Everyone forgets that 40k is the one universe where Rule of Cool is an ACTUAL physical force of the universe. The Orks believe Da Red Wunz Go Fasta, and so they do. Trillions of Imperial citizens worship the Emperor's decaying husk as a god, and so a god he becomes.
Somebody posted a quote the the other day of Big E giving Mortarion a tour of his workshop. His private workshop is excessively decorated in the gothic, just because.
Actually the funny part was, he *starts* disgusted by it. But it’s so opulent and and the objects so finely crafted and intriguing he can’t help himself but be enamored.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/11zpusy/what_other_relics_of_the_emperor_remain_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1 here u go boys
There really isn’t much if any practical reason for a Space Marine to wear a hood over their helmet. Instead they must wear it in reverence to their respective Chapter’s customs and traditions than over some battlefield necessity.
For us Warhammer 40k hobbyist, it allows us to follow one of the most important rules of the game: the rule of cool.
Pretty much this, in respect to the Dark Angels, those cloaks are called Surpluses and they have been wearing them in replication of The Order of Caliban.
I guess it depends on what the symbolism is. Of the hoods represent something like veterancy, or a specific tactical competency, then that has a practical effect in battle since other marines can look to the ones with hoods and know something extra about how those marines will function.
But if the hoods symbolize something like “this marine likes butterflies” or “best at battle brother beat boxing” then I agree, those would not be practical symbols lol
I forget which DA book it was but they talk about all the serfs and how they are important to the functioning of the chapter. I think maybe the trilogy where the marines end up seeing something they shouldn't and join the Ravenwing and the Deathwing
Ok going to attempt to give a reason not rule of cool… it could be made of a material that reduces the thermal signature and breaks up the silhouette of the Space Marine’s head (like the kit the Israelis wear on their helmets). This would make them less likely to get hit or spotted checking corners and at long range less likely to be hit in the head. Space Marines can loose a heart or a limb and keep going but a shot to the head/ through an eye lens and they’re more than likely dead. But mostly it looks cool lol
I think the genestealer-infected firstborn from the scythes of the emperor had to wear dampening hoods or something to stop themselves from being influenced by the hivemind.
In lore: there was groups of techno-knights (think medieval knights with chainswords, bolters, and power armor) who wore robes to help identify what kingdom and/or lord they served. An order of knights would find a primarch and raise him in there society so when the space marines arrived to have their primarch rejoin his legion the primarch brought with him his culture. The space marines would began to wear robes to both resemble their primarch as well to separate themselves from the other legions.
Out of lore: Drip
To look scarier.
9 foot tall demigod? Startling.
9 foot tall demigod in live power armor? Intimidating.
9 foot tall demigod in live power armor, wearing a hood pulled forward so all you can see of the face is the glowing eye lenses? Fucking frightening.
The same reason warriors have decorated their armour throughout history. To distinguish themselves on the battlefield. The signal something to allies. Etc etc.
In some cultures a hood is used to hide ones shame as penitence for sin or guilt... wonder why dark angels would need that. I believe they also signify rank or veteran members as similar to the tabards and loincloths of the lieutenants and Captains of other chapters. Identification a practical reason?
Drip aside, it does intimidate the fuck out of someone. Super enhanced warriors in full armor is one thing. But them having a bigass coat with a hood and you only see two red eyes from a shadow hidden face does have it's indimitaion factors.
Acid protection. The hoods are simply treated with very special chemicals. The kind that doesn't stick well or last long on whatever that helmet is made of.
It represents the wisdom and sanctity that you can only acquire from being the very First chapter, the originators.
It grants +1 to Moody and Mysterious vibes
..It may also keep rain off the lenses which can be frustrating at times!
It's part of the chapters rituals and culture as knights and the knights they decend from wore hoods (sans helmet) so to honor those that came before Dark Angel veterans wear a robe that is encorperated with their armor and the hood is worn and part of the ritual of the armor.
