Exterminatus Bonanza!!!!

[FTE-Charge!!!]

I can remember back in the days of 3rd edition Exterminatus (Ext) was extremely rare in the fluff and represented such a final solution that it made you go 'oh my' everytime you read about it.

Nowadays every army book has nearly 15 entries about how someone fights here, but Exts the place, and these people go there and Ext the place, etc. (wee bit of sarcasm there)

My point is, do you feel that the Ext in the fluff has become too common?

I no longer feel like it is a rare, special sanction. Really it seems to me like it is the Imperial solution to any world that has been touched by the 'tainted foe' (gasp).

Would it not be wonderful if the fluff writers thought about this and saved it for special occasions? One might argue that timelines and such in codices represent special events. I counter this by saying that if all we read are 'special events' then they will become common place in our minds and thus no longer feel 'special'.

Feel free to rant my friends.

[Mr.Pickelz]

i would like to think that it is a rare occurrence, and with the universe being huge, there will be a lot of planets whose tale ends in death.:(
The reason why it's prevalent in the GK codex is because their the ones who pull the trigger.

maybe in 6th ed. the mini Ext. will be a missile choice for ML's? :p

[Grailkeeper]

It used to be the case (per Ian Watson) that inquistors could get in very serious trouble for misusing exterminatus- very very serious trouble.

on a related note is it only inqusitors who can order one, or can guard generals/ marine commanders do it as well?

[Lockark]

I could be wrong. But it's always described as being a "request" as exterminatus. I always understood their is requirements for a planet to be considered/approved for exterminatus. The world in question has to be a world that is totally lost with no hope, and it's loss threatens other near by worlds.

(The classic examples would be a tyranid invasion, Or a planet in the process of being turned into a Deamon World.)

[Mr.Pickelz]

Only certain level inquisitors can unleash an exterminatus. Guard and SM's can request that it be done, but it is the Inquisition ship that carry the destructive payload.

[Talon57x]

Space Marine Battle Barges also are equipped with Exterminatus weapons as standard (according to the Battlefleet Gothic).

Chapter Masters can technically order and conduct an Exterminatus, but they obviously won't unless the situation is very dire. However, with their hundreds of years of experience leading the most elite warriors in the galaxy, I think they would be good at determining when a planet is beyond saving.

[Mr.Pickelz]

yea, for some reason the BFG stuff has it that all imperial leaders have exterminatus missiles, Chapter Masters, Inquisitors, etc...

i would think that a Chapter Master would be more stubborn about not utilizing it rather than an Inquisitor Lord.
He would rather see his Troops win the day rather then cosign a planet to die. As in DOW series, the hero Gabriel is haunted, till his death, by requesting an exterminatus on his home world of Cyrene, because he feels as if it was ordered too soon, and he did not do everything in his power to find another alternitive. :(

[Grailkeeper]

According to a chapter approved article on Genestealers on occassion finidng just one genestealer on a planet is enough to warrant exterminatus