Do Space Marines get paid?

[Skragger]

A lot of the armies in the 40K universe war because its in their nature - Orks, 'Nids, 'Crons, etc.

But how about the Imperium? Do guardsmen get paid? Or are they just drafted as part of their life (ala Starship Troopers). Do Space Marines earn a monthly salary and regular RRSP contributions? How about Inquisitors getting health benefits?

Do they just wander about the galaxy kicking arse and not caring about names? Or do they get paid for what they do?

[Hive Mind]

I always thought Marines rejected personal possessions?

[BHound1981]

In the grim darkness of the future, nobody gets paid...

[Fellend]

Space marines no: They don't get paid
Imperial Guardsmen, varies alot between the regiments to probably some do while others do not.
Inquisitors. Yes. alot most likely, lots of fluff about this anything from Dark Heresy to Eisenhorn

[Corvus-Master-of-The-4th]

From what I've read. Guardsman recieve payment, they can also retire with a pension (granted that can't happen that often). While Space Marine's do it because thats just what they do, they don't need incentive to do it. But Inquisitors must get an income of some sort... I mean some of them own at least 3 mansions? (Eisenhorn books, give a good glimpse into the life of an Inquisitor)

I apologise for any grammar/spelling mistakes

[DarkLink]

They are paid in the blood of their enemies and the glory of victory.

[Grailkeeper]

Space Marines are like monks - they don't get paid (my favourite priest joke- the pays not good but the retirement package is out of this world)

Guardsmen- literally anything you imagine- from good pay, to indentured slaves, The Savlar Chemdogs are allowed keep anything they steal.

I haven't seen anything that says Inquisition are paid, I know they are allowed requisition anything they want, and they keep stores of money (usually plain gold) to bribe people when necessary. Other than the fact that inquistors own stuff and pay other people, I've never seen if they get paid.

I don't think Commissars or Sororitas get paid- anyones thoughts on this? What about storm troopers who are brought up like commissars?

[Cyberscape7]

No space marines don't get paid. Most of them are fine. Those that aren't go on strike in the form of joining chaos...
As for Guardsmen well... I reckon they get paid on a monthly basis
Sidenote: Average lifespan of a guardsman 10 days...

[DrLove42]

They don't need to get paid...isn't religious fullfilment and a seat at the emperors side in the next life enough?

[MaltonNecromancer]

Marines (at least according to Deathwatch) don't use money, and can't actually own it. They requisition all weapons from their chapter, based on their rank and role.

Space Marine planets are usually feudal in nature, meaning they have a mediaevel system of governance, as well as the economy. The Chapter Master rules his planet like a king, with the various Captains, Commanders, etc... acting as nobles. Because Marines are made, not born, they do not pas power along lines of genetic succession, but instead through a meritocracy where (in theory) the best Marines for the job rise to those positions. In practice, of course, there will be back-biting, jealusy and politics as with any human institution, although it varies from Chapter to Chapter. (Remember, the whole thing about Marines being the "best" of humanity is largely Imperial propaganda. In every human monastery there is some level of politics, so it'll be te same for Marines). However, it certainly won't be anywhere near as bad as your typical Imperial planet; Marines do tend to live their codes of honour slightly more honestly than most humans, what with being religious lunatics and all.

As the planets tend to feudalism (with might largely making right) Space Marine economies tend to be slave-based. All food, drink, weapons and armaments will be created by Chapter serfs, who are indentured servants (which means they are functionally slaves) for life. They will live on the Chapter's land, and do everything told to them by the Marines; the lack of money and pay is what enables the Marine planets to exist, because Marines themselves do not make anything but death. Life for Chapter serfs is probably about as bad as it is for the rest of humanity in the 40K universe, just with a little more stability, and life problems largely being the strict class system and lifelong joyless unfulfilment, rather than death at the hands of some Ork or other.

The AdMech sends a tithe of weapons and equipment to Marines; so essentially, they will never have to pay for anything. Most of them find the concept of money a little odd. They view themselves as a race apart from normal humans (which they are); they keep humanity alive and safe - humanity owes them.

[jorz192]

Space Marines can't really stop by the mall to buy a new bolter.

A space marine can earn honors, become a specialist, increase in rank, and room and board are provided by the chapter quartermaster.

[Skragger]

Space Marines can't really stop by the mall to buy a new bolter.

That is a plus, can you imagine being stuck behind a senior space marine? Arguing over an expired coupon for $0.10c off? How back in his day... blah, blah, blah

[Lane]

Guardsmen - probably get paid but not much. Most of their compensation comes at retirement. In many cases the IG garrison a planet after conquering it so retired soldiers probably get some kind of land grant.

