[Shas,vre]

most people here know in the fluff for the IG and Tau that the IG use promethium to fuel their flame throwers, vehicles, etc. and that Iridium armor on a tau commander gives them a 2+ save well i found out today that these two are actually real elements on the periodic table would Games workshop of taken these from real life or made them up themselves

[MechTau]

Prometheus is the Titan who brought humans fire. Promethium was named for him and is highly radioactive and has some uses in nuclear power.

Iridium is used in modern metals to get high strength alloys that can withstand high heat tempurtures.

So;

Promethium - Sounds cool, I think of Prometheus.

Iridium - Truthiness is present.

[Wargamer]

I imagine the 40K Promethium is not the element, but a chemical compound designed to be extremely flammable.

[Abanim]

Originally Posted by Wargamer

I imagine the 40K Promethium is not the element, but a chemical compound designed to be extremely flammable.

I agree. Apart from anything else, 40k promethium is apparently liquid, while real promethium is a metallic solid. To be honest, 40k promethium seems to be described more-or-less exactly as though it were petroleum.

Pure iridium isn't necessarily a good choice for armour, but as an alloying agent it's entirely plausible.

[Wargamer]

There is another option... Meltaguns use "Pyro-promethium", or something like that... I'd have to look in the BBB again. Anyway, it may be that "Promethium" is an abbreviated name.

[Calaban]

I always imagined Promethium as a chemical fuel (dont chimeras and landraiders run off of promethium as well?) that is suitably amped up in flammability ratings, etc, to produce high-tech sci-fi results.

How to amp up..say.. gasoline? Well, ( >), Pure sodium (not salt, the elment sodium) is so reactive that it bursts into flame on contact with the atmosphere.. so there would be a good start on a reliable failsafe (or is it fail-deadly?) flamethrower. Thermite is another real world compound that burns normally, but extremely hot!! Thermite puddy put on 12 inches of armor will merilly melt through that armor as it smolders, its so hot.

Then, for flamers, youd want some sticky compound akin to napalm, that will stick to everything and stubbornly burn no matter what atempts are made to put it out. A high tech way to enhance this is do add something like nitrous oxide to the mix, so that as it burns it chemically releases its own oxygen, meaning that the goop is impossible to put out while the fuel lasts! Now, kids, dont try this at home!!! This wouldnt work IRL, and may just blow your garage up, along with you! Nox is highly flammable, and mixing it with gasoline outside of a racecar engine is suicidal!

Anyway, Meltaguns would make a bit of sense this way, in that the promethium is fully ignited under extreme pressure within the gun, and the heat is vented outward (I imagine some vortex generator to make the heat travel in a long range 'shot&#39

well, that shouldjust about conclude my pyro moment for today!

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

Originally Posted by Wargamer

I imagine the 40K Promethium is not the element, but a chemical compound designed to be extremely flammable.

Nope, it is an element. It states in Traitor General in the partisan camp that there is a natural well of crude promethium.

[Wargamer]

You can get Crude Oil as well, that certainly isn't an element.

Clearly, Promethium is not the Promethium, but some form of chemical compound (naturally occuring?).

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

Originally Posted by Wargamer

You can get Crude Oil as well, that certainly isn't an element.

Hmmm, point. In whih case your explanation would seem more likely.

[Tau Fanatic]

I still think it's petrolium