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is it true that they grow the black carapace? if so is itmore than just a device that is implanted ? is it like an organ that can turn into something more

 Pwn'd You wrote:
if they eat flesh they can obtain the owner of saids flesh's memories.

Imagine eating a steak if you were a space marine!

Pwn'd You wrote:is it true that they grow the black carapace? if so is itmore than just a device that is implanted ? is it like an organ that can turn into something more

It's a plastic-like sheath that is pushed below the skin - at least that's how it was described years ago. Newer sources usually don't go into much detail anymore, allowing for more interpretation. Which means that the sources that do go into it - mostly various novels written by freelance authors - often contradict each other.

 Lynata wrote:

Pwn'd You wrote:is it true that they grow the black carapace? if so is itmore than just a device that is implanted ? is it like an organ that can turn into something more

It's a plastic-like sheath that is pushed below the skin - at least that's how it was described years ago. Newer sources usually don't go into much detail anymore, allowing for more interpretation. Which means that the sources that do go into it - mostly various novels written by freelance authors - often contradict each other.

Exactly, which then raises the question of if (/when) a Marine takes a chest shot that doesnt kill him, does the black carapace grow back to plug the whole after the wound heals? Or is there just a hole in it? Does that then mean that the ex-wounded Marine would have less of an interface with their armour...?

Revenent Reiko wrote:Exactly, which then raises the question of if (/when) a Marine takes a chest shot that doesnt kill him, does the black carapace grow back to plug the whole after the wound heals? Or is there just a hole in it? Does that then mean that the ex-wounded Marine would have less of an interface with their armour...?

Well, I'd assume that if the carapace takes irreparable damage the affected sections could simply be replaced via post-combat surgery. That's always an option, too ...

Oh, nevermind, Index Astartes actually answers this:

"This is the last and the most distinctive implant. It looks like a film of black plastic when it's growing in the tanks. This is removed from its culture-solution and cut into sheets which are implanted directly beneath the skin of the Marine's torso. Within a few hours the tissue expands, hardens on the outside, and sends invasive neural bundles deep inside the Marine. After several months the carapace will have fully matured and the recipient is then fitted with neural sensors and transfusion points cut into the hardened carapace. These artificial 'plug-in' points mesh with features integral to the powered armour, such as the monitoring, medicinal and maintenance units. Without the benefit of a black carapace, a Space Marine's armour is relatively useless."

If it's organic, I suppose it'll simply grow back together. The only thing that might actually need replacement are the artificial sensor nodes.
Reminds me of the power armour cross-section, actually, where you can see the backside being lined with sharp spikes alongside the spinal area.

 Lynata wrote:

Revenent Reiko wrote:Exactly, which then raises the question of if (/when) a Marine takes a chest shot that doesnt kill him, does the black carapace grow back to plug the whole after the wound heals? Or is there just a hole in it? Does that then mean that the ex-wounded Marine would have less of an interface with their armour...?

Well, I'd assume that if the carapace takes irreparable damage the affected sections could simply be replaced via post-combat surgery. That's always an option, too ...

Oh, nevermind, Index Astartes actually answers this:

"This is the last and the most distinctive implant. It looks like a film of black plastic when it's growing in the tanks. This is removed from its culture-solution and cut into sheets which are implanted directly beneath the skin of the Marine's torso. Within a few hours the tissue expands, hardens on the outside, and sends invasive neural bundles deep inside the Marine. After several months the carapace will have fully matured and the recipient is then fitted with neural sensors and transfusion points cut into the hardened carapace. These artificial 'plug-in' points mesh with features integral to the powered armour, such as the monitoring, medicinal and maintenance units. Without the benefit of a black carapace, a Space Marine's armour is relatively useless."

If it's organic, I suppose it'll simply grow back together. The only thing that might actually need replacement are the artificial sensor nodes.
Reminds me of the power armour cross-section, actually, where you can see the backside being lined with sharp spikes alongside the spinal area.

And that answers that, thanks Lynata, appreciate the quote.

Also, PA cross-section? havent seen that, Google here i come.

 psychadelicmime wrote:

 Pwn'd You wrote:
if they eat flesh they can obtain the owner of saids flesh's memories.

Imagine eating a steak if you were a space marine!

Cow Powers!

Revenent Reiko wrote:Also, PA cross-section? havent seen that, Google here i come.

The older books were way more detailed than the new stuff. Here ya go:



Also, because I know this'll likely be of interest as well, here's a cross-section of a bolt weapon:

If you read the Space Wolf Novels by William King (from memory) it describes Ragnar going through this process. The book goes into quite some detail, including the initial selection of initiates, their conversion and training and the envolvement of actual spacemarines as well as chapter serfs. Of course it has a space wolvie twist on the whole thing but it gives you a pretty good idea of what goes on

Lynata wrote:

Revenent Reiko wrote:Also, PA cross-section? havent seen that, Google here i come.

