Titanicus WH40k

[dragon]

My local book store is carrying this in hard back, is it worth it to pick up, or should I wait for the softback version?

[white_rabbit]

Worth it I'd say, but I can't be trusted on such topics apparently, since I'm a fanboy with no objectivity.

[dragon]

Ok since 100% said it was worth it I picked it up. Gotta say holycrap is the guy in charge old, 12,000 years old. That means he was tooling around with the Emperor and saw his rise to power. Imagine what kind of knowledge he has, assuming its a he and not an it by this time.

[dragon]

Ok since 100% said it was worth it I picked it up. Gotta say holycrap is the guy in charge old, 12,000 years old. That means he was tooling around with the Emperor and saw his rise to power. Imagine what kind of knowledge he has, assuming its a he and not an it by this time.

Crap misread the page. They were talking about Lord Gearheart and then said the legio existed for 12k years. I over looked the legio think it was a title.

[NecronLord]

I quite enjoyed it. It may be better to wait for the paperback version though.

[Dartzap]

I'm rather confused about the front cover, since it shows a bunch of Astartes (Possibly Space Vikings) but, in the actual novel itself.... there is a significant shortage of the aforementioned Space Binge Drinkers.

[Azazal]

Cover looks like a re-use of the current EPIC rulebook's cover art
Titanicus

Epic Armageddon Rulebook

[dragon]

Yup it's the same pic.

[NecronLord]

They're Salamanders by the way.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

It is definitely worth reading. There's a subplot in the novel that almost affects the wider 40k universe, and may even be referenced again in later books. It certainly makes me think GW may be planning a Codex: Mechanicus army for the future.

As for buying it... If you don't mind spending that much money on a book, then go for it. I think it's worth a reread and easily one of the better 40k books released in the last year. Sure, some of the Titan battles come across as a little goofy and somewhat Star Trekky, but it brings out a whole new viewpoint for the fluff.

P.S.: I think Connor is going to find some definite "outliers" in this book. Also, [size=0]would it have killed Abnett to give us a reason why no one even mentions orbital bombardment as an option, especially when the perfect opportunity presents itself with a neat little bow?[/size]

[Falkenhayn]

Definitely read it. It's a great source on the structure of the relationship between the Admech and the IoM, and the politics within the AdMech itself.

P.S.: I think Connor is going to find some definite "outliers" in this book. Also, [size=0]would it have killed Abnett to give us a reason why no one even mentions orbital bombardment as an option, especially when the perfect opportunity presents itself with a neat little bow?[/size]

The "MIU Killshot o' Doom"? That was a CS Goto moment, though Dan does get carried away sometimes. Ravenor's Gamma Level Ship-to-Ship heroics come to mind, and he was the one that wrote "Eisenhorn v Cyberwitch".

The new Size thing is fucked, BTW, I'm using board background colored text with a "Spoiler" Tag for the time being.

[NecronLord]

I seem to recall the entire point of the giant shield tower being to protect the chaos titans from just getting detected and shot from orbit.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

I seem to recall the entire point of the giant shield tower being to protect the chaos titans from just getting detected and shot from orbit.

There seems to be a large amount of time between when Varco destroys the shield and the enemy titans are observed by ships in orbit and when the defending titans are able to form up and travel into the west to confront them. This time could have been used to bombard the shit out of the chaos host instead of just letting the already-battered Mechanicus forces take care of them. Also, there's a scene where a chaos Imperator titan is rampaging around an abandoned hive--what a great opportunity for an orbital strike.

[Venator]

Also, there's a scene where a chaos Imperator titan is rampaging around an abandoned hive--what a great opportunity for an orbital strike.

Hives themselves tend to be pretty resilient, and if they were planning on re-inhabiting it after it'd be another case against naval-level weapons.

But hell, why they don't use orbital firepower on a large chunk of the super-heavy threats in 40k period (Gargants, Bio-Titans, etc.) has always been a question.

[Falkenhayn]

Given a Titan's preferred Dueling Range (~15km), and how frequently they encounter eachother at much closer ranges, espcially in built up areas, the lack of orbital strikes dosen't suprise me. From the amount of firepower that the Imperial Navy throws around, they'd probably still be inside the fireball. The smallest orbital strike noted so far was single to double digit kilotons, albeit with some pretty nasty wattage.

Also, a Hive City represents millennia of investment. It often contains large manufacturing facilities, which given the interconnected nature of imperial goverment, are probably vital to the viability of the sub-sector or sector, and are objectives for reconquest before anything else.

