Astartes Power armor

More than almost any other wargear they carry, the Angels of Death have been defined by the power armor they wear. While their skill and bravery have indeed become a legend, the idea of power armor and Astartes has become entwined to the point where it is far from unheard of for a Marine not wearing his armor to be mistaken for some kind of mutant or abhuman. This is more than merely a matter of image, as their very biology was designed to mesh with their armor. From the Black Carapace to the structures of their muscles they were created to bear power armor into battle. This combined with their abilities to have a massive impact on battle with only a few marines has seen the creation of some of the most effective power armors in human history for these transhuman warriors.

### **Imperial Plate**

A catch-all term used for the twelve marks of Astartes armor created during the age of the Imperium of Man. The original mark II Crusade Armour is a fascinating study in engineering around an incomplete tech base. It is generally accepted that the Emperor asked of mars to match the protection offered by the more advanced suits of the Dark Age. The tech sages of mars, compensating for the holes in their knowledge by making excessive use of expensive alloys, precision machining, and extracting every ounce of benefit they could from the Astartes own biology. The initial mark II managed to match the raw protection offered by the Advanced power armor of the dark age, if at the cost of a number of other shortcomings. Most famously needing to weld the helmet to the rest of the suit, making it impossible to rotate. Most of these shortcomings would be overcome in the following marks, with most iterations focusing on improving the armors performance rather than its already impressive protection.

While no mass-produced suit would match the versatility of Dark Age Advanced armor, the Mark X Tacitus armor is generally considered to have come the closest, with the Mark XI and XII being attempts to ease production requirements at the cost of performance. To this day, even the Dark Mechanicus has not truly improved upon the basic design, at most matching the Mark X or creating suits meant to more effectively benefit from the “gifts” of the Ruinous Powers, though these accused sets of armor tend to see more limited production, as entreating such effort from the Dark Gods added yet another cost atop an already expensive piece of wargear.

### **Terminator armor**

One of the most potent and expensive armors to ever see wide-scale use, Terminator plate was allegedly created from Dark age maintenance suits intended to allow technicians to conduct repairs on active plasma reactors. The sheer durability of these staggeringly expensive sets of power armor lends credence to these claims. Terminator plate was created in the latter days of the crusade, benefiting from a number of recovered constructor templates, as well as increased familiarity with Astarte’s unique biology. An outgrowth of the Mark III Iron armors design philosophy, sacrificing speed dexterity for sheer protection and firepower for use in brutal close in firefights. Needing extremely skilled armor smiths and the most advanced forges of mars, Terminator armor was never able to be produced in numbers on par with standard plate, however, its sheer performance largely compensated for this. Using thick plates of the most advanced ceramite mixes available, a set of terminator armor is both incredibly resilient, as well as durable. Thick layers of ceramite, plasteel and adamantine armor ensure even the few weapons capable of damaging it will need multiple shots to slay its wearer.

Unlike the standard plate, the massive bulk of Terminator armor allows it to carry several incorporated modules. Every known version incorporates a Refractor field to provide yet more protection, as well as advanced comms and auto-senses. The sheer bulk of these armors also allows each marine to carry heavy weapons such as Chain fists, assault cannons, or even heavy missile racks, ensuring each squad will possess overwhelming firepower. This does however come at a cost, the bulk of the armor leaves it somewhat lumbering and ponderous, forcing it to rely upon integrated teleport homers to close with the foe. It is far from unheard of for poorly deployed terminator squadrons to be unable to reposition until the battle has concluded. While multiple patterns of terminator armor exist, it is notable that there have been few improvements on this design since its creation in the Great Crusade, with two notable and limited exceptions.

The armorsmiths of Secondus created a number of improved patterns by incorporating Tau technology, similar to the later marks of power armor, their area of focus was in the armor’s speed and support systems rather than its protections. The second is of far darker providence, with the accused armorsmiths of the Black Legion creating variant patterns incorporating the unclean technologies of the Drukhari. Notably, what areas those corrupt madmen focus on are wildly inconsistent, due to their fractious nature and the unreliable nature of Chaos-infused technology.

## **Advanced Astartes Power Armour**

A true replacement for the Imperial Astartes armor, the advanced line is incredibly young, rising to galactic prominence only a few hundred years ago. It is, nevertheless, shockingly advanced and effective. Created by Archmagos Tranth using the Advanced Power armor designs of the Sword of Surtur database as a starting point, the advanced armor is notable for being far more diverse, posing multiple specialized patterns for different roles. So far there have been few if any notable changes, but as time goes on it is suspected that future marks will be created to specialize against the various threats in the galaxy.

