Gloriana-class Battleship
The Gloriana is a rare class of Battleship fielded during the Great Crusade. Created to be the flagships of the Emperor's sons and their Space Marine legions, each and every one is armed to the teeth and heavily armored, on top of being customized depending on each Primarch's needs. At least two different patterns of the class were made as a base to build on, with the Scylla pattern being slightly larger than the Circe pattern. The four largest Glorianas were stated to be the Iron Blood, the Conqueror, the Hrafnkel, and the Vengeful Spirit.
It's important to not understate how massive each individual Gloriana was. They averaged around 20 kilometers in length, although several were noticeably larger than this mark, and they were capable of holding entire expeditionary forces and their support staff and equipment complement. Many of them could hold a sizeable portion of a Titan legion inside them, something that normally requires a single dedicated ship to do so. The entirety of a full-strength "modern-day" Chapter of Space Marines would have trouble filling out even a tenth of their cavernous holds. They were built to such exacting standards that it took nearly 10% of Mars' entire production output working flat out for years to build them.
Not only that, but their firepower was immense as well, with enough lance turrets, macro-cannons, torpedo tubes, and fighter launch bays to fight off entire fleets, with a good chance of the Gloriana coming out on top. Indeed historically, the only way to take out a Gloriana was either through sheer numbers and/or weight of fire, or with another Gloriana.
That said there were several exceptional ships, like the Terminus Est, Infidus Imperator, and the Abyss Class super-battleships that could give the Glorianas a run for their money.
- Length: ~20Km (on average, varies greatly)
- Mass: 124.5 megatonnes; approx
- Crew: 220,000 crew, 80,000 pilots and support personnel; approx
- Acceleration: 1.2 gravities max sustainable acceleration; approx
Chariots of the Primarchs
During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, each Legion had at least one Gloriana-class warship as their Legion flagship, except for the Imperial Fists who had the larger and even more deadly Phalanx (and the Alpha Legion which secretly had two flagships). Relatively few Glorianas remain active and accounted for in the 41st Millennium, with the majority of the great ships either confirmed destroyed during the Crusade/Heresy or have since then disappeared without a trace.
- Dark Angels: The First Legion were given several at the start of the Great Crusade, taken from what had survived Old Night and equipped from the forbidden armouries of Terra. Though the exact number is unknown; "many" of their fleets were supposedly headed by one. Any surviving vessels would have likely been given to the new chapters. So a few of them still might be in service as mobile Fortress-Monasteries for those of the Second Founding.
- Paradigm of Hate (Destroyed): Participated in the First Rangdan War, was lost and unsalvageable.
- Truth's Razor (Fate Unknown): Participated in the First Rangdan War, survived to fight again later.
- Invincible Reason (Still Active): survived the Horus Heresy and currently serves as the Dark Angels' flagship.
- Emperor's Children:
- Pride of the Emperor (Fate Unknown): Crippled during the Battle of Thessala, one of the few battles Girlyman lost. No further updates on its status.
- Iron Warriors:
- Iron Blood (Still Active): Probably reconstructed as a space station or Perturabo keeps it in reserve on Medrengard. Confirmed to still be active and lurking around, having been spotted by Huron Blackheart's forces a few times.
- White Scars:
- Swordstorm (Destroyed): Became one with the speed force during the Battle of Catallus, after Jaghatai attempted to use it as a trap to kill Mortarion.
- Space Wolves:
- Hrafnkel (Fate Unknown): Galaxy's largest space tavern, mobile brewery and Viking convention hall. Was crippled by the Sons of Horus during the Battle of Trisolian, where it narrowly managed to escape the Vengeful Spirit. There has been no known activity with it since, and the Wolves aren't talking about it either.
- Imperial Fists:
- Eternal Crusader (Still Active): Currently serving as the flagship and Fortress-Monastery of the Black Templars, as the Imperial Fists have the Phalanx. Currently known to hide/carry a Cross of Dorn-class Maritime Cruiser in its belly for maritime operations.
- Night Lords:
- Nightfall (Fate Unknown): Last seen during the Siege of Terra, where one of its last duties was containing Angron within its many mazes because he was having one of his temper tantrums, at Kharn's request. He was later sent down on Terra once the fighting begun. Nobody knows its current status, making it a Grimdark version of the Batcave.
- Blood Angels:
- Red Tear (Fate Unknown): Originally named Grey Daughter. Sanguinius asked a woman to park it. As a consequence, mostly because she was driven mad by Chaos, it crashed on Signus Prime and got transformed into a fortress. It was later towed back into space, repaired, and served in the Horus Heresy. No other activities after that.
- Iron Hands:
- Fist of Iron (Fate Unknown): Was severely damaged by the Pride of the Emperor prior to the Drop Site Massacre after Fulgrim failed to turn Ferrus to the traitors' side. Partly the reason why Ferrus got himself killed in said massacre. No details about its ultimate fate.
