Ciaphas Cain: CAves of Ice - analysis and discussion thread

[Plushie]

Only the upper limit is 250 petatons, the actual calcs are 2.5 petatons per salvo.

[NecronLord]

Squadron in BFG runs up to six ships. and given that he said flotilla rather than squadron, I'd lean to the top end of that scale (if not more).

[Falkenhayn]

And are actually considered to be sub-par cruiser designs by most fleet commanders, I believe; unless paired up with another cruiser or a squadron of escorts. Apparently, their lance batteries can't damage the enemy fast enough in capital ship duels before suffering severe damage themselves.

I'm rather partial to lances but you can't generate the number of damaging hits against another craft as you can with an equivalent number of weapon batteries and advantageous positioning. That being said there are a couple of areas where they really shine: heavily armoured targets and when you don't have such advantageous positioning (long range, gas clouds, interference, broadside exchange). Where they are really murderous is when you can pair them up with a good number of weapons batteries. The nightmarish thing about the Apocalypse is that if you're willing to take the overload damage, you can use the lance arsenal at long range and absolutely murder some poor bastard.

Against the profusion of IoM players in my gaming circle, the Hades-Murder-Murder Cruiser pack has become VERY popular.

Hey Connor, have you ever looked at the BDZ of 56 Izar in Eisenhorn?

[Dominus]

I'm rather partial to lances but you can't generate the number of damaging hits against another craft as you can with an equivalent number of weapon batteries and advantageous positioning. That being said there are a couple of areas where they really shine: heavily armoured targets and when you don't have such advantageous positioning (long range, gas clouds, interference, broadside exchange).

Oh, I'm certainly with you on that point; I find the fact that lances ignore armor quite helpful against those heavily armored targets, like, say, Despoiler-class battleships. I just love gutting those wretched things with lances at extreme range, whenever the opportunity presents itself. (Which isn't often, if ever. Damn those faster Chaos battleships.)

And really, who can forget the Drachenfels' almost singlehanded destruction of the Virulent in Execution Hour? Now that was a fine example of how you murder something with a lance boat.

Where they are really murderous is when you can pair them up with a good number of weapons batteries. The nightmarish thing about the Apocalypse is that if you're willing to take the overload damage, you can use the lance arsenal at long range and absolutely murder some poor bastard.

Oh sweet God-Emperor, yes. Lances sporting a range of 60 with a firepower rating of 6? I'll take those over a Retribution's broadsides any day. But then again, I find the Retribution to be a generally irrelevant ship in any regard, as you can stack the Emperor and Oberon-class's broadsides with their dorsal and prow weapons batteries to achieve a godlike firepower 16 ranged 60 broadside (or 11 on both sides, just one point less than the Retribution), which seems to make the Retribution's paltry 12 firepower batteries seem superfluous by comparison. The 5 turret rating certainly doesn't hurt the Emperor, either. Compared to the Oberon, Emperor and even Apocalypse, the Retribution feels more like an expensive cruiser than a battleship. I wish the Retribution was better and/or cheaper, as I like the concept of a true battleship (non-carrier). Until then, I think my favorite big-gun ship is going to be the Oberon, as it has always been.

[Connor MacLeod]

Only the upper limit is 250 petatons, the actual calcs are 2.5 petatons per salvo.

Precisely. To be perfectly honest, I doubt they're anywhere close to 250 Petatons in reality. I suspect either single or very low double digit Petatons per salvo. I'd only endorse the use of the 250 petaton figure if you're running across a particularily annoying asshole (and if it came to that tehre's more excessive ways to generate firepower calcs for 40K.)

[Lost Soal]

Only the upper limit is 250 petatons, the actual calcs are 2.5 petatons per salvo.

Precisely. To be perfectly honest, I doubt they're anywhere close to 250 Petatons in reality. I suspect either single or very low double digit Petatons per salvo. I'd only endorse the use of the 250 petaton figure if you're running across a particularily annoying asshole (and if it came to that tehre's more excessive ways to generate firepower calcs for 40K.)

