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So, I am just wondering, what is the type of ship used by the IN to carry large amounts of troops? Amd how many troops can it fit?

Imperial transports for the most part small escort size vessel as shown by the BFG rulebook, thus much smaller than batteships. The occasional very large ship appears more the exception than the norm.

Also if we look to Imperial Armour 3, we see the 17th Tallarn Regiment ends up being embarked on 3 transport ships, which carried no other cargo (Imperial Armour 3, p. 45). We are also given the size of this regiment at 10,684 men (Imperial Armour 3, p. 256). That comes out to about 3,561 men per ship. Now even if there were some variable about of consumable supplies included with them on the ship, the situation is still broadly similar if we look at the 89th Tallarn infantry regiment in Imperial Armour 3, embarked on 2 transports (Imperial Armour 3, p. 45). If it were the same size that still only comes out to about 5,342 men on each ship. If we switch to the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment, it is spread across another 2 transports, and numbers 4,039 men (Imperial Armour 3, p. 261). That is 2,019 men + tanks per ship.

What does this also mean? It means the amount of space shipping is vast if a warzone is to get anything like a decent amount of troops, or even hive worlds getting sufficient food imports. It means there have to be a vast number of ships or a smaller number making multiple runs. This also means that warp travel cannot be ludicrously dangerous since it would be impossible to keep import dependent hive worlds from collapsing into starvation if warp travel were too unreliable.

Iracundus wrote:
Imperial transports for the most part small escort size vessel as shown by the BFG rulebook, thus much smaller than batteships. The occasional very large ship appears more the exception than the norm.

Also if we look to Imperial Armour 3, we see the 17th Tallarn Regiment ends up being embarked on 3 transport ships, which carried no other cargo (Imperial Armour 3, p. 45). We are also given the size of this regiment at 10,684 men (Imperial Armour 3, p. 256). That comes out to about 3,561 men per ship. Now even if there were some variable about of consumable supplies included with them on the ship, the situation is still broadly similar if we look at the 89th Tallarn infantry regiment in Imperial Armour 3, embarked on 2 transports (Imperial Armour 3, p. 45). If it were the same size that still only comes out to about 5,342 men on each ship. If we switch to the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment, it is spread across another 2 transports, and numbers 4,039 men (Imperial Armour 3, p. 261). That is 2,019 men + tanks per ship.

What does this also mean? It means the amount of space shipping is vast if a warzone is to get anything like a decent amount of troops, or even hive worlds getting sufficient food imports. It means there have to be a vast number of ships or a smaller number making multiple runs. This also means that warp travel cannot be ludicrously dangerous since it would be impossible to keep import dependent hive worlds from collapsing into starvation if warp travel were too unreliable.

I always enjoyed the thought of hundreds, maybe even a couple thousand spaceships carrying millions of men through the void of space and unto the battlefields.

Thanks for the info, highly appreciated.

Both the Ghosts series and Cain series have examples of transports capable of carrying several regiments at a time, including all their vehicles. Given that 40k ships are several kilometers long it leaves a lot of space for people and kit.

Imperial ships are wildly variable.

In Salvation's Reach, the entire Ghosts regiment are transported in a single frigate, but they do take up the whole 2km frigate.

In First and Only, they're transported on a larger ship of unspecified type with two other regiments.

Really, it all depends on the mission, the ship availability, and the size of the deployment.

Then you have the Speranza, an Ark Mechanicus that carries three Guard regiments, five Titans, a Skitarii regiment and a squad of Space Marines. Then again, the Speranza also has docking bays large enough to take a 3km Rogue Trader. Not clamps. Bays.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Imperial ships are wildly variable.

In Salvation's Reach, the entire Ghosts regiment are transported in a single frigate, but they do take up the whole 2km frigate.

In First and Only, they're transported on a larger ship of unspecified type with two other regiments.

Really, it all depends on the mission, the ship availability, and the size of the deployment.

Then you have the Speranza, an Ark Mechanicus that carries three Guard regiments, five Titans, a Skitarii regiment and a squad of Space Marines. Then again, the Speranza also has docking bays large enough to take a 3km Rogue Trader. Not clamps. Bays.

Sounds convincing. I mean, troop carrying vessels imo should at least be able to handle 100,000-500,000 troops. Reason I think that is because fleets are kinda small in 40k and if that is so then the ships need to be carrying arse loads of troops.

