The Evolution of TERMINATOR ARMOUR | Warhammer 40,000 Lore

[@ArbitorIan]

LEFT! The Crux Teminatus is on the LEFT shoulder pad. Or, I guess, the audience right.

[@colthedrummer]

Stage left - your such a video guy 🙄😆

[@101Mant]

The artwork at 3:42 shows it on the right, although that's one of GW's early designs.

[@Johnny_Isometric]

I had an acquaintance that worked as a theater technician while becoming an airplane pilot. His instructor was not amused by the “right” vs. “stage right” confusion. The air traffic controller was equally irritated.

[@Gauldame]

This is the video equivalent of that one edge highlight that is slightly off. You always see it... it's always there... It's very small but out of everything in the squad you see it every time. Meanwhile the comments section "What? Oh."

[@iandoddsblah]

Omg how did you get that wrong your such a hobby tourist

[@venerablebrothergoriate5844]

Fun Fact, the Iron Hands spearheaded the field-testing and drafting of tactical doctrines concerning Terminator armor, so much so that other legions were taking notes on how Iron Hands terminators went to war. Iron Hands also, even in the modern day, maintain enough terminator suits to outfit nearly EVERY squad sergeant as well as the first company. They were so damn good at using terminator armor among other stuff like armored vehicles and heavy weapons, that Ferrus Manus, before his death, received several of the earliest entries of the Indomitus pattern suits before the end of the crusade, and through much experimentation, developed the Gorgon Pattern Terminator suit, which possesses a conversion field that transforms incoming directed energy, as well as kinetic shots, into flashes of blinding light, essentially making it so that taking a shot at a Gorgon terminator is just as good as flashbanging yourself. It was Horus that verbally and publicly endorsed the production of terminator armor, but it was Ferrus and his Iron Hands that really put it into practice. If there’s one thing Horus knew, it’s that Ferrus knew his tech, and if the legions were issued a new piece of wargear, give Ferrus a bit to study it and mess around with it a little bit, then he’ll tell the others how to make the best possible uses for it.

[@jimmysmith2249]

Exactly. I remember a time when Iron Hands could have terminator sgts leading the squads. I did a terminator sgt for each of my tac and dev squads, but now I have to put them in a single squad. I kept the old squad markings on them, though.

[@brooklynkeith2877]

Correct me if i am wong venerable brother the prototype terminator armor Lord Manus created was powered by a radioactive fuel source and actually caused damage to the individual wearer or am I mistaken?

[@ideal9544]

@@brooklynkeith2877A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR EXACTING THE WILL OF THE THRONE, BROTHER.

[@never2manysocks]

I've been playing 40k for ages now and always been a Xenos player but... Terminators have always had a soft spot in my heart.

[@walt_man]

So you rolled a "one" then? XD

[@dekai7992]

Same. Terminators are a perfect combination of design and lore!

[@MrSquark]

Absolutely, stuff like Space Hulk really gave terminators that special mystique

[@ButchersNailsEnjoyer]

When i heard you could have an all terminator army, i immediately bought a dark angels codex

[@Vroomerz]

Don’t you mean, “Terminators have always left a hole in my heart.” 🤔🧐🤷‍♂️

[@mirage809]

Terminator armour is the perfect summary of the decay of the Imperium. At the height of their power the space marines could field whole companies worth of terminators. The Justaerin of the Sons of Horus being one such formation. Fast forward ten thousand years and now the forge worlds have all but lost the means to make such suits and that that can take an eternity to do so. The supply has dwindles so much that the marines have from companies worth to only a few squads. Really drives home just how far the Imperium has fallen.

[@1inimilian567]

Not only that. But this masterpiece technology that apparently was going to revolutionize the army and make the imperium exponentially more powerful. Is just some retrofitted construction equipment at they put more armor on. And that is literally the best they could do. I love it perfect. We’re falling so far that construction equipment is considered a high end weapon system that we don’t even know how to make any more.

