IdOfEntity said:

You may of course do as you like but be ready for alot of critics to dislike the idea. Me included in that crowd. As for your heretical (because I think he's a heretic rather than a Radical) Inquisitor he won't have a pleasent day when he tries to use his experiments.

Gurkhal said:

If all of the players are of a like mind and abhor the concept then I have a perfect nemesis. There is a story arc devoted to stopping and executing the heretical Inquisitor who has been tampering with things he should not. Over the course of the story they happen across his successful adaptations of the geneseed applied to a female, and are presented with the chance to kill those subjects.

You don't have to tell players how to feel about scenarios. That's the point of Role Play, isn't it?. You put them in a situation and they dictate how they feel and act.

Much the same with an Untouchable Inquisitor. A clever enough person can incorporate them into the game. Depending on how 'canon crazy' the group is the Untouchable Inquisitor can be an ally or something beyond the pale. Incorporating one into the story isn't all that difficult though.

The difference here is that female marines are definitely not canon as it is specifically stated that the geneseed only works within males. I also dont know why so many people like the idea of female Space Marines or try to 'fit them in' because I find the idea so unappealing but that is my own view on it.

Anyway back on topic I think the universe in 40k is not only made great by the things that are in it, but also those that are absent. I think this is a great part of the setting, the grimdark nature of the Imperium as a whole. This is partly why I brought up the subject and it is an interesting one that centers around background as oposed to any mechanics of the game.

If an untouchable were to become an Inquisitor then I would imagine the journey would most definitely not be an easy one and if they had the strength of will to persevere then it would make them stronger as an individual. A powerful adversary indeed, and would make for a great antagonist.

Nul Inquisitors are IMHO not out of the question. It would just be difficult for such a character to advance that far in society as a Nul. Then again; Becoming an Inquisitor is NEVER easy! As to Female marines? This is without a doubt and unquestionably Heresy. Your Inquisitor is presuming to tamper with the EMPEROR's most HOLY creation! Your Inquisitor should burn slowly in the slowest Excruciator the Admech can devise!

not to get too far off topic but I have always wondered where the line is drawn on genetic engineering in the Imperium. Like why in 10000 years no other super soldier programs have come up? Clearly the Space Marine process is highly involved,delicate, and a ceremony all on its own. I just find myself surprised that other organizations like the adeptus arbites or sororitas don't have genetically enhanced warriors

I would imagine it would be extremely difficult to replicate and indeed improve upon added to the fact that it would probably be tantamount to Heresy. It also means Marines are special. There was something in the book Legion by Black Library about some powerful humans so i've heard.

Skeletor said:

I think this has to do with who created the Astartes. The Emperor was hardly your average (or even above average) Genetor. He was beyond Genius and inspired by wisdom that stretched even beyond his tens of thousands of years of life. Further, The seeds of the astartes come from the Primarchs which were themselves vat grown and enhanced from the Emperor's own admittedly enhanced biology. While it might be theoretically possible to get a tissue sample from the original source I don't think the Custodes are about to let it happen! Even if you could you then have the problem of replicating His research and then somehow improving upon it! I'd say that's a pretty tall hurdle to clear! BTW; Attempts have been made to at least partially reconstruct the Astartes success. Look at the Gland warriors and Skitaari of the Adeptus Mechanicus. While these programs have had some degree of success they are nothing near the capabilities of the Space Marines.

Radwraith said:

At the risk of wandering even further off topic…(sorry!)

The arbites probably don't use genetically enhanced warriors because they're not really intended to be soldiers: although they see a lot of action, they're working to a law enforcement paradigm rather than a military one.

To a degree the Sororitas ARE engaged in genetic tampering: the Blood of Martyrs book strongly suggests that the Sisters Famulous are engaged in a long term breeding program using Imperial Nobility. Some say this is a Thorian plot to produce a new Emperor, but my personal interpretation of this is that they're planning to produce a class of Imperial officers with superlative skills and talents and a strong religious ethic who can rise within the Imperial hierarchy and support the Ministorum - a bit like a super Opus Dei, but with more sex. However, this isn't really a program to produce super infantry, really.

Then you have the Afriel strain, which is much more what you're talking about. According to my interpretation, it was a super soldier project with fairly limited objectives - produce a genetically modified infantryman who would not crack when faced by horrifying xeno/Daemonic opponents. It's not been completely successful.

As has already been pointed out, Gland warriors and Skitarii are attempts to either genetically modify or bionically augment adult baseline humans to the level of super soldiers.

Another common practice in the Imperium is to indoctrinate and train soldiers effectively from birth to become fanatical warriors - both the Sororitas and Imperial Guard Stormtroopers (and to a degree, Commissars) are examples of this approach.

When the Imperium really throws resources at the creation of super-agents, you end up with individuals like the Imperial Assassins; they may not be genetically modified, but they're subject to intense training and bionic/augmentic enhancement. And although it's not expicitly stated anywhere, one imagines there's probably a Pariah breeding program going on with the Culexus assassins.

Plus, to turn briefly back to the Astartes, there is evidence of all kinds of experimental shenanigans over the millenia when it comes to astartes geneseed. Look at the Cursed 21st founding. There was also a story in a white dwarf some time ago (early 2000's) about a super secret imperial research facility being discovered that appeared to have been trying to replicate primarch geneseed - it was ultimately torched by the Grey Knights.

Basically, the Imperium is awash with attempts to create super soldiers/superhumans. 40k being the grimdark setting it is, these attempts have usually ended in disaster, probably as a result of the Imperium's failing grasp of the deeper mysteries of technology.

The Afriel Strain, i'd forgotten about them, awesome rules btw.

Haha! Awesome idea about heretical iqnuisitor who tried to breed femele space marines I'm gonna use it in my games.

And remember the rule 63:

"For any female character, there exists a male version of that character."

That's why by the rules of nature there must be female SM

coolzyg said:

The problem with that is that Space Marines are not natural, they don't exist 'in nature'.

Back on topic though i'm really glad this thread has provoked such debate and i'm enjoying all the views expressed.

Another of Imperium gene modified soldiers were Geno Five-Two Chiliad from novel "Legion"

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Geno_Five-Two_Chiliad#.T7_3ksXDsTo