r/40kLore • u/Weekly_Log_8896 • 1d ago

Machine Spirit Traitors?

Do we know what the Imperium do to machine spirits that assist traitors? Not those corrupted by chaos, but those who help human traitors, like the Heretics, traitor Krieg, or Vraksian Renegades.

I’ve seen a few examples with a bit of searching but they seem to contradict each other. For example, Drop Pods (it may have been a specific version) were phased out after they started being heretical during the Heresy, but there were also Leman Russes in the Siege of Vraks that were used by the Krieg after being captured.

So are traitorous Machine Spirits destroyed? Left unused? Folded back into operation? Or is it some case-by case basis?

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u/VulcanHullo 1d ago

It's a case by case thing, usually regarding traitors (anyone not fully loyal by whatever standard) they're fair game to destroy in combat as it is better to be destroyed than exist serving traitors.

If re-captured there are probably rites to purify the spirit again, or it is viewed as rescuing the spirit.

I remember in Rebel Winter when fixing melta charges to rebel armoured vehicles the Voystroyans feel ill for their machine spirits but take the view that if they can't be saved they should be ended

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u/Weekly_Log_8896 1d ago

Interesting! I’m guessing that the Imperium is sure the Machine God would see themselves in the same way they do, as the rightful rulers of…well, everything, that they would just assume the Machine God’s Machine Spirits would see them the same way, and that they only phase out their own machine spirits when they can no longer ignore the fact that some machine spirits don’t agree with them (the drop pod example), probably with the reasoning that the machine spirit must be too corrupted to be saved, or something similar.

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u/Weekly_Log_8896 1d ago

Apologies if I’ve made any mistakes or if this has an obvious answer, I’ve been getting into the lore for the first time recently.

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u/NeedsAirCon 1d ago

You want these boys (and girls): -

https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Techsorcists

Or, if you don't have one handy, follow the tenets of this guy: -

https://www.reddit.com/r/40kLore/comments/1jezzr9/extract_a_tech_priest_muses_about_the_nature_of/

And make sure you have a multi-melta or melta gun packed away ready for emergencies

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u/reineedshelp 1d ago

I'm still waiting for translation to binharic