"Did the Eldar do something recently that got them in trouble, and they're asking us to help clean it up?" the Traveler said thoughtfully. Although the gods and the Ascensionists of both the human and the spirit races had reached a cooperation agreement, the Eldar gods' proactive transfer of key assets still surprised the Traveler. As the saying goes, "If someone offers unwarranted kindness, they're either a traitor or a thief." The Traveler didn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on.
"Yes. First, the Eldar tried to change Angron's fate, but failed. They originally wanted to have an Ark rescue Angron, but problems arose due to the manipulation of the demons. Another thing was that they had plans for Fulgrim and tried to send a sacred relic of the Eldar god to him, but that also failed."
"However, all this has led to serious consequences. Two Craftworlds and three Eldar Maiden Worlds have been destroyed. The Eldar need us to deal with these demons." said the Emperor.
"Did you tacitly approve of this?" The Traveler said after a moment's contemplation. He knew that while the Eldar loved to stir up trouble, and their actions often backfired, the Laughing God himself was quite reliable. He must have known about this direct attack on the Primarch, who was being targeted by the evil god! And he certainly approved of it. And there was no way he wouldn't have informed the Emperor. And the Emperor also tacitly approved of it. As a result, the Eldar acted decisively, and unsurprisingly, they failed...
"Yes, I acquiesce." The Emperor said with a sigh.
"So, you settled this matter for them, and in return, they opened up the Webway access in advance?" The Traveler sighed.
The Traveler fully understands the Eldar's choice. On the one hand, the Eldar and S are sworn enemies, so to weaken S, the Eldar naturally considered tampering with Fulgrim. Following the principle that if other evil gods can change their Primarchs through a single object, then so can they, the Eldar took action, though their effectiveness was still somewhat lacking. As for their action against K, it might be partly because K gives the impression of being less than intelligent, and partly because, in the background, the Eldar were directly responsible for Angron's fate, so they tried to make amends, but failed.
The other three didn't tell the Traveler about this, and the Traveler understood. After all, the Traveler hadn't told the Emperor when he was dealing with Horus. However, this incident also served as a reminder to everyone: until one's strength has grown to a certain level, it's best not to attack a target directly under the Chaos Gods' gaze, otherwise there's a high probability of failure. Besides the Primarchs of the Four Gods, the same applies to Horus and Lorgar. As for the other Primarchs on the periphery, they can be won over. The Gods of Order have already begun to attack Boss Pi, but so far, there has been no backlash.
"Yes, they have opened up access to the Webway. Moreover, they suggested that I give it to you," said the Emperor.
"Will you hand over the power of the Webway to me? Are you willing to do that, Emperor? That's one of your lifelong pursuits." The traveler raised his brow slightly and said with some surprise.
The Eldar gods' decision was predictable for the Traveler. Partly because the Traveler already held the power over travel, absorbing it would be easier. On the other hand, the reasons were more complex. You could say the Eldar were trying to balance the Emperor by bringing the two human gods closer together, or you could say they inherently distrusted the Emperor... As for the Traveler, regardless, the two sides had been collaborating for tens of thousands of years.
Of course, out of respect for the Emperor, they didn't immediately transfer some of the Webway's authority to the Traveler privately. Instead, they discussed the matter with the Emperor first. The Emperor then informed the Traveler of the matter. The Traveler, in turn, was extremely cautious about this matter. He desired control of the Webway, as it was more than just the right to travel on a galactic highway; it would also fulfill the Traveler's divine office.
Without the Traveler's Webway authority, the Traveler wouldn't be able to collect this faith tax from future human fleets using the Webway. However, if the Traveler were to gain Webway authority, the faith tax would be enormous. After all, who would use the Warp when they can use the Webway? It could even be argued that if humanity could truly utilize the Webway effectively, the Golden Throne would be less important... Perhaps only places without the Webway would resort directly to the Warp.
"I have been thinking about how to help humans avoid the interference of the Warp as much as possible. I hope that one day, humans can use the legacy of the ancient sages to safely travel in the Warp. By then, both the Golden Throne and the Navigator Family will become less important. Even you will become less important..." The Emperor spoke.
