Epic 40K analysis thread (all versions)

[Cykeisme]

What's your current best figures for titan scale, Connor?

[Connor MacLeod]

Graham McNeill is wrong. You'd have to ask White Rabbit or something since I think he follows that more than I do, ,but I know they're alot taller than Graham claims they are. I generally go with whatever is in Eisenhorn or Titanicus.

[white_rabbit]

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v660/ ... squick.jpg

I've got a huge banner size one with dozens of references, but its on my webless home computer, so you can have the rough one, and the marine scale one. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/ ... perium.jpg

My fav bit is Dies Irae, clearly the Ad Mech have borrowed the Forge world Debiguliser!

I should mention that since we are told to expect a Forgeworld Warlord in the next few years, Titan size will inevitably trend towards the smaller, as authors use the FW books for reference.

Its interesting to note casualties are high - it makes you wonder why, since Titans are so rare and hard to make.

People die easier than Titans, in other words, you can rebuild Titans from severe damage, and repairing and modifying is easily within the capability of the Ad-mech.

[Lost Soal]

Page 6

The Divisio Telepathica operated the dreaded, but very rare, Psi-Titans, and is somewhat smaller than either the Divisio Militaris or Divisio Mandati. The Telepath Orders each operate from a hidden Forge World near the heart of the Imperium - ready to respond to dire crises in huuman space.

Ah yes, the Psyker Titans, and an example of how the Titan ORders can be specialized. They sound nasty, but we're not told ever quite WHY they are so nasty (or rare). Presumably they employ Psykers in some format, but is there also somethign else about the Titans that makes them so formidable? Perhaps the Titans amplify psychic abilities. OR they are better conttrolled/more effective somehow.

They also more or less sound like the Superhero version of the Ttian Legions.

We know Ravenor had Psi-Amplifiers added to the Rouge Trader vessels he utilised for long periods so the definitely exist. Meaning Amplifiers plugged into the Titan is the least we can expect.

[Cykeisme]

Damn, what's GW doing? Bigger = more awesome!
Given the choices available, I go for titans being bloody walking mountains of kill!


The only reason I can fathom such a decision would be if they were trying to integrate titans into 40k, as in Apocalypse.. the entire attempt is a mistake, considering the system has fething max Strength 10 and max Armor Value 14 and all.

As a related aside, GW has put an Apocalypse Datasheet for an Emperor-class Titan on their website.
On the navigation bars on their site..
Warhammer 40,000 -> Warhammer 40,000 Apocalypse -> Apocalypse Articles -> Apocalypse: Datasheets

Unsurprisingly, it's using the same small scale as the existing Apocalypse titans.

[Falkenhayn]

The only reason I can fathom such a decision would be if they were trying to integrate titans into 40k, as in Apocalypse.. the entire attempt is a mistake, considering the system has fething max Strength 10 and max Armor Value 14 and all.

Strength "D" Weapons, Void Shields, and the ability to Self-Repair. That's how they do it.

That aside, the "Shadowsword" family of vehicles are best described as Superheavy Assault Guns, as none of their primary weapons are turret mounted.

The Shadowsword mounts a Volcano Cannon as a primary weapon. Secondary armament is two turret mounted lascannons (independent turrets), two sponson mounted heavy bolters, and a forward firing hull mounted HB for local defense. This secondary armament is standard on all "Shadowsword" chasis, like the ones that follow. It's a great big Titan/Superheavy Armor killer, and can be outfitted as a mobile command center.

The Banesword is Superheavy Self-Propelled Artillery. It mounts a Quake Cannon that makes the Earthshaker look like a popgun, and can be outfitted as a mobile command center.

The Banehammer is a Superheavy Transport/Infantry Support Gun. It can carry 25 Troops, and has a short-intermediate range Tremor Cannon. This sounds like GW being too smart by half (if you fire a big enough shell blast and overpressure will do these same effects), but the shell makes a small earthquake, operating on a delay fuse.

The Stormsword is a Superheavy Transport. It can carry 40 Troops and has a Vulcan Mega Bolter, along with Heavy Stubber weapons stations for the passengers. It can also redirect reactor output to increase the ROF of its primary weapon, at the cost of mobility.

The Stormlord is a Superheavy Assault/Infantry Support Gun. The short ranged Stormsword Siege Gun fires rocket assisted shells weighing in excess of 180kg, and can be outfitted as a mobile command center.

