Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I got the idea for this poll after thinking for a while about ^ question. Maybe its the elder. But hang on, don't the crons now have very good tech after the new dex? I thought, why not let the Dakka community answer the question for me, so I created this poll. Have fun.

The Necrons have the most powerful technology. To the point where Space Marines have an extremely hard time battling them. Fall of Damnos gives you a good idea of how the Necrons wage war using their tech. It's truly scary.

And it's "Eldar" not "Elder". /nitpick

This isn't a very easy question to answer as all the different races have a very different core/base to their technology. Nids have impossibly advanced biological based technology and Orks have impossibly durable technology which could be classified as advanced.

I general though I would have to make this a three way tie between Eldar, Dark Eldar and Necrons as they are the oldest and most advanced civilizations in the traditional sense. Eldar technology is heavily tied in with psychic powers whereas Necron tech is purely based in the physical realm so its pretty hard to seperate them. I put Dark Eldar up there as despite having removed the psychic emphasis of Eldar they hold on to more of the technology from when the Eldar civilization was at its peak.

Necrons, no contest.
They have a room full of lighballs that makes star in real life goes supernova if destroyed.
They are tough to the point that even Astartes have hard time opposing them.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
The difference between magic and technology is moot.

Necrons, hands down.

I remember a blip in the last codex about how Gauss Technology was "Theoretically impossible" by someone in the Imperium. The new codex goes even more indeph about it.

Really though, it shouldn't be all that surprising. They've had over a billion years headstart on most of the Galaxy.

Personally, I don't think that Tyranids or Orks would qualify for such a poll. None of these two races sports proper technology - one is plain simple biological mutation (albeit with remarkable results) and the other uses stuff that sort-of-works solely due to psychic phenomena. Technology necessiates knowledge, and an Ork with a shoota is no different from a feral world psyker managing to conjure a beam of deadly energy out of a hollow tube. Neither is a scientist just because stuff just happens to work in their favour.

As for the rest, I'm inclined to agree with Powerguy in that each faction seems to possess some unique area in which they appear more advanced than the others.

With Necrons, one would probably have to ask whether to judge their current state or the potential stored in their ancient databanks - I'm quite sure that the Necrons only employ a tiny fraction of what the Necrontyr once invented, possibly even having lost any interest in accessing and replicating much of what they had mastered millions of years ago. Though this viewpoint is admittedly based entirely on the "oldskool" Necrons; I don't know all the changes in the new version. Though I'd still find it somewhat hard to believe that there are labcoat 'crons.

But why are the Space Marines listed separately? Just like the rest of the Imperium, their technology is dependent entirely on the Mechanicus.

Necrons > Eldar/Dark Eldar > Tau > Imperium > Orks

Tyranids really can't be judged alongside the others.

The necrons have time travel. How is this even a question?

Definately the Necrons. I'd say either Imperium (Atleast the older technology) or Tau are 2nd.

Harriticus wrote:Necrons > Eldar/Dark Eldar > Tau > Imperium > Orks

Tyranids really can't be judged alongside the others.

Is Eldar technology actually that advanced? I thought it was mostly reliant on Psykers.

Necrons > Eldar > Tau.

Is Eldar technology actually that advanced? I thought it was mostly reliant on Psykers.

Have you ever seen an Eldar vehicle or soldier? Ever read about them? Much is based on their psychic abilitites, like how a shuriken catapult is fired with the mind and not a trigger. But how is this different? An Eldar firing with his mind is just as normal to him as a human firing with his finger is normal to him.

Necrons. Hilariously, it was that advanced before mankind had even evolved into our current stages.

Are we talking normal eldar or craftworld eldar. Because craftworld eldar are like the amish of the eldar.

nomotog wrote:Because craftworld eldar are like the amish of the eldar.

Don't you mean Exodites? I'm no expert on Eldar, but I know this distinction.

Lynata wrote:

nomotog wrote:Because craftworld eldar are like the amish of the eldar.

Don't you mean Exodites? I'm no expert on Eldar, but I know this distinction.

I am no expert, but I was told that the craftworld eldar are a subset of eldar that left on ships taking only the mast basic technology (by eldar standers). Much like how the amish live with out cars or electricity.

nomotog wrote:

Lynata wrote:

nomotog wrote:Because craftworld eldar are like the amish of the eldar.

Don't you mean Exodites? I'm no expert on Eldar, but I know this distinction.

I am no expert, but I was told that the craftworld eldar are a subset of eldar that left on ships taking only the mast basic technology (by eldar standers). Much like how the amish live with out cars or electricity.

Craftworlders are quite advanced. Exodites are the ahmish of Eldar but of course still super advanced.

Harriticus wrote:Necrons > Eldar/Dark Eldar > Imperium > Tau > Orks

Tyranids really can't be judged alongside the others.

Fixed that for you, the high-end technology of the Imperium is more advanced than that of the Tau, while the Tau have an easier time producing theirs.

Necrons > Eldar/Dark Eldar > Imperium > Chaos > Tau > orks > Tyranids
Sorry but tau are not as high in technology standards as the imperium. The imperium has rail gun turrets on space craft, and starfighters and they are 2x more powerful.

