Warhammer, about my years with the Wolfpack

"We won't go. If you can get the so-called primordial water this time, we can exchange it with you." said the God of Laughter.

"You guys are really particular." The traveler said half seriously and half jokingly.

"Well, that's it. I still have things to do. My eldest son wants to see me." The emperor snorted.

"Goodbye everyone." The two Eldar gods saluted and left. But the Emperor was in no hurry to leave.

"What's the matter..." The traveler asked, looking at the emperor who did not leave.

"My eldest son is very outstanding, but at the same time, he has some problems with his character. I hope you can teach him in your spare time." The emperor said very sincerely.

"I see. I admire him too." The traveler nodded.

Chapter 213 Dragon Gunship 1 (6K)

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Looking at Balder who was sitting opposite him, Ferrus said seriously.

"No problem. The Wang's Treasure, a special cargo transport, has carried out over 50 missions. There will be no problems." Balder sighed inwardly and answered Ferrus's question again. Since Balder broke the news to Ferrus three days ago, the Iron Hands Primarch had asked him no less than five times. He also said that if necessary, he could dispatch a squadron to Forge World to escort this precious cargo.

Balder thought to himself that if the evil god did not appear at the moment and the ship he was concerned about could still have an accident, then what kind of god would he be?

"That's good." Ferrus nodded, sat back down, and began to look through the information on the data board. On the other side, Clarks and Guilliman were doing the same thing, while occasionally discussing in low voices.

"Okay, I'll go sit over there." Balder looked at a group of dark angels at the edge of the hall, stood up and said to the three primarchs present.

--------

"That's what I said. Lord Bader is so generous this time that he directly approved the business of 50 Bear gunships. It turns out there are newer products." Morris said with mixed emotions.

Originally, the Dark Angels planned to take the first shipment of supplies and return home after the Inner Circle merchants finalized the delivery details. However, before leaving, Balder asked them to stay a few days longer because a new batch of "valuable" supplies was about to arrive in Macragge. The most eye-catching piece of this cargo was the aerospace equipment known as the Wyvern gunship. It was larger and more powerful than the Bear gunship that currently dominated the Legion's arsenal! Then Morris felt like he'd lost out on this deal...

"But Lord Balder is quite honest. Although we cannot trade the Dragon-type gunships this time, at least we know that these things exist. Moreover, according to the plans made by several Primarchs, we Dark Angels will also be able to obtain these precious resources in the future." Nemeen comforted.

At a previous meeting of the various Legion commanders, "Big Brother" Ferrus proposed a Randan Eradicator Alliance. Ferrus expressed his willingness to open arms trade to all Legions that participated in the Randan Campaign. This included Centurion Terminators, Iron Wolf Battle Mechs, Bear Gunships, and Splendor-class Battleships. Based on their contributions to the Randan Campaign, Ferrus would be granted the right to purchase corresponding weapons and equipment. He also stated that with subsequent research and development, new products would be added to the agreement. During this meeting, Balder also announced the arrival of the Space Wolves' next-generation gunship: the Wyvern!

Although they hadn't seen the actual aircraft yet, their hearts tightened when they saw the data. The Bear gunship had been the lifelong pursuit of most pilots in the regiment. However, now they had a new pursuit, one that was even a little out of reach.

"The new Hiryu-type gunship is around 100 meters long? Over 50 meters wide? Over 20 meters tall. How can it even be a gunship? It's even bigger than the Emperor Titan." This was Nemean's immediate reaction upon seeing the relevant data. Honestly, if such a large aerospace vehicle could freely fly through the atmosphere, the Titan Corps would likely be completely destroyed. Furthermore, a craft this large wouldn't be manned solely by humans. Based on Nemean's experience as a DA technician, he suspected an % chance of it utilizing some forbidden technology, such as AI.