### **Type 1: Mark I Calgar pattern Elite Armor**

The first advanced armor created, many key techniques would be devised to adapt the dark age designs to take advantage of Astartes biology. The Mark I Calgar pattern elite Astartes armor is the first mass-scale used power armor to surpass the Mark X, offering both notably superior protection, and far more effective support systems. The Calgar is even able to withstand plasma fire to a notable degree, significantly reducing the effectiveness of the Astartes traditional counter.

Much like the armor, it is based upon, the Mark I Calgar armor is designed with versatility in mind, incorporating advanced comms and a repulsor lift system capable of reducing the armor’s weight to near zero. It can use modified versions of the backup modules of the advanced elite armor, however, the increased size allows it to carry two such packs instead of one, enabling a truly staggering amount of versatility.

#### Command pack

This is intended to allow officers greater situational awareness. Incorporating an advanced comms system, it also carries advanced cogitators capable of supporting a more advanced HUD display, as well as settings that take full advantage of the deep neural integration of the black carapace, directly feeding information into its user’s mind. Astartes experienced in the use of this system find it a great boon in combat, the data provided so seamlessly into their awareness it provides little distractions while allowing them to see out of the eyes of their brothers. Enabling them to both more easily command and fight.

#### Jump pack

similar in many ways to standard Astartes jump packs, though notably more fuel-efficient. When combined with the repulsor systems, this module turns the elite armor into super mobile jump infantry. Astartes reflexes and black carapace enable truly staggering maneuvers, trained marines adjusting their effective weight on the fly, driving the armors incredibly agility even farther.

#### Shield system

While the armor already incorporates a refractor system, a module containing additional shielding units and cogitators can notably enhance them. In addition to increasing the number of shield emitters, the shielding modules give Astartes fine control over where the fields focus, making it possible to adjust their areas of focus with a thought. This has resulted in legendary feats, such as sergeant Acilius wading through a torrent of fire, his shields flicking on only for the milliseconds needed to deflect what few weapons heavy enough to breach his armor.

#### Stealth pack

projecting a halo of chameleon fields around the bearer, the stealth pack can act as an advanced active camo system. The stealth pack allows a suit of elite armor equipped with it to render itself near-invisible while moving slowly. Further, it greatly dampens the armors emissions and can scatter lesser sensor systems, leaving an armor using this module invisible to most field sensors. This allows a properly equipped tactical squadron to infiltrate targets that even scouts would find challenging.

#### Power pack

a hyper compact fuel scoop, the Powerpack can draw in ambient moisture from the air, before cracking it into hydrogen fuel for the armor’s fusion reactor. In sufficiently humid conditions, this can allow the armor to function indefinitely, though on unusually arid worlds marines may need to supplement atmospheric harvesting by supplying water themselves. A variant intended for use in void or extremely dry desert worlds instead replaces the fuel scoop with extra power cells to allow for a few years of operating times. In addition to providing more power, it also has space for more mundane supplies, enabling marines to carry far more munitions and rations.

The Calgar pattern armor is powered by an advanced micro fusion reactor and is capable of function at peak performance for two weeks lacking a power backpack. Given the nature of how marines wage war, it was designed for rapid refueling, using stable hydrogen cells that the armor can drain in seconds. It is not unheard of for Astartes in this armor to fight ceaselessly for months, or even longer according to the reports of new legends rising throughout the galaxy.

### **Type 2: Mark I Grimnar pattern Destroyer Armor**

The second advanced armor designed, the Mark I Grimnar pattern destroyer armor is designed to maximize firepower above most other concerns, carrying a trio of heavy weapons. Between its thick armor plates, exemplary construction, and integrated force fields the armor approaches the durability of a small knight titan, surpassing even the durability of terminator armor. Grimnar pattern armor is able to deflect even direct hits from a tank’s main gun with little difficulty, with only anti titan weapons able to reliably breach the armor. Despite the armor's size, the armor is no more unwieldy than the Calgar elite armor. While far more bulky, the extra power and space have allowed a more potent array of repulsors allowing the armor to come shockingly close to true flight. The black carapace allows for fine moment to moment control of these repulsors, skilled users are able to adjust their weight mid-step, charging their foes as an unstoppable avalanche of ceramite one instant, and weightlessly pivoting away the next. Expert users of Grimnar armor are among some of the most nimble Astartes in the trust. The combination of nimbleness and extreme durability makes veterans who master this strange form of movement incredibly difficult to put down, with almost no weapon able to harm them being capable of swift enough traversal to strike them.