"Nyos, you think the Webway is a godslayer too. You're so calm." The Traveler's face changed. As the Emperor spoke, the Traveler suddenly saw a future scene from a certain timeline. The Emperor had mastered the Webway, and the human space travel system he had painstakingly built over tens of thousands of years had instantly become useless. Whether it was the Star Matrix's psychic beacons, the Astropaths, or the Warp Engines, these became irrelevant in the face of the Webway's convenience. The Great Crusade shifted from the Warp to the Webway. The abandonment of the old system led to a significant decline in the Traveler's faith in the Creator. Then, in a decisive battle with a mysterious entity from Randan, the Traveler, with his greatly reduced strength, disappeared into the endless vortex along with that entity.
Essentially, the Traveler isn't a painful aftermath of the galactic cataclysm, like the four Chaos Gods. While the four Chaos Gods can continue to exist without faith, the Traveler cannot. His primary ministry is humanity and travel, and this ministry is based on the method of travel he created and mastered. If his method of travel is ever abandoned by humanity, he will suffer the consequences, much like the Traveler's fate after the fall of the Eldar.
"Yes, this is indeed a sharp sword that can kill the gods of a race." The Emperor nodded and said, "Aren't you afraid?"
"If you hadn't told me today, but the Eldar gods told me, then I would be worried, because it means you really intend to take action against me. But you told me today, which means you don't intend to do anything. As for the reason, I don't know why. Is it because you are worried about a civil war? Or because you feel you need someone of the same level to help you share the pressure?" asked the traveler.
The Traveler's talk of a civil war was no joke. After all, if the Emperor dared to do so, not to mention the impact on the Traveler, the Navigator family would be the first to defect, and the so-called succession of power is not something that can be achieved overnight. So, if the Navigators stopped working during this process, what would the Emperor do?
"For various reasons, many reasons," the Emperor sighed. "I have studied the Webway for many years, but with little success. Perhaps I simply lack a natural talent for it."
"Hehe." The Traveler laughed. Laughing at the Emperor's honesty. As the saying goes, every profession has its specialties; even gods aren't omnipotent. The Four Chaos Gods have their own areas of expertise. Naturally, the Emperor's skill in travel couldn't compare to the Traveler, who had immersed himself in the art for tens of thousands of years. And even in terms of understanding the Webway, even in his first reincarnation, tens of thousands of years ago, the Traveler had already entered the Webway under the guidance of an Eldar deity and begun to delve into its lore.
"It seems that our cooperation can continue." said the traveler.
"Yes, our cooperation can continue." The Emperor then pulled a small, glittering fragment from his bosom. "This is a gift from the Eldar gods." The Emperor had his own selfish motives, and even when he handed it over, he was reluctant. But as the saying goes, actions are more important than intentions. At this moment, the partnership between the two sides could continue.
"Arrange some tasks for your men," the Traveler said after taking the fragment. He waved his hand, and the Traveler Star Map appeared before them. The Traveler tapped the map lightly, and a bright star appeared before the Emperor.
"On this planet called Malakbell, there is a creation similar to the Star Matrix. People in the future will call it the Anthem Engine. In addition to being a lighthouse, it is also an excellent weapon against demons. You can arrange to take it out." The traveler said with a smile.
"Alright." The Emperor wasn't surprised by what the Traveler said. There's a saying in ancient Terra that a monarch always holds the most secrets. And as a God-ascended being, how could He not have a hidden weapon? Regardless, the Traveler had successfully escaped the clutches of the Chaos Gods during humanity's Dark Ages.
"It's a pleasure to work with you. But it looks like the meeting with Guilliman will be delayed again." The Traveler said with a sigh.
"It's a pleasure to work with you. Some things are not urgent," the Emperor said. And just as the Emperor and the Traveler effortlessly averted a crisis that could have ignited a human civil war, deep within the Black Library, the Eldar God of Laughter and the God of Death breathed a sigh of relief.
------------
"Young Human, you have finally survived this crisis. Thank goodness," Death spoke first. "If the Emperor refuses to hand over the power of the Webway to the Traveler, what will you do?" Ineed glanced at the giant Harlequin mask beside him.
"How great is the Webway? Even at the peak of our power, we could only glimpse a small part of it. And what we handed over to Neos is just an insignificant part of it. And even this part is enough for the Emperor, who is not good at this, to study it for a long time, so long that the Emperor had to give up and hand it over to more talented travelers." said the Harlequin God.
"So, what if the Traveler is dissatisfied with the Emperor's actions and decides to retaliate?" Death continued. He understood that the Laughing God had a plan, and that the Emperor would ultimately choose a rational approach. But how could the Laughing God guarantee that the Traveler would also choose a rational approach? After all, for the Emperor, relinquishing power was simply handing the Traveler something he couldn't take, while for the Traveler, it was a matter of life and death.
