Changes

Like [[power armour]], Terminator suits have an outer shell of [[ceramite]]-bonded plates powered by electrically-motivated fibre bundles. Plates of heavy [[plasteel]] further armour the ceramite sections, especially on the front of the suit. This extra armouring provides a level of protection that is far superior to normal Marine armor; not even a [[Missile_launcher#Imperial_Munitions_Types|Krak missile]] will penetrate the suit's breastplate.⁵ {{Fn|10}} It also contributes to the immense weight of the suit, making the wearer less maneuverable and slower. External [[adamantium]] ribs help support this weight, while the inclusion of suspensors help the suit carry heavier support weapons.^{{Fn|6}}

On the left shoulder of every Terminator suit is displayed the [[Crux Terminatus]] badge - those worn by Terminator captains are said to contain a piece of the Terminator Armour the [[Emperor]] wore when he fought [[Horus]] during the final battle of the [[Horus Heresy]].²{{Fn|5}}

Like normal power armor, Terminator armour is fully enclosed with life-support functions, and includes an array of sensors including radiation monitors, biological detectors and self-diagnostic scanners. Terminator Armour also incorporates many more auxiliary systems than normal Marine power armour, including motion sensors and threat detectors.^{{Fn|6 }} The armour's sensorium, based upon tendril sensors, links directly into the wearer's own awareness (adaptive surgery is necessary to make this possible). The sensorium allows the wearer to use a vast number of scanners and detectors without conscious thought. Sensoriums can also be linked together, allowing every squad member to see exactly the same view of the battle as his comrades, though often only the [[Space_Marine_Sergeant#Terminator_Sergeant|Sergeant]]'s suit will broadcast pict-signals.^{{Fn|6}}

Terminator Armour has its own integrated weaponry: a [[storm bolter]] and a [[power fist]]. The Storm Bolter is a multi-chambered, short-barrelled development of the trusty standard bolter already used by the Astartes. It shoots at a faster rate than the original weapon, allowing it to lay down a curtain of fire. It is also quite short, partly because it is built into the exo-armour, making it an ideal close combat weapon. Such a combination in a single weapon has proven useful, to say the least. The power fist is already standard issue in many Chapters, and needs little work to adapt it to exo-armour.²{{Fn|5}}

Heavier weapons include the [[heavy flamer]], the [[assault cannon]] and the [[cyclone missile launcher]]. Normally one squad member will be designated as fire support and carry one of these weapons.^{{Fn|6}}

Some Terminator squads, designated specifically for close-quarter combat, while eschew any ranged weapons in favor of either [[Lightning Claw]]s or a combination of [[Thunder Hammer]] and [[Storm Shield]].^{{Fn|6}}

Terminator armour was developed during the [[Great Crusade]] ⁴ {{Fn|9}} by the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] Tech Adepts of Mars. Its design is a blend of [[Dreadnought]] armour, standard Marine power armour and heavy suits used by engineers working in the most hostile environments (such as micro-debris-plagued orbits or the radioactive engine cores of stellar frigates). It was first intended to provide heavy armour and firepower to troops fighting in cramped battle zones, such as the claustrophobic tunnels of [[hive world]]s and [[Space Hulk]]s, which are too confined for Dreadnoughts and vehicles.

Terminator armor was originally meant to replace normal power armor, however the destruction wrought by the [[Horus Heresy]] destroyed many of these suits, and the limited resources left after the war ended combined with the complexity of building and maintaining Terminator suits contributed to their increase rarity.^{{Fn|6}}

Today Terminator suits are highly prized by their [[Chapter]]s and kept in a constant state of repair and renewal. Although the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] still maintains limited production of Terminator suits,^{{Fn|6 }} the rate is so slow that often a "new" suit is cobbled together from refurbished parts salvaged from the battlefield. This explains the sometimes disparate and ragged look of Terminator squads. Indeed, as time marches onward the knowledge of how to fabricate some of the more complex pieces becomes an increasingly faded memory in the decrepit minds of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and "reverse engineering" is an all-too-common science in the 41st millennium.³{{Fn|8}}

The [[Ultramarines]]' crusade against the Tyranid Hive Fleet [[Behemoth]] also included several important actions by Terminator squads. These included the first breach in the fleet's outer hull, and the subsequent destruction of the vats and nest chambers.²{{Fn|5}}

*'''Indomitus Pattern''' : noted for being the most widespread due to its template being held by key Forge Worlds such as Mars.^{{Fn|7}}*'''Tartaros Pattern''' : this pattern is issued to the Veterans of a Chapter's 1st Company and is possibly considered the most advanced form of Tactical Dreadnought Armour. It shared many systems with the Mk IV ''Maximus'' Pattern Power Armour whilst providing greater mobility for the wearer compared to the Indomitus with no loss in durality of protection.^{{Fn|7 }}

Image:TerminatorD.JPG|'''Indomitus Pattern Terminator Armour⁸{{Fn|4}}'''

Image:BAterminator.jpg|'''Indomitus Pattern Terminator Armour⁸{{Fn|4}}'''Image:TartarosTerminator.jpg|'''Tartaros Pattern Terminator Armour^{{Fn|7}}'''

*{{Endn|1}}:[[Warhammer 40,000 Compendium]], p. 11*{{Endn|2}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)]]*¹{{Endn|3}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)]]*{{Endn|4}}:[[Warhammer 40,000 CompendiumCodex: Space Wolves (5th Edition)]], p. 1161*²{{Endn|5}}:[[White Dwarf 109 (UK)]], ''Terminator Squads''*<sup>3<{{Endn|6}}: [[White Dwarf 304 (UK)]], p. 30-35*{{Endn|7}}: [http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/sup>TARTAROS_PATTERN_TERMINATOR_ARMOUR.html Tartaros Pattern Terminator Armour]*{{Endn|8}}:[http://www.tearsofenvy.com/termi-nation/ ''TERMI-NATION The definitive on-line guide to terminator armour'', by John Blanche]*⁴{{Endn|9}}:[[Horus Rising (Novel)]] by [[Dan Abnett]]: p. 161*⁵{{Endn|10}}:[[Wolf's Honour(Novel)]] p. 519*⁶:by [[White Dwarf 304 (UK)Lee Lightner]], p. 30-35*⁷:[http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/TARTAROS_PATTERN_TERMINATOR_ARMOUR.html Tartaros Pattern Terminator Armour]*⁸:– [[CodexSpace Wolf: Space Wolves (5th Edition)The Second Omnibus]]: Chapter One, p. 61519