How dangerous is the Fleet of the Dark Mechanicum?

[Moonreaper666]

Compared to the run-of-the-mill Imperial fleet, the Battleships of the Mechanicus Fleet are truly on their own level

 

 

 

So how powerful would the Battleships own by the Dark Mechanicum be?

 

 

How would fleet engagements between the Adeptus Mechanicus and their Chaos counterparts play out?

[Leif Bearclaw]

Are they though? As far as I'm aware comparatively little has been written about the void assets of the Mechanicus, and even less about the Dark Mechanicum (has a DM ship ever actually appeared?).

 

From what I remember from BFG, the limited array of Mechanicus ships were 'OK', certainly not a league above the regular Imperial Navy (in crunch or fluff).

 

So yeah, the premise is somewhat flawed because neither branch of Tech Priests have been portrayed utilising proper battlefleets (as far as I'm aware). But if they did, it probably wouldn't be all that dissimilar from a regular Navy vs Chaos matchup.

[Skaorn]

Chances are Abaddon's planet killer represents the near top of what they can do. That's assuming that they had part of its construction, which seems likely, but GW has done strange things before.

[Shinespider]

The recollection I have of Mechanicus ships being remarkably formidable are the Arks Mechanicus, ancient super-dreadnoughts from the Dark Age of Technology that only the Admech can operate. The one in Graham McNeill's "Of Mars" trilogy is a monster - it's basically sentient, it has a weapon that obliterates an Eldar cruiser by transposing a temporal paradox onto it, and it's so large that it has internal teleporters to get around in. (Though these are rarely used, because the warp.)

 

If the Dark Mechanicus got hold of one, it would be devastating - but we haven't heard of such a thing happening. 

 

Regular Mechanicus ships don't appear often enough in fiction for us to form any meaningful evaluation of them, as far as I know. 

[RandomMarine]

If I remember rightly explorator ships are battle barges with forge tacked on. But in most cases they would be superior to normal imperial ships tech wise and admech battle ships would have more esoteric weapons and sensors

[Ishagu]

Ark Mechanicus ships are the most powerful Ad Mech vessels in the lore. There are very few of them - Cawl has one.

 

It's possible that the Dark Mechanicus has one of these I suppose, but it hasn't been mentioned.

[Marshal Loss]

The name 'Dark Mechanicum' is a misleading label, as the Dark Mechanicum are not a united entity, unlike their Adeptus Mechanicus counterparts. Therefore without clear criteria it's pointless grasping at who would beat who, as  it comes down to the age old trade off between Chaos and Loyalist: the Dark Mechanicum stuff lots of daemons in things and play with toys they weren't meant to use, while the Mechanicus have far more reliable supply lines, are more organised and have the benefit of not being forced to make bargains with dark gods whilst dwelling in hell.

 

Not to mention the fact we really have very little information on the Dark Mechanicum and their capabilities (let alone what they have in their fleets) in 40k - IA13 and nuggets from FW's HH series are the best resources here.

 

 

Chances are Abaddon's planet killer represents the near top of what they can do. That's assuming that they had part of its construction, which seems likely, but GW has done strange things before.

 

And it's worth noting here that from memory an abandoned shipyard with the half-built planet killer is 'discovered' in the eye - I cannot remember whether it is by the Black Legion or by Dark Mechanicum loyal to Abaddon - so heaven knows who originally designed it in the first place.

[Ishagu]

The planet killer could have been some pre dark age forgotten project.

[Marshal Loss]

Well yeah, of course, or it could be xenos, or anything in between. That's the whole point - we don't (and never will) know. The genius of the Dark Mechanicum ensured it was built, but they did not conceive of such a vessel.

Edited August 24, 2017 by Marshal Loss

[Magos_Adephus]

In Rob Sanders' small "Adeptus Mechanicus" series there's a fair amount of detail about AdMech and DarkMech void engagements. In his portrayal, DarkMech usually refit ships with daemon shooting cannons, spikes, boarding torpedos, and SOOO many sigils. They use macrocannons and such as normal, but as they close in they fire off the daemon cannons to wreck havoc inside, then use boarding torpedos to try and capture the vessel. As someone had mentioned, DarkMech doesn't have near the number of resources or facilities as AdMech, so they try to capture what they can and repair it, instead of producing their own.

