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I was thinking about moon-bases, and this question popped into my head. Certainly they could send in the marines, but surely they have a better solution than that, as marines are limited in their availability.

Stormtroopers have enclosed helmets.

Yes, but you need a bit more than that for air-less environments. Environmental sealing, oxygen supply, internal suit heating.

Imperial Guard troops with specialized equipment.

Yes, this isn't a problem, really. Look at the hostile environnement cadian upgrade on Forge World.
I remember a story in the 3rd or 4th edition Space Marine codex (very tiny) where marines fight guards on a moon without atmosphere (it was a story to illustrate their special scenario, something like an orbital strike).
Guards have long coats and respirators (probably with oxygen cylinders, but I don't remember if they precise it).

Have you seen Krieg? Even Armageddon has a toxic atmosphere where humans can't survive. They both do fine with their guard regiments.

 welshhoppo wrote:
Have you seen Krieg? Even Armageddon has a toxic atmosphere where humans can't survive. They both do fine with their guard regiments.

Toxic air =/= no atmosphere. With no atmosphere you have to deal with temperatures changes that no human can withstand. On our moon, for example the temeprtures can range form 100C during the day to -175C at night. As well as having to deal with environmental sealing on the suits. I mean, I'm sure the imperium has those things (void suits are a thing that exists, I was just wondering if there was anything specific that they use. Sorry if I was unclear.

"How long can you hold your breath, Guardsmen? That's how long you have to take this base! For the Emperor!'





But yeah, it would be likely that Guard regiments would have gear for handling that sort of environment when necessary, even if only for specialised units.

Although, thanks to the difficulty in supplying a galactic military, you could end up with Zero Atmosphere equipped troopers on a paradise world and jungle fighters expected to wage war on a moon.

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
Yes, but you need a bit more than that for air-less environments. Environmental sealing, oxygen supply, internal suit heating.

According to the Uplifting Primer and Munitorium Manuel, specialized equipment(which includes not only weapons like plasma guns, etc... but also environment suits) is issued to troops based on the needs of the mission. There are also specialized regiments which are often called upon to fight in specific environments.

I've also heard of Void Sheilds being used to create bubbles in on asteroids and such

I know that the pure STC tanks like baneblades and the like can be atmospherically sealed and pressurized, and if they can keep the crew alive while a titan's laser is burning through the armour, I'm sure the temperature changes on the moon won't be a problem.

Scions have been known to deepstrike from the stratosphere or something, I am sure they'll manage fighting on a moon or whatever

As I recall in the novel Commissar there is standard issue rebreathers for regiments expected to fight in toxic/low oxygen environments. I would imagine there is similar equipment for oxygen depleted atmospheres, perhaps the even for void combat.

All of the above.

Despite the aesthetics of the setting, the Imperium is actually a hyper-advanced, viciously-industrialized organization. Having armored space-suits for soldiers to fight in places where armored space-suits are needed is not a difficult challenge to overcome.

Indeed. Mankind may have lost 2/3 of their technology. But 1/3 of what mankind once had is still mindbogglingly advanced. No hard Sci-fi really has anything on 40k in that respect.

There's actually an adventure in the Only War RPG that has the PC regiment fighting alongside a Vostroyan regiment specially equipped and trained for assaulting space stations. They've got void-hardened insulated armor, oxygen, everything they'd need (except the ability to realize that they're an NPC regiment and about to be slaughtered in droves, of course.) It's definitely something the Guard is capable of doing, so long as no one screws up the paperwork.

I'm sure there's still some of those steampunk underwater deep sea diving style suits the imperial army used back in the great crusade knocking around.

High budget: Rebreathers and sealed suits.
Low budget: They hold their breath and recite the Litany of the Vacuum.

I'm not joking in either case.

 Krellnus wrote:
As I recall in the novel Commissar there is standard issue rebreathers for regiments expected to fight in toxic/low oxygen environments. I would imagine there is similar equipment for oxygen depleted atmospheres, perhaps the even for void combat.

I'm actually a little bit angry that you reminded me that book exists.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
High budget: Rebreathers and sealed suits.
Low budget: They hold their breath and recite the Litany of the Vacuum.

I'm not joking in either case.

 Krellnus wrote:
As I recall in the novel Commissar there is standard issue rebreathers for regiments expected to fight in toxic/low oxygen environments. I would imagine there is similar equipment for oxygen depleted atmospheres, perhaps the even for void combat.

I'm actually a little bit angry that you reminded me that book exists.

While I haven't read Commisar, I'm guessing from that statement that it is particularly underwhelming...

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
I was thinking about moon-bases, and this question popped into my head. Certainly they could send in the marines, but surely they have a better solution than that, as marines are limited in their availability.

Combat space suits.
The old Stormtrooper models had something like that. I missed those guys.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-GB/Solar-Auxilia-Lasrifle-Section;jsessionid=55303C18C5003D02E74F98DF67014C77?_requestid=3912475

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
I was thinking about moon-bases, and this question popped into my head. Certainly they could send in the marines, but surely they have a better solution than that, as marines are limited in their availability.

To fight in the void the Imperium has a range of possible responses:

Adeptus Astartes and Adepta Sororitas (Power armour)
Imperial Stormtroopers
Imperial navy void craft
Void capable Guard infantry units
Void adapted Guard armoured units
Knights
Titans
Mechanicum forces in support of the Titans or acting on their own will be suitably converted - both Armoured and Infantry
Robots from the Mechanicum.

Or simply blowing the enemy to bits from space. Chances are, if there is no atmosphere at all then there's not a great deal of potential use for the IoM anyway, so unless there's a particular objective, item or individual they're trying to capture or recover, it would probably be a simple matter of lining up their battleships and turning the enemy to dust that way.

The Mechanicus could want all sorts of airless rocks for industrial purposes (mining of rare elements, establishment of research stations and laboratories, etc) that require prior cleansing of indigenous or previous residents.

Once it's taken, though, the AdMech just moves in servitors and augmented Tech-Priests that are not required to breathe.

 Flinty wrote:
While I haven't read Commisar, I'm guessing from that statement that it is particularly underwhelming...

It's... Frustratingly variable.

Basically there is a veteran commissar, and he's for some reason put fully in charge of an assault on a prison, where there's internal issues and a sizeable riot. Despite the fact he's neither a military leader, nor replacing one, which is really the only time this should happen. Take a drink every time someone feels a little bit sick. (..felt his gorge rise) at an atrocity. He has a small, amiable inexperienced assistant that carries his stuff (sound familiar?).

There are some interesting side characters that build up grudges against various villains, but it doesn't matter because Mighty McHattissar kills every single one. There's no resolution of any other grudges or point to there even being other heroes, because Commissar Flint figuratively elbows every side character out of the way and shoots the villains in the face.

It swings wildly between wanting to close the book, and wanting to read it because there might be a bit of interesting background wedged in its teeth.

There are ways to write interesting character without them taking pole position.

If it's a zero-atmos environment its likely a Space Station, moon base or other valuable/strategic spot, Astartes would be called.

Solar Auxilia Style Suits?
They were designed for Void Combat

 Deadshot wrote:
If it's a zero-atmos environment its likely a Space Station, moon base or other valuable/strategic spot, Astartes would be called.

The guard is more than able to fight in such circumstances.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
It swings wildly between wanting to close the book, and wanting to read it because there might be a bit of interesting background wedged in its teeth.

Life's too short to read crap. Let someone else read it, then look it up on Lexicanum if you're only interested in the information as opposed to the quality of the writing.