The Doomhammer is a Superheavy Transport/Anti Armor Gun. It was invented in the field as a solution to a shortage of Shadowswords during the Siege of Ordana, with an intermediate range Magma Cannon. It can transport 25 troops.

Why you'd risk a superheavy vehicle in a urban setting, I don't know. In defense of the IoM, the short range variants have sizeable transport capacities combined with a goodly number of secondary anti-personnel/anti-armor weapons. At this point, I'm surprised the IoM dosen't have a Siege/Urban Combat/CQB specialized combat aircraft. Then again, that may be where the Vendetta/Valkyrie series comes in.

[Elheru Aran]

Conveniently, GW is releasing a Valkyrie plastic boxed set with its new Guard codex; undoubtedly they'll also release a Vulture gunship as well. It's interesting how GW's been releasing a bunch of FW stuff on their main label these days, but I suppose that goes along with the whole Apocalypse thing, all targeted at making more money off the unsuspecting mooks in the shops...

[Falkenhayn]

Conveniently, GW is releasing a Valkyrie plastic boxed set with its new Guard codex; undoubtedly they'll also release a Vulture gunship as well. It's interesting how GW's been releasing a bunch of FW stuff on their main label these days, but I suppose that goes along with the whole Apocalypse thing, all targeted at making more money off the unsuspecting mooks in the shops...

It's a blessing in disguise for me. My gaming club plays an Apocalypse game once a month, more or less, and has connections with Rogue Trader retailers. So I can purchase a Hellhammer (the Urban Combat/Siege Version of a Baneblade, and right nasty), or a Shadowsword for $60, an play a 20,000 point game of 40k with a million different twists that takes all day. For the financial investment, time investment and depth of the gaming experience, it's far more efficient.

Besides, most veteran gamers I've come across haven't bought something new in the box from GW in months. And the typical markdown for used 40k minis online is 30-50%.

[andrewgpaul]

Conveniently, GW is releasing a Valkyrie plastic boxed set with its new Guard codex; undoubtedly they'll also release a Vulture gunship as well. It's interesting how GW's been releasing a bunch of FW stuff on their main label these days, but I suppose that goes along with the whole Apocalypse thing, all targeted at making more money off the unsuspecting mooks in the shops...

Actually, I'm not sure about a plastic Vulture; the Valkyrie now has the Vendetta variant, which looks to fill the same role as the Vulture. The latter may remain Forgeworld-only.

[Connor MacLeod]

You all speak of things in my own thread of which I have yet no knowledge nor understanding of. I demand clarification

[Falkenhayn]

You all speak of things in my own thread of which I have yet no knowledge nor understanding of. I demand clarification

WH40k Apocalypse is a supplement designed for games of 3000 points or greater. It comes in two books, the core book, Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, is in hardcover, and the supplement, Apocalypse: Reload is in softcover. Both books contain specialized battlefield formations and equipment deployed in large scale WH40k conflicts, like the ones that commonly take place in novelizations. They also have rules for Superheavy Tanks, Fighters, Bombers, and Titans for most 40k antagonists, along with fixed fortifications, fixed artillery, orbital defenses and the like. It also has fun things, like TO&Es for tank regiments (complete with artillery, recovery vehicles, resupply vehicles and local air defence, +/- a Superheavy tank company for Regimental HQ ), and Superheavy Tank Companies/Regiments ( ).

Games Workshop is updating the rulebooks constantly with official PDF files released on the company website. So all the fun stuff made by Forgeworld, that used to be novelty models for real 40k zealots, now have playable rules. You'll have to go buy the books, but the PDFs are available here: http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/conte ... Id=3400020 This is where I'm getting all my information on the Shadowsword family of Superheavy Assault Guns (GW calls them Tanks, but its a pet peeve of mine, the main guns are hull mounted god damnit!)

The Shadowsword's a HUGE family of weapons systems. The Baneblade family so far contains the Baneblade, a jack-of-all-trades Superheavy MBT, and the Hellhammer, which replaces the Baneblade Cannon with a Hellhammer Cannon, which fires trash can sized 40k dirty bombs. 40k gets around cover with fuck-off huge amounts of burning Promethium, and with the Introduction of Apocalypse, a generous application of explosives and radiation.