[Moonreaper666]

In Rob Sanders' small "Adeptus Mechanicus" series there's a fair amount of detail about AdMech and DarkMech void engagements. In his portrayal, DarkMech usually refit ships with daemon shooting cannons, spikes, boarding torpedos, and SOOO many sigils. They use macrocannons and such as normal, but as they close in they fire off the daemon cannons to wreck havoc inside, then use boarding torpedos to try and capture the vessel. As someone had mentioned, DarkMech doesn't have near the number of resources or facilities as AdMech, so they try to capture what they can and repair it, instead of producing their own.

How dangerous would the DM be if they had the STC of the Iron Men and the Castigator (Original) Titan?

[RikuEru]

 

In Rob Sanders' small "Adeptus Mechanicus" series there's a fair amount of detail about AdMech and DarkMech void engagements. In his portrayal, DarkMech usually refit ships with daemon shooting cannons, spikes, boarding torpedos, and SOOO many sigils. They use macrocannons and such as normal, but as they close in they fire off the daemon cannons to wreck havoc inside, then use boarding torpedos to try and capture the vessel. As someone had mentioned, DarkMech doesn't have near the number of resources or facilities as AdMech, so they try to capture what they can and repair it, instead of producing their own.

How dangerous would the DM be if they had the STC of the Iron Men and the Castigator (Original) Titan?

...you are driving your own Threat off-topic which was meant to discuss the FLEET of the Dark Mechanicum.

 

 

And I assume they aren't that numerous, to be a real danger. I assume they have quite exotic, weirdand devastating toys, but only in few numbers.

Hence why we never hear much of it...

 

This is another reason why I can't wait for a return of Battlefleet:Gothic (or whatdver the new incarnation will be named some day).

I want more information about the Mechanicum/Dark Mechanicum Fleet assets.

But I wanna learn more other Factions aswell.

 

The Perry Rhodan books always have blueprints of ships and starbases at the start and end of the books, they always fascinated me.

 

I wonder why there aren't more of those for 40k.

Ir could really show the difference between SM/C:SM, AM/DM vessels - even between different Chapters themselves.

[Olis]

I can't remember the last time someone asked about the fleet of the Dark Mechanicum. Interesting line of thought - however I would ask for a citation where you got the idea that the Mechanicus or the Dark Mechanicum have vastly superior ships. 

 

Ask far as I know, the two fleets (the Imperium vs the Mechanicus of any variety) are roughly analogous. Bearing in mind that it is the Mechanicus that makes the Imperium's vessels, or at least is very heavily involved. 

 

I think one possible avenue of thought is the potential one-off projects that the Dark Mechanicus might make... ^_^

[Skaorn]

I'd think they'll still go with BFG as a name as they just recently did a computer game for it.  Give me back my Dark Eldar and a Tau fleet like in the video game/Forgeworld designs and I will spend money.

 

I'd have to imagine the the Chaos fleets are largely what you get from the Dark Mechanicus.  I can't imagine CSM working on designing ships and I believe daemon ships are often the work of daemons.  Dark M ships have got to be extremely rare. 

[Mechanicus Tech-Support]

I can't remember the last time someone asked about the fleet of the Dark Mechanicum. Interesting line of thought - however I would ask for a citation where you got the idea that the Mechanicus or the Dark Mechanicum have vastly superior ships. 

 

Ask far as I know, the two fleets (the Imperium vs the Mechanicus of any variety) are roughly analogous. Bearing in mind that it is the Mechanicus that makes the Imperium's vessels, or at least is very heavily involved. 

 

I think one possible avenue of thought is the potential one-off projects that the Dark Mechanicus might make...

 

I think the Admech's habit of saving all the best stuff for themselves generally would mean better ships than the general Imperium 

 

From Lexi:

 

Filled with the best technology that the Adeptus Mechanicus can create, the weapons of an Ark Mechanicus are stronger and longer-ranged than even Imperial Battleships, and their defenses are significantly stronger. An Ark Mechanicus class vessel is equipped with a Nova Cannon, four Lancebatteries, and two Weapons Batteries. This makes these rarely-seen ships truly mighty opponents on the rare occasions that their journeys are interrupted by battle.