Of course, Nimean wouldn't be so foolish as to claim this violated some prohibition. In reality, to the DA, with even abominations within their ranks, what was a regular AI? Just treat it like a Machine Spirit. More importantly, of course, if he said anything, he might not be able to leave Macragge alive. He'd be going against so many Legions... Especially since his own Legion would be the future beneficiary. So, Nimean was currently wondering when the DA would get their hands on it.

"Can we replace some of the Bear gunships with Wyvern gunships?" Asmodeus was the fastest to change his mind, so he made such a suggestion.

"Well, even if the Space Wolves agree, I'm afraid you'll need to stay and work to pay off your debts," Morris said, looking at Asmodeus. There was no other way. These Inner Circle merchants had already emptied their pockets. There was literally not a drop left.

"Emmmm." Asmodeus was tempted. However, the honor of the DA made him give up this tempting option. Actually, if the Primarch didn't return, he could still work a few times.

"Okay, brothers of the Dark Angels, as a congratulations on the return of your Primarch and to commemorate the many years of friendship between our two armies, Lord Russ has agreed to give you a Flying Dragon gunship to celebrate the return of your Primarch." Balder came in front of them and said.

"This is a gift from Lord Russ and the Space Wolves. I guarantee this is the best gift my Primarch has ever received! Thank you very much." Upon hearing this, Morris immediately stood and saluted. He had initially thought this first batch of cargo would be irrelevant to him, but unexpectedly, the Sky Wolves still pulled out one. Although it was only one, it was still a formality. This was the first batch, a total of 12 aircraft were shipped, and there were three Primarchs and one who was no less than a Primarch. Giving the Dark Angels a plane at this time was truly a generous gesture. Of course, the best part was, this one was free...

"If the Dark Angels want to order these valuable strategic materials, how should we contact you?" asked Nimin.

"Let's contact Lord Russ. After all, these things are truly precious," Balder said after a moment's thought. Although Russ might not care about this matter, Balder still maintained Russ's authority.

"Okay," Morris said.

"Okay, I'll go over first." Balder patted Nimin's shoulder and said.

"I think it's worth staying here for a few more days," said Asmodeus.

"It's a shame, we can't afford this thing right now," Morris said with some regret. While Balder was presenting a "consolation prize" to the Dark Angels, the three Primarchs were also conducting research and discussions around this newly released Dragon-style gunship.

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"It's hard for me to understand why such a huge sub-orbital spacecraft would be used in planetary warfare. Even the Adeptus Mechanicus hasn't deployed such a powerful war machine in combat within a planet's atmosphere, right?" Guilliman put down the data tablet and said with some emotion.

"Haha, my brother, although the Flying Dragon gunship is a product that the Mechanicus does not have, it would be an underestimation of them to say that the Mechanicus does not have corresponding weapons. The Titan Legion is called the God's Machine and is hailed as the manifestation of the God of Machines in the mortal world. But in fact, the Mechanicus has more powerful weapons, even more powerful than the Emperor-class Titan, such as the Admiral Cannon. Some Admiral Cannons are equipped with ship-mounted plasma cannons, specifically designed to deal with top-level units such as the Emperor-class Titan. There are also Imperial command vehicles and land gunboats with various functions." Ferrus explained.

(Everyone is familiar with the Grand Admiral Cannon. As for the Imperial Command Vehicle, you can search for the Behemoth and Leviathan Imperial Command Vehicles on Baidu. The Titan Legion also has its own command vehicles, which are all very powerful Apocalypse-class weapons.)

"These forbidden weapons?" Guilliman's lips twitched slightly. He instinctively resisted these overly powerful, destructive weapons. Meanwhile, Ferrus, standing opposite him, seemed completely captivated by this fusion of destruction and technology.

"It's just so-so. If you're talking about some non-mass-produced products, there are even more terrifying ones." Ferrus said with a lingering feeling. Then he glanced at Guilliman and said, "There are some things we can do without, but we can't live without."

"That's right, we can do without it, but we can't live without it." Clarks next to him expressed his agreement with his elder brother.

