Beaviz81 wrote:Oh purplefood, there were a certain STC, that the Dark Eldar managed to get at. Too bad, it would have granted the humans life forever. Then the Archon was betrayed by Vect of course.

Revenent Reiko wrote:Beware spoilers in the link...just dont read the 'significant STC discoveries' entry.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Standard_Template_Construct

An intact STC would contain ALL the techonology that humanity held during the height of the Dark Age of Technology. Hence why they are so sought-after.

Most STC that are found now seem to be incomplete, holding only the information for a single construction, with maybe incomplete data on others.

purplefood is right, if the orks had an intact STC, nothing would stop the Imperium from taking it back.

to answer your last question, they are so rare that there are entire fleets dedicated to the singular goal of finding even a rumour of anything resembling an STC...

The only thing ive ever queried would be how the STcs worked....i mean, if it is

complex analytical and processing systems

then how do they help you actually make anything...especially considering:

WD 140

THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE
The Adeptus Mechanicus is driven by the quest for knowledge. This quest takes many forms, including research and exploration, but its ultimate embodiment is the search for ancient STC systems.

STC systems were created during the scientific high-point of the Dark Age of Technology. During this time thousands of human colonies were founded on distant worlds. Many of these colonies failed to survive, some were lost, and of those that survived most achieved only a subsistence level economy. Yet almost all of these colonies managed to retain a high level of technology thanks to the huge base of computerised information carried from Earth. This massive computer databank was known as the Standard Template Construct (STC) system.

The objective of the STC systems was to provide all the technical information needed to construct anything that settlers might need. The user simply asked how to build a bolter, tractor, house or whatever, and the computer supplied the details for fabrication. STC systems would calculate the constructional loads placed on locally-available materials, work out the depths of foundations, define the means of manufacture and assembly, and present the most efficient ways of achieving what it was the settler asked.

The systems were designed to be practically idiot proof, so that even the least technically-accomplished person could build a vehicle, aircraft or weapon given time.

One result of the STC system and its pivotal place in human colonisation is that human material culture is very similar, even on worlds which are many thousands of light years apart.

The STCs are often said to embody the sum total of human knowledge. This is probably true as far as technical accomplishment goes. Although most colonists required little more than designs for agricultural machinery, programs were included for all sorts of advanced constructions such as nuclear power grids and fission reactors. However, the early colonists' needs were simple and were met by conventional energy forms and relatively low-level technology.

Every original colony had at least one STC system. With the passage of time these gradually failed, and passed out of use. Some colonies were forward-thinking enough to make drawings or hard-copies of some designs, which were in turn copied repeatedly with varying accuracy. Some STC systems became corrupted and useless, and were eventually destroyed.

Today there are no known surviving STC systems, and only a very few examples of first-generation print out. On some worlds information about the ancient STC is regarded as holy and design copies are guarded as secret and sacred texts, housed in the inner sanctums of temples.

For thousands of years the Adeptus Mechanicus has pursued all information about the STC. It is their lost bible, Holy Grail and Cup of Knowledge. Any scrap of information is eagerly sought out and jealously hoarded. Any rumour of a functional system is followed up and investigated.

By their efforts much information has been retrieved or can be reconstructed by the vigorous analysis and comparison of copies. Yet the most technically-advanced knowledge eludes the Adeptus Mechanicus, for the early colonists were mostly simple folk whose needs were practical. Only rarely did anyone bother to take copies of the theoretical and advanced work which the STC contained.

AlmightyWalrus wrote:A fully intact and operational STC basically means the Imperium wins. The AdMech would be able to repair the Golden Throne, thus saving the Emperor. Having done that, they'd go about building legions of Castigator Titans and similar weapon systems which should mean that they'd be able to wipe the floor with any other force in the Galaxy bar possibly the Necrons.

Pilau Rice wrote:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:A fully intact and operational STC basically means the Imperium wins. The AdMech would be able to repair the Golden Throne, thus saving the Emperor. Having done that, they'd go about building legions of Castigator Titans and similar weapon systems which should mean that they'd be able to wipe the floor with any other force in the Galaxy bar possibly the Necrons.

Would they? The Golden Throne, as far as I know, wasn't created using any STC, but was the Emperors own creation, much like the Primarchs.

AlmightyWalrus wrote:

Pilau Rice wrote:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:A fully intact and operational STC basically means the Imperium wins. The AdMech would be able to repair the Golden Throne, thus saving the Emperor. Having done that, they'd go about building legions of Castigator Titans and similar weapon systems which should mean that they'd be able to wipe the floor with any other force in the Galaxy bar possibly the Necrons.

Would they? The Golden Throne, as far as I know, wasn't created using any STC, but was the Emperors own creation, much like the Primarchs.

Created by the Emperor, but building upon the technology of mankind during the Golden Age, using technology available to him.

Kaldor wrote:The writers are deliberately vague about it, but my interpretation of an STC is a artificial "intelligence" with all human knowledge contained within it.

So basically you'd land your ship on a foreign planet, and start asking your STC how to go about building things, come to it with problems, etc etc.

oldone wrote: Also how rare are they and if an Ork got hold of it would the imperium lunch attacks to gain it, and as such what scale would it be?

Psienesis wrote:The Golden Throne wasn't built, it was found. They dug it out of the sands of what is now Turkey, I believe.

n0t_u wrote:Might not if it is a Daemon world seeing as there is the chance it could be corrupted. Though they'd probably fight just as hard to check if it was corrupted or not.

Randomonioum wrote:Orks getting ahold of a STC fragment doesn't seem unlikely to me. If the imperium knew about it, they would certainly launch an attack on it, or at the very least inform the mechanicus. Most likely, expect a joint attack from both of them. It benefits them both to have this, regardless of what it is.

Kanluwen wrote:The significance of the STC which appeared in "First and Only" was that it was fully intact, able to construct the item that they had the blueprints for.
Finding the blueprints is certainly a big deal, as evidenced in the book where mention is made of an Imperial survey team which found the complete blueprint for a new pattern of monomolecular bladed combat knives for the Astartes and the fact that each member of the team was rewarded supremely well but finding a fully intact STC would be like discovering the Holy Grail.

Grey Templar wrote:Well, the Imperium didn't exist during the Dark Age.
.

LumenPraebeo wrote:Imagine having nearly as powerful technology as the necrons and being able to bring to bear the production, manpower, and firepower of a million worlds of man? Gives me goosebumps.

Krellnus wrote:

Psienesis wrote:The Golden Throne wasn't built, it was found. They dug it out of the sands of what is now Turkey, I believe.

Yes, it was built by the Emperor as a human-built webway gate, the Emperor was born in Angolia (what is now mostly Turkey)
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Golden_Throne#.T7NcKcU2eXg

ArbitorIan wrote:

Um, you mean Anatolia.

Angolia doesn't exist. Angola is a country in Africa. Angular things are pointy.