[Connor MacLeod]

I know what Apocalypse is, I'll probably cover it at some future date. W hat I meant was, what the heck is up with all these new variants n shit I've never heard of.

[Connor MacLeod]

Page 8

As soon as it was completed, he was placed within its [Golden Throne] confines, where he has remained for ten millenia, sustained by the souls drainned from millions of human psychics.

I'm not sure over what timeframe that the Emepror has "Drained" millions of souls, but its likely an approximate total.

Page 8

The ADeptus Arbites are the Imperial police and justices, the enforcers of Imperial LAw throughout space. It is their responsibility to police all planetary governors and planetary police forces.

As mentioned in Cain novels (and elsewhere) that local plaentary forcecs have their own police forces alogn with the ARbites.


Page 8

There are one thousand Chapters, each of one thousand Marines, a mere million battle-brothers.

"battle brothers" implies that its only the fighting Marines, and not including Chaplains, Techmarines, Scouts, and so on and so forth.

Page 8

The Imperial Guard are recruited from the elite of the Imperium's planetary armies. The sheer number of regiments in the Guard staggers the imagination; it is truly a vast force, with tremendous capabilities.
..
As well as its combat troops, the Guard has enormous resources in teh shape of vehicles, battle machinery, and support personnel.

Imperial Guard are mentioned to be recruite dfrom the "elite" of the PDF (This likely helps to explain why the PDFs are looked down on, if their best troops are frequently stripped from them - they constnatly have to re-train and re "blood" their troops )

Page 8

It [Imperila Fleet] provides both a space-going navy and the transport for the rest of the Imperium's armed forces. It also has a large share of other interstellar transporrt within the Imperiumn; independent private ships do exist, but these are comparatively rare.

The Imperial fleet covers both the military and commercial arms, although in the latter case it seems to only hold a substantial percentage not a totality. It does suggest a not-insignificant portion of "independent" commerical shipping exists (though its likely to be the "local" stuff operating at subsector or sector levels, without Navigators. Anything having a Navigator is likely to either be partly or wholly owned by the Navigators themselves.)

Its also worth noting that interstellar transporrt and military trnasporrt are considered separate. Presumably the latter includes not just troops and vehicles, but also militay supplies.

Page 8

Rogue Traders have no formal military rank, but they are often attached detatchments of Space Marines or Imperial Guard as a private army. With a retinue of tech-priests, Inquisitors, and psykers, a Rogue Trader can be a formidable conqueror, even without the occasinonal backing of the Collegia Titanica.

Fairly standard Rogue Trader description and a description of the kinds of assets they may be given.

Page 9

For each regiment, corps, and army that joined the rebellion there were those who remained loyal.

"Corps" and "army" formations evideently exist, its not all just regiments.

Page 9

Seven years of hard fighting remained, as the rest of the Imperium was cleansed of the naive rebels who had sided with the Warmaster. All were destroyed or driven into the Eye during the Great Scouring.

It took seven years to completely end the HEresy wars, mostly mop up

Page 9

Over one hundred titan Orders of the Divisio Militari sare assigned to worlds near the Eye

Over a thousand Titans, likely, specfiifically deployed with the intent to counter any Chaos incursions out of the Eye.

[white_rabbit]

what the heck is up with all these new variants n shit I've never heard of.

GW released the a Baneblade plastic kit, which has now led to a Superheavy kit which allows easy and simple ways to make multiple new superheavy tanks. So one kit gives you the pieces to build any of half a dozen different tanks, from superheavy mortar to Shadowsword.

GW plastics tech investment paying off basically.

[andrewgpaul]

By my count, there are now 11 Superheavy Baneblade-chassis tanks described in various bits of material; the Baneblade itself, along with the other tank buildable from the kit, the 6 variants in the Shadowsword kit, the Stormblade mks 1 and 2 (basically with and without external missile racks) and the ... stormhammer? The one from 2nd edition Epic, with 2 turrets and 4 sponsons, sor urban anti-infantry work.

[Connor MacLeod]

Page 10

These beings [daemons] have preyed upon psykers throughout human history, using them as gateways into the real universe.

Psykers must evidently create some sort of "portal" or gateway into the warp in order to access their powers, hence why they are at risk of possession when using their powers. Interstingly, this viewpoint would suggest that all 40K races that are psychically aware to one degree or another create these portals or tap the warp to some degree or another, since the danger of possession can extend beyond psykers (either subsconscious use of psychic abilities, willingly inviting it in such as in some ritual, etc.)