"We need these weapons very much. Whether in space battles or in battles on planets, these precious weapons are very important. Believe me, Guilliman, I have a hunch that when the Randan aliens really open their bloody mouths, it will not be surprising if both the Titan Legion and the Chapter are wiped out in an organized manner." Ferrus said.

"Randan's assault ships pose a great threat to our fleet. These warships are relatively small, fast, and have stealth capabilities or psychic powers. It is very difficult for us to hit these agile and good at hiding targets with our naval guns, and it is also difficult to severely damage them with ordinary weapons used to deal with carrier-based aircraft. They are often not powerful enough." After hearing what Ferrus said, Clarks spoke, and Guilliman next to him also felt the same. After all, their glorious queen was besieged and severely damaged by these things.

The Imperial warships' anti-aircraft weapons were generally designed to deal with Starhawk bombers, which were around 50 meters long. Their firepower was clearly insufficient to engage Randan's Squid Assault Ships, which were several hundred meters away. Imperial naval guns, when used against these agile creatures, were a bit like heavy artillery against airplanes—hard to hit. Randan's Squid Assault Ships were perfectly suited to this niche, and the Hiryu-type gunships were perfectly suited to countering them. Squid Assault Ships, however small, were still warships, while Hiryu-type gunships were carrier-based aircraft. The high cost of warships meant that these assault ships were at a significant disadvantage in terms of numbers. Furthermore, carrier-based aircraft possessed greater speed and maneuverability.

(You can understand it this way: the Hiryu Gunship can be seen as the JU88, and the Squid Assault Ship can be seen as a destroyer.)

If this massive machine were placed on the ground, it would be a flying, top-of-the-line Grand Admiral or Emperor Titan. Clearly, without considering certain forbidden weapons, the Dragon Gunship is already maxed out in terms of performance.

"In fact, this weapon is not only an offensive weapon, but also a defensive weapon. Think about it, everyone, besides the terrifying technology and a large number of enslaved races, what else is terrifying about the Randan Legion?" Bader said after he came back.

"Psionic power, their psionic power is too terrifying. In fact, during this boarding operation, many mortal soldiers were controlled and turned their guns on their own people. It seems that their technology can also cut into our command chain in some way and then control our weapons in turn." Ferrus said.

"That's right. The Randan aliens are unique in both psychic power and technology. Their mind control and electronic warfare are extremely terrifying. Our Legion and the Mechanicus may be slightly better. Facing such aliens, the mortal legion was almost unilaterally slaughtered. Don't forget, everyone, this time, we also received help from the Omen Titan Order. You should know how precious a force the Omen Titan Order is. This time they helped us suppress the opponent's psychic control and electronic interference, but next time it will depend on us." Balder said.

"The most common way to fight against psychic power is psykers, but where can we find so many psykers?" Ferrus looked at Balder and asked. There are many ways to deal with psykers, such as the Untouchables, the Undead's Exorcism Dead Domain, and the Dark Angels' black technology, but these things are either very precious or not available to you. Using psykers to fight psykers has become the most common method.

But now, even for the most common methods, the Space Wolves have enough psykers, but the Iron Hands and Raven Guard are not so enough. Facing a high-psychic race like the Randan, the Empire's controllable psyker consumption will be very large.

"So we use psychic arrays and psychic crystals to reduce the demand for psychics. To deploy these things and move with the legion, we must have a large platform. So the dragon gunship is not only a weapon, but also a shield against Randan's terrifying psychic power." Bader explained.

"This..." There is no doubt that these contents hit Ferrus' blind spot.

"Only the Emperor can solve the problem of psykers. The Thousand Sons Legion is good at psykers, but unfortunately, they are always on the brink of destruction. Even if the Primarch returns, the situation is still difficult. Are there any outstanding psykers in other legions?" asked Ferrus.