"You don't understand the Traveler. The Traveler never pins all his hopes for success on others. He started to dabble in other fields besides travel a long time ago. For example, in related fields such as communication, navigation, and casting. Even if he temporarily loses faith in the field of travel, he can still gain enough faith from the field of communication to maintain himself. Back then, when our race fell, almost all of the Traveler's fields were cut off, causing him to be extremely weak. But now, at least the Emperor of Mankind does not have such ability. And now, he is trying to seek authority over some of the fields of war." said the God of Laughter.
"You mean the war against Randan? He wants to take the human priesthood of war? How is that possible?" Inieid said in surprise. Even from the perspective of a god, the traveler's idea was too bold.
"It's impossible for him to obtain the priesthood of war. At most, he can only be involved in the field and get a share of it. This will make his future self more powerful. In fact, I think that any god who knows the history of our race will not be prepared to condense a special war godhood in the throne of his own race." said the God of Harlequins.
Can the same concept create different gods? The answer is yes. After all, Khaine, the Eldar god of war, is a true deity, while Khorne is the current chief of the evil gods. The two coexisted for a long time, and Khorne's attempt to seize Khaine only occurred after the fall of the Eldar. It was only after the collapse of the Eldar pantheon that he took action.
Similarly, some incompetent gods did not dare to take action to steal even when the Eldar gods were destroyed. For example, Wa Banxian definitely had the keyword "casting" in his own godhood, but even when the Eldar god of casting, Val, died, he did not show up to steal.
As for not consolidating a separate God of War, this is essentially the consensus of the Gods of Order. Humanity has only two ascended gods. Both are involved in the realm of war, but neither is a God of War. Instead, they seek to carve out a share of the War God realm. As for why a separate God of War isn't created, given the God of War's immense power and inherent propensity for violence and destruction, the Traveler and the Emperor believe that such a godhood should be shared among the people. The Traveler's decision to personally participate in the Randan War was also intended to secure a share of the spoils. The Emperor, on his part, will naturally face future great rebellions and take his share of the spoils. If new human gods emerge, further divisions may be possible.
However, there's no doubt that in the foreseeable future, the Emperor and the Traveler will wield the lion's share of the spoils. The scale of the Heresy is undeniable. And what about the Randan War? Well, if humanity didn't have the Emperor, it would probably be doomed. Forget about the beasts; even the beasts pale into insignificance before the Randan xenos. After all, the Randan xenos have slain Primarchs, decimated entire Legions, and decimated at least three Primarchs and 30 Space Marines. And it took the Emperor himself to intervene. So, the Traveler seized this opportunity, ready to further expand his domain.
"Many believe that gradually transferring some of the Webway's authority to humans is a dangerous move," Ineed said with a hint of reluctance. Opening it up for use is one thing, while transferring some authority is another. The former is like allowing you to surf the internet for free, while the latter involves the servers, software, and hardware behind the network. In the future, human gods will also have authority, and the Eldar will no longer be able to shut down the Webway at will.
"This is the price we must pay. The Dark Gods are our greatest enemies. All plans should revolve around defeating them. Besides, haven't we tested it before? Our current strength, whether in terms of vision, strategy or the power in our hands, is significantly different from that of the Dark Gods. And we now need to increase our strength as quickly as possible." The God of Laughter said decisively.
The gods need to increase their power. Honestly, the two Eldar gods are working tirelessly to improve their strength. Besides integrating the flower bean sprouts (wild bean sprouts found on the Virgin World) and the white bean sprouts (Eldar of the Ark), they've finally taken action against the numerous black bean sprouts. The black bean sprouts are now faced with only two options: surrender and accept the Eldar gods' control. The other option is death, where their souls will be taken as much as possible by the God of Death. This unrest has even spread to Comoros. For those who exploit souls to prolong their lives, the two Eldar gods and their legions will show no mercy!
Feeling they had done enough, the two Eldar gods tentatively attacked the evil god, but it was clear that this operation was unsuccessful, resulting in the loss of several worlds. Therefore, the two Eldar gods decided to grant the traveler access to the webway in advance, allowing the latter to rapidly increase his strength.
