In the Core Rulebook, it is said that Power Armour has the duration of 1d5 hours for non-military. I'd assume then we can only wear Power Armour for maximum of 5 hours.

Where can I find the rules concerning military-grade power supply?

There aren`t. The rule means imo, that you can use the PA for non-military actions for 1d5 hours. Combat in Power Armour drains the energy supply faster.

That must make it hard for Space Marines to conduct extended campaigns.

I would make military batteries be less scarce than power armor, by one degree. And have them run power armor for a fairly reasonably large length of time. Two weeks. Maybe four for non-combat. The rule in retrospect strikes me as one of those interesting, but ultimately impractical things to monitor. Hmm, have you been aboard the space hulk for five or six hours? (Roll 1d5). Oh, snap. Your armor suddenly seizes up and you are, for all intents and purposes, paralyzed. Make a Hellish [-60] STR test to see if you can pull yourself up off the ground and slowly drag yourself to a safe location to strip out of your gear.

IIRC is the available PA from the book not the same one as the more sophisticated armour that is used by SM.

Into The Storm has heavy power armour, with a 12 hour power supply, but it has some major AG penalties.

Inquisitors Handbook has Dragon Scale, which runs off the characters potentia coil. It doesn't need recharging, but if you don't have a potentia coil you can't use it. Not as much of a strength boost as regular power armour.

Blood of Martyrs has Sorotias Power Armour, which doesn't run out of power unless damaged. But I don't think the Adepta Sorotias will be happy with one of their suits in the hands of a Rogue Trader, unless the RT and his crew are very puritan.

Ascension has Ignatus-Pattern, which can last for 5 days.

Personally I'd only allow the heavy power armour in my games. I prefer to keep power armour as something that the players carefully consider before using, not something they pull out every time they leave the ship.

Personally, I just rule that Rogue Traders - of all people - are going to get power armours with nice, military power supplies.. Otherwise, power armour becomes so incredibly limited as to be almost useless. You couldn't wear the armour onto a space hulk (exploring such a thing would take several hours and if something goes wrong even longer), you couldn't wear the armour onto a toxic jungle planet - you couldn't even wear the armour if you were expecting a fight because unless you're starting one yourself the battery life is simply too short. As it stands, power armour with a non-military energy supply is useful for...well, probably only for something like a SWAT style building raid. Which is perfectly acceptable for Dark Heresy acolytes but not something Rogue Traders do very often.

Five days for light power armour (ala the Battle Sisters) sounds right to me.

I've been ruling that the length of time Powered Armour can operate for increases with quality. Good Quality lasts for the maximum five hours, and Best Quality doubles this to ten hours.

If my PCs want more, I've also allowed them to purchase as a Near Unique Acquisition a Fusion Backpack similar to what the Space Marines and Sisters of Battle use. Though this is one of those things for which I also require a bit of roleplaying with the Archmagi of a Forge World in addition to just dice rolling.

GregorM1980 said:

It is, but Rogue Traders don't have the black carapace implant so their control over it is less refined.

Deathwatch has Astartes Power Armour. The Rogue Trader version is not Astartes-grade.

Errant said:

Actually, the power armor in the corebook is undefined, simply called Power Armor and Light Power Armor, and the descriptions therein say that they're used by both the Adeptus Astartes and the Sisters of Battle, presumably the "lighter" version being given to the Sororitas. Can we please stop using Dark Heresy and Deathwatch as our yardsticks for what Rogue Trader should be like? Arguably this should mean we should use the Deathwatch rules for the Rogue Trader armor, not be snooty about it and act all elitist as if Deathwatch armor is somehow better than.

The description says that Power Armour is used by Astartes and Sororitas, not that it is Astartes pattern. Astartes Power Armour has AP 10 on the body, bio-monitors and injectors, auto-senses, recoil suppressors in the gloves and nutrient recycling systems. Insofar as the rules as written go, the only points of similarity are the enhanced strength and Hulking, which the blackskin negates.

