Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-6589306-20130228113457/@comment-76.24.162.67-20130303050334

A Xenomorphs exoskeleton is depicted as weak enough to be penetrated by pistol rounds, though at very close range, in Aliens. Let's be generous and say the pistol what's her name used in the air vent was a 45 caliber with armor piercing rounds, and that it only managed to penetrate the 'morphs exoskeleton due to the fact that it's entire clip was emptied rapidly into the same spot. This would make a xenomorph exoskeleton able to shrug off pretty much all modern, or the slightly futury versions in the movie, small arms fire (rifles, pistols, SMGs, Assault Rifles) excepting perhaps certain specialized sniper and anti-material rifles, as well as limited protection from 50-cal + machine guns.

So that's pretty good, certainly better than the carapaces the various 'gaunts are depicted as having. But Tyranid warriors are able to shrug off massed bolter fire. I don't know what, if any, the official caliber of a standard space-marine bolter is, but its gotta be something completely ridiculous. Those mussels are the size of saucers and the gun is so poweful it can only be effectively used as an assault rifle by supersoldiers with powered exoskeletal armor. The imperial guard uses bolters as stationary heavy weapons.

Oh, and the bullets explode.

So stealth isn't going to do a drone much good if their sudden, deadly scorpian-tail attack just bounces off the warrior's skin. And what the fuck is a queen going to do? Ripley beat one with a fancy forklift.