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We have all seen these kinds of images before. And we have also heard countless stories about the destruction of a world by the IoM.
So, my thought was, is the IoM over-using Exterminatus? I know it's for a greater cause, to prevent further destruction, blablabla and I know that there are no ecologists left alive in the IoM to speak against the destruction of all these ecosystems.
But if habitable worlds are so rare, and if the IoM has lost the ability to terraform new worlds, why do they keep destroying so many of their beautiful shiny planets?
Any thoughts?
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/04/15 20:45:08
"How many more worlds do we sacrifice? How many more millions or billions do we betray before we turn and fight?" - attributed to Captain Leoten Semper of Battlefleet Gothic - Gothic War, the evacuation of Belatis.
If commanding a Titan is a measure of true power, then commanding a warship is like having one foot on the Golden Throne - Navy saying.
There are millions of planet in the 40k Universe. For every one they destroy, they bring then more into the Imperial Fold. Crusades, Colonization, expeditions,... It never stops expanding. This somewhat vaildates the use of Exterminatus.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/04/15 20:46:50
Scrazza wrote:There are millions of planet in the 40k Universe. For every one they destroy, they bring then more into the Imperial Fold. Crusades, Colonization, expeditions,... It never stops expanding. This somewhat vaildates the use of Exterminatus.
But sooner or later, they will run out of worlds!
The galaxy is big, but it has its limits, right?
This is a "short term" solution!
"How many more worlds do we sacrifice? How many more millions or billions do we betray before we turn and fight?" - attributed to Captain Leoten Semper of Battlefleet Gothic - Gothic War, the evacuation of Belatis.
If commanding a Titan is a measure of true power, then commanding a warship is like having one foot on the Golden Throne - Navy saying.
Are you sure it has limits? Nobody is sure. Even in our present day, scientists wonder how big the gallaxy is. It could be never ending!
It isn't really considered as a short term solution as the 40K gallaxy is, fluffwise, never ending. Every Fluff player out there, thinks up his own planet, star system, or bigger. It's all down to you, eventually. Its SCI-FI. It's all made up.
I'm pretty sure exterminatus is covered in the Tyranid codex. Something along the lines of fight tooth and nail until there is no hope left, then exterminatus the planet before it can be consumed. While this does work to slow/halt the hive fleet, this type of exterminates grants a pyrrhic victory and could only be maintained for so long.
The Exterminatus is very rarely used. It's a last option when a world becomes unrecoverable permanently.
Remember, the Imperium has no qualms about throwing away millions of soldiers on half-assed ventures. They always try to take/defend something conventionally. They don't even really care about the losses, since people is their most abundant resource.
On top of that, Exterminatus is only possible via joint venture of the Inquisition and Space Marines. Those two organizations do not get along very well, so if they're agreeing it's the best idea, it probably is.
"'players must agree how they are going to select their armies, and if any restrictions apply to the number and type of models they can use."
This is an actual rule in the actual rulebook. Quit whining about how you can imagine someone's army touching you in a bad place and play by the actual rules.
Freelance Ontologist
When people ask, "What's the point in understanding everything?" they've just disqualified themselves from using questions and should disappear in a puff of paradox. But they don't understand and just continue existing, which are also their only two strategies for life.
I always imagined exterminatus being the ultimate form of quarentine; when a world is so completely corrupted by chaos, or unatainable from the enemy the exterminatus is the only option.
Ask yourself: have you rated a gallery image today?
Mr Nobody wrote:I always imagined exterminatus being the ultimate form of quarentine; when a world is so completely corrupted by chaos, or unatainable from the enemy the exterminatus is the only option.
A lot of the planets would fall into this description. Not all are exterminated though. I always thought Exterminatus to be very expensive...thus being rarely used.
DarknessEternal wrote:The Exterminatus is very rarely used. It's a last option when a world becomes unrecoverable permanently.
I'm not so sure about that. I could give you maybe a hundred examples of planets being exterminated by the Imperium.
Each of the traitor legions' homeworld has been utterly destroyed.
During the Macharian crusade, dozens of planets were wiped out, following the Lord Solar's orders.
During the Third Tyranic War, against Hive Fleet Leviathan, Kryptman ordered the creation of a galactic cordon around the hive fleets, again destroying countless worlds in the largest genocide action performed by the IoM.
Exterminatus is not that rare!
