Hey /k/, /tg/ here. There's a thread where someone is wondering if a bolter can work underwater.
Could it actually operate?
>>30508253
Considering bolter rounds are rocket assisted, it would fire, but the round wouldn't travel very far because of water resistance.
>>30508253
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp5gdUHFGIQ
>>30508253
Yes. Why?
>>30508253
Frankly I doubt bolters work to begin with
>>30508253
I think there are bolter shells designed specifically for use underwater.
>>30508253
You would basically have to develop a propeller-based torpedo round in place of the normal gyrojet. Actually doesn't sound all that difficult for rounds of that caliber, really.
>>30508717
Nope. The principles behind them are sound. They would work. Expensive as all fuck to shoot, but woukd work as advertised.
>>30508749
This. They're basically Giant gyrojets.
>>30508757
Yeah, they are a fairly inefficient means to an end, but they would work.
>>30508253
>gun designed millennia ago by ultratech humans known for creating adaptable, nearly indestructible designs to arm troops fighting in every conceivable environment in the galaxy
I'd be surprised if it didn't work underwater.
>>30508277
>bolter rounds are rocket assisted
I know, I just don't get why. Considering that bolters are seldom used by other humans than the Space Marines, I'd assume the bolter rounds need extra speed to penetrate Orks, Tyranids, Eldar, Tau, etc. Am I correct?
But if the bolter is essentially a minimissile launcher, then why does it sound like a regular machine gun? Or do bolter rounds function like normal cartridges, but their bullets have a secondary, rocket powered miniengine too?
I'm totally confused.
>>30509267
basically there is a standard charge behind the round so the gun itself functions as a gun normally would. As the round leaves the barrel the rocket engine ignites adding to the velocity of the round. In theory this would give the round a flat trajectory for a very long range. Then round hits its target and a fast fuze is triggered, fractions of a second later the round explodes (assuming mass reactive).
So you have a .75cal round hole with an explosion.
>>30509267
Because it's cool. The fluff is that it's a rocket launcher machine gun. Why does it sound like a machine gun? Because it's cool. Why does it have a depleted deuterium core (top kek)? Because it sounds cool. Why do cartridges spew out of it despite being rocket powered? Because it looks cool. It's 40K, don't bother looking for in-universe reasons. They don't exist.
>>30509457
So that's why they say non-augmented humans can't shoot it because of the recoil?
Do bolt pistols fire the same round? Humans can use those apparently.
>>30509473
Bolters and bolt pistols can be scaled down for regular human use. They never really go into why the Guard doesnt issue them, but I would guess its cost prohibative to outfit a few billion people with bolters.
Most Guard officers get a 1911 (stub pistol), laspistol and occassionally a bol pistol.
>>30509473
Humans can use bolters. Some fluff say that they use human-sized bolters. Others don't.
>>30509473
It's a mix of cost and maintenance.
Bolters are much more expensive to make and additionally much more awkward to look after. Marines are Marines and are raised to know the ins and outs of their personal firearm over their entire training which can be years.
A lasgun by contrast is basically unbreakable, has no recoil because laser and can be easily picked up and used by an illiterate peasant over the course of an afternoon.
>>30509473
There is always talk about Astartes-pattern bolters and guard issue ones in and out of lore, but as is custom with fantasy-fiction, it is never explained what the difference is.
A significant decrease in caliber could make some sense but would also defeat the purpose of having huge munition loads in the projectile, and make some sort of stubber a more reasonable choice.
A different kicker-charge vs gyrojet load ratio would also be an alternative, but then you run into the old gyrojet problem of muzzle-speed; which is bad when you need to BLAM the guardsman or nob right in front of you.
And a more proficient recoil-dampening system would make the weapon more advanced, expensive and revered, and would only make it even more likely to go to the Astartes.
Also; https://youtu.be/tnHyEhS1lSM
>>30509473
A bolter is whatever it needs to be at that moment. It has recoil that will break a normal man's arm, and is recoiless . It is a revered and rare instrument, and is issued regularly to Imperial Guard sergeants. It is select fire, and only fires three round bursts.
>>30508253
The better question is, can it work under lava?
>>30509544
Very true.
Still, I'd love a Lasgun.
Thread make me want to dig out my Imperial Guard army.
Are the rules still stupid, or do people play the old second edition rules?
>>30508745
Right, because rocket engines with their own oxidizers don't work under water!
Oh wait.
>>30509300
>>30508253
Yes, easily. Look up any number of videos of fireworks travelling underwater and how torpedoes are propelled, not to mention ICBMs that can be launched from subs underwater.
>but no oxidizer
Fucker how do you think the things fire in space?
Amusingly, this is one place where being pushed by powder instead of just gyrojetting could be a bad thing. There is a possibility it might blow up in the barrel/at the end of the barrel.
>>30509722
Nope, bolters actually have pretty consistent fluff.
>>30509505
The D10 RPGs by Fantasy Flight states that Space Marine bolters are far larger than normal equivalents, with recoil that would break a man's arm. Conversely, Marines can use standard weapons, but they need a turn to remove the trigger guard and the weapons are treated a size class lower than usual for maneuvering purposes (a heavy stubber is treated like a rifle, a rifle is treated like a pistol, a pistol is treated like a holdout gun, etc.).
I had a theory how the .75 caliber bolts differed for IG & Marines. The IG models are literally 3/4" wide, whereas SM are .75 gauge (46.66mm) through some Gothic translation quirk.
