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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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→Titan Void Shields
====Titan Void Shields====
Void shields serve as the main line of defense defence for [[Imperial Titans]], with multiple generators creating overlapping shields for maximum effect. Each shield will absorb damage until it is overloaded, upon which safety features cut in and force the generator to shut down and bleed off excess energy before it is restarted again and made operable. In theory, a Titan will have some of its shields protecting it at all times. In cases of emergency the Titan's [[Princeps]] can override the cut-off and force the generator to remain active; this has the added risk of damaging the generator and turning it into a useless pool of molten slag as it is overwhelmed by enemy fire.{{Fn|10a}} Only war engines with three or more void shield generators are capable of this functionality.{{Fn|10c}}
Protected by their void shields Titans are able to absorb damage which would normally destroy entire tank companies and infantry regiments.{{Fn|11}} Even the small [[Warhound Scout Titan]]'s shields are sufficient to absorb multiple impacts which, individually, would tear apart lesser armored fighting vehicles.{{Fn|12}}{{Fn|13}} Larger Titans like the [[Warlord Titan]] can withstand even more damage, taking sustained bombardment from over five dozen armored vehicles and artillery platforms without loss of shield strength.{{Fn|14a}} The most powerful void shields are those of the [[Emperor Titan]]s, such as an Imperator. Even in a duel with dozens of Warlord and [[Reaver Titans]], the smaller Titans' only hope to cause damage is to synchronize their fire perfectly so that all of their shots hit at exactly the same time at the same point and overload that section of the Imperator's shield.{{Fn|14b}}
Void shields on Titans are projected at some distance from the war engine itself; for example the void shields on a Warhound extend out to ten meters metres surrounding the war engine,{{Fn|12}} while those on larger Titans extend out to thirty or more.{{Fn|15}} This means it is theoretically possible for armored armoured vehicles and infantry to bypass the shields and cause direct damage to a Titan, although in practice actually accomplishing this feat is much harder. In one extraordinary example the 3rd Armored Armoured Company of the 124th Cadian regiment managed to disable a [[Chaos]] [[Battle Titan]] by slipping through its void shields and targeting its weakened knee, causing it to collapse, although nearly the entire company was wiped out except for a lone survivor.{{Fn|16}} When Titans engage in close combat with each other not only do they get within the minimum range of their void shields, but their shields actually merge together. This same technique can be used by friendly Titans as a type of defensive tactic as well.{{Fn|10b}}{{Fn|10c}} Titan shields which merge together send colourful flares of lightning discharge into the air as their titanic energies push against each other,{{Fn|17a}} and when they collapse under enemy fire they tend to unleash a damaging blast wave of overpressure.{{Fn|17b}}
Titan void shields can be bypassed through [[teleportation]] such as in the case of [[Terminator Titanhammer Squad]]s or special [[Warp Missile]]s which travel through the Warp.{{Fn|10d}} They can however be configured to create a solid wall which allows nothing to pass, not even transdimensional travel such as that used by the [[Necrons]], but this requires increasing the power intensity to critical levels which threaten to cause catastrophic overload.{{Fn|18}} It is also possible to bypass a Titan's void shields if you have access to technical specifications which detail any mild shield defects. Such defects are atomically small but, if known, would allow an enemy Titan to target that precise location and overload the shields with less firepower than would normally be required.{{Fn|14c}}
