Source
r/40kLore•
MasterOfNap

Which faction/entity is the best at hacking/subverting enemy technology/AI?

There are some very powerful characters or factions in the 40k setting that could apparently just take control of enemy ships and AI. But among all of them, which one is the top contender?

Would it be the Void Dragon? The Omnissiah (if it’s not the Void Dragon)? Some DAoT superweapon? Or even one of the Chaos gods?

Why do you think that entity/faction is the strongest at hacking enemies, and what have they done to demonstrate that?

Posted Aug 2, 2021, 2:00 AM UTC

1625
Illier1•

The Necrons are the undisputed masters of tech. It takes Tech Priests decades to even scratch the surface of their computing ability without the help of a Necron themself.

The DAoT machines come at a close second as one AI managed to basically disable an entire Astartes and Mechanicus expedition almost immediately when she realized there was a problem

24
Uncorrupted_PsykerNecrons•

The DAoT machines come at a close second as one AI managed to basically disable an entire Astartes and Mechanicus expedition almost immediately when she realized there was a problem

Counterpoint: It's just hacking the original systems within it probably designed by it.

8
MasterOfNapOP•

And what do you think is the most powerful hacking/subverting faction/character in 40k?

1
Uncorrupted_PsykerNecrons•

Why,the Necrons.

2
MasterOfNapOP•

Do we actually see the Necrons hacking enemy stuff? Or is it more like a “back in the days” kinda deal?

Also, what would you say is the second best at subverting enemy tech/AI in the setting?

-1
Domin1cc•

Uuuuh, which story was the last part from? Spirit of Eternity?

1
morianbalrog•

The C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon holds unrivalled power over the war engines of lesser races and can effortlessly unmake them. To make matters worse for its hapless victims, it can even absorb the broken remains of enemy vehicles to restore its own vitality.

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/10/11/sunday-preview-martian-souls/

Being a literal god probably helps.

6
MasterOfNapOP•

The Chaos gods are also called gods though, are they similarly powerful?

1
Vigred•

Chaos has things like scrapcode and the obliterator virus which can sorta do things like that but if I had to put my money on an individual it would be the Void Dragon. C'tan are said to embody physical rules or laws and the Void Dragon's domain seems to be technology.

5
IneptusMechanicusKabal of the Black Heart•

It's probably the Necrons but the answer I'm gonna give is actually none, it's a weirdly overlooked element of 40K lore because it's not present in tabletop crunch and it should be.

There are mentions of malware and malware scrubbers but nothing particularly in-depth aside from Zero Day Exploit; a short story in the Forges of Mars omnibus about a rogue ad-mech black-hat, it's pretty cool.

6
Positive_Curve_8435Night Lords•

Active S.T.C.'s are pretty damn strong. Anyone remember the book or short story, where old human ship from the before times got displaced by the warp. They had a active S.T.C. and the whole crew was killed. Or the one where a S.T.C. just decided to totally shut down a squad of space marines by locking there armor, while calling a tech priest a sad witch doctor.

4
is-that-a-thing-now•

No, those sound great. What stories are they, I want to read them!

3
Domin1cc•

Death of Integrity

2
Arathaon185•

Orks because they are the only faction we see regularly doing so even going as far as too bio hack tyranids weapons onto themselves. They will loot anything

4
MadBroRaven•

Orkz, cos dey neva lose! Best way to hack a system iz with an AXE

2
[deleted]•

Necrons and eldar.

One uses pure science to hack you.

The other uses space magic to do the same.

For reference, we have seen harlequins collapse the security systems of the gate of eternity with an artifact that fits inside a pocket.

3
MasterOfNapOP•

Which ones are better at subverting enemy tech in your opinion? Like if both try to subvert the same system to opposite ends, which one would win?

-1
[deleted]•

I would say necrons in hacking pure technology, because again that’s their specialty, eldar are more into psychic and almost-magic stuff.

1
Domin1cc•

Necron mindshackle scarabs hack and control minds. Yea.

2
MasterOfNapOP•

Do they have any actual feats? Like what kind of targets at what range or at what speed?

1
Enigma_of_Steel•

Void Dragon being god of technology probably the best followed by DAOT AIs capable of subverting technology tainted by Chaos.

1
Gognman•

Try dark mechanicus, they have digital daemons, basically warp based computer viruses. Their knowledge of Imperial Tech is also very helpful.

1