Either way, it comes with a civilian power pack that lasts for 1d5 hours of combat-ready operation before failing, in which case the question is how to acquire a better fuel source.

Errant said:

This is being pedantic and elitist. Hey kids, want to play RT? Hope you also bought all the Deathwatch and Dark Heresy supplements too!

Fortinbras, I feel like the books are relatively clear that the Astartes use different power armor. It has all sorts of special rules that the rogue trader version doesn't. You don't need the DW book for RT because the RT is wearing an inferior grade of armor. The power armor is made for a normal person, it is thinner, lacks autostabilization, etc... It's clear you don't like it, however RAW the Space Marines have better armor, with better power supplies. They also shoot their better guns with better training. Such is the nature of the 40k universe and the whole "Angels of Death" "They shall know no fear" etc... mythos. It's your game, and houserule as you like, but Errant is right.

That being said, does it seem silly anyone else that the power supply lasts such a random amount of time? I understand the GM can houserule it but if that is the case what is the point of the rule?

Fortinbras said:

It's not elitist. It's pretty clear that "standard" power armor and Astartes power armor are different, they have totally different rules. Just look at Into The Storm's Delphis Mark 2 power armor. Not all power armor is created equal.

Golgenna Grenadier said:

A Rogue Trader can buy and sell a suit of Astartes Power Armor 5,000 times over, and you know it. To deny that a Rogue Trader has access to anything a simple Tactical Marine does, and sometimes better, is diminishing the essence of the Rogue Trader game concept. If you want to "preserve the magic" of Space Marines by making them superior to Rogue Traders and their entourages with such tautological argument as "They're SPACE MARINES", that's your perogative, but you are screwing your players, and if I were them, I'd go looking for a GM who isn't having such a slobbering love affair with his Ultramarine miniatures that it impacts the game style they're actually playing negatively, because a game they're not playing said so.

Either way, this is beyond the scope of what I originally argued, that A. The battery rule was dumb and difficult to enforce for those of us who use narrative time rather than rigid time, and B. A Rogue Trader has the resources and capability of acquiring a single Astartes-grade power source, no question.

Bilateralrope said:

This is equally ridiculous. Are you serious? Now we're elevating the Sororitas above the powers and influence of Rogue Traders? I could have sworn I was playing a game called Rogue Trader, not Dark Heresy In Space.

Soritas power armor is manufactured and used by the militant arm of the Ecclesiarchy. For those unfamiliar with 40k lore that's the organization that handles the religious matters of the imperium and is known for setting people on fire, organizing witch hunts, and excommunicating heathens before setting them on fire some more.

The Adeptus Astartes are the transhuman offspring of the emperor's genetic modifications from the time that almost no one has a lcaer picture of. They're outside the normal boundaries of the imperium and only interact with it when they need to. They also tend to burn people who upset them, or level whole planets that are to dangerous or heretical to exist.

Both forces have very specific patterns of weapons manufactured for them by the Adeptus Mechanicus, which is another body that's a part of the imperium but not beholden to it. They're also incredibly traditional, hoard knowledge, are stereotypically not people persons, and will burn you for disrespecting a ancient toaster if they think it's a link to mankind's more enlightened past.

Rogue traders are independent as well, and some may treat with bodies such as these, sector governors, and inquisitors as equals. However that in no way automatically gives them rights, nor access to equipment made for and almost exclusively used by other organizations.

Since the best way to acquire the gear of an Astartes, or a battle sister is to strip their corpses any such examples made available would be available only through criminal channels. Now keep in mind what such groups tend to do to people that upset them. In some cases it might be less damning to just use xenostech instead of parading around in your (obviously padded out) Sororitas armor. Good luck using marine armor unless you also happen to be Astartes.

Now there are ways to get equivalent gear but in general the 'common' power armor you'll be able to find is the barebones models listed in the RT and DH core books. Anything more specialized would require access to a magos with time, and a desire to forge something even more customized for you.

