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I have couple questions about Imperial Starship communication:

1.Does anyone know how( or if) Imperial Starships communicate over short distances with out the use of Astropaths?
As in 2 ships near the same world in space talking to each other over some sort of communication array.
I'm sure it's possible, I just can't think of any examples in a story in which it happens.
If it exists, what is the 40k terminology for it?

2. If the above is possible, can an Imperial Starship Communicate directly with Alien starships?
i.e.:There have been many times the Eldar have assisted the imperial in Space battles, were the Imperial Starship Captains able to contact the Captains of the Eldar vessels and coordinate their attacks?
Or another example is Freebooter Orks, there are some who actually wheel and deal with other alien races for their Technology rather than always attacking, can the Imperials communicate ship to ship with them?

If #2 isn't possible, than can aliens use our Astropath's to communicate through?
Or is there just no inter-species Space communication? Which would seem pretty dumb.

i just can't think of any examples of different species communicating between ships. Star Wars and Star Trek are rife with the stuff.



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This may be covered in a source book for the Rouge Trader Game, but I do not own them all. I just have the main Rule book and it's not in there.

I believe they have high powered vox communications, though I would have to look into to find out. If it would be anything other than astropath, it would be vox.

1. In the hh novels, ships use"vox" and have holo presence conferences. There are lots of examples there.
2. Also some examples of vox communications with xenos as well (lorgar communicating with the eldar, etc.)

1.) They use large Vox Casters probably.

2.) The Eldar probably have a way to communicate with Imperial ships, though actual coordination between the two during their various team-ups is rare.

In Eisenhorn a team of Eldar aid the Inquisition against Chaos and they do coordinate their attacks, but the Eldar commanders talk directly with the Imperial ones aboard a ship.

3.) Only another Astropath can communicate with Astropaths telepathically, you need to go through the soul binding ritual for it to work.

As for inter-species communication, the Imperium doesn't really bother to communicate with Xenos on a regular basis, there's no form of diplomatic relations and the only time they do communicate is during situations where a makeshift and temporary alliance in 1 world/system is necessary. Though I do know Imperial Psykers have tried to communicate with the Tyranid Hive Mind, only to be driven insane.

Harriticus wrote:1.)
As for inter-species communication, the Imperium doesn't really bother to communicate with Xenos on a regular basis, there's no form of diplomatic relations and the only time they do communicate is during situations where a makeshift and temporary alliance in 1 world/system is necessary. Though I do know Imperial Psykers have tried to communicate with the Tyranid Hive Mind, only to be driven insane.

I am mainly curious as to how it relates for Rouge Traders, who can and do speak to aliens often. Including new alien races.
I was wondering how how a Rouge Trader Captain would go about trying to communicate with a newly encountered alien race's starship.


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bthom37 wrote:1. In the hh novels, ships use"vox" and have holo presence conferences. There are lots of examples there.

I've read all of these, but it's been a while since I've read the earlier ones. I don't remember any Holo presence conferences, what book was it in?
All the meetings I remember were in person.

Most aliens a rogue trader would have to be introduced to no? Like to contact the demiurg directly would be a faux pas, but to be introduced by a tau water caste member is the correct social etiquette.

Other than sort of manners, i would imagine vox (radio) is good for most humanoids - tau, demiurg, kroot- but some of the psychic ones, i suppose you would have to meet one in person on planet? Or you could make up a means? Vox? Psychic visions broadcast onto the crew? Apparently meaningless lighting displays? Chemical emissions of the ship ?

Ships do use a system very similar to vox-casters for short range communication. Astropaths are only required if you need to send a message to someone in another star system, or something like that.

I remember reading in Star of Damocles about a Rogue Trader dealing with a tau water caste member. I think he talked to this tau through a hologram, which was described as a "rare piece of technology from a forgotten age". But I read this novel years ago. I can't be sure.

As long as two ships have the ability to broadcast and receive a signal through radio frequency, they have the potential to communicate. There will need to be some form of shared language in order for this to be effective, of course. In the case of Rogue Traders, either the xeno speaks Gothic or the RT speaks Eldar or Tau or whatever language it is the Xeno speaks.

The Eldar have encountered humans often enough to at least know the sorts of technologies the Imperium uses, and develop the means to make use of that knowledge. They are also a psychic race, and for shorter-range communications, the Farseer will usually contact an individual, or group of individuals, directly through telepathic powers, either a projection or direct mind-speaking.

In DH, at least, telepathic communication of this sort is not restricted by language. Though a telepathic xeno may think in its native language, it is able to freely mind-speakto any receptive human telepath without difficulty.