Page 10

the domination and possession of psykers is only one weapon in their [daemons] armory. Human perversity and greed works in their favor; there are those who, for reasons of their own, are prepared to commit the ultimate heresy and offer worship to these dark beings

Further elaboration on Daemonic abilities and whatnot. This likely refers to the "sign your soul over for earthly power" type pacts, since souls are both food and power to a daemon.

Page 10

The Inquisitions' Ordo Malleus and other, more clandestine, organisations, fight a secret war against Chaos and its servants.

Its implied there may be other elements in the Inquisition beyond the Malleus (smaller ordos?) that have a role in fighting chaos. Perhaps this could mesh with the mention of the Ordo Hydra.

Page 12

There are literally hundreds of different classes and variants of each type of Titan (Battle, Emperor, etc.)

Not only that, they're highly customizable. It would be interesting to know the breakdown of variants in terms of numbers.

Page 18

Fortunately, Void Shields can be raised again once the energy they have absorbed has been drained off, and all the Titans have built-in auto-repair units for repairing damaged systems.

Titans can auto-repair (presumably some starships could have such an ability). Also void shields are depicted here as some form of energy absorption/reradiation defense, although the exact nature of such is up for debate. They may use heat sinks and radiators like SW ships reputedly do, or they may work in other ways (Like Lensman-verse defense screens or Langtson fields from Mote in the God's Eye.)

Page 19

It felt good to stalk sixty feet tall between the towering buildings of Morian.

60 foot titan. don't remember the type being depicted. Very early canon on titans, however.

Page 23

The auto-cannon rattled like an irritable dragonfly, and was answered by another flare. Its shells might not do more than scratch the adamantium hide of a Battle Titan, but they could knock down Void Shields just as well as a defence laser.

That will have to be a VERY big auto-cannon to be mounted as a titan weapon. Quite likely bigger than a Leman russ battle cannon. Especially since, against shields, its supposed to be as effective as a defence laser.

Page 23

A rod of light sprang into momentary being as the huge laser fired, and a nimbus of adamantium vapor boiled away from the Traitor carapace, the Titan's plasma cannon was reduced to slag.

Partially melted/vaporized the weapon arm on a Titan and part of the carapace. Hard to accurately calc, since we dont know the mass of the weapons, but assuming iron composition and, say 10% a Batlte titan's mass (~2000 tons or so) that could easily be several hundred gigajoules, minimum.

Page 26

Close combat is swift and brutal. It takes place at very short range the Titans actually get inside each others Void shields,
...

When Titans are engaged in close combat, they move inside each other's void shields. The Void Shields no longer provide protection against close combat attacks, and all succecssful hits will cause real damage.

Titan void shields must extend some meters or tens of meters out from the ship. This also does not suggest a highly volumetric nature to shields, but I could be wrong (again we dont know quite how they work.) And the well known "Titans can walk through shields" aspect -which has been discussed in detail elsewhere, s o I won't get into that here, save that it hints that at least in some cases, shields are permeable to certain kinds of objects and that void shields may have some velocity component to them (like some kinds of SW shields and Dune verse shields.) However, there is nothing definite to make conclusions on beyond that.

Page 28

titans in close combat have effectively merged their Void Shields together. Therefore, hits will knock down one Void Shield on each of the Titans involved. If only one titan has operating shields, they will protect all the Titans involved in the Close Combat.

Void shields can be "merged" to provide greater protection. Such tactics could in theory be applied to other void-shielded objects.

[Bedlam]

Page 10

These beings [daemons] have preyed upon psykers throughout human history, using them as gateways into the real universe.

Psykers must evidently create some sort of "portal" or gateway into the warp in order to access their powers, hence why they are at risk of possession when using their powers. Interstingly, this viewpoint would suggest that all 40K races that are psychically aware to one degree or another create these portals or tap the warp to some degree or another, since the danger of possession can extend beyond psykers (either subsconscious use of psychic abilities, willingly inviting it in such as in some ritual, etc.)

I've always considered it more of a 'thinning' of the wall between the real world and the warp. The use of psykic powers makes it easier for demons to interact with the real world rather than the powers just punching straight through.