[@Beef_Rate]

Love the little quips, and you’ve done a great job lately keeping your presentations succinct and approachable yet still so informative. A+ video, fantastic work.

[@notalpharius1841]

It's been wonderful to see your channel grow the last few years. I especially love your videos where you explain the history of the lore and the development of the setting. Also, I bought every HH book you gave a 4 or 5 stars for and was not disappointed.

[@exactinmidget92]

It's crazy that the emperor's original plan was to arm every Marine with Volkites and now you add standard issue Terminator and Marines are starting to feel different.

[@davidk6269]

Yes! Space Hulk was my gateway into the WH40k universe back in the early 90’s, and needless to say, I have always had a soft spot for terminators ever since!

[@cheech381]

Mine too.. Very good game. And I have Tyranid attack. Anyone know where I can get some 3D sculpt prints for the organs?

[@jack-a-lopium]

Heheheh, I still remember the day the postie rang and delivered my 1st Edition Space Hulk box... I was watching Aliens at the time, I was kinda obsessed with that movie as a kid :D

[@davidk6269]

@@jack-a-lopium Yes! Space Hulk was a loving grim-dark 40K homage to the fantastic "Aliens" film. Wonderful memories. ; )

[@cheech381]

@@davidk6269 oh yes natural progression, aliens films then space hulk game 😁 good fun!

[@satinthrone]

Stellar stuff as ever Ian! Personally I'd love to see the definitely-not-Saturnine suits named Vulcan Pattern - as the art featuring in one of the Salamanders HH novels is as close to an official source/origin as it seems we'll ever get for such an old piece of archaeotech

[@tsho8851]

Really great summary, you really deserve the growing fan base mate, keep it up!

[@darthcheese7971]

There's a great very short story from the old Rogue Trader days where the Blood Angels are going into battle. One of the pauldrons is in Ultramarine colours as whenever it's been painted over the wearer has died.

[@raincoast_bear]

I remember that reference. It's meant to explain the old prototype "not saturine" mini being painted in Ultramarines colors.

[@usshermes]

Have you done a video on the quasi-Astartes of the Great Crusade? Those humans too old to go through the Space marine process but were uplifted anyway at great expense - Luther and Kor Phearon were two of these IIRC

[@versebuchanan512]

It's neat to think that humanity was so powerful before the collapse that modern space marine armor was just like, civilian work attire basically.

[@alpharius4434]

I was waiting for this one since your last video on the space marines armors, and you didn't disappoint ! 🙂 With the Mark VII Aquila, the terminator armour is one of the most iconic set of equipement of the space marines... and Warhammer 40K. Well done.

[@MickTheMage]

And genestealer crakcking it open like nothing only shows how dangerous genestealers are! ;)

[@peterthebonsai]

Could you make a comprehensive video on the grey knights? It'd be awesome!

[@SirJustinTheLion]

Maybe its just me, but what with Horus making sure the Traitors got the beat equipment early on, its always made more sense to me that the remaining legions would be mostly using Cataphractii and Saturnine armour rather than the Indomidus pattern.

[@TK199999]

The problem the Traitors had during the HH, the Scouring, the Legion Wars in Eye of Terror and finally the breaking of Traitor legions, then later the Black Crusades. Is that resources for the Traitor legions were even more strained than the loyalists. This is because the loyalists were fighting a defensive war and other than the shattered the legions. The surviving loyalist legions were at full strength, while the Traitor legions lost 1/3 of legions after purging their loyalist members before the start of the Heresy. Which it has been stated a few times in the HH novels that many in the Traitor legions, including Horus himself, thought the purged loyalists were some of their best troops. Then once the HH was lost, even with the Hereteks joining the Traitors in the Eye of Terror. The Traitors had to basically rebuild their industrial base from scratch, with just the surviving resources left in shattered remains of Alderi Crone worlds and what ever they brought with them to the Eye. While the surviving Traitor legions were ripping themselves apart with in fighting and legion wars over remaining slaves/resources. Plus the Dark Mechanicum Hereteks had no loyalty to Traitor legions and it was purely transactional relationship with them even by the time of the 13th Black Crusade. Unlike the Adeptus Mechanicus and Adeptus Astartes, along with the rest of the IoM. This meant the Traitor legions main goals during their conflicts with the IoM and loyalist Space Marines. Is basically resource raids for raw materials, ships, power armor, terminator armor, gene-seed and slaves.

