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So this is something I've been thinking about doing for a while, but I thought I should finally just get around to it. Anyway, Space Marines are currently listed as Hypersonic+, likely higher due to their capacity to do things such as react in microseconds and casually slap hypersonic projectiles out of the air only inches from their face. However, these are all things done by completely nameless, basic marines. Looking through some old books and respect threads, I've found repeated instances of much higher speed showings from simply better trained (though keep in mind, not even CLOSE to most more notable named characters) marines. I'm not 100% sure what nanosecond reaction speeds count as, but here are just a few examples of them.
This is an example of a marine analysing numerous advanced tactical protocols within nanoseconds. Keep in mind these are all incredibly advanced maneuvers which regular humans would need quite a bit of extra time to mull over and process.
"'I have little idea,' Cestus confessed, staring into the viewscreen, analysing and appraising tactical protocols in nanoseconds as he considered Kaminska's question."
Next, we have a marine seeing an unrecognized foe and proceeding to play out in his head exactly where and when to shoot, the consequences of said shot, and dealing with said consequences before drawing his bolter. This entire process? It lasts less than a single nanosecond.
"The Word Bearer is almost unrecognisable. For a nanosecond, the figure registers to Luciel as an unknown, a threat. Transhuman responses are already there, unbidden. Adrenaline spikes to heighten an already formidable reaction time. Muscle remembers. Luciel wears his boltgun, an oiled black pit bull of a weapon, in his thigh holster. He can draw, aim and fire in less than a second. The range is six metres, the target unobstructed. There is no chance of missing. Maximus plate, frontally augmented, might stop a mass-reactive shell, so Luciel will fire two and aim for the visor slits. The airgate skin-sleeve is self-repairing, and will survive las-fire damage, but a bolter shot will shred it open, so Luciel also braces for the explosive decompression of a ricochet or a miss-hit. At a simple, subconscious neural urge, boot-sole electromagnets charge to clamp onto the deck plates. He can make a clean kill headshot in less than a second and a half, two rounds for kill insurance, and probably protect the atmospheric integrity of the airgate. All this, all this decided, unbidden, instinctive, in less than a nanosecond."
As a bit extra, this makes sense, considering this is a marine watching a hypersonic projectile move through the air as if in slow motion, just to put it in context.
"Gabriel squeezed a couple of shells out of his bolter and watched the little contrails that poured out behind them, as though in slow motion. They spun through the thick, gaseous air and then slipped through a gap in the lava flow, punching into the kaleidoscope of reflections beyond."
Of course, I'd need to know the exact ballpark of this speed, but if you're wondering who it scales to, then I can answer that in only a few words; pretty much everyone. Almost all named characters would benefit from this, as a vast majority of them are either as fast as or far faster than highly trained marines. For example, Kharn the Betrayer. Remember those marines in the last examples? This is Kharn butchering three of those guys before they can properly react.
"The three Dark Angels did not know what was happening until it was too late. Pinned down by Black Legionnaires in defensible positions further along the corridor, they had taken to alcoves and doorways, slowly advancing from cover point to cover point, exchanging fire as they went. The roar of a chainaxe from behind them drew their attention. Two halves of the green-armoured figure fell wetly to the ground, his bolter discharging wildly in a spasming hand. One of the stray shots struck Khârn in the hip but he did not falter, swinging Gorechild around again and liberating another Dark Angel of his head. The third Space Marine, unhelmeted and in the livery of a sergeant, pulled his chainsword free of its scabbard. Khârn reacted quickest, severing the Dark Angel's arm at the wrist, sending both fist and sword tumbling to the deck. His next swipe tore up through the stricken Space Marine's torso, opening him up to the chest before one final blow claimed his head.Khârn was already advancing along the corridor before the corpse hit the floor."
Finally, lets put the speed of a Primarch in context. This is Angro, Primarch of the World Eaters, blitzing Kharn before the marine can properly react. It's also important to mention that Angron is relatively calm (ya know...by Angron standards) and isn't fully serious.
"He exhaled, and took another step into the room. For a moment he thought he could hear movement, the padding of feet, a rush of air that felt like breath before everything splintered and whirled and he crashed into a pillared wall to land hard on his back, gasping in pain. By the time the gasp had entered his lungs, reflex had taken over and he was up on one knee, turning to put his broken right arm and shoulder to the wall and holding and tensing his left arm ready to ward as he scanned for motion, eyes sifting the gloom, pushing into infrared to see the hulking shape hurtling forwards to fill his vision— Will overrode reflex, and with an iron effort Kh├órn forced his hand towards his side. Then he was skittering on his back across the floor, breath hammered out of his lungs and cracked clavicle flaring. Unthinkingly he drew his knees to his chest, turned the skidding tumble into a backwards roll. Training, determination and Astartes neural wiring let him shunt the pain to the back of his mind as he came up into a combat crouch. Then will took over again, and Kh├órn made himself stand upright and placed his hands by his sides. He looked back and found the spot where he had rested a moment ago, but the floor was empty, no shape or heat-trace. Was this how it was for the others? He caught himself wondering, and stopped thinking about it when the lapse in concentration started him swaying on the spot. He focused, half-heard movement closing in behind him and opened his mouth to speak, and a moment later was jerked up from the floor, the back of his head and neck in the grip of a hand that felt bigger and harder than a Dreadnaught's rubble-claw. Will, will over instinct: Kh├órn stopped himself from kicking backwards, trying to wrench free."
