Difference between revisions of "Power Armour"
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==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
| − | *<sup>1</sup> [[WD129|White Dwarf 129]] | + | *<sup>1</sup> [[WD129|White Dwarf 129]], ''Space Marine Armor'' by [[Rick Priestley]], reprinted in [[Warhammer 40,000: Compilation]] |
*<sup>2</sup> [[How to Paint Space Marines]] (images) | *<sup>2</sup> [[How to Paint Space Marines]] (images) | ||
| − | *<sup>3</sup> [[Warhammer 40,000 Compilation]], p.22 | + | *<sup>3</sup> [[Warhammer 40,000: Compilation]], p.22 |
==Related Articles== | ==Related Articles== | ||
Revision as of 00:26, 8 January 2008
Power Armour is worn primarily by the Space Marines and the Chaos Space Marines. It is a completely enclosed suit of armour, made of thick ceramite plates. The armour would be heavy and cumbersome to wear but for the electrically motivated fibre bundles within the armour that replicates the wearer's movement and enhances his strength.
Power armour is fully sealed, isolating the wearer from the outside environment and protecting him from gas weapons and harsh atmospheres. It also commonly includes numerous auxiliary systems such as communicators, auto-senses, etc.
Space Marines go through genetic engineering to allow them to make full use of the power armour. Part of the process is the implantation of what will become the special Black Carapace. This allows the Marine direct and almost instinctual interface with the armour's advanced systems. The systems also monitor the Marine's biological functions, feeding the medical information to the Marine.
The backpack contains the main power plant, environmental system and additional stabilizers.
The armour was designed for use by the Adeptus Astartes, and although the Sisters of Battle and many Inquisitors also use power armour, they are not genetically enhanced with the Black Carapace, and so can not use the armour to its full extent.
Power armour has been in use for over ten thousand years, starting with the original Space Marines created by the Emperor. Over the history of the Imperium, power armour has developed into its current form. Need, circumstances and recovery of new materials and technology shaped the armor's evolution.
Contents
Mark 1 "Thunder Armour"
This is the type of armour worn by the techno-barbarian factions that ruled the Earth prior to the Emperor's ascendancy. The Emperor’s elite troops wore this type of armour during the conquest of Terra, Luna and Mars. The thunder bolt and lightning symbol was displayed on the breast plate of those warriors loyal to the Emperor (this was the original symbol of the Emperor and was replaced by the Imperial Aquila later). This symbol gives the suit its common name – Thunder Armour.
The main part of the armour is the massive powered torso which encloses the chest and arms. Coiled energy cables beneath the armour plating transmit power from the power pack on the back to the arms, greatly increasing physical strength. Since fighting on Earth during the period was primarily close-quarters, the strength of the arms was of paramount importance. The legs of this armour are not power-armoured at all, but are enclosed in padded breaches, in rare cases plated with metal for extra protection. Thunder armour is not completely enclosed as the fighting was limited to Earth, and offers no atmospheric protection or life-support facilities.
Mark 2 "Crusade Armour"
After the conquest of the main planets of the Solar system, the factories on Mars were set to work constructing a new type of armour for the Emperor's elite Space Marines. This armoured suit is commonly referred to as Crusade Armour, since it was designed with the planned Great Crusade in mind. It was the first fully enclosed power armour, making it suitable for conquest of space.
The Crusade Armor is fully plated, and the legs are also power armored. The plates are arranged into articulated hoops, for increased maneuverability. The chest coils, which were kept on the outside of the armour plating on Mark 1 armour for cooling purposes, have now been placed on the inside of the chest plates, so that they are better protected, thanks to more efficient cooling mechanisms. The back pack is roughly the same size as that on the mark 1 armour, but is much more efficient, and also includes extra life support, air recycling and fluid recovery equipment, as well as automated medical devices that have remained a part of space marine armour ever since.