[@ДокторЯдо]

It's been millennia ago, Legions have updated their arsenals. Oddly enough, they get Indomitus armor suits but no thunder hammers + storm shields, assault cannons and cyclone launchers.

[@martynjones3978]

More of this love the little gritty in depth short take on the every day kit!! Great work 😊

[@GeneralRasp]

Awesome video! That was a great summary of terminator lore and very enjoyable. As a relative new person to 40K it is always fun to talk with my friend (who has been into 40K since 3rd edition) and be on par with 40K lore. Any chance of a dreadnaught lore video it the future?

[@augustamees8516]

Great videos as always. Love the short intros. Awesome information. No wasted time.

[@velvetine74]

My introduction to GW was playing Space Hulk round a mates house when I was about 6 years old. Terminators just looked so cool. My wallet had no idea what was about to happen, lol

[@101Mant]

I love you got artwork of they 3 earky designs that GW did before they came up with what is now the standard design. With other Rogue Trader era designs being retconned as Great Crusade/Horus Heresy era I am supprised we haven't had some rework of these. I used to have a couple and a have a soft spot for them.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Awesome video. Very helpful. Had no idea it was weaponised working suits 😮🤯

[@plasticdeath31]

Who doesn't love a terminator? Another great video thanks Ian!

[@CrimsonTemplar2]

A succinct primer on Terminator Armour. Excellent work.

[@tame_stranger9713]

I love the fade-in of the intro music.

[@miameramusic]

Dude this was amazing. You work so hard on this, to research and find artwork for visual description. Respect🤘

[@ryanturner3176]

Terminators are the most constant thing that strays my eyes away from my beloved elves. Such a good video to see them organized into a history.

[@linusw2901]

Make some elves in terminator armour. Problem solved!

[@venerablebrothergoriate5844]

Everybody, even enemy Astartes always react with a “OH SHIT, WE’RE FUCKED” whenever Terminators show up.

[@ryanturner3176]

@@linusw2901 a space marine army that is just a bunch of eldar corsairs who killed marines and stole their armor... I'm just crazy enough to consider it

[@Speakhardly]

Fantasticly informative video! Thanks Ian!

[@darrenivey4273]

Fun fact little fact: Sekhmet in Horus Heresy 2nd Ed all use Cataphractii, but for 40k apparently all decided to change to Tartaros!? 😂

[@KarlKingz]

Good breakdown as always. Covering all the important bits and straight to the point. Learnt a lot of new stuff watching it. Great work! It would be cool to see you break down the Black Templars/ Helsreach with your skeptical, realistic take on the meta universe and the satire of it all. It would be cool to see the Black Templars broken down from that angle.

[@sturm9087]

Based on how dark angels players spam terminator armor it sure doesn’t seem like its rare or hard to make.

[@alexsmith7313]

I’d love to see a history and/or retrospective on The Cult Mechanicus and the Adeptus Mechanicus, and how they interact with the Imperium. Would that be something at all interesting for you?

[@christopherrichen4444]

Splendid mate !!! Top level

[@borisdorofeev5602]

GW really neads to use "MA. K". I just learned about it and it is mecha model build kits like 'Gunpla'. The full name is 'Machinen Krieger' so it may be a German company inspired by 80's-90's Anime. The style of mecha is very unique. I can see many of the models inspiring new Votaan or Tau suits.

[@peterjones4763]

Really excellent. Thank you!

[@MidnightHozz]

Need some Grey Knights videos!

