First.

In the DH Rulebook on pg. 94 it says the Magos Errant can take the Master Chirurgeon Talent. But in the Advancement scheme neither the Mech-Deacon nor the Omniprophet can take Medicae +10. The v.3.0 errata doesn't say anything about this.

Second. This is about the Ballistic Mechadendrites.

Can Ballistic Mechadendrites be fitted with any type of weapon that can also be compact? Or must that weapon only be a pistol type/las type/etc...?

In a standard combat round a mech-priest with two ballistic mechadendrites and holding a las carbine could use what weapons? Could she fire both her ballistic Mechadendrites and her carbine at no penalty? What if she had three ballistic mechadendrites? Four? Would she be able to use the Dual Shot talent with them? What if she were holding two las pistols? I read the v.3.0 errata and it didn't really cover combat with ballistic mechadendrites.

Ack! I need to make a clarification about my previous questions involving Ballistic Mechadendrites.

It was my assumption that in any given combat round you could only make two-half actions and a reaction. So a tech-priest with two ballistic mechadendrites and a las carbine could only attack once with one of the ballistic mechadendrite as a reaction then attack once with the other mechadendrite and the las carbine (single shot) as the normal round (two half actions). But then I was told differently by a few people and I wasn't sure. The dual shot question still stands though.

Next I assumed that a ballistic mechadendrite was as-is. Meaning that no other modifications could be done to it. You're stuck with the puny little compact las pistol no matter what. But then a few people asked me what kind of gun I was going to put in my character's ballistic mechadendrite when I got it... So once again I was not sure of my previous assumption.

The reason I ask these questions is that if tech-priests could use multiple mechadendrites for multiple attacks with whatever weapon type they choose it seems to me that makes tech-priests overwhelmingly martial and powerful. Even more so than a guardsman. Like a walking gun platform.

In the DH Rulebook on pg. 94 it says the Magos Errant can take the Master Chirurgeon Talent. But in the Advancement scheme neither the Mech-Deacon nor the Omniprophet can take Medicae +10. The v.3.0 errata doesn't say anything about this.

According to the master Skill sheet (available at Dark Reign), Techpriests should get Medicae +10 at rank 6.

It was my assumption that in any given combat round you could only make two-half actions and a reaction. So a tech-priest with two ballistic mechadendrites and a las carbine could only attack once with one of the ballistic mechadendrite as a reaction then attack once with the other mechadendrite and the las carbine (single shot) as the normal round (two half actions). But then I was told differently by a few people and I wasn't sure. The dual shot question still stands though.

The problem with this idea is that you can take a given half action (like the Standard Attack action) only once in a round.

Next I assumed that a ballistic mechadendrite was as-is. Meaning that no other modifications could be done to it. You're stuck with the puny little compact las pistol no matter what. But then a few people asked me what kind of gun I was going to put in my character's ballistic mechadendrite when I got it... So once again I was not sure of my previous assumption.

Nope, you can usually only use the compact laspistol.

However, there's a way around this: The Inquisitor's Handbook introduces the alternate rank of Mechanicus Secutor who gets the Machinator Array, a reinforcement of your cybermantle. With this, you can mount any pistol type or close combat weapons on your mechadendrites. I've generally favored a flamer on one 'dendrite.
You still can fire at most two of them (one half action attack with one, one reaction attack with the second).

The reason I ask these questions is that if tech-priests could use multiple mechadendrites for multiple attacks with whatever weapon type they choose it seems to me that makes tech-priests overwhelmingly martial and powerful. Even more so than a guardsman. Like a walking gun platform.

Well... yeah. Mechanicus Secutors are walking weapons platforms.

Cifer said:

This is true. But the ranks diverge at rank six. You can choose the Magos Errant path (Mech-Deacon, Omniprophet) or the Magos path (Technomancer, Cyberseer). The Technomancer has Medicae +10 but not the Mech-Deacon or the Omniprophet after it.