Quite true. There is the single missle Exterminatus from Tactica Imperialis, even though its directly stated that its not just one big explosion, it still causes a huge amount of destruction.

[Connor MacLeod]

Squadron in BFG runs up to six ships. and given that he said flotilla rather than squadron, I'd lean to the top end of that scale (if not more).

Um, yeah, I thought that initially, but not quite

Squadrons may have all sorts of different names, such as formations, flotillas, packs, groups, or forces, but they all work in the same way.

Escort ships must be formed into squadrons of between two and six ships each.

...

Cruisers, heavy cruisers, and battlecruisers may be formed into squadrons of two to four ships.

...

Grand Cruisers and battleships may be formed into squadrons of two to three ships.

Clearly a "flotilla" would be 2-3 battleships, hence how I worked it out. Other formations (escorts and like) can have more ships, ,but they aren't really relevant to battleships

Besides, in practice, I doubt that the vast majority of formations in the Navy would involve more than a couple of battleships for most purposes tops. They're rather too big and powerful to concentrate for prolonged periods in anything short of a real emergency. (And while a Tomb World is a major problem, I doubt its on the same level as, say, a Black Crusade unless its certifiably active/awakened.)

[Connor MacLeod]

Only the upper limit is 250 petatons, the actual calcs are 2.5 petatons per salvo.

Precisely. To be perfectly honest, I doubt they're anywhere close to 250 Petatons in reality. I suspect either single or very low double digit Petatons per salvo. I'd only endorse the use of the 250 petaton figure if you're running across a particularily annoying asshole (and if it came to that tehre's more excessive ways to generate firepower calcs for 40K.)

Quite true. There is the single missle Exterminatus from Tactica Imperialis, even though its directly stated that its not just one big explosion, it still causes a huge amount of destruction.

Eisenhorn mentions "continent destroying" ordnance, and The old Rogue Trader source has this little gem:

In theory, there is no reason why any of the grenade or missile types shouldn't be available in lager support versions. It would be possible to manufacture a missile of any size: from a weapon little larger than a normal launcher shell, to one capable of wiping out a city, ,province, or continent."

That included barrage and melta and plasma warheads as well as virus bombs and such. The fun bit of that is that they also note that such weapons can bombard planetary targets from millions of miles away


Edit: Oh yeah, and how could I forget this one?

"Their anti-ordnance defence turrets have weapons larger than those carried on Titans, their barrels over ten metres long, dozens of the point-defences studding the hull of a ship the size of a cruiser. Their broadsides vary, sometimes having huge plasma cannons capable of incinerating cities, other times its mass drivers that can pound metal and rock into oblivion. Short-range missile batteries can obliterate a smaller foe in a matter of minutes, while high-energgy lasers, which Jamieson tells me are called lancecs, can shear through three metres of the toughest armour with one devastating shot. Most cruisers carry huge torpedoes as well, loaded with multiple warheads charged with volatile plasma bombs, carrying the power to unleash the energy of a small star on the enemy. It makes my humble laspistol look like a spit in an ocean. More like a hundred oceans, actually. " - 13th Legion, page 134-135

"energyt of a small star" is almost certainly TT range.

[Connor MacLeod]

Hey Connor, have you ever looked at the BDZ of 56 Izar in Eisenhorn?

Briefly, but I am not confident it will provide anything as directly quantifiable as Caves of Icee. General exterminatus calcs (which I have lying around on my HD) are generally more reliable (and roughly consistent. with caves of Ice.)

[Connor MacLeod]

Page 168

Despite decades of intensive study by both the Ordo Xenos and the Adeptus Mechanicus the sensory mechanisms of the necrons remain a mystery. Sometimes they seem almost preternaturally able to detect an enemy, while at others, as in this instance, they overlook targets literally under their noses. At this time the Inquisition has no explanation to offer for this paradox; and if the Adeptus Mechanicus has one they're not sharing it

Frankly, I'm not erally sure what commentay to add here, except that Amberley seems to hint at the notion that the AM may not be wholly trustworthy where the Necrons are concerned (the whole incident with the Tomb and the promethium factory only underscores this.)