- World Eaters:
- Conqueror (Still Active): Formerly Adamant Resolve. Continues to be in active service after the Horus Heresy, last seen during the 13th Black Crusade. Currently serving its Primarch once more.
- Ultramarines:
- Macragge's Honour (Still Active): Guilliman’s space chariot/boat. It used to be a shrine ship after Guilliman's defeat against Fulgrim, but after the Primarch's awakening, it was restored to battle-ready condition and is currently being used as his flagship while cruising the galaxy. Fully playable in Battlefleet Gothic 2 and is one of the best ships in the game.
- Death Guard:
- Endurance (Still Active): In service to Nurgle, so it's a big garbage truck. Last seen during Mortarion's Plague Wars campaign.
- Thousand Sons:
- Photep (Fate Unknown): Was sent away by Magnus with a contingent of Thousand Sons marines before the Burning of Prospero. Later before the Siege of Terra, they returned to their legion on Sortiarius. Last seen during the Siege of Terra.
- Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus:
- Vengeful Spirit (Still Active): Currently used by Abaddon whenever he has a temper tantrum, remains the Black Legion flagship.
- Magna Tyrannis (Still Active): Is currently renamed as the Harbinger of Doom, and serves as the Spirit's equally competent but more obscure sibling.
- Word Bearers:
- Fidelitas Lex (Destroyed): Was destroyed by the Ultramarines over Nuceria during the Shadow Crusade. Role as flagship was taken over by the Trisagion.
- Chronicle of Ashes (Still Active): Was captured by the Ultramarines during the Great Scouring; after being cleansed of Chaotic taint, it was renamed the Lex Talionis and given to the Nemesis Chapter, an Ultramarine successor.
- Salamanders:
- Flamewrought (Fate Unknown): Disappeared after the Drop Site Massacre. A Battle Barge named in its honor later served as the Salamanders' flagship.
- Raven Guard:
- Shadow of the Emperor (Destroyed): Destroyed by the Terminus Est during the Drop Site Massacre. Its successor, the Second Shadow, was destroyed 10,000 years later, also by the Terminus Est.
- Alpha Legion:
- Alpha (Fate Unknown): Was last seen during the Battle of Pluto. Much like the Alpha Legion: seemingly disappeared into thin air.
- Beta (Fate Unknown): was last seen under the command of Omegon after a warrior claiming to be Alpharius died on Pluto. Much like the Alpha Legion: seemingly disappeared into thin air.
Swords of the Emperor
There are few Gloriana-class still in active duty in the modern-day Imperium, and in all cases these honored relics are in command of Astartes Chapters rather than the Imperial Navy. Needless to say, these old survivors have near-legendary reputations or honor rolls that would fill the libraries of entire planetary systems.
The Eternal Crusader, formerly of the Imperial Fists Legion, still lives up to its name, serving as the mobile fortress-monastery of the Black Templars. Up until recently it had been in pursuit of the infamous Warboss Ghazghkull Thraka, but has since then been deployed for the Cardinal Worlds Crusade in the wake of the formation of the Great Rift.
The Invincible Reason still remains the flagship of the Dark Angels, though in practice it mostly serves as the escort of The Rock in its travels through the galaxy. Much like the Rock, it's currently deployed in Imperium Nihilus.
The Macragge's Honour of the Ultramarines by comparison spent much of the intervening millennia as a spaceborne shrine to their Primarch, and has only relatively recently returned to active service. For a time it was lost to the Red Corsairs in the wake of the disastrous Terran Crusade, but has since then been recovered, and once more serves as the Lord Commander's flagship.
Finally there's the Chronicle of Ashes, formerly of the Word Bearers, it was captured, renamed the Lex Talionis, and has since then served the Nemesis Chapter as their flagship. One can only imagine how long it took and how hard it was to cleanse such a huge vessel of Chaos taint (granted, the Imperium did capture it in M32 so it's very likely the level of Chaos influence was much easier to clear out), and there's a good chance the depths of the ship still aren't completely safe.
Echoes of the Old War
There are several Gloriana-class ships known to be still in service to the dark powers.
The most infamous of them all, the Vengeful Spirit, flagship of the archtraitor Horus Lupercal, still bedevils the Imperium well into the current age. Now under the command of his successor, the Warmaster Abaddon the Despoiler, the ship leads the fleets of the Black Legion in their rampage out of the Eye of Terror after the fall of Cadia.
Likewise the Magna Tyrannis, renamed the Harbinger of Doom, flies the colors of the Black Legion and serves as the second flagship of the Black Fleet.
