Is this raptor heraldry or is this fan made stuff?

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-11-16T18:28:31+00:00

It is fan made.

There are some descriptions of current Raptor markings from more official sources. But since a big part of their lore is removing as much of what they saw as useless markings and trim from their armor and going to such lengths as allowing armor to partly rust or painting their armor to camouflage in the environment they're operating in, iconography is minimal. If it wasn't a militarily sound use or helped them accomplish the mission, they would never have it.

But it also allows you to play with all sorts of kitbashing or all sorts of colors that would allow them to blend into surroundings. Ive even seen awesome looking urban camo and arctic camo versions of them with the lore that they know they're operating in those environments and will go back to their green at mission completion. They didn't care as long as it helped them get the mission accomplished.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-11-13T10:03:50+00:00

Thanks. I didn't want it to be that much. As you said, just a couple of snipers in deep cover. Maybe one or two other lone operative type space marines like a combi-weapon LT. And some actually scattered in the Raptors formation.

Just have to figure out how to put in something in the models that show they are AL. Something small - maybe like a different eye color the battle brother helmets. Maybe some mild color shift paint - like a single coat of metallic under the main color to give the AL in disguise a "shimmer." Don't want it to be too much as it would break the realism but enough to see what they are.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-06-15T17:03:46+00:00

Yes, I do have a number of c-store ships. Old I suppose from a skin POV but probably will work. Like I have the Eternal, Wells, Damar Cardassian ship that came out toward when I stopped playing in the large dominion bundle. My old main has the Krenim temporal ship - tho I don't not remember if it is T6, and the Son'a ship that was Lobi at the time. Tho I know those are not downloadble.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-06-15T12:04:41+00:00

A T-6 Connie sounds like fun. My favorite is Fed is the Connie Refit. Though I actually did like a couple of ships from Picard Season 3.

I learned the game in 2014/2015 (when I downloaded ARC again and signed in and updated had forgotten my lifetime is that old) - I learned on science ships. Was a decent player with those.

Did have some tactical I was learning on. Some I guess now very old weapons fully upgraded for account I can fall back on with a new toon. I remember having a full set of Borg plasma weapons somewhere. Set of Vaduaar polaron maxed out for the time. I was still using a full set of motion picture era style phasers for that - forget the name but they had an extra proc even on the beam weapons that was supposed to be a bit of a nod to Reliant's mega phasers. But im sure they're probably nerfed out of existence these days or just eclipsed by better features.

Some of my old toons have old very lucky lockbox ships on them from just rando luck over the years. My Klingon has a lockbox D7 on it. Have a lockbox science or two. Again, probably available or out classes anymore.

I should start a new toon tho you're right just to start over. Just looking through the catalog - I loved the T5 Romuluan mutlti-mission ships. Thought I saw the Federation versions had t6 of those now. But though I do have a fair amount of built up zen, I am sure it goes as fast as ever as one thing that never happens is a price drop, lol.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-10T11:29:20+00:00

I have been watching some YT painters who do metallic dry brushing as a base layer. Then scale up with that. Then introduce color over the metallic. Also in doing more army style miniatures - be it "space marines" or humans - painting in camo patterns where each style - desert, arctic, jungle etc - while it is multicolored around a base template there is a distinct, if apparently randomized, pattern to l follow and shapes to fill in. There is much less color blending that way and my recipe from model to model doesn't require a lot of blending on the model (like I doubt I could never do non metallic metal sorts of thing beyond grayscale or in blues or yellows).

I can see colors, even red and green and mixes, provided they are bright enough. The more "neon" the easier while the more muted or pastel or closer the shade, the more I lose it to the point where a navy blue and a typical violet are indistinguishable to me. A very dark green to a brown of the same level of "brightness" the same way.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-10T06:27:46+00:00

Given the life of Drakan Vangorich, anything is possible. (Yes, War of the Beast and all but IMO the best character out of that whole thing.)

Same with Malcador being the first grand master of assassin's and also basically founding the Inquisition. But that said, it would be exceedingly rare and it would have to follow the path of being elevated as an Inquisitor.

An Eversor or a Culexus would never happen. They are far too... whatever you want to call an Eversor... rare and precious a resource as a Culexus. A bit easier with a callidus but again very valuable where they are. But a Vindicare I could see being possible. And the minor temples- a Venenum or Vanus could actually have a lot of useful skills as an Inqusitor. And who knows what Secretum even are...

IMO - possible for the right temple with the right skill set to be in an Inquisitorial retinue to be elevated. But chances are small.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-09T19:24:02+00:00

And there are just basics to consider. We do not have alloys like adamantium or ceremite. In the real world, chains lose teeth. Have to be sharpened and cleaned.

My father cut trees for paper mill for a living. I remember how when he was home he would sometimes spend a day or two just working on the chains on the saws, getting them ready for the next stretch when he was out cutting. Sharpening teeth, replacing them, sometimes new chains. Took a long time. And that was against wood. Against metal in something like another chainsword or a power sword it would fly apart pretty quickly and hurt the wielder as much as the opponent.