"I'm not sure. I'll wait and see," Baldur sighed. He thought of Magnus, and the deal he'd made with Tzeentch, which he couldn't stop. Baldur truly wanted to save Magnus and the Thousand Sons, but unfortunately, there was no way to do so now. If the pure Assassins and their legacy had given Baldur a chance to save some of the Emperor's Children, then Baldur truly had no good plan for the Thousand Sons.

"Don't worry, we still have time." Ferrus comforted.

"Okay, let's continue talking about some technical and tactical things." Bader nodded.

"I've read the relevant reports. The Flying Dragon gunship should be the last intermediate product of the Sky Patrol project, and the imitation work of the Sky Patrol should have entered the final stage. If nothing unexpected happens, each legion should be able to obtain this powerful ancient technological creation soon, right?" Ferrus said confidently.

"The Sky Surveyor's technology and manufacturing aren't a major issue; we'll have a relatively complete manufacturing process in the near future. However, the problem is that the complete Sky Surveyor doesn't quite fit in with our current systems," Balder sighed. "The various Forge Worlds affiliated with the Adeptus Mechanicus have numerous issues maintaining and maintaining the equipment."

The Emperor's compromise with the Adeptus Mechanicus made sense. Without those who ring the electronic bells and sing the cybernetic prayers, many things in the Imperium simply can't function. At least not for the time being. The gap between what can be produced in the laboratory and what can be used in large quantities is enormous. This is the case with the Sky Surveyor. With the cooperation of the Traveler and the Lord of Radiance, the Sky Surveyor's reverse engineering is not particularly difficult. The technology can be replicated quickly, and even a usable production model is only a matter of time.

The real problem is that once the Skywatchers are produced, they're difficult for the average Legion to maintain. While the Bear and Dragon gunships are groundbreaking war machines for the Legion, they generally don't exceed the Mechanicus's upper limit for atmospheric war machines. After all, the Mechanicus currently possesses a large number of Titan Legions, each with 100 to 300 Titans, as well as Emperor Titans. Furthermore, some Forge Worlds even have two Titan Legions. If you provide the technology to a Forge World, they can easily research and manufacture the necessary parts and equipment.

But the Sky Surveyors are different. The difficulty of manufacturing them exceeds the technological limit of most casting worlds. For example, in order to enhance the strength of the main body, the Sky Surveyors use integrated forging technology to produce a nano-alloy main beam that is more than 140 meters long, which is not something that an ordinary casting world can produce.

Some Forge Worlds could develop it, but whether they were willing to do so was another matter. After all, Forge Worlds also had to consider economics and various risks, and many of the Sky Surveyor's components were proprietary. This made some Forge Worlds hesitant to commit to certain projects. And even if Mars agreed, would Balder dare give the technology to the Martian Forge General? Definitely not. He was the second most traitorous person after Horus!

Even if they were produced, ensuring the proper operation of these Sky Surveyors would be extremely difficult. To accommodate such large aircraft, Bader even designed the massive Splendor-class battleship. Besides the hardware's operational difficulties, the shortage of skilled personnel for maintenance was another serious issue. After all, most Forge Worlds wouldn't touch such complex creations, so naturally, they wouldn't train the necessary technicians.

Therefore, it's foreseeable that before the Heresy, Skywatcher production wouldn't be very high. Even widespread availability was highly unlikely. Even the Dragon-type gunships were extremely rare, partly due to limited production capacity and the sheer complexity of their production, rivaling that of Emperor Titans and high-level Admiral Cannons. Another factor was the sheer cost of war, especially the current Randan Campaign. It could be said that, aside from the Primarchs and the Queen of Glory-class battleships, all other warships and Titans were expendable. Dragon-type gunship production might be substantial, but the number in stock was relatively low.

"That's really a pity. It seems that if we want to return to the era of the peak of human technology, we still need to make a lot of efforts." Ferrus said with a little regret.

"Yes, it still requires a lot of effort." Balder nodded.