And make no mistake that even the common suits require some complex fittings before you can use them. It's not just a pair of jeans you can throw on and run around in.

AS for the counter argument "that's not what it says in the book' all i can say is that...for the most part no it does not. On the other hand it doesn't list astartes or Battle sister armor in the RT books either and all entries emphasize that these are the peak of imperial armour technologies.

1. Only Inquisitors can order an Exterminatus. The Astartes may do the deed, but they don't get to make the call. So much for knowing your backstory.

2. I'm not arguing that Rogue Traders have a "right" to these things, but that they have the money, the influence, and the capabilities to acquire them as a matter of near-routine action without turning it into an endeavor or a grand adventure. Everything can be bought, especially the Mechanicus, since Rogue Traders naturally deal in archeotech. If the Mechanicus won't deal, then the Rogue Trader's horde of new STC printouts might find their way to the Disciples of Thule or Hereteks, instead of the Grand Magos. It's as simple as that. Deal, or the Rogue Trader takes his business elsewhere. You could even say they have to TRADE for the advanced gear! What a novel concept in a game called Rogue Trader!

3. "Good luck using marine armor unless you happen to be Astartes". I never argued that a Rogue Trader can acquire the black carapace implant, just the armor itself. They could use it, but probably with a penalty to agility, which is what the rules say. Possibly some advanced functions would be inaccessible as well. The idea that power armor only provides 2 more AP at common quality than Stormtrooper armor always struck me as ridiculous anyways.

4. The only people even remotely capable of touching the Rogue Trader are the Inquisitors. The Adeptas Sororitas take their marching orders from Inquisitors but have no freedom to act without that approval. And their equipment is by no means unique to them in the same way as the Astartes. So who cares if you offend a few Sisters by wearing Sororitas-styled armor? They're little people. You might as well worry about pissing off a hive gang on a world you've just invaded with 5 Imperial Guard regiments. Again, this is Rogue Trader. Your characters are up there with Commissar Yarrick or Ursurkar Creed in terms of the amount of awesomeness they command.

5. You have a very rosy view of the Astartes, conveniently forgetting that A. There are thousands of Chapters, B. They are just as subject to the Tithe and to the Inquisition as any other Imperial citizen, C. That they have before and will continue to breed traitors at some point. Chapters can be declared traitors and excommunicated on very skim reasoning. (Lamenters, Flame Falcons). Who's to say that a chapter or two hasn't fallen to Chaos or heretical mutation? A Rogue Trader who dug up that information and delivered it to the appropriate parties might find himself rewarded with their armory. Better to be in the hands of a Rogue Trader faithful to the God Emperor than to traitors and heretical Marines.

Fortinbras said:

Power armour, being rigid, will not fit anyone of different physical proportions to the wearer. A Rogue Trader won't fit into Astartes Power Armour, because it's made for beings taller and broader than he is. It won't function while he's wearing it because it's designed to be used with the Black Carapace as an interface medium - it literally cannot respond to any other input (Chapters that lose their Black Carapace are irrevocably damaged and cannot continue to function as Astartes, and are thus forcibly expunged; this would not be the case if their armour had another input mechanism), and thus is a 200 kilo prison for any other wearer.

Astartes Power Armour is completely and utterly pointless for anyone beyond the Astartes. And the Astartes won't take kindly to any mortal who tries to buy a part of their legacy.

Fortinbras said:

Or any other Peer of the Imperium. It's all about who you know and what you can bring to bear. You don't, for example, infuriate the ruling Magos of a Forge World because chances are he has legions of Skitarii, fleets of starships and a Titan Legion to back him up, as well as all manner of contacts and alliances made over dozens of enhanced lifetimes of service.

Inquisitors and Rogue Traders aren't the only ones with vast resources and authority at their disposal. Any Peer of the Imperium (including but not limited to Chapter Masters, Judges/Senior Arbites, Cardinals, Magi, Masters of the Administratum, Inquisitors and Rogue Trader) has vast amounts of power and influence.