The only other worthwhile note is that the selective sensory stuff evidently includes soft noises in close proximity, ,as one of the Guardsman with Cain utters a soft oath and isn't heard. Perhaps their senses are psychic (like the terror effect Necron Lords project) and certain individuals (like Jurgen) can passively negate it. Feel free to add your own commentary in regards to this.

Page 171

- Cain notes it has been "less than a day" since they set out on the Ambull hunt.

Page 179

- Comms can be used to locate individual comm beads by tracking a carrier wave. (We see this several times in the Gaunt's Ghosts novels as well, such as "His Last Command.) The implied capability is that they can track the positions of their own people rather effectively up to the limits of their comm beads

Page 183

- Cain surmises that there were factions in the AM that deliberately established the Promethium facility as a smokescreen in order to give them direct access to the Necron tomb.

Page 185

- at this point, the gargant was "almost close enough to open fire" on the Valhallans, a "handful of kilometres" distant from their position now. Seems rather short-ranged for a Titan-like vehicle, but then again these ARE orks....

Page 191

- Cain here reiterates that they would be outnumbered "hundreds to one" and that "hundreds of thousands" of necrons would be loosed on the galaxy. He also says they must call the Navy in to sterilize the whole site from orbit. Note that later on (page 240), Cain mentions sterilizing the whole world. The two are not mutually exclusive, ,however (though I am sure some people will try to treat it as such.)

Page 200

Schola raised storm trooper squads generally fight better than most because they've been together so long and know each other so well that they share an instincive rapport no outsider can ever fully hsare, but the downside of that is tha tonce their numbers drop below a handful they become pretty much useless.

- Benefits and disadvantages of storm trooper forces. I would assume that once they fall below the "useful" range, they either get seconded to other people (like Inquisitors), or are integrated into regular squads (although that seems wasteful.) or are reserved for extraordinary tasks (like this one.)

Page 200 (subscript)

Because the real reason for the practice is to provide properly indoctrinated foot soldiers for the Inquisition. Of course, fewer than five per cent reach the exacting standards required, leaving the ones who don't make the grade to be palmed off on the Guard.

- Considering how the KasrKin in Eisenhorn are (in terms of equipment and training) and what we see of storm troops in the Cain and Gaunt novels, its small wonder Inquisitorial stormtroops aren't wearing power armour and wielding bolters by implication.

Incidentally if we could estimate how many troops in an average regiment (that have them) would be storm troopers, we might gain an estimate of the numbers of the Inquisitorial storm troops.( albiet almost certainly low end.)

Page 206

- a Gargant masses 'thousands of tonnes"

[Ford Prefect]

Considering how the KasrKin in Eisenhorn are (in terms of equipment and training) and what we see of storm troops in the Cain and Gaunt novels, its small wonder Inquisitorial stormtroops aren't wearing power armour and wielding bolters by implication."

Ironically, if I remember my Codex: Daemonhunters, that's sort of possible. You can put fairly trippy equipment on your Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Veteran Segeants; it is fully possible to giver them Artificer armour and twin lightning claws.

Very influential bosses, after all.

[Lonestar]

Briefly, but I am not confident it will provide anything as directly quantifiable as Caves of Icee. General exterminatus calcs (which I have lying around on my HD) are generally more reliable (and roughly consistent. with caves of Ice.)

Even more importantly, Tactica Imperialis(which I got yesterday) explicitly states that there are multiple methods of exterminatus, ranging from viruses tailored to kill rebels with a certain hair color to ye olde "bomb the Hell out of the planet from orbit".

So clearly exterminatus is a catch-all for "last resort".