In addition to their speed and firepower, the armor also carries advanced targeting and communication gear common among the Dark Age Armor that it is based upon. The armors targeting systems are designed to maximize accuracy rather than splitting fire, as such two of the Grimnar’s three primary weapons need to be twin-linked, trading versatility for accuracy. The armor has four possible mounting points, weapons can be mounted over either shoulder or in the armors forearms. The fists are themselves weapons, able to take a number of melee attachments, from simple power fists to upscaled power claws, to chain first, though the bulkier melee weapons can limit what can be fitted into the arms. Weapons can be swapped out easily, allowing Devastators wearing Grimnar armor to adjust their loadout quickly. As an alternative, the armor can replace one of the weapons with a stealth module, though the system can only function if the armors primary reactor is disabled, leaving the armor slow, unarmed, and without its integrated force fields. The reactor can take 40 seconds to power up in combat conditions, and will near-instantly break stealth. Despite these limits, the ability to easily infiltrate devastator teams has proven to be of substantial use.

Under even the most intense combat conditions, the armor can function for two weeks before its reactor runs out of fuel. While the armor needs to be powered down to refuel, due to excellent design replacing the fuel cell can be done in under a minute, with one tech-priest famously swapping out a damaged fuel cell before the Knight that had damaged it could cycle its weapon.

### **Type 3: Mark I Koorland pattern Raider Armor**

The Mark I Koorland pattern Raider armor is in many ways a testament to Tranth’s adaptability. While the armor it was based upon was incredible, it was optimized for a method of war sharply divorced from the methods used by the angels of death. The armor the Koorland pattern was based on was intended to provide a stable firing platform at speed, allowing its users to skirmish with the foe from range. Tranath was able to use it as a starting point to create a suit of armor intended to allow Astartes to close into melee range with blistering speed, and charge with shattering force. Making use of repulsor technology to reduce the weight to nothing, the high capacity engine it bears is able to accelerate it to speeds typically seen on aircraft. While this technically makes maneuvering in the armor difficult, the frankly staggering degree of neural integration allowed by the marine’s black carapace, and their superhuman reflects largely mitigate this issue. The Koorland pattern uses a complex array of repulsors for weight reduction and allows its user to control each one individually, making it possible to change the effective weight of sections of their body, freely shifting both their effective mass and center of gravity. This results in a truly impossible amount of maneuverability. The focus on speed notably reduces the protection the armor offers, leaving it on the same level as the Mark X Astartes armor.

The armor is designed as much for sustained flight as it is for sprints, greatly enhancing strategic mobility. It is not unheard of for assault marines to totally forsake transport, instead relying on the impossible speed of their armor. This allows them to move at air mobile speeds, without forsaking cover or exposing them to anti-air emplacements. When in close formation the armor uses short-range tight beams to share piloting data, which is then poured into the Astartes subconscious mind through the black carapace. This allows for seamless coordination of formations and among veterans can be used to enhance tactical cohesion in combat. The armor also incorporates a number of pockets of impact absorbing gel on its inner layer, allowing it to greatly cushion the shock of either a crash, or more frequently a crushing charge. It is part of trust doctrine for assault marines to switch off the weight reduction before making contact, tearing through the ranks of their foes like multi-ton supersonic bullets.

A variant of the armor that incorporates stealth technology has been created, similar to the Stealth module of the Calgar pattern, though more effort is spent masking emissions rather than camouflage. The Mark II Talon pattern is somewhat slower than the Koorland pattern, due to the space and power taken up by the stealth system, however, the ability to evade long-range auspexs combined with the armor’s speed enables devastating hit and run attacks.

The armor can operate effectively for up to two months on a single charge under normal conditions. Though even with constant use of the engines it can last for weeks. Refueling is a simple matter, taking only a few minutes. However, the engines must be shut down for it, requiring its wears refuel while grounded.

