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Currently I'm in the process of creating lore for my custom space marine chapter that I am in the process of creating for tabletop. I've gotten most things figured out, but I can't seem to find an answer to my questions regarding power armor.

Whilst I know that most types of power armor was created prior to or during the horus heresy. One thing I've run across on the 40k wiki is that the Mk IV Maximus style armor is "revered" to an extant by space marines, and that one can gain respect from their peers by wearing it. I don't really understand why that is if its an earlier form of armor? Was it a superior form of armor they forgot how to make? Or does it take too much time and resources to make so they stopped developing it? Or is it just a status thing and practically speaking its not as advanced or effective as MK VII?

exact quote "being granted the right to wear a suit of this ancient form of Power Armour is a great honour and such an Astartes will be given greater respect than normal by his fellow Battle-Brothers and Space Marines from other Chapters." -40kwiki.

My other question was regarding the use of Power Armor amongst the Astartes. In the 41st Millenium is every Loyalist chapter outfitted with MK VII armor? Or are there some lesser chapters on far flung worlds still wearing outdated variations such as MK II-VI? or does each chapter have the most modern blueprints, and manufacture their own equipment domestically?

For example my Space Marine chapter is located on the far flung fringes of the segmentum ultima, and have very limited contact with the Imperium for multiple reasons. They're pretty much on the bottom of the list of in terms of priority for chapters in need of new equipment. So is it reasonable to say that they'd be mostly equipped with outdated equipment? Or is this just not really a thing?

Any help would be appreciated!

You have to remember that all older technology is revered in the Imperium - be that by your average man or woman in the street, the Space Marines or the Adeptus Mechanicus. It does not matter if it is better - its considered better because its old - reverse how we think today.

To be granted permission to use such a relic in battle is therefore an honour even if it may not be technically as effective as a more modern piece of armour. Also 40k physics does bend a bit by the power of Faith - so its possible that such a relic does in fact have protection, speed, strength or power beyond what it should have - or it might just be that the Marine within is desperate to prove he is worthy of the honour so pushes himself that bit more. Kind of your choice as to what is happening - there are no hard and fast rules..

An out of the way chapter could very well have older and patched suits - it really depends on their own Forge capabilities - do they have a lot of Tech Marines, access to a nearby Forgeworld or do they rely on occasional shipments and hope its the right stuff.

There have been several Chapters that have resorted to piracy to keep themselves supplied - but that gets you into serious trouble........

zentmeister wrote:
For example my Space Marine chapter is located on the far flung fringes of the segmentum ultima, and have very limited contact with the Imperium for multiple reasons. They're pretty much on the bottom of the list of in terms of priority for chapters in need of new equipment. So is it reasonable to say that they'd be mostly equipped with outdated equipment?

That would largely depend on when and how they were founded. A new Chapter founded now (40K present time) would receive new gear to outfit them and might not have anything older than Mk VII at all. It's usually the really old Chapters that have large amounts of older gear.

Ofc, there's always exceptions and almost anything can be explained. Perhaps your Chapter was founded in a hurry and the Forge World providing the gear had to cut a few corners? They only had time to produce 500 Mk VII armors and made up the rest with older models already in storage when clerk AC-225 Sigma realized there were a few shipping crates with gear left that should have been delivered during the Horus Heresy.

Most Space Marine armour is patchworked together from different marks and suits.

To have a complete set of any mark of power armour in 40k is an incredible honour, because that suit is a relic that has been specifically kept together and not allowed to be cannibalised for parts to repair other suits of armour.

That said, your original thoughts are roughly along the right lines - Mark IV was basically the absolute best they could make it, and contained ridiculous amounts of technology. The following suits were almost all either more specialised or less powerful than Mark IV, but they were much easier to produce.

The original plan was to have everyone equipped with Mark IV armour, but then the Horus Heresy happened. Early on in the Heresy, Mars fell - and Mars was the only Forge World then-producing Mark IV armour. So they rushed Mark V armour into production on their remaining loyal forge worlds to try and upgrade as many loyalist Marines as possible (since most of them were still using Mark II armour. Mark III was specialised for boarding actions and only saw limited deployment).

do they have a lot of Tech Marines, access to a nearby Forgeworld or do they rely on occasional shipments and hope its the right stuff.

My chapter has very poor quantity of marines in general, long story short they have had alot of misfortune in their past and operate generally with under 200 active marines. They have at most 5 techmarines on a good day. They have very limited natural resources as well, and the closest forgeworld is pretty far away. So they mostly rely on buying surplus from their parent/brother chapters, and scavenging from corpses. With a limited amount of locally produced supplies (mostly ammo/weapons moreso than armor.)

That would largely depend on when and how they were founded

They were founded during the 21st (cursed) founding during the 36th millennium. So they're not brand new, but not really old either.

only 200 active marines? by rights your chapter should be on light duty working to rebuild.

BrianDavion wrote:
only 200 active marines? by rights your chapter should be on light duty working to rebuild.

Well they've tried that, multiple times, it doesn't really work out well... There's reasons behind it, but its part of them being "cursed." At this point they've found out how to work with minimal numbers, and still be victorious.