[Elheru Aran]

Considering how the KasrKin in Eisenhorn are (in terms of equipment and training) and what we see of storm troops in the Cain and Gaunt novels, its small wonder Inquisitorial stormtroops aren't wearing power armour and wielding bolters by implication."

Ironically, if I remember my Codex: Daemonhunters, that's sort of possible. You can put fairly trippy equipment on your Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Veteran Segeants; it is fully possible to giver them Artificer armour and twin lightning claws.

Very influential bosses, after all.

In this case I doubt 'artificer armour' would be power armour per se; it would, however, be very well made and strong carapace armour. But if it's got the same stats as Marine artificer armour (I don't have the codexes on hand right now to verify), I guess I'd have to concede that one

[Teleros]

The only other worthwhile note is that the selective sensory stuff evidently includes soft noises in close proximity, ,as one of the Guardsman with Cain utters a soft oath and isn't heard. Perhaps their senses are psychic (like the terror effect Necron Lords project) and certain individuals (like Jurgen) can passively negate it. Feel free to add your own commentary in regards to this.

No idea why the Necrons would selectively ignore people etc - perhaps they're focusing on something else (being once-living and all that). As for the type of sensors, well I doubt we're talking psychic, I think it's more a case of just excellent realspace sensors (given how they and the C'Tan have nothing to do with warp space).

[Falkenhayn]

Briefly, but I am not confident it will provide anything as directly quantifiable as Caves of Icee. General exterminatus calcs (which I have lying around on my HD) are generally more reliable (and roughly consistent. with caves of Ice.)

Even more importantly, Tactica Imperialis(which I got yesterday) explicitly states that there are multiple methods of exterminatus, ranging from viruses tailored to kill rebels with a certain hair color to ye olde "bomb the Hell out of the planet from orbit".

So clearly exterminatus is a catch-all for "last resort".

The Exterminatus from Galaxy in Flames detailed a virus weapon that breaks down a planet's biomass (from topsoil on up). But instead of turning it into biologically inert jell-o, the virus converts it into combustible gasses, which fill the atmosphere. They are then ignited by a suitably large explosion producing a planet wide firestorm. So combine technobabble Cyclonic warheads with out "standard" exterminatus.

[Ford Prefect]

In this case I doubt 'artificer armour' would be power armour per se; it would, however, be very well made and strong carapace armour. But if it's got the same stats as Marine artificer armour (I don't have the codexes on hand right now to verify), I guess I'd have to concede that one

While that is logical, I'm too busy giggling at the idea of a Inquisitorial storm tropper in a ridiculously pimp suit of armour ripping it up with his power weapons. If only Lightning Claws had their Rogue Trader abilities still.

[Uraniun235]

In this case I doubt 'artificer armour' would be power armour per se; it would, however, be very well made and strong carapace armour. But if it's got the same stats as Marine artificer armour (I don't have the codexes on hand right now to verify), I guess I'd have to concede that one

While that is logical, I'm too busy giggling at the idea of a Inquisitorial storm tropper in a ridiculously pimp suit of armour ripping it up with his power weapons. If only Lightning Claws had their Rogue Trader abilities still.

Okay, not an Inquisitor, but...

[Stormbringer]

Frankly, I'm not erally sure what commentay to add here, except that Amberley seems to hint at the notion that the AM may not be wholly trustworthy where the Necrons are concerned (the whole incident with the Tomb and the promethium factory only underscores this.)

I'm not sure if you're aware of the significance of the later assignments of the cog-boy in question but the mining complex (Noctis Labrynthus) has a Necron connection. According to fluff a Necron ship crashed there and it has been repeatedly been implied that the C'tan known as the Dragon (or Void-Dragon) is in fact lying to rest there. Supposedly he is either awake and manipuating the Adeptus Mechanicus (and others) for millenia or he is still in hibernation and is being passively worshipped. Either one implies that he's the Omnisiah.