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"The Wang's Treasure, a special cargo transport, has arrived. Prepare to release the carrier aircraft, while the shuttles prepare to deliver supplies to the Fortitude Man space station," Heimdall reported to the assembled leaders. In fact, the Wang's Treasure had transported not only twelve Flying Dragon gunships, but also tens of thousands of tons of supplies, spare parts, and ammunition. This included numerous missiles and torpedoes specifically designed for the Flying Dragon gunships, all to be manufactured by Ferrus's "Universal Corporation" and Guilliman's "12 World Industries," including technical data, molds, and much more.

The twelve Dragon gunships were distributed as follows: Guilliman kept three, one for training, one for technical research, and one for tactical studies. Ferrus and Clarks took five, one also for training, one for research, and three for combat and tactical studies. Then, the Dark Angels took one, which Balder had agreed to give to Jonson. This left three: one was loaned to the IV Legion led by Felix, another was given to the Warhounds, and the final one remained with Balder.

That's right, Balder only had one. The reason was simple: Balder needed to attend to non-combat duties for the next period of time. The severely damaged legions also needed to resupply and rest, so aside from one to familiarize themselves with the equipment, Balder's unit would not be equipped with any other Wyvern gunships. This decision earned everyone's praise. After all, it truly treated all legions equally, and distribution was essentially based on need.

"Very good, prepare to receive." As the master of this star fortress, Guilliman ordered.

"They're coming." Ferrus nodded slightly as he saw the figures approaching outside the window. "It seems we need to adjust our future battle plans," Ferrus said subconsciously. Clarks, standing next to him, was stunned for a moment, then a trace of bitterness flashed across his face.

"Welcome the angel of the great God of Machines." At this moment, the Mechanicus sages in a corner of the hangar also began their ceremony. This made the three Primarchs present frown slightly. After all, in their opinion, this was completely a Space Wolves replica of an ancient creation, and it seemed to have no direct connection with the Mechanicus.

Chapter 214 Dragon Gunship 2 (6K)

Following the command of the leading Sage of the Steel Sphere Forge World, groups of Mechanicus sages, priests, and priests began chanting their newly composed prayers. The raw, yet mysterious, voices echoed throughout the vast hall. Accompanied by the tolling of bells and the music of the organ, the entire hangar was filled with a religious atmosphere. Some Legionaries looked at these arrogant yet now unusually focused and devout individuals with strange expressions.

"The Titan is a divine machine, and the Dragon gunship is an angel?" Guilliman whispered to Balder beside him, with some dissatisfaction in his tone. He was actually very disgusted with this kind of superstitious thing.

"This will save a lot of trouble. What we need to do is to make a great technology accepted by the world instead of getting entangled in some minor issues," said Bader.

In reality, after the first batch of Dragon gunships completed mass production, both Baldur and the Emperor faced a significant problem: the Adeptus Mechanicus's attitude toward these devices. After all, while the Bear gunship, roughly equivalent to the Warlord Titan, was still within the Adeptus Mechanicus's tolerance, the Dragon gunship, which directly rivaled the Emperor Titan, or even surpassed it, was a problem.

After all, if the Titan Legion was the ultimate representative of the Adeptus Mechanicus's ground-based armies, representing the will of the God of Machines upon the earth, then the appearance of the Dragon Gunship was a clear slap in the face of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Adeptus Mechanicus! Flying Titans, capable of defeating Emperor Titans within planets and destroying warships in space, were simply too powerful. Thus, the various foundry mechanics began to ponder a new question: could the Titan Legion still represent the glory of the God of Machines, and was the Dragon Gunship a gift from the God of Machines?

Honestly, this clearly doesn't belong! This thing is a collaboration between the Traveler and the Lord of Radiance, and has nothing to do with the Adeptus Mechanicus. At most, I'll let you produce it in the future. But while I can say that, I can't do that! It will definitely be seen as a provocation by the oilmen of every Forge World!

In terms of piety, whether it's 30K or 40K, the Mechanicus is generally considered the same. Although there are many sages with great knowledge, and even people like Cawl who are full of contempt for their conservative colleagues, they still cannot explain certain things about the Machine God.