The biggest mass mover you can find.
the "Universe class"

can be used to move AM/IG regiments (and everything else they have) or used by traders or merchants to move stuff.... and lots of it.

Says it can have 500,000 passengers. That's easily several regiments (with accounting space for equipment.)

 Engine of War wrote:



The biggest mass mover you can find.
the "Universe class"

can be used to move AM/IG regiments (and everything else they have) or used by traders or merchants to move stuff.... and lots of it.

Says it can have 500,000 passengers. That's easily several regiments (with accounting space for equipment.)

Now that's what I'm talking about!

 Lord Tarkin wrote:

 Engine of War wrote:



The biggest mass mover you can find.
the "Universe class"

can be used to move AM/IG regiments (and everything else they have) or used by traders or merchants to move stuff.... and lots of it.

Says it can have 500,000 passengers. That's easily several regiments (with accounting space for equipment.)

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Act now and you can get a 1 millennia warrenty.
30% Imperial credits cash back at signing.

We'll even through in an air freshener for free! *hangs a tiny little ornament depicting an ancient terran tree from the frontal bridge Vidscreen*




There are smaller ones that vary from what are essentially frigates that have no weapons instead converted to carry cargo/passengers to more purpose built ones. the Universe Class is the largest I can find that is a recognized "Class" As far as I know. They are not armed at all
relying on other ships for protection (alongside their massive girth and what translates to thickness of armor and shield capacity due to sheer size).

There is a possibility for one-off ships that are larger for select narratives but meh.

 Engine of War wrote:

 Lord Tarkin wrote:

 Engine of War wrote:



The biggest mass mover you can find.
the "Universe class"

can be used to move AM/IG regiments (and everything else they have) or used by traders or merchants to move stuff.... and lots of it.

Says it can have 500,000 passengers. That's easily several regiments (with accounting space for equipment.)

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Act now and you can get a 1 millennia warrenty.
30% Imperial credits cash back at signing.

We'll even through in an air freshener for free! *hangs a tiny little ornament depicting an ancient terran tree from the frontal bridge Vidscreen*




There are smaller ones that vary from what are essentially frigates that have no weapons instead converted to carry cargo/passengers to more purpose built ones. the Universe Class is the largest I can find that is a recognized "Class" As far as I know. They are not armed at all
relying on other ships for protection (alongside their massive girth and what translates to thickness of armor and shield capacity due to sheer size).

There is a possibility for one-off ships that are larger for select narratives but meh.

Frickin spaceships the size of small cities. I looked on lexicanum and apparently battleships can have crew ranges from 25,000 to 3,000,000.

Hmmmm, 3,000,000...

I wonder if there are transport vessels that can trade out that much crewman for passengers. What a long time it would take for 3,000,000 people to exit a behemoth that size.

 Lord Tarkin wrote:

 Engine of War wrote:

 Lord Tarkin wrote:

 Engine of War wrote:



The biggest mass mover you can find.
the "Universe class"

can be used to move AM/IG regiments (and everything else they have) or used by traders or merchants to move stuff.... and lots of it.

Says it can have 500,000 passengers. That's easily several regiments (with accounting space for equipment.)

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Act now and you can get a 1 millennia warrenty.
30% Imperial credits cash back at signing.

We'll even through in an air freshener for free! *hangs a tiny little ornament depicting an ancient terran tree from the frontal bridge Vidscreen*




There are smaller ones that vary from what are essentially frigates that have no weapons instead converted to carry cargo/passengers to more purpose built ones. the Universe Class is the largest I can find that is a recognized "Class" As far as I know. They are not armed at all
relying on other ships for protection (alongside their massive girth and what translates to thickness of armor and shield capacity due to sheer size).

There is a possibility for one-off ships that are larger for select narratives but meh.

Frickin spaceships the size of small cities. I looked on lexicanum and apparently battleships can have crew ranges from 25,000 to 3,000,000.

Hmmmm, 3,000,000...

I wonder if there are transport vessels that can trade out that much crewman for passengers. What a long time it would take for 3,000,000 people to exit a behemoth that size.

Its been mentioned in a WD bit of fluff on navy landing parties that many big ships that will never do 'amphibious' assaults (jobs left up to frigates patrolling the styx) often seal their crew inside once they board. Given millions of crew and some form of access needed for official business and resupply (I say that, they may very well have foundries and farms on a ship that size!) I wouldn't be surprised if there were organised escape committees every time The Emperor's Penance docks at a space station.