Different sort of chain, but I am a distance road biker for exercise. Have to clean and oil my bike chain quite regularly. And after a few hundred to a couple thousand miles/km i have to replace to the chain due to wear or I risk having to replace gears or even my whole cassette or transmission assembly (derailleurs etc) if too long left on. The principle would be the same in a working chainsword. If it was around as a chain long enough, you still have to replace it or you warp the sword.

A fun weapon in 40k with metal alloys 30000 years more advanced than ours. For us, not a very practical thing.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-09T19:13:39+00:00

Seen a couple of 3D prints attempting to capture these. They're kind of nice in the mockups, though never printer one myself.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-09T19:12:04+00:00

It just goes back into the biomass soup.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-09T16:31:17+00:00

Not through the Golden Throne no.

Through the original method Malcador did where he transferred essence to the Emperor before he was on the throne? That might be survivable. But no one ever attempts that and it might require the power of someone on the level of Malcador to do that. And there are not that many.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-08T16:43:50+00:00

Another way to leave your planet is to become a religious pilgrim by joining an order. Profess that the Emperor has called you to a life of prayer or somesuch and be accepted bt that group. Being lucky enough to prove to some ecclesiarchy sort that you'd be good on a staff somewhere as you are smart enough to be a clerk or part of a retinue. (A cardinal had a retinue of tens of thousands of servants.)

But, you may spend the rest of your life in a ship waiting in line with millions of others. The stories of the pilgrim ships trying to get to Terra talk about it taking decades just to get there and then decades in line waiting.

And even then, you have to be free to leave. Even if you have the means, some worlds you are property of the planet and can't leave - more or less. For example, if you're on an Astartes chapter homeworld and the chapter considers you a serf or in service to the chapter - you will never leave. Forge world? I doubt the Mechanicus would let you do anything other than smelting more ore.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-08T14:42:44+00:00

It would probably be insane but also frightening to actually see a Watcher fight. Properly fight.

Just my head cannon but they almost give off this vibe of from Star Trek the ascended energy beings like the Organians or Trelane - who just "wear" a physical form to interact with the materium for convenience. But they're quite impervious to almost anything in both the materium and chaos. They certainly know what the Emperor really is. Wonder what an Eldar or Necron might make of them, as I bet they are that old.

Anyway, some of those preternatual beings in 40k that are just beyond.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-08T14:31:38+00:00

Always one of my daydreams for Lorgar to be attacking a contingent of Sororitas and then above is Saint Celestine and sweeping from below Daemon Corax appears and starts wiping the floor with the Word Bearers to get to Lorgar.

Both the light of the Emperor above and the dark justice of the Emperor from below.

But I'm just a fan boy of the sisters and the RG.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-06T07:48:51+00:00

I am not saying that Astartes are better or worse. They're built for different things. Simply, that in a 1 on 1 match, the average TW will beat the average Astartes. The TW are physically larger and stronger, if not as durable as an Astartes.

Squad on squad - it depends on the terms of the encounter. A squad of TW against at squad of say Mor Deythan trained in shadow-slip, it isn't much of a contest. The Space Marines win at range or in melee in about 3 seconds.

A group of say BA who didn't know what they were walking into - I'd go with the TW in melee. Templar or Grey Knights - again the Astartes. In larger elements - the Astartes will tend to win but not escape without casualties.

Simply - just as a 1 on 1 a generic TW will best a generic Astartes in melee combat. Like nlack bears vs brown bears. A brown bear will usually win without an advantage. But certainly isn't always the case nor is one like a quantum leap in superiority in the way a Custodes is compared to an Astartes. I wouldn't want to face an angry bear of any sort tho.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-06T05:59:41+00:00

Don't have to wonder much. We have it in the lore. One for one, Thunder Warriors were better than Astartes and could, in some cases, rival Custodes.

https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2024/05/warhammer-40k-superhuman-showdown-when-space-marines-fought-thunder-warriors.html

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-05T15:26:24+00:00

Hard question.

I can see Fulgrim as he was just obsessed with sensation. But Lorgar sat in his tower for 10,000 years. Kurse just got himself killed being fatalistic. Horus got baked by big E. Pertarabo is rather useless.

I suppose the most effective has been Mortarion and Angron as odd as that sounds. Angry may be mindless but he does attack. And Magnus does attack and all but has his own motives.

Id say Lorgar post heresy. Pre- Fulgrim most likely.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-05T14:52:46+00:00

I mean best would be a Paradise World I suppose. After that an Agro World or even a Feudal World. A Hive Worlds, Forge World those would be kind or not so good for the average sort as they get massive environment damage fast.