There is definite evidence for the conspiracy when one knows the fluff. I'm skeptical and don't much care for the C'tan behind every corner twist things took for a good while. But it's a possibility to consider when analyising this incident.

The only other worthwhile note is that the selective sensory stuff evidently includes soft noises in close proximity, ,as one of the Guardsman with Cain utters a soft oath and isn't heard. Perhaps their senses are psychic (like the terror effect Necron Lords project) and certain individuals (like Jurgen) can passively negate it. Feel free to add your own commentary in regards to this.

That is certainly something to keep in mind.

But I think it's likely that the Necron's own command heirarchies also play a role. While they are some what independent, they are still locked into a command heirarchy. A lot of instances are probably a matter of the higher ups either not being awake or active; that would clearly be the case here where only a few Necrons, quite possible all from offworld, are active. In other cases it may be a case of standing orders and stand-by modes and what not.

Amberly probably doesn't understand this because she, like most, is ignorant of most things technical and has no real way of gaining insight into Necron behaviour.

- Considering how the KasrKin in Eisenhorn are (in terms of equipment and training) and what we see of storm troops in the Cain and Gaunt novels, its small wonder Inquisitorial stormtroops aren't wearing power armour and wielding bolters by implication.

Inquisitorial Stomtroopers are generally equipped about as well as Kasrkin, which is itself some what better than "mere" Valhallan Stormtroopers. Depending on their exact mission and the role to which they are assigned they may well recieve even more potent equipment.

The problem is, again, that there is not much in the way of uniformity. Generally at the top of the food chain are Ordo Malleus who are as beyond Karsrkin as Grey Knights are beyond ordinary Marines.

Ironically, if I remember my Codex: Daemonhunters, that's sort of possible. You can put fairly trippy equipment on your Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Veteran Segeants; it is fully possible to giver them Artificer armour and twin lightning claws.

Very influential bosses, after all.

Not by table top rules, wargear limit cut that off far sooner.

So clearly exterminatus is a catch-all for "last resort".

Indeed. It is mentioned in Inquisitor / Draco that Exterminatus is an explicitly stated to be order, not a given procedure.

[Ford Prefect]

Not by table top rules, wargear limit cut that off far sooner.

Huh. Looking at my handy copy of White Dwarf, issue 289, in the Daemonhunters Q&A, Phil Kelly addresses this point and says that yes, Veterans really can have that gear (though what use they get out of it is dubious).

[Stormbringer]

Not by table top rules, wargear limit cut that off far sooner.

Huh. Looking at my handy copy of White Dwarf, issue 289, in the Daemonhunters Q&A, Phil Kelly addresses this point and says that yes, Veterans really can have that gear (though what use they get out of it is dubious).

Wouldn't be the first time White Dwarf is wrong.

[Connor MacLeod]

Briefly, but I am not confident it will provide anything as directly quantifiable as Caves of Icee. General exterminatus calcs (which I have lying around on my HD) are generally more reliable (and roughly consistent. with caves of Ice.)

Even more importantly, Tactica Imperialis(which I got yesterday) explicitly states that there are multiple methods of exterminatus, ranging from viruses tailored to kill rebels with a certain hair color to ye olde "bomb the Hell out of the planet from orbit".

So clearly exterminatus is a catch-all for "last resort".

Yes, one of my future little articles is planning to deal with Exterminatus, including the data provided in Tactica Imperialis. But these things are time consuming.

[Connor MacLeod]

I'm not sure if you're aware of the significance of the later assignments of the cog-boy in question but the mining complex (Noctis Labrynthus) has a Necron connection. According to fluff a Necron ship crashed there and it has been repeatedly been implied that the C'tan known as the Dragon (or Void-Dragon) is in fact lying to rest there. Supposedly he is either awake and manipuating the Adeptus Mechanicus (and others) for millenia or he is still in hibernation and is being passively worshipped. Either one implies that he's the Omnisiah.