### **Type 4: Mark I Shrike Pattern recon Armor**

The Mark I Shrike pattern recon armor is a dedicated infiltration armor, intended to allow Astartes to penetrate deep behind enemy lines. The armor incorporates a staggering array of passive sensors, to feed a dense stream of information through the black carapace. Such is the density of information that even Astartes need to spend months training in managing it, but once they have they gain a staggering level of situational awareness, far beyond even their own superhuman sense. The stealth systems of the Shrike are immensely advanced, pioneering many techniques that would become key to later stealth developments. They make use of multiple layers of chameleon fields and emission baffles to render the suit totally invisible across almost all spectrums known to man. It is not uncommon for scouts in this armor to walk within inches of vigilant sentries while giving no indication of their presence. This does however come at a price in overall protection, as the Mark I shrike pattern offers slightly less protection than traditional Astartes armor.

In addition to sensors and stealth, the armor also incorporates silent repulsorlifts, allowing the armor true flight at a decent speed. While not blisteringly fast, its flight is utterly silent and enables it to infiltrate from unexpected directions, as well cross ground without leaving footprints. The Shrike also incorporates the most advanced communications gear in the trust, allowing it to nearly tracklessly relay information over light seconds. This has enabled trust infiltration teams to coordinate with lurking stealth ships, allowing them to maintain regular contact with the rest of the trust. This ensures that the trust Astartes scouts are always in contact with the rest of the army. Recon armor can function in the field near indefinitely, being able to draw in hydrogen from the environment to power its micro fusion reactors.

### **Type 5: Mark I Chronus Pattern Ace Armor**

The mark I Chronus Pattern ace armor was created to enhance the performance of Astartes pilots. Combining existing DAoT neural interface software, and the high bandwidth link of the black carapace the Chronus Pattern pushes the degree of vehicle integration to the limits, not just between the pilot and their vehicle, but between the crew themselves. For multi crewed vehicles ace armor will integrate the crewmembers with each other as much as with the vehicle’s systems. It can take even Astartes months to adapt to the sheer density of information. Astartes who have not fully acclimated can find their normal senses stifling once disconnected, having adapted to the density of information the armor provided. This effect fades with training as they learn to move between the two states. The limiting factor on the degree of integration is presently the Astartes themselves, with veterans able to request governors removal allowing for even deeper connection, though such request requires approval from both a chaplain and a techmarine as linking so deeply with a machine spirit can prove detrimental to the minds of those of insufficient will. Unsurprisingly, techmarines tend to have a great affinity for this armor, though it has been noticed that Astartes who bear it into battle are notably more likely to become techmarines themselves. If this is simply due to gaining a deeper understanding of their mechanical steeds, or something else is presently under investigation.

In addition to the deep link the armor provides, it also serves to assist in physically running the vehicle. It incorporates a degree of internal damping to cushion pilots from G-forces, enabling even more extreme maneuvers. The armor possesses a communication suite copied from the recon armor, enabling secure high bandwidth communication over light seconds, often outstripping the communications suite of the vehicle the Marine is piloting. While most keep the vehicle's voxcaster as a backup, some pilots remove them to save weight and power. However, this practice is mildly frowned upon, especially for one-man vehicles.

In the event of the pilot’s vehicle being knocked out, ace armor incorporates a savior pattern burst refractor field, enabling it to render them near invulnerable for the split second needed to survive a crash or detonation. Indeed, more than one Marine has emerged from the total obliteration of their tank or aircraft combat-capable. Although the Chronus Pattern is not as protective as most other advanced Astartes armors, it can still almost match the Mark X Tacitus pattern in terms of protection, while being notably more nimble. While far less dangerous as infantry than as a pilot, Astartes wearing this armor are nevertheless still Marines, and remain lethally effective soldiers on foot. In most cases such dismounted soldiers will fall back to seek a replacement vehicle, however, more than a few squads have pressed the attack, finishing key pushes or strikes in service to the wider offensive.

### **Mark I Exemplar pattern Advanced Terminator Armor**

The Mark I Exemplar pattern Advanced terminator armor was developed to replace the increasingly obsolete terminator armor, incorporating the technology of the Dark Age, the riddle of angelsteel from the sons of Sanguinius, and the secrets of fire from Muspelheim. it blends them into something far more than the sum of its parts. The Exemplar is without a doubt, the most potent suit of power armor in the arsenals of man. Angelsteel has long been renowned for its practical indestructibility, but its near-perfect thermal conductivity made it useless for armor, until combined with the absolute mastery of heat commanded by the thanes of Muspelheim. Combining angelsteel with Muspelheim ceramite the Exemplar achieves a level of protection that is to terminator armor, as terminator armor is to normal Astartes armor.

