I LOVE how you break down each video and explain the 40k universe. You are a great narrator!

I imagine Ian rationing his scented WH40k candles just for shooting the videos, huddling over its feeble warmth while their light grows dimmer and dimmer, for them only to be later replaced by a cheap tealight placed inside the empty tin to act as a facsimile of a scented glory long gone by...

Mark VII is just so iconic. I don't think any other can beat it.

I was hoping Ian would be in the ultramarines dressing gown for this. Excellent video all in all, bathrobe not withstanding.

Casual viewer: But what about Mk IX? Imperium of Man: Cease your investigations!

Your videos have quickly become something akin to comfort food for me. The intro, your style of presentation, the music, the "cya" at the end - feels like coming home and listening to another rapturing story from you, Ian. Thank you so much for these videos - informative and entertaining, never dull or stretched out. You have a talent at telling these stories. :)

I love that Grey Knights got a mention - because their Strike Squads I always thought had what looked like MK VIII gorgets and then realised the name "Errant" armour is likely a reference to Malcador's Knights Errant - who later went on to found the Grey Knights. So it would make sense if MK VIII was an advanced prototype armour only officially available to the Knights Errant and that the few suits owned by other chapters were a rarity, whereas the Grey Knights based their bespoke power armour almost entirely off it, albeit with elements of MKVI and MK VII incorporated. Also apparently Death Watch use mainly MKVIII armour, which is interesting as they are also an Inquisitorial offshoot - the Ordo Xenos Astartes to the Grey Knights' Ordo Malleus.

Time to spend my mobial data on this master work!

The thing I enjoy most about your clips is how much information and trivia you convey in under 20 minutes. Thank you very much for sharing this with us.

I think my favorite part about these videos is how you take the time at the end to break down why these things matter to the setting on a broader scale, like how the power armor is as much a symbol of the imperium as any other of it's officials icons.

I always wondered whether the skipping of mkIX was meant to be some sort of satirical comment on Microsoft skipping Windows 9, of Apple skipping the iPhone 9. GW probably just thought mkX sounded cooler. Head canon: Cawl had 10k years to develop the new armour. Mk9 was an early fully developed but ultimately abandoned variant.

Great summary as always. You’re like the historian for 40K!

This is a great overview of the evolution of power armour in Warhammer 40,000! I especially appreciate the mention of the Imperial Pattern, it's a nice touch that it has been worked into the lore in recent years. I always find it funny how much attention is given to the cabling in descriptions of Space Marine power armour, I remember being bemused when I originally read the 1990 White Dwarf article that introduced most of the armour marks to the lore by how much of it was devoted to what was happening to the chest cables. 🙂 Is there enough material to be worth making a companion video about the real world history of Space Marine power armour? How the original Imperial design was simplified into MkVI so it could be produced in plastic, the introduction of earlier marks to the lore, the replacement of MkVI with MkVII as the main mark from 1990, then a long period where nothing much changed until the Primaris release in 2017? It even feels like there's some parallels between the real world and the 40k lore that can be made, with a long period where nothing challenged the MkVII armour after all the creativity of the early years! The way that the increasing "gothicification" of Space Marines didn't kick off until the long period of the MkVII armour's dominance also feels like a parallel between the real world and in game histories now I think about it. And then when MkX comes in we see the same mixture of interest and caution from the 40k community as there seems to have been amongst the Imperium and the Space Marine chapters.

I saw you on an advert.... Was painting away and hadn't skipped and thought hang on I know that voice!

Yep Ian. You're my favorite 40k YTer now. Outstanding quality and narrator! Please bring more content soon to satisfy my lust for more lore!

TechPriest: And the helmet has all these awesome features to help lead your squads. Sergeants: No thanks, I hate helmet hair.

Why yes, Astartes DO shit themselves while wearing the power armor! For the Emperor!

Always like to see a weird mix or variants of armour. I think one of my favourite oddities are the more knightly looking helmets you occasionally get on things like the Dark Angels veterans or one of the old monopose kits.

You’re so good at this. This video had me captivated, at the end I had no idea that 18 mins had just passed.

YUH, Arbitor Ian dropped a new vid. Time to add to the list of videos i listen to when i try to sleep, the sweet sweet sounds of 40K lore.

One of my favorite variants is the Mk X Omnis armor used by Suppressors. Intentionally mixing all variants of Mk X armor to create a more lightweight yet still sturdy set of armor.

Terrific Video with strong writing, as usual

I've read a couple of histories of power armor, but your video is the most descriptive and comprehensive. LOVED it! Thank you so much!

As an OG Rogue Trader player, nothing beats the original Womble Marine, a.k.a. Mark VI/Corvus/Beaky Marine, armour. It's more reminiscent of medieval knights. The Mark VII helmet, with its mouth grill, was too close to SW Stormtroopers for my taste.

Excellent video. Always loved the evolution of power armor. Now if they'd just release some new MK2 stuff for heresy...

1:56 Sailor Moon Sister?

another great vid. Talked in detail about a single aspect and without any wasted words. Keep up the good work my man!