Inquisitors - not sure how they get paid, probably some type of requisition system and performance bonus. Reasonable costs during an investigation are covered. Exotic items, mansions, gun cutters etc are probably requisitioned with the Inquisitor using his reputation to increase his chance of approval. They probably also get some kind of performance bonus that can be used on personal possessions and equipment not approved for requisition.

[DrLove42]

Better question is do imperial guardsmen get life insurance?

The few guardsmen I have all have shiny white teeth...so least my legion gets dental!

[bfmusashi]

In Ascension and Rogue Trader it's made clear that peers of the Imperium are above such things as munnies. For the Inquisitor it stems from his ability to simply commandeer anything from hotdogs to battleships, in theory. "By the authority of the Immortal God-Emperor of Mankind I claim these slurpees" is simply too fun a scene to ignore.

[Nosmo75]

As the planets tend to feudalism (with might largely making right) Space Marine economies tend to be slave-based. All food, drink, weapons and armaments will be created by Chapter serfs, who are indentured servants (which means they are functionally slaves) for life. They will live on the Chapter's land, and do everything told to them by the Marines; the lack of money and pay is what enables the Marine planets to exist, because Marines themselves do not make anything but death. Life for Chapter serfs is probably about as bad as it is for the rest of humanity in the 40K universe, just with a little more stability, and life problems largely being the strict class system and lifelong joyless unfulfilment, rather than death at the hands of some Ork or other.


Actually, indentured servitude both in the real world and in the 40K universe is usually significantly better than slavery. An indentured servant is someone who does all of the work of an employee, with all of the respect and courtesy due an employee doing the work that they do (which isn't usually very much), but a slave is less than human (to the slavers, not to me), merely a servitor that hasn't croaked yet. And they will. The back-breaking labour will see to that. <=(

[Necron2.0]

Do space marines get ... ?

Oh, "Paid." I thought you said something else. ;)

The I-Guard are very much akin to the Red Army of WWII. Did the Soviets pay their conscripts? That I do not know.

I've always thought of this as an almost stereotypical I-Guard advance (warning, may be a little bloody):
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=43f_1175395150

[Wolf Brother Hellstrom]

My Space wolves get paid with wolf pelts and rune totems
My Orks get paid in anything lying around and teef!
and my Dark Eldar get paid in PAIN!!!
and most guardsmen are forced to serve or they die so they kinda get paid

[MaltonNecromancer]

An indentured servant is someone who does all of the work of an employee, with all of the respect and courtesy due an employee doing the work that they do (which isn't usually very much)

True... but answer me honestly: would you want to be one? Truthfully? You till the soil, as does every one of your children. You have no chance of career progression, no matter how clever or skilled you might be. Even if you rise to the very top, as a serf, you're still nothing (and if you're a woman, you're chattel; the property of your father, until "given away" by him to your new owner). A strict class system means social mobility is nil, no matter how much people might fantasise it to be other. Yes, a few rare exceptions break the rule, but for 99% of indentured servants, you're still a flat-cap wearing, down-in-the-mines-until-you-retire scumbag, looked down upon by your lords and masters.

Seriously, before 1900, how many upper-class lords in the UK showed


respect and courtesy

to those beneath them? Even if they do so to their faces, do you really think a man with three mansions and a lordship to his name is really going to view some crusty mine worker with lungs full of silicate as a social equal? Let's not pretend that people aren't selfish, and that they don't lie to themselves about how they deserve stuff for free because of who they are. The lords love to think they're decent, so they don't have to deal with the fact that their lives of luxury come at the expense of those hard-working souls who produce everything. The classes don't mix, and if you're working class, there's no real escape for you. Calling them indentured servants is a way to alleviate the Chapter Master's conscience, nothing more.

Armies cost money. They don't just run on nothing; bullets aren't free. The average missile for a missile pod on a helicopter costs £250,000, and a missile pod has, on average, twelve of them. If you're not paying people, that because you've got a slave class.Therefore, while Space Marines are all brave and noble, they are only able to be so because of the hard work of the millions of unsung men who make the food the Marines eat, manufacture the cordite and promethium for their weapons, etc...

This is the 40K universe; even on the relatively peaceful paradise of a Chapter planet, it still sucks to be human. Yeah, the Marines aren't whipping you and calling you slave, but you're going to do the job your father did, and that's all there is to it. "Enjoy your bread and water, serf; the Emperor provides."

