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When Space Marines are on a long duration mission like a Penitent Crusade or some similar operation, is there a line between battlefield salvage, repairs, authorized modifications by tech marines and Tech Heresy!.

As an example, adding armor to vehicles, putting some salvaged heavy bolters onto a Rhino, or three hunter killer missiles instead of a lascannon on one side sponson of a Predator tank? Space Marines are supposed to be very self reliant and tech marines are fully versed in repairing any of their gear, but if they show up at base with a Leman Russ with a Whirlwind missile launcher replacing the original turret, does anyone freak out or do they just put it back to normal as soon as possible?

-STS

It depends on the Chapter and the circumstances (and how truthful they are). For example - the Land Raider Ares & Redeemer were field conversions, while the Crusader STC was 'discovered' mid-crusade.

Anyone know what the "official" story (in universe) of the Terminus Ultra is? Did they rediscover that monstrosity in an STC or was some tech marine playing around with a bunch of extra las cannons one day...

-STS

I think it depends on what the change is. Something like extra armor or a different pintle mounted gun seems minor to me. The Mechanicus do allow some modifications if sparingly. The land raider Helios is the perfect example of this. So I personally think it depends not only on what the chapter does (welding 3 land raiders on a baneblade chassis and calling it a mastodon probably would cause a seizure to any Adept of Mars), but a more progressive adept might be okay with replacing the thunder cannon with a demolisher cannon on a land raiser Achilles while another might throw a tantrum.

Also, how well did it go?

Victors getting to write the history books and all. Find a friendly and ambitious tech priest and make up a story about a newly found STC fragment that says you can do this... oh the fragment itself? You could only read it with the magic golden glasses... that seem to have been mislaid... never mind that...look at all the xenos scum that are now smouldering away over there. Let's build a few more, eh?

All hail the Omnissiah in his infinite wisdom and glory.

I always liked the lore behind the Predator Annihilator. That it was invented by the Space Wolves when they were facing heavy armoured units (Iron Warriors I think). They replaced the Autocannon with two Lascannons from their Long Fangs. Afterwards the Mechanicus checked the new design and 200 years later declared it STC compliant. At that time the other Space Marine Chapters had been using the design for ~190 years.