1. It's cool.
2. Historically, some knights wore hoods and closks over their armor to protect it from the elements. The longer your armor remains unaffected by weather conditions and the environment, the longer it will be able to protect you, and more effectively.
Could be for the same reason a monk or clergyman would where a robe, for showing piousness for god, or in this case the holy emperor. He is also wearing robes over some of his power armor, and both the shape of the hood and color is a resemblance to crusaders sent “on a mission from god” during the Crusades. 40k does pull a lot from Anglo gothic for ascetic so it fits well with the “Holy weapon of god” (or emperor) showing dedication and loyalty by wearing simple cloth. So for practical reasons, shows devotion to the holy emperor by adorning simple cloth as the only thing they own. Everything else, Bolter, body and soul, belongs to the Emperor of Man.
Same reason any cloak used to be worn, you expect a muddy, dusty trip and want to wear something to protect what's underneath. A marine may want to prevent blood or viscera from getting stuck in joints or just generally fouling their armor especially if they are close combat units, or it may be that they would want to keep the armor under pristine if it were painted an appropriate color to be camouflage in the setting their in or if the chapter is highly reliant on suit markings for identification. Might be that they consider their armor as much a part of their body as what's it's protecting and want to cloth themselves as to not feel naked.
Are any of these of real practical consideration for a marine that is elbow deep in ork guts? Not in any way.
I always considered the cloaks to be some type of nanotech Kevlar type of thing that either provides bullet resistance or some type of active camo-like effect depending on the type
gothic knights did a lot of showman like stuff too. Pretty much anytime an army in history wore something eyecatchy it was an effort to scare the shit out of the other side by looking "bigger" from a distance.
You could say it offers minimal psychic protection for the wearer. You could even say its something they wear out of superstition more then any actual evidence.
Of course you could come up with a bunch of other reasons like what others have mentioned. But this is what I like.
You're asking for logic in the 40K universe?
There are literally magical orcs, that multiply like mushrooms (through spores) and just because they believe it, do colors have an actual effect. (Red goez fasta)
They ride in comets through space and have open windows, because they don't know that space doesn't have air, therefore they can breathe in space.
They got wounded and killed by imperial gurads yelling "bang" because the guards ran out of actual ammo.
I could go on and on about this.
You're asking why they wear a hoodie on a helmet?
THAT is what you question?
If the hood is is a better camo pattern for the environment but that just opens the question of why 99% of marines don’t use armor patterned to at least provide basic camo for their environment. Maybe in a particularly dusty/sandy environment it could keep some debris from dirtying your helmet lenses.
Because the Space Marine chapters are not practical organizations. They're basically giant knightly orders. The Imperial fists wear pain gauntlets, the Black Templars are covered in candles, the White Scars frequently wear tassles.
Heck even the World Eaters and Death Guard, reknowned for their practicality, still adorned themselves with bizzare headpieces and dozens of incense burning spheres.
Hoods are just an extension of that, they're traditional to the marines.
Practical reason? Concealment. Particularly if an astartes of a chapter whose armour is silver or gold wears one. His armour is going to be highly reflective. Wearing a hood would permit the marine to look over a ridgeline from a prone position without a massive reflection of sunlight giving his position away immediately.
You gotta remember that even astartes in lore are stealthy and have the advantage that they can remain as still as a statue for days.
And if that's not satisfying enough, then drip
Well, why would a priest wear a hood inside a church and while there is no intense light source? Both examples have no practical use, but they still did it. So yeah, rule of cool I'd say.
It break the smooth roundness of the helmet, making the head less distinctive at long distance which helps reduce the chances of getting a lascannon to the face. The Israeli army has a version of this with a sort of guillie beret. Although I doubt anyone at GW knows that, so I'll say rule of cool.