I think my favourite will always be Mark III, it just screams "I'm an unrelenting force". Just like this channels is my fav but it screams more something along "Hi gang" lines. Both equally necessary in life tho.

wonderfully comprehensive video. Im still astounded at some of the great artwork you dig up to use in your vidoes.

Alas poor Mk IX, just like the iPhone there’s no model 9.

Here I sit going out of mind hoping Ian will explain Power Armor Mk9!

As always a great overview. I look forward to your new releases as part of my hobbying enjoyment. Many thanks, mate.

Awesome video. I never knew anything about the early armour versions. Keep up the good work.

40k power armor is probably the single most thing I have researched. And what you know, your video was still very enjoyable.

Even if I sometimes don't learn anything new, like it was the case with this video, I still thoroughly enjoy your content. Lovely video as always.

Learned a lot, great video!

Excellent video as always!

Oh wow loved this breakdown on all the power armour, thank you

This was amazing. Very well done. 10/10

A magical narration - thank you

I love the "simplicity" of Mk III and mk VI, love those "breach" visuals

Amazing video as always

Great video as always.

thanks I'm learning little by little

Is there a sequel episode which will break down the real world history of their origins? It seems interesting to me that somehow they committed themselves to the first 6 marks all appearing pre-heresy. Maybe they wouldn't have made that choice if they had a chance to do it again?

Ian love your videos and narration well done and thankyou mate.

Imperium: Behold! The Mk8! The introduction of the holy neckplate is the most advanced piece of technology ever conceived. Every Astartes Artificer ever: Bruhter

Great video, thank you!

I like Mk6 but I've replaced the 'bare' pad with one with a trim. Just looks better to me.

Would be great to have an out-of-universr video looking at how the size and asthetic of power armour models has changed since the 1980s

Thanks for the video, it's great. The difference between the 20's realistic illustrations and the 80's "cartoons" is even more visible here: Power armors only work with their flared legs and giant feet when it's cartoonish, to me, the evolution toward the over realistic design is looking goofy, imho. (even in "Astartes")

A follow up on the terminator patterns would follow quite nicely I think. Great stuff Ian.

I had always liked the mk4 helmet and the mk8 gorget. I remember when forge world has a mk4 upgrade kit that was just helmets and backpacks and always wanted to make thst my army's look. And now primaris is basically that. Mk7 especially the helmet will always be the iconic image. That just looks "40k" more than anything.

1:55 You can't tell me that's not supposed to be someone's 40k version of Sailor Moon.

Mark VI armour is called "Beaky" and you know it

Alternate title "How 40k moved from Satire to Tacticool: a visual explainer"

"a mass manufactured, almost disposable asset of conquest" I love that line. Comparing how Space Marines are treated in the Horus Heresy to 40k is mind-blowing, especially when watching that video they made for Age of Darkness with Horus and thousands of Marines and Titans duking it out. I hope we can keep that feeling of awe for the history of the Imperium and not reveal too much of it, as much as we want to know.

I'd love to see a retrospective on power armour. When did each Mark enter the fluff. What has changed about it over the years.

Great video interesting bit of lore

I love how the credit sequence is like a UK announcer telling us what's next on BBC.

don't think I didn't see that you used a picture of Soriritas Usagi.

Someone once said wearing Cataphractii plate is like fighting whilst bench pressing a truck. Puts things in perspective.

If there's one element of 40k lore I love is the justification of things, sure different marks are simply the result of the earlier, looser bits of lore the first creators were playing around with but they found an elegant way to retroactively explain it within the logic of the setting itself and how the history of the setting shaped the rule of cool it came from how a great and mighty empire that could afford thousands of suits and with the logistical power to widely distribute them and maintain them such that marines had their own personal artisan(s) to care for it had to deal with the loss of those resources and logistics and had to survive day by day scavenging and replacing what little they had to fewer, more desperation based, improvements less focused on quality but affordability We have 6 marks of armor being created within +200 years and then 10k years of only a couple of suits with not much difference

You deserve so many more views and subs!

I am in love with the Tartaros pretor. Free combi-bolter, free power weapon, 2+ armor and a 5+ invulnerable! Not to mention the best part- 110 points as compared to a normal pretor’s 120 points. The only thing you’re giving up is the jet-bike/ jump-pack upgrade.

Agreed unlike more typical forms of exo armor where the individual is wearing said armor, the space marine is able to fully interact with the armor itself to a much higher degree than say Spartan mijonier armor where yes the Spartan is wearing said armor but compared to a space marine who is capable of actually feeling the environment around him, plus as you said people forget just how adaptable space marine power armor actually is especially when compared to say 30k power armor as well as the legions implementing them in question, such as the ravens guard preference over the Corvus pattern due to its higher flexibility as well as lighter weight and ease of mobility making it ideal for those that require stealth, vs say the much heavier and more durable armor of the death guard or iron warriors who prioritize heavy infantry or mechanized warfare over mobility, the alpha legion makes constant use of highly specialized power armor which is intergrated and inter woven with a material similar to that of cammo cloaks allowing them to blend into the background becoming literally invisible to the human eyes or even to any forms of scanner or sensors and as for our current lack of use of power armor, the cost to outfit a single soldier would be immensely costly than to give them a price of ceramic and a gun and tell him to pray to god, and again the other problem we have is power or to be exact the lack in effectively storing power for long periods of time where yes we have lithium batteries and they can last for quite a while, but still we’re talking within a day or two at best and an hour or less at worst, and then there’s the logistical problem where due to the standard problems of combat where components get damaged or destroyed, each component is extremely expensive as well as important and unfortunately if you’re not gifted with abbs and super human modifications, then lugging around a two pound suit of armor because the battery has run flat isn’t ideal.