[SAMAS]

Well, given that the 3.5 Daemon/Witchhunters and the 5th ed Space Marines have Orbital Bombardment as usable options/choices, you can see them a lot more often, gamewise.

Storywise, the ship just might not be available. It could be helping in another battle zone, or may not even be in clear orbit, still transporting troops or fighting the enemy's own ships.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

What bugs me is that orbital bombardment isn't even mentioned as an option. You'd expect the Mechanicus of all people to consider using nukes or some fabulous space contraptions or at least to explain in boring detail why such a bombardment wouldn't be possible.

Also, what about airstrikes? We know that the Admech has a crapload of heay lifters in the area since they were able to unload Legio Invicta--surely those things are armed and armored.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I enjoyed it very much. It just has some glaring WTF moments.

[andrewgpaul]

The Epic: Armageddon rules allow orbital bombardments, in two types. 'broadside' attacks are area-effect bombardments, while lance attacks can pinpoint a single super-heavy vehicle. Mind you, IIRC only the Eldar so far get lance bombardments. You could take that as a comment on the accuracy of other races' starship fire controls, I suppose.

[KlavoHunter]

Yeah, the lack of orbital bombardment confused the hell out of me.

I mean, they foreshadow orbital bombardment, by, in the single part of the story that contains mention of the Fleet at all (after the beginning part), they ask them to prepare for orbital bombardment.


Then when Varco and company blow up the tower that's jamming it, there were 63 perfectly good reasons to unleash some orbital bombardment to even the odds between the Chaos host and the ruined Legios Tempestus and Invictus, who were outnumbered very nearly 2:1.


But, nope. Just somehow they managed to win in an open-field battle. Worse yet, they don't even bother showing more than the first part of it...

[Vendetta]

The Epic: Armageddon rules allow orbital bombardments, in two types. 'broadside' attacks are area-effect bombardments, while lance attacks can pinpoint a single super-heavy vehicle. Mind you, IIRC only the Eldar so far get lance bombardments. You could take that as a comment on the accuracy of other races' starship fire controls, I suppose.

Imperium forces get pinpoint attacks as well from the Lunar class cruiser. Orks don't, and the Chaos list has no orbital assets.

[andrewgpaul]

Oh yes. Sorry.

[White Haven]

That's particularly puzzling coming from Abnett, who has a history of using orbital strikes against particularly nasty gribblies in the Ghosts novels.

[Connor MacLeod]

I wouldn't even begin to venture why they couldnt without having a glimpse at the scene in question, and the context. I can think of a number of reasons that may or may not apply (accuracy issues or placement of the bombardment is a big one. Capital ships may carry guns far more powerful than a Titan could carry, but that doesn't always mean you can just deploy them willy-nilly.)

More information is required. Or at least a page number so I can go look this thing up at B&N myself (I'm not goingt ob e buying this hardcover, and I wont be getting to the novel anytime soon as it is.)

[Ryan Thunder]

Also, there's a scene where a chaos Imperator titan is rampaging around an abandoned hive--what a great opportunity for an orbital strike.

Hives themselves tend to be pretty resilient, and if they were planning on re-inhabiting it after it'd be another case against naval-level weapons.

But hell, why they don't use orbital firepower on a large chunk of the super-heavy threats in 40k period (Gargants, Bio-Titans, etc.) has always been a question.

It basically comes down to a matter of "Awsum!1 sense" vs. "Common sense". 40K writers tend to be lacking the latter department.

That is why the Imperium fields battle titans instead of superheavy tanks, spends ludicrous resources producing Space Marines instead of improving on their inexpensive grunts, and hands out chainsaws instead of rayguns or semi-automatic weapons that combine the firing characteristics of a pistol with the explosive firepower of a hand grenade.

[Ford Prefect]

Ryan, please do not start your shit again. Seriously, after all that bullshit int he other threads, you think you would have picked up on the fact that you have no idea what you're talking about. The Imperium field whole legions of superheavy tanks. Space Marines literally pay for themselves. And for the last fucking time, the Imperium does not give people close-combat weapons in favour of ranged weapons, except in a small number of unusual or otherwise rare cases! Assault Marines carry chainswords IN ADDITION to ranged weapons! Imperial officers carry powerswords IN ADDITION to plasma pistols! Terminators carry powerfists IN ADDITION to storm bolters and assault cannons!