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as the topic states has the imperium done it before?

In the Inquisition Codex, Ordo Xenos Inquisitors can equip weapons from other races such as the Dark Eldar Hexrifle and Needle Pistol. So I would say yes. Though the Imperium at large would obviously consider this heresy.

LOTS of times, I mean the Imperium wins against the eldar on a regular basis (and loses to em just as regularly I'm sure) and thus is going to have plenty of examples of basis eldar tech.

However I suspect your real question is "do the IoM put captured xenos tech to use?"

to which the answer is "yes but the offical answer is no"

the imperium offically would never touch xenos tech, but inqusitors, rogue traders, some space marines and others with similer levels of power and freedom will use it. some of the grey knights technology for example is speculated to be of xenos orgin

Only the upper echelons of the Imperium. Radical Ordo Xenos, Rogue Traders, the GK maybe and the Deathwatch. Callidus Assassins wield C'tan Phase Swords made from Necrodermis.

Not commonly, just because the strength of the imperium is in logistics and using captured weapons doesn't play to that strength. Plus Eldar weapons are psychically fired, ork weapons are inferior, and necron weapons are either destroyed our they phase out with the warrior.

Yes. Plenty of times. Sometimes they make it their own, other times they simply file it away in some dark place.

 Silverthorne wrote:
Not commonly, just because the strength of the imperium is in logistics and using captured weapons doesn't play to that strength. Plus Eldar weapons are psychically fired, ork weapons are inferior, and necron weapons are either destroyed our they phase out with the warrior.

Actually Rogue Trader's often figure out how to jerry rig Eldar Weapons to fire normally, and necron weapons don't always phase out.

Members of the Inqusition do do it although other members of the Imperium may complain about it a little.

All the time.

The Ad Mech regularly dissects alien tech to understand it, and potentially harness it. But such activity is only done by the most high ranking individuals and with utmost care.

Inquisitors, particularly of the Ordo Xenos, also regularly use stolen Xeno-tech. Although its down to how the particular inquisitor feels about such things.

Yes, the Imperium has gotten their hands on xenos tech.

I remember reading a little excerpt from the Warscythe supplement or whatever the hell it is that Black Library has and it's from the point of view of a magos(?) trying to figure out how the hell a Warscythe works but it seems that everything they do to take it apart doesn't work as there is a force field of sorts around the weapon that gets stronger the more force is applied upon it.

I can think of a couple.

Callidus Assassin uses a Ctan phase sword that has been successfully replicated by the Admech.

Psilencers - said in codex to be most likely of alien origin

Scythian Venom Talons - blueprints stolen and replicated

Needle Pistols - I BELIEVE are from the DE

Empyrean Brain Minds - based on more Necron tech.

Ulumeathi Plasma Syphon - not replicated I THINK.

Thats all that I got from the top of my head, but that is just the GK stuff

One of the primary misisons of the Deathwatch is to capture Alien tech and give it to the Adeptus Mechanicus to exmaine and reverse engineer into something palatble for the Imperium to use.

Inquisitors and Rogue Traders often use Xenos tech if it suits their purpooses..................

Some Imperial forces - notably Astartes - use trophy weapons or simply have them on display as they do with alien skulls or other body parts.

There was a Black Library short in Let the Galaxy Burn I think where some Gangers get splinter rifles from the black market. Needless to say the Inquisition found them and gave them a stern talking to, and then death.

Guys, this is actually part of the theme of the Imperium's hypocrisy and corruption. Because "reverse-engineering technology" is evil in 40K.

Alcibiades wrote:
Guys, this is actually part of the theme of the Imperium's hypocrisy and corruption. Because "reverse-engineering technology" is evil in 40K.

reverse engineering something is actually often rather difficult. Just because you have 2-3 working examples does not mean you can create an assembly line to build thousands of them.

Alcibiades wrote:
Guys, this is actually part of the theme of the Imperium's hypocrisy and corruption. Because "reverse-engineering technology" is evil in 40K.

Not quite. Reverse-engineering is a crime if you aren't a Tech-Priest, or if you're the wrong kind of Tech-Priest trying to reverse-engineer the wrong device. However, as with any other organization, there are sects to the AdMech that vary on their outlook on the topic.

The Dreadknight is based on Tau tech, so yeah they do use Xeno tech (just look at those feet and tell me they aren't based on Tau suit's feet)

 Scorpionov wrote:
as the topic states has the imperium done it before?

That depends on what you mean by that.

Reading the description for the EMP grenade in Deathwatch, it is clear that:

1) it is rare, even in the Deathwatch, for alien technology to be issued... and that's in the Deathwatch. Claims it happens all the time, even in the upper echelons, are in conflict with fluff

2) Said technology isn't a reverse-engineered version of a Tau or Eldar or Dark Eldar haywire grenade- it's the actual Tau or Eldar or Dark Eldar grenade. Humans can figure out how to push the detonator or pull a trigger, but humanity lacks the technical know-how to actually reverse-engineer xenos weapons and mass-produce them.