Fortinbras said:

I'm sorry, but thanks for playing. The Adepta Sororitas is a distinct organisation with strong ties to both the Ordo Hereticus and the Ecclesiarchy, who serve as armed forces for both and an internal police force for the latter. The Abbess Sanctorum of the Adepta Sororitas is a High Lord of Terra in her own right, with the huge amounts of power that provides.

Fortinbras said:

Well, for a start, it is unique to them. Much of the wargear in use by the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas was created specifically for the Brides of the Emperor during Vandire's reign, while other elements were granted specifically to them by the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Fortinbras said:

Yarrick's authority comes from reputation, not natural authority - his rank isn't anything special. Creed is a general with a brevet rank of Imperial Commander, less in the grand scheme of things than a Chapter Master or Warmaster.

Fortinbras said:

Over-estimation. There are approximately a thousand Chapters.

Fortinbras said:

The Tithe applies to worlds, not individuals, and Astartes Homeworlds are exempt from the Tithe. The Astartes are also noted as being amongst the most independent and willfully autonomous of Imperial organisations, alongside the Navis Nobilite and the Mechanicus.

Fortinbras said:

The Lamenters were never excommunicated, but rather chose to begin a penitent crusade after choosing to support the secessionists during a civil war. The Flame Falcons were excommunicated for extreme genetic deviancy... hardly an unusual reason.

You're wrong on a great many points... I suggest reading up before you begin another diatribe.

After that interesting exchange...

Personally, if I ran it, those rules would simply be guidelines. How long does power armour last? As long as it needs to, on a reasonable mission. You get stuck on a space hulk for more than a day or two? Well, whip out your d10s, rip out a power supply from one of the vending machines nearby, and slam it it. You guys have 1d5 hours of power. Commense Operation Escape Space Hulk! Lock 'n load.

@No1_H3r3 No u R!

I'm sure we could argue about that for awhile, thankfully I have things to do and no need to humor your jackassery. If you want the idiot king crown, feel free to have it, and err on the side of banality. I'm not going to spend my weekend trying to justify myself to some sycophant with a community college writing credit.

However, how does someone who hates Rogue Trader get to write for it? I honestly want to know.

Fortinbras: are you even reading what is written here?

How do you deduct that NO-1 hates RT just by reading his reasons for not accepting your point of view. Reading your text i kinda hear: "RTs can get everything they want, whenever they want and nobody can do **** about it!" And in my opinion, that`s just plain BS.

RTs are mighty and of vast influence: check

They are on par with Chapter Masters, complete imperial branches (like the Adeptus Sororitas and so on): BZZZ! Wrong answer.

They are allowed more leeway outside the official borders of the Imperium, but within it`s borders, they are anything but sacrosanct.

And aquiring a suit of Astartes PAis something, that`s nigh on impossible for a non-Astartes.

Fortinbras said:

Astartes tend to conform to a much narrower range of physical proportions than normal humans - a result of their alterations. Beyond that, power armour is (as noted in the Ultramarines novels) selected to provide the closest fit and then customised to account for remaining discrepancies. Every suit of power armour is unique, built by necessity to fit the intended wearer, or adjusted to account for discrepancies. You can't mass-produce generic rigid armour, because it won't fit anyone. Astartes power armour is built and later adjusted to fit the Astartes. It won't fit a normal human being.

Frankly, I imagine a Rogue Trader would sooner have a unique suit commissioned specifically for him from a legendary Adeptus Mechanicus Artisan, engraved with his ancestral heraldry and designed to glorify him and his lineage, than an ill-fitting suit of Astartes Power Armour that he lacks the implants to actually operate.

Fortinbras said:

Astartes Homeworlds are not subject to the Imperial Tithe. The geneseed tithe is distinct from this (it doesn't apply to worlds, but to Chapters) and unique to the Astartes for obvious reasons.

