Not many days left now...

So, how tough is a Marine really? Since this is the first time you're playing Marines a short piece will probably help role-playing. No?

Lets start easy. A single Marine standing in to open, within effective gun rang, getting fired upon by:

• Stubbers: These are like contemporary firearms. They can't take down Marines in PA. A lucky hit could knock out some auxiliary feature on the suit, but that's it. A heavy stub sniper or heavy stubber could do some damage - or at the very least knock the Marine around a bit.
• Autogun: These are fancy futuristic guns. You ge the same types as with stubbers - pistols, SMG, rifles, sniper rifles, etc. They do more damage, have better penetration, better accuracy, more ammo - in short they are more advanced and thus more deadly. Against PA they aren't much more effective than stubbers. PA was designed with this type of weaponry in mind. Heavy sniper rifles and autocannon CAN do real damage to a Marine if they hit anywhere but the heavy armor plates.
• Lasgun: This is hi-tech shit. Made by the AdMech to take down a variety of foes - keeping cost and reliability in mind. Highly accurate even when wielded by novice riflemen. Slightly better damage and pentration than autoguns. Even non-penetrating hits have a tendency to accumulate damage to armor - where a squad equipped with autoguns can do little damage a squad with lasguns can be a real threat. Heavy versions like multilasers and lascannon can regularly defeat PA.
• Bolters: Bolters are deadly to Marines in PA. The heavily armored sections will stop a few hits before failing and glancing hit will be deflected, but massed bolter fire will penetrate. And given the explosive warhead any penetrating hit is likely to at least incapacitate even a Marine. Heavy bolters will pulp a Marine, and sniper rifles properly aimed will kill.
• Plasma: The lasgun version of the bolter. Basically an energy weapon with high rate of fire that can reliably defeat PA. Even if individual hits don't penetrate the damage will add up and cause eventual burn-though.
• Melta: This is anti-armor weaponry. Range is lousy and ROF low, but any direct hit is almost guaranteed to end a Marine's life.
• Grenades/missiles: Depends on type. Frag and most gas-types are completely ineffective. Same with shock/stun grenades etc. Krak grenades are dangerous. Missiles have larger warheads and are more dangerous - even a frag missile could be problematic, a hit from a krak missile is very dangerous. Other hi-tech warheads can have other effects.