Primus medicae, to terminate or not to terminate...

[Koriel]

I'm looking to include a primus medicae in my HH force and I know that it's an option to take terminator armour for them. My question then is, would it be fluffy or even practical to be equipped with a mobile battle tank when you are supposed to save the life of your brothers. Would it not be a hinderance when you try to kneel and tend to a wounded marine or to extract his gene-seed.

 

Take Valzen for instance from "prince of crows". He's an officer of the Atramantar, a company of terminators. Would he be equipped with terminator armour? I don't belive it's mentioned if he is or not, but i'm leaning towards no.

 

I'm looking for input, what are your thoughts on the subject?

[hisdudeness]

I don't believe terminator armor is as stiff as you believe. I believe it is the mass of the suit that is a hindrance, otherwise (fluff wise) weapon skill would be hindered as well as movement.

 

So fluff, u see not reason a medicae would not be in TDA if the unit he supports is also in TDA.

[Perrin]

I don't think it would be practical. As you said, it would be difficult to perform the duties expected of an apothecary while wearing Terminator armour. It would also drastically reduce their speed of movement, which could lead to battle brothers dying before the apothecary gets there.

I bet the Celestial Lions wish their apothecaries wore Terminator armour though

[depthcharge12]

Well in Angel Exterminatus, the iron warriors' Primus medicae, Honourable Soulaka is described as wearing terminator armor.

 

 

It might make more sense that you can tend to your brothers when you don't have to worry about retaliatory fire since you are practically in a tanks worth of armor :P

[Demus Ragnok]

Well as a senior level officer I wonder how much hands on would a Primus be doing. I picture them more coordonating the battlefield triage and evac rather than getting his hands dirty.

[depthcharge12]

Well as a senior level officer I wonder how much hands on would a Primus be doing. I picture them more coordonating the battlefield triage and evac rather than getting his hands dirty.

 

I agree, but he's also out there trying to help the EC wounded as well after the Sisypheum boarding (which could be argued that he wasn't in any line of fire)

[DuskRaider]

I think it would more depend on what detachment you're placed in. Fluff-wise I can definitely see it, and I fully intend on making two for my Pride of the Legion army. Tactically... I mean, come on. Imagine Cataphractii Terminators with FNP. That's a scary / awesome idea. 

[Koriel]

Well in Angel Exterminatus, the iron warriors' Primus medicae, Honourable Soulaka is described as wearing terminator armor.

It might make more sense that you can tend to your brothers when you don't have to worry about retaliatory fire since you are practically in a tanks worth of armor :P

True enough, I actually forgot about Honourable Soulaka. Thank you for reminding me. When you think about it, when Sevatar is on the vox with Valzen after he boarded the Dark angel flagship and he is interrupted by " the knocking grind of a bone-saw doing what it does best", I can almost imagine Valzen laying about with a chainfist like attatchment.

[Sanct]

Astartes can only come from geneseed so there is a lot of advantages to stop the enemy apothecary (aside from that pesky FnP ) I can see both sides targeting apothecaries with extreme prejudice. (I remember a flashback where Vandred said something similar to Talos in soul ...reaver?)

There would be a big advantage for your apoths staying safe in the middle of a firefight - especially if it looks like you might lose the fight and therefore the ability to recover geneseed.

Terminator armour is a little bigger so I guess there is more storage space and can use it's superior strength to get through (other terminators') armour and astartes bone to retrieve the geneseed

[Cactus]

You could do what I did and copy Fabius Bile - mount your medical equipment on articulated arms and never worry about bending down again.

[Xenith]

The narthecium and reductor are automatic devices, the Apoc just has to kneel and put has arm near the fallen brother's chest. Space Hulk termies show us that Kneeling in TDA is perfectly acceptable.

 

The DA do it all the time.

[Perrin]

The mobility aspect is sorted then, but what about the speed? TDA slows the wearer down considerably, unless you're Abaddon, and speed is important to an apothecary.

[Koriel]

I suppose that you'd only wear terminator armour as an apothecary , if you actually deployed alongside other terminators, so the speed aspect might not matter as much. I picture on my mind that the rest of the terminators would close ranks around a downed brother so the apothecary could go to work....but I suppose that depends on the legion :P

 

But in the end of the day, I suppose the rule of cool prevails.

[RolandTHTG]

Well, Dark angels seem to have no problem with it, unless all those dresses give them practice bending over...
http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2860467a_99120101096_DeathwingCommand04_445x319.jpg

[Noserenda]

When in doubt where Terminator armour, preferably Cataphract ;) 

Theres also a practical consideration, in a bitter civil war do you really want to be an obvious high value target, wearing white and considerably less armour than all your buddies?

[Daddywarcrimes]

"Camouflage is the color of cowardice".  The idea that an Apothecary would seek to conceal himself, even amid the ranks of battle brothers, seems like it would run counter to the entire mindset of the Astartes.  You're more likely to see Apothecaries walking around with a Narthecium on one arm and a boarding shield emblazoned with a giant Caduceus and their personal heraldry on the other.

[Terimus]

And Grey Knights also have Terminator Apothecaries, so I would say it depends on if you want to spend the points for the termy armor or not

[Reinholt]

Fast but less protected vs. slow but more protected?

 

This sounds to me like a decision that will vary on a legion by legion basis. Or even a deployment by deployment basis within the same legion. Above all, most marines adjust rapidly to tactical realities, and take the weapons and armor that best suit the situation at hand.

[Flint13]

"Camouflage is the color of cowardice".  The idea that an Apothecary would seek to conceal himself, even amid the ranks of battle brothers, seems like it would run counter to the entire mindset of the Astartes.  You're more likely to see Apothecaries walking around with a Narthecium on one arm and a boarding shield emblazoned with a giant Caduceus and their personal heraldry on the other.

Ah, but that is only a few choice legions.

 

It makes sense to Imperial Fists or Ultramarines. They are the ultimate paragons of the trans-human astartes program. Proclaiming their arrogance and unconcern for their foes abilities is part of the very character of the legion.

 

It would also be part of the character of the Alpha Legion or Nightlords to let those loud colors and impressive accessories guide their shots to the most important targets as they attack out of an ambush.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Helping the dying is a secondary matter - the priority is protecting the Legion's geneseed. If you don't have the endurance to protect your Legion's legacy, then you're no better than the weaklings that made your job necessary.

At least, that's the approach I imagine the Iron 10th take

[Larkyn]

Cataphractii armour I could see having an issue, as its described as being extra plated, "slab plates", as they put it. Tartaros and Indomnitus very much so, especially Tartaros, as it looks very sleek and movey.

[Balthamal]

I think a lot depends on the type of force the apothecary is accompanying. For example a White Scars apothecary will be riding a jetbike/bike that's almost certain whilst you'd expect the Sanguinary Priests of the Blood Angels to have jump packs.

 

To quote you're example of Valzen, I don't think it unusual for him to be wearing Terminator Armour although it would almost certainly be Tartaros/Indomitus pattern. He's going to be going into the most hazardous situations possible and it makes sense for him to be as well protected as possible. The Atramentar are the elite of the VIII Legion and an officer in  the company will have access to the best of everything, stands to reason he'd rock up terminator armour. Sevatar is sort of the exception to that but given his fighting prowess and style he probably feels more efficient in regular warplate