The older books were way more detailed than the new stuff. Here ya go:

Spoiler:

Check out those nerve electrodes.

Also, because I know this'll likely be of interest as well, here's a cross-section of a bolt weapon:

Spoiler:

Thank you Lynata! (Google-fu failed me...)

I agree, the extra details that were in the old books really are what makes them better IMO...there just isnt this intricacy in the new stuff....

Also, yeah that really is Matrix-style nerve electrodes...damn!

EDIT: Boltgun very much appreciated, ive seen the bolt rounds before (they are on Lexicanum), but never a storm bolter itself, thanks! Again goes to show that there just arent enough rounds in the mag for it to be an effective weapon, but still....

Nerm86 wrote:If you read the Space Wolf Novels by William King (from memory) it describes Ragnar going through this process. The book goes into quite some detail, including the initial selection of initiates, their conversion and training and the envolvement of actual spacemarines as well as chapter serfs. Of course it has a space wolvie twist on the whole thing but it gives you a pretty good idea of what goes on

Read it, its very well done, but the only issue i have with it is that its the SW version of becoming a Marine, which (due to the Canis Helix) appears to be different to any other version (i mean, they are all different, but i havent read of any other Chapter that turns most of the way into a wolf ).

Sons of Dorn does it fairly well as well in terms of describing it from the eyes of an Aspirant, but it doesnt go into the intricacies, and skips out large portions.

 Daemonhammer wrote:

 Pwn'd You wrote:
IS it true that space marines can spit acidic blood and if they eat flesh they can obtain the owner of saids flesh's memories?

Yes but bear in mind that Matt Ward wrote the codex
You wont find many references to marines spitting acid and eating flesh to obtain its owners meomries.

Good lord the Matt Ward hate seems to have no minimum intelligence or knowledge requirement.


Rick Priestley wrote the original article about Space Marines having acidic spit and memory eating. Yeah, in 1989.

 Veteran Sergeant wrote:

 Daemonhammer wrote:

 Pwn'd You wrote:
IS it true that space marines can spit acidic blood and if they eat flesh they can obtain the owner of saids flesh's memories?

Yes but bear in mind that Matt Ward wrote the codex
You wont find many references to marines spitting acid and eating flesh to obtain its owners meomries.

Good lord the Matt Ward hate seems to have no minimum intelligence or knowledge requirement.


Rick Priestley wrote the original article about Space Marines having acidic spit and memory eating. Yeah, in 1989.

I thought thats what he meant at first as well, then realised it was just a bad way of saying 'Ward wrote the current Codex, so a lot of the more gruesome elements have been cut out as Ward wanted to paint the Marines as Heroes instead of the psychopaths they used to be (and mostly still are)' ignoring the dismemberment/death etc. of course...

There is a story somewhere about a captured marine chewing through is restraints and disolving the cell bars with his saliva to escape, might be older codex, maybe 3rd ed

 Pwn'd You wrote:
IS it true that space marines can spit acidic blood and if they eat flesh they can obtain the owner of saids flesh's memories? Im just interested on how a human becomes a space marine

Nice... Old RT stuff. When the fluff was more important than the dice rolls.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

 BluntmanDC wrote:

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

 Pwn'd You wrote:
Ive tried to look it up but im confused on what the black carapace is actually for

It is a black, sheet-like organ implanted directly under the skin and after the various hook-up nodes and ports (think humans outside of the computer in The Matrix movies) it allows the marine to interface directly with his power armor.

If you want to know what it is like becoming a space marine, read the novel Space Marine by Ian Watson. It tells the story of three boys from Necromunda that are recruited into the Imperial Fists chapter, and while it has been deem "heretical" by GW, it still has a pretty accurate description of the whole process. A plus side with the book is that is actually a pretty damn good piece of science fiction to boot.

The Black Carapace is also armour, giving a greater degree of protection to a marine even when out of his armour.

Where did you find that information? As far as i know. the Black Carapace is implanted only in the torso of the marine, not the whole body. While it is described as hardening after implantation, I have never seen anything suggest that it serves as "back up armor." The ribs in their ribcage flatten out and grow on top of each other like a kind of plate mail, but that is to protect the chest cavity (where most of the vital gene-seed organs are located). This is caused by the Ossmodula which also laces the rest of the skeleton with ceramite with the proper diet.

Even if their is no information on it would just be common sence:
A. It is a layer of material between the skin and organs so gives more protection than just skin.
B. Being just onthe chest still makes it usefull for this, as most soldiers would aim for the chest as it is easier to hit than the head.