Machine Spirit Personalities for Various Vehicles and Gear

[Wolfshade]

Just to expand on the men of iron.

The Men of Iron were legendary sentient humanoid machines created by humans during the Dark Age of Technology. Until shortly before the Age of Strife, the Men of Iron were loyal only to Mankind, and served as their army. They came after the Men of Stone, but before the advent of servitors. Eventually, they turned on their Human masters, believing themselves superior to the Humans who relied on the Men of Iron to do virtually everything for them. In the end, the Men of Iron were destroyed by Humanity. In the Gaunt's Ghost novels, the Connel-Commisar discovers an STC for them and destroyed it before it could fall into the hands of schemers

[Katharon]

The "Priests of Mars" series by Graham McNeill is a good place to see some more examples of machine spirit personalities.

[Jmaximum]

The "Caban Machine' is a good short story about how the Mechanicus is totally against sentient machines.
I have never heard any of the stories of the Men of Iron or Men of Stone. Is this in the Heresy novels? What's the source?
I could see this as a possibility: the ancient war machines (M30 or older) were probably created with a some form of silicate AI, and in some cases may have become self-aware, like in my brief recollection above about the Predator and the story about the land raider. But in most cases, such as titans and frikkin spaceships, which probably have the best/most powerful AI, they still need a human component to work properly. haven't heard any stories of Titans going off on their own without a crew. I think the 40K-verse treats pure AI as relics, and thus ascribes personality to them, where as more modernized stuff (post-heresy) requires an organic component, i.e. servitors with brains for processors, instead of robots. hell, there's even a story out there of a robot becoming an honorary legionnaire for its actions in combat (Can't remember the book, though.)

[Ankhalagon]

Sicaran battle tanks machinespirits are a little scary.

[Charon]

there's even a story out there of a robot becoming an honorary legionnaire for its actions in combat (Can't remember the book, though.)

The first heretic

[MajorWesJanson]

Sicaran battle tanks machinespirits are a little scary.

I'd imagine because they probably have a similar level of machine spirit as the Land Raiders, but stripped of the "instinct" to protect the troops it carries around. A Sicaran is a proper main battle tank, not a hybrid heavy tank/troop transport.

[Thornblood]

I imagine the vanilla, godhammer pattern land raider would be pretty cynical. I like the idea of a sarcastic land speeder.
A depressed, defeatist vindicator upset because hes been transported across the galaxy and spends most of his time stationary and consequently dosn't get to see the places he visits. Not that he visits anywhere nice. The assault marines don't appreciate the freedom they have.
A pacifist passive aggressive razorback. "Oh no I've missed again, oh well I guess they may not see us as a threat and possibly we can settle our differences in peace?"
An angry mother type Rhino? "You and your friends take your boots off when you come inside! Im not having you railing blood across the floor. Is the commander with you? I dont like the commander hes a bad influence! Always shouting. Always demanding. You know who I blame? His parents."
Agrophobic whirlwind? Just stays back in a building or copse of trees, dosn't want to go out in the open...

Well, I entertained myself at least...

[This Dave]

It's not actually a 40K story but a long time ago I read a book called "Bolo" about AI controlled futuristic tanks that seem to be a lot like Baneblades except throwing tactical nuclear weapons around sometimes. It's a collection of short stories about them but one stood out in particular about the origin of the things.

It came online right as a global war started where pan-Chinese forces were invading North America through Alaska. So it was assigned to a Virginia regiment and sent out to stop them. It looked up in its database about the regiment and said it had a long and glorious history. Out on the ice plains it confronted the entire enemy army and fought it to a standstill despite being hit repeatedly with tactical nukes. Just when it was about to stop functioning the enemy decided they had enough and retreated. After several months they were able to recover its computer core from the radioactive hulk and the generals started asking it why it refused to retreat even though every tactical manual and self preservation they programmed into it said it should. Its reply?

"For the honor of the regiment."

That's kind of how I've always seen Land Raiders acting ever since.