Souce:

• 1: Gothic Resources: Ships of Mars (source is no longer active, last accessed 2010.11.30)

 

40k Wiki (So take with a pinch of salt)

 

 As is to be expected, each Ark Mechanicus is filled with some of the most advanced current technology in the entire Imperium. Though these rare, nigh-mythical ships are seldom brought to battle, when they do enter combat they can bring to bear nearly impenetrable defences and weaponry whose range and firepower puts even that of Imperial Battleships to shame.

 

And I can't find the source (other than 1d4) but I think I recall that Admech ships have auto-loaders for their cannons instead of the obligatory battalions of slaves. 

[Perry]

Why should Dark Mechanicum ships be few and far between?

 

The Eye of Terror is a realm filled with resources in a vast area of space where time ceases to make sence.

 

A motivated Dark Magos exiled from the Imperium with his mates and a few choice toys could get some pretty tasty inventions functioning, additionally if they were old school 30k Mechanicum they might have access to technologies unknown to modern Imperials, for so much has been lost over the last 10k years.

 

I really dislike this assumption that everyone that resides in the Eye is some form of scavenger. That's for the loser war bands.

[bluntblade]

As far as regular Mechanicus strength goes, the Legio Gryphonicus crusaded independently of any Astartes so I imagine their fleets were pretty powerful.

[Arkangilos]

Why should Dark Mechanicum ships be few and far between?

 

The Eye of Terror is a realm filled with resources in a vast area of space where time ceases to make sence.

 

A motivated Dark Magos exiled from the Imperium with his mates and a few choice toys could get some pretty tasty inventions functioning, additionally if they were old school 30k Mechanicum they might have access to technologies unknown to modern Imperials, for so much has been lost over the last 10k years.

 

I really dislike this assumption that everyone that resides in the Eye is some form of scavenger. That's for the loser war bands.

Not really. There is a reason Chaos lack Imperium tech and that literally every depiction has them talking about how they scavenge replacement armor.

[DiscipleOfTheWord]

No, not all chaos warbands scavenge equipment, only the less powerful ones that tend to operate independently of their legion. Certainly the Word Bearers have an entire Hellforge planet, Ghalmek, dedicated solely to providing them with resources such as replacement armour, and I'm sure this is not unique, seeing as the Word Bearers are not the only legion to stay United. For sure renegade warbands and splinter warbands such as Night Lords or Emperor's Children might, but that does not mean they all do. Of course chaos lack more modern imperial tech, but they have plenty of their own tech the imperium does have. The vast majority of daemon engines and weapons do not have models or rules at the moment.

[Malios]

The Dark Mechanicum, like every other chaos entity, is as united as a shattered mirror. As a result, their strength would greatly vary.

[Beachymike123]

The Dark Mechanicum, like every other chaos entity, is as united as a shattered mirror. As a result, their strength would greatly vary.

Consider this quote officially yoinked (mine now :P )

But on topic. In the NL trilogy (Soul Hunter iirc) the Dark Mechanicus character (can't remember his name) has a powerful small ship that he uses when they travel from the old ship to the new one, and it goes along the lines that his defences probably saved more lives due to the advanced arrays and sensors. I'd imagine that Dark Mechanicus dedicated ships would be at the centre of a fleet but powerful beings (I imagine their AI systems (as they're allowed them, no silly doctrines to say otherwise) are malicious and very much based on self awareness and preservation, and could inflict a hefty toll if they needed to).

[Mellow]

Ark Mechanicus ships are the most powerful Ad Mech vessels in the lore. There are very few of them - Cawl has one.

 

It's possible that the Dark Mechanicus has one of these I suppose, but it hasn't been mentioned.

Where does it say Cawl has one?

[Perry]

The Dark Mechanicum, like every other chaos entity, is as united as a shattered mirror. As a result, their strength would greatly vary.

Same could be said of Mechanicus Forgeworlds, for the Priesthoods are forever jelous of their brethren and guard knowledge from outsiders.