"What about xBox, and burgers, and cars, and alcohol, and freedom of expression, and the ability to read and write, and"

"Enjoy your bread and water, serf; the Emperor provides."

[fuzzbuket]

inquisitors requisiton anything and everything...... like that bank for instance :P in the ravenor books the METAL BAWX gives his servants free monies to buy things and barter to knowthe sellers?!

oh and mariens dont need to eat OR sleep so going shopping probably is near the bottom of the to-do list


BILL the blood angels to-do list

1) kill the xenos
2) purge the herctics
3) burn the mutants
4) weed out corruption
5) borrow some of blood angel bob's glitter
6) make ones armour shiny
7) steal the wolves beer
8) go shopping for dante
9) play the xbox 40,000

[Fellend]

Depends on the Chapter. The ultramarines planets are discribed as paradises. Probably good places to live where serfs volunteer or it's a prestigious job.

[MaltonNecromancer]

The ultramarines planets are discribed as paradises. Probably good places to live where serfs volunteer or it's a prestigious job.

That's what we in the modern world call propaganda.

Let's be fair, you can't really lionise your heroes if you show them oppressing the very people they're supposed to be helping.

The 40K universe is the worst possible universe ever; literally everything about it is awful. Why would Ultramarine slaves be the only people having a good time? Because the Ultramarines are "heroes"? Unlikely. The "Deathwatch" RPG sourcebook goes into quite a lot of detail about how regular people view Marines, and it's not the way 40K gamers do; yes, they're defenders of humanity, but they're pretty damn terrifying with an inbuilt sense of entitlement. Kind of like the noble classes have always been, only they're defenders of humanity.

Plus, it's not like free education is an idea the Imperium has embraced. Most people will be illiterate, and view the world through superstitious eyes. As a result, a "good place to live" is one where arable land is plentiful, and chaos/ork/Necron/whatever-wants-to-kill-me-for-no-good-reason attacks are rare.

So not like the modernised Western world.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to live like a Dark Ages peasant to prop up a fascist, quasi-feudal overlord, no matter how blinging his armour was. The 40K universe? Not a nice place to live. For anyone.

The closest modern example to me (of living under religious fanatics with a feudal lifestyle, where your lords present themselves to their people as saviors, and will commit any act to defend their way of life) seems to be like life under the Taliban (or under some similar theocratic madmen). You know, if the Taliban were nine feet tall, had power armour, psychic powers, and hadn't been attacked by a vastly better armed and equipped enemy for the last ten years. I'm sure there were/are plenty of people who viewed working for the Taliban as prestigious. Not sure if that's the life I'd want to live!

And yes, I suppose under the "noblest" of all the Chapters, the Ultramarines, you're probably looking at life under Roman rule (but having watched "Rome" on HBO, I don't know if I'd want to live there, either! I'm also fairly sure that quite a few people back then disliked Roman rule...)

[Fellend]

Look I'm not going to argue with you about the fact that the 40k universe is utterly horrible. It is, slavery or things akin to it is in abundance. Entire planets are forcefully conscripted because the Imperium needs more bodyshields. However, Not all planets are like this. within the billions of planets that make up the Imperium there are enlightned planets. Alot of them infact.

In all fluff surrounding the Ultramarines the planets are described pretty much as close to paradise as you can come in 40k.
People work yes, do they do hard labour? most of them probably do, desk clerk jobs and beautysalons are probably not that common. But this doesn't make their lives into living hells.

They have everything they need, they have healthcare available to them, the guardsmen and pdf volunteer. The smurf recruits fight to death to get the honor to fight to death to become a smurf. And they do so out of pride and out of their own free will. Most of these people live normal lives except it's not a democracy, it's a enlightened dictatorship, whoa, voltair still lives....

The smurfs planets are also described as being litterate, having schools (wether they are available to everyone I don't know, read the ultramarines second book i believe, the one where they fight tyranids)
and so on. Like wise the smurfs are just rulers, getting rid of corrupt officials, punishing those that punishes the people and so on.

This is not propaganda. There is plenty of evidence showing that at least the smurfs are in fact good and just rulers, their planets and their inhabitants are not suffering.

On the otherhand, I bet there's still millions of planets ruled by other SM chapters which are basically horror pits where the strongest will get to live and become a Space Marine.

[Corvus-Master-of-The-4th]

This is the 40K universe; even on the relatively peaceful paradise of a Chapter planet, it still sucks to be human. Yeah, the Marines aren't whipping you and calling you slave, but you're going to do the job your father did, and that's all there is to it. "Enjoy your bread and water, serf; the Emperor provides."