There is definite evidence for the conspiracy when one knows the fluff. I'm skeptical and don't much care for the C'tan behind every corner twist things took for a good while. But it's a possibility to consider when analyising this incident.

Yeah, I'm aware of that much, and that the AM is at least parttly infiltrated (it played a fairly big part in the Necron Codex, in fact.) There's an entire sub-cult that the vast majority don't seem to be aware of (although there are some suspcions.) I think Necronlord even mentioned (and I remember seeing this somewhere too) that the AM on Mars that are loyal ot the C'tan housed there (whoever it is) are also producing new Necrons, IIRC.

I doubt he/she/it's manipulating anyone else though. They seem to be hiding even from a greater percentage of the AM itself, and I do believe we know the Deceiver is semi-active in the Imperium as well. Given how the Deceiver acted to wipe out most of the other C'tan, I doubt he would tolerate letting another one "muscle in" so to speak.)

That is certainly something to keep in mind.

But I think it's likely that the Necron's own command heirarchies also play a role. While they are some what independent, they are still locked into a command heirarchy. A lot of instances are probably a matter of the higher ups either not being awake or active; that would clearly be the case here where only a few Necrons, quite possible all from offworld, are active. In other cases it may be a case of standing orders and stand-by modes and what not.

As far as I know, the tombs hadn't awakened yet, and the active Necrons were all off world (I think thats what Cain figured, at any rate.) And your idea has merit. However, I would be hard pressed to believe the Necrons don't have some sort of passive "alarm/detection" system to be tripped by certain kinds of sensors (like auditory.) But on the toher hand, perhaps they are. *shrugs* I suppose even the Necrons could be foolish or stupid in design.

Amberly probably doesn't understand this because she, like most, is ignorant of most things technical and has no real way of gaining insight into Necron behaviour.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure the Imperium has a good grasp on Necron tech in general, much less the Inquisition. The hint in the codex that "multi-megawatt" power levels in weapons is beyond them is odd (given plasma and melta weapons, to say nothing of hellguns and las-weapons), but also the fact they think a titan or starship scale weapon would be needed to puncture the side armor of a Land Raider (a multi-GT or multi-TT weapon would do more than just punch straight through....)

It is fairly obvious that the AM as a whole may not know, but those that do know are keeping it close to their chests.

Inquisitorial Stomtroopers are generally equipped about as well as Kasrkin, which is itself some what better than "mere" Valhallan Stormtroopers. Depending on their exact mission and the role to which they are assigned they may well recieve even more potent equipment.

Somewhere one of the rule books mentions the Skitarii and Storm troopers (in general) as being roughly on par (at least in terms of equipment, I think). I should try to dig that quote up if I can.

The problem is, again, that there is not much in the way of uniformity. Generally at the top of the food chain are Ordo Malleus who are as beyond Karsrkin as Grey Knights are beyond ordinary Marines.

Lack of uniformity isn't an unusual occurance though, in the Imperium's various segments.

Indeed. It is mentioned in Inquisitor / Draco that Exterminatus is an explicitly stated to be order, not a given procedure.

Also in Nightbringer and Warriors of Ultramar, I believe.

[Connor MacLeod]

Edit: I'm feeling lazy, so I am not goign to post many quotes (wlel that and the other thread going on..) hope noone minds.

Page 213

"Place your shots" Welard said calmly, and the surviving storm troopers unleashed a hail of hellgun fire against our attackers. The glare of lasbolts impacting against the leading necron dazzled my eyes, then its chest gave way, seared and blasted by the precision volley, and it tumbled to the ice-slick floor revealing a fresh target behind it, ,already levelling another gauss flayer.

- Half a dozen or so Hellguns I believe, barraged for a very brief time by hellgun fire, takes it down. Of course, it doesn't STAY down....

Page 214

.. with the death of our first casualty they fell into a practiced routine , the men at the front falling prone, those behind kneeling, and the ones at the rear standing up so that the whole squad was able to concentrate their fire as one. The second necron lost its head, quite literally...