Great video

I was literally thinking the other day that I didn't know what power armour was what. Luckily my boy has me covered!

Love the video, great research, narration and visuals as always! Any chance of a Terminator Armor video in the future? :)

The most interesting FACT about helmets surely is that they are purely decorative and thus leaders have to return them to the armory to show that they mean business!

Now the with Heavy Intercessor and Eradicator, Gravis armour can also using as rank and file troops too. One of the greatest plate for Astartes right after the Tactical Dreadnought armour.

i like to think that what cawl was working on wasn't as much the outside armor as inside parts but spending 10k years on making a smaller system useable. and then around the return of guilliman return took all the best bits from across the 10 thousand years and fitted it with the new tech. making it more of a top hits from the 31m-41m remix rather then a whole new set of armor

after more than 30 years I finally dared to read into the 40k universe and I‘m absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer amount 🤪 I started with the timeline and the who is who but it is sooo much 😅😅

Notification Gang: Check! We Lit!

Not addressing Mark VI as 'Beakie' is considered Heresy in most scholarly circles

Kind of a cool idea to have models with mix match armor pieces

Great content as always! I’d love some mk7 and even early mk8 kits for Heresy

Boy was I ignorant to Armored Marks. You made it a revelation to this fan.

Another great video - now do titans!! :)

Nice one!

Looking at the Imperium in the 40k era was like my time spent in the Army during the tight budget cuts!! Where we did exactly the same to keep our kit going, i wonder if the person who created this side of the lore actually served 😂😂😂😂

Personally Fallout power armor is my favorite, aesthetically, but 40k power armor comes in as a close second.

For me the Mk VI Corvus armour with it's distinctive beak will always be THE space marine armour, as that was the one in common use on models when I first discovered 40K waaaay back in the early 90s. At the time you could get a box of 30 plastic marines with this armour, which was a great way to kick start your army.

How do you know all this information? It’s an incredible amount of detail.

imagine you have an itch and can't get out of your armor that is screwed together and can't be easily removed D:

Custodes power armor is my favorite only fallowed by sanguinary guard armor ….. ok I just love gooooold

Great vid but with an error: the latest mark of power armour isn't Mark 10, but Mark 'X' as in the letter X, not the roman numeral 10. It's an armour platform, designed to be added to or stripped as missions require. I believe this was explained in one of the white dwarfs that came out when 8th edition and the primaris were launched.

Mk7 🦅 That's the one I think of when I think Space Marines

I love how almost nobody can agree on how to pronounce Roboute Guillimans name. Like not even the games have been all that consistent with pronunciation.

Another great educational experience for new and seasoned warrior of the good.and those not so good not forgotten the down right down and dirty xenos! 😊🙊🙈🙉

This is a story I've heard many times but I never get tired of hearing it again. It's comforting to me to think about these things. It's like a childhood trait I've brought into adulthood without it being dysfunctional 😅

For some reason, when I was a kid and was reading all the background on how Space Marines functioned, I got it into my head that you couldn't take Power Armour off? I think I misunderstood how the subdermal implants like the black carapace worked and how the armour plugs into it. It certainly made working out how the Emperor's Children were supposedly addicted to "pleasures of the flesh"... confusing, lol.

I really like your channel and content. Just a sidenote on your production, the lights you're using do crazy things to your eyes as they reflect off the cornea. It's a little unsettling.

The problem I have with Power armor in W40k is that the backpack used to power the armor is a major weakness as it is exposed and thus extremely susceptible to damage, thereby potentially leaving the wearer vulnerable to loss of mobility within their own armor. Personally I think such a power source should be internalized in order to mitigate the chances of such an occurrence.

Why does he talk like a guardsmen 😂 bro is committed to his role

I feel like MK 9 power armour is just like Bruno from Encanto. "We don't talk about MK9 oh no!"

3:42...!All Hail COMMANDER PINHEAD Of The UltraMarines! (Took a wrong turn & ran into the natives there on Catachan?) Reminds me of the film 'Beetlejuice' & the HeadHunter/Shrinker of Borneo, together with his shrunken victim/volunteer eternally waiting for their number to be called up whilst in purgatory's bureaucratic ante-chamber!....HA!...;)

Can you do this or something like it for each of the army's weapons

Mark IX power armor had a special system for recycling solid waste. Subjected to intense pressure and heat, the solid waste was converted to an almost diamond hard crystal. This crystal would be used for armor piercing projectiles for the bolter.

In my own stupid headcanon, Mark IX Power Armor was an emergency fallback design that was an actual quality downgrade from Mark VII/VIII but far easier to produce, perfect for some kind of apocalyptic back-to-the-wall defense of the Solar System.