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 Scorpionov wrote:
as the topic states has the imperium done it before?

That depends on what you mean by that.

Reading the description for the EMP grenade in Deathwatch, it is clear that:

1) it is rare, even in the Deathwatch, for alien technology to be issued... and that's in the Deathwatch. Claims it happens all the time, even in the upper echelons, are in conflict with fluff

2) Said technology isn't a reverse-engineered version of a Tau or Eldar or Dark Eldar haywire grenade- it's the actual Tau or Eldar or Dark Eldar grenade. Humans can figure out how to push the detonator or pull a trigger, but humanity lacks the technical know-how to actually reverse-engineer xenos weapons and mass-produce them.

That is completely false.

Photon thrusters are probably of xeno origin as well.

 Zuul wrote:
Photon thrusters are probably of xeno origin as well.

Why?

Especially since there are humans right now working on photon thrusters as a possible source of movement for space vehicles.

Grey Templar is right, it's technology that we may have stuff similar to today. Look up ion engines, it's quite interesting.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 PhillyT wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 Scorpionov wrote:
as the topic states has the imperium done it before?

That depends on what you mean by that.

Reading the description for the EMP grenade in Deathwatch, it is clear that:

1) it is rare, even in the Deathwatch, for alien technology to be issued... and that's in the Deathwatch. Claims it happens all the time, even in the upper echelons, are in conflict with fluff

2) Said technology isn't a reverse-engineered version of a Tau or Eldar or Dark Eldar haywire grenade- it's the actual Tau or Eldar or Dark Eldar grenade. Humans can figure out how to push the detonator or pull a trigger, but humanity lacks the technical know-how to actually reverse-engineer xenos weapons and mass-produce them.

That is completely false.

I'm wondering, if they reverse-engineered one, would they be able to produce more knowing that it is the admech we are talking about. It's probably tech heresy.

Honestly, I'd still probably go for that they have their own (it being a pretty well-known concept), but they are expensive and rare. I think one of the rouge trader spaltbooks had something about that, I have to check.

The AM will take several hundred years examining and dissecting the Xenos tech, converting it into a usable format, discussing the ramificaitons, examining the repercussions, dividing out the rights to it being produced, check there is not a STC/approved design for it already for it in the databanks etc etc. eventually a version of it may have field trials and then to the Skitarii or Imperial front line troops, emphasis on the eventually.

An inquisitor is able to take it off his or her trophy shelf and use it - as a one off. Same with Astartes.

Even Astar M units do this until they got told not to (and punished) - but veterans often have lots of stuff they shouldn't have.

Sororitas wouldn't normally use or keep any Xenos tech (that they knew where Xenos tech anyway) but an inquisitor might give them a specific approved artefact fro a given mission etc and that's all good and fine.

That is a nice way to frame it.

Deathwatch have things they really "shouldn't" because the Xenos inquisitors probably have the best understanding of the enemy tech in the Imperium. They know what the items are and that they aren't a "danger" but they aren't about to have them become accepted by the Ad Mech.

SGTPozy wrote:
The Dreadknight is based on Tau tech, so yeah they do use Xeno tech (just look at those feet and tell me they aren't based on Tau suit's feet)

by that logic Pozy whales are fish. If Convergant evolution happens in biology, it'll almost certinly happen in technology.

SGTPozy wrote:
The Dreadknight is based on Tau tech, so yeah they do use Xeno tech (just look at those feet and tell me they aren't based on Tau suit's feet)

How about based on bird or theropod feet? I don't think Tau, I think T-Rex. The Dreadknight has a backwards toe for stability as opposed to the Tau who are prone to falling over backwards.

 Deadshot wrote:

SGTPozy wrote:
The Dreadknight is based on Tau tech, so yeah they do use Xeno tech (just look at those feet and tell me they aren't based on Tau suit's feet)

How about based on bird or theropod feet? I don't think Tau, I think T-Rex. The Dreadknight has a backwards toe for stability as opposed to the Tau who are prone to falling over backwards.

Since when have tau been prone to falling over? Imperfections in the model does not reflect the fluff.
Although I wil agree, the dreadknight is human tech, an incomplete STC template, but human never-the-less.

Even if the Imperium captured Xenos tech, using it or even studying it would be Heresy.

Except for Yarrick. The Inquisition does NOT mess around with that guy.

The Xenos inq. (whatever they are called again) does whatever it wants with alien tech however, there is nobody to stop them.

Exactly! Within the Ordo Xenos there is tension about the use of xeno tech, but the only people who can sanction or condemn the use are the same guys using it!