- Three-rank deep firing position, evidently well drilled into the storm troopers (and allowing maximum concentration of firepower, at least under these conditions.) One must wonder if the Guard is also trained in this (just with less precision.)

Page 214

- First necron warrior is already getting up again as the second falls.

Page 214

The flare of actinic energy stabbed my retina, even through my closed eyelid, and the roar of ice flashing instantly into steam echoed all around us. The air against my face was suddenly warm and wet, as though I'd been teleported into a rain-forest somewhere. As I blinked my vision clear I could see nothing but puddles of molten metal surrounded by grotesque lumps of statuary, some of which still twitched, freezing almost at once into the rapidly-reforming ice. Then, in an instant, they faded away as though they'd never been., leaving behind nothing but drifignt vapour and some oddly-shaped indentations on the tunnel floor.

- Even though they can get back up from concentrated hellgun fire, a meltagun will still knock a group of them down with severe damage... (of course they just teleported away to repair and come back later) but its evident that the melta REALLY fucked them up. (and vaporized a not-insignificant chunk of ice in the process, it would seem.

Given the "walk t hrough 15 gigawatt fences" and the resilience ot Hellgun fire, this might suggest Melta firepower on par with (or somewhat greater) than the "ice vaporization" calc did. (depends on how many necrons, but also how much energy of the 15 GW fence was absorbed, intensities, etc.) Since I don't have the data, I can't comment beyond that.

Page 219

On cue, my aide unleashed another blast from his melta into the centre of the group, cutting a swath through them as efficiently as before. Once again the necrons caught by the full force of the blast were simply annihilated, flashing into vapour as thoroughly as the victims of their own terrible weapons, while the ones at the fringe of that ravening burst of energy staggered, limbs and torsos seared and softened like candle wax.

Here, it suggests that the melta is actually VAPORIZING the Necrons (or at least mostly vaporizing them) while others surrounding take not-insigifnicant melting damage from proximity. No doubt they just teleport away after, of course.

Page 220

- Cain refers to the cavern that the warp portal is in as "city sized", suggesting that it is quite large and open. And it is quite likely not the only one. All told, I would not be surprised if the Necron base had a dozen or more such caves ten or more kilometers in diameter.

This also does suggest, with regards to the bombardment calc, that they have to melt a not-insigifnicant amount of crust in and around the caves to actually fuck them up (nevermind the ejecta and secondary effects we know about.) Probably at least hundreds if not thousands of meters deep (minus all the city-sized empty spaces, of course.) Small wonder Cain mentions bombarding them "however deeply buried", eh?


PAge 223

The Aura of terror projected by necron pariahs appears to be at least partly a psychic phenomenon, so its quite reasonable to assume a blank would repel them and mask the effect. However, since no other record exists of a blank coming into such close proximity to a group of pariahs, and they're far too rare and valuable to risk in deliberately testing this hypothesis, it must remain conjectural.

If the aura effect is psychic, then again some otehr aspects of the Necrons (but not the C'tan, of course) coudl also be psychic. Although IIRC recent conversations, Pariahs were actually more like untouchables/blanks (liek Bequin in the Eisenhorn books or Jurgen here.) than psykers. Puzzling.

[Imperial Overlord]

The Inquisitor rulebook explicitly states that Pariahs are powerful Untouchables. Other fluff indicates that the Necrons deliberately engineered the untouchable genes as anti-psyker measures as the warp is anathema to the C'tan.

[NecronLord]

While we've not actually seen it done, we've been told that necron Pariahs are made from untouchables like Bequin.

We've seen something similar before, in the old Ian Watson story Warped Stars, in Deathwing. In the Dark Age of Technology, they had the technology to convert a human brain into some kind of crystals, and retain potent psyker abilities. I mention this, because it seems that if they use the same science, pariahs may be repairable, just not battlefield-self-repairing, which would explain why the C'tan are willing to risk such a rare asset in seemingly trivial battles.