The Emperor's power was constantly increasing, as his godhead, the Imperium of Mankind, was rapidly expanding. This was the so-called Destiny, and even the Chaos Gods would not easily intervene to prevent it. Therefore, the two Eldar gods were not worried about the Emperor. Then there was the Traveler.
Thanks to the bonuses from the patch, along with the rapid expansion of the Human Empire, related areas like travel have also expanded rapidly, and travelers are gradually recovering. Therefore, their strength is also increasing rapidly. However, after all, this is only one aspect of the Human Empire, so the bonuses received are not that significant.
Realizing their own lack of power, the two Eldar began to plot whether to allow the Traveler to seize this opportunity to become a true human god! That's right, a true god. The Traveler's path to godhood was rather circuitous, and his status after achieving it was rather awkward, somewhere between a primary god and a lesser god.
After all, travel is a very broad power, but not particularly powerful. The Eldar don't have a god of travel, but this domain is largely inherited by the Eldar deities Hawke and Kurnos. The former is a wanderer, while the latter is Aisha's husband and the Eldar god of hunting. Clearly, neither of them is considered a major deity within the Eldar.
Therefore, the current situation is that even if a traveler completes the path to godhood and expands into other realms, he or she will likely remain somewhere between a primary deity of their race and a lesser deity. However, if they gain access to the Webway, things will change. The Webway is more than just an astral highway! It also contains countless secrets of the Ancients and a vast psychic network. These can undoubtedly significantly elevate the traveler's godhood.
"Is the Traveler really more reliable than Neos?" asked Iniere.
"The Traveler is indeed more reliable than Neos. Of course, the most crucial thing is that he holds the priesthood of travel. As long as he wishes, our world and the human world will remain relatively isolated." The Harlequin God said. Although the Gods of Order have reached consensus on certain issues, there is sometimes a huge gap between what is thought of at the top and what is done below. To reduce unnecessary conflict between the two sides, "physical" isolation is undoubtedly the best.
"That's it. No matter what, we have taken a big step forward this time. The Emperor did not monopolize all resources, which gave travelers room for advancement. There were no conflicts among them. On the contrary, mutual trust made our relationship closer." Iniered no longer worried about these things.
"Yes, that's a good start." The Harlequin God nodded, yet he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Although everything was proceeding according to his plan, the price paid by the Eldar for this moment was not small. The Harlequin God's actions against Angron and Fulgrim were actually part of his plan. He knew that with the Eldar's current strength, it would be impossible to successfully plot against the two evil gods. But he still did it.
In reality, contrary to what the traveler imagined, the Emperor's role in this operation was not merely to acquiesce and finish the job. He was also secretly collaborating with the Eldar to actively promote this matter. How could the Emperor, known as the Dragon King of Warhammer, not try to save his own child?
The two sides collaborated, yet the effort ultimately failed. This failure was within the Eldar's grasp, but it was beyond the Emperor's expectations. He hadn't anticipated the power of the Dark Lord over fate. While Angron's failure to return was understandable, Fulgrim had returned and was already by Horus's side. The Emperor was alarmed by the Eldar's failure to deliver the gift to Fulgrim.
Yet, even after this defeat, the Emperor gained something. He somehow realized the powerful influence of fate, something that all gods must value and respect. For example, the rise of the Imperium of Man was unstoppable, and even the gods would not easily intervene to halt this trend. Similarly, among the Primarchs chosen by the Dark Gods, it was clearly impossible for the Emperor to reverse the situation with simple changes.
As the saying goes, reality is always more convincing than rhetoric. The Eldar used the failure of this operation to remind the Emperor of the limitations of their own forces. Faced with reality, the Emperor compromised. So, as the Eldar gradually ceded some control of the Webway, the Emperor handed it all over to the Traveler. This authority suited the Traveler perfectly, and would also help improve the overall level of the Gods of Order. And so far, the results have been quite positive.
At this time, the Traveler also began to absorb the Webway authority provided by the Eldar. Unsurprisingly, Balder's travel plan to Macragge had to be postponed again.
Chapter 191 Interlude
"So that's how it is. The Webway is truly vast and profound." The Traveler couldn't help but sigh as he once again awakened from the boundless knowledge. Although the Traveler had spent considerable time wandering the Webway over the long years, it was only when the Eldar gods finally granted access that the Traveler was finally able to glimpse the Webway's true secrets.
