marines?

[ALV]

I'm not too versed in 40k lore and I'm genuinely curious why (in lore) there aren't female space marines as in my mind that would essentially double the amount of space marines each chapter can produce space marines making it easier to fight off threats to the imperium. I did hear somewhere that geneseed isn't compatible with women or something but again I'm not well versed in the lore so please educate me

[Rio]

They are like clones of a guy or something.

[Morkonan]

* "Spess Muhreens"

AFAIK, only from what I could find: https://gamesworkshop.fandom.com/wiki/Female_Space_Marines

... The existence of Sisters of Battle makes female Space Marines obsolete in the official Warhammer 40,000 lore and miniature line....

[The nameless Gamer]

They don't mix well with the Gene Seed. Gene Seed is pretty much cloned tissue from the 20 Primarchs, which are all male. Females are incompatible with the Gene Seed.

But there's an entire female warrior order in the Imperium's fold. The Adepta Sororitas or Sisters of Battle. They're not as powerful or fast as the Astarters, but they're definitely superhuman. Whoever knows more on the Sororitas, please take it away from here.

[xDDD]

1a) The gene seed only works on males because it was derived from male primarchs. If a woman could successfully take it (most males cannot) then she would basically cease to be a female anyways by most standards of the word.
1b) They need peak specimens to be space marines, and at the highest levels women are simply not as physically strong as men.
2) Even if that was true that the numbers could double, chapters are limited in how big they can be anyways.
3) The Space Marines are meant to be a brotherhood. They exist as an all-male faction. There is already a VERY similar all-female faction called the Sisters of Battle that are a cooler faction in many regards.

[The nameless Gamer]

Originally posted by xDDD:

3) The Space Marines are meant to be a brotherhood. They exist as an all-male faction. There is already a VERY similar all-female faction called the Sisters of Battle that are a cooler faction in many regards.

Given their preference for flamethrowers, inferno pistols and melta weapons, I'd say they're hotter ;) .

[MinionJoe]

It's pretty straight forward...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lknNsZgzG1g

[ALV]

Originally posted by xDDD:

1a) The gene seed only works on males because it was derived from male primarchs. If a woman could successfully take it (most males cannot) then she would basically cease to be a female anyways by most standards of the word.
1b) They need peak specimens to be space marines, and at the highest levels women are simply not as physically strong as men.
2) Even if that was true that the numbers could double, chapters are limited in how big they can be anyways.
3) The Space Marines are meant to be a brotherhood. They exist as an all-male faction. There is already a VERY similar all-female faction called the Sisters of Battle that are a cooler faction in many regards.

Oh,mind if I ask why do they have a set limit? Wouldn't more space marines be a better defense against the imperiums constant threats?

[MinionJoe]

Originally posted by ALV:

Originally posted by xDDD:

1a) The gene seed only works on males because it was derived from male primarchs. If a woman could successfully take it (most males cannot) then she would basically cease to be a female anyways by most standards of the word.
1b) They need peak specimens to be space marines, and at the highest levels women are simply not as physically strong as men.
2) Even if that was true that the numbers could double, chapters are limited in how big they can be anyways.
3) The Space Marines are meant to be a brotherhood. They exist as an all-male faction. There is already a VERY similar all-female faction called the Sisters of Battle that are a cooler faction in many regards.

Oh,mind if I ask why do they have a set limit? Wouldn't more space marines be a better defense against the imperiums constant threats?

There's a limited number of gene seeds.

[The nameless Gamer]

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

Originally posted by ALV:

Oh,mind if I ask why do they have a set limit? Wouldn't more space marines be a better defense against the imperiums constant threats?

There's a limited number of gene seeds.

And the Imperium lost the technology to create new as well as most of the Primarchs.

[Caldari Ghost]

Space Marines are built to capitalize on humanity's potential physical strength and endurance. That requires them to be male. Sisters of Battle capitalize on humanity's potential emotional strength and potential as zealous fanatics. Females have a stronger predisposition toward that.

[ALV]

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

Originally posted by ALV:

Oh,mind if I ask why do they have a set limit? Wouldn't more space marines be a better defense against the imperiums constant threats?

There's a limited number of gene seeds.

ohhh, can they make more or are they kinda forced to harvest the gene seed from their fallen brothers each time they die? (ps I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions I'm just really interested now)

[Painkilleruk]

adepta sororitas is as close as you will get. Space marines are tough as steel, adding women into that, ruin the squad

[ALV]

Originally posted by Calamari Toast:

Space Marines are built to capitalize on humanity's potential physical strength and endurance. That requires them to be male. Sisters of Battle capitalize on humanity's potential emotional strength and potential as zealous fanatics. Females have a stronger predisposition toward that.

Wow that's really cool actually, I'm always surprised to learn that humans don't use just a small amount of tactics over and over again

[The nameless Gamer]

Originally posted by ALV:

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

There's a limited number of gene seeds.

ohhh, can they make more or are they kinda forced to harvest the gene seed from their fallen brothers each time they die? (ps I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions I'm just really interested now)

Can't make more. They lost the tech to make it AND many Primarchs either bit the dust or became heretical. Gene seed is extracted from Primarchs, but with neither technology nor build components, the Imperium cannot increase its supply of gene seed.

[xDDD]

Originally posted by ALV:

Originally posted by xDDD:

1a) The gene seed only works on males because it was derived from male primarchs. If a woman could successfully take it (most males cannot) then she would basically cease to be a female anyways by most standards of the word.
1b) They need peak specimens to be space marines, and at the highest levels women are simply not as physically strong as men.
2) Even if that was true that the numbers could double, chapters are limited in how big they can be anyways.
3) The Space Marines are meant to be a brotherhood. They exist as an all-male faction. There is already a VERY similar all-female faction called the Sisters of Battle that are a cooler faction in many regards.

Oh,mind if I ask why do they have a set limit? Wouldn't more space marines be a better defense against the imperiums constant threats?

AFAIK the limit exists because of the Horus Heresy. They basically don't want a chapter growing huge and then betraying the Imperium. I believe it is said that they should have "10 companies of 100 marines" (so 1000) although this rule is broken sometimes.

Usually what happens is that they will split off and found additional chapters (like the Lamenters who came from the Blood Angels) to get more numbers.