Mortarion still commands the plague-ridden Endurance, and used it during the Plague Wars to terrorize the worlds of Ultramar, exchanging a couple broadsides with the Macragge's Honor before retreating. Likewise the Conqueror still remains under the control of the World Eaters, who use it to wreak havoc in Khorne's name, presumably Angron takes command when he is summoned to the Materium. Lotara Sarrin, Angron's flag captain during the Heresy, is merged with the command throne and occasionally snacks on passers-by. Currently commanded by Kossolax the Foresworn, Chaos Lord of The Foresworn World Eaters Warband, currently involved in the Nachmund Rift War Zone.
The Iron Blood has been quieter than it's sisters but it's noted by Huron Blackheart post Great Rift that it's been seen around.
It's conceivable that the Alpha and Beta of the Legion that doesn't exist are still in operation, but given how that Legion functions, no one knows for sure. The most that can be said is that the largest group of Alpha Legion factions post Great Rift had no idea where either of them are.
In Battlefleet Gothic
The Gloriana-class was not statted out when the specialist game was first released for the simple reason that GW hadn’t created them yet. At the time, the Vengeful Spirit was simply an ancient Chaos Battle Barge with stats that made it slightly more effective at boarding, which was underwhelming to say the least. It doesn't even get Chaos-specific benefits, especially compared to the other Chaos God-aligned battles barges statted out (see the Terminus Est of the Death Guard).
Not exacly reflecting its reputation as a ship capable of fending off entire Loyalist fleets, and enduring the world-breaking duel between the Emperor and Horus.
The sidebar to the Vengeful Spirit also mentioned its equivalents still serving the Imperium were considered "relic" Battle Barges that could customize their weapon load-out before deployment for free, and come with a Space Marine crew by default. Again, a far cry from what's expected of a ship class that can fend off fleets on its own.
In Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2
The ship class makes its debut in the sequel game, with Macragge's Honour representing the Imperium while the Vengeful Spirit appears on the Chaos side. Each is easily twice as powerful and durable as a "regular" battleship of their faction. Just don't send them without escorts however, as they can still be overwhelmed by multiple ships ganging up on them. The Macragge's Honour rolls with massive fighter complements, but its primary punch is its mix of lances and torpedoes. Since the torpedoes are parallel, they can hit a target eight times with one button press; good for boarding actions with that Astartes muscle backing it up.
Hilariously, if you play the Chaos campaign: there's a mission that has you defeating the Macragge's Honour and taking Guilliman prisoner (somehow). This results in the Word Bearers gleefully corrupting the Macragge's Honour and re-christening it as the Monarchia Redeemed.
Homebrew Stats
The lack of "official" stats that reflect the actual capabilities of the class hasn't stopped players from trying to create some of their own. The following statistics are one of the more reasonable tries at this:
| Class | Pts | Type/Hits | Speed | Turns | Shields | Armour | Turrets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloriana | 750 | Battleship/14 | 20 cm | 45 degrees | 5 | 6+ | 4 |
| Armament | Range/Speed | Firepower/Str | Fire Arc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port weapons battery | 60cm | 6 | Left |
| Starboard weapons battery | 60cm | 6 | Right |
| Port weapons battery | 45cm | 6 | Left |
| Starboard weapons battery | 45cm | 6 | Right |
| Dorsal Lance turret | 60cm | 6 | Left/Forward/Right |
| Port Launch Bay | Thunderhawk 20cm, Stormhawk 30cm | 3 Squadrons | - |
| Starboard Launch Bay | Thunderhawk 20cm, Stormhawk 30cm | 3 Squadrons | - |
- Relic: The Gloriana-class is an irreplaceable remnant of a better but bygone age. The loss of such a ship is considered a grievous blow to the Imperium as well as the Forces of Chaos. The Gloriana gives 50% more Victory Points if Crippled, and 200% more Victory Points if Destroyed.
| Vessels of the Traitor Legions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spaceships | ||
| Space Station | Blackstone Fortress | |
| Super Battleships | Abyss | |
| Battleships | Battleship (Gloriana - Planet Killer) - Ark of Omen | |
| Cruisers | Light Cruiser - Cruiser Heavy Cruiser - Grand Cruiser | |
| Escorts | Escort | |
| Others | Silver Tower of Tzeentch | |
| Combat Spacecraft | Doomfire Bomber - Swiftdeath Fighter | |
| Landships | ||
| Siege Carriers | Siege Carrier | |
| War Machines | Chaos Harvester - Nurgle Plague Tower - Woe Machine | |
| Titans | Questor Scout Titan - Slaanesh Subjugator Feral Scout Titan - Ravager Battle Titan Chaos Warlord Titan - Chaos Emperor Titan Skull Reaper | |
| Troop Transports | Mastodon | |
| Superheavy Tanks | Baneblade - Fellblade - Plaguereaper Tower of Skulls | |
| Airships | ||
| Flying Fortress | Harbinger | |
| Aerospace Vessels | Stormbird | |
| Seaships | ||
| Oceanic Battleships | Oceanic Battleship | |