Warhammer 40k Canon
Moderator: NecronLord
Warhammer 40k Canon
Ok I need to know, which is more canon with Warhammer 40k. The writers or imagery, models... I ask because of the Boltgun, the team says it's caseless but all Bolter models have ejection slots or even shell casings on the base while the imagery always depicts them spewing out shell casings.
Do the writers count as "Authors Intent"
Do the writers count as "Authors Intent"
Re: Warhammer 40k Canon
Bolters are caseless. The drawings of casing comeing out were done because they "looked cool". The novels still make them caselessKadaeux wrote:Ok I need to know, which is more canon with Warhammer 40k. The writers or imagery, models... I ask because of the Boltgun, the team says it's caseless but all Bolter models have ejection slots or even shell casings on the base while the imagery always depicts them spewing out shell casings.
Do the writers count as "Authors Intent"
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Actually, my theory is that there is at least *some* kind of case for the bolter shell. This casing contains a small charge that propels the initial round before the rocket ignites. The MBA GyroJet rocket-gun back in the 70s was rocket-propelled, but the problem was its initial speed was very slow; you could literally catch the rounds as they exited the muzzle. Range was also very poor. I wouldn't expect it to be any different with a bolter, hence a small charge to fire the round and get it up to speed before the rocket ignites.
As to what's canon; IIRC, the 'fluff' overrides game mechanics and art. The latest edition overrides older editions. Not sure how the CCG they had a few years back ranks, though, or where the novels/artwork books come in.
As to what's canon; IIRC, the 'fluff' overrides game mechanics and art. The latest edition overrides older editions. Not sure how the CCG they had a few years back ranks, though, or where the novels/artwork books come in.
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At the moment the only official statements that have been made on the subject of "canon" appear to be that the "game" is a set of rules to allow people to play a "game" set in the 40k universe, the Novels/background are the more accurate representation, with the obvious bias of character viewpoints.
Anyone who tells you otherwise is talking bollocks. You can infer a lot, and rationalise a lot, but most people can't be neutral about it. On this board, spacebattles, *shrug* everywhere, you'll find people who bitch and moan, usually about how they don't like this authors style, blah blah blah, so its not "accurate"
If you want to be accurate, you ignore that sort of person, and their approach.
The correct answer to your question concerning bolters is.
" Bolters can be both, what do you want them to be ? "
Anyone who tells you otherwise is talking bollocks. You can infer a lot, and rationalise a lot, but most people can't be neutral about it. On this board, spacebattles, *shrug* everywhere, you'll find people who bitch and moan, usually about how they don't like this authors style, blah blah blah, so its not "accurate"
If you want to be accurate, you ignore that sort of person, and their approach.
The correct answer to your question concerning bolters is.
" Bolters can be both, what do you want them to be ? "
Eh, Bolters might just have two types of rounds, older ones might use shells, and after all, Space Marines love old stuff. Or it could be some form of boosting charge as has been suggested
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It vaires. Chances are the port is usually used for clearing the chamber and inserting special ammunition.
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Space Marines are all ambidextrous, so having a port on both sides makes sense.Cpl Kendall wrote:That could simply be to accomadate left and right hand users.Azazal wrote: Well looking at the current plastic bolters, they have a port on each side
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Ah, no, they're not, or at least I've read nothing that indicates they are. They have the same degree of handed-ness as regular humans. In fact, if we go by the figures, they're primarily right-handed... note the Devastator squads. All their heavy weapons are right-handed. Assault squads and those armed with a close-combat weapon are the exception, with a boltpistol in left hand, but that's because the close-combat weapon is what they primarily use.Haminal10 wrote:Space Marines are all ambidextrous, so having a port on both sides makes sense.Cpl Kendall wrote:That could simply be to accomadate left and right hand users.Azazal wrote: Well looking at the current plastic bolters, they have a port on each side
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Inquisitor rulebook, Page 103
"Special Abilities: All Space Marines have the following special abilities: Ambidextrous; Nerves of steel; Spit acid."
"Special Abilities: All Space Marines have the following special abilities: Ambidextrous; Nerves of steel; Spit acid."
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It *would* be the one I haven't read yet. My bad, then... however, they do seem to use right hand out of preference, so...NecronLord wrote:Inquisitor rulebook, Page 103
"Special Abilities: All Space Marines have the following special abilities: Ambidextrous; Nerves of steel; Spit acid."
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Chances are their gear was designed in the Golden Age, when gravitic-repulsors (like the deathwatch ones) were common enough to let ordinary Joes use them, and as ordinary Joes are mostly right handed...
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Taken with a grain of salt; it's fluff that the geneseed of the Imperial Fists and descendant chapters is flat-out imcompatible with the Betcher's gland.NecronLord wrote:Inquisitor rulebook, Page 103
"Special Abilities: All Space Marines have the following special abilities: Ambidextrous; Nerves of steel; Spit acid."
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yes it has a sinsiter/dexter firing switch. also one needs to vent heat gasses even if it is caseless.Cpl Kendall wrote:That could simply be to accomadate left and right hand users.Azazal wrote: Well looking at the current plastic bolters, they have a port on each side
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Besides, left-handers can be forced into right-handedness, just like it's been done in the 20th Century.Elheru Aran wrote:Ah, no, they're not, or at least I've read nothing that indicates they are. They have the same degree of handed-ness as regular humans. In fact, if we go by the figures, they're primarily right-handed... note the Devastator squads. All their heavy weapons are right-handed. Assault squads and those armed with a close-combat weapon are the exception, with a boltpistol in left hand, but that's because the close-combat weapon is what they primarily use.Haminal10 wrote:Space Marines are all ambidextrous, so having a port on both sides makes sense.Cpl Kendall wrote: That could simply be to accomadate left and right hand users.
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That should only require a small electrical impulse or a firing pin hitting a primer18-Till-I-Die wrote:Actually i believe i heard that those are some kind of charges, the actual round is caseless but that is somekind of charge or something that ignites the rocket motor.
Basically its like, if i understand it, a kind of discarding-sabot round like from a tank.
Hmm you'll have the elaborate your comparison on that one. The sabot goes out the barrel along with the projectile. However there are several weapons such as the German/US 120mm tank cannon which use ammo with a largely combustible cartridge case, only the base is brass. The base serves to seal the firing chamber and makes the ammo sturdier
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Nitpick: The Dorn geneseed simply does not have the zygotes for Betcher's Gland (a gland that enables Marines to spit a highly corrosive blind-on-contact poison, for those who don't know).Matt Huang wrote:Taken with a grain of salt; it's fluff that the geneseed of the Imperial Fists and descendant chapters is flat-out imcompatible with the Betcher's gland.
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While most descriptions of the bolter state that it is caseless, there are many, many, many mentions of bolter casings. In the Dark Future there is Only Ambiguity and Paradox.
I found a post on the Black Library forums by Marc Gascoigne stating, more or less, that anything with a Warhammer 40,000 logo on it was canon, but I can't seem to find it again. Oh well.
I found a post on the Black Library forums by Marc Gascoigne stating, more or less, that anything with a Warhammer 40,000 logo on it was canon, but I can't seem to find it again. Oh well.
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