Source
r/40kLore•
NotThisMuch

Can common Imperial aircraft in 40k deploy from orbit, or are they atmosphere-only?

Valkyrie? Stormraven? Stormwolf? Nephilim?

If they cannot deploy from orbit, how do they shuttle aircraft from the interstellar ships? Which crafts can enter/leave the atmosphere? Can you remember excerpts of the craft above (or ones like it) operating in space?

Thanks!

Edit: a quick check of lexicanum shows me thunderhawks can operate in space. Not sure about the others.

Posted Feb 4, 2020, 7:45 PM UTC · edited

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Paul-the-birb-boy•

To my knowledge, a few aircraft can. I know for a fact the Thunderbolt Fighter can be deployed from orbit. I know all space marine craft can deploy from orbit. Usually deployment of the Imperial Guard from orbit involves bulk transporters, and it’s possible these also transport their vehicles in them also. I know some of the bigger bulk transports can take months to fully empty out, and their more than large enough to transport them.

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NotThisMuchOP•

Thanks for the info on thunderbolts! So the guard probably loads up atmospheric valkyries into their big bulk transporters, and operates from there, same as they would for say, a tank?

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Paul-the-birb-boy•

Perhaps, I’m not all too clear on how the guard deploy, however from my knowledge of how Adeptus Mechanicus deploy I can make some assumptions. Considering Titans (even the massive Imperator Titans) are carried on ships and then lowered unto the worlds from orbit.

For the Imperial Guard a similar sized vessel could transports hundreds of chimeras, Leman russes and basilisks. There’s also Star ports to keep in mind, as those can hold larger freighters, while without one, it’ll take longer to unload them and make use of the supplies inside.

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Daerrol•

The entire Aeronautica is under the command of the Navy. I'm pretty sure all Guard arcraft can enter orbit.

I am 100% sure the Marine crafts can mostly/all do orbit too. Thunderhawks, Corvus Blackstars and Sokar absolutely come in from orbit.

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spiider12Death Korps of Krieg•

Due to HH shenanigans Imperial Guard are restricted from using aircrafts, some few exceptions as some airborne regiments and I would guess the PDF are exempted as they are not offensive forces. Otherwise all aircraft and void vessels belongs to the navy and her pilots

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NotThisMuchOP•

That makes sense, the Navy would probably want to be able to retrieve their stuff in a pinch if needed.

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SecondAccount404•

A bunch of them can, for instance the Marauder Bomber even used to be the Imperial Navy’s bomber of choice until they switched to the Starhawk.

Whether the ones you listed can I have to admit not knowing, but I would expect any Space Marine vehicle would be since they don’t have access to the macro landers or the Imperial Guard.

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Paul-the-birb-boy•

In some of the older lore they had an unique version of the macro lander specifically for them. It could carry somewhere around 6 rhinos at a time (or an equivalent tank fo the same size) or cargo holds for infantry and weaponry. Their rarely used now in favor for preparing their units out of planet and dropping down with Thunderhawks, Stormravens and Drop Pods.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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NotThisMuchOP•

Cool. Thanks!

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AffixBayonetsImperial Fleet•

So I recall that virtually all Imperial aircraft can deploy from and return to carriers in low orbit.

You need specific voidcraft like the Fury Interceptor or Thunderhawk though to fly further than that. Many larger Bulk Transports can be capable of similar feats.

Also, sub-Cruiser sized ships can land directly on planets, which is a good way for a transport to unload loads of troops.

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NotThisMuchOP•

Thanks for the info!

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Daerrol•

https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Imperial_Aircraft#Imperial_Navy_Aircraft

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NotThisMuchOP•

Thanks - this is awesome!

Edit: For space marine vehicles, this one says:

Space Marine aircraft are generally designed to operate in both atmospheric and space combat roles.

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AffixBayonetsImperial Fleet•

Yeah, the Imperial Navy uses separate craft for atmospheric missions and ship to ship combat while the Astartes use the Thunderhawk in both applications.

That particular excerpt I believe predates additional Astartes aircraft, when the Thunderhawk was the Astartes' only fighter, bomber, transport (sometimes in a variant form), and assault boat, while the IN had several varieties of each.

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Heretic_Astartes•

It’s never been the case that the Thunderhawk was the only platform the Astartes had.

The Thunderhawk was designed, built and fielded to replace the larger, more expensive Sokar Pattern Stormbirds. Even then, many legions retained the Sokars. At the same time, Xiphon interceptors were the lynchpin void/atmo fighter and close support aircraft for the Astartes. This was supplemented by Navy Thunderbolts and Lightning’s.

Thunderhawks came in two variants, gunship and transporter. The latter eschewing the main armament and troop bay for a latticework lifting frame that could accommodate two rhino chassis or one land raider chassis.

For capital ship defense, many vessels carried Star fury fighters, which were outright imperial navy. Starhawks were also in service to replace these, though, once again, crews fury.

In the most part, the Astartes didn’t really have an outright bombing platform, though this was taken care of by the Imperial Navy and to a limited degree by Thunderhawk and Xiphon (missile system) platforms.

This is mentioned in some depth over HH books 1-4 and Prince of Crows.

All imperial aircraft had the capacity to deploy from orbit to planet side and back, but only a few could truly operate in the cold void. The lightning, for instance, cannot operate for prolonged periods in the void, but the thunderbolt can

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AffixBayonetsImperial Fleet•

It’s never been the case that the Thunderhawk was the only platform the Astartes had.

Yeah the standard variant and the transporter were the only ones when I first played in 4th and I think 5th edition and the BFG Tabletop game made this explicit.

It's a question of lore vintage, before the HH books.

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malumfectumIron Warriors•

Every Aeronautica aircraft I am aware of has at least limited void capability. Lightnings and Thunderbolts are fully capable of void warfare but are outclassed by dedicated void fighters like the Fury.

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