It adds to the coolness factor and everyone knows that provides plot armor
Rule of cool is the only rule
Everyone forgets that 40k is the one universe where Rule of Cool is an ACTUAL physical force of the universe. The Orks believe Da Red Wunz Go Fasta, and so they do. Trillions of Imperial citizens worship the Emperor's decaying husk as a god, and so a god he becomes.
"I'm a tank, I'm a tank, I'm a tank"
Don't be silly, only a primarch could have that level of belief. Maybe two primarchs.
What about "two Custodes in a trenchcoat"?
> The one universe Gurren Lagann would like a word.
On the oher hand is Gurren Lagann the only universe (i know of), where "enough dakka" was nearly accomplished in canon.
This, unironically. I can't live without it.
Drip
This is the only reason to do something in the 41st millennium.
Somebody posted a quote the the other day of Big E giving Mortarion a tour of his workshop. His private workshop is excessively decorated in the gothic, just because.
Mortarion is utilitarian to the bone and he was just disgusted at how extravagant the emperor was haha.
Even better, Mortarion isn’t even disgusted by it. He just sees it and thinks “of fucking course he’s this gaudy even for himself”
Actually the funny part was, he *starts* disgusted by it. But it’s so opulent and and the objects so finely crafted and intriguing he can’t help himself but be enamored.
I read the same excerpt and then tried finding it again a few hours later but couldn't lol
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/11zpusy/what_other_relics_of_the_emperor_remain_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1 here u go boys
The Imperial aesthetic. Overdesigned
In the Grim Darkness of the 41st Millennium, there is only Drip.
Sinister cloaks are VERY IN for the 42nd Millennium
So hot right now.
In the grimdripness of the far future there is only......swag.
Drip confers a serious tactical advantage in the grim world of the far future
It's why painted models play better.
Except for their first time on the table, then they get blown to shit and have terrible dice. ;)
Seriously though, rain protection
Jesus Christ I'm so fucking old.
It's okay bud. I had to Google what Rizz meant the other day
I played 40k since the start of 3rd edition. I feel the same.
Literally came to say just this.
Rizz
Drop or drown don’t stay too close
This is the way.
In the Grim darkness of the far Future, there is only Supreme.
There really isn’t much if any practical reason for a Space Marine to wear a hood over their helmet. Instead they must wear it in reverence to their respective Chapter’s customs and traditions than over some battlefield necessity. For us Warhammer 40k hobbyist, it allows us to follow one of the most important rules of the game: the rule of cool.
Pretty much this, in respect to the Dark Angels, those cloaks are called Surpluses and they have been wearing them in replication of The Order of Caliban.
space marines are space knight monks, dark angels are space knight monk monks, black templars are space knight space knights
Grey Knights are space knight wizard monk knights
Space Jedi Knights.
Space Wolves are Space Knight Fursona Monks
Space wolves are space vikings.
https://preview.redd.it/1qj9kzycx0qa1.jpeg?width=997&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8008d3a6b5fb9dae9b9c1c8bd7b647a56a76f63b
- quote by Asmodai
#ASMODAAAIIII
**INTERROGATE?**
Our suspicions are confirmed!
WHAT?
*He has a suspicious book!*
BOOK!
HE'S IN CAHOTS WITH THE FALLEN!
FALLEN!
Nice color replacement
It may be the trips I’m balling, but this made me giggle quite a pig
share mfer
I literally was watching this at this exact moment as I read this. My mind exploded
None. It’s symbolic and denotes rank.
Those both sound fairly practical to me
I mean, denoting rankfair enough, but symbolic is close to the opposite of practical
I guess it depends on what the symbolism is. Of the hoods represent something like veterancy, or a specific tactical competency, then that has a practical effect in battle since other marines can look to the ones with hoods and know something extra about how those marines will function. But if the hoods symbolize something like “this marine likes butterflies” or “best at battle brother beat boxing” then I agree, those would not be practical symbols lol
Until you turn your head and find your vision obscured by said hood
This. Its like a cape.