[andrewgpaul]

Page 23

The auto-cannon rattled like an irritable dragonfly, and was answered by another flare. Its shells might not do more than scratch the adamantium hide of a Battle Titan, but they could knock down Void Shields just as well as a defence laser.

That will have to be a VERY big auto-cannon to be mounted as a titan weapon. Quite likely bigger than a Leman russ battle cannon. Especially since, against shields, its supposed to be as effective as a defence laser.

In 1st edition Epic, Titan weapons were just called the same names as infantry-scale heavy and very-heavy weapons - lascannon, multi-melta, autocannon, etc. They did, however, have substantially better stats. By 2nd edition, the same weapons had been renamed, to avoid such confusion.

[Connor MacLeod]

Page 32

In the aftermath of hte Horus Heresy, the loyal Orders of the then-new Collegia Titanica added purity seals to their titans. These huge seals of soft metal were applied by the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus as a mark of purity and a ward against corruption. Painted and inscribed with runes, decorated with long ribbon banners, the seals are still placed upon Titans. They are a remembrance of the shameful days of the Heresy when thousands of Titans were turned against the Emperor by the dark influence of Chaos.-

Purity seals and their purposes. Probably more than just decorative.

Page 33

Titans with three or more Void shields are fitted with a device which allows the Princeps to bypass the Void Shields' overload cutout mechanism as a last-ditch measure to stop a hit. Instead of going down when overloaded, the Void Shields stay up, taking the strain of the excess energy. Sometimes the Void Shields survive and sometimes the Void Shield Generators are reduced to molten slag and the Titan is without Void Shields for the rest o fthe battle.

Void shields by this definition, or at least the ones run on titans, seem to operate as short term energy absorption and dissipation devices. They're designed to absorb energy up to a certain point (the maximum handling capability of the shield) then cut out and dispose of that energy. The fact that some kinds of void shields can be taken past "overload" hints at the short term nature of the absorption - anything beyond the capacity gets through. This duration could vary though (I'm thinking based on BFG ships have longer durations, but may also have longer dissipation times than Titans, though this isn't neccearily a linear correlation or anything.). But this is probably the reason for the multiple shields in 'layers' - either the layered shields "spread out" the energy absorbed upon multiple generators, or another shield layer can kick in to cover for one that gets overloaded and is discharging.

Page 34

Just as Titans that are in close combat 'merge' their shields, friendly Titans can do the same thing as a defensive tactic to protect a damaged Titan.

Much like the aformentioned merging. Not much needs to be said other than indicating it can be applied for defensive purposes.

Page 36

When a Blind Missile explodes, it scatters Blind Grenades over a wide area. Blind is a sophsticated form of smokescreen, ,combining dense smoke with broad-spectrum electromagnetic interference. None of a Titan's detection and targeting systems will operate through a cloud of Blind.

A form of EW system designed to hamper various forms of targeting.
Page 36

Haywire missiles release a massive burst of electrostatic and radioactive pulse waves when they explode, designed to disrupt the target's electrical control systems.

Titans (and other tank systems) seem electrical, and thus vulnerable to EMP type attacks (and extreme radiaiton, which possibly might harm crews.)

Page 36

Mine Dispenser Missiles (MDMs) scatter mines over a wide area.

Pretty self explanatory, but likely could be used for other purposes (deploying sensors, perhaps)

Page 37

The plasma is a huge and very effective weapon. While in flight, it splits into six masses of seething plasma, whcih spread out to saturate the target area.

Its not just a plasma weapon, its a MIRV-type plasma weapon.

Page 37

The Stasis Missile carries a Stasis Field Generator (SF) as a warhead. The SFG is a highly-sophisticaed device which creates an area where time literally stands still. Anything caught within the statsis field is forzen in place and unable to do anything - but Titans outside the field cannot fire into it.

Stasis weapon. Not sure what point this servves other than to temporarily eliminate a nasty threat so as to allow forces to concentrate on other enemies, or perhaps to capture or delay.

Page 37

When a Vortex Missile explodes, it creates a seething mass of energy known as a Vortex field. This area is quite devastatingly destructive, even for a machine as tough as a titan.

The gold old Vortex weapons. No need to explain these.

Page 37

A warp missile actually travels through warpspace, the strange chaotic universe used by starships to span immense distances in space. The missile enters Warpspace when it is fired, and is programmed to re-enter normal space on the other side of the target's Void Shields. It may sometimes materialise inside the target itself.

