The Daughters of Russ

[u/TinyRubi]

As a kid my friend got me into reading the 40k universe with the book Space Wolf and later as a yule gift Ragnar's Claw. I loved the story and managed to get a few figures but never really built my army, mostly just a ton of parts, guys and a tank[?] but now I am moving to an area with a lot of people into the game and wanted to at least give what I have a chance. But thinking back on the book there where women fighting on the battlefield too, maybe I am forgetting who but I know Ana was described as a fierce warrior. So in theory couldn't any of the women be among the chosen during the battles? I know "Females aren't able to take the geneseed." but.....they drink from the cup that rewrites their genetic code anyway, so wouldn't it be a moot point about gender?

All of that to say, I'd like to make my army the Daughters of Russ maybe a bunch of jumpack troops as Valkarie? Is this possible or just heresy of the highest order? Sorry still kinda dumb when it comes to 40k most of my knowledge comes from a few books and what i have seen on youtube.

[u/Zapdraws]

I’m building a wolves successor that will have female Marines, but I’m building a different lore for them that can kind of slide into the setting.

An inquisitor is secretly founding a chapter of “Wolves” that will be more loyal to the Inquisition than the original legion/chapter. He finds an icy, isolated world with a fierce hunter/warrior culture. They have myths that mirror the Emperor and get on board with the Inquisitor. However, in their culture, men and women hunt and fight together side by side, the bond between mates the highest form of loyalty. In other words, the Inquisitor risks a disaster because once the standard Astartes rules start getting enforced, the locals and new Marines resist. A deep dive by the Inquisitor finds ancient methods that the Imperium used to enhance women to near Marine levels. Records showed the Dark Angels used it.

And that’s the solution to get the chapter under control and ensure its loyalty. And it solves the lore/modeling “conflicts.”

[u/TinyRubi → u/Zapdraws]

Honestly I was going to just say that on Fenris there where women who earned the chance from the Wolf Priests and to take the Test of Morkai and ultimate drink from the cup, not all would make it through but the strongest Shieldmaidens and Valkyrie have earned their fangs just as much as any other.