When it comes to love and sex in our birth charts, astrologers often look at Venus—and with good reason. Venus represents our highest ideals and our desire to seek partnership with others, whether those unions are romantic, friendly, or otherwise. In our birth charts, Venus highlights how we aim to achieve harmony with others and how we expect to receive it.

But when it comes to how you generate and project pure carnal energy and raw sexual magnetism, that’s all Mars.

In astrology, Mars is a fiery force of nature—and one to be reckoned with. As the God of War, Mars represents our inner warrior, and where Mars shows up in our birth charts, it shows our will, the place where we want to do exactly what *we* want to do. As an action-oriented planet, Mars calls on us to be demanding and decisive. Depending on your personal sign placement of Mars, that drive can show up differently for each of us. But whether your Mars is bodily oriented, mentally motivated, or more emotionally driven, this energy requires an outlet for release, and that release often happens physically or sexually.

To learn more about what attracts you sexually and what kind of sexual energy you radiate, read about the sign placement of Mars in your birth chart.

Mars in Aries

Bold and bodacious, with Mars in its home sign of Aries, you radiate confidence. With equal parts charm, combativeness, and an addiction to the chase, what lights your fire is being able to fully and fiercely go after what you want—and people who do the same. You come on strong, whether you’re flirting or fighting, and you expect your partner to be able to keep up with you. You may change your mind easily, but you guarantee a good time.

Mars in Taurus

With Mars in Taurus, there’s a slow burn vibe to your style of lovemaking. From the initial flirting stages to in the bedroom, you like to take your time and don’t want to be rushed through any stages. You require patience from your partner—and once you do commit, you’re completely in it for the long haul. You require a devoted lover, loyal in both mind, heart and body. Physical touch and sensation will be extra important to you.

Mars in Gemini

Sparks can fly in many ways, and for Mars in Gemini, mental fireworks are what light you up. From clever wordplay and flirty banter to salacious text messaging and a bit of dirty talk in the bedroom, the quickest path to getting down with you is through piquing your curiosity. This can even manifest as games of chase or people as puzzles to solve. Trying to figure out what makes someone tick in the moment—or maybe even what pushes their buttons—can be ultra alluring for you, and you will appreciate a partner who allows you the flexibility to change your mind—and then back again.

Mars in Cancer

Like a mama bear protecting her cubs, when a Mars in Cancer loves, they love fiercely and protectively—and will expect nothing less from their partners. With this placement, your passions will not be for public display as you value your privacy and will not take kindly to anyone who violates your space or boundaries. With martial energy bound in a a Cancerian crabshell, you can be defensive, but once you let your guard down, you are supremely sensitive to the needs of others. Ensuring someone is as sensitive to yours will be key.

Mars in Leo

With this fiery combination of planetary symbolism, no one brings the heat quite like a Mars in Leo. You love the spotlight—and in the bedroom, you will stop at nothing short of being completely worshipped from head to toe. You crave physical affection and personal adoration, and are likely to want to make your relationship status very public. When it comes to sex, you want to know your partner is pleased, so you’ll do everything you can to make sure you get the credit for their pleasure!

Mars in Virgo

You are meticulous, disciplined and dedicated, and as a Mars in Virgo, you will approach sex and lovemaking as a sacred duty—because well, it is. Ever helpful and committed, you may get off on hearing “you were right.” You will appreciate a partner who is willing to accept your advice and suggestions, though you will have to avoid getting stuck in a rut of doing the same things over and over again as you are prone to enjoy routines and rituals. Whatever your personal desires, fetishes or kinks are, you pay attention to and appreciate little details and bodily cues others may not notice. In return, you appreciate when someone notices those little things about you.

Mars in Libra

With Mars in Libra, you radiate a knight-in-shining armor kind of vibe, where you love love and live for romance. As a natural-born peacekeeper, you enjoy when things are in balance, so when someone is throwing off the vibes by being confrontational, you can feel supremely agitated. You’re just not known to be direct about saying it, and instead can easily fall into a trap of expressing your frustration through passive aggressive tactics or shutting down. Luckily, you’re also ready to lay down your weapons quickly if it means you can get down in bed together as a more passionate way of working things out.

Mars in Scorpio

The word “brooding” comes instantly to mind when describing someone with Mars in Scorpio, as well as “intensity” and “mysterious.” When you have a romantic or sexual target in your sights, you will be relentlessly about trying to understand and learn everything about them—even if you balk at the idea of someone getting too close to you too soon. You can be elusive, with even those closest to you never feeling like they have a total grip on you, and that’s completely by your own design. Never one to shy away from the darker parts of human psychology and sexuality, you crave true emotional intimacy and vulnerability as much as you fear fully letting go of control.

Mars in Sagittarius

Fun and friskiness is the name of the game when it comes to having your Mars in Sagittarius. You crave adventure and the exotic, whether that’s traveling to new places, chatting up strangers, or connecting with someone on a deeply spiritual level. Nothing would make your free spirit feel more caged in than boredom, as you like to be stimulated mentally, spiritually and sexually. From wanderlust to actual carnal lust, you want to experience all that life and your body has to offer. Therefore, if you have this placement or are trying to attract someone with it, don’t be afraid to work up a sweat or keep your passport up to date.

Mars in Capricorn

You’ve got the drive, you’ve got the ambition, and you’ve got the vision to get it all accomplished. Lucky you—and lucky to anyone who gets to experience the receiving end of your passion. There is nothing Mars in Capricorn likes more than a mission whether that’s pursuing the object of your affection or ensuring they are completely satisfied. As a Mars in Capricorn, when you set out to do something, you will never stop until it is complete. You can be quite dominating in one-on-one partnerships and like to take the lead. Make sure others around you can keep up.

Mars in Aquarius

When it comes to sex, Mars in Aquarius is not afraid to be a little different and will be unafraid to express their eccentric tastes and desires. As a keen observer of people, you will be intrigued by people who don’t conform, and you are not likely to be the kind of person who has a strict “type”. The only thing you consistently require is someone who allows you to experiment, has an open mind, and won’t shut off if you display your trademark aloofness or distance. Because yes, there are times where you require solitude to emotionally and physically recharge, and may require a partner who is willing to accept that.

Mars in Pisces

With Mars in Pisces, your physical and sexual expression will often be perceived as a very dreamer kind of quality, where you can pursue what you want almost to the point of martyrdom. You will sacrifice whatever it takes in the name of love or what you want—and may need to be reminded that that kind of devotion is admirable but not totally necessary or completely sustainable. Ever the romantic, others could come to interpret your behavior as a classic lothario but when you are in love or attracted to something, you very much feel it in that moment. You are very imaginative and finding that person with whom you can fulfill your inner fantasies even if for a night, can go a long way in making your dreams feel grounded in reality.