..

A miss indicates that the missile has left Warpspace at the wrong point - and this could be anywhere in any of the million universes.

A "teleporting" missile in other words, working akin to a displacement shield or a Wapr spider jump pack. It is rathre interesting that very small objects can teleport in or around a planet while larger objects (like starships) cannot. This may be because the larger hole needed by a bigger ship requires considerably more energy (and such energy outputs would be dangrous in proximity to a planet anyhow since we know from Execution hour that warp jumps can involve stellar level outputs.) Another possibility is that smaller objects have much less problems adapting to higher gravitational fields than bigger ones - a large starship has to deal with miles of ship to compensate for, as opposed to meters for most missiles. OF course, compensation may be tired to energy output as well, as we know that warp portals can be opened by sufficiently large sacrifices/rituals, too.

We do know from warp portals that the size/density of the warp core as well as energy output does affect the size of a portal that can be opened in a heavy gravity enviroment, at least (Eldar Codexes.)

[Cykeisme]

The only reason I can fathom such a decision would be if they were trying to integrate titans into 40k, as in Apocalypse.. the entire attempt is a mistake, considering the system has fething max Strength 10 and max Armor Value 14 and all.

Strength "D" Weapons, Void Shields, and the ability to Self-Repair. That's how they do it.

I'm taking that into account, Falk.
I think the bigger titans should be so damn monstrously huge, with arrays of void shields so powerful, and adamantine plating so thick, that no amount of infantry-portable lascannon fire can harm it.
One might ask, then, how they would be represented in normal tabletop 40k rules. The answer is that they should not be; they should be too powerful for such representation.

Then again, the bigger titans are no longer walking geographical features; they're merely sorta big.

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Then again, the bigger titans are no longer walking geographical features; they're merely sorta big.

Indeed, Forge World puts the the reaver titan at 22.3 meters in Imperial Armour vol 6, with a weight of 738 tonnes...

[Falkenhayn]

The give a weight but no mass? Bastards.

[Cykeisme]

Lol even in sci-fi, we can assume that if a weight is given without stating anything about the gravitational acceleration the weight measurement was taken, we can assume it's 1G.

edit:
Wait a second, isn't that mass anyway?
A tonne is a thousand kilograms, isn't it?

[Falkenhayn]

Lol even in sci-fi, we can assume that if a weight is given without stating anything about the gravitational acceleration the weight measurement was taken, we can assume it's 1G.

edit:
Wait a second, isn't that mass anyway?
A tonne is a thousand kilograms, isn't it?

Yeah. I forgot Kilos work in both in both measures.

[Connor MacLeod]

Finishing up Adeptus Titanicus...


Page 39

"Ready. Jumping now... Position established, i see them and I see you."

"Coming over, ,Willcox. Leader to squadron - fire all support missiles."

"I have them, Leader. RELAY established."

"Goodbye, Traitors."

Indirect firing by Titan missiles using RELAY system in spotter. This probably gives titan missiles some incredible ranges (comparable to Deathstrikes perhaps) and it may be that this could be adapted to other systems (again , Deathstrike.) if the AdMech weren't such dicks about technology.

Page 39

Cameleoline is a reactive camoflage that mimics the background and helps mask a Titan from all forms of sighting devices. It works on a broad spectrum, and hides the Titan from sight and all other sensing systems.

Probably meant to complement blind grenades and other forms of EW. Probably isn't totally effective, given certain considerations (heat dissipation, silhouttes - especially against the horizon, etc.) A quasi-cloaking device. One would assume (if the AdMech aren't being dicks) warships could carry something like this as an EW mearsure.

Page 39

COBRA (Command Override Battle Reaction Automation) is a generic term covering a number of different devices that allow a titan to react to threats with greater speed.

In other words automated systems for Titans.

Page 39

Battle Titans may be fitted with a jump pack, allowing them to fly short distances. Jump packs allow a titan with Charge orders to move over (but not onto) a building or another Titan.

I don't even want to bother considering the sheer insanity of this (lifting hundreds or thousands of tons against gravity is going to need alot of energy) other than to say it must use an absurdly high amount of antigrav (but then again it it did why don't they just make titans fly?) Ground pressure at impact is also likely to be... horrendous. Again I don't know for sure how bad, but I don't want to contemplate it (Think of making At-ATs jump) Still, if a Titan runs out of other weapons I suppose its one way to defeat the foes.