[@line2nowhere]

Great stuff! Informative and interesting, I've got a Thousand Sons army and it never occured to me the terminator armour was a different mark because of the prosperine style! 😂

[@58elrond]

Love the art you showed!

[@jack-a-lopium]

I wonder if the original designs of Dreads will ever be revisited? I guess like the relic Termies.

[@LordKallig]

They already have with the Contemptor deadnoughts. They are quite the evolution but elements do carry over design wise

[@jack-a-lopium]

@@LordKallig Ahh, okay... but I meant those old-style dreads with the big mouths and the crazy arms with no shoulders... ohhhh, those were named Contemptors, right? I see. Shame cos they don't look anything like the old Contemptors, hahah :sadface:

[@RexDraco999]

Always love seeing the Lore VIdeos. I really hope to might see a VIdeo on the New Epic 30K.

[@dark_lord3772]

Finishing painting some terminators just as this was uploaded lol

[@GiRR007]

It should be like 3 and a half tons I think.

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

Thank you for another lore video! I hope that you can make a video about lasguns: the humble and practical but sometimes misunderstood weapons of the Imperium.

[@СергейБелозеров-ц2х]

"Nigh indestructible walking tanks sent to clear space hulks" hehe

[@Mugdorna]

I have to admit that I love the Grey Knights Aegis Terminators. I have a range of TDA in my old collection. Original metal guys, late 90s multi part plastic and 2000s era Space Hulk Blood Angels. The original metal models are mounted on 2 bases (25mm on top of a 40mm) to get it to the height of the early 2000s figures. Looking at the Leviathan models, I might need to add another level!!!!!!!

[@gunargundarson1626]

It just goes to show that construction suits also double as destruction suits.

[@solarus2120]

Where does Artificier Armour sit in the spectrum between Power Armour and Tactical Dreadnought? IIRC, and its been a very long time, it gave the same 2+ but without the additional Invulnerable Save (though most models with Artificier Armour also had an Iron Halo)

[@430CurlyJo]

Artificer is just fancy and extremely well made power armour. It's kept to a higher standard so grants greater protection but doesn't have any of the energy shielding or enhanced fibre bundles that terminator plate features

[@TheTurbanatore]

Amazing video

[@SeanCrosser]

Pretty sure they can still make Terminator armour, just that they're limited to the few forge worlds that could, and take a lot to make. Because if they're impossible to make, that doesn't explain how some 1st founding chapters can have 100+ terminator armors, plus all the other foundings having anywhere from 6-60 of them. PLUS how they were pretty regularly refitted and upgraded for any named character who wanted one.

[@robbie_the_mastermind2176]

I like how GW brought back the exo-suits from the league of Votann.

[@RupertWalkerUK]

Brilliant Ian! 🎉

[@Rosegold_sky]

can't belive these was just mining suits

[@marrvynswillames4975]

maintenance*

[@nightfire734]

If you want a fun game narrative, get a pile of old termy bits, dirty them up, put them in a pile or half sunk in dirt, and now you have something any chapter or inquisitor desperately wants.

[@andyshaw5378]

Great video 👍

[@scottywan82]

Ooooooh! A video I didn't know I wanted!

[@danielkochis5133]

Speculative question: is there actually a sliver of the emperor’s armour in each crux terminatus OR is that just the hype?

[@SuperSteelyGlint]

It used to be canonical, way back in 2nd ed. Now, I don't know.

[@ArbitorIan]

It varies. At one point it was the reason they had a 5++, but pre-Heresy terminators and chaos terminators get a 5++ too so it's not that! Generally, it looks like the 'Emperor's Armour' lore is now a semi-mythological thing in-world.

[@101Mant]

It's probably like relics in the real world where there were so many fragments of the true cross you could make several crosses out them.

[@daburudar]

@@101Mant And enough "nails from the true cross" to build a house.

[@Judiciar_Geo]

Oh my God, exactly what I wanted!!!!

[@heirwolf6929]

Considering what the Terminator armour sometimes is described to be able to withstand I think it should be more in size of the Centurion dito. But the design is much more iconic of course.

