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I've read and I've always imagined Warlord to move about the same proportional speed as a man walking with a bit of purpose. But apparently they can perform a fast jog, bob & weave, use swordplay techniques, & grapple. Can someone fill me in on this?
For that matter how agile is an Imperator?

Imagine a baby who just learned how to walk.
Like that

Watch the movie Robot Jox

It's godawful, but still good

Look at the image on the cover of Titanicus. It doesn't jog, it doesn't run. It marches, one thousand tonne foot after the other. Any motions it makes are large and sweeping, slow to the eye but with immense power behind them.

Think of it like an AT-AT from Star Wars. Mechanically slow, but so immeasurably large that it is deceptively fast due to the sheer size of its steps.

They can do all those things.

They can jog, they can bob and weave, etc... Now they may not be as fast as a human would be of the same proportions, but they are good enough for titan on titan action.

I figured the reason a warlord is better than a mega gargant ( in Epic ) is because they could jog,etc. I know that even an Imperator Titan if knocked over can get back up easily.

Pffft they can tapdance as well! Just a bit clumsy... and they might fall over... In 40k, realism is applied thinly so often times things will function differently than you might expect. In terms of what I assume warlord titans work, I feel they walk at a marching pace. Whilst it is slower than a gigantic human, their sheer size makes each step vastly faster than a guardsman or space marine running forward.

Assuming they can jog and move with a modicum of agility, Pacific Rim would be a good example of how something that size works.

Eldar titans probably move a lot like Jägers as well.

 StarTrotter wrote:
Pffft they can tapdance as well! Just a bit clumsy... and they might fall over... In 40k, realism is applied thinly so often times things will function differently than you might expect. In terms of what I assume warlord titans work, I feel they walk at a marching pace. Whilst it is slower than a gigantic human, their sheer size makes each step vastly faster than a guardsman or space marine running forward.

Well to be fair with the vastly strong materials titans are made of, Cube Square law isn't really a concern


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 forrestfire wrote:
Assuming they can jog and move with a modicum of agility, Pacific Rim would be a good example of how something that size works.

Eldar titans probably move a lot like Jägers as well.

That's basically what I was thinking

I forget where, but an author described a warlord titan's stride as similar to an old man.

In 2nd edition Epic Space Marine, and Titan Legions, Warlord Titans had turning restrictions and could only make a turn of so many degrees after moving a certain distance. This is in contrast to Eldar Titans which could turn freely during their move.

What this means is that a moving Warlord is still ponderous. Imperial Titans from about Reaver on up are more mobile gun platforms, that can if pressed engage in close combat but more as a factor of their size and the sheer weight of their weapons. Think more walking land battleship for Imperial Titans. If you're looking for agile, anime-like Titans moving in a life-like manner or jumping everywhere then Eldar Titans fit that niche.

Everyone else has pretty much answered it, but as an active Epic player, I can offer my perspective -

Warlords are slow. Their base move is 15cm, which is the lowest base move in the game and is the same as infantry models. Imperators also have a base move of 15cm.

So, slow and ponderous. They definitely cannot bob and weave and engage in swordplay and grapple... I am assuming you read that in some ridiculous Black Library novel, but, it's at odds with all established precedent.

Warhounds are generally described as 'loping'.

You should watch some Battletech and Mechwarrior Letsplays to get an idea of how 'realistic' giant robots with fixed-mount weapons move.

Read Titanicus, it's an awesome book if you like titans.

Imagine a good walking speed- that's what a Warlord can muster. But they actually have to worry about loose rubble bringing them down at nearly any speed, because they can easily loose their footing and fall, after which they are stuck like a turtle. They can lean to each side and turn the torso about 30-40 degrees, but that's about all.

They can actually go into a sort of awkward crouch in the book, but it takes a full minute to build up enough hydraulic pressure to get back fully upright, during which they are a sitting duck.

Warhounds can get a good slow jog going, with Reavers about in the middle of the two sizes for agility.

If the OP is looking for a nimble titan, look to the Eldar. Why would the Imperium produce anything huge like that to be dancing away during battle?

Exactly as agile as the author wants them to be.

 Kain wrote:
Exactly as agile as the author wants them to be.

Pretty much exactly describes the abilities or lack-there-of of anything in 40K.

One of the things that irritates me with the way Titans (Mechanicus ones at any rate) or described as using pistons for locomotion. I suppose it evokes a certain image that fits but in the source material Titans use the same muscle-fibre bundel technology as powered armour so would perform far in advance of anything piston-powered.

I you read Dark Mechanicus (I think that's the one) the Grey Knight Alaric confronts the corrupted original Titan STC which represents a level of technological ability the equal of the Eldar in maneouvering terms iirc.

I think it moves like a clumsy chicken.

They can do all the gak Michael Bay's Transformers do if the author wants them to.