How compatible are MIU's (Mind Impulse Units) Can someone with a MIU use any MIU equipment? or are the plugs/sockets unique for each thing?

I'm mostly asking as I have this idea floating around for RT game where one a planet the PC's are going to discover a half buried Titan and I think it would be cool if I can trail some bait so they might decide to keep the thing instead of turning it over to the AdMechs.

On a similar note does anyone have any thoughts on how commen MIU's are for ships officers? I know in one of the Gaunt's ghosts stories the Admech officers seemed to, but I've not really read anything on Imperial navy and the like to get a picture of them.

Just out of curiosity, why would they want to keep it instead of turning it over to the AdMech for profit factor/favors? Without transport capability (the barge that picks it up and drops it off) its near useless. Other enemies of the Imperium woudl hunt them relentlessly for it (more so than archeotech in the starship sense it really is archeotech, irreplacable). What plot device role does it play that you would want them to keep it?

Mostly because it could led to some intresting plot hooks. It would be pretty unique thing to have out in the expanse after all (which is outside Imperial control/law anyway, which gives them all a one up on the other RT's out there. Of course it will mean dealing with pissed off Admech's at some point.

I very much doubt without a very experienced Adeptus Mechinicus present that it would be possible to link up the MIU, Unless one had acces to a dreadnought or an actual titan pilot.

Also bear in mind that contructing a titan is hundreds of years work, and the reward for locating one could be significant.

And if AdMech was there, he would hardly keep stum, and indeed assination would be the order of the day.

Sometimes when you think about games with cool tech such as the titan, and allowing players to keep it, it can take the game in a very different way then your intentions.

Another thing is that it very much trivialises the technology. For example what next, how do you up the ante...

If you really wanted to include a Titan in your adventure, merely assign an Emperor Titan from Divisio Mandati to accompany the Rogue Trader.

why would I want something like a Emperor Titan? thats more than slightly impraticle. Its only gonna be a Warhound if they do keep it. I tend to see that the AdMech who get sent out with the RT's are borderline anyway (Why else would they sent to the ass end of no-where with a RT crew instead of being with a Exploreter fleet?). So I figurer the chance to work on a Titan is enough to keep him mum to begin with at least.

As to your over point I don't really see it maybe its just the games I've been on but there has never been any need to constantly one-up finds. I mean you can start out with a cruiser which takes a hell of a lot longer to build than a warhound would, and I don't see threads on don't give 'em a cruiser cause then you need to make sure they get a battleship or something.

Oh and because of the people I played with in the past game going a different way thing is a bonus. I love it when players throw the GM a curve ball.

Drfaustus83 said:

I think you underestimate the depth of rage and brutality the AM would direct toward anyone who found a Titan and didn't return it to them imediately.

I would, in my game, have the AM cut off all support to the offending RT's dynasty at every level, effectively crippling them, possibly making the dynasty Here-teks in the process. They would dispatch several fleets of the most advanced war ships at their disposal to hunt for the RT. Once captured, all involved, every man woman and child aboard every ship, facility, and planet that the dynasty controls would be taken to live out the next few hours/days of their lives in pain amplifiers then be turned into the lowest form of servitor possible. The Imperium, would look the other way. They might ask, only once, "Is this necessary?" to which the AM's reply would be "Yes".

Recovering a titan and it's safe return would, in the least, get you a planet in thanks.

You do have a point there by 100% cannon that is the most likely response. But I don't see anypoint on dicking my players if they do go for it, why screw players over who are handing you an entire story arc on a platter?

Wait, surely a titan isn't that big a deal compared to a starship?

A rogue trader could be buzzing around in an "Reliquary of Mars" capable of destroying a planet. I hardly think having a little toy like a titan rattling around in one of the cargo holds is going to get the AdMech all worked up. Or?

Iku Rex said:

Well on slight problem (Which if they do keep it may end up bitting them on the ass at some point) is the consider Titans to be a walking avatar of the Omnissiah so it could be said keeping it is scarilage of the highest order.

Although not as powerful, and in many ways not as complicated or anchent as starship components, Titans are considered amongst the most holy items in the Cult of the Machine. They are, in many ways, all but akin to living, breathing idols of the Omminssiah, warlord temples to the great Machine God. After STCs, they are probibly the most reveard item. They're also one of the only things the mechanicus keeps entirely within their own control (though that might be as much for a dettrent as religious reasons).

More importantly to the question at hand, Titans are finicky creations with borderline heretical cognators consisting of hundreds of years of cumulated battle experance. Many titan crews may use what amount to a regular MIU, but the precept reqires very extensive neural augmentation as well as strength of will. It's not unheard of for a Titan's Machine Spirit to take over an unprepaired or tired precept. Such augmentations are also degenerative, as is seperation from the titan's mind. After a few score of years, most can't even leave the cockpit.