The helmet is fitted with automatic sensory devices developed on Mars, this allows the wearer to see and hear as though not wearing a helmet, and, since all information is transmitted to a computer in the helmet before being transmitted directly to the wearer's brain via neural link, blinding lights and deafening noises can be muted so that they don't harm the wearer. The wearer is also able to see in the infra-red and ultra-violet spectrum, and images can be zoomed in and magnified.
Mark 3 "Iron Armour"
This model dates from the war of conquest at the core of the galaxy. It was never intended to replace its former type but to provide a specialized suit with heavier weapons. It has more frontal protection than the Mark 2 Armour. It is commonly called the Iron Suite or Armorum Ferrum.
Mark 4 "Imperial Maximus Suit"
After the end of the Great Crusade the Space Marines found their armour wearing out. The Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars started to refine and develop new suits. The fourth official type of armour's most obvious change was the adoption of large, inflexible armour casings over most parts of the body. This marginally reduced mobilty but was far easier to produce and maintain. The armour-type itself was new, providing improved protection and less weight. The main power cables were able to be safely relocated to the front of the breastplate due to this improved armour composition, while other cables were able to be reduced in size and number.
The helmet was a completely new design, although inspired by the Mk. III in general. The main new additions to the helmet were an improved connecting ring allowing the helmet to move with the wearer's head, and higher capacity neural connector gear, which increased system efficiency.
Mk. IV armour was envisioned at the time to be the ultimate type of Space Marine armour and so the Martian factories were turned over to its production. Many of the Space Marine Legions were entirely or partially re-equipped with it.
This suit is commonly called the Imperial Maximus Suit, or Maximus Armour.3
Mark 5 "Heresy Armor"
The equipping of the legions was only partially complete when the Horus Heresy broke out. Many of the newly equipped chapters turned against the Imperium while many loyal chapters had old style armour. With war damage and mobile operations resupply for damaged equipment was difficult or impossible. Marine artificers and Techmarines had to use old style equipment from older models to keep chapters fighting. The Mark 5 is commonly called the Heresy Suit. This pattern is distinguished by a studded helmet, shoulder plate and greaves. These studs are the tops of bolts which attach each layer of the armour to one another. The helmet appears to be an early version of the Mk. VII helmet, although it is significantly more low-tech in its design.
Mark 6 "Corvus Armor"
At the end of production of the Mark 4 type a long term research project began to replace the existing power armour. This lead to the production of the Corvus Suit as a stopgap measure using a mixture of new and old features.
This armor is sometimes known as "Beakie Armor" due to the beak-like shape of the helmet.
Mark 7 "Aquila (Eagle) Armor"
Apothicary variant.
At the almost the high water mark of the Horus Heresy the factories of Mars began producing Mk7 armour. The defenders of the Emperor on Terra and Luna wore these suits to turn back the tide of Horus's troops. This version is currently the most commonly used by Space Marine Chapters.
Mark 8 "Errant Armor"
Howling Griffons Chapter
The suit itself is a highly modified Mark 7, with additional fixed armour plates on the torso that now enclose all of the suits cables, which were vulnerable to weapons fire, and a new armored collar protects the helmets respirator, and also addressed the vunerability issues of the neck joint, which had been know to act as a "shell-trap", (a round could hit the chest armour and deflect up into the neck joint). The new collar required a new helmet design, which caused problems for backward compatability with ealier helmet types .
Mark 8 armor has only seen limited production thus far, and is seen in limited numbers on the battlefields of the 41st millennium. Often, it is worn by officers or squad leaders as a symbol of rank
Aegis Armour
Main Article: Grey Knights#Specialist Equipment
Grey Knights wear Ageis Armor, power armor that is incredibly well crafted; anointed and inscribed with prayers and wards, ritually consecrated and psychically charged.
Adepta Sororitas Power Armor
Sisters of Battle use a lighter, less bulky version of power armor. This armor does not increase the strength of the wearer to match that of the Space Marines, but does provide the same protection.
Sources
- 1 White Dwarf 129, Space Marine Armor by Rick Priestley, reprinted in Warhammer 40,000: Compilation
- 2 How to Paint Space Marines (images)
- 3 Warhammer 40,000: Compilation, p.22