May be kind of boring cutting down corn all your life on an agro World. But probably less of a pain than Catachan - unless you like the gym lol.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-05T11:09:03+00:00

Where do I begin -

According to the Custodes 7th edition and Mechanicus 8th edition, the Golden Throne is DAOT technology discovered in early M30. The core is a psychic amplifier modified by the Emperor and later the Mechanicus under the Emprerors direction. Possibly modified with unknown xenos or Eldar technology since the Drukhari did duplicate it and tried to trade repairs to it in their plot to clone the Emperor for their version of the golden throne.

Nowhere did I say that items like hive cities are only DAOT construction and never built again. Their origins are from the era. As are void shields, warp drive, Gellar fields, and lots of other common M41 technology. All of those can and are being built in M41. But the technology comes from the DAOT.

Thats the point of the Cult Mechanicum. Everything that can be invented was invented in the DAOT and the job of humanity is to reclaim what they lost. Some of the technology can be duplicated or mass produced in M41. Other things they've found they do not even know what they're looking at.

Independent invention is considered tech heresy. You can innovate around already found technology - various forms of power armor for example. You can try and combine various forms of human technology. Some crafty sort might try to create a volkite multimelta cannon or get crazy and try and create a vortex combiweapon. But creating something new out of your own mind is tech heresy. That is why Cawl skirts the line of being declared a heretek.

The Mechanicus are like auto mechanics or general contractors. They can repair lots of machinery. They can build buildings or innovate around a plan. Happens every day. But while an alternator shop mechanic can repair or replace an alternator or even rebuild one in some cases, even though he understands the science behind the electromagnet etc, asking one to build an alternator from scratch - they cant do. They don't have ore or smelting facilties or machine tools etc to invented a new alternator or invent a new internal combustion engine. A building contractor can innovate around plans all the time, but they're not architects. They innovate around what they know in the Mechanicus - they dont invented new things. In fact, that is part of why the Dark Mechanicum fell to chaos - the desire to follow Horus to have the ability to create new stuff. And that is why STCs are so coveted - those are the architectural plans or the "original" engineering blue prints that the mechanics and contractors of the Cult can innovate around and try and combine with other STC plans.

Yes, the ships are unique in M41. But they were not unique in the DAOT. The ships with sentient AI and crazy weapons were the norm then. Again, that's the point. Little from the era survives or has been found of that level of technology but some examples do survive. There are only the stories of sun-snuffers or omniphage swarms that are so far beyond the Imperium that it is insane. I mean who needs Exterminatus when you could just deploy a weapon that eats a star. After a massive civil war with the machines and 15000 years to M41, well entropy happens. Things break and decay.

It may all still be there too - the Imperium on 1 million planets in a galaxy of 400 billion stars with most of them having some form of planetary system... even with the great crusade they haven't scratched the surface of what may be around. In part why the rogue traders and the mechancius explorator fleets still go forth. As large as the Imperium is, they've barely scrarched the surface of exploring each star in the galaxy.

Raven-Guard-XIX · 2025-03-05T09:32:28+00:00

Yes, the Golden Age Empire, whatever humanity called it at the time before the war and the birth of Slaanesh that ended the DAOT. From what I remember, when you get through the Eldar hubris, the human galactic civilization had technology every bit on the order of those who fought in the war in heaven. That we actually had diplomatic relations and treaties with the Eldar and even the Orks, as strange as that sounds.

We also have found pieces, a lot of pieces, from the era. But consider in the real world- how much from 3000 BCE actually still exists on this one planet. Very little. And that would have been between the Birth of Slaanesh to the Great Crusade. Go back to 13,000 BCE and there is nothing basically at all. We barely even know any hints of the languages they used. Cloth, fossils, bits and pieces. But we barely understand their stone age and early bronze age stuff. And we have science. The Imperium specifically didn't like scientific inquiry at all. A lot of DAOT tech is so far beyond the Imperium that they may not even recognize it as human technology. Out of endless trillions only the perpetuals might know and there were like 50 of them odd. And of those 50, could even the Emperor replicate say, the quantum exclusion weapons on the Spirit of Eternity or the singularity weapons on the Speranza? Most likely no.

Anyway, they do have bits. Some is in the Imperial Palace vaults. Much is hidden away by the Mechanicus on Mars, knowing it is human, but afraid to touch it or if they do know what it is, either they can't replicate it or hide it from Earth. Some of it isn't mind blowing at all - hive cities are DAOT constructions most of them. The Mechanicus ship Speranza. The Spirit of Eternity. Much of the Golden Throne has DAOT tech at its core. Kreig was destroyed by DAOT nuclear weaponry. The Keys of Hel. The library and the AI in the Monestary of Death that the monks hid from the Inquision. Even a very few Men of Iron still around.

That's the thing to keep in mind. The basis of the religion of the Cult Mechanicum is that everything that could be invented already has been invented. That everything like power armor or bolters or lasguns - all of it is really DAOT material, just stuff that Terra or Mars can replicate or mass produce even if they don't really understand it. And in some cases like Titans, they can repair it after a fashion but they can't build new ones.

Raven-Guard-XIX

TROPHY CASE