After all, in this mysterious and metaphysical universe, whether it's the whispers of the Star God in the Eternal Night Labyrinth, the power of the Emperor, the Traveler's vest or Trazyn's game, the upper limit of these things is actually beyond the scope of the Mechanicus' understanding. After all, if you ask a top sage like Cawl to explain why the machine can be repaired as soon as the Emperor says a word, Cawl can't explain it.

To appease these technologically advanced, military-capable, and exceptionally devout individuals, Baldur ultimately offered a solution: to incorporating the Dragon Gunships into the Glory of the All-Mechanical God. After crafting a series of stories and histories, these Dragon Gunships were hailed as Angels of the All-Mechanical God, the wings of the Om Messiah on earth, bringers of destruction and redemption! The Mechanicus also agreed to canonize Baldur. All Forge Worlds would record this event in their databases, and those forge worlds favored by the All-Mechanical God, capable of producing these terrifying angels, would offer their faith to Baldur individually. Adhering to the principle that one who holds onto faith is a fool, Baldur agreed...

Although the whole thing was filled with lies, lies, and compromises, it ultimately concluded successfully. The first batch of Forge Worlds to participate in the construction and improvement of the Dragon Gunships has been selected. Elites and sages from across the Imperium's Forge Worlds have flocked to the Space Wolves' Forge World, so many that they've caused local housing prices to triple... Balder has already begun considering whether to construct a ring around this Forge World's upper orbit.

As the hangar door opened, the leading Flying Dragon gunship entered the hangar. The huge spacecraft switched from high-speed flight to hovering in the air in a very short time, fully demonstrating the agility of this huge aircraft. As the landing gear was lowered, wheel sets as big as super-heavy tanks landed on the hangar. Then, with the help of the guide, this giant dragon with spread wings walked to its own parking position.

In terms of appearance, the Hiryu Gunship, like the Bear Gunship, lacks a tail, and its fuselage is also a flying wing structure. Its exterior is covered in smooth nano-alloy plates. A long dorsal spine runs along the upper fuselage, housing the command bridge and communications module. While the Bear Gunship's cockpit is already complex and massive, the Hiryu Gunship's command and control system rivals that of a small battleship.

With a length of 100 meters, a width of 60 meters, and a maximum height of 23 meters, this ship became the most dazzling star in the entire hangar. Such a massive weapon also distinguished the Hiryu Gunship from its predecessors in terms of armament and power. While the Bear Gunship could easily accommodate and utilize Titan-class weaponry through the use of interchangeable modules, the Hiryu Gunship's main weapon, due to its large size and high functional requirements, was fixed directly into the fuselage structure from the outset. The main weapon, located within the wing root, could not be replaced.

These weapons are specifically designed to target Emperor Titans, high-level Grand Admiral Cannons, or Hive City heavy defenses. Of course, to ensure mission flexibility, the underwing weapon slots accommodate Warlord-level weapons. As for the Warhound's weapons, they are labeled "third-class weapons" in the Dragon Gunship's weapon sequence, falling into the "gadget" category. Lasers, conventional missiles, and the like are dispersed throughout the aircraft, serving as "short-range defensive weapons."

Unlike the Bear gunship's engine which is integrated into the fuselage, the Feilong gunship's 30-meter-long super-large engine is hung on the lower part of the fuselage, and is not retracted into the engine compartment. On the one hand, it is because it is too large, and in order to save structural weight, it is suspended. On the other hand, it is more convenient for maintenance. The engine compartment can be directly removed from the fuselage for disassembly and maintenance.

The Feilong gunship also underwent a groundbreaking improvement in its defenses. Besides its standard multi-layer void shield, it also features a special repulsive field shield specifically designed to deal with slow-moving targets and those with physical ammunition, theoretically preventing the embarrassment of being engaged in close combat. Furthermore, to provide cover for airdropped troops during special air transport missions, the Feilong gunship can also project its shield to protect friendly forces within a specific area.