While the giant eagle ship in the background is most likely a landing craft, I'd love to know more about it. From the latest IG codex.

.... it should be noted that none of the void-faring vessels so far mentioned are capable of making a planetary landing. Some sort of drop-ship/transport is required to move troops from the IN's void-farers to the surface of the planet below them. Those, as described in 15 Hours, the Gaunt's Ghosts series, and several other sources, are often capable of moving hundreds to a few thousands of soldiers from the void-faring transport they arrived in-system aboard to the planet they're invading...

... but they don't put, like, 100K soldiers on one, because in the case of a planetary invasion, there can be huge amounts of groundfire, and you dont want to lose 100K soldiers to a single Ground-to-Air missile.

 Lord Tarkin wrote:

Frickin spaceships the size of small cities. I looked on lexicanum and apparently battleships can have crew ranges from 25,000 to 3,000,000.

Numbers vary by author just like Imperial Guard Regimental numbers. Mr Overlord (Andy Chambers) himself's numbers given in the other thread put battleship crews in the 18,000-24,000 range with room for 6,000-12,000 troops.

 Jape wrote:
Its been mentioned in a WD bit of fluff that many big ships seal their crew inside once they board. I wouldn't be surprised if there were organised escape committees every time The Emperor's Penance docks at a space station.

Aye... on some ships the crew is little more than hereditary slaves, chained to their posts. That's the ordinary sailors though - experts like gunnery control, pilots and other officers are often Imperial nobles or respected veterans that can choose their ship.

 Gashrog wrote:

 Lord Tarkin wrote:

Frickin spaceships the size of small cities. I looked on lexicanum and apparently battleships can have crew ranges from 25,000 to 3,000,000.

Numbers vary by author just like Imperial Guard Regimental numbers. Mr Overlord (Andy Chambers) himself's numbers given in the other thread put battleship crews in the 18,000-24,000 range with room for 6,000-12,000 troops.

Well, that means more ships would be needed, perhaps a couple thousand. Still cool, I like that

 Engine of War wrote:



There are smaller ones that vary from what are essentially frigates that have no weapons instead converted to carry cargo/passengers to more purpose built ones. the Universe Class is the largest I can find that is a recognized "Class" As far as I know. They are not armed at all
relying on other ships for protection (alongside their massive girth and what translates to thickness of armor and shield capacity due to sheer size).

According to the Universe class description in Battlefleet Koronus, they do have the capacty to carry port, starboard and dorsal weapons.
They are 12km long which translates to 8" long in BFG, compared to BFG battleships at 5" long. Really big......

T

timd wrote:

 Engine of War wrote:



There are smaller ones that vary from what are essentially frigates that have no weapons instead converted to carry cargo/passengers to more purpose built ones. the Universe Class is the largest I can find that is a recognized "Class" As far as I know. They are not armed at all
relying on other ships for protection (alongside their massive girth and what translates to thickness of armor and shield capacity due to sheer size).

According to the Universe class description in Battlefleet Koronus, they do have the capacty to carry port, starboard and dorsal weapons.
They are 12km long which translates to 8" long in BFG, compared to BFG battleships at 5" long. Really big......

T

Ah, I was unaware. I was reading it off the Lexicanum. It didn't say anything about weapons. Ty.

The Universe-class is primarily a bulk transport. You don't use it to haul people, you use it to mine a nebulae of all its gases, or a planet of all its ores, or a star of all its plasma or whatever, and then you haul it back to a Mechanicus facility that can process that raw material into some sort of goods.

It gets a brief mention in FFG's Rogue Trader game, as the sort of thing to make shipping-minded Captains wet themselves over, but it is noted that there are very few of them in existence in the galaxy, and all of them owned by the AdMech.

One could, conceivably, spend a vast fortune having one refitted to carry passengers (assuming one somehow came into the possession of one in the first place)... but now you have a ship hauling the population of NYC through space. So what? What do you do with it? Colonize new-found planets? More cost-effective to do so with other classes of ships.

nah, you convert the whole thing to hold one passenger.

Probably an A++ Psyker or a Cherubael-level daemonhost.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
nah, you convert the whole thing to hold one passenger.

Probably an A++ Psyker or a Cherubael-level daemonhost.

Or Khorne......might as well