The Webway isn't just a galactic highway left behind by the Old Ones; it's also a network of energy and souls. Before the Great Fall, the Eldar could reincarnate freely. Soul Stones weren't as common as they are today. So how did the Eldar, without Soul Stones, collect souls and enter the Infinite Circuit? The reason is simple: the Webway! At this time, the Webway was still under the control of the Eldar gods, extending far beyond the Webway's physical system and essentially capable of recovery.
Some might ask, how can one connect to the physical universe without a Webway entrance or exit? Simple, wouldn't it be enough to just create a temporary opening? In fact, the Dark Eldar still possess portable Webway entrances and exits... Each Eldar Ark is a Webway node, connecting to various regions of the galaxy. And you must understand, an Eldar Ark is constantly in motion! As long as the Eldar gods still exist, the Webway is not only a passage for the Eldar to travel, but also their kingdom, their home, and their secret vault! Don't you see that the Laughing God is still hidden deep within the Webway?
As the traveler digested the gift from the Eldar gods, the Legionnaires accompanying him made final preparations. Yes, Legionnaires! Balder was pulling out all the stops on this trip. Just look at the accompanying personnel: besides the Space Wolves' own officers and high-ranking officers, there was also Santor of the Iron Hands, Sharokin of the Raven Guard, and Flix of the Fourth Legion. Balder was, in effect, leading a combined force to visit Macragge. In the intervening days leading up to the departure, the Legion's elite were also busy with their own matters.
------------
"Damn, that guy is here again!" said a wolf cub, pointing at Sharokin in the distance.
"Are all the other legions such terrible monsters? How are we going to survive in the future?" A companion next to him said with lingering fear.
"We can kill them from a distance!" a third one chimed in. However, no matter what, the conversations of these Space Wolves could not conceal their awe for the swordsman in the distance.
Two months ago, with the arrival of Sharokin, the over-energized members of the Wolf Pack welcomed their much-loved event—unrestricted combat! However, facing a being like Sharokin—no, to be more precise, facing a being like Sharokin who had awakened psychic powers in this plane and had been blessed by the Great One—the outcome was inevitable. Without exception, even in situations of one versus many, Sharokin easily crushed his opponents. But then something happened that reassured the Wolf Pack: Sharokin also defeated Captain Marius of the Custodians... Everyone concluded, not that they were weak, but that this fellow was simply too strong, and instantly, their minds were reassured.
But overall, everyone got along quite well. The Wolf Cub still had his moments of backstabbing, but everyone still got along well. For example, this time, Sharokin was allowed to board the Space Wolves' newly completed Splendid-class battleship, the Shadow's Fury.
"What a powerful and elegant warship!" Sharokin sighed as he looked at the completed battleship in the dock. "If I could own a warship like this, it would be wonderful," Sharokin thought to himself.
"Really? I don't think you were like that before," Gabriel Santo of the Iron Hands said jokingly. Before Santo arrived at the Space Wolves as an exchange student, he had already established a deep friendship with Sharokin. After all, the two had fought the Luna Wolves together... Santo treated Sharokin with the respect of a strong warrior. The two had had symbolic "exchanges," and Santo's assessment of Sharokin was that if the two were engaged in a skirmish rather than a ring, he wouldn't have been able to hold his own for long. In actual combat, Santo believed Sharokin's combat prowess was superior to Abaddon's. Sharokin, while somewhat reserved, was a genuinely nice person. So, the two became friends.
Now, after their encounter in the Space Wolves, when the two men came into contact again, Santo had a vague feeling that Sharokin had undergone many changes. His psychic powers had awakened, for one thing, and he had also discovered that Sharokin had begun to take an interest in machinery and technology. In terms of combat, Sharokin seemed to be transforming from a top-tier assassin into a more versatile talent, while also increasing his skills and command. This surprised Santo somewhat.
"Because a lot of things have happened recently, I realized the unfathomable depth of the galaxy and my own shortcomings. For the sake of humanity, the Primarch and the Legion, we need to strengthen ourselves in many aspects. In order to cope with a more dangerous future." Sharokin said calmly.
"I heard you once fought an Emperor's retainer?" Santo whispered. "Are they really as strong as the legends say? I've always felt the Space Wolves' claims are a bit exaggerated. I'd like to hear your opinion." Santo looked at Sharokin expectantly. After all, what about the Wolves' melee combat skills? It's hard to describe them. Their overall level isn't bad, but if you're talking about top-notch combat, excluding Balder, there really isn't one right now.