In order to ensure that these modules can be used normally, subsequent products of the Feilong gunship are also equipped with additional external reactors to increase the energy output power of the spacecraft according to different mission requirements.

While the reverse engineering of the Mutalisk gunship was generally accomplished by the Space Wolves and the Lords of Radiance, it would be inaccurate to say that the Adeptus Mechanicus had no involvement in the development of other related systems. The Forge World of Lucius gritted its teeth and brought out its long-cherished Drone technology, combining it with the power supply and weaponry of the Abyssal VIII to create the drone known as the Falcon. This drone, with an empty weight of 5 tons and a maximum takeoff weight of 17 tons, is typically suspended from the underside of the Mutalisk gunship and used for escort, attack, repair, and reconnaissance missions. That's right, repair. Due to the Legionnaires' repeated experience repairing Bear gunships at meters in actual combat, the Adeptus Mechanicus believed that such a precious strategic resource deserved specialized repair equipment, and so they developed the Falcon drone repair variant.

"Praise be to the God of All Machines, to you be all the power and glory in the world. Welcome your messenger, the great angel who has come down from your divine realm." As the chanting of the Mechanicus followers of the Steel Ball Casting World reached its climax, Balder felt that his faith seemed to have increased a little bit, and it was very pure!

After the Dragon gunship entered its parking bay, teams of Mechanicus priests, led by the Sage, arrived at the massive war machine. With the lighting of incense burners, nanobots swarmed out and began cleaning the engines and the ship's exterior. Binary data inputs were used to clear redundant data from the Dragon gunship's Cogitator arrays. The priests' meticulous care and respect delighted the Dragon gunship's Machine Spirit, or rather, its low-level AI. After all, the Mechanicus' actions were more than just ritual; they were truly substantial!

"Let's go," Guilliman said as the Mechanicus finished their work. He had been feeling quite happy today, but after these Mechanicus messed things up, Guilliman suddenly felt a bit unhappy. Of course, he didn't show it, and aside from a few of his brothers and Balder, no one else noticed.

If the Bear gunship still feels like a large transport aircraft, the Dragon gunship feels like a small spaceship. The Dragon gunship retains a similar fuselage structure to the Bear, allowing it to switch modules depending on the mission. For example, the lower main bomb bay can be equipped with heavy anti-ship torpedoes for anti-ship missions. For transport missions, something the size of a Knight Titan can be deployed. And when deploying modules like psychic arrays, a swap can be completed in a matter of hours.

"Okay, everyone, come and take a look." Bader said. After visiting the lower and middle decks, Bader and others came to the upper deck. The upper deck is basically the command bridge. It is not accurate to call it a deck because it is only a short section and not a deck from beginning to end.

While the command deck wasn't large, it was incredibly versatile. According to the sage from Acheron VIII, relying on the Wyvern gunship's command and control system, an experienced commanding team, aided by the Machine Spirit, could command an entire Chapter (1 Space Marines). If necessary, the commanding team could directly communicate with a tank or individual below. Data upload and download speeds surpassed those of the Mechanicus's Titan Legion command vehicles, and the unit was highly resistant to interference.

"Even if the system comes under electronic attack, our advanced information processing system can still operate automatically and clear the interference in a very short time." Castin's huge mechanical body moved across the smooth deck, its mechanical feet gently bumping against the floor, as if afraid of leaving scratches. Although he knew that the floor's defense was enough to withstand the Space Marines' laser cannons, he was still very cautious.

"Ten thousand people?" Ferrus, standing nearby, stroked his chin thoughtfully. He tapped the datapad in his hand, pulling up some data. After reviewing it, his brow furrowed slightly. The sheer number of maintenance personnel and the amount of energy required made him feel somewhat stressed.

"Actually, I think the Iron Hands need to set up more recruitment points." Balder walked over and said to Ferrus.

"Balder, my brother, your work basically destroyed the original combat system of the Legion." Ferrus said half seriously and half casually, and his words also aroused the interest of the other two Primarchs.