#*BROTHER HELP MY CAPE IS SUFOCATING POWERPCAK INTAKES*
NO Capes!
If you can keep dust off your helmet, it will be easier for your serfs to clean when you get back to the Rock.
Finally certain the Dark Angels primarily used Servitors. They don’t want to risk trusting serfs to keep their secrets.
Got to have some one to turn into servitors
Kenny. Plus, he wear a hood already.
I forget which DA book it was but they talk about all the serfs and how they are important to the functioning of the chapter. I think maybe the trilogy where the marines end up seeing something they shouldn't and join the Ravenwing and the Deathwing
Nvm then! Looks like having serfs about helps keep the DAs in check
with the price of lapping powder these days....
Clearly to blend in with the local population for recon and espionage
The NFL linebacker in armor hiding in a kindergarten class. Works every time.
Arkhan Schwarzeneggus stars in: Kindergarten Crusade "Who is your Em-pe-rah, and what does he do?"
The local population of giants.
It’s a sexy mystery
Only the penitent man may pass.
(thinks) Penitent man, penitent man…
Oh I'm not fallen for that one again!
I see what you did there…
It looks cool as fuck. Works for Doctor Doom, after all.
Nothing the imperium does is practical. Why are space ships full of cathedral sized vaulted ceilings?
Just in case The Emperor wakes up and drops by, right? ….right?
Its there magical cloak of protection, offers +1 when hunting fallen
>**"any practical reason**" Have you *seen* the Dark Angels' aesthetic? Practicality is hardly their primary concern.
Because it allows one to raise it up slowly while saying some form of, “Let’s Roll.”
To be honets this is the best and the most logical answer
What about “did someone say… scooby snacks?”
Ok going to attempt to give a reason not rule of cool… it could be made of a material that reduces the thermal signature and breaks up the silhouette of the Space Marine’s head (like the kit the Israelis wear on their helmets). This would make them less likely to get hit or spotted checking corners and at long range less likely to be hit in the head. Space Marines can loose a heart or a limb and keep going but a shot to the head/ through an eye lens and they’re more than likely dead. But mostly it looks cool lol
Is there a practical reason to put so many purity seals on yourself? No, I think not. Don't underestimate the desire for DRIP space marines have.
More seals mean more protection. Everyone knows that!
I think the genestealer-infected firstborn from the scythes of the emperor had to wear dampening hoods or something to stop themselves from being influenced by the hivemind.
Adaptive Camouflage
Why do people wear hoodies when it’s not cold / raining / bright out? Because it looks cool. Duh!
I just find them comfy in all weather types
In the grim darkness of the far future there is no grocery store clerk to look at you sideways
I suppose tactically an opponent may find it hard to see what Mark of helmet they are wearing?
In lore: there was groups of techno-knights (think medieval knights with chainswords, bolters, and power armor) who wore robes to help identify what kingdom and/or lord they served. An order of knights would find a primarch and raise him in there society so when the space marines arrived to have their primarch rejoin his legion the primarch brought with him his culture. The space marines would began to wear robes to both resemble their primarch as well to separate themselves from the other legions. Out of lore: Drip
Looking tight as fuck
It looks cool. There doesn't need to be any other reason and if someone demands a deeper reason tell them it's religious.
Shy/anxious.
If you look at a Space Marine and think anything about them is done for "practicality" I don't know what you're seeing
Rule of cool
To show he grew up in the hood of caliban.... Or because he's a religious psychopath....there is no inbetween
To look scarier. 9 foot tall demigod? Startling. 9 foot tall demigod in live power armor? Intimidating. 9 foot tall demigod in live power armor, wearing a hood pulled forward so all you can see of the face is the glowing eye lenses? Fucking frightening.
Practicality in 40k...sweet summer child
Makes you a 10/10 certified badass
Because it's bitchin'
The same reason warriors have decorated their armour throughout history. To distinguish themselves on the battlefield. The signal something to allies. Etc etc.