"There may be mediocre people in the Imperial Guards, but there are no ordinary people in the Chamber of Attendants. Take the one who fought with me for example. Even in the field that I am best at, I can't defeat him. At least that's the case for me now, whether it's fighting or perception." Sharokin said calmly.
"You said the Imperial Guards are mediocre... This..." Santo said in shock.
"For the legionnaires, every Guardsman is powerful, but as the Emperor's guards and right-hand men, many of them are not good enough. Compared with their tasks and responsibilities, it is not an exaggeration to say that they are mediocre." Sharokin was still so calm, as if he was stating some fact.
"Well, let's work together and become stronger together," Santo said with a strange expression. After all, Sharokin really had the strength to say such words. Defeating a captain of the Imperial Guards with a sword in his hand was a feat that any legion could boast about for the rest of their lives.
"Come, let's board this powerful warship together," Santo said. At this point, the warship was still in the hands of the Mechanicus and the Space Wolves' Iron Priests, and the one responsible for welcoming them was Archmagos Kasdin from Acheron VIII. After all, Santo was considered the third-in-command of the Legion, and Sharokin was a trusted confidant of Clarks. Therefore, Archmagos Kasdin, who was currently maintaining the warship, was willing to take a moment out of his busy schedule to greet everyone.
"This is a great battleship. Although it may not be nice to say it, I have to say that this battleship is more powerful than the pride of Huangquan No. 8, the Glorious Origin." Castin said with some emotion.
Although a total of five Splendid-class battleships were completed, the construction process and modular components of each ship were different. For example, the Shadow Fury's hangar and related modules originally designed to operate large Sky Patrol-class carrier-based aircraft were not installed. Instead, it was equipped with power and stealth field generators to reduce its detection probability and increase its speed. In fleet battles, the Shadow Fury is positioned as the fleet's swift spearhead, relying on its speed and fierce frontal firepower to tear a gap for friendly forces.
It's also worth noting that the Shadowfury's stealth capabilities differ from the Empire's existing signature reduction capabilities. As the warship moves, it can create optical invisibility, even reducing firepower hits after being discovered. Castin suspected this technology originated from the Eldar's Phantom Light Field, but some things can only be imagined, not spoken.
(In fact, the Empire also had stealth warships in the 30th century. The Raven Guard's fleet was equipped with such ships. Of course, there were many restrictions when using them. For example, all equipment inside the warship had to be shut down or run at a low speed as much as possible, even the life support system.)
"This time, will the Splendid-class battleship's maiden voyage be to Macragge?" asked Sharokin.
"Yes, all five battleships will go, and after a period of sailing and testing, they will be put into the battlefield. In the future, we and the Space Wolves may cooperate with the newly returned Primarch of the 5th Legion to jointly produce this class of new battleships. Therefore, we must let the 13th Legion realize that this is a very good battleship." Santo said.
"I heard that we also need to communicate with the 13th Legion? Exchanges in various aspects? Just like the exchanges between Rus and the th Legion?" asked Sharokin.
"Yes, the last time was a confrontation exercise between the Space Wolves and the Seventh Legion. It is estimated that there will be one again this time, and we also have the opportunity to participate. In short, I think it is necessary for us to give some advice to the brothers who are lagging behind. So, Sharokin, it's up to you when it comes to swordsmanship." Santo said.
"Hmm, alright." Sharokin thought for a moment and nodded slightly. Honestly, he was growing a little tired of swordplay. He disliked fighting in a ring, under so many rules and restrictions. He longed for real combat. He considered the former a spectacle, with little value in improving himself. Sharokin would rather discuss fleet operations with Santo or Felix.
This thought had just popped into his mind. After seeing such a large yet swift warship, Sharokin suddenly had the urge to own a warship of his own. For example, this one in front of him was quite good. Sharokin looked at the warship in front of him, his face full of envy.
"Do you like this battleship?" Santo asked.
"I like it very much. After reading the relevant data, I can't imagine that such a battleship will have the speed of a fast cruiser and strong maneuverability. Although the front planetary gun array and long-range artillery will be restricted when sailing at high speed, this just fits the tactical principles of our Dark Raven Guard. What we advocate is not long-term battle line output and firepower accumulation, but short-term burst attacks, which can quickly destroy and disintegrate the opponent by breaking a threshold." said Sharokin.
