Welcome to Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum! Log in and join the community.

Difference between revisions of "Exterminatus"

From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
Jump to: navigation, search
(iw)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{InqPortal}}
 
{{InqPortal}}
'''Exterminatus''' is the most dire order that can be brought to bear by the [[Inquisition]] on any one planet. When heresy or [[Chaos]] have taken root in a population and are deemed too deep to burn out, that population will be executed down to the last man, woman, and child to prevent it from contaminating the rest of the [[Imperium]]. Exterminatus is typically used only as a last resort, when the price of holding or retaking the world is deemed
 
to be too high, the threat of [[mutation]], [[heresy]] or Xenos contamination is too great to contain by conventional means. Thus Exterminatus has very rarely been used on vital or valuable planets to the Imperium. The Exterminatus order can be given by any [[Inquisitor]]. Upon receiving the order, members of a [[Space Marines]] [[Chapter]] will be dispatched with the desired methods of annihilation. These include;
 
  
*[[Virus bombs]]
+
'''Exterminatus''' is the obliteration of a world's entire population through some form of weapon used from orbit or nearby space.
*[[Cyclonic Torpedo]]
+
 
*[[Atmospheric Incinerator Torpedo]]
+
It is the most extreme method of dealing with some form of heresy, corruption or alien infiltration which has taken root within a planet's population. Accordingly it is only used in the most extreme of circumstances, when the level of corruption a world bears is so monumental that it cannot be wiped out by any other means. The destruction of the entire population is deemed necessary to prevent the contagion from spreading further.
 +
 
 +
Exterminatus is essentially one of the many tools in the armoury of the [[Imperium]], used in those cases where complete destruction is deemed a better solution than more subvert or conventional methods. The world in question may have fallen to Chaos worship, or its Imperial government overthrown and replaced by the rule of aliens such as [[Genestealer]]s, or it may be a non-Imperial world harbouring an extraordinarily powerful and dangerous species of alien. Exterminatus is often resorted to when the world is deemed to be not worth the amount of men and materiel that would be required to conquer or reclaim it. Exterminatus is very rarely used on planets vital or valuable to the Imperium.
  
Orders for Exterminatus are often preceded or followed with deep zeal, resulting in drastic measures such as massive, orbital bombardment.
+
The Exterminatus order can be given by any [[Inquisitor]]. An [[astropath]] will relay the order to a Space Marine Chapter nearest the condemned world. Upon receiving the order, the Space Marine fleet will be dispatched with the desired methods of annihilation. These include:
  
 +
*[[Virus bomb]]s
 +
*[[Cyclonic Torpedo]]
 +
*[[Atmospheric incinerator torpedo]]
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
 +
*[[Inquisition War Trilogy (Novel Series)|Inquisitor/Draco novel]] (1990), by Ian Watson
 
*[[Horus Heresy Series]]
 
*[[Horus Heresy Series]]
 
*[[Ultramarines (Novel Series)|Ultramarines Series]]
 
*[[Ultramarines (Novel Series)|Ultramarines Series]]

Revision as of 05:27, 19 April 2009

Template:InqPortal

Exterminatus is the obliteration of a world's entire population through some form of weapon used from orbit or nearby space.

It is the most extreme method of dealing with some form of heresy, corruption or alien infiltration which has taken root within a planet's population. Accordingly it is only used in the most extreme of circumstances, when the level of corruption a world bears is so monumental that it cannot be wiped out by any other means. The destruction of the entire population is deemed necessary to prevent the contagion from spreading further.

Exterminatus is essentially one of the many tools in the armoury of the Imperium, used in those cases where complete destruction is deemed a better solution than more subvert or conventional methods. The world in question may have fallen to Chaos worship, or its Imperial government overthrown and replaced by the rule of aliens such as Genestealers, or it may be a non-Imperial world harbouring an extraordinarily powerful and dangerous species of alien. Exterminatus is often resorted to when the world is deemed to be not worth the amount of men and materiel that would be required to conquer or reclaim it. Exterminatus is very rarely used on planets vital or valuable to the Imperium.

The Exterminatus order can be given by any Inquisitor. An astropath will relay the order to a Space Marine Chapter nearest the condemned world. Upon receiving the order, the Space Marine fleet will be dispatched with the desired methods of annihilation. These include:

Sources