"How many more worlds do we sacrifice? How many more millions or billions do we betray before we turn and fight?" - attributed to Captain Leoten Semper of Battlefleet Gothic - Gothic War, the evacuation of Belatis.
If commanding a Titan is a measure of true power, then commanding a warship is like having one foot on the Golden Throne - Navy saying.
DarknessEternal wrote:On top of that, Exterminatus is only possible via joint venture of the Inquisition and Space Marines. Those two organizations do not get along very well, so if they're agreeing it's the best idea, it probably is.
What? This is not true at all.
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Scrazza wrote:There are millions of planet in the 40k Universe. For every one they destroy, they bring then more into the Imperial Fold. Crusades, Colonization, expeditions,... It never stops expanding. This somewhat vaildates the use of Exterminatus.
But sooner or later, they will run out of worlds!
The galaxy is big, but it has its limits, right?
This is a "short term" solution!
I don't see why they can't start to invest in space colonies if they happens, it's well in line with current Imperial technology.
In any regard it's not overused considering just how many threats the Imperium faces. Chaos, Necrons, Tyranids, Daemons, Orks, Eldar, Tau, a great number of lesser xenos races (Ulumeathic/Reek/Barghesi/Dracolith/etc.), rebellions, pirates. It's really mind boggling. Right now the IoM is probably literally fighting a 10,000 front war.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/04/16 01:39:23
I'm pretty sure exterminatus is covered in the Tyranid codex. Something along the lines of fight tooth and nail until there is no hope left, then exterminatus the planet before it can be consumed. While this does work to slow/halt the hive fleet, this type of exterminates grants a pyrrhic victory and could only be maintained for so long.[/quote
Well kryptman did this and was branded a traitor and accused of the worst genocidal acts since the HH.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2011/04/16 01:45:39
"Strike first, strike hard, no mercy." "We are judged in life by the evil we destroy." "I am going to drastically thin the enemies ranks."
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the Imperium still has the ability to terraform. it's just a difficult process.
Exterminatus is the last resort, only for use when a planet has been so corrupted it can't be saved. it's also effective at halting Tyranids as it prevents them from harvesting needed Biomass.
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
DarknessEternal wrote:On top of that, Exterminatus is only possible via joint venture of the Inquisition and Space Marines. Those two organizations do not get along very well, so if they're agreeing it's the best idea, it probably is.
What? This is not true at all.
Yes, in fact it is. Only Space Marine Battle Barges carry the Exterminatus, and only the Inquisition can give the authorization to use it.
"'players must agree how they are going to select their armies, and if any restrictions apply to the number and type of models they can use."
This is an actual rule in the actual rulebook. Quit whining about how you can imagine someone's army touching you in a bad place and play by the actual rules.
Freelance Ontologist
When people ask, "What's the point in understanding everything?" they've just disqualified themselves from using questions and should disappear in a puff of paradox. But they don't understand and just continue existing, which are also their only two strategies for life.
DarknessEternal wrote:On top of that, Exterminatus is only possible via joint venture of the Inquisition and Space Marines. Those two organizations do not get along very well, so if they're agreeing it's the best idea, it probably is.
What? This is not true at all.
Yes, in fact it is. Only Space Marine Battle Barges carry the Exterminatus, and only the Inquisition can give the authorization to use it.
I disagree there. The Inquisition can perform an exterminatus on its own. They have ships capable of doing that. Even the Navy is able to perform an exterminatus. In the BFG rulebook, there is a special upgrade you can give to your capital ships that enables them to destroy planets. I think it's called an Armageddon Cannon.
Grey Templar wrote:the Imperium still has the ability to terraform. it's just a difficult process.
Well, the IA books say the contrary.
"How many more worlds do we sacrifice? How many more millions or billions do we betray before we turn and fight?" - attributed to Captain Leoten Semper of Battlefleet Gothic - Gothic War, the evacuation of Belatis.
If commanding a Titan is a measure of true power, then commanding a warship is like having one foot on the Golden Throne - Navy saying.
KamikazeCanuck wrote:Despite how it may seem The Imperium rarely uses Exterminatus.
This.
DarknessEternal wrote:Only Space Marine Battle Barges carry the Exterminatus
lol, no.
Also... no.
Oh, and by the way... no.
Oh and no.