"Well, then, work hard. If you perform well during your time with the Space Wolves, then, for the sake of the two Primarchs, the Space Wolves will export similar warships to us," Santo said half-seriously and half-jokingly. Unlike the Bear Gunship, according to their own Primarch, the Splendid-class battleship project was too large a undertaking for the Space Wolves alone, so spreading it to friendly Legions was inevitable.
As for why it's a joke? It's because these things are basically decided by the Primarchs, and it really has nothing to do with Sharokin's efforts.
"I'll work hard. I'll have my own Shadowfury," Sharokin said firmly. This action startled Santo slightly, because in his impression, Sharokin seemed to be a man who was very calm about everything. Even after defeating the Captain of the Imperial Guards and the famous champion of the Legion, he was still so calm. But looking at his current state, Santo felt that this guy really needed to work hard.
With Balder's release, the entire fleet prepared to depart for Macragge. After packing up, the fleet sailed towards Macragge in a mighty procession. If nothing unexpected happened, this would be Balder's last leisurely time, for after his meeting with Guilliman, he would face the challenge of the Randan xenos.
Fate always catches people off guard. The Endless Journey, acting alone, has discovered something that originally belonged to it, but unfortunately, they also found traces of the Ran Dan fleet in the surrounding area. Although this small fleet has been annihilated, the collected intelligence is not optimistic. Ran Dan may have also discovered this thing.
For now, however, Baldur's primary focus remained on this trip to Macragge. If Russ's meeting with Dorn was simply a desire on the Emperor's part to test Russ's abilities and allow him to "educate" Dorn, then Baldur's mission with Guilliman was both numerous and complex. Giving Guilliman a "small shock," giving him a buff, and, if necessary, making him run faster—these were only one aspect. Baldur's main concern was how to fully utilize the resources and manpower of the 500 Worlds, and thereby grow and strengthen the Space Wolves together.
"Guilliman, I hope your performance this time will be better than in the background." Balder looked at the vast universe outside the window, a smile on his face.
However, just after Baldur finished his retreat, the Eldar gods prepared another generous gift for Baldur, or rather, a business! And with the help of the Eldar technology, Baldur also created some new things for the Legion!
Chapter 192 Giant Mecha
"Eldar technology does have its merits." Even the Lord of Radiance couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the Eldar reactor before him, which was steadily outputting large amounts of energy.
"Yes, smaller size and weight, higher output, and never overheating," Balder nodded. Just after Balder emerged from confinement, an Eldar clown arrived in front of Balder through the webway that temporarily connected him to the Star Castle. He provided Balder with a power core and other accessories specially customized by the Eldar for human weapons.
Balder was not surprised by the Eldar's behavior. After all, the Eldar gods were beginning to gradually open up the access to the webway, so giving them some technology was really no big deal.
He, Balder, and the Lord of Radiance then began to evaluate the Eldar's power core, the Nova Reactor. It must be said that even a millennia-old empire, despite its current state, still possessed considerable wealth. The Nova Reactor's performance greatly satisfied the two technical experts, and even more so, its cost-effectiveness and the accompanying Wraithbone endoskeleton components.
You ask, with human technology, is it possible to build a similar reactor regardless of cost? The answer is of course it can. Not to mention Balder's direct cheating, even the Lord of Radiance and even the high-level Martian Technologist can build one. But the problem is the cost! If humans were to build it, this power core would surpass the output of a typical Knight Titan, but at a fraction of the weight and volume of a Knight Reactor, it would probably cost more than a Warhound Titan core. Equipment is possible, but the quantity is definitely limited, because it wouldn't be worth it.
However, the Eldar, relying on their unique Wraithbone technology and specialized crafts like the Bone Singers, have made their production much easier, and their price has plummeted. With this significant cost reduction, it's enough for a legion to equip hundreds of Knight-class pack-jumping behemoths! Simply put, if the new reactor can be widely adopted, then temporarily reinforcing a company of a hundred men with a few Knight-class mechs will be no problem at all.
The Nova Reactor is equipped with a Wraithbone internal structure, which is also a fusion of Wraithbone technology with mechanical and electronic technologies. Human mechs are controlled by cables and various mechanical components, making them heavier and less efficient than Eldar Wraithbone creations. Therefore, overall, Human mechs appear more substantial and heavier than Eldar mechs. To the extent that Eldar miniature Titans can be equipped with flight jump packs, Human Knight Titans cannot fly. Of course, if you don't mind the cost, you can also get a few collectibles.