Its also possible one could regard this sa rare or lost tech, since I have heard of no such other devices popping up for Titans in other sources.

Page 39

RELAY is a device that allows a Titan to take over the guidance of support missiles fired by other titans, and home them in on a target within its own line of sight.
..
The Titan with RELAY must be within 36 cms of the Titan(s) that are firing the missile(s), and have a clear line of sight to it/them.
....
A single RELAY unit can control any number of missiles at once, but they must all be aimed at the same target- a single RELAY unit can't designate two targets at once. A Batlte Titan can be fitted with up to three RELAY units, and can designate one target with each unit if desired. It is possible to set up "chains" of Titans with RELAY, with each Titan passing on control of the missile(s) to the next one in the chain.

The aforementioned RELAY system described, and how it can interact/combine for greater effect. Presumably other systmes could do this.

Page 40

You strive for victory. That is obvious. What may be less obvious is the nature of victory. There are circumstances in which you can destroy the enemy utterly, without loss to your own forcees, and yet the victory will be his. In all situations, you must first decide on the nature of victory, and then take steps to secure it. Avoid the instinct to fight first and think later.

- Leman Russ, Meditations, book VI

I just liked this because it seems to fly in the face of alot of supposed 40K combat doctrines (namely the "charge into melee first and shoot later" idea, since the above suggests that some thought and planning needs to be put into combat encounters, as one owuld expect.)

Page 41

Propaganda Wars:
News of the war is beamed instantly throughout the Imperium. The eyes of countless millions are upon you. It is vital to your cause that you inflict a crushing defeat on your opponent.

I can't help but think this is very very very old canon, because we know that not only are astropaths the only means of FTL communication, they don't operate "instantly" and they generally aren't even rapid, or all-encompassing.

The best explanation is that its more describing a local event despite the "throughout the Imperium", say at a sector level. That is much more plausible, and it still hints at very high propogation rates for astropath signals - assuming no interference or other disturbances.

Then again early stuff dealing with the AdMech does imply they have their own galaxy-wide internet like psyker network for sharing/transmitting information, so maybe its possible after a fashion...

Page 45

There are few more impressive sights in war than the sight of a Titan losing a leg. The metal giant totters for a few seconds, stabilising jets overload themselves trying to compensate, and finally the sixty-foot figure comes crashing down like a felled tree. The stabilising jets buy a few vital seconds before they burn themselves out, and there is a good chancee that the crew will be able to eject in this time.

Sixty foot figure aside, I'm trying to figure out how much energy would be needed fr those jets to be used for other purposes, even a few seconds (like jumping or making the titan fly lol) The jets seem more of a temporary safety measure (as in " get the fuck out of the way before the thing falls") as well as to help the thing keep its balance against impacts and such.

Page 45

Plasma reactors are old-fashioned, crude and dangerous. When a Titan's plasma reactor suffers Catastrophic Damage, it will become unstable almost instantly, and begin an unstoppable and spectacular melt down.

Plasma reactors are "old" technology, though "old" in 40K doesnt neccesarily mean weaker. The fact its "crude and dangerous" is more of an indicator that they're not the best power source the Imperium has available (but perhaps the best for most purposes that can be mass produced.)

It does imply they have other power technologies of similar capability, but of rarer design (but laso much safer.)

Page 45

All Titans are fitted with ejector systems, so that the crew can escape from a destroyed or disabled Titan. When the ejector mechansim operates, all crew members are automatically moved from their battel stations to the main cabin in the head of the Titan. This then disengages from teh body and flies away from th battle zone using its built in drives and anti-grav units.

Titan ejection systems. Much like the Dreadnought in Independence War.

Page 52

The reactor vessel is fractured, and a violent meltdown occurs. The Titan is vaporised, and all units within 8cm must roll for damage as if hit by a Plasma Cannon firing on maximal.

No idea how big an area 8 cm is in 'real life" terms (since I dont know Titan scale.. a few km?) but vaporising a thousand tons of iron would need single/double digit terawatt at least - kilotons of energy. And its implied that is compared to a max-power plasma cannon shot (although at the low end this would be divided by an unknown number of targets, since its an omnidirecitonal blast and the taget only absorbs a fraction of that... 3)