[@refoliation]

I always thought it would make more sense for marines to have one terminator in each squad as the ‘first-through-the-breach’ guy that draws most of the fire while the other marines are nimble enough to do more complex maneuvers and movements. Maybe not as good for a war game and toy soldier manufacturing company but it’s what I’d do if I was commanding space marines.

[@somethingcleverhere]

I think a lore response would be that they just don't have enough/can't produce enough to outfit squads that way, but a tactical reason would be that squads move as fast as the slowest member, and a marine in terminator armor would be much slower than the rest of his squad.

[@Capt.DanInJapan]

Deathwatch Kill Teams can and do, but in previous editions, squad sergeants could take terminator armour. Doing so now could be fun. In 30k, it'd add an extra wound and an invulnerable save to squad leaders, but only Tartaros would be able to keep up with the rest of the squad.

[@SC1ENCEP1E]

Where my Ebon Keshig homies at?

[@godx9]

Have you considered a video on teleportation technology in WH40K? It seems like it doesn't fit. I am also new to WH40k and am experiencing it through your videos.

[@maxstr]

It's very rarely used, mostly only in surprise attacks. It sends you through the warp and there's a good chance you'll end up somewhere else than you intended

[@italianduded1161]

are there any miniatures or books about the old terminators? I love warhammer both fantasy and 40.000 but I am a noob at making miniatures, gaming etc, I dunno the lore but I just like it XD.

[@ulfgard4734]

I wish I could put my finger on why it is, but Indomitus and Aegis Terminator suits are the only ones that look right to me. I guess it's the sheer bulk of them? I understand that the Cataphractii and Tartaros patterns are better in the lore, and may actually have more functionally sound in terms of design elements, but I just can't bring myself to take them as seriously.

[@maxclickenhof1049]

Another great video.

[@davydatwood3158]

I think I'd like 40k rules better if they actually reflected the lore; such as: because Terminator armour is nearly irreplaceable, the enemy scores victory points if a Terminator-equipped model becomes a casualty. (And maybe that's in there now, but it certainly wasn't back in the day.)

[@DarkDreamerFR]

For me, the most remarkable part of the Terminators is the Indomitus Helmet of the modern design and lately I have been wondering where that particular design piece comes from and what it is inspired by in term of art direction =w= a question that keeps itching in the back of my head cause i'm like 70% sure it is taking from something outside of 40k setting somehow.

[@Evaunit98]

One of the rarest suits is the 1 of 1 special Indomitus armour built for Tyberos the Red Wake of the carcharadons, the armour has dreadnought plates to accommodate for his gargantuan size, along with that it’s fitted with his custom power claws Hunger and Slake

[@brothermathius9506]

Wait, all terminators have sheild generators? I thought it was only custodes, tartaros and cataphractii patterns that had it

[@BerenMace]

They are so rare in lore yet on the tabletop every space marine army is like half Terminators minimum...

[@davidjohnson-rj7op]

Great video!!! Would love to see a dreadnought version?

[@earnestwanderer2471]

Just another great video. You’d think that after 10,000 years of near constant warfare, all the terminator armour would have been destroyed. But then, 40k... so don’t think too hard.

[@arthurhill8185]

damn I wish xenos and chaos got anything NEAR this level of detail. I'd love to hear about, like, the fucked up history of the dark mechanicus developing stuff for chaos.

[@3picdermis223]

As much as I love the Terminator Armour. The "superrare, well kept and maintained from broken armour" part of the fluff becomes kind of laughable with the new models and the fact that there are also primaris in them. But still, happy they still use the iconic design for the newest iteration.

[@legionofthedamned157]

and the Genestealers cut them to ribbons

[@HenRab1]

What's on your t-shirt, Ian? Looks cool

[@talscorner3696]

Ah, yes, learning more on the stuff with the bits linked in the thingy below.

