Fluff: Are Plasmas an expensive commodity?

[Frater Cornelius]

Let us take the question of rarity a bit further. What about having vehicles powered by Plasma Generators or whatever else you have that is powered by Plasma. This means better performance and less need to refuel. Remember, tanks eat loads of fuel. Being able to operate longer without support. Thoughts about that one? Conversions would certainly be interesting.

[WarriorFish]

It wouldn't be much of a stretch to incorporate that into the engine somehow, especially with various STCs that could be in use. Not sure if it's necessary though as you can claim almost anything as a fuel source so it seems like needless detail. Nobody really cares about the logistics of an army and how much food they gobble up, just where they go and what they do ;)

[Frater Cornelius]

I do :D I care enough to look up threads that compare the cost effectiveness, battlefield effectiveness and physical details of tanks and mechs (yes, realistically speaking a tracked vehicle of equivalent size, mass and technology is pretty much always be superior to a bipedal mech). While I know that 40k mainly consist of fairy dust and Orks, I want my force to feel realistic in terms of logistics and physics as much as possible ;)

It is a personal thing though and I will not bother anyone with that in the fluff unless they want to. Still, this goes a long way in making me stick with IG instead of 'walker-based' Skits.

But, I need increased tech feel to show the higher military budget, manufacturing capabilities and technological level that is suitable for a Knight House gone holy, lest it feels too cheap next to Skits. The big alure about AdMech is that they have Elite infantry, exo-skeletons, exotic guns and so forth, which really puts IG behind.

 

That is the whole purpose of this thread. Make my IG concept catch up with my vision of AdMech to prevent me from going AdMech and risk being disappointed. Especially since I still have reservations about it.

[scatmandoo]

Could be a regiment that has good ties to a forgeworld/go scavenging off the dead fellow regiments quicker than anyone else/have deals with rogue traders.

 

Make it work if you want it too.

[Quneitra]

Isn't the Russ able to run on literally every fuel source available, including nuclear batteries like those used on RL deep space satellites? There's probably a plasma generator Russ out there somewhere. You could probably use a Mars Alpha hull for that, with its more distinctive engine.

 

From what I understand, the Imperium seems to run off of plasma fusion generators, whether on their ships or on the planets that are up to date techwise. Maybe adding some gratuitous plasma fuel cells could work?

[greycat]

I'll have to try and find where I read it but apparently plasmas are really rare with the majority of them being relic weapons maintained and kept. Plasmas that marines carry for example are maintained by the chapter from hundreds or thousands of years ago and are high quality.

 

The plasmas that the guard get are mass produced on forgeworlds and far more unreliable but that being said they are still far more valuable than a guardsman's life and they are told to retrieve them if at all possible.

[Frater Cornelius]

I will not be too hard to equip a LR accordingly. I am in the process of fusing one with an Empire Steam Tank. I can use Techy bitz and shiny things to bling out the rear end of the tank.

 

As for troopers, I am looking at the Solar Auxilia with Knight helmets from fantasy. This will give a nice steampunk knightly look, but still somewhat seem realistic given the full body armour. It won't be too expensive to kit out 20 Vets. No idea what to do to make the 30man platoon look realistic, but at the same time not expendable. Basically, light infantry.

[Knight of the Raven]

Make sure to check whether the Solar Auxilia's helmets are separate from the bodies before buying them if you want to use other helmets.