Cifer said:

Ok... I understand. One half-action attack and one non-attack half-action or a full-action attack or a non-attack full action. Makes more sense.

What if the tech-priest used a las pistol instead? Would they be able to fire both the pistol and the mechadendrite as if they were doing a Two-Weapon Weilding attack (Full action) or a Dual Weapon attack (Full action)? Would this have the same penalties for off-hand use? (Sorry if it sounds like I'm kicking a dead horse. )

Thanks for your feedback. My tech-priest character isn't really a fighter anyway (she's all about knowing stuff and enhancing her allies with 'the blessings of the Omnissiah' Though she can shoot...) but I've read the stuff for ballistic mechadendrites over and over and was still confused about a few things.

And Yow! Mechanus Secutors are brutal...

What if the tech-priest used a las pistol instead? Would they be able to fire both the pistol and the mechadendrite as if they were doing a Two-Weapon Weilding attack (Full action) or a Dual Weapon attack (Full action)? Would this have the same penalties for off-hand use? (Sorry if it sounds like I'm kicking a dead horse. )

That's an interesting question which AFAIK isn't answered anywhere. Have your GM make up a ruling.

And Yow! Mechanus Secutors are brutal...

They need to be - their agility generally goes down the drain with their enhancements (Machinator Array, Helot Augmetic and possibly Muscle enhancements from Rogue Trader), so they won't be too good at dodging.

Cifer said:

Especially if they're always burning their reaction to use their ballistic mechadendrite!

As I rule it, in a given turn a ballistic mechadendrite functions exactly like a normal hand holding a pistol with two exceptions:

1) A ballistic mechadendrite does not interact with two-weapon fighting or dual shot, and may not share an action with firing another weapon

2) A ballistic mechadendrite that was not fired using a half action or full action on the previous turn may, as a reaction, make the equivalent of a half-action attack. This is not, however, a standard attack and is not mutually exclusive with the use of other weapons or mechadendrites.

Our friendly neighborhood Secutor is fond of firing full-auto with his basic weapon or ripping people apart with his breacher, then using his reaction to fire a hand flamer mounted on his mechadendrite. Since his Agility is so piss poor, he doesn't generally feel bad about not dodging.

Pandadan said:

Nice.

If a tech-priest does use her ballistic mechadendrite as a reaction would the tech-priest then be limited to attacking things only within 10m of the target (given that the tech-priest doesn't have independant targetting) on her turn? Example: 5 gangers jump the group. With one 10m to the east, three 20m to the west and one more closing at 5m to the south-west (he's got a nasty shotgun). The tech-priest's init roll sucks so the bad guys get initiative before her. Her allies go, then the gangers, then her. During the fight all the gangers seem to be concentrating on the poor innocent psyker except the jerk with the shotgun. He blasted a nice little chunk out of the tech-priest's metal butt. The tech-priest uses her reaction roll to fire her ballistic mechadendrite at the shotgun weilding ganger (a miss! even at point blank range!). Then her turn comes up. Is she limited to a 10m radius around the shotgun wielding ganger if she doesn't wish to suffer any penalties (no independant targetting)?

PS. Yes. I know. That's about the most antiseptic battle description you'll ever read coming out of DH.

What you really want is a flamer pistol, and a hell pistol mechadendrite with Machinator Array. Or with RT plasma rules 2 plasma pistol. Of course you could also swap out the flamer for a melta pistol. In my new RT game our tech priest wants to know if he can have 4 blastic mechadendrites. (And I'm still saying no!!!)

You wouldnt be happy with me then. I asked for an hand carried assault cannon, an shoulder mounted and MIU Weapon Interface controlled autocannon and for a twin linked plasma pistol mounted on a gun mechandrite( we use a form of the old combi weapon rules: if you take bolter/bolter combination it counts as twin linked, or if you try to build them by yourself just do an Armourers test to weld 2 together). I didnt get the plasma pistol yet so im kinda a melee victim, but i guess thats something i have to live with