... Wait thats not quite the bit I wanted to quote... But nevermind. Alot of the 40k lore states that there servs are treated well by the Marines, as alot of them come from men who wanted to become a Marine and failed but still wish to serve. Of course they aren't mentioned to often, but the Souldrinker Triology (Dunno about the last two) mentions them and a few others

Tbh by far the worse treated of 40k (jobs) are the men and women who are on the production line for the mechanicus... That always sounds like such a horrible job D:... Again that also varies from Lore to Lore (i guess it'd very from planet to planet anyways), some make it out to be like slavery, some make out it's just a job that keeps you above the "line"

[Kettu]

I don't think Commissars or Sororitas get paid- anyones thoughts on this? What about storm troopers who are brought up like commissars?

Not sure about Commissars but Sisters have everything they need provided by the Ecclesiarchy and their Order.
Sisters that operate for a period of time away from the Order are given small sums of money to cover little things that may be needed or even an ongoing allowance.
Upon returning to the Order or even just back to Ecclesiarchy owned property they will normally donate everything straight back again including anything they may have come across in their time away.

[Fellend]

I'd assume commisars get paid just as normal IG, even more so perhaps being of higher rank

[Gir]

I'm pretty sure a Space Marine could just take whatever he wanted anyway.

[Lockark]

Space Marines are like monks - they don't get paid (my favourite priest joke- the pays not good but the retirement package is out of this world)

Guardsmen- literally anything you imagine- from good pay, to indentured slaves, The Savlar Chemdogs are allowed keep anything they steal.

I haven't seen anything that says Inquisition are paid, I know they are allowed requisition anything they want, and they keep stores of money (usually plain gold) to bribe people when necessary. Other than the fact that inquistors own stuff and pay other people, I've never seen if they get paid.

I don't think Commissars or Sororitas get paid- anyones thoughts on this? What about storm troopers who are brought up like commissars?

Sororitas I can't see getting paid, as there space nuns. As for Commissars I do think they do, Since there like a special kinda of officer that sits outside the normal military structure.

@.@

[Wildeybeast]

Malton Necromancer, just a couple of corrections to what you have said.

1) Serfs and indentured servants are different. Indentured servants have become so (partly) of their own choice, usually to pay off a debt. Serfs/peasants are born into it, but they aren't forced to serve their lords, though there freedoms are restricted somewhat. The fuedal system of medieval England is a prime example. They only have to work for their lord if they want to rent his land/use his mill etc. and can't leave the village without his permission, are subject to his laws and so on.

2) The people that directly work for the SM are either servitors, or failed applicants (those that survive). Therefore they either quite happy or have had lobotomies and so don't care.

3)People love having SM ruling their world/system as a) they get protection and b) they want to join them.

4)SM worlds vary a lot. Most are feudal (or even less advanced) as you describe, and so won't work for the SM's as they can't produce either the weapons or food. Food will be shipped in from agri worlds and weapons are usually made by the SM's themselves, they don't rely on the Mechanicum so much after the HH. These worlds are chosen either because it was where the primarch grew up or because they offer a good supply of warriors.
Others could be forge worlds such as Raven Guard or 'paradise' systems such as already mentioned for the Ultras (at least until the Nids ate half of it). Whatever the world, the people are either left largely to their own devices, ruled over benevolently or the SM's work in cooperation with the people such as the Salamanders.

[Valkerie]

On the subject of Inquisitors paying for things, I imagine it goes something like this: Inquisitor enters a shop, and says, 'I would like to purchase that item. How much is it?'

Shopkeeper, not wanting to anger the man who can have him tortured and executed as a heretic, 'It is my gift to you, milord.'

Of course, given that this is the Imperium, that action can also be taken as a sign that the shopkeeper has something to hide and should be interrogated to find out what it is.:D Basically, you just can't win.

[Fellend]

Well considering the job the inquisition does I don't think they generally walk around with full regalia, displaying their large scary I to everyone. If you are to believe Eisenhorn and Dark Heresy they very rarely do so. Only revealing themselves when duty so requires or they are in trouble.

It's kind of hard rooting out evil if you have a huge sign on your chest saying that you coming to do so
Erm point is. I'm pretty sure they get money from somewhere, even if they might have been given a huge sum at some point and invested it in something that generate money (or just stole the heretics possessions) life as a Inquisitor requires alot of money, they have to pay henchmen, travelfares, they do need to eat and so on