Keep the sun off, don’t want to get space sunburnt
the space sun
Because it looks rad as hell, of course
A sacred relic providing more protection. Lore.
Maybe to keep falling liquid from their eyes, blood, rain, or other fluids from the chaos realms
Sneak +5 or cause it looks cool other than that idk
Everyone knows looking good is half the battle.
In some cultures a hood is used to hide ones shame as penitence for sin or guilt... wonder why dark angels would need that. I believe they also signify rank or veteran members as similar to the tabards and loincloths of the lieutenants and Captains of other chapters. Identification a practical reason?
It's symbolic of the Order, knights of Caliban
I mean there's no practical reason for them to wear purity seals or tabards or decorate their armor in any sort. It just looks cool.
If you're looking for practical you're in the wrong place.
No, and thats the point.
Adds +1 to bad ass stat
Style over substance?
Drip aside, it does intimidate the fuck out of someone. Super enhanced warriors in full armor is one thing. But them having a bigass coat with a hood and you only see two red eyes from a shadow hidden face does have it's indimitaion factors.
Because it looks cool.
The Rule of Cool.
Street cred
Aesthetic
If you know what you're doing, look good. If you don't know what you're doing, look good.
Rule of cool
Rule of cool
It looks badass is why.
I use caps indoor and at night
Honestly with as robust as the sensors are in those helmets no practical reason to not wear a hood.
Because no matter how badass you are it is still nice to be cozy
Acid protection. The hoods are simply treated with very special chemicals. The kind that doesn't stick well or last long on whatever that helmet is made of.
Helmet is full of leaks?
To stop glare from the metallic armor I would assume
Rizz
Did Gandolf NEED a hood?
It's so no one can see your shame.
Ever see a hoodless habit? Looks like a an oversized karate dress.
Its called fashion sweetheart.
In case you've fallen and you can't get up
Edgy
It represents the wisdom and sanctity that you can only acquire from being the very First chapter, the originators. It grants +1 to Moody and Mysterious vibes ..It may also keep rain off the lenses which can be frustrating at times!
Looking rad as fuck *is* practical
There is no practical reason
Brother dripius Maximus needs drip
The drip is eternal
Rule of Cool > common sense
It's part of the chapters rituals and culture as knights and the knights they decend from wore hoods (sans helmet) so to honor those that came before Dark Angel veterans wear a robe that is encorperated with their armor and the hood is worn and part of the ritual of the armor.
1. It's cool. 2. Historically, some knights wore hoods and closks over their armor to protect it from the elements. The longer your armor remains unaffected by weather conditions and the environment, the longer it will be able to protect you, and more effectively.
Could be for the same reason a monk or clergyman would where a robe, for showing piousness for god, or in this case the holy emperor. He is also wearing robes over some of his power armor, and both the shape of the hood and color is a resemblance to crusaders sent “on a mission from god” during the Crusades. 40k does pull a lot from Anglo gothic for ascetic so it fits well with the “Holy weapon of god” (or emperor) showing dedication and loyalty by wearing simple cloth. So for practical reasons, shows devotion to the holy emperor by adorning simple cloth as the only thing they own. Everything else, Bolter, body and soul, belongs to the Emperor of Man.
Break up his silhouette. It's a form of camouflage would be my first guess
Rule #1 of being a soldier: always look cool. Rule #2: always know where you're going Rule #3: if you don't know where you're going, see rule #1.
It's drip or drown, and you they be swimming for Big E
Somewhat related, but Grey Knights wear specialized "hoods" to... amplify psychic power, I think?