For me it is:

1. Necrons
2. Eldar/Dark Eldar
3. Imperium/Nidz
4. Orks/Tau
5. Chaos

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Craftworlders are quite advanced. Exodites are the ahmish of Eldar but of course still super advanced.

*nods* I believe the Craftworld Eldar are the "normal Eldar" - you know, the ones that you can play in the Tabletop.

Exodites are reclusive settlers, and ... I believe there was a third group that stayed behind on their homeworlds and is now something "in-between" normal and Dark Eldar due to the influence of Chaos on this region of space, but I may well remember wrong. I'm sure an Eldar player can explain this with more accuracy and greater detail.

Lynata wrote:

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Craftworlders are quite advanced. Exodites are the ahmish of Eldar but of course still super advanced.

*nods* I believe the Craftworld Eldar are the "normal Eldar" - you know, the ones that you can play in the Tabletop.

Exodites are reclusive settlers, and ... I believe there was a third group that stayed behind on their homeworlds and is now something "in-between" normal and Dark Eldar due to the influence of Chaos on this region of space, but I may well remember wrong. I'm sure an Eldar player can explain this with more accuracy and greater detail.

They are located within the halo stars and the ghoul stars which are pretty far away from attack.

Lynata wrote:

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Craftworlders are quite advanced. Exodites are the ahmish of Eldar but of course still super advanced.

*nods* I believe the Craftworld Eldar are the "normal Eldar" - you know, the ones that you can play in the Tabletop.

Exodites are reclusive settlers, and ... I believe there was a third group that stayed behind on their homeworlds and is now something "in-between" normal and Dark Eldar due to the influence of Chaos on this region of space, but I may well remember wrong. I'm sure an Eldar player can explain this with more accuracy and greater detail.

Exodites are the ones that live on planets. Although Eldar don't like to admit it Dark Eldar are the "normal" eldar.

Basically there's 4 types of Eldar: Craftworld, Dark, Exodite and Harlequin. All of which our descended from "Ancient Eldar".

Necrons have most advanced.

2nd place is contested between the Imperium and the Eldar, all kinds, depending on if you include psychic based "tech" in Advanced Technology. if you don't then the Imperium shoots far ahead. if you include psychic 'tech' then the Imperium is behind, but humanity once was as advanced(during the Dark Age)

Tau rank 4th(behind whoever is in 3rd)

Orks break all the rules so we can't really include them.

Chaos is just Imperial with spiky bits and an extra hand.

Nids are completely organic so don't count.

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Although Eldar don't like to admit it Dark Eldar are the "normal" eldar.

Hmm, I confess that's an interesting point of view...

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Basically there's 4 types of Eldar: Craftworld, Dark, Exodite and Harlequin. All of which our descended from "Ancient Eldar".

Also, Outcasts. I just looked up the Eldar article on Lexicanum, where I think I've read about this distinction in the first place.

The Crone Worlds are mentioned as well, but sadly the article doesn't go into detail concerning the living style of the Eldar still there...

Anyways, I guess that solves it. Back to topic, sorry for the bit of sidetracking.

Imho I belive orks simply have the greatest potential in advanced tech, as let's face it they can loot anything.

Necrons > Eldar/Imperium > Tau > Orks > Chaos

Chaos runs along with "Believe really hard so it works" but at least we have seen the Orks come out with some crazy teleportation tech.

Chaos is more concerned with sorcery and killing than Tech really. If Tech didn't allow them to kill better they would not even use it.

Lynata wrote:

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Although Eldar don't like to admit it Dark Eldar are the "normal" eldar.

Hmm, I confess that's an interesting point of view...

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Basically there's 4 types of Eldar: Craftworld, Dark, Exodite and Harlequin. All of which our descended from "Ancient Eldar".

Also, Outcasts. I just looked up the Eldar article on Lexicanum, where I think I've read about this distinction in the first place.

The Crone Worlds are mentioned as well, but sadly the article doesn't go into detail concerning the living style of the Eldar still there...

Anyways, I guess that solves it. Back to topic, sorry for the bit of sidetracking.

The Crone worlds were the domain of the Ancient Eldar so there's none there. Basically they comprise the Eye of Terror.

Outcasts are more like a path. Like Rangers.

KamikazeCanuck wrote:The Crone worlds were the domain of the Ancient Eldar so there's none there. Basically they comprise the Eye of Terror.

Ah, in that case I suppose that's another case where Lexicanum isn't quite as reliable.

I don't see how what Lexicanum says is contradicted in this instance. Is there newer fluff saying there arn't any Eldar there?

And even if it does it wouldn't have to be a contradiction. Any Eldar there will have been Mindraped long ago and couldn't really be considered functioning individuals.

Lynata wrote:

KamikazeCanuck wrote:The Crone worlds were the domain of the Ancient Eldar so there's none there. Basically they comprise the Eye of Terror.

Ah, in that case I suppose that's another case where Lexicanum isn't quite as reliable.

Seems ok to me: http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Crone_Worlds

Are you talking about how it says there's eldar there? I guess that's possible but I think we're getting into metaphors of how they're now in hell.

EDIT: quasi ninja'd by GT.