Long story short, its not impossible for them to keep the titan, but i'd be almost impossable to return to operation and/or keep operational without admech support, and would probily reqire a dedicated cult member to pilot it.

A good source for this is Titanicus. From what I remember reading of Titans is as follows:

1)Titans need numerous MIU operators. These men are augmented solely for Titan work.

2)Titans have strong machine spirits, and can dominate untrained/weak-willed users.

3)Titans require a lot of skilled support staff.

4)Titan transport generally require custom transport.

Given the above I'd love to see my player try to keep a small titan. Their struggles to find admech support staff. Their struggles to control a their titan's blood lust.....

I think for controling I'm going to use a mix of the old Titan graphic novel and Titancius so crew can be promoted from modertai to princips eventually (as mentioned in Titanicus) but no gunk tanks, just a command throne.

I don't intend for it to be we got a titan cool. It's more we got a Titan now how the hell do we use it and keep it running. I've got the ideas for all sorts of stuff if they do keep it. If they don't thats great too.

It shouldn't I hope be an end by its self, but the means to all sorts of storie because they kept it. Hell they might decide to get rid of it pretty quick when they relize its gonna be a long hard slog to keep the thing going and not have it go crazy.

I'm thinking of it being old and in the ground for a long time. So to begin with it will seem week-willed and sluggish but as time passes it begins to wake up and cause all sorts of issues.

They could always ask the Traitor Titanicus Legions for help, right?

Drfaustus83 said:

I am not sure why you want a titan - but the Divisio Mandati do send emperor titans and crews on board in Rogue Traders. Maybe some of these guys get killed, leaving the players with the issue of what to do with it now the crew are dead. I suppose you could use any titan - but specifically the inquistors use that model.

Drfaustus83 said:

The 2 things are alike, and I see your point. Many starships are 1,000's years old and the tech on some ships is nearly irreplacable, such like a Titan, however Titans themselves are worshipped by the AdMechs and beyond STC are the most prized possession. The main premise of RT is to traverse space, and as such you need a craft.

Also Spacecraft are ubiquitous, and could be considered a common sight (yes not strictly true in percentages as trillions of imperial citizens will never see a craft), where as a Titan is truly rare, with almost all but a few of the imperium ever seeing one.

As to Ante and one-upness, it's the nature or RP for many, even identifiable in the game book releases themselves. EG RT starter characters are tougher then DH characters. DW will be tougher still. One-up. It goes for many RPs, and even W40K table top, new release materials are invariably improved on older material. Its just nature.

I concur not every group needs to up the Ante - but invariably it does get upped whether you see it or not. (no offence meant - just an observation).

If I can quickly return to the first question in the OP; the plugs and sockets are probably intended to be universally compatible, but in practical terms, I suspect many of them will need an adaptor. A bigger problem is likely to be driver compatibility...

As a side note, I can think of at least one example*, off-hand, of a titan not needing its princeps to have an MIU link at all (not even a Hekate-style neurocannula, let alone a Titanicus -style goo tank); as it had laid dormant and buried for long enough for the world around to regress back to feudal levels (if not feral). All that remained visible was the bastion on the shoulders (meaning it was probably an Imperator titan, or variant thereof), which was shunned as "haunted". A group of foolish locals decide to play Scooby-Doo,and find many wondrous 'archeotech' relics (including what is quite obviously a monkey wrench). They venture down and find a throne room with a "crown" resting on the back of the throne, and so one of them declares himself king of the haunted castle, sits down and crowns himself.

The titan's machine spirit wakes as he does so, and completedly dominates (and, indeed, crushes) the poor youth's psyche, and the last couple of panels in the comic are a mountain standing up, Hellstorm Cannon and another BFG blazing as rocks fall away, with the final panel being a cut to an orbital shot overlaid with a report from a listening post, saying that there are anomalous energy signals, and recommending someone investigates. Blatant adventure hook, possibly?

As for keeping the titan: I imagine that if they run into an explorator fleet they'll have to give it up, and likewise it isnt going to be the sort of thing they can lug around after returning to Imperial space (I have this image of the Rogue Trader going through customs on Malfi and being asked if he has anything to declare...). Definitely worth it as a story arc though.

*It's in an old issue of Warhammer Monthly, was written by either Gordon Rennie or Si Spurrier (IIRC), but the name and issue of release escapes me at the moment. I promise to cite it as soon as I have a chance to go through the archives