"The Space Wolves seek to build a complete, independent combat force that doesn't rely on other systems," Guilliman said after a moment's thought. "When the Legion possesses decisive power, the Adeptus Mechanicus becomes less important."

"Alright, we have some things to discuss. Please excuse me," Balder said to the others with a smile. Anyone who could accompany the Primarch to the highest level must at least be a Grand Magus of the Mechanicum. Therefore, Balder's tone was quite polite. He could tell that Ferrus wanted to discuss something in private.

"Everyone, please sit down. Let's sit down and talk slowly." Balder said after extending his hand and making a gesture of invitation.

During the Great Crusade, the Imperium's military system was structured as follows: the Legions were the mainstay, but these Legions consisted not only of the hundreds of thousands of Space Marines, but also of a vast multitude of mortal auxiliaries. These numbers could be immense. For example, the Iron Hands, commanded by Ferrus, boasted 7 Space Marines alongside 700 million human auxiliaries. Generally, such a force was sufficient to subjugate most enemies.

However, in this galaxy, there are always some tough guys who can stand up to the Legion's attacks. This is when the Mechanicus's Titan Legions come into play. If that doesn't work, they'll use the Grand Admiral Cannon. If that still doesn't work, they'll use some legendary items. It can be said that this is basically how the Great Crusade progresses in the background.

However, it was clear that with the successful development of the Bear gunship, the Mechanicus's Titan Legions would become largely unnecessary if a Legion were equipped with only a hundred or so Bear gunships. Furthermore, with the introduction of the Dragon gunship, even the Emperor Titans and Admiral Cannons, considered by the Mechanicus to be the ultimate power within the planet, became unnecessary. This resulted in a greater degree of independence for the Legions in military operations. Previously, they would have to consult with the Mechanicus on matters they could now undertake independently.

However, doing it yourself comes at a price. That means the Primarchs' workload has increased. The addition of a large amount of new equipment requires a significant increase in specialized technicians and combat personnel. What was Ferrus looking at just now? Was it the data for the Dragon gunship? No, it was the personnel and supplies needed to keep this weapon operational! Once operational, the sheer volume of resources required was enough to make Ferrus's brow twitch.

To draw an analogy, when the Titan Legion was collaborating with the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Adeptus Mechanicus was responsible for the daily supply and consumption of the Titan Legion. But now, with the addition of the two gunships, the Legion itself is responsible for these tasks. This has significantly changed the nature of the Legion. Previously, a Primarch only needed to be able to fight, but now, he must also be able to farm and train high-quality technicians. This immense pressure made Ferrus raise his brow.

"I feel that in the future, even if we openly supply these weapons, at least one-third of the legions may not be able to afford these expensive money-eating beasts," said Ferrus.

"Yeah, I agree with that." Clarks nodded, feeling a sense of sympathy. If he hadn't taken refuge with a good big brother, it would have been very difficult for the Raven Guard to support the operation of the Dragon Gunship.

"Can't we have the Forge World operate these dragon gunships?" Guilliman asked.

"So who owns it?" Balder asked with a smile. "The Adeptus Mechanicus is a vast, yet loosely organized system. The Titan Legion system was established over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. There's even a Titan Order within the Adeptus Mechanicus to coordinate relationships."

"The conflicts within the Adeptus Mechanicus and the power struggles within the Forge Worlds are as complex as the Imperial administration. Establishing such a system will take a long time, and I am sure that our father wants us to have some independent technologies, such as the Leviathan Dreadnought and this thing under our feet." said Ferrus.

"I understand." Guilliman pondered for a moment and nodded. The Emperor and the Adeptus Mechanicus were allies, but the Emperor did not want the entire Imperium to rely solely on the Adeptus Mechanicus for research and development.

"So, everyone, work hard. Ferrus, in addition to the military, you need to devote more energy to other aspects." Bader said.

"Haha, you just know how to add pressure to me." Ferrus scolded with a smile.