The changing face of GW

[Haighus]

I suppose I should add that I'm not opposed to black Space Wolves (heck, I planned on doing it with one or two Wulfen), it just seemed like maybe it wouldn't make as much sense as other worlds (and yeah, with Blood Angels, it does make plenty of sense), and with non-genetically-modified armies it makes more sense... but we still haven't see any Guardsmen painted non-white in a long time (I'm having a hard time remembering the last one). Being based on Vikings isn't an issue, I don't see a problem Heimdall being black in the Thor universe (assuming there's an explanation for why he changed, because he didn't start that way, but I'm sure there's something somewhere).

If someone wants to do black Space Wolves, cool. Just curious that it wasn't some other legion that got them first. (I meant, with Modern GW. Classic GW had a whole chapter of black Marines, then they decided to just make them coal black, which is boring.)

I do agree that other Chapters would be lower-hanging fruit; Blood Angels (apart from the seemingly particularly powerful transformative effect of Sanguinius' geneseed), Imperial Fists and Dark Angels (the latter two recruiting from across the Galaxy) would all be more likely to have a dark skin tone.

There was a black Catachan model in the 4th Edition Imperial Guard codex (as well as a whole Regiment in the Doctrines section in the back of the book who hailed from a volcanic world, the Kanak skull takers).

Actually, we've also got justification for them to be piebald...

Ok, I want piebald/skewbald Marines. That is an awesome idea. It does happen in humans naturally in real life too, but it is super rare (although the underlying process is surprisingly common).

hard SF nerd mode/

In a far future when humanity is so dominant throughout the galaxy the diversity of humans would be millions of times more than it is on earth as each world would have subtlies in temperature, gravity, atmosphere, sunlight (and more!) that would affect humans over time. Hell even cultures space-based would be affected in various ways. GW has only ever really had any focus on high gravity (with Squats lol)

I think the violet irises of Cadians is a great example of this- just extra diversity that we don't have currently. Presumably filters out Warp radiation bleeding form the Eye. I believe Ratlings are an example of low-grav abhumans.

It still doesn't change the fact that Space Marines have an implant who's job is to produce and control Melanin. So regardless of their initial skin colour it will change. Its only flawed geneseed that will affect this, Raven Gaurd, salamanders etc.

I would've thought that the initial colour of the Marine prior to implantation would still affect their tone afterwards though, it would just fluctuate to a greater amount with the melanin-producing capabilities of Marines as compared to normal humans. I doubt the vitamin-D production is really an issue for Marines, they likely get all the nutrients they need through their diet.

[grimmas]

I would've thought that the initial colour of the Marine prior to implantation would still affect their tone afterwards though, it would just fluctuate to a greater amount with the melanin-producing capabilities of Marines as compared to normal humans. I doubt the vitamin-D production is really an issue for Marines, they likely get all the nutrients they need through their diet.

It's entirely possible. Though Space marines are incredibly efficient when comes to nutrition can run on all fuels as it were so is very likely they would have ability to produce vitamin D through their skin. However my point was more that Space Marines of any skin colour (apart from a couple types which are fixed in lore) are very likely, it doesn't really matter about where they've come from, they have a special organ which makes their skin change colour. If we take the evidence of how it functions in extremes (Raven Guard and Salamanders) there's plenty of scope for Space marines of any hue.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Fair points.

Though would it not also depend upon the size and age of the sun in question as well?

Yup. Too many variables to really be certain of how much radiation is put out, but it's certain that less will be received the further away you are, regardless of output. I mean, if it output enough at the furthest edge of the Fenrisian orbit, then at its closest point everybody would get all the cancer.

[Mr Mystery]

Which leads us back to the known tinkering with the genetic code of 'native' Fenrisians. Who knows what was done and why? It could have been to strengthen against radiation. Could have been to make their bodies more robust given the difficulties of food production. Could simply have been to make them less susceptible to extreme temperatures. Maybe all of the above, maybe none

[Lexington]

Kinda surprised no one's mentioned that the Salamanders were an entirely black Chapter until they were bizarrely changed to be literally black...

[Psychosplodge]

Well they weren't were they? I'm pretty sure the original photos of the Salamanders in WD had plenty of them painted white until they went down the geneseed makes them coal black with red eyes.

[grimmas]

When they released the Space marine painting guide for the original space marine paint set the helmetless Salamander was painted dark skinned. I think it was more of a fan assumption rather than an actual background thing. To be honest I didn't really think about it at the time.

[Psychosplodge]

My mistake. It was probably an individuals army from the days they put them in WD I'm thinking of then.

[grimmas]

Not really this is the front of the paint set



You are correct.

Things were more diverse back in the day. Female Imperial Army miniatures were much more prevalent (as opposed to the 2 a the mo I believe).

[Psychosplodge]

lols oops I got my fan assumptions back to front