[@trinstonmichaels7062]

40k lore is so interesting

[@Imladris-lm3bo]

Absolutely love you Ian another banger but I feel like there’s this Venn diagram and in the middle are: people who love you and love your style and videos but don’t really care about heresy or the imperium. Where’s Xeno-Ian???? Would love to see you do more eldar, Tau and votann lore! Space marines are a bit of a snooze fest. Never miss your vids because of you though!

[@watchonjar]

The only pattern that had sheild generators was cataphracti

[@AurioDK]

Would be handy when my mother in law pays us a visit.

[@TheBroGamer14082]

I gotta know what music you're using in the intro

[@Dartharus]

Excellent video as always. Deathwing are my first love even as how they actually play has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride over the years. Would love to see a bootnote on them and their(and successor chapter equivalent's) chin strokingly unusual ability to be fielded en-mass

[@Bluecho4]

From what I've heard, the Dark Angels (and successors) are one of the few Imperium groups who can make _new_ Terminator suits. A capability they, of course, are loath to share with other chapters. Both for the tactical advantage, and because hoarding technology is just what the Dark Angels do.

[@Drownedinblood]

I don't understand how the tau haven't mass produced power armor for all their troops. Crisis suits is as close as it gets but even lower scale power armor would work out like to improve cqc.

[@Capt.DanInJapan]

Why would they want or need it? Power armour doesn't really fit their tactical doctrine of long-range engagements and hit-and-run attacks.

[@Drownedinblood]

@dankirk25 because melee is more common than they expect, it would let them carry heavier weapons, just more protective for the troops.

[@scottywan82]

Okay, I am reeling from the information that the massive shoulder pad terminators are not Saturnine pattern. How did I miss that???

[@raincoast_bear]

The name Saturnine exists and the round shouldered prototype exist without a canon name. Some people connect the two but it's not canonized.

[@ArbitorIan]

Yup! Third party STL makers jumped on it years ago, but everything since has suggested it isn't the case.

[@maxstr]

In the novels, Terminators are usually the first to die 😅

[@jonbaxter2254]

I still think Terminators, Dreadnaughts and Imperial Knights should be taller. They all have "tall" names, so should be saved for giant Titans or something.

[@steveo9284]

Need a near heretical - cobbled together pattern of this heavy armor. Can't have it due to how would the rules in the game maybe effective.

[@alexandergalica9383]

I thought Terminator Armour was originally designed to withstand the core of a plasma reactor ?

[@ArbitorIan]

The suits it was developed from were - maintenance suits for spaceship engines.

[@matijamoskon6874]

Termies are the best!

[@krieger7510]

rare my ass, some hive world hobo owns three of them in his shed.

[@Localfriendlyanarchist]

Liking that shirt

[@Gauldame]

I know it's silly, but that style, the ones the fans call it "Saternine" (even though it isn't) is one of my white whale figs. It's something about the lines where I want a modern remake of them.

[@GooglyEyedSkull]

Stuff, yes plz Nice T 🤘🏼

[@Leofilmperson]

It's on the left shoulder.

[@christiangoldsmith7863]

So in the age of Primaris space marines, there can be no terminators once the old, pre-Primaris veteran marines have died. They would not fit the armour, they’re too large for basic adaptation of the existing suits, and the technology to make them has been lost. How are GW getting around this in the fluff?

[@ArbitorIan]

They just made the terminators bigger!

[@christiangoldsmith7863]

@@ArbitorIan hmm 🤔 🤣

[@EdBurke37]

I am engaging with this content

[@EOIN10494]

Is Ian teasing how based he is again or is that just a cool tshirt?

[@Bluecho4]

Apparently, the Dark Angels are among the few groups in the Imperium who can manufacture _new_ suits of Terminator armor. Not surprising, since the chapter jealously hoards all manner of technology. It would explain the continued prevalence of their Deathwing.

[@NineSeptims]

They hoard so much tech the emperor gave them I wont doubt if they even hoarded STCs

[@mattias969]

Terminator armor was around long before the astartes fyi the thunder warriors had it