The Eldar's product for Balder is a system: the Nova Reactor is the power core, while the Wraithbone Frame is the control and movement core. The former provides ample power, while the latter makes the mech more agile. Originally, after developing the Iron Wolf-class mech, Balder had been considering whether to develop a new, larger mech. But now, if the Eldar can guarantee a stable supply, Balder feels that developing a larger Space Marine mech is no problem!
Balder immediately found a Space Marine heavy battle mech called the Colossus from his scraps! To illustrate this point, if the Iron Wolf is the Space Marine equivalent of the XV8, then the Colossus is the Space Marine equivalent of the XV104! Its combat power rivals that of the Knight mech! Its greatest attributes are its formidable firepower and defense, its agility, and its jump pack!
"Such a firepower gradient is still acceptable." Lord of Glory said after looking at the design of the giant mecha.
The Iron Wolf battle mech's firepower output is nearly equal to that of the larger Dreadnought. This class of mech is particularly useful in small-scale engagements, urban warfare, and boarding battles, where narrow terrain doesn't lend itself to the deployment of large armored units. They are practically the strongest unit capable of deployment.
However, in frontal combat, the Iron Wolf battle mechs were somewhat underwhelming. After all, even a Dreadnought, once targeted by a heavy tank or super-heavy tank, could be destroyed in a single shot. During internal Space Wolves testing, the Iron Priests of the Space Wolves discovered that the Iron Wolf battle mechs were significantly disadvantaged when engaging vehicles like the Spartan transport. Furthermore, if they encountered something like the Cerberus heavy tank destroyer or the Typhon siege tank, they would be practically wiped out in a single shot. Frontal combat still relied on these heavy behemoths.
However, these heavy units also have their own problems: mobility in complex terrain is a major issue. After all, even in the 30th Century, the Empire's various vehicles still relied primarily on tracks for propulsion. This is a bit awkward, as these tracked vehicles simply can't maneuver in complex terrain, such as hills and mountains. But with a Jumper Mech, things are different: if you can't walk, you can fly!
(So, the Empire has made progress. By the 41st century, the hover vehicles that Dora Caul had prepared for the Primaris Space Marines were not available in most armies in the 30th century. In addition to the well-known Executioner hover tanks, the Empire finally had its own super-heavy hover vehicles, such as the Astraeus super-heavy hover vehicle. And this thing also has multiple layers of void shields! This is definitely a memorable event in the history of Space Marine armament!)
In fact, in the 40K era, most major races were equipped with jumper mechs, such as the Tau's XV104 and subsequent XV107, the Grey Knights' Dread Knight mechs, and the Eldar's Titans... Well, the latter one was clearly a bit over the top. This shows that large jumper mechs still have a future.
Because demons are such irrational creatures, their ranged attacks are ineffective but their melee attacks are exceptional. Tanks can't wield the Power Sword or Thunder Hammer, so mechs equipped with melee weapons are also effective against demons. According to the background description, with a bit of luck, a Dread Knight can actually fight a large demon in a 1v1 situation. In other words, it's just a little bit off.
In reality, units like the Archfiend are incredibly rare. They appear individually, and the appearance of a dozen or so is a major spectacle, like during the first Battle of Armageddon. But when they do appear, they're truly formidable. Again, in the Armageddon example, 100 Grey Knight Terminators teleported in, banished the Slashing King and his bodyguards, and only three survived... Therefore, Balder believed it was necessary to develop a heavy-duty jumper mech that rivaled the Knight Titan in combat power, but was slightly smaller.
You'll Also Like
-
After rebirth, Your Majesty and I will fight in the palace together
Chapter 294 2 hours ago -
After traveling through the book, she became the villain Bai Yueguang's beloved
Chapter 122 2 hours ago -
After the divorce, she stunned the world
Chapter 261 2 hours ago -
A peasant woman in the 1980s has a little land
Chapter 173 2 hours ago -
When the vicious villain tortured the future tyrant
Chapter 385 2 hours ago -
Traveling through time: Bringing little milk balls to be a great and glorious female supporting role
Chapter 168 2 hours ago -
Unlimited wildness in the survival game
Chapter 127 2 hours ago -
The ugly wife was reborn and amazed him and the world
Chapter 89 2 hours ago -
The Ultimate Mother-in-law Has Space
Chapter 782 2 hours ago -
Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 513 2 hours ago