Thoughts on this speed upgrade? Help with an estimate on it for marines?
Note: This does not scale to relative fodder such as normal space marines. It only applies to far more trained, older, and advanced marines, and most named characters in the setting.
This is an example of a marine analysing numerous advanced tactical protocols within nanoseconds. Keep in mind these are all incredibly advanced maneuvers which regular humans would need quite a bit of extra time to mull over and process.
"'I have little idea,' Cestus confessed, staring into the viewscreen, analysing and appraising tactical protocols in nanoseconds as he considered Kaminska's question."
Next, we have a marine seeing an unrecognized foe and proceeding to play out in his head exactly where and when to shoot, the consequences of said shot, and dealing with said consequences before drawing his bolter. This entire process? It lasts less than a single nanosecond.
"The Word Bearer is almost unrecognisable. For a nanosecond, the figure registers to Luciel as an unknown, a threat. Transhuman responses are already there, unbidden. Adrenaline spikes to heighten an already formidable reaction time. Muscle remembers. Luciel wears his boltgun, an oiled black pit bull of a weapon, in his thigh holster. He can draw, aim and fire in less than a second. The range is six metres, the target unobstructed. There is no chance of missing. Maximus plate, frontally augmented, might stop a mass-reactive shell, so Luciel will fire two and aim for the visor slits. The airgate skin-sleeve is self-repairing, and will survive las-fire damage, but a bolter shot will shred it open, so Luciel also braces for the explosive decompression of a ricochet or a miss-hit. At a simple, subconscious neural urge, boot-sole electromagnets charge to clamp onto the deck plates. He can make a clean kill headshot in less than a second and a half, two rounds for kill insurance, and probably protect the atmospheric integrity of the airgate. All this, all this decided, unbidden, instinctive, in less than a nanosecond."
As a bit extra, this makes sense, considering this is a marine watching a hypersonic projectile move through the air as if in slow motion, just to put it in context.
"Gabriel squeezed a couple of shells out of his bolter and watched the little contrails that poured out behind them, as though in slow motion. They spun through the thick, gaseous air and then slipped through a gap in the lava flow, punching into the kaleidoscope of reflections beyond."
Of course, I'd need to know the exact ballpark of this speed, but if you're wondering who it scales to, then I can answer that in only a few words; pretty much everyone. Almost all named characters would benefit from this, as a vast majority of them are either as fast as or far faster than highly trained marines. For example, Kharn the Betrayer. Remember those marines in the last examples? This is Kharn butchering three of those guys before they can properly react.
"The three Dark Angels did not know what was happening until it was too late. Pinned down by Black Legionnaires in defensible positions further along the corridor, they had taken to alcoves and doorways, slowly advancing from cover point to cover point, exchanging fire as they went. The roar of a chainaxe from behind them drew their attention. Two halves of the green-armoured figure fell wetly to the ground, his bolter discharging wildly in a spasming hand. One of the stray shots struck Khârn in the hip but he did not falter, swinging Gorechild around again and liberating another Dark Angel of his head. The third Space Marine, unhelmeted and in the livery of a sergeant, pulled his chainsword free of its scabbard. Khârn reacted quickest, severing the Dark Angel's arm at the wrist, sending both fist and sword tumbling to the deck. His next swipe tore up through the stricken Space Marine's torso, opening him up to the chest before one final blow claimed his head.Khârn was already advancing along the corridor before the corpse hit the floor."
Finally, lets put the speed of a Primarch in context. This is Angro, Primarch of the World Eaters, blitzing Kharn before the marine can properly react. It's also important to mention that Angron is relatively calm (ya know...by Angron standards) and isn't fully serious.
"He exhaled, and took another step into the room. For a moment he thought he could hear movement, the padding of feet, a rush of air that felt like breath before everything splintered and whirled and he crashed into a pillared wall to land hard on his back, gasping in pain. By the time the gasp had entered his lungs, reflex had taken over and he was up on one knee, turning to put his broken right arm and shoulder to the wall and holding and tensing his left arm ready to ward as he scanned for motion, eyes sifting the gloom, pushing into infrared to see the hulking shape hurtling forwards to fill his vision— Will overrode reflex, and with an iron effort Kh├órn forced his hand towards his side. Then he was skittering on his back across the floor, breath hammered out of his lungs and cracked clavicle flaring. Unthinkingly he drew his knees to his chest, turned the skidding tumble into a backwards roll. Training, determination and Astartes neural wiring let him shunt the pain to the back of his mind as he came up into a combat crouch. Then will took over again, and Kh├órn made himself stand upright and placed his hands by his sides. He looked back and found the spot where he had rested a moment ago, but the floor was empty, no shape or heat-trace. Was this how it was for the others? He caught himself wondering, and stopped thinking about it when the lapse in concentration started him swaying on the spot. He focused, half-heard movement closing in behind him and opened his mouth to speak, and a moment later was jerked up from the floor, the back of his head and neck in the grip of a hand that felt bigger and harder than a Dreadnaught's rubble-claw. Will, will over instinct: Kh├órn stopped himself from kicking backwards, trying to wrench free."
Thoughts on this speed upgrade? Help with an estimate on it for marines?
Note: This does not scale to relative fodder such as normal space marines. It only applies to far more trained, older, and advanced marines, and most named characters in the setting.