That's just nonsensical and goes against EVERY bit of fluff in 40k. Battle Barges are most assuredly not the most powerful ships in the Imperium (that's the Apocalypse class battleship), and even then, the Inquisition only needs one torpedo to destroy a planet (two-stage cyclonic torpedoes). If they want to merely wipe all life from the planet they can just virus bomb it, if they merely want to destroy all settlements a few Imperial Navy ships of any kind will do that well enough-- the lance bombardments of the heavier ships can crack a planet's crust, and even the smaller ships can easily wipe continents within a day.
The presence of Space Marines for these events is neither necessary nor desired.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2011/04/16 12:18:13
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all Space Marines have are Clyclonic Torpedos.
they arn't required for Exterminatus.
thats actually what the OPs picture is showing, the impact of a Clyclonic Torpedo. they burrow into the crust of the planet to cause massive tectonic shifting. enough torpedos can rip the planet to pieces.
what IS required are Virus bombs, which can be loaded into any ship capable of Torpedo launch.
Space marines are fully capable of performing an Exterminatus themselves and don't require the Inquisition's blessing. Strike Cruisers have Clyclonic torpedos, Battlebarges have both Clyclonic Torpedos and Virus bombs.
the reason for the belief that both Marines and Inquisition is required is because very few Imperial Ships carry the Virus bombs required to perform the Exterminatus. an Inquisitor might have to wait months for a ship to be armed and to arrive on scene. its far easier to call up the local Astartes chapter and ask them to bomb the planet for you.
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
And yet, it's also more troublesome to ask for a Marine to come-- even if you can convince them, you can't control them.
So the Inquisition would much rather not have to, thus why I said they are undesired.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Besides, all they need to do exterminatus is a single ship with a lance battery, it just takes longer. Usually if they went this route they'd use a small fleet-- an Imperial Navy patrol group for example.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/04/16 13:43:48
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
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Since when are virus bombs required for an exterminatus? They are merely one of various methods to achieve one.
Since Spacemarines have no authority over any other imperial organisations, including planetary governments, i would even argue that
they are the least likely to perform exterminatus without inquisitorial blessing, unless the situation is exceptionally dire and time is short.
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Virus Bombs are required to eradicate all life from the planet. otherwise, you have little more then an oversized planetary bombardment.
the Virus basically causes all living matter to rapidly decompose. this creates massive amounts of flammable gas.
the gas is then set alight by either a lance strike or a incindiary bomb. the planet is then covered in a massive firestorm. this seals the deal.
Space Marines are outside Imperial Authority. they are a law unto themselves.
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
Grey Templar wrote:Virus Bombs are required to eradicate all life from the planet. otherwise, you have little more then an oversized planetary bombardment.
the Virus basically causes all living matter to rapidly decompose. this creates massive amounts of flammable gas.
the gas is then set alight by either a lance strike or a incindiary bomb. the planet is then covered in a massive firestorm. this seals the deal.
Space Marines are outside Imperial Authority. they are a law unto themselves.
Breaking the planet appart trough cyclonic torpedos or lancestrikes will destroy all life as well, you do not need virus bombs.
In fact a virus bomb would be utterly useless on Necron tombworlds and quite a few daemonworlds for example and quite ineffective against others, mainly those worlds which
can rely on subterran bunkers and similar precautions.
Spacemarines might be a law unto themselves, but they still have no authority whatsoever over other imperial organisations. Their much flaunted
indepence works both ways.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/04/16 14:12:58
Grey Templar wrote:Virus Bombs are required to eradicate all life from the planet. otherwise, you have little more then an oversized planetary bombardment.
Which can crack the crust of a planet, thus rendering it uninhabitable for generations...
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
but only Space Marines and some members of the Inquisition have Cyclonic Torps at all.
Necrons are the exception to the Virus, but the Virus still works on Deamon Flesh(they still take organic forms)
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
Grey Templar wrote:but only Space Marines and some members of the Inquisition have Cyclonic Torps at all.
Necrons are the exception to the Virus, but the Virus still works on Deamon Flesh(they still take organic forms)
The Inquisition refuses to use virus bombs on daemon worlds.
The reason being? They don't want to give Nurgle ideas.
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
Pretty sure Nurgle knows about virus bombs.
besides he wouldn't want to use those, they kill his followers.
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
1,500 
It is true chaos worlds have been exterminatus and other worlds have been destroyed because of infestation and other problems so why not. 
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