Jump to content

Random 40k-specific thought thread


Guest

Recommended Posts

They have a Servitor in the turret of the Hunter/Stalker as well, but generally speaking the “sticking of the cupola guy” is always an Astartes... So I’m left with the impression that they’re still being driven by a Marine.

Servitors aren’t capable of the sort of independence of thought and creative problem-solving you’d want in charge of a combat vehicle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Ish said:

Servitors aren’t capable of the sort of independence of thought and creative problem-solving you’d want in charge of a combat vehicle.

Well, at least they aren't supposed to...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, paxmiles said:

Loyalist marines have a hard limit on how many marines per chapter, and within, a rather ridged breakdown of how many of each type of SM is in a chapter, company, squad and so forth. So how does advancement work for marine chapters?

I mean, if I'm a Sergeant, do I have to wait for a superior officer to die/retire in order to advance within my chapter? I mean, each SM lives for quite a long time and they're all super soldiers, and since the chapter can't really get bigger without spliting, I'd imagine that each chapter probably has several overqualified marines, just waiting for a superior position to become availible...:biggrin:

The blog Death of a Rubricist did a pretty interesting pair of articles (Part 1. Part 2.) on the aging and ranks of Loyalist Marines a couple of years ago. I disagree with some of his assumptions (he takes a hard line on the 1000 Marine limit, for example), but it's still a very interesting read. The extremely short version is that the level of constant warfare Space Marines are involved in creates enough attrition that even with promotion only via "dead men's boots", there's still a reasonable rate of promotion.

I would also note that those who would become "overqualified" Marines are probably among the most likely to be drawn into the various auxiliary Chapter organizations (Apothecarion, Reclusiarchy, etc.). Additionally, since the Astartes don't have any kind of "up or out" policy, there are likely a number of (for instance) Sergeants who will simply remain at that level, because they are very good at leading a Squad, but not particularly well-suited to the somewhat different duties involved in a higher level command. Or, say, Battle Brothers who are excellent combatants, but have no real skill at leadership, so they come to rest in specialist positions, as the Heavy/Special Weapons troopers in their Squad, remaining mere Battle Brothers in rank, but being honoured by their specialist role rather than a promotion in nominal rank.

16 hours ago, Ish said:

Each of these ten squads will have a Rhino or Razorback (with a crew of one or two Techmarines) assigned to it, sometimes Chapter Serfs may be allowed to drive these vehicles***. Interestingly, Rhinos, Razorbacks, and Drop Pods are Company-level assets and not Chapter-level, like Predators or Land Raiders. At one or two crewmen each, that's another 10-20 Marines. Finally, most Battle Companies also have a Dreadnought or two that is member of the Company.

I seem to recall some sources listing the drivers for Battle Company Dedicated Transports as being drawn from the Reserve Companies. Not entirely sure of that, tho. I may well be getting it mixed up with something else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It also must be remembered that the Astartes are modeled more on militaris ordinis of the medieval Church, rather than on any modern 20th/21st Century military. From the mindset of a monastic knight, spending your entire life at the rank of Knight or Dame doesn't carry any stigma... It's not like being a permanent buck private. If God sees fit, you will be called to service as a prelate, a deacon, or a marshal... or you'll remain a knight. That's what God wants. Deus vult

Companies are also rather small organizations, if you think about it, even in the "real world" an infantry company is usually only about 80-150 men (a U.S. Army platoon is 42 men, IIRC, with three or four platoons making up a company). That's a small enough size that every single man in the platoon can get to know every other man, at least a little, even with only three or five years of time together. The typical Space Marine can probably expect to spend a couple decades working their way up through the Reserve Companies and then probably a century or so of service in the Battle Company. These men are going to know each other quite well.

So if Battle-Brother Vorenus has developed a reputation as being especially good at city fighting and was recruited from a hive-city gang, even if he's a "mere" Tactical Squad ranker, his Lieutenant or Captain may ask him for input when figuring out the best way to assault an Ork infested hab-block. If Battle-Brother Pullo is know to be especially clever with explosives, he'll be the guy tasked with drawing up the plans for where to plant the meltabombs on the enemy bunker, even though he's "just" a Devastator Squad gunner.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ish said:

Did you just call Captain America a DC hero?

Surrender your Nerd License, Pax.

I never claimed to be a comic book nerd. 

I tend to think of DC as the higher powered heroes one, and Marvel as the lower powered super heroes. DC heroes tend to have one major weakness, while marvel heroes are mostly human with one major super power. Hulk and thor definitely strike me as DC quality super heroes, as is superman and aquaman. Iron man is definitely DC quality too. Captain America isn't really DC quality, but he's the token weak guy on the Avenger's lineup.

I don't really have the memory to retain which company really produced which. And it really doesn't matter to me. The best super hero remains The Tick, and he's produced by neither (though I certainly could be wrong).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, paxmiles said:

I tend to think of DC as the higher powered heroes one, and Marvel as the lower powered super heroes. DC heroes tend to have one major weakness, while marvel heroes are mostly human with one major super power. Hulk and thor definitely strike me as DC quality super heroes, as is superman and aquaman. Iron man is definitely DC quality too. Captain America isn't really DC quality, but he's the token weak guy on the Avenger's lineup.

It caused me physical pain to read this paragraph. But, I'mma let this drop before I derail the entire forum.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tony Stank, da invincible Iron-Nob,  could be a Commander (Big Mek) with a shokk attack gun, kustom force field, and the Extra Armor (Logistics Specialism) ability;

Kaptain Orkmericuh could be a Kommando Boss Nob (Leader Specialism) with his "mighty shield" representing a Choppa;

The incredible Bulk could be a Ork Boy Boss Nob (Combat Specialism) with Slugga and a Power-Klaw;

Horkeye could be a Loota Spanna (Heavy Specialism) with a Rokkit Launcha; and,

Wintork Soldier could be a Ork Boy Gunner (Veteran Specialism) with a Big Shoota. 

Bork Widow, Bork Pantha, Vizzun, Skarlet Wych, and most of the other Orkvengers would just be regular Kommandos, Lootas, and Boyz. You'd have to make a couple of Gretchin as Ant-Man and the Wasp though. Doktor Weird would be a good alternative Commander (Pain-Boy). 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, SigurdBC said:

You could also model a grot up in a tree, looking very angry, and label the base "I AM GROT!"

Did you see the family guy satire on that one? Herbert, was Groot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...