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Does anyone have any idea why shoulders need such heavy armour in 40k, or does it serve a secondary purpose ?

Imagine being stabbed in the shoulder. It hurts!

Cayhn wrote:
Imagine being stabbed in the shoulder. It hurts!

The logic checks out.

I always figured they used it like a wall - lift your shoulder and point that at the enemy: Your head is entirely protected behind it by - all that armour, your shoulder and then the helmet.

I always imagined it to be used for charges or assaults - shoulder-first.

I suspect its mostly rule of cool, normally proportioned shoulder pads would be a bit dull and have hardly any room for fancy icons and wotnot

Well that or a dumb fluff reason, eg a Marine with no legs can still shoot so best protect the arms most !

The idea is that if you're standing, aiming, and firing your bolter, the pauldrons deflect enemy fire that's coming for your upper body.

Like this - shots hitting his pauldron aren't hitting his neck/head, EDIT - and chest too.

I imagine they are used as shoulder-shields to protect their squishy head. Incoming fire, no problem, just lean into it.

Or, perhaps, Big E designed SMs to have ridiculously huge, beefed out, bulbous shoulders.

In the grim darkness of the 2nd millennium the distinct profile created by those large rounded shoulders became the basis for a copyrightable science fiction / action hero character around which it's parent company was able to build a successful tabletop gaming franchise.

In-universe I always figured the space marine's armour could take a hit to the chest that would sheer off an extremity, and that the protection offered by those massive shoulder-pads mitigated that risk somewhat. That they offer large smooth surfaces you can emblazon with heraldry is an added bonus.

That necessity influences the culture of the Imperium, shoulder pads become seen as a quintessential piece of armour, it's absence is noted, and size and ornateness are associated with status.

Someone should have varnished that marine the paint's all chipping away.

List of Practicality:

-Head/Upper Torso shield
-Makes neck shots impossible from the side (flexi-joints are the weakpoints in SM armour)
-Battering ram for shoulder-barging doors, walls, people
-Squad/Faction affiliation (some rule of bling)
-A SM w/o legs is a turret, a SM w/o arms is a useless pair of legs
-Arms are likely MUCH harder to replace than legs - fine motor skills etc

The real reason: Bigger pads = more important character
Note how a guardsman has small leather patches. Note how SM pads are metal, bling'd up and huge.

Now note:

Some fancy-ass pads, bruh.

Because in the grim darkness of the far future, everyone loves shoulder workouts.

Real reason being, it sets them apart from all other space marines from various franchises. SW Stormtroopers have the sloping helmets, Halo has the big visors and GW SM have massive shoulderpads.

It makes it easier to attach the arms to the models.

In the middle ages a codpiece was worn to protect a males groin and genitals. Of course for display armours some would get quite ostentatious with the size of their codpiece.

Now we all know that Space Marines are not pure human any more and are genetically modified - and thus - well...... nobody ever said that the genetic alterations got everything in the right place; hence hugely compensating shoulderpads instead of codpieces...........

 Overread wrote:
In the middle ages a codpiece was worn to protect a males groin and genitals. Of course for display armours some would get quite ostentatious with the size of their codpiece..

Henry VIII had some brilliant paintings with his codpiece.

I think there's also some special armour systems under the shoulder as well.

You can ask the same question about this. Why does a force wielder and saber fighter that makes Vader look like a pansy and could probably crush a Space Marine quicker than a Grav-Cannon need a shoulder pad/pauldron?

SG

The Truth

 Selym wrote:
The Truth

Out of game? This.

In game? The shoulder pads are less functional and more decorative. Marines aren't just warriors--they are also symbols, whose tactics and equipment are designed to bolster friendly morale and intimidate the enemy. That's why they tend to eschew stealth, engage in unnecessary melee, wear bold primary colors, and plaster their personal, chapter, and Imperium iconography all over everything.

BECAUSE IT LOOKS FRIGGIN' COOL!

 Selym wrote:
The Truth

There is no joke I can make that's better than this. Well played sir. Well played.

Copyright anyone?

Copyright might be a reason now but marines have had big shoulderpads for years - asides copyright is nothing new.

However as a design consider that one aspect of marines is that they are big, chunky and powerful wearing thick armour. But you can't easily show that at that scale - much of the fore body is hidden by the gun whilst the rear has the air/vent pack. The legs are super thick already; but the thick shoulder pads are a good way to give a thick chunky armour look without getting in the way of anything else

I like the way you said that.

Many have already gave a number of practical reasons. Here could be a few more:

1) Think of it sort of like the Punisher and his huge white skull on his chest. It draws attention (and thus his enemies' fire) to the most heavily armoured part of his body.
2) From the front view, it protects the power pack bits that stick out a little.
3) In close combat with enemies such as Orks or Nids, their enemy will often be striking overhand (axes and claws), which those huge shoulder pads will likely absorb.

 Overread wrote:
Copyright might be a reason now but marines have had big shoulderpads for years - asides copyright is nothing new.

However as a design consider that one aspect of marines is that they are big, chunky and powerful wearing thick armour. But you can't easily show that at that scale - much of the fore body is hidden by the gun whilst the rear has the air/vent pack. The legs are super thick already; but the thick shoulder pads are a good way to give a thick chunky armour look without getting in the way of anything else

Well said, but now I have a craving for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Old codex has a sternguard story that says they shift and lock in place to deflect and absorb impact. The story is the one about taking a tank round then moving as they hear the breach open.

Shoulderpads also look sweet, it's like Orks with spiky shoulders looking all road-warrior.

Shoulder pads are also much easier to sculpt than the intricate arm/torso joins.

 oldzoggy wrote:
Does anyone have any idea why shoulders need such heavy armour in 40k, or does it serve a secondary purpose ?

Something tells me it has something to do with enemies tendancy to bring chainsaws attatched to swords into battle

Huge pauldrons look cool.

Certainly isn't limited to 40K