The design takes full advantage of Angelsteel’s thermal conductivity, weaving a web of thermal connections into the hull. Spreading heat near evenly over the entire armor. It is a common sight to see a suit of exemplar armor glow white-hot under a barrage of plasma and melta fire, only to march on unhindered. The secret to this resistance is the alternating layers of Angelsteel and ceramite. Supplementing this is all of the secrets of fire known to the thanes of Muspelheim. Heat traps, thermal obliterates, fire feeds, and more manage, direct and unmake any heat that would seek to overcome the armor. Leaving the bearer untouched even as his armor reaches stone melting temperatures around him. To fell an Astartes clad in this armor requires either the claws of a greater demon, or firepower enough to fell a knight titan.

The true genius of Advanced Terminator Armour, however, lies within its motive systems. As a further refinement of the electrofibre cables of classic Power Armour, the advanced myomer muscles that Advanced Power Armour utilizes can achieve an even greater degree of fidelity and control than electrofibre was ever capable of, while matching - even surpassing it - in the amount of strength it can bring to bear. Combined with the use of arcane gravitic technology to allow for adjustments to the weight of the armour at the speed of thought, a skilled operator of Advanced Terminator Armour can be as light as a feather or as heavy as a Baneblade. Indeed, in the right hands, Advanced Terminator Armour is even capable of limited flight, a truly terrifying prospect for any foe who cut their teeth against the ponderous plate of the Imperium of old and seeks to turn the armour’s bulk against it.

With its host of advances and systems, even inexperienced operators of Advanced Terminator Armour report a hundredfold increase in the power they can bring to bear, even without the benefit of the Black Carapace to interface with the systems; in the hands of a truly ancient Astartes or any other individual with the right augment suite, Advanced Terminator Armour becomes a truly potent instrument of swift, overwhelming destruction, without sacrificing any control or mobility as its predecessors did.

In addition, Advanced Terminator Armour makes use of many of the armour modules available to Elite Power Armour, many of those systems fully integrated as basic features due to the armour’s greater bulk allowing for native use, the most famous of them being the Stealth and Power Systems. At once capable of projecting a halo sheath and containing its emissions, the days of Terminators being the blunt instrument of their Chapter are long over. Combined with their newfound mobility, the Terminator is capable of strategic mobility and deception once known only by Astartes Scouts and Tau Stealthsuits.

However, unlike Advanced Power Armour, the greater emissions generated by Advanced Terminator Armour do limit the duration in which they can maintain stealth, and once lifted the Terminator will become detected by even rudimentary detection systems. This weakness is mitigated by Muspelheim’s mastery of flame and thermodynamics, and the canny commander can exploit this to force the enemy into traps, but otherwise limits the Advanced Terminator Armour in insurgency actions, rendering it merely exceptional rather than ideal as with every other function.

The incredible endurance of Terminator Armour has also been inherited by Advanced Terminator Armour with full integration of Advanced Power Armour Power Packs, ensuring that ambient moisture is sufficient to maintain indefinite combat endurance. On unusually arid worlds, however, the fuel scoop is instead replaced by a simple water tank capable of taking water from a myriad of sources, including the armour’s own recycling systems.

### Modernised Power Armor

Power armour from the dark age of technology had been recovered centuries ago by this point and as technology has either been recovered or developed more and more features were added or available to make it even more formidable, but these were mostly added to the armour in a rushed method causing it to be more of a hassle to learn and get used to over time creating a bit of inefficiency. With the help of the World Ship and many tech priests and engineers a redesign of every type of powered armour was made with the armour being built from the ground up to incorporate and make use of new technology including those that could not be added previously into older designs. While this does not result in anywhere near an upgrade such as the difference between the basic and advanced designs this will still be a not insignificant increase in capabilities as well as improved ease of use especially with the advanced computing and miniaturisation technologies from the World Ship. (Basic idea is some improvements to all designs of power armour and some reduction in time needed to train with it for a slight increase in cost.) In terms of crunch, it provides an additional 0.5 armor over the base version.

Armor values
 **Mark I Exemplar pattern Advanced Terminator Armor** | 22