Fortinbras said:

OK, you're misinterpreting me here. I stated that the Sororitas were not just the lapdogs of the Inquisition as you claimed. That's all.

And they're called Orders, not Chapters. Space Marines have Chapters, the Adepta Sororitas have Orders.

Unknown said:

Again, you're making assumptions about what you think I posted. Even so, doesn't mean that a Rogue Trader can waltz into a Sororitas abbey and do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, without fear of any consequences or repercussions.

Committing blasphemy in front of a heavily armed and extremely aggressive warrior-nun will, if nothing else, see you get shot at. It might also draw the attention of a Cardinal or Canoness, or even an Inquisitor... which makes things even more complicated.

Fortinbras said:

My real name is Nathan Dowdell, as it says in my signature. I've been freelancing for FFG for over a year, as Designer Diaries and credits pages with my name on them can attest. I wrote significant portions of Into the Storm, Edge of the Abyss, Battlefleet Koronus and Hostile Acquisitions. I'm in frequent communication with FFG... and they haven't complained about the way I perceive the 40k universe yet.

You're obviously free to do whatever you want, but I personally do not consider it interesting if a Rogue Trader can walk over everyone they meet just because they're wealthy. Things get interesting when they get complicated. Things get complicated when the protagonists don't get what they want.

Fortinbras said:

I didn't say that Rogue Traders couldn't acquire the Sorotias Power Armour, just that acquiring it would come with consequences if the Sorotias find out. Just like the Eldar Power Sword, which comes with this bit of text: It is unheard of for these xenos to sell such a weapon and they reclaim them by force

The key similarity between these two items is that they are used by a powerful group that wants to keep them to themself, and any that come into a Rogue Traders hand have probably been taken from the corpse of one of their members.

Marines can and will destroy whatever they deem nescecarry to the safety of the imperium and to their chapter. SO yeah, they have/can/will perform exteriminatus of their own volitions should the tactical situation require it. They also will do so under the direction of the inquisition since they're not only already equipped but perfectly capable of handling the psychological implications of burning a world to ash.

Much like Rogue Traders, and major Inquisitors they have leeway, and can pretty much do as they wish so long as they can later justify it in front of their peers. They also have their little spats with the ecclesiarchy, ad.mech, and inquisition. All of them are technically equal, but not all of them can do as they wish when they wish without a backlash from the rest.

For example if a self absorbed little lord captain began making a habit of collecting loyalist marine armor, and possibly the bodies inside then he could very well expect the chapter to send a few of the Emperor's chosen to have a frank 'talk' with him. Telling them to stuff their chapter colors and shove off will not end well.

If another rogue trader made a habit of plundering ecclesiarchial goods such as the armor of their holy warriors then they are likely to excommunicate that individual. Now this means everyone who associates with you risks damning themselves, and possibly ending up on a burning stake. That now makes our one rogue trader, into a renegade against the emperor. Have fun with the crew of chaos worshippers and renegades you'll need now that the supersitious and gawd-emperor fearing normal crew have jumped ship.

Adeptus Mechanicus are pretty much the same. Say you discover one of their ships, and on board is an archaeotech data. DUring negotiations the upstart lord captain tells them he not only wants a suit of marine terminator armor made for himself, but also a titan, and to have the ruling magos of the forge to come and kiss his butt. If you manage to not get raygunned into atoms then you'll likely suffer excommunication. In this case it means no real tech priest will serve you. Only Hereteks, slaves, and other such less than quality individuals. They then wait until your ship breaks down, take the vault, and turn our unlucky captain into a sewage sweeper servitor.

So, how does one avoid these fates? Simple, don't be an ignorant dolt when dealing with those of equal or higher standing. Also, be happy that there's power armor you can acquire, modify, and use without having to fight a major war just for owning it.

Oh, and buy a EZ charge power pack that can collect juice from ambient raditation, movement, and through a super adaptable power cord.