Hi fellow brothers,

my players are entering the Halls of a Magos. Now I am thinking what to do with the Battle Servitors from the Core Rulebook. First, I agree one could build a horde. Granted.

But further I am thinking to upgrade them individually with more Talents, Equipment, better Stats and maybe Traits.

But for the first two I am a bit confused what to take into account? Most of the Talents and the Equipment has as a prerequisite 'Adeptus Astartes'. I mean the Battle Servitors are auto-stabilized that means they do not need to brace heavy weaposn. Does that mean I could simply give them a heavy bolter? For me, these are Astartes Weapons. Thus I think I should better look into the Dark Heresy Rules, where also Bolter weapons are given. But with less damage - does that mean they are 'humanoid-sized' weapons?

Bolter is just a type, I could also argue with Melta- or Plasma Weapons.

What do you think?

Best wishes,

TechVoid.

Personally, I ignore the entirety of "astartes weapons" in the deathwatch books. Bolters are a human weapon, and became the sidearm of the Astartes because they're the best humanity had to offer during the Crusades. The idea of them being even more ridiculous in the hands of space mariens never sat well with me, especially considering the TT doesn't have different weapon stats. I think that belief comes down to artists loving to draw weapons with gaping wide muzzles and long barrels. I always wondered why that was. So I'd just ignore the non-astartes weaponry and equip the servitors however you please; canon TT weapons are heavy bolter, multi-melta and plasma cannon if I recall, or a power fist and close combat weapon for melee.

Same thing happened with the Land Raider - Back int he day it could be fielded by the IG, and current canon it was used by everybody until the production planet was overrun in the Heresy. At that time the emperor decreed only Space Marine legions got them as they were in the forefront, then after he got placed in the golden throne he never got around to recalling that edict.

As gm, when makin' stats for npc's, yer pretty much free to use talents/traits as you see fit, so it seems to me....the restrictions are for players only, as i understand it.

Another option was a fan made supplement published on Dark Reign called the servitor career path. It was made for Dark Heresy, but it seems like a rule set that ties well into the existing 40K system.

Salcor