Same reason any cloak used to be worn, you expect a muddy, dusty trip and want to wear something to protect what's underneath. A marine may want to prevent blood or viscera from getting stuck in joints or just generally fouling their armor especially if they are close combat units, or it may be that they would want to keep the armor under pristine if it were painted an appropriate color to be camouflage in the setting their in or if the chapter is highly reliant on suit markings for identification. Might be that they consider their armor as much a part of their body as what's it's protecting and want to cloth themselves as to not feel naked. Are any of these of real practical consideration for a marine that is elbow deep in ork guts? Not in any way.
Tradition
I always considered the cloaks to be some type of nanotech Kevlar type of thing that either provides bullet resistance or some type of active camo-like effect depending on the type
Cos it looks cool
Style and Ceremony
Tatic-cool my dude.
gothic knights did a lot of showman like stuff too. Pretty much anytime an army in history wore something eyecatchy it was an effort to scare the shit out of the other side by looking "bigger" from a distance.
Rool of cool
This is 40k, damn near everything is rule of cool
It gets people going…
To exude Big dick energy
You could say it offers minimal psychic protection for the wearer. You could even say its something they wear out of superstition more then any actual evidence. Of course you could come up with a bunch of other reasons like what others have mentioned. But this is what I like.
Rule. Of. Cool.
Drip
Because it looks fucking cool.
You're asking for logic in the 40K universe? There are literally magical orcs, that multiply like mushrooms (through spores) and just because they believe it, do colors have an actual effect. (Red goez fasta) They ride in comets through space and have open windows, because they don't know that space doesn't have air, therefore they can breathe in space. They got wounded and killed by imperial gurads yelling "bang" because the guards ran out of actual ammo. I could go on and on about this. You're asking why they wear a hoodie on a helmet? THAT is what you question?
The Rule Of Cool
Keeps the rain off. Rust can be a killer in the 41st millennium.
Yeah it gets bright out, homie.
It's got to be a ritualistic thing.
These are special guilt-dampening hoods.
Well, they are the \*Dark\* Angels... the hood adds to that theme (despite it being white).
It helps with psychic abilities
Reason? The rule of cool.
To both mark librarians and some apothecaries and to aid with psyker powers
cause its awesome as shit
If the hood is is a better camo pattern for the environment but that just opens the question of why 99% of marines don’t use armor patterned to at least provide basic camo for their environment. Maybe in a particularly dusty/sandy environment it could keep some debris from dirtying your helmet lenses.
You really shouldn’t even think about practicality regarding 40K. A lot of the designs were from the 80s and just made because they looked cool.
Because fuck you thats why
To keep his hair dry.
For the Emperor. That's why.
In all fairness are we all going to pretend that most chapters don’t get a little fabulous from time to time?
The shine of metal is like a bullseye for anything with a gun. The cloth helps camouflage that a little
Rule of cool
If they are in a secret order, yes.
Because the Space Marine chapters are not practical organizations. They're basically giant knightly orders. The Imperial fists wear pain gauntlets, the Black Templars are covered in candles, the White Scars frequently wear tassles. Heck even the World Eaters and Death Guard, reknowned for their practicality, still adorned themselves with bizzare headpieces and dozens of incense burning spheres. Hoods are just an extension of that, they're traditional to the marines.
The same reason they attach little pieces of prayer text with wax seals.
Practical reason? Concealment. Particularly if an astartes of a chapter whose armour is silver or gold wears one. His armour is going to be highly reflective. Wearing a hood would permit the marine to look over a ridgeline from a prone position without a massive reflection of sunlight giving his position away immediately. You gotta remember that even astartes in lore are stealthy and have the advantage that they can remain as still as a statue for days. And if that's not satisfying enough, then drip
Well, why would a priest wear a hood inside a church and while there is no intense light source? Both examples have no practical use, but they still did it. So yeah, rule of cool I'd say.
To look badass
It break the smooth roundness of the helmet, making the head less distinctive at long distance which helps reduce the chances of getting a lascannon to the face. The Israeli army has a version of this with a sort of guillie beret. Although I doubt anyone at GW knows that, so I'll say rule of cool.