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** This is gonna be updated as I go so I can gather feedback from people with more knowledge than myself.

This is a companion piece to my Magos Biologis post mortem.

A TREATISE ON THE MAGMA HOUNDS RENEGADE ASTARTES
++ By Inquisitorial order 2847461964/Chaos/Renegades/Traitor_Astartes/Magma_Hounds_Chapter

By Magos-Ultima Yvan X-3

During my brief association with the Relictors Chapter of Astartes, who had been operating around the warp anomaly known as the Infernal Eye or Occulus Terriblis, I came into possession of a number of arcane items requiring Inquisitorial sanction. Assessment of these items was delayed due to the late arrival of Inquisitor Armane, and the subsequent twenty-one days he required to bless all of the artefacts and render inert the taint of Chaos.

Items for analysis are as follows:

1 traitor Astartes corpse, to be sent to Biologis outpost at Quintus Tertia

1 suit of Imperial Astartes power armour, mk6 Corvus pattern, defiled

1 plasma rifle, Imperial Astartes issue, defiled

2 fusion cells for plasma rifle, unknown origin – markings possibly indicate The Cleaved (Traitor Chapter)

1 bolt pistol, Imperial Astartes issue, Hellhawk Chapter markings, defiled

3 bolt pistol magazines, Imperial manufacture

1 chainsword, non-functional due to combat damage, Imperial Astartes issue, Ultramarines Chapter markings, defiled

1 combat knife, monomolecular, Imperial Astartes issue

1 combat knife, monomolecular, unknown origin – markings possibly indicate Iron Warriors (Traitor Legion), defiled

6 frag grenades, unknown origin

Trophies:

3 human skulls, probably Imperial Guard

3 Astartes helmets: Two Hellhawk Chapter, one Black Legion

3 intact Orkoid hand bones, mass and bone density indicating leadership caste (“Nobs”)

2 Tyranid claws (cf “scything talons”), size indicates Warrior or Ravenor genus

1 clawed Tyranid hand (cf “rending claw”), size indicates Genestealer genus

Initial analysis of the traitor’s wargear indicates much of it has been salvaged or looted, typically from Imperial sources. There appears to be the repetition of the number three, in terms of looted artefacts and trophies. This may simply be a coincidence and there is no other indication that the number three has any significance. It is unknown whether the items apparently belonging to other traitor Legions or Chapters were purchased from them, or stolen. If the latter, this clearly indicates conflict between traitor factions, which has not been observed by Imperial Guard or Astartes defending the Cadian Gate region.

TO BE CONTINUED

POWER ARMOUR

This was a relatively intact suit of Imperial issue power armour, mk6 Corvus pattern. There are no visible mutations which would normally be caused by warp radiation exposure, and the armour has not been modified in the typically flagrant and disrespectful manner of many traitors.

Carbon dating suggests it was created within the 32nd Millennium. No forge world markings could be found, but the internal mechanisms within the leg joints suggest Yxos V, which according to my research was located within Ultima Segmentum and destroyed by the Lassaine Protectorate, a now-extinct xenos empire, in the 34th Millennium. Yxos V was known to specialise in the creation and refurbishment of Corvus armour.

I do not believe this armour has been occupied by the current wearer for more than two centuries at most. The subject's corpse was considerably affected by warp radiation, yet the armour's condition does not indicate the same level of exposure. However, while the wearer was alive, and for a considerable time afterwards, the armour was reported to glow as if with internal fire. This glow reportedly subsided during Inquisitor Armane’s ritual of purification. The glow made the wearer highly visible in the low-light environment in which loyal Astartes and members of the Imperial Guard confronted and terminated him.

All parts of the suit except for the left shoulder pauldron suggest they are the components of the original armour, which is remarkable, given the traitors’ propensity for scavenging replacement components and the age of the armour. The left shoulder pauldron is the riveted style of mk5 Heresy-era armour. Instead of displaying squad markings or badges of heraldry, both shoulder pauldrons are painted with a design resembling stylised magma. The rest of the armour is painted in varying shades of red. Preliminary indications show that one constituent of this paint is human blood.

Some Imperial markings remain on the armour, but all have been defiled. The torso unit displays the Imperial aquila which appears to have been defaced by lightning claws or a similar energy blade.

After dissection and extensive analysis of the armour, I found many of the inner workings to be in a poor state of maintenance, having apparently been repaired many times. There are multiple micro-fractures across all areas of the armour and the backpack’s power source was disabled by a glancing hit from what appears to be an Imperial Guard hellgun. There are five penetrating bolt shell wounds in the torso section, but the killing blow appears to have come from a hellgun shot to the left side of the helmet, near the temple. There are seventy-five lasgun scars, primarily to the torso and helmet, all of which failed to penetrate, and shrapnel from mk244 Imperial Guard frag grenades embedded in both legs which penetrated the ceramite plating by up to 4.7mm.

However, due to the significant strength and multiple redundant systems within mk6 power armour, I have calculated that the armour could be fully repaired by a skilled team within eight hours, although the backpack power crystal would need to be replaced. In its present condition, with a viable power source, this armour would be approximately 71% combat efficient. See Addendum #1.

ADDENDUM #1: COMBAT EFFICIENCY

For the purposes of this report, combat efficiency is determined via a combination of mobility, armour integrity and internal component function: as in, the functionality of in-built auto-senses, waste recycling, medication dispensers, combat stimm dispensers, environmental controls and other functions depending on the mark of power armour. All marks of power armour have slightly different tolerances, with mks 6, 7 and particularly 8 capable of tolerating significant physical damage.

I have calculated that power armour must retain at least 60% functionality for an Astartes warrior, traitor or otherwise, to operate at maximum lethality.

So any report on biology or geneseed?

Elament from a organic spectrum?

This is still a work in progress. The Astartes post mortem was going to be a separate document as it will need to be very long and detailed.

Very nice read so far, looking forwards to the post mortem report indeed

BIONIC OCCULAR IMPLANTS

The subject's eyeballs have been replaced by sophisticated augmetics, which appear to have linked to his armour's auto-senses. I was able to activate these occular implants. The subject would possess an enhanced clarity of vision far beyond that of a normal Astartes warrior. He would have been able to perceive infra-red and ultraviolet wavelengths with great clarity and would effectively have "thermal vision" similar to the surveyor systems fitted to some Leman Russ battletanks.

The subject's brain would presumably need to be modified to cope with these enhanced abilities, but what little of the brain survived the cerebral trauma was subsequently destroyed by liquid nitrogen applied hastily by a medic of the Imperial Guard.

WEAPONRY

All of the subject's weaponry has now been destroyed. However, analysis of these items prior to their incineration reveals extensive modification to each individual item. The structural strength of each ranged weapon was enhanced, in order to accommodate sustained firing and possibly extended maintenance intervals. The plasma rifle in particular possessed enhanced cooling capability and would be capable of sustained fire beyond that of a typical Astartes weapon.

All of the subject's trophies have been destroyed.

SUMMARY

The Magma Hound Astartes would have been a formidable warrior, requiring considerable firepower to kill. While his cadaver appears to have been modified, his armour has been relatively well-maintained, and he apparently does not respect the machine-spirits of his equipment, as indicated by their defilement and modified states.

I was unable to learn as much as might be expected due to the near-standard nature of his power armour, which was at odds with the condition of his other equipment. I do not detect any useful weaknesses among his equipment, only additional strengths.

Perhaps the Magos Biologis will be able to furnish a more useful report.

Praise be the Omnissiah, and may those who would alter its great works be forever wretched.

END TRANSMISSION